TO TOLERATE

10-9-09...TOLERATION IS NOT A MYTH

tol·er·ate

1. To allow without prohibiting or opposing; permit.
2. To recognize and respect (the rights, beliefs, or practices of others).
3. To put up with; endure
4. Medicine To have tolerance for (a substance or pathogen).
This is the definition of tolerate.

I've tried to learn tolerance and in my life I've had to use tolerance a lot.
No matter what happens today my life will go on unscathed. If I wake in the morning things of today are just water under the bridge never to return. I'll forget what people have said to hurt me and I'll hope that I have said things to make someone feel loved.
You can learn a lot about a person by what and how much they can tolerate, and that no matter how much I am irritated by them I'd probably miss them if they didn't exist.
Daddy said don't always stand outside with your face lifted to the trees just waiting for a bird to come along and deposit right between your eyes. If you do this you are expecting and will get the worst.
I've learned that people who hurt others for no reason have very likely been hurt themselves. But just because I have pain and hurt doesn't give me a right to be a pain!!
I know that I need to look past what others are saying and doing but to look at my own shortcomings.
My Aunt once told someone who was making trouble to sweep off her own doorstep before she criticized others.
Tolerance is a big word. Hard to achieve sometimes but I strive for it daily. I know that I fail and I'm not perfect and I still have a whole bunch to learn.

TODAY IS ALL WE HAVE

10-9-09...TODAY IS ALL WE HAVE

My Parents taught me that I could do anything I wanted to do. They said try, reach for it. If you fall get up and try again. They said don't worry about the future or even tomorrow because Today is all we have. Do your best today and the future will take care of it's self.
The falling is what makes us strong, or does us in. We can lie there and wait for tomorrow or get up and finish out today. They taught me to get up. There is no future if you don't get up.
I have friends and family who are in such a hurry to get to tomorrow they forget about today and now. You can ask them to come for a visit but they don't have time because tomorrow they gotta have this or that done. How very foolish. Look what they are missing.
Now I'll admit I'll was one of those hurry up kind of people now and then but not as much as some I know. I had a dear friend who never could even be still long enough to have a phone chat with me. She had been that way all her life. She thought I was lazy I am sure because I took time to enjoy today. My house wasn't always spotless but you could eat off her floors if she would let you walk on them. I refused to have to take my shoes off every time I went in her house. Therefore we lost touch. She died a few years ago. Still in a hurry to get somewhere. If she had only slowed down and looked to today. She didn't seem to realize the future would take care of it's self.
I am slow now because I have to be. I neither know or care about the future. I live today to the best of my ability. That is what my Parents taught me and I'm still here. I'm still slow but I still enjoy the sunrise. When God calls me I'm ready to go but I sure aint gonna hurry the going none!!!! Nope!!!

RETIREMENT

10-9-09...RETIREMENT!!!!!

Planning my retirement was a big joke. When I got up early every morning and hit the road to work without my third cup of coffee. I thought, Boy one of these days I can sleep all day if I want to. I can sit in my robe and drink coffee as long as I want to every morning.
What A joke. I'm up at least four time nightly cause my bladder has to be emptied. Then in the mornings three sips of coffee and off I go again. Sit All Morning? HA!
I remember my Daddy saying many times. “I've worked all my life so that I could retire and do anything I want to do. Now that I have I aint' able to do a dad burned thing. Boy Howdy am I understanding that right now.
I wanted to concrete my alarm clock in. The durn thing had been thrown across the room enough times it was shot any ways. I threw it in the trash and got me one of them new fangled clocks with a whole bunch of settings. It talked to me, played music to me, and even sounded like rain, or waterfalls, or a bunch of other things. The blamed thing did have an alarm on it but I wasn't planning on using it. WRONG!!! Now days I have to set that durn thing anyway cause Drs seem to think all us oldies need early morning appointments. First time I heard a space machine coming in my bedroom at 4:00 Am I threw that durned new fangled clock farther that I ever did the old wind up.
In retirement there is never any sleeping in. Nope! Your body is used to being up early and teaching an old dog new tricks never happens. Ya Know, You can lead a horse to water but ya can't make him drink', that kind of thing.
Driving at night is a hazard to everyone on the road so those peaceful moonlight rides in the country are out of the question. Now that I have time I can't see to drive and I can't get away from my pot very long or I'll have to change my clothes. Oh Well why the heck I thought I wanted to do that is now a mystery to me anyway.
Week-ends are just regular days now. No rushing to do laundry, shopping, etc. Now it's trying to figure out what day of the month it is or even what month or year it is. GOOD GRIEF
But Heck Fire, I'm retired and that's what I worked for all those years. Well By Golly I've reached my goal and reaching a goal aint nothing to look on lightly. NOPE!!

