April Fool's!

This year I am again participating in the April A to Z blogging challenge. I decided this year that I would tackle it as Aging by alphabet.
 And since we are starting with A let's start with April Fool's.

You woke up one morning and got ready for work, and there, in the shower drain, were these white strings. Where did they come from? Could it be hair? Surely not.
It should be the dark, dark strands you are used to looking at, now they are white. What gives? Where is my hairdresser's number? What did she do to me? Now how did that happen? Who put bleach on my pillow? It has to be a joke. I am way too young to have this white hair. Surely it is just a few. I can just pluck out the rest.
Um, that's not a good idea. What else can I do?
Shoe polish. That would work for this morning. Um, the wax kind is hard to stay in place. Maybe, I have some liquid kind.
Forget it. Maybe the ones left in won't show.
I know my reaction is foolish. But, really, I am not ready to be old.
I won't be old.

And where did my dark hair go?
It has to be a joke.
That's it. It's April 1st.

April Fool's.

Childhood Memories

As I stood looking out my living room window this morning, I was taken back to my childhood.
Not that I had a scene like this when I was growing up, but I drew a scene like this. Over and over.

When I was in grade-school we had art time in every grade We would get out our crayons, no markers then, and the pale yellow, I think it was called manilla paper, but I remember calling it vanilla, drawing paper was handed out and we would draw. I don't remember if it was always free-hand or if we had specifics to do. I think it was a way to keep the kids entertained before moving on to the next subject of the day.
I am sure that there are teachers out there that taught years ago that could tell me it was on purpose that we did this. I do know that we handed in some of them, and it may have been a weekly, rather than a daily thing.
I just know I drew houses. I loved putting down the long rectangle and then drawing a line above and attaching that to the rectangle with a triangle at each end. ( Now, pretty sure that in first grade I did not know the names of all of these shapes, except the triangle. That I got to play in music.)
  Anyway, I would then draw the windows and doors.
I had a pretty door with a fan glass in it so the light would come in. I had two small windows with shutters and then, I had a big picture window with curtains draped back and a table with a lamp in the center.
If I could go back and look and my drawings over the years I would find copies of that picture. I always put a tree in the yard and it was ALWAYS bare of leaves so I could draw the tiny little twigs that held the leaves in the summer time. Later in life I discovered I was drawing oak trees. I also liked Walnut trees because they didn't have the little twigs.
  It has taken me 51 years of marriage and many houses to fulfill that drawing.I now have the two smaller windows on each end of the front of the house and my big bay window with the curtains and the table with lamp. This is a new house to us. We just moved in this summer and it has taken me a while to realize that I have fulfilled my childhood dreams of the house with draped curtains and a lamp in the window.

500 Words A Day 365 days

Five hundred words a day. Writing.
When I found this group it was by invitation of Jeff Goins. A writer I had followed for several years through his blogs. He has always been helpful and encouraging. I thought it sounded like fun. I thought I would be following it for a day or two.
Three hundred sixty-five days later, I was wrong.
I have found others who love writing and reading as much as I do.
I have found encouragers and helpers.
Every day found me wanting to write. Some days found me with 500 words to say, some days it may have been one hundred.
Every day found me writing or planning my writing. I don't have a total of words. I know I have been back at my blog more often than in the past. I love putting my words out there. Yeah, well, maybe not so much, but I do it.
My fellow wordies have encouraged me, cajoled me and loved me through some of the hardest writing times, just by being there and saying hello.
In short, okay maybe not so short, I have loved it and looked forward to what comes next.

Confession is Good for the Soul

Confession is good for the soul, or at least that is what they say.
Most of my life there has been a big push to shop on the Friday after Thanksgiving. It wasn't called Black Friday when I was growing up or even when my kids were growing up. However, it was the beginning of the Christmas shopping season.
So. It was big.
Now, they have started black Friday and it has even been dragged into Thanksgiving Day. A day most people look forward to not working and spending the day with family.
Well, here is my confession: We shopped on Thanksgiving Day.
Not only that, but we stood in line. For three hours. In the cold.
And you know what? It wasn't half bad.
On the night before Thanksgiving, we had visions of crowds of people pushing and shoving and trampling us to get to the thing we, and they, wanted most: a t v.
We had decided we needed a new tv for the spare bedroom. We wanted a flat screen so that it would sit on top of a bookcase. We talked about it and then decided we would upgrade to a larger one in the living room and put that one in there.
Then, we saw the Black Friday ads on Thanksgiving and they had a great deal for one at Target.
So, we decided we would do this.
I have a sweet husband. He stood in line for about an hour without me so I could stay in the car and keep warm.
I then joined him. The sun was beginning to set, so it was a bit colder, but we were near the building, and not much wind.
Neither of us smoke and cigarette smoke nearly does us in. We had people around us who were smoking, but we were outside and it didn't bother much.
A young lady in front of us took a cigarette out and we were apprehensive, but didn't say anything.
Then she went to the front of the line, stepped out and away, and had her cigarette, and then came back.
I thanked her for that. A conversation ensued and we passed the time nicely.
People came out of the store and started handing out stuff: coupons, granola bars, and....tickets to buy the tvs.
You simply took the ticket to the cashier, paid for the t v and took your receipt to another counter, picked up your t v and left. You had three hours you could shop in the store before you had to pick up your t v.
It was simple.
We took our ticket, paid the price, took the t v and put it into our cart and turned to leave.
We hear, " Hey! You got your t v!" It was our new young friend.
See? Not all shopping stories are horror stories on Thanksgiving.

