FALL WEATHER. NEW BOOK ABOUT READY

October 25, 2013
By Olivene Godfrey

We're having crisp autumn weather this week and it's welcomed here in Georgia's high country.  The leaves on the trees are changing here, and will soon be a blaze of scarlet, burgundy and gold.

The mornings here are crisp and frost was forecast for today.  Late yesterday Barry moved the Thanksgiving cactus into my office.  The huge plant is loaded with buds which will soon be a thing of beauty.  He also brought the other plants into the garage.

I woke up today with my arthritic knees aching like crazy.  Guess it's the cold weather.

Tam and I are excited about my controversial novel being almost ready to submit to a New York publisher for consideration.  Then, we will have a pretty long wait to hear from the editor.  That will give us time to start working on another novel to be submitted later.  If I didn't have Tam who is an excellent typist, I'm afraid the novels wouldn't have been brought out and re-typed for submission on the internet.  As I've said many times, Tam is a jewel!

See you next time.  Comments welcome.  (As told to Tam)

CELEBRATING 14 SMOKE FREE YEARS

October 17, 2013

By Olivene Godfrey

About the middle of November, I will celebrate 14 smoke free years.  If I had known how easy it was to quit the nasty habit, I would have quit years before I did.

I started smoking during World War II which was a period of my life unlike any other.  My teenage friends and I thought smoking cigarettes was sophisticated and romantic.  And no wonder!  Cigarettes were advertised on bill boards, magazines, radio and actors and actresses smoked in the movies, later after the war on television.

The few people who spoke out against cigarette smoking were considered old fogies.  My parents disapproved so I slipped around and never smoked in public.  After my late husband and I married I started smoking with him all the time.

The years went by and cigarettes didn't seem to harm our health, but we finally did have to pay the piper.  If you are a smoker, you may not have lung cancer.  But, you can be pretty sure you'll get COPD as I have.  I can tell you from experience that COPD is a hellish condition.  Look at an x-ray of your lungs and you'll see that there is no cure for COPD.

Through the years I'd have horrendous bouts of bronchitis.  Finally 14 years ago, I had a horrible case and I fervently prayed to God to let me recover and I would quit the nasty habit.  I kept my word and went cold turkey and haven't smoked since.  After about 2 weeks I had no more craving and haven't since then.

I'm so proud of Barry who has never smoked a cigarette in his life.  Now I'm proud of Tam, who hasn't smoked in several weeks and swears she has quit for good.

I continue to suffer at times because of the damage to my lungs and keep oxygen on hand and I'm afraid that one day the COPD will end my life.  Meanwhile, I strive to live a healthy lifestyle and pray for a longer life.  I'll be 86 December 10 and I don't think I would have lived this long if I hadn't quit smoking 14 years ago.

See you next time.  Comments welcome.  (As told to Tam)

THOUGHTS ON BEING HEARING IMPAIRED AND BEING FAT

October 12, 2013

By Olivene Godfrey

When I was a young adult, it never crossed my mind that one day in the future I would be hearing impaired.  It didn't occur to me either that I'd also be fat.  I never thought of growing old, for that matter.

Several years ago, I started having some problems with my hearing.  Finally, Barry insisted I make an appointment with an audiologist to have my hearing checked.  The results showed I needed hearing aids.  And, I've worn them since then.  I hear sounds now that I hadn't heard in years.  But, the aids aren't perfect.

Barry bought a phone for me that was supposed to be hearing impaired compatible.  But, I still can't hear on the phone very well.  And sometimes not at all.  The problem is that not all voices sound alike to me.  I don't have any problem hearing certain people.  But soft voices are hard for me to try to figure out the words they are saying.  Loud voices sound distorted on the phone.  I have relatives and friends I'd like to talk to on the phone but I rarely do now.

Sometimes when I am in a room with another person, such as a doctor, I take Tam or Barry with me so they can interpret the doctor's words.  There are other other times when I don't have an interpreter with me and I know I look blank when I don't understand the person's words.  I have the feeling the person thinks I'm suffering from dementia.  And, I try to avoid restaurants during rush hours as the voice's are a constant roar in my ears.

About being fat now.  All of my childhood and young adulthood, I was tiny even though I ate like a horse.  When we were young, my late husband, Ralph and I would eat a bag of krispy kreme doughnuts in one sitting.  I would try to gain weight to no avail.

Finally, in my 50's I started gaining and my weight has been up and down since then.  During my recent bout with pneumonia, I lost 20 pounds.  Since then, I have been gaining it back.  The doctor thinks that since I eat very little food now that I needed exercise.  I've tried the exercises but it causes the arthritis in my knees to flare up which results in constant pain.  I have been walking some with my walker and will continue to do that.

See you next time.  Comments welcome.  (As told to Tam)

OCTOBER FAVORITE MONTH, VISITORS AND TAM'S BIRTHDAY

October 7, 2013

By Olivene Godfrey

October is my favorite time of the year with it's bright blue sky and Indian Summer.  The North American Indians - native Americans depended upon periods of fine sunny weather at this time of the year to complete their harvest to see them through the winter.

As I write this (Sunday), the weather people are forecasting rain and storms for late afternoon, possibly with gusty winds and small hail.  Then, by early tomorrow cooler and breezy weather.  The winds are supposed to subside by tomorrow night, with the temperature staying comfortable in the 70's all week, which sounds nice.  The arthritis in my knees let me know rain is approaching before I hear the latest forecast.  I'm taking aleve with my electric heat pad resting on my knees.

A few days ago, Genevelyn and Troy paid me a nice visit.  Genevelyn is still enjoying living in Chatsworth in her new home.  But, Barry and I miss having her as a neighbor.  Troy brought us a pretty gardenia bouquet.  Barry plans to let it root and plant it in a pot.

Tam reports she had a good birthday on Saturday, October 5th.  Her dad and his wife took her out to supper and she received several birthday messages.  She deserves to have a happy birthday.

See you next time.  (As told to Tam)