AFTER CHRISTMAS THOUGHTS....

By Olivene Godfrey

I am proud to report that I didn't gain an ounce during the Christmas holidays. And I didn't deprive myself of eating
Plenty of delicious foods. I took tiny servings of the food, especially the forbidden foods, and still felt satisfied after the meals. And, most important, my blood sugar tests were normal all during the holidays.

On Christmas Eve, I cooked a traditional turkey and trimmings dinner for Barry, a friend and myself. I even ate a tiny piece of pumpkin pie for dessert. After all, it was a special occasion.

We drove over to Dalton on Christmas day to the dinner and party at my sister, Jeanette's beautifully decorated home. Jeanette, who is a very good cook, prepared most of the meal but all the guests brought food, too. So we had a bountiful feast. After we ate, we opened our gifts and there were joyous sounds of laughter and squeals from the six children as they opened their gifts, giving the day a festive air.

At the Christmas party, we had live entertainment. Remember this name-- Alex Norton. She is ten years old and sings like an angel. She is Jeanette's great-granddaughter. And, Alex's grandmother, Charlene Norton, supports and encourages her in her goal to become a star in the music world. Alex has the poise and stage presence of a processional entertainer and I believe she will achieve her goals. She has been singing at church, school and community functions this year, gaining good experience in performing.

The holidays were bittersweet because of the loss of some of our loved ones the past few years. But, they would have wanted us to carry on the traditions and we enjoyed ourselves.

On Sunday morning after Christmas day, Annie Burgamy, my sister, Joan's daughter-in-law, called and we had a nice chat and she filled me in on what has been happening down at West Palm Beach Annie was Joan's caregiver until her death in Oct. She is a
Multi-talented person and an excellent writer and she plans to concentrate on her writing this coming year. I believe she will achieve her goals in time. English born, Annie, reminded me that the day after Christmas is Boxing Day in England.

And the day after Christmas in the United States has become a big shopping day. I was too tired to go shopping yesterday but hope to go this coming weekend and hope there will be some winter clothes still in stock and on sale. I also received a Sears’s gift card for Christmas and will cash that in, too, I am sure. Barry and I were tired of turkey and the trimmings and yesterday we opted for a Subway club sandwich, which hit the spot.

Our last power bill contained a list of tips on how to winterize a house. Barry and I checked the list and he had done all the things listed except for installing a carbon monoxide alarm. We use propane gas to run our furnace and use kerosene heaters to supplement the central heat. So we most definitely needed the detector. We had just put off buying one. So, on Sunday afternoon Barry bought one at Lowe's and came home and installed it, which makes us feel safer.

See you next time.

COLD WEATHER IN GEORGIA MOUNTAIN COUNTRY & ATLANTA'S FOX TO HAVE 75TH BIRTHDAY--BRINGING BACK SWEET MEMORY FOR ME....

By Olivene Godfrey

Brrrr.... Old Man Winter has come to the northwest Georgia mountain country with a vengeance, bringing temp of 15 degrees above zero here this morning. But, the sun is shining brightly today which is a welcome sight after yesterday's cloudy and cold weather with occasional snow showers.

Alas, with the high cost of propane gas, we have to keep our central heat thermostat set a low temp and we are using space electric and kerosene heaters to supplement the central heat. We use the space heaters in the part of the house where we spend the most time. I am also dressing warmly. But, unfortunately, our bathrooms are in the cold part of the house and when I go to my bathroom, I am reminded of the outhouse that was out behind my grandparents' farmhouse in Middle Tennessee when I was a child. But, our bathrooms aren't THAT cold.

Whenever I think of that old outhouse, I remember the grapes that grew on vines on a fence beside the path that led to the outhouse. The grapes were luscious and my grandmother and two spinster aunts made delicious grape juice and would serve it in ornate glasses with desserts at special dinners.
But I digress....

FABULOUS FOX.... I enjoyed reading the article, "AT 75, FOX SHINES ON GILDED GLORY", by Jim Auchmutey, in the December 18th issue of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The article brought back a happy memory of when my late husband, Ralph, and I spent our honeymoon in the first week in May of 1947 in Atlanta.
One afternoon that week, we saw the movie, "The Yearling" at the splendid Fox theatre. I had grown up going to movies at Chattanooga’s elegant Tivoli and later to the beautiful Wink in Dalton, GA but I was awestruck by the magnificence of the Fox. As the article goes, "However big the act, the theater with the twinkling stars overhead always manages to steal some of the limelight."

The Fox will be 75 the day after Christmas and will celebrate with an open house and stage show that is free to the public.

---------------

I wish for each of you a Merry Christmas and every good wish for the coming year!

See you next time.

BIRTHDAYS PRESENT AND PAST....

