FAMILY - A WONDERFUL WORD

When I was a little girl one of the events that I actually despised with a passion was the trip to Columbia to see my grandfather. Six adults and I would get into an automobile with my uncle driving and away we would go. I had to sit in somebody's lap and I hated that. It would be so hot in the summer and with the windows down and the wind blowing it was just horrible. However, we would eventually get there and we would eat a big meal and then the grown ups would sit on the porch and talk and talk and talk. My cousins and I would wander around the place scaring the poor chickens to death and wanting so badly to go down the "bluff" to the Duck River but we were warned that we would be spanked if we did, and I guess that we were afraid of the river also so we didn't go down there. That is - all except Miller and Ronald and they would strip off their clothes and swim for hours. After all of the grown ups had exhausted their conversations and the food was consumed we would pile into that car and drive back. When I would protest and cry and beg not to go my mother would very calmly say "that is family and you must remember that being a part of a family is most important and don't you ever forget who you are and what your family means to you. They will be there when nobody else will". I have never forgotten those words and I believe it more now than I ever did before.

Last night we had one of those "Family" times. Patrick married Mikka at Madison Church of Christ and it took the whole family to put on the affair. Kim stressed and worried over the arrangements for months and then the big night came. Nita assisted Talisa (a family friend) in decorating the chapel and the reception room, Corinne directed the wedding - making sure that everybody knew exactly what to do and when to do it. Jacque served the punch, Nita cut and served the wedding cake, Tracey cut and served the groom's cake (shaped like a guitar), Samantha who is like a member of the family, came with sandwiches and drinks and fixed Mikka's hair, Kim's hair, Joesea's hair and my hair. After it was all over and the bride and groom left for a dinner and night at the Opryland Hotel (gift from his aunts) all of the family kicked off their shoes and worked for hours cleaning up the reception area, packing up all of the things and leaving the church ready for Sunday services. You have heard it said that "it takes a village" well, it takes a family to put on a beautiful, sweet, fun wedding and that is what we had last night. It was such a happy time and memories were made never to be forgotten.

Today was another Family Day - Anni Grace Routh, Emily and Jackson's daughter, was baptized at Long Hollow Baptist Church. As you might suspect, she had twenty two family members attending this most important day in her life. Somebody said "when one of you does something all the rest come along" and that is so true. There you have that word "family" again. We support each other in every endeavor. I hope and pray that the legacy of family will go on forever.

It is always so good to be with loved ones. At the wedding my sweet sister-in-law, Rose Mary, and her husband Ron, drove from Georgia to attend. Since there was so many pictures to be made and so many people to speak with none of us were able to sit down and visit with Rose Mary and Ron and today that has been the subject of conversation, how much we all regret that we didn't get to spend time with these delightful, loving people. We went to Georgia when their son married and it was one of the best week-ends of my life. Maybe we can make another trip to their lovely home and get caught up on Family Talk. That is one of the problems you encounter at an event like a wedding - just not enough time to visit and enjoy all of the guests that attend. I really don't know how to conquer this malady because there are just so many things that are required of family members. Maybe someone wiser than I will come up with a solution.

When God created Heaven and Earth and put Adam and Eve in the garden He made the first family. It was totally His idea that we should live in this manner and I totally agree. Billy and I married, had children who married and had children, and so on and I am so proud when I look at these people and know that they are my family. We laugh, cry, love and support each other in everything that comes along. God gave me this incredible family because as I have told you many times God is good - all the time.

TIME

Today I am thinking about TIME - time to get up; time to go to bed; what time do I need to be there? What time will it be over? time is precious and not to be wasted (my mother's advice) and that is true. I guess what I am getting at is "how time flies" and where does the time go? I really don't think that I am using the time that I have left here on earth to the best advantage, and yet I really don't know what to cut out or what to add or exactly how to manage my time in the best way. All of these thoughts came rushing into my mind yesterday as I pulled out a huge box of pictures that I had stuck in the closet when I moved. Now, if you are a scrap booking person you know that you use the pictures in your book that tell the story of the event and you discard the rest. The word "discard" is not in my vocabulary. I don't discard anything and my girls will attest to that due to the things that they discarded during my move from the house to the apartment. I am now sitting in a room that has pictures in little piles all over the floor, the desk, and everywhere else. These stacks of pictures tell stories to me of times that are past - Courtney's childhood, Patrick graduating from kindergarten, Tracey graduating from U. T. Martin, my mother opening the last stack of presents that she ever received on her last Mother's Day and on and on. I have a suspicion that in a little while I will put every one of the pictures back in the box and slide it back in the closet and one of these days my girls will have the task of discarding. Don't you think that is a splendid idea? Poor daughters of mine!!!!

Today, will no doubt be a day of random thoughts on several issues since I haven't written in so long. I am beginning to be so excited over the upcoming event that is Patrick and Mikka's wedding on the 26th of this month. For the past two Sunday afternoons I have gone to parties in their honor and it has been such fun to see the old friends and family that have come to show their love for these two special people. The outpouring of lovely gifts has just been astounding. All of the arrangements for the wedding have been made and now it is just a matter of waiting for the big day to see it all come together. With the talent of the people in charge I know that it will be a sweet and loving day for all of us to remember. It will be a good time to remember. There goes that word "time" again. As a post script to this paragraph I will admit that I have been praying for a long time that the Lord would grant me enough time on earth to see my precious grandson find just the right woman for him to love, cherish and marry. It will be a happy day for me in two weeks!

Other tasks that have been absorbing my time are working on the Scholarship Committee for the East High Alumni Association. Each year we give scholarships to direct descendants of East High graduates that qualify and this year I have received 37 applications. At this point in the selection procedure I don't know how many awards we will be able to give nor how much money each will be until we see the amount of money that we have in our funds account. Last year we gave 15 awards at $2,00o.00 each. I am happy to say that my Courtney qualified and was given the award to go to her account at U. T. Knoxville. We have some outstanding students that have applied. I can't tell you how many 4.0 grade point averages we have and all of the outstanding extra curricular activities and honors students have these days. It sure beats my history of high school and I really didn't do too bad myself. Another task that is requiring my energy and time is my High School Reunion - 60th Reunion - I can hardly absorb the thought that I have been out of school for 60 years. I have made arrangements with the hotel and we will be having this event on August 13th. Wonder how many of my old friends will be able to come? So many of them have passed on and some are ill but I bet we still have a good crowd of my peers that will come and have a great time. I have titled the reunion "The Last Fling", thinking it will probably be the last time to plan such an event but you just never know - Time will tell!

Speaking of time (which I have done repeatedly in this epistle) I need to close this up and go to church. It is time for me to go and worship because I need to be reminded and to say to myself and others that God is good - all the time.

