REMEMBERING

Have you ever tried to reconstruct a day that you spent many years ago?  This morning, as I sat in my office reading the paper and drinking my coffee, I realized that 61 years ago today I was preparing to start a life that would take me away from all of the familiar things that had comprised a life for me for 18 years.  This was the day I would marry my high school sweetheart, Billy Ramsey Cline.  I was marrying him at Lockeland Baptist Church with the auditorium decorated with dogwood blossoms and white roses, songs to be sung by my friend, George Hulsey, attended by my friends, Nancy Wray, Ann McClanahan, my cousin Billie Rinks and my Maid of Honor Juanita Russell.  My dress was white satin, long sleeves with tiny satin buttons, a long train that was overlaid with lace and I wore a veil attached to a satin cap.  Billy was handsome in a white dinner jacket attended by Jim Ed Clary, Billy Anderton, Dicky Moran and his best man and best friend, Jimmy Fraser.  We were a handsome group of young people.  I say YOUNG PEOPLE because we were all young - way too young to be engaging in such a serious event.  However, we were confident that we knew exactly what we wanted and in spite of all of the discussions with parents about getting married at this time we finally won the fight and the day came in all of it's Spring Splendor.  All of my aunts and uncles were there.  My brother, Ronald, gave me away and I was proud to be walking down the aisle on his arm.  He had always been my protector, my advisor and my friend.  The wedding was just as I had planned and the reception that was held at the Russell home on Cherokee Road was lovely.  Billy and I left for a short trip to Memphis and I thought that my life had just begun and there was no way in the world that anybody could be as happy as I was at that minute.  Well, as great and wonderful as that sounds, life handed me all of the things that is given to everybody.  I found out in record time that I had left a safe, secure, indulgent life for a life I had no way of comprehending.  However, as all stories go I could write the story of my life with Billy and it would probably sound exactly like most people's life.  The ups the downs, the good, the bad.  The happy, the tears.  That, I found out, is life. We are given choices to make and some will be good and some will be not so good.  We had our share of both.  The best of all was our children - Annita, Corinne, Kimberly and Tracey.  The events concerning the years of their childhood and adolescence and adulthood are sometimes a bit blurred in my memory. I remember most, but not all of the minute details,  but they were then and are now the absolute joy of my life.  They are all a combination of Billy and of me.  I can see resemblances of both of us in their physical appearances and in their attitudes and the way that they approach the obstacles and trials in their lives.  I am proud beyond all words to describe these women that are the legacy of Billy and Patsy Cline.  You see, thinking back on that day, April 26, 1952, I was a child going to join my life with another child.  We grew up together.  We learned to walk into the unknown and face whatever came together.  We learned that life was going to be so good that we would wonder just why we deserved all of the blessings we were given and we also learned that devastation can come and it has to be faced and conquered together.  All of the story of Billy and Patsy Cline would make a good, humorous, tear jerking, laughing out loud story but the last page of the book would not end with "they lived happily ever after" because Billy didn't get to go that far but he left me to remember what we had and to enjoy what I have now.  Do I miss him each day?  Yes.  Do I look forward to seeing him in Heaven and telling him the rest of the story?  Absolutely.  I know that this will happen because God has always been so good to me and God is good - all the time.

ORDINARY DAY - EXTRAORDINARY LIFE

I will probably shock everybody by writing so soon after my last post.  However, I just felt that there were a few tid-bits that I would like to share. 

Today started off very bright and sunny.  After my breakfast and a few chores, I dressed and took Houston out for a stroll.  The men were cutting the grass here at the apartment complex and they drive those mowers so fast that I thought it best if Houston and I took ourselves down on the green way and walked on the track.  While walking along I noticed that since my last visit to this area the bushes, that supposedly hide the railroad tracks and are designed to buffer the noise of the train, had taken on new growth.  These bushes that were mostly bare branches a few days ago were now filled with tender green leaves and even some little buds of white flowers.  The big field beside the track was filled with dandelions that were just pushing out of the ground and little purple wildflowers.  We strolled on down to the creek and the water was rapidly flowing over tree limbs and other trash that had washed into the creek during some of the wind and rain storms that we have been having.  I was so happy to see the sights, smell the smells and realize that Spring is really "busting out all over".  As I sit at my desk and write, the clouds have taken over, the sun is hiding and it looks as though it might rain before nightfall.  Rain was not in the weather report that I heard but I have learned that those high paid weather people on TV can't always tell it like it really is.  Only God has that knowledge.  They can study meteorology and get certified and the whole thing but weather is something that can defy all technology.

