ON EATING LIKE A STARVING STEVEDORE

By OLIVENE GODFREY

We were busy the long Memorial holiday. Son Barry did a lot of yardwork and household chores. He did take time out on Saturday to have lunch with a friend in Dalton and then they hung out at Lowe's and Home Depot awhile which Barry says is "a guy thing". Then, on Sunday, Barry drove us to Dalton for an early lunch of fish and chips at Shoney's. I had baked potato with sour cream and Barry had fries with his fish dinner. We ate salads and then we ate the cod fish boneless fillets that had been coated with seasoned cornmeal and were delectable.
I topped the meal off with a serving of strawberry shortcake for dessert. I knew I had really gone off my diet but the food was SO delicious, I didn't regret eating like a starving stevodore. Barry commented as we left the restaurant that I had "really put it way." Not to worry! I won't eat any taboo foods for awhile.

Then, we went to the mall and Barry pushed me in my wheelchair to the MasterCuts salon where we both got good haircuts.
I had my summer hair-cut which I call a "low maintenance
hair style" as it only takes a few minutes to shampoo and dry and after brushing, you can forget it.

One recent morning, I was eating breakfast at the wooden work island in the kitchen. I reached for a jar of apricot preserves which I wanted to put on toast. The lid made a clicking sound as I removed it and then it disappeared! I looked all over the kitchen floor for the jar lid to no avail. Barry entered the kitchen and I asked him to search for the lid which he did but couldn't find it. He suddenly asked, " Have you looked in your housecoat pocket?" I put my hand in my pocket and felt the metal lid. And Barry asked, “Why do these things happen to you?” I thought of the time I attended a night meeting and a bug flew into my ear. I could feel it moving around and I was miserable until it came out of the ear. And then, there was the dinner I attended and a tiny cornbread morsel flew up into one of my eyes, making me feel blinded. And so it goes....

See you next time.

I'M PROUD TO BE CALLED A “TREE HUGGER”

By OLIVENE GODFREY

On Mother's Day, son Barry and I ate an early lunch at the Village cafeteria in Chatsworth. Then, at my request, Barry drove us home on a designated scenic route. Besides the lush green foliage and trees and flowers, there are splendid views of the Appalachian Mountains on this road. Lake Conasauga on Grassy mountain can be reached by a ride over a dirt-bed road which runs through wild mountain scenery.

The scenic designated road we live on runs into the dirt road at the foot of the mountain. Georgia's National Wilderness Area, Cohutta Wilderness, is located in our mountain range. Until that Sunday, I hadn't sen the front of our house in a long time as we always enter the driveway at the back of the house. And, I was astounded by the huge trees that my late husband, Ralph,
planted 30 years ago. Our house is barely visible from the road now which gives us privacy and shade in the summer months.
Our house is situated in the path of a mountain wind tunnel and we had stronger winds here before the wall of trees grew so big. We do worry sometime during wind storms that a tree might fall on the house. So far we have been spared that and we continue to enjoy the trees.

I believe with all my heart that God created our natural resources and that it is our responsibility not to destroy them. As incredible as it seems to some of us, there are people who would like to cut down all trees and pave over the land for commercial development. Indians lived here on our land for thousands of years and practiced conservation. I have read that the Indians took from the land only what they needed.

I'm proud to be called a "tree hugger" and consider myself fortunate to live among beautiful trees.

See you next time.

GOOD MEDICAL REPORT & NOTES FROM MEMO PAD

By OLIVENE GODFREY

I had a biopsy of the keratosis on my right shoulder recently and two specimens were sent to a pathologist to examine. I'm happy to tell you that the lab report showed "no cancer" The doctor told me this week that if the biopsy wounds have healed in a couple of weeks, I won't need to see her again until my three-month check up which is good news.

When I talked last week on the phone with my sister, Jeanette, who lives in nearby Dalton, she asked how I can still remember so many things about our early years. She says that she can't remember anything of her childhood. And, her daughter, Charlene, will talk of when she was a child about incidents that happened when she was a child that Jeanette doesn't remember either.
She did say that she has a vague memory of riding on a passenger train when she was a child. And, the memory of that weekend during World War II flashed across my mind.