SNOW AND ICE AND SPRING FLOWERS

The temperature is 9 degrees. The ground is covered with a white blanket that is sparkling like diamonds in the sunshine. The TV is full of stories of traffic problems, abandoned cars, people that can't get to their jobs, schools are closed and all snow days are used up which means they will have to keep schools open longer than the usual closing time. Poor Tracey is suffering with trying to staff a complete Daycare/Enrichment Center as well as having a School Age Room open to accommodate the children of Dollar General employees that must be at work. Dollar General is a very large company that is getting much larger each week. Corinne told me last night that they are opening 22 new stores this week-end and will open 10 new stores next week-end. Her job involves all of the activities that surround opening a new store and those activities are legion - balloons, food, music, gift cards and lots of bargains - all of which has to be coordinated and come together at a certain time to make for a successful event. She was on the road two hours and twenty minutes in the snow and ice last night trying to get home and because of her dutires that must be completed on time I'm sure she had to contend with the situation this morning. All of this makes me so very glad that I can stay inside my warm, comfortable apartment and, like Houston, just enjoy looking out of each window at the lovely white world.

I have just described the conditions outside but let me tell you what greeted me as I walked into my living room this morning. Amid all of the Winter atmosphere I could smell the sweet smell of Spring! My pot of hyacinths had bloomed overnight. Sitting there on my counter was three purple flowers giving off the most wonderful aroma that only a hyacinth can emit. My cousin, Juanita, loved this flower most of all and so did Aunt Ree. Nita always sent Aunt Ree a pot of hyacinths each February. After the blooms faded I would plant the bulbs and the next Spring their little heads would pop up for us to enjoy once more. I do hope that the people that are now living in my house will enjoy these flowers as much as Aunt Ree and I did. Aunt Ree would quote the following poem for me and I will pass it on to you:

Hyacinths to feed thy soul

If of thy mortal goods thou art bereft

And from thy slender store two loaves

alone to thee are left

Sell one and with thy dole

Buy Hyacinths to feed thy soul

I will leave you with the thought that so much joy can be derived from watching Finches feed from a feeder while the ground is covered with snow, and flowers blooming on a day such as this, and my children are safe at work after a slippery, cold commute and I am blessed to be able to enjoy it all as I eat my soup, read my book, play with my dog, and realize again that God is good - all the time (even in the terrible rush hour ice and snow traffic).

THOUGHTS ON A DREARY WINTER DAY

Today is the first day of February, 2011. Where did January go? Sounds like the musings of an old woman doesn't it? Well, if the shoe fits, etc. No kidding, when I turned my calendar over to the new month I had to think to myself that only a few days ago I was stressing over Christmas and all of the activities that surround the holidays. Now, we are a whole month into the new year and I can't, for the life of me, find anything that I have accomplished that is worthy. I have excused my inactivity by saying "snow just confines me to my home", or "it is just too cold for me to be outside". Those reasons, while they may contain some validation, are not good enough to excuse plain old laziness. So, with that thought in mind I intend to "pick myself up, dust myself off, and get back in the race", as the song says.

I had the most delightful outing Sunday night. Nicholas Maddux, who is Drew and Tara's son that they adopted from Uganda, had his third birthday. His mom's family and his dad's family all arrived for a lovely dinner prepared by Tara and Nita. After the meal Nicholas was seated at the head of the table in his booster chair and a decorated cake was placed before him. His big brown eyes took in every facet of that cake - especially the three candles, the Dora the Explorer and other little figurines. He did not touch the cake - just looked and smiled. After much coaching from the family he managed to extinguish the three candles and put his finger into the sweet, colorful icing. I fed him some cake and ice cream and he loved every bite. I thought, as he was eating and playing with the little Dora, he has the most wonderful future ahead of him because of the love and concern that Tara and Drew have for him and his brother, Patrick. He opened all of his gifts, hugging each one to his body and smiling broadly. He spoke a quiet "thank you" to each person as he opened their gift and when he was presented with a bright red motorcycle with a light and key and noise he was overjoyed and he rode all over the house many times. It was my first time to spend any time with these children other than the Christmas Party where the entire family was present so I truly relished this evening with the boys. When Drew and Tara announced that they were going to adopt these two children from an orphanage in Uganda I was puzzled as to why they would do that, given the fact that they already have three lovely girls. After seeing the amazing job that they have done with these two children that came to another country, a big family, new foods to taste, new clothes to wear, new beds for sleeping, a schedule to live with, and consistent discipline in order to be able to fit into the schedules of the rest of the family I am so proud of my grandchildren and the love and compassion that they have shown to two orphans who would have never had any of the advantages that lie ahead for these boys. I really do glory in their spunk. I would never have been able to handle such a monumental task. They, on the other hand, would just smile and say that they are simply following the Lord's example of love and they know that He will help them as they go through the days, weeks, months, and years of rearing these children in the love and admonition of the Lord. They have no fear. They have no uncertainty that God will provide what they need because they truly believe that God is good - all the time.

These two new great-grandchildren give me a total of 15 and when Patrick and Mikka marry in March, bringing Josea into my life as a great-granddaughter, I will have 16. Last night as I thought about this and thought about Billy I just had to smile and wonder what he would say about all of these people that are his offspring. I remember when he said that he called each child and their spouse and each grandchild by name when he prayed. He would have a long prayer time these days wouldn't he? I'm sure that he would have not minded and would have loved every child that those names represent. It is sad that he didn't live to experience the wonder and delight of all of the great-grandchildren because that is just what they are - Wonder and Delight with a lot of noise and chaos thrown in for good measure.

JUANITA

This evening, as I sit here at my computer, I am immersed in unbelievable sadness and grief. I was notified this afternoon that my cousin, Juanita Russell McClanahan, has passed away at the Jackson Park Christian Home. She had been a patient there for three years. She had Alzheimer's disease and had not been able to speak or walk for a long time. Nita and I visited her on Tuesday. She was sleeping when we arrived and her daughter, Patti, tried in vain to get her to respond to our presence. However, after the nurses came to turn her and attend to her needs she was more alert and I knelt by her bed to talk to her. She looked at me and did her little "jabber" talk and I would love to think that she understood who I was and what I was saying. The same goes for Nita when she talked to her. We left that day thinking that she probably would not live long but we intended to go back for another visit which will never take place.

For many years Juanita has not been herself. That horrible disease takes away a person's dignity, personality and no matter how intelligent or talented someone may be nothing is apparent other than frustration and anger with an occasional return to loveliness. However, I have spent this entire afternoon going back beyond all of that to the days of my childhood, my youth, and my young adult life. She was such a huge part of that time of my life. In fact, I think I can say without reservation that she was the greatest influence in my life. As a child she took care of me, she took me to the library and taught me to read, she took me on trips, she bought me beautiful clothes and accessories, she loved my children and was so delighted that my first born daughter was named for her. She taught me to love art and gave me entry into the "art community" where I was exposed to people of every persuasion. Visiting art galleries was a rare and enjoyable experience for me as I was introduced to all of the masters at an early age. As much as I loved rock and roll music I learned that Bach, Brahms and Chopin were wonderful and to be enjoyed in their own right. When she married Jack McClanahan we shared a duplex on Greerland Drive and it was so much fun to "play house" with my big sister. We would cook together and talk for hours. As she moved into the role of wife, mother to her two children - John and Patti - and lived in one part of town and I, with my family, lived in another part of town our visits were few and far between but we stayed connected nevertheless. In later life we were able to spend more time together and she was a help when I was caring for Aunt Ree in my home.

