Thoughts on the new year

By Olivene Godfrey

The setting of the sun on a new year is a kind of summing up time.  We think of what we have accomplished, of our goals, and what the new year may bring to us. Resolutions do little to change a way of life. They are easily made and just as easily forgotten.  Maybe we have a sincere to keep a resolution but unless we change inwardly, little can depend on the outward changer.

Shining promises made to oneself are resolutions made with faith and that self is listening and will carry out the plans. But human beings are unpredictable.  And at the first sign of a challenge, the self may dash back and lean hard upon the old ways of doing things, mo matter how wrong they are.

As I thought this week of the upcoming new year my first thought was that I'd be grateful if the new year could be free of personal tragedy’s for myself and son Barry.  But if the troubles come, my hope is that I will have the courage to face them and to survive. I’ve discovered there are two important things to do in times of difficulty. One is to pray and the other is to try to keep one's sense of humor. Prayer is essential to make the basic correction and to renew our faith. And the sense of humor is necessary to balance the spirit while things work out.

Life never stands still. It  can't hold onto the past. If the newness of first things haven't grown  into finer moments, life can't move forward for us but decays. My hope for each of you as well as for myself. is that we may experience new times and new beginnings, and first things will bloom once more again and enchant and inspire us.

See you next time.

Ma writing

Names can be frustrating and nicknames still worse By Olivene Godfrey "I cannot tell what the dickens his name is Shakespeare. "

I can't believe my parents (who named me after my maternal  grandfather, Oliver,) were aware of the handicap such a name would be for me. There was always some smart alec in school who thought it clever to nickname me Olive-Oil.  Being too skinny anyway, this nickname really smarted. But Ollie didn't please me either.

I eventually developed a complex. My name is Olivene. "No I don't want to be called anything else." I would declare over and over. The trouble was that almost no one knew how to pronounce this unusual name. You wouldn't believe some of the things I've been called. Since my maiden name was also unusual, I had a double problem.  After my marriage some of my acquaintance solve their problem by calling me Mrs. Godfrey.

While thinking about this problem, I recalled some unusual names of persons I know.  Tam, my caregiver, came to mind.  She says a lot of people call her Pam. The name,Tam,  is short for the pretty name of Tamera.  Her mother enjoyed the Debby Reynold's movie, Tammy, and she changed the spelling to Tamera for her infant daughter.  Over the years, family and friends started calling her Tam.

My neighbor and longtime friend, Genevelyn, says her mother and grandmother liked the name so well she was named Genevelyn.
According to the Internet, there are 13 people with the first name of Genevelyn in the USA.
I had never heard the name until I met Genevelyn and we became good friends.


Another neighbor, Jacinta, who I recently met and liked very much,  says that her mom found the name in a baby book at the health department and liked it. She added that her mom just liked unusual names.  According to the Internet, Jacinta is a common female first name in the United states but I had never heard of it. 

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Son Barry and I plan to attend our family Christmas dinner party at my sister, Jeanette's Dalton home Christmas day if all goes well and it doesn't snow like it did last year. I may not post another blog before Christmas day so I wish for each of you a very Merry Christmas and  Happy New Year.

See you next time.

Son Barry's company dinner party & doctor visit & Barry's baby clothes.

By Olivene Godfrey

Since I live such a quiet life now, I was eagerly waiting for Barry's company dinner party at a popular steak house in Dalton.
My helper, Tam, did my hair and helped me get ready for the dinner so I would look as good as an 84 year old woman can expect to.

The best part of the dinner party was meeting in person Barry's friends and co-workers, Kym and Denise, and their boss lady,
Stephanie,and her husband, Jack.  I also met Kym and Denise's mother, Peggy, and Barry's other boss, Brent, and his wife Jacinta who live near us. 

The following morning, I had an appointment with my doctor.
and Tam drove me to her office.  The results of my recent lab work were fine.  The doctor gave me a cortisone shot for the horrendous pain I've been having in my knees since the weather turned cold.  I understand now why so many old folks spend winters in a warm climate.

The next day was my birthday and wouldn't you know I would wake up early with a really bad IBS attack and felt bad all day. Barry bought me two cup cakes which were decorated like mini birthday cakes and were delicious. He has ordered me a gift from Amazon which will be delivered shortly.

For years, Barry and I have referred to a hall closet with louvered doors as the Mystery Closet. We weren't quite sure just all that was in the closet but the doors would hardly open and close.  Tam, bless her, cleaned out the closet one recent day and found a box of Barry's baby clothes that I had packed away more than 50 year ago.  The cute little suits are in amazingly good condition which brought back memories of the days when Barry was a baby.

See you next time.

I had a nasty fall but I'm a tough, old lady

By Olivene Godfrey

Last Friday morning, my mind was filled with thoughts of Christmas and the pretty tree son Barry had put up in the den in front of the fire place. I was resting in my recliner when I suddenly thought of something I needed to do in the kitchen.
Our den has a sunken floor with a step leading up to the adjoining kitchen. And, with no warning, in a fraction of a second, I lost my balance.  I knew I was falling and my mind was screaming, "NO, not now".My mind was addled after I hit the floor hard with back of my head striking the metal strip on the  top of the entrance. I was also having pain in my lower back. I started shouting for Barry and when he didn't reply, I remembered he was at work. I managed to sit up but there was no way I could get to my feet.

So, I pushed the button I wear around my neck on a nylon cord.
And almost immediately the wonderful emergency system alert system responded. Shortly,my good friend and neighbor Genevelyn who has a key to our house entered the den.  And then the EMT s arrived in an ambulance. After talking to me a few minutes, these efficient people had put guards on my neck and head and strapped me to a board. Son Barry had arrived and told the EMT s he wanted  me to have a complete exam. The room was crowded with people I noted as I was taken to the ambulance. (More about the trip in a later blog.) I was extensively x-rayed and had a cat-scan and the diagnoses was that I was actually in good condition for an 84 year old. 

When I was released from the hospital Barry brought me home and shortly thereafter Tam, my helper, arrived to stay with me while Barry returned to his shop for awhile. I am so grateful to the people who prayed for me.  I have been having some pain and a lot of stiffness.  If I take prescription medicine for pain, I have bad reactions so Aleve has been working quite well. The ER doctor said I haves a lot of arthritis in the back of my neck which I already knew. Barry and I give a lot of credit  to the reclast treatment I have once a year to help my bones to be stronger.

A big thank you to Barry's co-workers, Kym, Denise and his lady boss, Stephanie for a lovely flower arrangement delivered to me yesterday. I love to receive flowers so thank you, ladies. Barry's other boss,Brent, also came to the house while the EMT s
were still here. When Barry came home, he told me I was a tough old lady. 

See you next time.