CHRISTMAS HIGHLIGHTS

December 29, 2014



By Olivene Godfrey

Barry and I had a happy Christmas.  We had a family Christmas dinner and party at my sister, Jeanette's home in Dalton.  We exchanged names this year and everyone received a gift and it seemed to work out well.

My niece, Charlene drew my name and gave me a wonderful velvety Berber throw with a white fleece lining. It is brown and beige and feels great on chilly days.

I wear hearing aides and am needing to see my Audiologist, as I am not hearing well at all.  My sister, Jeanette, doesn't hear well either but doesn't wear aides.  Needless to say, we were yelling at each other to communicate, to the amusement of family members.

Now that I'm 87 years old, I am very nervous and was before leaving for Jeanette's house.  When I arrived I calmed down and enjoyed myself.  Jeanette and her great granddaughter, Alex, prepared the dinner which was delicious.  Alex takes good care of Jeanette.  I was stimulated at the dinner party and it took me a while to unwind when we returned home Christmas afternoon.

Barry and I had made tentative plans to go shopping at the mall on the day after Christmas.  But, I was too tired to do anything except rest in my recliner with my new throw.  One of the things I had planned to do at the mall was to buy a pair of fashionable boots.  After deep thought, I decided not to purchase boots, as I don't go out enough to wear them, and it would be a waste of money.  One of the gifts Barry gave me was a pair of black stockings that are fashionable now.  I wore the stockings Christmas day with a red and green outfit.

I am missing Tam during this long holiday and look forward to seeing her on Monday.  I know she is enjoying spending time with her family.  She gave me a bag of gifts, including a pair of light blue sweat pants.

Barry had lunch on Saturday with his long time friend, Larry.  He said he and his wife, Tara, and family had a great Christmas.

I wish for each of you a Happy New Year!  See you next time.  Comments welcome.   (As told to Tam)

MERRY CHRISTMAS

December 22, 2014

By Olivene Godfrey

As I write this, the weather is cold and my arthritis in my knees is acting up.  I had my three month check-up with my primary care doctor a few days ago.  The doctor is planning to give me injections in my knees after the holidays.  My vital signs and blood work were all fine.  My next check-up will be in three months if all goes well.

Barry did our Christmas shopping and we're ready to attend my sister, Jeanette and family's party Christmas day.

I wish for each of you a very happy Christmas day.

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

BUSY WEEKEND

December 15, 2014

By Olivene Godfrey

As I write this, early Monday morning, I'm recovering from a busy weekend.

On Friday morning Tam drove me to Dalton to her daughter, Carrie's beauty salon.  Carrie's nimble fingers weaved their magic as she gave me a perfect haircut.  While I was at the salon, I bought a bottle of "silver" shampoo for Barry's white hair (it works wonders on my hair, too).

As I stayed busy on Saturday, I made tentative plans to go with Barry to Dalton's Western Sizzlin Sunday for his free lunch on his December 14th birthday.

For the first time in a couple of years I ate lunch in a restaurant.  The temperature outside on Sunday was in the 20's.  But, I was determined to celebrate Barry's 55th birthday at Western Sizzlin.  (Despite Barry's white hair, he doesn't look his age, so I can reveal it.)

Barry and I both ate off the buffet.  He had eaten a steak at Long Horn the previous day.  The buffet is about the only restaurant I can safely eat as they have some bland foods (my IBS can't tolerate spicy foods).  My lunch was delicious and I was careful not to over eat.  When we returned home, we both took naps.  Soon afterward our pretty friend, Kym, called to tell us she was coming for a visit.  Shortly, she arrived and she brought a tin packed with goodies she had made herself.  We enjoyed her company.  Naturally, I enjoy being around her as she's often complimenting my appearance.  (Well, gee whiz, when you're 87, you're happy to hear you don't look like an old hag.)

We still have a few more Christmas gifts to buy.  Barry and I will drive to Dalton on Christmas day for my sister, Jeanette and her family's Christmas party.

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

87 BIRTHDAYS!!

December 11, 2014



By Olivene Godfrey

I had a great birthday December 10th.  It doesn't seem possible I'm 87 years old!  I received a stack of birthday cards in the mail and appreciate each and every one.  Barry bought me two pairs of sweat pants (he had given me sweat tops last year when they were on sale).  He also took my treasured, very old charm bracelet to his shop and cleaned the silver and the many charms.  I'm going to start wearing it again.  There are charms that represent my newspaper days (tiny typewriter, telephone, steno pad, etc.) and also charms with dates of importance in my life.  Tam bought me some special shampoo from the beauty salon and my favorite body lotion and made me a special dessert.  She also surprised me with a tiny Christmas tree for my sitting room/bedroom.  While I was eating lunch in the dining room, she put the tree up and decorated it, to my delight when I returned to my room.