I could go on and on and write many stories of things we did, our trips to New York, our beach trips to Daytona and our many afternoons sitting on her porch just talking about life in general but I will just say that my life will have a big empty spot without Juanita and I will think of so many things that I would like to tell her and ask for her advice but she has gone on to be with her husband, her brother and her mother. She will be able to talk again and, boy did she love to talk, and maybe she will paint some more paintings and chisel some more marble into interesting sculptures. I would like to think so anyway. I will miss her and I will always love her and my life is richer for having had her in it. Wasn't God good to let me have her for 77 years? He is good - all the time.

Good night, Sis!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KIMBERLY CLINE PIGUE

Today is Kim's Birthday. Just saying her name makes me smile. If I had a week and space in this computer I could tell you just what she means to me and also tell you some really good stories about her. However, with limited space and time I will just condense it all into the statement that she is now, and has always been, a blessing to my life. She was born on a Saturday night in the midst of a party that I was having and I think that she has been partying from that night until now. Even though she is in pain from her health issues and has been through the rigors and horrors of cancer she does not complain and she goes way beyond her limitations to take care of me, her son, her husband and anybody else that needs her. For many years she took care of all of my many needs - physical, financial, things that needed to be fixed or taken care of at my house or with my car or just anything that she thought would help me to be less stressed. Even as competent as she is she still seeks my advice and ideas on many aspects of her life. This pleases me greatly. She and I share a Mother/Daughter Day during Christmas where we follow the same traditions starting with breakfast at the same place each year and then shopping for our gifts. We do a lot of laughing and joking and go home with all of our shopping completed and very tired but happy and ready to continue the holidays. We share the love of Scrapbooking and when we get busy and get to work we can put out a "knock-out" book that is the envy of every person that enjoys the craft. We also have another day during the year - actually two days - when we take her mink coat to storage and then pick it up. We make it a day of lunch at the Cheesecake Factory, going to Tiffany's as if we were going to buy a beautiful necklace or something (the security men in the black suits really do watch us closely) and usually a visit to the Green Hills Kennel to visit Patti McClanahan. I told her the last time that we were like Audry Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's when she had $10.00 and asked what they had for that amount of money. I doubt either one of us had $10.00 but we had fun anyway. I have many stories about Kim - some that would be good to write and some that she would rather I didn't - but the big story is that Kim is the most unusual woman that I have ever met and I am so blessed that God gave her to me to love for 52 years. Once again I have complete evidence that God is good - all the time.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KIM AND I HOPE YOU HAVE MANY MORE AND I AM HERE TO CELEBRATE WITH YOU.

JUST RAMBLING THOUGHTS IN THE SNOW

As the words of an old song from the Broadway Play, Oklahoma, goes "Oh What a Beautiful Morning, Oh, what a beautiful day. I have a beautiful feeling, everything's going my way". Well, I don't know about the "everything's going my way" part but it is a beautiful morning. My eyes could hardly take in the scene at 7:00am when I looked out to snow heavily coming from the sky and covering the ground that just last night had been melting away. The jogging track that is just yards from my apartment and had been black when I went to bed was now totally white with no human or dog tracks in evidence. I think this new blanket of white in Hendersonville is a complete surprise to all of us. Nita reported that Ray was on his way to the dentist and said that it was very slick on the road. Tracey reported that she had made it to her work and was lacking quite a few teachers and her extra room that she opens when the schools are closed was full with a waiting list. She will need a vacation when all of this "winter wonderland" is over. As I said my prayers last night I thanked the Lord that I had this lovely, warm, apartment in which to live and a refrigerator and pantry full of food and there was nothing I needed nor anyplace that I had to go and I was privileged to stay in and be comfortable with the company of Houston. He loves the snow and when we walked yesterday he just had to walk through the deepest piles of snow he could find until his body became very cold and he just practically galloped back to the door to come in. I took him straight to the bathtub to a warm bath and he stood so still and enjoyed the bath to its fullest. After a bath and a treat he got into the chair beside me and wiggled under my warm throw and slept for two hours as I read my book and napped. See how blessed I am these days? I never cease to thank God for all that He has done for me and continues to do for me every day.

It seems as though snow causes everything to change - schools are closed, meetings are cancelled, no shoppers in Target yesterday except for Nita, a couple of women and myself. No problem finding a parking place anywhere that we went. I had to cancel an eye doctor's appointment and a luncheon this week. Hopefully, we will be able to celebrate Kim's birthday on Saturday with a brunch at Mimi's Cafe here in Hendersonville. Looking at TV and seeing the hardships that the snow and ice storms are causing in New York, Boston and all around the northeast as well as the west it makes you think that maybe God would like for all of us to stop or slow down for a while and reflect on His handy work and our lives. Are we all living too fast? Are we spending too much time on the unimportant and neglecting the really important things in life? I know that when I was a young wife and mother trying to juggle all of the items in my schedule I missed a lot of life that I should have enjoyed. Thinking back on my time in that small house bursting at the seams with four girls, my husband, friends, family, etc there just never was enough time. Time is one thing that does fly by and the next thing you know you are at Act 3 of your life (at least I am) and I, for one, am trying to take advantage of my time in a good way. As the saying goes "you can't go home again" and I know that the past is the past and can't be changed but I can embrace every day as a new page to be written carefully, intelligently, and with lots of humor and joy. It just takes a new mindset to "let go and let God" and that comes with the knowledge that God is good - all the time.

Enjoy the snow. Enjoy the leisure time that you may have during this time. Read a good book. Make a pot of chili or soup. Raise the blinds to the ceiling and let the beautiful scenery permeate your entire atmosphere. It won't be long before you will be saying "sure is hot today, must be 100 degrees in the shade".

WELCOME TO THE NEW YEAR - 2011

Here it is January 3, 2011 and this is my first post on this Blog. I have tried many times to sit down and write and nothing came. Have you ever had that experience? It is most unusual for me because writing has always come easy for me and my mind is usually running rampant when I start writing on this site. Maybe I am just tired from Christmas and all of the festivities. Actually, I know I am tired. I had a wonderful holiday season and everything went just perfect and my daughters and my friends went that extra mile to insure me a good time. Nonetheless, a lot of going, doing, eating, cleaning, shopping, staying up later than usual, etc. at my age adds up to the sum of TIRED. Today I tackled my office - papers, papers, papers on my desk and on my table. Receipts, notes, cards, pictures, you name it and it was all there cluttering up the entire room. I went through every single thing and what needed to be saved went in the file, what needed to be destroyed went into the garbage and the rest of the mess I dealt with one way or another. Now, I look around and I'm thinking that I probably got rid of something that I will need. Danny Wiseman, my son-in-law, told me when I was packing to move that if I hadn't used something in six months put it in the dumpster. I believe that his philosophy is good and I am trying not to accumulate the clutter that I had at the house before I moved. My decorations were beautiful here in the apartment. The girls came the Sunday after Thanksgiving and went through all of my storage boxes and put up a beautiful tree - smaller than the ones I used in the past but pretty. They did other decorating and my apartment was cheerful, pretty and very festive. This past Sunday they came and took it all down, packed it away, and put the boxes back in the storage closet. Now, it looks pretty but it also looks drab and not nearly so colorful. Funny how Thanksgiving comes and the holidays begin and before you can blink your eyes its all over. Maybe it doesn't go so fast for people younger than I but at my age I can tell you, without reservation, that each day starts and ends in just minutes. Looking at my calendar from last year as I made my notes on my 2011 calendar I was amazed at how quickly 2010 went by and all the things that happened during the year.

