My Mother is Thrilled

The other day when I was off and took the pictures of my mother's yard she was showing me a picture printed in the local paper of a yard in the community. "My yard is just as pretty or prettier as this one!" she says. And it was so. I suggested we send in a picture of her flowers and she says, "They won't print it!"

So I sent in one of the pictures I took of her yard regardless of her negativity and it was printed in today's paper. She is so proud. My stepfather says she is calling everyone she knows to tell them about it. Funny to me that it brings her so much pleasure.

Fading Away

I noticed yesterday that the Dogwood trees are quickly losing their blooms and before long the white burst of beauty will be gone. They've been lovely this year, I'm going to miss them.

There is a place I pass on my way home every day where there used to be a house but has long ago been torn down . On the lot remains the trees and shrubs the homeowners had planted years ago.

It seems, especially a long time ago, to be a common thing to plant Azaleas around the Dogwoods. If they happened to bloom at the same time in the early spring it was a beautiful thing. On the lot I pass each day there is a big Dogwood that has bloomed in all its glory and below are ruby red Azaleas and its been quite a sight. But there is a time for everything and yesterday I noticed the blooms were looking a little sad.

I hate to not have the pleasure of seeing that sight any longer but pretty soon the fields will turn green with grain and corn stalks will poke up and I'll notice other gifts of Nature. The cycle of life will keep right on doing what it is suppose to do. And that's quite alright with me, even if I am a little reluctant to let go of the beauty of Dogwood Trees and Azaleas as they fade away until next year.

In the Eyes of a Child

I grew up here in the south. I was a little girl when segregation was well in place but being challenged strongly, and rightly so. I can remember going to the Doctor's office and there being two waiting rooms, one for white people and one for "colored" people. There were two entrances from the outside but only a single wall that separated the two rooms on the inside that both opened up to the reception area. You could hear the people on the other side of the wall but you couldn't see them.

One of my earliest memories is on a visit to the Dr.'s office I was curious and peeked around the wall at the very same time another little girl on the other side was peeking around too. We smiled at each other. And right there in the middle, while her Mama sat reading a magazine on the colored side and my mother did the same on the white side, she and I sat down in the floor and giggled and whispered like little girls will do.

While the country was in turmoil, while grown men and women were trying to figure out how to overcome racial problems, two little girls somewhere in Georgia in 1962 didn't seem to have a problem at all that our skin colors were different.

40 years ago today Martin Luther King died for this cause. What a shame he had to. How sad for his wife and children. But how awesome was he to fight for what he believed in, for what was right, for generations to come. Because of his leadership in civil rights, there is no wall separating little girls in a Dr.'s office today.

I often wonder if that little girl remembers that day when we played together in a segregated Dr.'s office. In all our innocence, she and I understood things that adults refused to see. We are all the same, we are people and what in the world does skin color have to do with anything?

What's in a Name

For some reason lately I've been thinking about my father's side of the family and the names my grandmother gave her children and the names they actually ended up being known as. It's quite odd really.

There was a daughter named Ealah. There's a name you don't hear very often. My Daddy was born and named Jack but little Ealah reportedly would say, "Look at the little "felly" (trying to say fellow) and so he was known his whole life by everyone as "Felly."

Another son was named R.C. , really and truly, that was his legal name, just the initials, they stood for nothing I was told when I asked, his name was simply R.C., but he was called "Tom."

There was a son named " Carl Miller." That was his first name, and he was always called both names, I knew him as "Uncle Carl Miller."

The oldest son was named James but he was forever called "Bully." I know not why really unless he bullied the younger kids. He was the only one I never got to know really well, he always scared me a little, he was a gruff, tough talking man, and so maybe his name was appropriate.

Then there came another daughter named Janice but for reasons I do not know, we called her Cindy. As far as I know she was called Cindy from birth.

The two youngest sons were named Robert, called Bobby, which was normal and then Glenn, known as Glenn.

Strange family of names now that I really think about it. When you're a child you sometimes don't question things and just accept names. I grew up loving all these Aunts and Uncles, although there were lost years between us after my parent's divorced. To me it was normal to have an Aunt Ealah and an Uncle Carl Miller. Go figure.

Come and Take a Walk With Me.....

............We'll see what we can see.

Spring in Living Color

Baby Pink Azaleas

The First Amaryllis

The Perfect Dogwood Tree

The Beautiful Butterfly

The Busy Bumble Bee

If it's still cold where you are, I hope I brought you a little warmth and I hope you have your own warm weather soon.

I Have Wanderlust.........

.....and would like to be on this plane this morning. I wonder what its destination is. Look at the blue sky we have this morning! Hard to believe there is rain in the forecast for later today.