MY CHOICE

10-7-09...MY CHOICE

I love sunrise. It is the start to a brand new day. Everything including me is fresh and new. Ready to face what the day will bring with a new perspective on what lies ahead. I can use the new day any way I wish. Mistakes of yesterday are no more. They all flew away in my dreams if I am lucky. I don't have to bring all the stupidity of yesterday in to my new day unless I choose to. The fact that sometimes I choose to is my fault. Even if the sun is hidden behind the clouds and the dark sky is red , I can choose to see the beauty in that too. MY CHOISE.
The sunrise brings all things new. It is a quiet time when it seems all the world has grown still and peaceful. I have all I need to make this day great or a disappointment. Again it is MY choice. I can choose to enjoy the Peace and beauty as the sun rises over the horizon or I can close my eyes and refuse to enjoy it. MY Choice.
I have lots of possibilities for today. I am the only one who can see these possibilities to fruition. My Choice
I can let irritations creep in, and sometimes I do, or I can rise above them. My Choice.
I love sunrise so why do I choose sometimes to snub my nose at it and think, “You can't make me like things the way they are. I want more”.
I have a choice to make for my day as that magnificent orb of golden light awakens the earth and gives light to my world fresh and new. My choices are not always right and good but I Choose to make my choices better every sunrise. THAT'S MY CHOICE!!!

MELANCHOLY

10-6-09...MELANCHOLY

a feeling of thoughtful sadness

a constitutional tendency to be gloomy and depressed

characterized by or causing or expressing sadness; "growing more melancholy every hour"; "her melancholic smile"; "we acquainted him with the ...

black bile: a humor that was once believed to be secreted by the kidneys or spleen and to cause sadness and melancholy

somber: grave or even gloomy in character; "solemn and mournful music"; "a suit of somber black"; "a somber mood

I didn't want to say any of the above so I'll just say I have been melancholy for several weeks now.
I'm getting tired of covering up my gray hair, wearing long baggy shirts to hide my corn pone hips, or to hide the age spots on my face. Heck fire that is too darn much trouble. Besides that it takes too much time from the things I still find enjoyable.
I like to remember my youth fondly but not try to achieve any of it again. I want to sit in my chair and rock as I watch the beauty of the changing seasons around me. I want to see what I can see while I can still see. I want to go as many places as I can while I can.
I don't want to remember any hard, sorrowful , or tragic events in my life. But I do want to remember every one of the sweet, magic, exciting, and wonderful memories of my life because I have had a bunch of them.
I don't want to regret anything I have ever done or said, (though I surely do sometimes). I've been told a bunch of times that I need to leave the past behind. Well I respectfully disagree with that. What I try to do is cry for happy and also laugh for happy. Remembering things makes me stronger and more determined to rise above the bad and be proud of the good.
It is kind of like a great painting, a masterpiece so to speak. Paint it all as you go and when the paint is dried and flaking you still see it just as it was when the paint was still dripping. Fresh and new and alive.
I want to keep the young girl in me alive and healthy. I want to look back on it all and smile. A old lady once told me, “Honey even the worst, most tragic and hurtful times in your life you can always find something good that happened then also”. I got to thinking about that and putting it in to practice. You know what? By golly it works!! We don't have to block anything from our lives, we just have to learn how to look on them and say, “JUST LOOK WHAT I LEARNED FROM THAT. LOOK WHAT I GOT OUT OF THAT”!
So now as I sit here with gray hair, wrinkles, sagging body, and forgetful mind, I will have no regrets, I will not worry about how others see me. I will be very content with what I am!!!! YEP!!!