Our Cline Christmas Party this year, on the 23rd of December, was held at Nita's house and attended by 39 people. That number is just my descendants!!! Can you believe that Billy and I had 4 daughters and now we have grown to that number? I was excited to meet my two new great-grandchildren, Patrick Ray and Nicholas Drew Maddux. They are beautiful children. Of course they were overwhelmed with all of the people that were packed into that house but they were well behaved and seemed to be very happy to be there. Last year I, with Kim's help, compiled a book of poetry for the great grandchildren. This year I gave each family a book of Twas the Night Before Christmas recorded with my voice. They seemed to be very appreciative of the gift. I told them that when I was no longer here to read the story to them at Christmas they would have the book and could pretend that I was there. Needless to say, my girls do not like my saying things like that but my mortality at my age is becoming quite real to me. That is not a bad thing. In fact, it is a good thing. Christmas at Kim's house on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day was so much fun. The biggie this year (besides the two new children) is that Patrick and Mikka became engaged on Christmas afternoon. He gave her a ring, she said yes, and they are making plans for a March wedding. I am so happy. I have prayed for Patrick to find a good woman for a wife and he has found one who meets all of the criteria. Also, in addition to Mikka we get her 5 year old daughter, Joesea, who is just so very precious and has such a darling personality. My New Year's Eve this year was probably the quietest that I have had in my adult life. Billy and I always had a big group of friends that we went out with to eat, dance and ring in the new year. This year Paul and I went to Woody's Steak House, had a delicious meal, came home and watched a little TV and he left and I was in bed with my dog, Houston, at 10:00PM. I did wake up, watch the ball drop at midnight, heard some fireworks outside my window and went right back to sleep. Times change don't they? I always called Aunt Ree at midnight and she would answer the phone with a cheery Happy New Year. I have called her from nightclubs, restaurants, people's houses, you name it and when that clock struck 12:00 I was dialing her number. I guess I will always miss her and my mother. Holidays bring out the nostalgia in everybody I'm told.

I started out with a blank calendar, with the exception of some appointments and birthdays, and was thinking that I don't have any commitments this week or next when suddenly after today I find that I have a luncheon with Courtney and Bobbie Wiseman tomorrow, and something that I must do every day the rest of the week - even Saturday when I have an East High Board Meeting. Looks like 2011 is going to be another year of going places, seeing friends, enjoying my family and I am ready to embrace the year with all of the excitement and happiness that I can have. God was so good to me in 2010 that I just know that He has good things in store for me in 2011. I know that because God is good - all the time.

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYBODY THAT IS READING THIS BLOG AND I PRAY THAT 2011 WILL BE A HAPPY AND HEALTHY YEAR FOR ALL AND THAT WE WILL HAVE PEACE AND LOVE.

THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR

It has been quite some time since I have written on this blog and I really can't explain why, but as usual my intentions are good but other things seem to capture my time.

December has been a month of parties for me. Starting with the 6th of December when I went to my Monday Morning Bible Study Party. There were thirty women that went to a home in Greenbrier and had a wonderful luncheon and played "Dirty Santa". The cheering and jeering that went on over that game was hilarious. There always seems to be one particular present that everybody wants and once it has been "stolen" twice it is frozen and can no longer be taken away by anybody. This year it was a big, framed picture of Santa Claus and I have to admit, I really wanted that picture. I did not get it but I did get a perfectly beautiful tea pot, with cream pitcher and sugar bowl all on a pretty tray. The 9th of December was the East High Reunion Committee party. We had the party at the Alumni House and Barbara Lutz and Peggy Bomar did an outstanding job of decorating and making the house look "homey" and comfortable. Everybody brought a dish and, if I say so myself, that bunch are the best cooks in the world. Again, that "Dirty Santa" game was played and we had a good time stealing each other's gifts. The next day, the 10th, I accompanied Paul to his Sunday School Party at First Baptist Church in Hendersonville. I have gone to this party with him for the past few years and I believe that this one surpassed them all. The dinner was delicious, the entertainment quite wonderful and the people at our table were all happy and friendly and very accepting of me even though I am Church of Christ among hundreds of Baptists. When you came into this Blog site today, you saw the pictures of our family Cookie Swap that was held at Kim's house on the 11th of December. We missed some of our family that was not there and we only had four little ones to decorate cookies but we had Courtney and her friend, Shelby, that joined into the decorating and made for a lot of fun. Kim's house is decorated so beautifully and her luncheon was so very good, plus all of the delightful cookies that we sampled. It was a very happy day for the "Cline Girls" and others. On Sunday we woke up to a very cold day and lots of snow flurries with predictions of snow during the day. I went to church with Corinne and Mark and breakfast at Cracker Barrel which was quite a treat for me. In the afternoon Tracey and I went to an event that I look forward to every year and that is the Mother/Daughter Brunch with all of her close friends and their mothers from her years at Goodpasture Christian School. While we were at the party the snow began to fall and the ground became white and everybody began to gather their belongings and go home. Tracey and I came home in a real snow storm and, I admit, I was a bit nervous but Tracey is a very good driver and she has a good car so we made it fine. However, I was very glad to get home and determined not to get out again until the snow was gone. Today I did get my car out and ran a few errands with no incidents. Tomorrow is my Mother/Daughter Day with Kim. We always start out with a spiced mocha to drink, breakfast at I-Hop and shopping at Rivergate. Of course, you might know, they are predicting rain and sleet for the afternoon. I guess we will just see what happens and decide if we want to go or wait. I will finish my Christmas shopping if we go so, needless to say, I do hope that we get to go. So you see, I have had a very busy December. Some of my family and friends scoff at my party schedule but I guess I am enough like Aunt Ree that I do love parties and I hate to miss one. The next event will be the Board of Director's at East Alumni next Tuesday night and the big - and I do mean BIG - Cline Family Christmas Party on the 23rd at Nita's house. There will be 40 people there and that is just my girls and their families. Isn't that just wonderful? To be surrounded by the people that I love the most and watch the great grandchildren (15 of them) dressed in their Christmas outfits so pretty and so energetic. The greatest part of the evening will be when the entire family sings The Twelve Days of Christmas. Whoever gets to sing "Five Golden Rings" will garner the most laughter. The highlight of the evening is when the children tell the story of the birth of Jesus from the book of Luke. They have it memorized and it is so precious to see them standing there in front of the fireplace telling the story. We are a family of traditions and I do hope that one day when I am only with them in spirit they will sing a little louder and laugh a little harder, eat just as heartily and all of the women will bake cookies, make spiced tea and fudge candy.