By Olivene Godfrey,

On December 10, 2004, I celebrated my 77th birthday. You may ask, what is there to celebrate about at such an advanced age?
Well, the main reason is that I am grateful that despite my ups and downs, I have lived this long, and that my mind is still working fairly well, at least most of the time.

On this birthday, Barry and a friend took me over to the Western Sizzlin Steak House and Buffet restaurant in Dalton, Ga where patrons are served a free meal on their birthdays. All that is required is to show your ID. I enjoyed a delicious lunch from the Buffet and even ate a small piece of strawberry cheesecake, which is a "NO NO" on my sugar free and low carb diet. But, doctors say it is okay to go off the diet now and then and I thought I deserved it on my birthday.

When we came out of the restaurant, Barry said something to me I didn't understand. (My hearing isn't too good now). And it was a cold day and Barry and his friend started walking briskly across the huge parking lot to Barry's car, which was parked quite a distance from the Western Sizzlin. I started walking across the parking lot and when I got about half way to the car it flashed across my mind that Barry meant to pick me up at the restaurant door. Instead of returning to the restaurant, I started running, something I haven't done in years.
Imagine this scene-- a 77-year-old woman, kicking up her heels like a young girl, and running across that parking lot. I wasn't too winded when I surprised Barry and the friend by appearing at the car as they were getting in it. Barry said a year ago, I could only walk a few feet without feeling breathless. My legs hurt like the dickens that night and the next day. Barry credits the diet I started Sept 4th with giving me more energy and stamina.

That night I received a phone call from Annie, the daughter in law of my sister, Joan, who passed away in October. She wished me a Happy Birthday and we had an enjoyable conversation. She is an aspiring talented writer who I predict will go far in the business in the future. I also talked a while to my sister, Jeanette who lives in Dalton, and then it was my bedtime, and I was ready for the deep sleep that came at the end of a good birthday.

I've had some memorable birthdays such as the nighttime party my Mother gave me on my 13th birthday. I grew up in a sheltered environment and while Mother permitted my guests and me to play the old game, "Spin The Bottle", we weren't allowed to kiss. We girls were permitted to walk a short distance outside with the boys. We thought we were being bold because we held hands then.
But, the next day, one girl confided in my friends and me that she had let a boy kiss her. We were shocked but I will admit a bit envious, too.

My best birthday came four days after the 10th the year Barry was born in a St. Petersburg, FL hospital on Dec 14th. My husband, Ralph, who died in 2002, and I lived on the beach at Treasure Island, FL and I had a healthy pregnancy, spending a lot of time walking on the beach. But, that year, on my birthday, I was feeling very uncomfortable, to say the least.
And, on the 14th, Barry was born and was my best birthday gift ever.

See you next time.

REFLECTIONS ON THE PAST WEEK....

By Olivene Godfrey

During a telephone conversation yesterday, my sister, Jeanette, and I were discussing the Christmas holidays and she said that as we grow older, the time flies by, and the season seems to arrive in no time each year now. And, we talked a while about how the holidays aren't just the same anymore since we have lost so many of our family members to death the past few years and there is a sadness for us as our circle has been broken.

This year, as we have for several years, son Barry and I will go to Jeanette's house in nearby Dalton, GA for Christmas dinner and the exchanging of gifts with the family members who live in this area. The guests will all bring food so we will have a good dinner. Jeanette has six young great-grandchildren who will liven up the day for all of us.

I will try not to eat too much dinner, which brings me to some good news I received last week. Last Thursday, I had an appointment with my family doctor for a three-month checkup on my diabetes. When I was diagnosed with diabetes the last of August I was frightened and on Sept 4th I went on a diet of no potatoes and no sugar. And, my exciting news is that I have lost 16 pounds since I started on the diet and I haven't felt the least bit deprived as there are so many new sugar free products on the market that satisfy my sweet tooth. I do miss potatoes but not so much that I will go off my diet to eat them

I also had a dental appointment on Tuesday for cleaning and a check up. I have invested a fortune in my teeth over the years and you better believe I take good care of them. In fact, the hygienist said I did such a good job; I don't have to go back for checkup and cleaning until August, which was good news.

I told you last week that Barry had cleaned up the sun burst clock I have had for over 40 years, which quit running last weekend. He went to K Mart and bought a cheap wall clock and replaced the old clock's inner workings with the new one and presto! A like new sunburst clock works and looks pretty and shiny on the redwood wall of the den.

Everyone who knows Barry agrees that he fits the old adage of, if he can't fix it, it can't be fixed. He inherited that ability from his dad, Ralph. Unfortunately, he also inherited Ralph's singing voice. I mean, he can't carry a tune but that doesn't stop Barry from going around the house singing loudly the silly little songs he composes as he goes along. He does have volume, I will admit. And, in all fairness, he sounds as good, if not better, than many of today's young top recording artists.