STILL SMILING

10-5-09...Still Smiling

I'M STILL SMILING
There have been times in my life when I've missed someone so much that I just want to pick them from my dreams and hold them close and hug them. This will never happen but what would life be without that hope that I hold out for. Good Memories are alive in me and when I am so sad I feel like I can't go on I hug those people in my dreams and keep them close in my heart.
Doors of happiness will usually eventually close, but another door will open. I have at times focused all my attention on a closed door that I can't see the new door opening for me. I have most likely missed some of my open doors and they have closed softly behind me.
Looks are often deceiving and the door I am reaching for has no door knob and will not ever open again for me. I have looked for things to make me smile. Closed doors will not cure anything that my heart might feel but happy memories can soothe and add balm to the sting.
I dream what I want to dream for, and strive to be what I want to be and for all the things I want to do, but why do I still look back at the closed doors and wish for what is never to be.
I can still have happiness by making someone else smile and making the best of the things I have and things that are to come. A smile can make so much difference.
I know that a bright future is based on leaving the doors of hurt closed. By going forward in life while still keeping the good memories alive is the only way to be the only one smiling at the closing of my last door.

STUPID FOOLS

10-5-09...STUPID FOOLS!!!

I have been on line and on the phone all morning trying to get a new cell phone which I need desperately. Good Grief!!! These people can act sooo dumb! My Daddy used to call people like that educated fools! If he could only see how very stupid they are now. It is like they are missing all the points I am trying to make. Daddy would not mess with them at all when they started trying to look down on him and act like he was an imbecile, and by golly I aint going to either. That ol' bag told me that my account or myself don't even exist. HUH? What? I sure nuff' exist and I've had an account since 2001 you stupid woman. I told her to just forget the whole darn thing. Don't call or email me again, OK? Well again she didn't get the jist of my comments. Now how come I knew she wouldn't?
A man was the next one to call. I guess that old lady gave up on me. Well, I was sick of her too. He went through a rigamamore about me not wanting to understand what they were telling me. I hung up on him. Another lady emailed me, My name is Susan and I will be happy to assist you as soon as you set up an account. Now I'm getting' mad as an ol' wet hen.!! All in the heck I want is a new phone. What part of that can't you understand? Good Grief!!! I didn't answer that one for a while. Had to cool down my burning thoughts and not say something I shouldn't.
Ok Now I get another call which I very quickly hang up on. Then I write a message to Susan. Susan, Honey would you tell those stupid fools up there not to call me anymore. They are too ignorant to understand plain talk. All they know is what is in a book and they don't even know how to find it in that book. She answers, You are refusing to give us the info we need to help you. Oh My Gosh, Lord Have Mercy. Those idiots!!! I answer the email. You are the most stupid bunch of people I have ever come in contact with in my 64 years here on this earth and each contact is worse. You guys just forget it OK? I will be checking with other wireless companies. All in the heck I want is a new phone. If I can't get one from you idiots then I will go to a company where I can!!!!! Thank You For Your help and consideration.
An hour later I got another email. I'm quiet certain I will be getting a new phone very soon. Well, When I decided to answer the email. Done hung up on Larry by golly!!! To Be Continued!

AUTUM LEAVES

10-4-09...AUTUMN LEAVES

Lets rake the leaves together, Yellow, brown, and red
We'll make a big ol' bonfire, because the leaves are dead.
Maple leaves and beech leaves, birch leaves, and oak
fir cones and pine needles to kindle in to smoke.
These leaves that all summer, gave us all cool shade
nothing to be left of them when our bonfires made.
There's only left now ashes, but from the ashes dust
The sun will one day fashion, life anew, we trust...
And once again awaken when winter closes door
to complete natures cycle, when spring peeps in once more.
Clydene
(Thomas)
Overbey
2005

THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK

10-3-09...THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK

Have you ever just wanted to box someones jaws? I mean you'd just like to turn someone any which way but loose. Of course you can't and wouldn't do that.
A lady called here the other night and started a spiel about something she was selling. I think that what it was but now I'm not sure. In the first place I couldn't understand a thing she was saying so I did just what I usually do. I hung up on her. She called back, “Thes is veely m'portent Meem”. “Well MEEM! It aint portant to me because I don't know what you are talking about”. And I hung up again. Next it was a recorded message with that same irritating voice. I hung up again. Next a call came and my caller ID showed private message. I never answer them. KER PLUNK AGAIN!!. The next time it said pleeze dial 55. KER PLUNK AGAIN!! I was thinking I wish that ol' bag would call back and not hide behind a recording.
My phone is on the do not call list but as you probably know you get them anyway now and then. I was really getting flustrated. My red neck was on fire and my southern charm had dropped by the wayside when the phone rang again. GOOD GRIEF, Now I've Had it! I told her, I can't understand you so would you please stop calling me because I'm ready to call the police if you stop at once.” The nerve of that ol' bag, she said she couldn't understand me either and asked what kind of accent that was. WELL THAT WAS ENOUGH FOR ME!!! Now I'm hollering, or maybe you'd call it screeching. Till now I had called her honey a bunch of times which is just a part of my southern vocabulary. I had not wasted my sugah, or sweet pea on her. Here is what I said the next time the phone rang::---- “Lady I done tole you not to call hyer no more. You caint understand me and I sure caint understand you so what the hecks the point. If I could git my hands round your neck I'd squeeze yur goozle right out your butt, but first I'd cork yur butt with my foot.” My Pastors wife's sweet voice said “Clydene, what in the world is wrong with you”. Oh My Gosh it took some splainin to get outta that one. After I got my BP under control she started giggling, I started giggling and I felt better. I had a dream that night and let me tell you I beat the tar outta that blasted lady who had been pestering me. By golly I did just what I had told her I would do. Course it was my Pastors wife I told. Never pick up the phone and spout your mouth off without being sure who you are talking to. It could be your mother in law maybe.

YOU AINT SO GREAT!!!!!

10-2-09...YOU AINT SO GREAT!!!!!

I was told this fact in no uncertain terms once when I got too big for my britches and my Mamma had enough of me. HE HE
She didn't say it in exactly these words but I wanted it to rhyme.
Sometimes you feel so portant' and you think you're
natures only bloom.
You get to thinkin' my dear, that you're the best in the room.
You might think the earth without you would leave a big ol' hole'.
Honey just do what I tell you,
you'll see how it humbles your soul.
Draw up a bucket of water and stick your hand in
up to your wrist.
Take your hand out and look at the hole remaining,
and measure how much you'll be missed.
Just splash round all that you want to,
and stir up that water some more.
When you stop you'll find in a second,
the water is the same as before.
Now honey I just wanna tell you,
do the very best you can.
I'm proud of you, but remember,
There's no indispensable man!!! (OR GIRL)
NOPE!!!!!

CRAZY SHOPPING TRIP

10-2-09...CRAZY SHOPPING TRIP

I should not! I repeat, Should Not!! attempt to go shopping. Especially on Friday. The stores are always packed and people are getting more rude everyday. Good Grief! What has happened to people. Everyone is in such a hurry that they don't even see you as they speed by pushing those carts. They'll mow you down if you don't get out of their way.
I had ordered some shoes on line from WalMart so I could stay out of the store as much as possible. The shoes came yesterday. Three pairs of them. Heck Fire, They were too big. I had to take them to our local store to return or exchange them. Of course they didn't have the shoes in the store but they returned my money.
I lugged them in the store and to the service desk. OMG was that whole store packed and the lines at the service desk were long. I had to wait for almost 30 minutes for my turn. One couple ahead of me was told they couldn't return their stuff for some reason. They argued with the lady. She called the Manager who took her sweet time getting there. The couple was mad as hornets but took their stuff out. The Manager left and went back to where ever she came from. Twice more she had to be called up and twice more she took her time getting there.
The lady behind me in line just kept bumping me with her cart. Never an excuse me. I finally had enough of that so I said very politely, "Honey you are going to wear my backside off with that cart. Now it wouldn't hurt me a bit to lose some of my backside but I'd rather not do it this way". She looked at me like I was from Mars or somewhere and never said a word but at least she quit bumping my poor fanny.
When I was next in line the Manager was called again and again took her time getting there. She came sauntering up there like a snails crawl. When she was getting ready to leave again I said, "Honey would you please just stay here till I get my shoes returned? If I have to wait on you to come back again I do believe I am going to wet my britches. And besides I am worn to a frazzle and hurting like crazy from standing here". She flipped her bleached hair and said, "I guess I can do that". I thanked her and finally got my money back.
I decided I'd go see if they had the shoes in the store and of course they didn't. On the way back to the shoe department something swished by me and right back in front of me and stopped. There was a little man strutting around like a bannie rooster pushing a cart. Now he was struck on him self or something I guess. All dressed in a white shirt and tie with a employee badge on his shirt. He was returning things to the aisles from somewhere. Probably things that were brought back in that darn line I just came out of. I almost run in to him when he stopped in front of me. He looked at me like I was a worm under his feet and never said excuse me, I'm sorry, or kiss my butt! Two aisles over he did the same thing to me. By now I didn't want to kiss his butt but I wanted to kick it. I said, "Well Good Grief you are going to knock me down if you don't be more careful". That sucker looked at me like I was stupid and just and kept swishing up the aisle. My cool was gone by then. I came unglued at the seams. I went up that aisle griping and fuming and everyone was looking at me then. But that's OK because I came upon on the bannie rooster and bumped right in to his butt. He was bent down putting something on a shelf close to the bottom. I said, "Well Good Grief, I wish they would stop leaving trash in these aisles for us to have to dodge". Then I went on my merry way not looking back. NOPE! I don't need to go in a store, I get too emotional. TEE HEE HEE!!!!