Well, I have caught you up-to-date and when I go back and read all that I have written I am wondering just where I mustered up the energy to go to all of these functions and still have enough energy and desire to shop, cook, wrap gifts and, of course, decide which Christmas Sweater or outfit to wear next. Isn't it just the most wonderful of times? Through all the hustle and bustle of these days I love to sit in my living room and look at my Nativity Scene that I bought many years ago and think about that baby being born in a manger over 2,000 years ago and I thank my Lord that he gave that baby to save us and that the life we live here on earth is just a minute compared to the life we will live one day because of that birth. It just gives me one more reason to say that God is good - all the time.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND I WISH FOR YOU A WONDERFUL 2011.

Cookie Swap at Kim's 12-11-10

This is the last day of the month of November and, as you might know, it is raining, cold and so very "wintery" looking outside. I am so happy that I can stay inside of my beautiful apartment and do not have to venture outside for anything today. I spent yesterday running errands so that I could enjoy some days inside. You see, my girls came Sunday afternoon and decorated my home for Christmas. It is just beautiful and so happy and cheerful looking that I don't have a desire to go anywhere. The Christmas tree that I had used at the house on Freda Villa was way too big for this area so my son-in-law, Ray, went to K-Mart and bought me a perfect tree. The girls, Nita, Corinne, Kim, Tracey and Jacque went through all of my tubs of decorations and, together, we selected the tree items that were meaningful to me and they put them on the tree, added a big gold bow at the top, and streamers of gold ribbons throughout the branches and then added my gold tree skirt and there you have it - the perfect tree in the perfect place for the white lights to be seen inside and outside and it is lovely. They also put garland and white lights along the railing of my porch. There were several boxes of decorations that I have collected through the years that I love and I had no idea what to do with them, as space is limited, but Nita and Corinne came up with the most ingenious of ideas and now I have all of my "treasures" displayed for my enjoyment. Oh, what a blessing to have these daughters of mine. God surely knew that I would need them all of my life and most especially in these "golden" years. When I tell my young friends who are raising teenage girls and they are so overwhelmed with frustrations I just smile and tell them to hang on because the best is yet to come.

I do hope that your Thanksgiving was a happy and lovely time for you. Mine was just splendid. 30 members of my family gathered at Emily and Jackson's house at 4:30 on Thursday afternoon. Each person came with their assigned dish of food, the tables were all set with flowers for the adults and Thanksgiving decorations for the children. We "circled up" as always and each person told what their particular "thanks" was. It appeared that most of the appreciation was for Kim's diagnosis of Cancer Free. Our Blessing, spoken by Jackson, was indicative of every one's thoughts on this special day. We welcomed Mikka and Joesea as new additions to our family circle. They will be Patrick's wife and daughter in the near future and we are so delighted with them. We were also happy to have Kyle as Courtney's good friend. Of course, we missed Drew, Tara and their family and Chris and Ashley and their family. We will have them at Christmastime and then we will be complete. The entire gathering was just perfect. We ate our good food, the children played in the bonus room with toys, while the adults enjoyed a time of relaxation and conversation. We also celebrated Will Carter's second birthday with an Elmo cake and presents. All in all I would declare the day to be a huge success in every way. Not to appear morbid I do have a tendency to ask myself as I lie down to sleep after such an event "will I have many more of such wonderful experiences to enjoy". Hopefully, I will. However, I will savor each minute of being with my family or my friends and know that without a doubt God is good - all the time.

THANKSGIVING THANKS A DAY EARLY

Today is Thanksgiving Eve and I am going to get a jump on all of the bloggers that will write tomorrow and tell you of all the things for which they are thankful. This morning as I write this my turkey (all 20 pounds of him) is cooking and beginning to fill my apartment with that wonderful holiday smell that nothing in the world can replace. I had to get up early and get him cooking in order to free the oven for more cooking later in the day. Houston thought it was way too early to get up so he has gone back to sleep. I really upset him when I made up the bed and he had to find another napping place. All of those things aside, I will follow the tradition and enumerate some of my "thankful thoughts".

I will start my list with a thankful heart that Kim has been declared cancer free. After the battle that she has so valiantly fought, it is such a splendid report. Even though she suffers with the fibromyalgia on a daily basis, she manages to live a good, full and happy life. I am so proud of her and the way she perseveres each and every day. She is my hero,

My daughter Nita, gave me a heartache when she was diagnosed with Lupus. Thankfully, her condition is not as bad as it could be and even though she suffers with daily pain she, too, has that gift of tenacity that is giving her a happy time with her children and her precious grandchildren - all 14 of them!!! I am so glad that she is retiring from her job so that she can enjoy those children and, quite selfishly, I will enjoy more of her time as we go to Bible Study, shopping, or just talking over a cup of coffee in the afternoon.

Corinne never ceases to amaze me with her strength and the way that she handles so many tasks - her stressful, busy job, her husband and home, her friends that she does so many benevolent acts for and of course the drive to Dyersburg to see her three grandboys play ball, perform at school or be the nanny while her children perform their social tasks or take a much needed respite from their busy lives.

Speaking of busy lives - my Tracey is the champion of multi-tasking. She has a demanding and most responsible job. She is at Goodpasture for anything and everything that her son is doing. She is at U. T. in Knoxville for anything and everything that her daughter is doing. She is always available for her friends and for me. She has always been and continues to be a joy and delight in my life.

I could not write a blog about my daughters without talking about Jacque. Even though she is not a biological daughter, she is a daughter in every other way. She and her husband, Wayne, take me to lunch every Sunday after church and we have such a good time talking and laughing about activities and people in our lives. Jacque sends me the most beautiful cards and writes such precious notes to me - telling me of her love for me which makes me so very happy. She is always willing to help me with anything no matter how big or how small when I need help. I have had her in my life for many years and I thank God for her in all of my prayers.

Well, as if that were not enough to be thankful for - daughters, sons-in-law, grandchildren and great-grandchildren - I have so many things to be thankful for in my own life. My move from my home of 20 years to my apartment has proved to be a wonderful decision. My health, even though not wonderful, is extremely good for 77 years of age. My friends are many and faithful to me - some of these friends date back to East High School days. My church where I worship every week and fellowship with christian friends of many years. My new dog and companion, Houston, who loves to sit with me and just be quiet and content.