Remembering

                                     

I live in Branson, Missouri. You may have heard of it. We have a bit of a reputation of being a live music mecca.

We also do Veterans Week really well. We love our Veterans. They are a special breed. We honor them every day, but Veteran's Day is so special to us we turned it into a week.

Back about eleven years or so ago, the traveling Viet Nam Wall was here for our celebration. It went to several different sites over the next few years.

It finally landed at the Lawerence Welk theatre. They hosted it every year after that. Last year they purchased it and it is then assured of being here every Veterans week in Branson.

When the wall is here they have readers read the names on the wall from a directory they have. The names are in alphabetical order with name, rank, service branch, dob and dod and hometown. In honor of those who gave all they want them read aloud. You don't have to shout, just read as though talking to someone, and in essence you are. You are reading to the boys who gave all.

You are telling the boys that someone cares. That someone remembers, even if for those few days in November.

It can be humbling. Knowing that all the boys, whether 17 or 47, went there with the hope of returning and they didn't. They knew it was a possibility, but we all know there is a possibility that we won't return from any journey however big or small.

They knew it was a possibility when they went.

When they landed they knew it was a probability.

When they saw their buddy next to them fall dead, they felt they may be next. For some they were.

You read these names as much for the buddies who survived as for the ones who didn't.

You read for the girlfriends, mothers, fathers, siblings and off-spring.

You read for yourself. Even if you don't think that is why you are going to do it. After you are there and have read a few, you know. It is for you.

I had thought of volunteering to do this for a few years. But, you know, you think, ah, they don't need ME. There are plenty of others able and willing. Let them. Or rather, honor them with the pleasure. I knew I would enjoy doing it, but one thing lead to another, and I didn't.

Then last year I met the lady who sets up the readers. She is a new member of my congregation. She put out a plea for readers. I thought about it.

Didn't do it.

This year, when the plea went out, and it does in the paper and in my case to my Bible class, I told my husband I wanted to do it. He said sign up, I will get you there.

I called her and said do you still need readers. She said yes.

I signed up for a half-hour in the early afternoon. It was one of the spots she was having trouble filling.

The weather was nice, cool. Did I say you read the names outside near the wall? So, you dress for the weather.

They have a tent-room from which to read. It is open on the sidewalk side, but closed on the other three, helping to protect from the wind.

They offer us coffee.

When I got there, a man was still reading and I took over from him.

It is easy. You just read the names and the info.

And then, you notice someone standing in front of you. You look up. He meets your eye, puts out his hand and says, " Thank You." Then you notice the tears in his eyes and the Viet Nam patch he wears. And you thank him.

Thank you to all of you who have served, either in the military or in support of the family while they serve. Thank you especially to those of you have lost a loved one while serving in the military.

                               

Enjoying

I last left you with 'D' for Deciding, well, now we are enjoying.
Enjoying the new house, enjoying company coming and hoping they will enjoy the continuation of our vacation together.
Usually, they come in the spring and we go up in the summer, but this year it is reversed.
Our company didn't make it down. There were two funerals of cousins and we went to them for that. While we were there we got to see the most beautiful fall colors we have seen in a few years.
It was warmer this trip than last, which seemed out of sync, but we enjoyed the warmth. We did some sight seeing, old friend seeing and animal seeing. We always go to Itasca State Park when we visit the aunt and cousin in Minnesota. It is only about an hour from them and always on the way to where ever we are going. Even if it isn't.
Itasca, for those who may not know is the headwaters of the Mississippi river. Fun to step over the Mighty Mississip. The trees were just outstanding...I know, I know that's what trees do, but the colors this year were gorgeous.Is that not a pretty one?

We also found someone who had a bit of trouble harvesting..

Those hay balers can give you some trouble. Someone had fun with their haying. It can get boring after so many bales.

I will leave you with a pretty lane in Itasca Park.

Alphabet Suspended!

Okay, so alphabet didn't do anything to get thrown out of school or work, but I needed to write about something else.
It was a warm, sunny day. I got up had breakfast and sat down to check facebook, emails and throw out junk from my email account.
Warmed up the computer, hit the internet browser button...and....the little circle went counterclockwise, and counter clockwise and counter clockwise. Then it turned blue and went clockwise and clockwise and clockwise and.. nothing.
Check connections it said. I did.
I tried again going back to counterclockwise and clockwise and...nothing.
Time to call the internet provider.
Yea! One of my all time favorite things to do.
I called and the automated voice picked up saying, " Your call is very important to us. Please stay on the line and the we will get to you as quickly as possible. Approximate wait time is 10 minutes."
Well, what was I going to do for the next ten minutes, anyway, so I hung on. I worked on a writing piece and sure enough, ten minutes later they came back to me.
"Thank you for calling ******. Please enter the phone number or account number you are calling about."
Since I use my landline company for my internet, I entered my ten digit number starting with the area code.
" I'm sorry. I cannot find your account.
"What is your address?"
I gave it.
" I have accessed your account.
" What is your problem?"
I have no internet.
" There has been an equipment problem and we are working on it to have the internet back up in 24 to 48 hours. Sorry for any inconvenience."
Any inconvenience? Nah. Just was going to do a little business on line and while away my day.
I waited patiently (read checking it every ten minutes I was near the computer) until we had to leave.
It was a sad day.
I have not had this happen before.
It made the local news, so guess I was not the only person reporting the problem.
The next day, I had breakfast, went outside and whiled away some time. Then I thought, what the heck, I will just go check.
Yippee! Internet back a day early.
Thank you, God.
All is right with my world.