DOCTOR VISIT, & BRUSH FIRES ON MOUNTAIN & HOT WEATHER

By OLIVENE GODFREY

I had an appointment with my family doctor last week for my six-month check up. We discussed my Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
I told her that the IBS is dominating my life and causing a lot of pain. She has referred me to a specialist for evaluation of my IBS. I will see him in about six weeks. I dread the colon tests which I am sure I will have but good or bad news is preferably to the state I'm in now. I will keep you posted.

Springs arrival in Northwest Georgia followed the three month winter span's driest in the 117 years of record keeping in the Tennessee Vally Authority 7-state region,according to a TVA spokesman. Brush fires on our mountain over the weekend left a cloud of smoke in Chatsworth which is located at the foot of the mountain. Most of the fires begin when residents try to burn debris and they may walk away thinking it is out but it reignites, according to a forest ranger.

We have been having unseasonably dry warm weather the past week which is pleasant but dangerous for our forests. We are hoping
for rain this week. It is just too early for us to have temps in the 80s. I saw a pretty yellow and black butterfly yesterday as it feasted on the yellow blossoms of the gigantic forsythia bushes. Barry mowed our lawn for the first time this year on the weekend and with the work the landscapers did earlier, the yard looks nice and pretty.

My sister, Jeanette, gave me a tip a while back which has saved me time and aggravation in the mornings. My fingers are usually
stiff and it is hard for me to fasten buttons on blouses and shirts. So, Jeanette said she only unbuttons her garments only enough to pull over her head before washing. And, when she gets ready to wear a clean garment, she only has to fasten one or two buttons. I guess that is what sisters are for, to pass along tips.

MORE OF MY FAVORITE QUOTES----- "If I could do only one thing to improve the lot of mankind, what I'd like to be able to do most is to find a new pleasure that people over 40 could enjoy --and still not lose a good night's sleep." Hal Boyle

"A long dispute means that both parties are wrong. " Voltaire

"One of the advantages of being young is that you don't let common sense get in the way of doing things everybody knows is impossible." Franklin P.Jones

See you next time.

RECUPERATING FROM MISERABLE COLDS

By OLIVENE GODFREY

I am recuperating (I hope) from a miserable cold, the first one I have had in years. Son Barry had a very bad cold, too, and I guess I caught mine from him. We are both in the coughing stage now and we go around sounding like fog horns and not having much energy.

I didn't feel like going out with this cold and for various reasons, I hadn't been outside the house in several weeks.
So, this past Friday, Barry didn't have to work,and we went to the Dalton mall for much needed haircuts. The weather was cold and windy and no sunshine. But, I was only out in the bad weather a few minutes, going from Barry's car to the mall entrance. Barry took me on a wild, fast ride in my wheelchair and I wore a hat that covered my ears so I don't think the outing harmed me. We had an early lunch at the Chick-Fil-A and stopped by Sears and bought some kitchen hand towels that were on sale after we got haircuts and were back home by noon.

I am delighted to report that the Incredible Poinsettia has several red leaves now with more turning. The 1.5 year old plant didn't have any red leaves during the Christmas holidays. The plant is huge and healthy. My Christmas cactus has always bloomed around Thanksgiving. So, I guess sometimes plants inner clocks get mixed up. Barry has been giving the indoor plants a little dose of Miracle Grow which is causing them to thrive.

The landscaping crew came out one recent day and pruned our shrubbery and cleaned up the yard. Now, all Barry has to do when warm weather arrives is to mow the grass with his riding lawnmower, something he enjoys doing.

So many flowering bushes and trees are in full bloom everywhere, making life miserable for we allergy sufferers. The pollen count has been over a thousand a few days and high every day which I guess is the price we pay for our lush foliage and flowers.

MORE QUOTES--

Children seldom misquote you. They repeat what you shouldn't have said, word for word, L & N


"One can endure sorrow alone, but it take two to be glad."
Elbert Hubbard.

"The real test of courtesy and restraint is to have an ailment just like the other guy is describing and not mention it."
Scattered Sunshine.