Once again on my birthday, I missed the phone call I got every year from my daddy until his untimely death at the age of 65 from a massive heart attack.  He would tell me about the cold, crisp December night when I was born in a Methodist parsonage.  The old doctor who came to the house to help my mother sent daddy outside to chop wood.  He said he looked up at the sky and saw a shooting star.  In the house, my mother had a breach birth and one of my tiny arms was broken.  The doctor put my arm in a sling and it healed well.

When I was a year old, we moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee and from there to Tunnel Hill, Georgia and then to Calhoun, Georgia and back to Dalton, Georgia.  My husband, Ralph and I were married there and lived there ten years before moving to Florida where our son, Barry was born.  When Barry was two years old, we returned to Georgia, settling in Murray County, Georgia when Barry was three.  We've lived in our beloved house since 1978.  I pray I can be here in my bed at our home when my time is up.  I fully intend to live to be 100, good Lord willing.  I also pray that Barry and Tam will still be with me.

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

LONG TIME FRIENDS

December 8, 2014

By Olivene Godfrey

I am continuing to receive feedback from the recent newspaper article that appeared in the Dalton, Georgia's, The Daily Citizen about me.  The most recent was from a long time writer friend I hadn't heard from in years.  Her name is Bobbi Butler and we, with others, spent many nights at the former location of the Creative Arts Guild in the old Dalton Fire Station, working with each other to improve our skills.

Bobbie had some bad news, she said her adult son, Bill, who was 43, had passed away this past summer.  She said, "I have a block on everything, especially writing."  She also said, "I want to write, and you and your story are encouraging."

She wants us to stay in touch and added that she could come to see me, which would be a treat for me.  I'll start making arrangements to try to get back in touch with her as she didn't leave an e-mail address with her comments to my blog.

My first Christmas card this year was from another long time friend, Georgia Gallman, who is a talented singer.  I met Georgia when I was working for the Dalton, Georgia newspaper, and wrote an article about her singing and guitar playing.  She wrote a note on her card about the newspaper article being "awesome" and other kind words.

As I write this on a Saturday before my December 10th birthday, Barry has gone to shop for a birthday gift for me.  Since his birthday is December 14th, I told him to buy his gift from me while shopping.

With the leaves down from the trees, once again we have an ever changing view of the pretty farm next door, with the mountains just beyond.

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

THANKSGIVING, NEWSPAPER ARTICLE & CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

December 1, 2014

By Olivene Godfrey

I hope each one of you had a great Thanksgiving holiday.  Barry and I had a quiet day, and Barry cooked a delicious turkey dinner for just the two of us this year.  I was proud of him and enjoyed the dinner.

I hope all of you who live in the Dalton, Georgia Daily Citizen area read the wonderful article about myself that a talented young woman wrote.  Her name is Tanner Blackton and I predict a bright future for her.

As a result of the article, my blog is receiving a lot of "hits" which I appreciate and enjoy reading the comments.  One comment I really appreciated was from a person who has been having a writing block as I did following the death of my husband.  He said that after reading the article he was again "inspired" to write.  I wish him much success with his writing.

I read an interesting article in the American Profile magazine about the origin of chocolate chip cookies which 53% of Americans claim is their favorite.  The original Toll House Cookies didn't exist until the 1930's when Ruth Graves Wakefield, the owner of the Toll House Inn, in Whitman, Mass., created the tasty morsels by accident.  She chopped up a Nestle chocolate bar and stirred it into a batch of cookies, expecting the chocolate bits to melt, lava like, in the oven, but the chocolate softened and remained semi-solid instead.  The rest is history.  This year Nestle celebrates its 75th anniversary of the Toll House morsel.

I'm a fan of Ingle's supermarket's bakery chocolate chip cookies.  When the cookies are baked to perfection, they are a real treat.  Sometimes the baker leaves the cookies in the oven a tad too long, and they are too hard.  Even those are still tasty when placed in the microwave a few seconds.  Barry just baked a few frozen Nestle Toll House cookies.  They are delicious, and Ingle's cookies are similar.

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