This past Saturday I had a very good experience.  I went to the Women's Ministry Renewal.  This event has been in the planning stages for many months and the women in charge did a wonderful job.  It was held at the Holiday Inn Express on Elm Hill Road.  I had been asked to speak and had accepted the challenge.  For a while, as I was trying to write a speech, I wondered where my mind was when my mouth said "yes".  The theme of the renewal was "The Woman In The Mirror" and the object of the speakers was to tell what times, trials and tribulations had brought us to this stage of our life and did we like ourselves when , as a woman, looked in the mirror.  I just more or less wrote my testimony (if I really have one) and told of my life as a young woman and then the events that had made me the person that I am today.  As I wrote the speech I began to remember so many things that had transpired over the years that really had shaped me into the person I am today.  Of course, nobody travels life's roads alone.  We are always influenced by the people that come into our lives, even if they don't stay for too long.  I have been so blessed to have a great family that I love dearly.  Billy and I had many years of "trials and tribulations" that I could write about.  We had all of the things that a lot of people experience such as career changes, money problems, four girls who were very active and lots of laughs and good times.  He developed the dreaded cancer right at the time that we were ready to start enjoying life in an easier environment.  I had the pleasure of having Aunt Ree living with me for many years and she was a huge influence on the woman that I am now.  Going through my many activities I made friends with some people that I would never have known if I hadn't been working on a committee or planning a meeting or reunion or some other project.  The people at my job were an influence on me in my middle age years.  Now, that I have reached these older years I have settled into fewer activities but still enjoy the good friends that I have in my life.I guess you can say that when I look in the mirror these days I really am satisfied with the woman in the mirror.  I would probably wish for less wrinkles and I wish that I had longer eyelashes and a few other physical changes but by and large I think I am very happy and satisfied.

Speaking of my life now as compared to what it was even a year ago, I find drastic differences.  I no longer drive a car.  I enjoy staying at home and doing mundane tasks around the apartment.  I enjoy walking with Houston.  I enjoy my telephone conversations with friends and my children.  I love writing notes and sending cards to people who are ill or need a bit of encouragement.  When I was going somewhere every day I would neglect to get in touch with those that I needed to reach out to.  My girls, Paul and Sara are just super to come and take me anywhere in the world that I want to go.  I never have a problem going to the grocery, the bank, out to lunch, going to get my nails done or anywhere.  All I have to do is express my desire and there is someone there to help me.  The girls even have a schedule for picking me up for Sunday School each week.  They tell me "be ready at 8:30 and someone will be there. Don't worry about who it will be just know she will be there".  Isn't that a marvelous thing?  See what I mean by being blessed?

I will close this writing now and move on to something else that needs to be done.  Sometimes I just need to reflect on my life and how very good that I do have it.  I find joy in the ordinary things.  I find happiness in knowing that no matter what happens today, tomorrow or the day after that God will be good to me.  He is good - all the time.

CATCHING UP

I have had two "gentle reminders" from a couple of my followers that I am so very far behind in my writing.  This is not a new fact to me.  I have no excuse other than I had a wonderful trip to Florida, came home and have been trying to catch up on everything since.  I must tell you about my trip.

Tracey, Danny and Carter came to put my belongings in the car at 8:00 on Saturday, March 16th for our trip to Florida.  I think that Danny was positive that I was taking everything I possess on this trip.  Actually, I did over pack due to weather conditions.  I'm really glad I did because it was cold and windy in Florida and some of my clothes were not appropriate to the weather and some sweaters and jackets came in very handy.  But, back to my travel log - we drove to Athens, AL (my birthplace) and stopped at Bojangles for sausage and biscuit. Back on the highway and another stop just passed Montgomery for gas and a snack.  We sang a song of gladness when we saw the Welcome to Florida sign and then another verse of the song when we saw Pensacola City Limits.  I thought we were going to Pensacola but was I surprised when we went over five miles of bridges to Portofino Island.  Then another loss of breath when I rode the elevator up to the 13th floor and Danny unlocked the door to the most beautiful apartment you have ever seen.  We had three bedrooms, three and one-half baths, living room, dining area, fully appointed kitchen and a wrap-around porch.  The ocean was in view from all but one bedroom.  My bedroom, being on the front, had two walls of glass and when I opened my drapes I saw nothing but blue water and white sand.  Now, how's that for waking up every morning in paradise?  We played four ball games and we won two of them and lost two of them.  We went to the huge fish market and bought shrimp, crab legs and lots of different dips and chips.  We had cold, steamed shrimp in the fridge at all times.  There was only one day that we went down on the beach because it was too cold and windy for me but I did love sitting in that chair being so close to the water and I had my feet in the sand.  We had such a marvelous time.  I came away from there sad to be leaving the ocean and the beach but I still had the taste of fresh seafood in my mouth and lots of wonderful memories.  Danny's mother and daddy, Bobbie and Jim Wiseman, were with us at the apartment so I had Bobbie to sit on the porch and talk with and we had a wonderful week of friendship.  Carter has a coach for baseball that finds the most delightful places to play ball during Spring Break.  He's my kind of guy!!!  Hope he does the same thing next year and Danny and Tracey invite me to go. 

