CLEANING UP CLUTTER

By OLIVENE GODFREY

I can't say that the clutter on the wooden, butcher-block work island in the kitchen didn't bother me until recently. My late husband, Ralph,built the work island for me about 25 years ago for a Christmas gift. A lot has happened to me since then and I guess I just didn't have time to worry about the clutter.

Then, after I started taking iron pills for my anemia and had more energy, I found myself worrying about things that needed to be done around the house. Recently, I cleaned and polished my brass collection which I had put off for a long time
And, then I concentrated on the work island.

About a fourth of the island was covered with medications and supplements and odds and ends. I talked to son Barry about a solution and we decided that the grocery pantry in the kitchen needed to be re-organized and a shelf cleared for the bottles of medicines and supplements on the island.

As I write this, I am feeling pleased with myself as I have completed the project and the work island is free of clutter and looks great. It is old enough now to have an antique appearance. It may take a while for me to remember where I put all the clutter. But, we are proud of the appearance of the work island and will try to keep it neat.

When I was seeing doctors and having medical tests last year I saw a couple of interesting signs in medical offices.
One of the signs asked patients not to use fragrances, such as cologne, before coming to the offices as staff was highly allergic to them. Since Barry and I had stopped by the office for printed instructions for a test,I had sprayed a little Charlie, on the back of my ears. As a rule,I don't wear fragrances to doctor offices but we were going to make some more stops. The nurse who gave me the instructions appeared to be okay so I don't think I caused any allergies.

Another sign is in the offices of my new dentist. The electronic sign reads that if the patient has been waiting longer than 20 minutes to tell the receptionist. I have been to the office twice and didn't have to wait but a few minutes before a hygienist called my name.

See you next time.

IT'S A PRETTY SPRING HERE IN NORTHWEST GEORGIA

By OLIVENE GODFREY

Spring in all its glory has arrived here in Northwest Georgia. Unfortunately, for some of us the new green growth on the trees is keeping the pollen count between 600 to over a thousand which plays havoc with allergy victims, like son Barry and me. We're both taking allergy medicines which brings us some relief.

In spite of our allergy discomfort, we are glad to see the beauty of spring and the warm weather. We're especially pleased that, unlike last year's dry, hot weather, we're having more rainfall and the trees and foliage are a lush green. Last fall, Barry brought our huge Ficus or Weeping Fig plant inside and placed it in the dining room in front of a window, blocking our beautiful view of the lake and mountains just beyond. But, the plant flourished with morning sunshine and the humidifier next to it. It took up so much room though that Barry started calling the dining room the Jungle Room. A few days ago Barry took the fiscus tree outside and trimmed it to a more manageable size. He attached the tree to the outside wall so the winds wouldn't blow it over. The dining room now looks bright and airy with the tree not blocking the window.

I reminded Barry that while Dogwood winter has come and gone, we still have Blackberry winter coming up in May which will last a couple of days or so. Barry says if that happens he will bring the fiscus tree inside the garage.

Then, a few days ago, on a warm, pretty day,Barry planted wildflower seed in a large patio container. He planted the wildflower seed also last spring. and the flowers were a glorious sight until the first frost in the fall. He said today that he is going to move the houseplants in the garage outside in a few days. He said if another frost is forecast he will cover the plants. Our two new shrubs in the front yard are thriving with the rains and sunny days.

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I'm still enjoying watching Crook and Chase's new show and Ralph Emory's live show on RFD-TV, as well as some of the other musical shows. I particularly liked a performance by Bobby Bare,country music singer and song writer, in which he sang his novelty song, "Marie Laveau" which reached the top of the country chart in 1974 and is my favorite of his many recorded songs.

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I haven't consciously been worried about my upcoming biopsy on the growth on my right shoulder. But, I haven't been sleeping well so I may be unconsciously worried. I tell myself there will be plenty of time to worry if the biopsy brings bad news so no need to do it now.

See you next time.

SAY A PRAYER FOR ME , "JUST TO MAKE SURE...."