I told her that because of war shortages we didn't have a car and Daddy wanted to visit his folks in Middle Tennessee so he bought train tickets for himself and Mother and Jeanette and her late twin sister, Joan and me. (Our youngest sister, Dianne, wasn't born yet.) I was about sixteen and on that train ride I was sitting on a seat alone and a young U. S.soldier sat beside me and started talking and flirting. I was in a unique situation. Unknown to the young man, my parents were seated directly behind us taking in every word. So, it was hard for me to be natural. But, the young man turned out to be very nice and I enjoyed the train ride.

The green glory of springtime in northwest Georgia surrounds us and son Barry has moved the outdoor plants from the garage to the patio. And, with his tender loving care and Miracle Grow they are looking pretty. From my recliner in the den I can see through the large window the large green asparagus
fern that I started from seed thirty years ago. And, the pink geranium is thriving and is still blooming. The basket of red impatiens that Barry gave me for Mother's day is healthy and promises to grow into a large colorful ball in the summer.
The other plants are also looking good and Barry recently planted flower seed in the large patio container and the little plants are coming up in the soil now. Now, if the sky high pollen count will drop, we'll be able to enjoy all the beauty in our midst.

See you next time.

WAITING FOR BIOPSY LAB REPORT & LOCAL CHILDREN'S WALK TO SCHOOL EVOKED MEMORIES FROM PAST

By OLIVENE GODFREY

Earlier this week, I had a biopsy of the Actinic keratosis on my right shoulder. The growth is a premalignant condition .
Two specimens were sent to a pathologist to examine. I have an appointment with my doctor in a few days to discuss the lab report. I will keep you posted on what happens next.

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

This morning's Dalton newspaper, The Daily Citizen, had a front page article with picture of students and family members and a police escort walking to school to promote healthy living among the youngsters and also better the environment. As I read the article my mind flew back to the first day of school for me when I was five-years-old. My mother had twin babies to care for and my daddy drove our car to work. So, Mother enlisted the aid of an older child who lived next door to walk with me that first day. And, that marked the day, for various reasons, I would start a period in life in which I walked or rode my bike almost everywhere I went.

When I was older, I rode my bike to take piano lessons at my teacher's house on Saturday mornings. She lived on a road that was named Ringgold Road and which is a heavily traveled highway now. But, in those days, I didn't have any problems on my Saturday morning trips. I also rode my bike after school on neighborhood streets. When my family moved to a small town in northwest Georgia, Tunnel Hill, I was 13 and I practically lived on my bike during those early teen years.

It was at that time that the Greyhound buses that traveled U.S. 41 became an important part of my life. If my friends and I needed or just wanted to go to nearby Dalton or any other north Georgia town we caught a Greyhound to take us to our destination. And this was during World War 11 and we had no choice but to walk or ride the trusty Greyhound to go out of town. In those days, the buses would often be filled with U.S. sailors and soldiers and we girls had a great time flirting with these young men. Then, we lived a couple of years in a town, Calhoun, Georgia, south of Dalton, where I graduated from high school and during those years we continued to walk or catch a Greyhound wherever we wanted to go.

We moved to Dalton shortly before World War II ended. Daddy didn't have a car and all of the family still walked. The twins were still in school and walked home for lunch every school day. It was at least a mile from our house to downtown Dalton but we thought nothing of walking to town to shop, attend a movie or just to hang out with friends at the Snack Bar. My cousin, Ernestine, who lives in Chattanooga, recently reminded me of the enjoyable trips I made via Greyhound to visit with her and her family. Then, I went to work and live in Chattanooga for several months before my late husband, Ralph, and I married and I walked everywhere in the Big City. After we married in 1947, I still walked to shop or go to the library to stock up on books. We still walked a lot and it was about 1950 when I got a car and started the trend of riding everywhere I went.

After living in Florida several years, we, with our baby son, Barry, returned to Georgia, and eventually settled in Chatsworth GA where I continued to practically live in my car. And, during those years I launched my writing career and seldom walked.
But, I've made it to 80 so the early walking must have helped.

See you next time.