CALL ME ANYTHING BUT 'OLIVE OIL'

By OLIVENE GODFREY

As long as I can remember people have been having
trouble pronouncing my name. And I learned at an early age to answer to anything faintly resembling the name. I remember that on two different occasions I was asked to settle arguments
regarding the pronunciation of my name. I don't know how the subject came up, that is, what those folks were saying about me, but I was just happy they were interested enough to wonder how my name is pronounced. (That's the ham in me!)

To explain how to pronounce the name, we probably need to explain to folks with a southern accent, and another explanation to those with a more cosmopolitan accent. Since I say, "Ah" for "O" in words like "olive", and pronounce my "I" like "A". Olivene comes out like "Ah-La-Vene". But, if you don't have a southern drawl, just say, "Olive", and add the "ene". Most people seem to omit the "l"and come out with something like, "Ovaline."

Just one request-- call me anything but "Olive Oil". I went through that bit back in grade school and I didn't think it was funny then and I still don't. Well, how would you have liked it if you were a skinny little gal and people called you, "Olive Oil",after Popeye's girl friend in the comics? I guess there is one good thing about having an unusual name. People at least remember you even if it's as "the one with the funny name". And they aren't likely to confuse you with another Mary or Jane.

This past week, winter weather in northwest Georgia arrived with temps dipping down in the 20s and 30s ,bringing our first frosts of the season. A few days before the front moved in Barry pruned the large patio plants and brought all of the plants inside. Last year, he placed the huge ficus tree in the dining room in front of a window and the plant received plenty of sunshine but made the room too crowded. It also blocked our view of the adjoining farm with its pretty lake and farmhouse and picturesque barn with the mountains just beyond. So, this year, he placed the tree in front of a window in my office. It still gets the morning sunshine, but doesn't dwarf the spacious room.

A week or so ago, Barry and I went through our clothes closets and pulled out winter clothes including coats and jackets that we no longer wear for various reasons. Barry packed the clothes up in large plastic bags and carried them in his pick up truck to the Salvation Army Thrift Store. Since the weather turned cold, we have a warm, good feeling about providing winter clothing for people who may need them. Barry said the thrift store people were, as always, glad to receive the garments.

We recently had a wind and rain storm which blew tree branches off the trees in our yard. The drought we're having killed a small maple tree that stood beside our driveway and mail box.
Part of the tree blew over during the storm. So, I called our landscapers and a three-man crew came out and cut down the tree and cleaned the yard which was a relief to Barry who was afraid he would have to do that chore along with his other ones.

See you next time.

GI DOC SAYS MY GUT HAS MIND OF ITS OWN

By OLIVENE GODFREY

This past week has been a hectic time for me and for son,Barry. I had two doctor appointments and a horrific spell of Irritable Bowel Syndrome plus all the usual chores here at the house.
The first doctor appointment was with my GI doctor in Dalton. The result of this visit was to set date for a throat stretching procedure in a few weeks at the Dalton hospital.

Barry did some research on the Internet regarding this procedure.
He found this excellent explanation by Philip Clements , M.D.,MPH which I quote as follows," Actually the stretching occurs lower in the chest than in the throat. Generally the narrowing is at the end of the esophagus (the feeding tube that leads to the stomach) just before the esophagus joins the stomach. The reason that the narrowing (stricture or scarring) occurs is that the muscle that normally closes the esophagus from the stomach gets
weak, and the opening between the esophagus and stomach remains open much too long a time. This allows hydrochloric (which is a very strong acid) and juices to reflux ( to back up)
into the esophagus and actually 'burn' the esophagus, much as strong acid might burn any tissue. As a result, there may be a scar that forms at the end of the esophagus."

The doctor adds that in this procedure a tube is passed through the mouth and down the esophagus and actually stretches the narrowing at the end of the esophagus . This allows food to go down more easily.

While I was at the GI doctor's office, we discussed the various treatments I have tried for my IBS problem. The doctor asked if I had tried the old standbys, Pepto Bismol and Milk of Magnesium. Barry and I both laughed as I keep these medicines on hand and when I was a child and had a nervous stomach even then my mother often gave me a dose of the "pink stuff"
The doctor said that my gut has a mind of its own and when I am nervous or upset, it acts up ,causing muscle spasms on the wall of the bowel which is very painful.

A couple of days later, I saw my family doctor in her Chatsworth office. We discussed the GI doctor visit and I had a flu shot.
I don't have another visit scheduled until in about three months, Lord willing.

I wore my amplifier hearing device during both doctor visits and it works great. I could hear the doctors' talking to me and it should help me until I am able to set a date for a hearing test. It does look weird but at my age, I don't mind.

Recently, I had a long, phone conversation with my sister,Jeanette who lives in Dalton. WE caught up with family news and she said her young grandson, Bryson, a sharp youngster, had enjoyed attending the Dalton agriculture and midway fair and wanted to go back. That reminded me of the fair in my hometown of Chattanooga when I was a child. When I walked with my parents and sisters from our car to the fair entrance I would have butterflies in my stomach as it was almost as exciting for me as Christmas morning. I always rode the huge ferris wheel with my daddy which was scary but in a fun way.

See you next week.

DESTINY SEEMS MATTER OF CHOICE

By OLIVENE GODFREY

Years ago, I had some lively discussions with a fatalist individual who believed that all events of his life had been determined by fate. He accepted every event as something which must happen as it does because it had been predetermined. I don't think his fatalist attitude had been determined by any form of religious doctrine.