THE FALL DANCE

9-30-09...THE FALL DANCE

Softly in amber slippers, Fall dances round'.
All green leaves quickly change colors,
then float softly to the ground.
Colors of red, orange, yellow, and gold.
A breathtaking sight of this season.
The grandeur of Octobers splendor.
Such a beautiful sight to behold.
Fall brings to me a smile, waving her colorful wand.
Everything blanketed with magnificence,
as far as my eyes can see..... and beyond.
Then just as quickly as she danced in,
so does she drift away.
We sense the coming of winter and more briskness every day.
Fall then dances out of her slippers, and gently sleeps again.
The air is cold....... the wind whistles,
and winters snow begins.

Clydene Thomas Overbey

THEY MADE WAFFLES

9-26-09...THEY MADE WAFFLES

In 1984 there were three boys in our house. My son and two step sons. I worked and I never knew where my husband was. Man could three boys eat a lot. Sometimes they each had a friend there in the summer moths when school was out.
One day I had made a huge pot of spanish rice and a German chocolate cake. There were six boys there. I trusted them because the youngest of them was twelve. It was to be for supper that night. When I got home from work the boys had scraped the pot clean, ate the cake, and decided to make waffles. They had cleaned the kitchen, washed the dishes, and the waffle iron was pristine. They had even took out the trash and burned it.
Well right away I was suspicious. You know, Mothers intuition! First thing I noticed that puzzled me was three of my kitchen towels were no where to be found. I asked the boys and they acted very guilty but didn't know a thing about those towels. Sure they didn't!!
I couldn't put my finger on it but I knew, that I knew, that I knew, something was rotten in Denmark, (or Missouri as the case was). There was just nothing that I could grasp to prove my case. I just waited them out because I knew one day the whole story was bound to come out. AND IT DID!!!
We had company one day a few months later and the boys started telling their story which follows.
Now the boys knew that eating the food would not get them in trouble. They were never reprimanded for eating good food. They did know to clean up their mess which they did. But they s aid they were still hungry which I know was true. You couldn't fill those boys up and six boys!!!! Well think about that. That part was all well and good but then came the waffles.
They discussed what they would like to eat and I had a new waffle iron. SOOOOO! They decided to make waffles. Did they know what they were doing? Heck no!
They looked for my recipes and found the waffle recipe which they started reading. They assembled the things they would need on the work area which was not very big. Of course that made for spills and messes. At first they used paper towels and napkins but they decided quickly that they'd better not use them all up because I would know that. They discussed that and decided they could use the kitchen towels and wash them out as they went. That was only half right because I didn't use towels that way, but then I didn't make the kinds of messes they did either.
They got to the point where they were mixing the ingredients in the bowl. They had no idea what a small t meant but they decided it meant tablespoon and used a tablespoon of baking powder, and ½ tablespoon of salt . They figured out the rest until they came to the part that said, Separate two eggs. One of them said “What does that mean”? None of them knew but they finally decided it meant separate the white from the yolk. They had seen egg whites beaten so they knew the yolk had to be removed but had no idea how. The decided to just drop the whole thing in the bowl and use a spoon and dip the yolk out. Oh My Heavens would I have loved to have seen that production and heard them discussing all the aspects of making waffles.
They got them mixed with a few egg shells that they couldn't get out. Their next mistake was pouring too much of the too thin batter on the iron which went everywhere. They closed the lid and more oozed out. Too much baking powder made the lid lift up and somehow the whole shebang went on the floor. Oh My Gosh, can't you just see that mess and hear those six boys chattering as they decided what to do next? GOOD Grief!!!
They cleaned it all up but decided they would never get the stains outta' the towels so they went in the trash along with the burned waffles and it was all burned. And I didn't pay any attention to my Daddy and Mamma the many times they said I would Pay for my raising!!! TEE HEE HEE!!!!!

