Things aren’t always what they seem…

Back in 1977 or so (you know how memories fade) I remember my dear neighbors Helen and Paul and an incident that occurred while we lived on their street. We were pretty good friends and our little girls played together every day.

I was driving by her house on my way home and glanced that way as I sometimes did out of habit - -in the event she was in the yard so I could wave to her as we went by - - a common neighborly habit. Gasp -- I did a double glance! There was a wreath hanging on her front door. OMG!!!!! Did I see what I thought I saw? I drove around the block again to take a look. Sure enough! There was a wreath on her door!

Suddenly I felt a catch in my throat and a heaviness in my stomach. I was upset for her and her family,I wondered who died. I called a neighbor and asked if she had heard anything from Helen. She said, “She was out riding her bike this morning”. I said to the neighbor, “Did anyone die in their family? She said, “Not that I know of, why?” Now I was confused for sure. I said, “I saw a wreath hanging on her door!” Oh that, it’s a new thing - - now it’s décor for the home. This was the first I had heard or known about a wreath hanging on the front door of your home being decor!!!!!! Always before when you saw a wreath hung on the door, the purpose was to notify solicitors, neighbors, friends and family that someone in that home had died. It was a symbol of respect - - now it was a symbol of welcome to the living!!! Funeral homes no longer provide this service - - I guess it is too confusing!

Soon after that change I noticed beauty salons advertising fake nails for $30.00 a pop (since then it has probably gone up). To me that was part of Halloween witches attire and I thought no one would ever pay to put on fake nails. That will be a bust! Ha Ha Hee Hee!

Next I saw water sold in bottles and I laughed. I thought out loud - - this was the craziest idea ever because water is free from the tap. Get a grip people! Who in their right mind would buy water in a bottle; fingernails that weren’t theirs and wreaths for the door? What a business blunder! Now as I sit here with a wreath on my door and drinking my bottled, clear, spring water I wish I had thought of that!

Made in the good old U.S. of A.

I was lying in bed this morning (my best thinking spot) and got to thinking about these words. Yes, we are free, but things have changed since I was a girl when I barreled out my chest and stood on my toes to get the last shrill note out about...

This is my country! Land of my birth!
This is my country! Grandest on earth!
I pledge thee my allegiance, America, the bold,
For this is my country to have and to hold.

What diff'rence if I hail from North or South
Or from the East or West?
My heart is filled with love for all of these.
I only know I swell with pride and deep within my breast
I thrill to see Old Glory paint the breeze.

With hand upon heart I thank the Lord For this my native land,
For all I love is here within her gates.
My soul is rooted deeply in the soil on which I stand,
For these are mine own United States.

This is my country! Land of my choice!
This is my country! Hear my proud voice!
I pledge thee my allegiance, America, the bold,
For this is my country! To have and to hold.

It was a peaceful time when WWII was over. My dad, uncles, and some of my brother-in-laws fought in that war. They came home and began their lives once again. Thank God they were all able to come home. Some never saw action, but they were there working on this side supporting the troops on the other side. They were all farmers or blue collar workers - - the backbone of our country. Now, I look around and wonder what has happened to our good old country. The face has changed and I barely recognize it. Some things have changed for the better such as civil rights, money, education, equal opportunity, electronics, technology, etc. Something that has really changed is the growing number of disappearing farms; the loss of blue collar worker industry; the middle class which I was part of. What happened?

I find it to be shaky ground when I look around me and all I see are seas of houses that are looming up larger than the courthouse once was. Where is the money coming from? Certainly not from making products we can’t live without, now all we have is the medical fields and technology. The craftsmanship of making vehicles; making American made clothes; appliances; food - - all have gone to other countries. Some day the good old U.S. of A. may be paying out the nose to learn how to make the items we depend on because our greed took it all to other countries, not to help the people of those countries but to acquire cheap labor. However, that cheap labor we use, will rise up and use their brains as well as their backs, learning the trades, they’ll buy the companies and we’ll be paying for their goods, because the USA will no longer have the tools and skills to compete. All we will have is good technology. How far will that take us when we have to purchase our foods from countries that already hate us? We’ll be paying more than quadruple for items.

I first noticed in the 70’s when I tried to purchase only clothes made in the USA,every tag had another country listed on it. You couldn’t find clothes any longer that had a tag, “Made in America”. Anything made in Japan or China was cheaply created and considered inferior products - - you knew those items wouldn’t last long so you didn't buy it unless you were buying paper umbrellas; paper fans; a toy that would last for perhaps a day or a ceramic geisha. Now, that has changed. We have helped the whole world, but the whole world has not helped the United States of America. Most countries hate us.

We already depend on other countries for our oil. Now we can add our clothing, our modes of transportation, our food, and I could go on and on. According to the latest information our televisions bring to us on the nightly news, even our vehicles, once a great source of USA pride, are inferior to foreign made vehicles and not selling well. Every year we hear of more contamination of products we buy from other countries, even our meat and toothpaste. We should reclaim our ability to produce these products in our own country where USA inspected can be proudly stamped on each package. We have Mad Cow disease (never heard of it before we started importing our foods); we have Bird Flu virus, and where are the USA dairy farms - - it seems no one really cares or thinks about what is happening before our very eyes. When our farms started disappearing, along with our factories and the blue collar workers could no longer find a job it became a sad day for the USA. Change is good, but in this case Change is bad. We are giving away our freedom. Lady Liberty will soon bow her head in shame because our country is more than a melting pot, now it is melting…

Rain, Rain Go Away, Come again in 2008 or 2009

Have you ever been so sick of rain? I kept looking for the clouds to break loose yesterday, July 4th, but it never happened which caused our family (paranoid) to sit at home because WE JUST KNEW IT WAS GOING TO RAIN!!!!!!

The grass had grown knee high to an elephant’s butt, when Chick decided to heck with it. He would swim to the mower and plow forward. He did, then he came inside to let me know how well our septic tank is not working throughout this wet weather. I had called the Septic Tank Company in May to have it pumped but the septic tank expert told me we had to have 10 days without rain first or it would be in vain I thought, “No problem - -we should be able to do this by June 1st. June 1st came and went. The dried up lakes, no watering due to no rain passed; but in June the daily and nightly rains kept on going. The boys have cabin fever; have graffitied the walls; pulled the wallpaper off; surfed the whole house on scooters; learned every video game they have forwards and backwards - -they are ready to play outside - - AND WE ARE READY FOR THEM TO!

Now Lord, I know we should have said when we prayed for rain, how much rain we wanted so I am asking right now, to let the rains stop and the sun to appear once again. I know, I know, we’ll be begging again next year, but right now we are molding; water logged; depressed; more than hydrated so thanks for the answered prayer, but now the prayer is opposite asking for the rains to quit for a spell. Amen