You see, I could go on and on and write many for things for which I am thankful but I will close with the most important and outstanding thanks that I have and that is that God is good - all the time.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL AND MAY GOD BLESS YOU

JUST SOME THOUGHTS ON A RAINY DAY

Today, November 16th, is a rainy, windy, dreary day when you look outside or if you happen to to be outside. I had to go to the dentist and came within an inch of calling and cancelling my appointment but I could hear my mother yelling at me "take care of the teeth you have left and remember that dentures are bad news". So, I picked myself up, got dressed and drove to the dentist office. I have no idea why I dread that so much. It takes only a half of an hour for a cleaning and the people are so kind and cordial. Now it is all done until 2011. Since Houston came to live with me I really would rather stay at home. Oh by the way, have I told you about Houston? He is my new dog. He doesn't know he's a dog and I have no intention of telling him but he is the best thing that has happened to me in ages. He is half Poodle and half Lhasa Apso (which makes him a Lhasapoo) and he is sort of silvery color and just precious. He has big brown eyes and he looks at you when you talk to him as though he understands every word you are saying. As an example, I just told him that the weather was too bad for us to go walking and we would have to stay inside today and he just walked over to the window and is sitting there looking out as if to say "this will have to do for today I guess". Houston was a gift to Leslie, my granddaughter, from her husband in 2001 when they lived in Houston, Texas. Since that time they have moved several times and have been blessed with three little boys and their routine and lifestyle just did not accommodate the responsibility of a dog. Also, the boys, being a bit rowdy, were just a little bit too much for a dog that is getting older. So, it was decided by all parties that I would take Houston on a "try before you buy" arrangement and if he liked me and I liked him he would stay with me. Well, believe you me, it has been a love affair from day one. There is no way now that I can imagine not having him in my life. Also, he has made me walk at least a mile a day which is what I have been needing to do for so long and my doctor is going to be delighted when I go back for my follow-up visit and she sees the difference in my breathing and in my overall health.

I am beginning to start thinking of the holidays and I get excited about it. Already my December calendar has seven parties booked and that doesn't count family activities. I love parties and especially when I get to fellowship with friends and family. Thanksgiving will come first and most of my family will gather at Emily and Jackson's house where we will have a feast that will contain the traditional turkey, dressing and all the trimmings. It is really getting under my skin the way that the stores and business places in the country are skipping from Halloween to Christmas, just leaving out Thanksgiving. That day, of all days, should be so very important to each and every one of us. Of course, we give thanks to God every day for our blessings, but on that one particular day we really reflect to ourselves, our family, our friends and most of all to our Lord that we are the most blessed of all people and we offer our thanks and praise. I know that this year, 2010, has been a very special one for me - my daughter, Kim, and her cancer issues which have been declared to be over and my move from my home to my new home has been completed so I have lots of things to be thankful for but the most important of all is the one enduring fact that God is good - all the time.

IT'S WONDERFUL TO BE HAPPY

To those of you, who know me well, you know that I love Words. New words that I have to look up the meanings and then hopefully use them in the correct form. I love to write and I love to read and I love the written language. I guess that if I have to answer to the question of "what words do you like to hear the most?" it, of course, would be "I love you". These are simple words that need no explanation. I now have a new phrase of just two words that mean more to me than any spoken or written words in any language. Those two words are "CANCER FREE. Yesterday I went with Kim to the radiation oncologist and after he did his despicable scope procedure he looked at her and smiled his beautiful smile (he is quite handsome by the way) and said those two words - Cancer Free. He and Kim did a beautiful high five smack and I looked away in order to hide the tears that were getting ready to invade my face. I believe him. I know that in the past we have heard doctors say "I got it all" and we have others to say that they are well only to have problems again. That sort of thing makes you a bit sceptical but I refuse to believe anything other than my daughter is Cancer Free. I know that prayers have been offered in her behalf every day for over a year and being the God that I serve and know is a good God, I just think that He has said "yeah, it's going to be okay". She is still suffering from the fibromyalgia and will do so probably for the remainder of her life which is not a good thing by any means, but this cancer that she fought so valiantly and the treatments that she withstood and the time that she spent in the ICU in very serious condition all are behind her now and I just want to say Hallelujah and praise God that Kim Cline Pigue is CANCER FREE.

We are going to Dyersburg, TN tomorrow (Saturday) to celebrate Cannon's 4th birthday and I am quite excited about the trip. I am riding there with Brad, Kim and Joesea. Joesea is the daughter of Patrick's girlfriend and we are quite "taken" with her. She turned five years old this week and she is most entertaining and charming. We are going to introduce her into the world of Leslie, Russell, Connor, Cannon, Cord Pigg and Corinne and Mark. She has already met Nita and her group (some of it) and also Tracey and her family so this will make her even more puzzled as to where all of these people came from and why they have Aunt and Uncle and Cousin added to their names. I am confident that it will be a cool, crisp Autumn day and when the children are riding the ponies that Leslie has for them and playing the games in the yard it will be the happiest of times for all of us. There is nothing in the world like the sound of happy children, and believe me Leslie's parties do make children, as well as adults, happy.

So, with the wonderful news that we were given yesterday about Kim and the party that I will be privileged to attend tomorrow I just need to say that Happy is what I am about today and it is all because God is good - all the time.

MY FRIEND SARA

I know that I just wrote on here yesterday, but I wanted to tell you of my night that I had last night. Yesterday was my BFF Sara Chauvin's 80th birthday. She and her daughter, Julie Heath, came by and picked me up and we drove to Sara's other daughter, Lu Ann Walker's house to begin a lovely birthday celebration for Sara. We drove to one of my favorite parts of Nashville and that is Germantown. When I was growing up we called it North Nashville. There is a restaurant there, The Mad Platter, that is in a building that was built in the 1800's and I just love it. It is small and you must have reservations because it cannot accommodate a big crowd of people. Also, each dish is prepared individually and there are only a couple of waiters so you have to be ready for a very leisurely dinner - no rush for anything. The floors are very uneven, wooden floors and you almost think that you are going to fall at times so caution is advised. We were shown to a lovely table with fresh flowers and candles and of course, linen napkins, crystal glasses, etc. The menu is a single, typed sheet of paper with a limited number of items and our menus last night had typed at the top HAPPY BIRTHDAY SARA. We decided to go for the five course dinner and each course was, as they say on TV, "pleasing to the palate". Our dinner, from soup to dessert, took approximately three hours which gave us plenty of time to talk and gave Sara and her girls cause for reminiscing which was fun for me to hear. It was a lovely night and one that I will remember with much fondness for the rest of my life.

Everybody should have a friend like my BFF Sara. As I wrote in a previous blog we are so tuned into each other that it becomes almost scary at times. She can tell by the tone of my voice on the telephone when I have a problem or feel bad or when I am just overjoyed about something. She is the one that was with me during my time of life that I took care of Aunt Ree -sitting for me when I needed to go out, thinking of ways to entertain Aunt Ree, calming her when she would become angry, and was there at the end when we let her go to her heavenly home. She has been with me through surgeries, through moving from my home to the apartment and I have no idea how I would have managed to have Cleo put to sleep without her going with me and, in fact, taking him into the vet office and bringing back the empty crate. We have laughed together, we have cried together, we have solved family problems together, and we have shared secrets and thoughts that nobody will ever know about us. Put all of that together and you have the clear definition of a friend. Sara, and her friendship, are just one more evidence in my life that God is good - all the time.

CATCHING UP

So much has occurred in my life since the last blog that I am confused as to just where to start. I left off on my Birthday Eve. Well, the birthday came and it was just lovely. Tracey had a dinner party that included Kim, Brad, Jacque,Wayne, Tommy Pardue, Sara, Danny, Carter and Tracey. The meal was excellent and the presentation was beautiful. The table accommodated all of us and it was so nice to be seated among these people that I love so much and enjoy a beautiful meal and stimulating conversation. Brad was exceedingly humorous with a story of his past experience of working at a funeral home. Danny had some really funny comments concerning Tracey's extravagances that amused us all. It was a lovely, happy evening that made the transition from one year to another in age not bad at all. My other daughters were travelling and not able to join us. I received many gifts (all very much appreciated), many cards and my telephone rang all day. So you see that I am telling you that as long as you are blessed with a wonderful family and friends, birthdays no matter the age, are fun and I say "bring 'em on".