FRIENDS ARE A BLESSING

9-21-09...FRIENDS ARE A BLESSING

Some of you know that I have been having a lot of health problems. Going to Dr a lot, lots of tests and procedures. Well this makes for Bills, Bills, Bills. Yep! I'm sure you've been there, done that many times.
Last year at this time I went on a Retreat for two days and two nights with the ladies from my Church. We went to a Lodge way up in the Ozark Mountains just 10 miles from my home. It is a beautiful place. I could relax in the quiet country side and get Peace, relaxation, and fellowship with friends. It was wonderful!!
The time has come around again for that retreat. I planned on and looked forward to it since last year.
Now back to Bills, bills, bills, pain, pain, pain.!! I knew I couldn't go this year. No. 1 I could not spare the cost. No. 2 I knew I wouldn't be able to even climb the steps up to the Lodge door, especially and carry my luggage. So I gave the idea up even though I was disappointed.
Today a good friend, who is also a neighbor about a mile up the road, came by. Renee had asked a few days ago if I was going and I said I wished I could but I can't go this year. She had asked why and I truthfully told her my reasons. Renee told me today that my dear friends want to pay my fee. I told her that I was touched by that but I didn't want to be a burden and I knew I couldn't even carry my luggage in. No I'd better not try to go and I don't want them to sacrifice their money and time on me. After all it is supposed to be a retreat. Renee looked me in the eyes and said, "Now Dee (that is my nickname that some use) You are being selfish. We want to do this and if you refuse you are taking a Blessing away from us". Oh My Goodness!! The water works started. I bawled like an old cow looking for her calf. My heart just swelled with love for my dear lady friends. She said, "You are going so plan on it".
Will I go? You just better betcha' I'll go. I am the one who is feeling blessed tonight. My heart is overflowing with gratitude and love for my friends.
Friends are a great gift and we should never take that for granted. Next year maybe I can help someone else go. YEP!!!!!

MY GREAT UNCLE CHARLEY CRABTREE

9-19-09...MY GREAT UNCLE CHARLEY CRABTREE

I hadn't thought of Uncle Charley in years so I don't know why a vivid picture of him popped up in my mind this morning. He was tall, skinny, and kind of walked with a lurching gait covering the ground fast with long legs. His head would bob up and down with each step and his arms would swing out. A comical sight.
I think Uncle Charley must have had a hard time getting pants to fit him because he always looked like a gawky boy who had out grown his britches. His too short pants were topped off with a much too big flannel shirt boasting the top of his red long johns sticking out at his neck. He wore a brown hat that looked like rats had bedded down in it when he took it off. Over this garb he sported a red and black check flannel coat. Uncle Charley was a comical sight and it was hard for me not to get in a giggle fit when he was around. Knowing my britches would be warmed up usually kept the giggles away. USUALLY!!! Giggles are still something I have a hard time controling. YEP!
Uncle had a gravely voice that kept me wanting to clear my throat for him. That voice would grate on your nerves after a while. It wasn't just me but anyone else in the room would ahem' ahem', trying to help him talk without that grind.
Uncle Charley walked up the rail road track from Alix Ar. To our house in Denning and he stayed all day when he came. He always perched in Mama's rocker , much to her aggravation, and that's where he remained. Uncle Charley was treated well and always made welcome even though he was trying on the nerves. He Was Family don't ya know and family stuck together. I was taught loyalty and pride in Family. Even though I was always glad to hear him say I gotta be goin', I was still polite as a six year old could possibly muster up. Mamma said, “Now Clydene Uncle Charley is lonesome and we are the only family he has close enough to visit. He don't come very often so we will be nice to him”. Well all I could think was thank goodness he don't come very much. I think Mamma had the same thought though she never said so. HE HE!