My New Favorite Breakfast

This is my new favorite bread. Take a slice and toast lightly.

And then add a thin spread of this. You'll not be hungry until lunch I promise!

Morning Has Broken

Tuesday Ramblings on Wednesday

Wow, I can't believe I've not blogged since Sunday. Monday was such a challenging day at work that I chose not to blog that day as I try to stay focused on positivity and Monday was such a hard day, I pretended it didn't happen. Nothing terrible, just associate issues, customer issues, just a hard day. Stressful. I was glad when it was over.

Yesterday was much calmer but I guess I was tired and went to sleep really early, and so although I read other blogs and came to mine, I didn't write. I usually do a Tuesday Ramblings post before I take conference call but for some reason, I think I was still getting over Monday, I didn't. So we'll ramble today.

And so now it is already Wednesday. And I'm off. And I'm off tomorrow too. That is the reward for working on Sunday, getting two days off during the week. Getting them off in a row is like my weekend in the middle of the week. When you work retail, that is the way it is.

It is going to be a beautiful day but there is a chance of rain, 50% in fact and I'm cool with that. I love rainy days too.

I am feeling pretty good right now, but because of my health issues I know it will be short lived and so I'm going to take advantage of it while I do feel good and get some things done around here to get ready for my surgery.

Did I tell you my son is coming from Washington after my surgery? He is such a sweetie and by him doing that, I won't have to stay at my mother's house as long and can come to my own home where I will be much happier. My mother is not all that good at caring for someone who isn't well. I know this first hand you see, she raised me. She can't help it, bless her heart, it is just the way it is. And so with Matthew coming the week after, he'll help me at home for a week or so and that is going to be great. He's a good boy. My mother was a little put out when she heard he was coming, she didn't understand at all but said, "Well, we'll enjoy him while he's here of course." (She made this statement in front of my best friend and Steph said she almost said, "Well he is coming because he loves his Mama of course and wants to be here for her.") It's all part of knowing my mother and I'm used to it. Just interesting for sure.

Alrighty then, that is about it for me today. Hope you have a great day!
Love,
Robbin

Happy Sunday

I have to work today, it is my Sunday to do so and it is the end of the month so I have paperwork work to do and closing out of this period. I'll have enough to keep me busy the five hours that I am there

.

Yesterday our Dr. wasn't there and we took the opportunity to do some heavy duty Spring cleaning in our lab. It must have worn me out because I was asleep by ten thirty last night, not too long after my tour through Norway.

I am so ready to have my surgery. This waiting stuff drives me nuts, plus I am ready to feel better. I have to push myself to do every task, I am so tierd and uncomfortable all the time now. It's hard.

It is cloudy and foggy this morning, but very warm.

And so that is about all I know this morning. Nothing much exciting, just my life as it goes.

Hope your day is a good one.

Love,

Robbin

A New Dream

I want to visit Norway. I just watched Rick Steves on Public T.V. tour parts of Norway and it is just a lovely country. Full of history and nice people and beautiful countryside. Tucking away this dream, you never know.

Right down below my house is a tiny little church. It was established in the 1800's and though no longer used regularly, once a year the families of the origional members have services there and "dinner on the grounds." That means lunch outside. All the ladies bring their specialities. This picture is of a picnic table there, build many years ago by a member. It really amazes me, the design is interesting and it has weathered hot sun, terrible storms and all the elements for who knows how many years. Yet here it stands, sturdy as can be.

Would Rathers

I would rather stay home today and search for these and blow the fuzzies into the wind.

I would rather be packing my bags for a long trip to somewhere, anywhere.

I would rather stay right here with my little dog, Sweetie snugged in my lap.

I would rather be eating grits and eggs and bacon and toast with butter and jam instead of shredded wheat and a banana.

And so with that said, I willl get ready for work. Which is what I'd better do.

Have a good day!

Off to Work I Go

Back to work today, though I wish I could stay home again. But yesterday's nice weather and my exposure to it has left me rejuvenated and hopefully the day at work will be a good one.

Remember that bizarre story a few years back when there were two girls in an accident and they got them confused and the wrong one was pronounced dead? There's a Dateline story on that tomorrow night that I want to try and remember to watch. Can you imagine how that was for the families? I cannot imagine!

It's a little foggy this morning. Looks like smoke on the water across the street on the neighbor's pond.

I'm due an audit at work and keep thinking my district manager will show up anyday to do it. Have a feeling it could be today. I want to get it over but when she shows up it upsets the whole routine at work and I don't know if I'm up for that or not. But we shall find out.

Happy Thursday to you~hope your day is a good one.