Sara and I drove in Sara's car to Gatlinburg last week. We had planned this trip for months, anticipated it to the fullest and were not disappointed in any way. We left on a beautiful Fall morning and drove into the most breathtaking sight you can imagine. The trees were at their peak of color and my eyes and heart just couldn't get enough. Sara, driving, was not privy to the beauty as I was and I am sorry because I hate to think of anybody missing this picture that God painted of blue, blue sky, red, yellow, and orange leaves with lots of evergreen trees thrown in for background. No artist, even one as talented as Michelangelo, could not have captured the beauty and color as God painted for me on this ride to the mountains. We arrived at our hotel, Zoder's Best Western, and it was just as we remembered it from years past. The parrot in the office greeted us with "hello" over and over until you wanted to tape his little mouth shut. Our room had a balcony that was over a creek rushing over big and little rocks as it made its way down the mountain to the river. It was such a pleasant sound to leave our door open and listen to the creek - very reminiscent of the ocean sounds in Florida. We shopped the stores in Gatlinburg and made some purchases. We had delicious meals in the best restaurants. We rode the Sky Lift to the top of the mountain and from that height just devoured the scenery of the town and the surrounding Smoky Mountains. We rode the trolley to Pigeon Forge and saw the sights along that route. As we left to come home we made a stop at the Christmas Place and it was just like walking into a fairy land. Really got me in the Christmas Spirit. The drive home was a duplicate picture of the ride up and was the perfect ending to a perfect trip. To have a friend like Sara is a gift straight from heaven. She and I are so in tune that she truly is the sister that I never had and vice versa.

Since my return home I have been plagued with a very bad episode that is a result of the emphysema that I suffer with and my breathing became very labored and caused me to just have to sit down and do nothing for several days. As you know, this is not my style nor indicative of my lifestyle so I sought the advice of my doctor. She assured me that my problem was minor and overexertion mixed with high mountain thin air plus a touch of asthma was the culprit and with a breathing treatment and some new medicine I am slowly coming back to feeling like myself. I have to tell you that I did get a bit nervous before I went to the doctor and thought "is this the beginning of life as an old woman? I certainly am not ready to be a shut in and not be able to live my life as I need and want to". It was with a grateful heart and a prayerful praise as I drove home from the doctor's office with the words of encouragement in my ears and a peace in my heart. Just one more example of knowing that God is good - all the time.

One more thing I almost forgot to report. My East Nashville High School All Classes Reunion was held on October 16th. It was a fun time and I enjoyed seeing some of my classmates that attended. I will tell you, and this is a bragging statement, I was given a plaque and named Outstanding Alumni. I just have to say that I enjoyed getting that award and all of the accolades from my peers that were given to me. Some people said "you deserved it". I don't know about that because I love my East High and I love being on the Board of Directors and I love being my Class Representative and whatever I do along those lines I do with love so it is not a chore. It is nice to be recognized I think and I appreciated and treasure my plaque that is hanging in my office as I write this blog.

Birthday Eve

Today is my "birthday eve" and I am feeling every year of my age. I am not complaining - just acknowledging. It always seems like my birthday lasts for a week or maybe more and that is just fine with me. I was taught by my mother that a birthday is special. It is the day that belongs only to you and, therefore, with her meager circumstances, she always made it a special time for me. I miss her now as I write this blog. She had a beautiful soprano voice and she sang as she worked in her house or yard and in those days of my childhood it irritated me that she sang in front of my friends; embarrassed me really. Oh, how I would love to hear "Trust and Obey" one more time. But back to my story, she would wake me up singing "Happy Birthday to you Patsy Belle" and I would cringe, shudder, scream and cover my head with my pillow. It was bad enough to be waked up but to hear Patsy Belle was over the top. My toast would have a face drawn on it in jelly and my juice would be in a special crystal glass and my milk (which I hated for breakfast) would also be in a crystal glass. That would start my day. I feel so blessed to have had such a delightful woman for my mother and I feel doubly blessed that I was born in the month of October. This month, with the change of the season, the leaves turning their beautiful colors, the orange color of the pumpkins that are adorning everybody's porches and all of the other Halloween decorations, the crisp mornings, the warm afternoons and then the cool evenings makes for lovely days and also I love the Fall clothes - sweaters, shawls, shoes that are not sandals, even hats and gloves when necessary. I remember walking to East High on those crisp October mornings when dew would be on all the cars that were parked on the street and the acorns and walnuts were all over the ground and then when the leaves would start falling it was so much fun to crunch them as I walked. As the song goes "those were the days, my friend, we thought they'd never end", but they do end and new lives take place. My high school sweetheart became my husband and together we had 46 years of marriage and were blessed with 4 wonderful daughters (none of which were born in October) so on this beautiful October morning as I plan for brunch with my daughter and a day of shopping and fun I just want to remind myself and everybody else that God is good - all the time.

A REAL SURE ENOUGH YESTERDAY

The last time I wrote on this blog I asked the question concerning your Yesterdays. I told you some of my thoughts about my yesterdays. Well, today I'm going to tell you about a Real Yesterday. It is a day that will remain in my memory forever and from the words that were spoken to me yesterday afternoon I'm confident that lots of people will remember Thursday, September 23, 2010. Here is what happened:

A few weeks ago my friend, Jane Bradbury Russell, called me to inform me that she was coming to Nashville for her grandson's wedding and she would like to get a few of her girlfriends from high school together for a visit. I told her to give me a list of the people she wanted to see. She did that and away I went!!! I reserved the East High Alumni House, I hired a caterer to make us a delicious salad, dessert and fruit tea lunch, I invited the entire list that she had given me, and they all accepted even if they had to change some of their plans. To give you a bit of a background concerning why Jane called me from Florida to ask this favor, Jane and I have been friends since first grade at Eastland School. We lived next door to each other and she got to start school earlier than I because of the way our birthdays fell in the school calendar. Each day I would sit on my front steps waiting for her to come home from school so that she could teach me what she learned that day. It was a happy day for me when I could start to school and we walked the two blocks from our homes together every morning and afternoon. Then, as fate worked in our lives, my family moved and it put me in another school district. She and I remained "talking on the telephone and going to the same parties friends" for several years and then got back together at East High. Graduation separated us physically for many years as she married, I married, we both had children and busy lives but somehow we always managed to stay in close contact and would get together for all of our class reunions, picnics, etc. No matter where she lived she made the trip back to Nashville for any school event. Now, Jane is suffering a very rare nerve disease and she cannot take physical care of herself and must be attended all the time. Back to the yesterday party after the background information - as each of the guests arrived she was asked to sit beside Jane in a chair and a picture of the two of them was made. This was a hard project to complete because of the excitement of seeing Jane and of seeing each other and everyone wanted to just sit and talk to her. However, after this task was completed we were served our lunch. You have never heard so much talking, so much laughing and so much reminiscing in all of your life. What a beautiful sound and sight to see these women that had been friends in their youth and now were in their golden years looking so different and yet so similar. Looking into the eyes of each woman and seeing the smile that each one had on their faces made you forget the wrinkles, the extra pounds, the gray hair and all of these wretched things that happen to us and we were transported back to those times many years ago. While we were having our lunch my daughter, Kim and Jane's daughter and granddaughter, Karen and Lauren, printed out the pictures that had been taken, put them in frames, put them in a bright colored gift bag and delivered them to each lady as a remembrance of this glorious occasion. Then the noise level did raise many decibels as they looked at their pictures and exclaimed over and over how much they appreciated this gesture. A group picture was also made and printed for Jane for her frame.