By OLIVENE GODFREY

The growth started out as a flat, scaly area on my right shoulder years ago and later grew into a tough wart-like bump. Some time ago, I noticed that the bump was feeling sensitive and made a note to have my doctor look at it on my next visit.
I noted that it was looking ragged around the edges. And, a couple of weeks ago, it fell off, revealing a rough, red inflamed surface.

When I saw the doctor a few days later for my three month checkup,I showed her the bump. She examined the spot and told me it was Actinic keratosis which is a premalignant condition.
It's most common in fair-skinned people (like me) who are exposed
to the sun because their pigment isn't very protective. It is usually sun damage. Since some of these pre-cancers progress to Squamous Carcinoma, they should be treated.

My doctor knows I am a "worry wart" and she told me she didn't think my AK was anything serious. But, she ordered a biopsy since its large "to make sure that the bump is a keratosis and not skin cancer." I will have the biopsy in about two weeks. Since I know what the growth is now I haven't been overly worried. But,I will probably be nervous about the biopsy as the day draws near because it's an unknown which is what does worry me.

I haven't been in the sun frequently in a number of years. But, in my younger days. I often sun bathed and during the years when we lived in Florida I had a tan. The preventive measures recommended for AK are similar for those for skin cancers.

On the positive side, the doctor was pleased that the iron pills are giving me more energy. I told her that I have cleaned and polished my brass collection recently which is a chore I had put off for ages. She gave me a new prescription for a six month supply of the iron pills so I should feel better during that period if I don't get too fat from the increase in my appetite. I had gained a few pounds which wasn't surprising but I have got to lose those pounds.

Say a prayer for me, "just to make sure" the biopsy shows good news for me.

See you next time.

SHIRLEY TEMPLE CURLS VIA EARLY,SCARY PERMANENT WAVE APPARATUS

By OLIVENE GODFREY

It all started when I was six or seven years old and was selected to play a Shirley Temple doll in a school play that was set in a toy store. I had blonde hair, like Shirley Temple, the popular child movie star, but my hair was straight and I had a "boyish bob". My teacher told my mother that I could wear a blonde, curly wig. But, Mother always had a project going until her death at the age of 92 and she decided that transforming me into a Shirley Temple doll would be her new project. My twin sisters were toddlers and Mother arranged a sitter for them on a Saturday and she told me we were going to get me some curls. I was puzzled but intrigued as I had always wanted curls.

Mother drove us to a beauty shop in Chattanooga and when we entered the shop my eyes went to a scary, complex of rollers which was suspended from the ceiling. Since I was so young, I don't recall the procedure of getting a permanent wave in those days but I do remember that it seemed to last forever.
But, I had pretty Shirley Temple curls when we left the shop.
I found out the next few days that Mother's project included sewing a pink Shirley Temple dress for me to wear in the play.
To complete the project, Mother had a studio portrait made of me dressed as the Shirley Temple doll with a pink ribbon in my blonde, curly hair. The picture hangs now in my home office.

While thinking of this episode, I asked Barry to do some research on the permanent wave and I found the info fascinating. I'll share the high lights with you now. The first permanent wave machine was invented in 1928, the year after I was born, by Marjorie Joyner. the first African American to receive a patent. The first chemical treatment for curling hair that was suitable for use on people was invented in the year 1906 by the German hairdresser, Karl Nessler. He used a mixture of cow urine and water. His method, called the "spiral heat method" was on long hair. His first experiment was on his wife, Katharina Laible. The first two attempts resulted in completely burning her hair off and some scalp burning.
But the method was perfected and his electric wave machine was patented in 1909. It subsequently went into widespread use.

A method for short hair was invented in 1924 by a Czech hairdresser. Josef Mayer. In 1931, at the Midwest Beauty Show in Chicago, Ralph I. Evans and Everett E. McDonough showed a heat less system for the first time. Then, in 1938. Arnold F. Wiillatt invented the cold wave, the precursor to the modern perm. It used no machine and no heat. The entire process took six to eight hours at room temperature. Perms today use this method with different chemicals and this method takes only 15to 30 minutes until the neutralizer is applied to bring down the pH and rebond the hair.

See you next time.