I don't know how everything gets so far behind when you are out of town but I have had to catch up on my correspondence, return phone calls, pay bills, and reply to e-mails.  Sara stayed here in my apartment with Houston while I was gone so she had cleaned until everything was spotless.  She even bathed Houston before I got back. 

I think the one thing that has just "thrown me for a loop" was that Wallace Lee who was my boss for 20 years died last week.  He has been failing for some time and I knew that the end was in sight.  I had planned that if he did die while I was in Florida I would take a plane home for the funeral.  I would do that because he was one of my very best friends.  We had built a bond between us over the years that was precious to me.  He would call me or I would call him and we would discuss politics, religion, books, music and most any subject you could think of.  I called him before I left and said "Wallace I'm going on a trip so don't you go anywhere until I get back".  He answered that he would not leave before I returned and he said "you are wonderful and I love you".  We hung up.  Those were the last words he spoke to me and I will cherish those words forever.  His farm was the site of his funeral.  We sat under a big tent and could see the cows and the hay and hear the cows mooing during the service.  It was all so fitting and so beautiful.  He was taken away on a horse drawn carriage with a Scottish bagpipe player following the wagon.  I watched him go across the field, through the gate, down the winding road and out of sight.  He is buried in their private cemetery.  He will forever be in my memory and in my heart and I will miss him all the days I have left on this earth.

With Paul Kemp

The Smith and the Pigg Families minus Brad Smith

Well, Easter was discussed and hashed and re-hashed over and over - what do we do if rains.  Kim's house will not hold everybody.  We will have 19 children to hunt eggs.  The weather prediction is for rain - 70% chance they said and they were so right.  Nita decided to pull her family out and they would all go to Drew and Tara's house for lunch and egg hunt.  The rest of us went to Kim's house for a bountiful feast if I ever saw one.  The dishes that were made and brought filled up the counter and stove area in the kitchen - ham, salads, vegetables of every description, desserts that were wonderful.  Kim's house was decorated so beautiful and everybody was in a happy, joyful mood.  The children all looked precious in their Easter outfits and so did the adults.  Even I was spruced up in a new outfit.  It is always a joyful time when we hold hands and make a circle and count (there was 27 in the circle) and then have prayer.  After the Amen is said you had better get out of the way because those kids will run over you for macaroni and cheese.  I invited Paul to come and he loved it.  It always makes me glad to give him a family on holidays because if I didn't he would spend the day at the Retirement Community with a few friends - no family.  I do think that there are times that the family should be together - Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter and sometimes 4th of July - and I hated that ours got split up this year but we have actually outgrown all of the houses that we have.  I hope that the next time we try to have a party the weather will allow us to be outside so that we can all be together.  It was drilled into my head by Aunt Ree that your family is so important and it must be kept together.  I hope that when I am gone they will continue to be close.  I feel sure that they will. 

Kim and Family

Jacque and
Wayne Benton

I guess that I have sorta' caught up on my life since the wonderful vacation.  The trip was fun and actually very lovely but I have reached the time in my life that coming home is lovely also.  Houston was so glad to see me and he sat in my lap and let me hug him.  I am doing better with the oxygen.  I don't have to have it on as much or at least I have learned to use it when I need it and cut it off when I don't.  I don't feel so embarrassed to have it with me when I go out now.  I guess that old saying that you can get used to anything after a while is true.  I find that I get tired sooner than I would like and have to sit in my chair or lie down more often.  I can't take long walks any more because of the oxygen and also I get too tired.  However, Houston and I do go out at least once a day and sometimes twice and walk for 20 or 30 minutes.  So, I guess what I am trying to say is that my world is good.  I am happy and enjoy all of the special events that come along.  I can say that my life is one that is filled with great children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren and good friends that I enjoy.  In other words God is good to me - all the time.