COLLECTING QUOTES IS FUN HOBBY

By OLIVENE GODFREY

During the past 40 years, I have collected quotations from newspapers and magazines and books. My favorite ones are from newspapers and magazines and I will be sharing some of them with you during future columns. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

I have met some interesting people over the years who also collect quotes. One was a college president who had saved some of my daily newspaper columns and had them on his desk when I went to his elegant office for an interview. We had a great time discussing our favorite quotes and the interview was stimulating and resulted in one of my best feature articles.

I recently read that a midday nap seems to reduce the risk of fatal heart problems, especially among men, according to new research. The researchers said naps benefit the heart by reducing stress and jobs are a common source of stress. It's likely that women also benefit from naps but the study wasn't certain of that. The research factored in diet, exercise, smoking and other habits that affect the heart but still found napping seem to help.

Son Barry seems to have the art of so-called "power naps" down pat. He is able to nap after lunch when he's at home and feels refreshed afterward. I relax for a while after lunch in my recliner but I am unable to fall asleep then. (After supper, I have no trouble sleeping through a T.V. program.) The noon time rest for me is beneficial and I am able to do my afternoon chores better when I am able to rest.

One recent day, I was resting on my recliner in the den when I heard a loud thumping sound. I glanced out of the big window and saw a large bird I couldn't identify sitting on the patio floor and shaking his head as if he was addled. And, I knew another bird had nosedived against the window. This one sat on the patio about ten minutes before flying away. I don't think any of the birds that fly against the window have been seriously injured but all appear to be shaken up.

TODAY'S QUOTES--- "Why can't we be exposed to the problems of life when we are 17 and know everything?" - Anna Herbert

"Middle age is that period of life when you are old enough to know better but young enough to keep on doing it. " The Duke of Decatur, Hugh Park's column in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

"If you can remember when men who wore wrist watches were called sissies, do you really believe you will feel better next week?"
Olin Miller. Dixie Dew Drops, The Atlanta Journal.

See you next week.

MARCH & SPRING CLEANING

By OLIVENE GODFREY

With March here,and our jonquils and pear tree in full bloom, I think spring can't be far away. But, I remember that the Blizzard of '93 in northwest Georgia was in the month of March.
Also, I recall a snowfall we had here in April one year. We have pictures in an album of my red tulips sticking up out of the snow. So, I don't feel that cold weather and frost is over until the middle of May. My late husband, Ralph, and I were married May 1, 1947. The weather that day was sunny and beautiful. But, the following week, when we were on an Atlanta honeymoon, we had a cold snap. But, we can look forward to some warm,sunny days ahead of us during March and April.

Son Barry has been doing some spring cleaning the past few weeks and already has things looking pretty and clean. I have mostly observed his cleaning spells. But, last weekend, I decided to clean off my very old bulletin board in my office. I hadn't done that task in years. Some of the newspapers cartoons I had posted on the board were so old, the paper was yellowed and brittle. I tossed them in the wastebasket and I was relentless as I discarded all but the most important clippings and current notes and pictures. Now I can glance at the board and find what I meed.

I have a large filing cabinet that needs cleaning out but would be a big chore and I don't have the energy to do it. Maybe when Barry runs out of things to clean around here, he will decide to tackle that job. I have learned that I have to watch him carefully when he is cleaning or he throws away things I consider important.

A few years ago, we cleaned out all of our closets except one which is crammed full of all sorts of things. And, we have never got around to cleaning it. There is a box of Barry's cute little clothes he wore when he was a baby in the box. The box hasn't been opened in many years and I have no idea what kind of condition the tiny garments are in now. Maybe my curiosity will stir me into action and I will clean that closet this spring.

Did you ever have what seemed to be a unique thought and then one day, you read, or hear, someone else relate the identical thought? That has happened to me several times over the years and I guess that proves there is nothing new under the sun.

Years ago, I was advised that a good motto to live by is, "When in doubt, don't!" I have lived to regret the times I have ignored that advice and each time, I vow not to let it happen again.

I like this quote--"There's two sides to every question unless we're interested in it." --Jack Key, Key Notes, Wesleyan Christian Advocate.

See you next time.