You know the saying that "Time Changes Everything" is really very true of most things but there are just some things that don't change and aren't we so glad about that? Even though age changes our looks and our health and makes us where we can't remember where we put our keys we don't forget the blessing of growing up in a safe, loving environment and making friends that last a lifetime. Everyone moves in a fast society and has many stresses and concerns but when we can stop for three hours, sit and visit with people who are true friends that we love and that love us I can truly say that God is good - all the time.

WHAT ARE YOUR YESTERDAYS?

The other day I read something very interesting to me. I read where an interviewer was interviewing Natalie Wood. She said to her "You are rich, you're famous, you're beautiful, you're married to a rich, famous man and you have beautiful children. What more could you possibly want?" Natalie Wood responded,"I want yesterday". That really started me to thinking. I even spoke to my best friend and asked her about her "yesterdays" and she very readily told me that her best yesterdays occurred in the early sixties. I do believe that love of someone prompted that wish. Being in love and being happy probably is the most satisfying thing a woman can experience. What would be your "yesterday" wish? I have asked myself the question over and over and since I am not a person to dwell on the past I really have to dig deep. I thought about the summers that I spent in Athens, Alabama with my grandmother, my other Rainey relatives and friends - wading in the cold water of the creek, eating fried chicken for breakfast, drinking coca-cola and eating popsicles, going to the little Church of Christ that was so hot and crowded and listening to my uncle lead singing. Those were good "yesterdays". I thought of my first date with Billy Cline and mother letting me wear blue jeans for the first time (she did not like "girls in pants") because the date was to a wiener roast in Shelby Park. I thought about the first day of high school and how overcome I was with the spacious building and all of the strange faces.. I thought of spending time at Auntie and Daddy Russell's house in West Nashville and going to the Happiness Club at the BelleMeade Theater. I thought of lying in the front yard on a quilt under a big shade tree at my home on Rudolph in the summer reading "Bobbsey Twins" books. My first prom. My engagement ring. My wedding at Lockeland Baptist Church. Births of my babies. Oh, my goodness, how do you pick out one outstanding "Yesterday". So, I think that what Natalie Wood meant was that she had everything she needed now but she treasured the yesterdays that had brought her to this place in life. That is what I think also. My life, like yours, has been so filled with ups and downs, ins and outs, disappointments and wonderfuls, all of which has made me the person that I am now. When I have a day that is less than perfect and I am feeling low and having a big, old pity party I just pull myself up and realize that yesterdays are fine and good and should be remembered but what I have now, at this time in my life, is the best. This is where the yesterdays led me and truth be known I am very blessed and as long as I am a child of a God that is good - all the time the yesterdays that were so good can't compare with the present that is even better.

LABOR DAY CELEBRATION - 2010

Yesterday was a holiday that is called Labor Day. This day has always been special to me. Not because I have always concentrated on the real meaning of the day which happens to be a celebration of the hard core workers of this country - the people who get up every morning, put on their clothes and go to jobs that keep this nation moving. I do salute the plumbers, the electricians, the postal workers, the construction workers, etc. because they are proud and they have a purpose to which they are committed, and without them we would not be able to have all of the things of which we are privileged. Yes, I honor the working class very much. However, Labor Day always had a special meaning for me because it signaled the end of Summer and the beginning of Fall and School. When I was a teenager on Labor Day I would put away white shoes and any other garment in the closet that was "summery" and begin to think about sweaters and skirts and saddle oxfords. The day after Labor Day would be so exciting because I would get up early, eat a quick breakfast and begin to get ready for school. The first day was probably the most important day and, of course, my outfit had been carefully selected the day before and was spread out on the chair, complete with shoes hair ribbons and jewelry. I walked to school and the air would be crisp and the neighborhood would be buzzing with activity and I would meet up with other students to discuss our summer fun as we walked together. Getting to East High and seeing all of my friends that I had not seen in three months was a noisy, gala time and lasted until the bell signaled the assembly in the auditorium to receive our assignments for the day. It was hard to settle down but in those days you settled when you were told to settle and no questions asked. I always had a new outfit and you can bet that it didn't consist of short shorts, low cut shirt and flip flops. When I saw the students on TV that were starting to school this year I was aghast at the way some were dressed. Thank goodness for the schools that have uniforms. Well, enough of old lady thinking so I will move on.

I had a perfectly wonderful Holiday Week-end. On Saturday my friend, Sara, came and we went to the Frist Center for the Visual Arts and toured the Christian Dior Couture Exhibit. We scrutinized each design and read in the book. that accompanied our tour, what material each article was made of, who wore the outfit and where they wore it and who donated it to the exhibit. There was also lots of information about the famous designer. It was a lovely activity and as I looked at each manikin with the beautiful, soft feminine look of the 50's it made me wonder why we have strayed away from that look and maybe it will come back. Mind you, I will wear the dresses if they do become popular again but my waist will not be small and my hips will be large so I have no expectations of looking like I did in the 50's but I still think I would feel prettier. Sara and I had coffee on the patio and enjoyed the lovely scenery at the Frist after the exhibit. On Sunday, I had the delightful experience of being with three of my grandchildren and their spouses (Chris, Drew and Emily) and nine of my great-grandchildren. It was just the grandest of times to sit in a comfortable chair with a glass of tea and watch all of these children play kick ball, dance, ride bicycles, the little children not big enough to be on a team or play the games were playing with wagons and push toys and their parents playing with them - even Nita and Ray playing kick ball and running the bases (running slow mind you but nevertheless running). What a happy time to sit, enjoy and not have to participate. Then, as if that wasn't enough good times to hold me forever, Corinne and I went to lunch on Monday, then to a movie, had another visit with grandchildren and great-grandchildren and ended up at the Mexican Restaurant sitting on the patio on a cool, lovely night with margaritas and nachos. Now, I ask you this question - isn't life just grand and glorious? I am so blessed and I realize it more and more as I am around my lovely girls and their families and these darling little ones. I will not live to see them grown and I will never know just what Christopher, John Ed, Mary Hollis, Anni, Maddux, Will Carter, Emma, Ava, and Sarah James will accomplish in this world but I do know this it will be remarkable. They are all gifts from a God that is good - all the time.