But, many persons believe the Christian theology, predestination,which sets forth the belief that eternal destiny of man is determined by God. A belief in some form of predestination is found also in the ancient religions of Greece, China, India and Egypt. And Islam teaches that men are predestined to goodness and happiness and also to evil and misery. In a speech in 1899, W.J. Bryan expressed my beliefs on this subject: "Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved."

Of course, there are times when we can't control certain circumstances. And there are times when it does seem that our lives are determined by fate. But, I think of it as a game of cards, with life dealing us our cards. And how we play the cards is up to us. I believe it is in our power to improve the quality of our play as we go along, our whole life through.

We've been told that our personalities are irrevocably fixed by feelings experienced in early childhood. Some tell us that we are lifelong slaves of instinctual drives. Or we are reactive robots,responding mechanistically to prodding s from social and economic necessities. Then there is the belief that we are products of heredity and environment, uncontrollable influences
whose work we could never hope to change. I think there are elements of truth in each of these theories. But, I also believe that we are more than mechanical units, more than slaves of shadowy inner drives and uncontrollable instincts. My beliefs run more to the reality of self-sacrifice, heroism, the giving and strength of love. I believe in hope, striving and wonder, faith and inspiration.

We know that in any venture failure is a possible outcome. We know that everybody can't win. But,in some situations we feel failure so much that we don't even try to win. A lack of self-confidence can make us afraid to act creatively, afraid to change, afraid of the future. So, we shrug our shoulders and sigh, "Why try? I'm a born loser." or we shrug our shoulders and sigh,"It just wasn't meant for me to win" Actually, we all feel some lack of confidence at times. We experience threats to our self-esteem and we feel inferior or unloved. Our ego suffers and we rush to repair the wound.

Greatness lies in dreams. But they are great only to the extent to which they inspire us to work and strive toward them. I do believe in a fate that falls upon those who do not act.

See you next time.

SPECIAL MEANINGS & COLORS OF WEEKDAYS

By OLIVENE GODFREY

I was thinking recently about the individuality of the days of the week and of how each of us think of the different days. We all seem to feel the same about some of the days. Yet, for personal reasons or perhaps reasons that began in childhood certain days mean certain things to people. Sunday is usually the day of worship of God. Since A.D. 300s the church and state recognized Sunday of the sabbath. Sacred to the sun among the old Teutonic peoples, it's name means day of the sun. Sunday can be a happy day or it can be the most lonely day of the week. I color it orange and oblong.

Monday, the second day of the week for most people,in ancient times it was sacred to the goddess of the moon. It's known as Blue Monday for many people because it seem dismal with work and school week beginning and in some parts of the world Monday is still traditional wash day. Blue Monday in Bavaria means the Monday before Lent because that is the color in which churches are decorated. I paint it blue and fat.

Tuesday for me is green and slim. It's name comes from Tiv or Tiw, an Anglo-Saxon form of Tyi ,name of the Norse God of War. Tuesday seems to be a favorite time for meetings - day or night.

Wednesday I color yellow and fat. It's an active day-mid week with the first of the week behind us and a glimpse of the weekend in sight. Named for the the god of storms whose dominion extended to realms of wisdom, poetry and agriculture, in olden times it was believed that Wednesday was the best day for sowing crops.

Thursday is usually a nice day. We're in tune with the week's routine. Yet, we know the weekend is almost here. I color it rosy and round. It is a bountiful day that brings us Thanksgiving day in November.

Friday is considered bad luck by many people. Yet. Scandinavians consider it their luckiest day. People have called Friday Hangsmen day as it once was the day for executions of criminals.

I have mixed emotion abut Friday. There was a time when it was considered "pay day" for me. Still, it's always been a busy day with shopping for groceries and other items. I guess I color it in various shades of red, depending what the day brings for me. A routine day would be pink but the long weekend would be scarlet.

Saturday is the only day named for a Roman God , Saturn. Saturday is a holiday for workers and students. Saturn is said to have devoured all of his children except three. It was imagined for a long time that people under his star were unlucky as they had entered the world of an evil omen. I like Saturdays

While the years and months are the natural result of natural phenomena, the week owes its origins to early astrological and superstitious beliefs. Thus, throughout every week we recall, in a peculiar mixture, pagan deities both of Roman and Teutonic lineage.

See you next time.

WEATHER "SIGNS" IN GEORGIA'S MOUNTAINS

By OLIVENE GODFREY

I started having columns and articles published back in the 1960s and about this time of year I would interview Old Timers regarding weather superstitions for the upcoming winter. Now that I am an Old Timer myself, those weather prognosticators have passed on. But, I imagine that there are still weather prophets who are forecasting the coming winter in Georgia's high country.

I remember an old retired farmer who forecast seven snowfalls that winter. And, there were exactly that many. How did he know?
Well, during August there were seven fogs and the old farmer said that was a sure sign that an equal number of snowfalls could be expected during the winter.

Another Old Timer told me one year that hornet nests were five or six inches from the ground and that was a sign of a cold winter ahead of us. Then another weather prophet insisted that a hot summer inevitably would be followed by a very cold winter.
Then there was the Old Timer who said he personally didn't take much stock in weather superstitions but he added the corn shucks were heavy that year and those who did believe in those things said that meant a bad winter was coming.

Aching corns and other pains were cited as guides for forecasting the weather. There may be some scientific support here, because air pressure and moisture may actually cause pain to a sensitive spot. A good thermometer, the prognosticators say is a cricket because they chirp faster when the temperature is rising. If you add the number 37 to the number of chirps within 15 seconds, you are supposed to have the correct temperature.

Although the weather prophets admit that scientific observations involve careful techniques, they say, "Nature is a volume of which God is the author".

Quote: "A bore is a person who has a flair for doing the completely expected."

See you next time.