Tuesday, January 26, 2016

INNOCENT YOUNG LOVE

January 26, 2016

By Olivene Godfrey

Just a whiff of memory sent me back to a innocent time of "first romantic love".  His name was Frank and we both were students at a Chattanooga school.  I was 13 years old and he must have been about the same age.

Our auditorium was huge, and Hollywood movies were shown to us students.  He would, somehow always sit beside me during the movies.

During our English class we would stare at each other.  I've never forgotten when our English teacher suddenly smiled and said softly, "I see something just we three, the Robin, and I and the sweet cherry tree".  I felt my face "burning" and I never knew Frank's reaction, but we continued our innocent young love actions.

Then, my family and I moved to North Georgia!  Several years passed, and I received a letter from him and we began a long distance correspondence.  A few years later my family and I moved to Dalton, Georgia.  I worked at a store for awhile and Frank would come by to see me.  He had become a handsome young man.

Then tragedy struck Frank.  He was in an automobile accident and his legs were paralyzed.  When he was better, we began corresponding again.  He always had such delightful letters.  Sometimes he would draw funny figures on the envelopes and we could hear the mailman chuckle when he delivered Frank's letters.  Frank had a good sense of humor.  His letters were so funny I'd show them to my family.  My daddy enjoyed them so much.

When I became engaged to my late husband, Ralph, I wrote and told Frank and he wrote me back and told me "all my girls" are getting married.  That was the last time I heard from him.

I'd been married several years, when I picked up a brochure in a doctors office and read about patients who had been rehabilitated.  There was a picture of Frank at a radio station.  The article said he was married and working as a disc jockey.  I'm sure he was a great one.

I haven't heard anything about Frank in many years.  But, I think no matter where he is, either in heaven or somewhere here on earth, he is keeping those around him laughing.

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

Thursday, January 21, 2016

PRECIOUS MEMORIES

January 21, 2016

By Olivene Godfrey

The snow and icy weather we're having now sent my mind back several decades.  My late husband, Ralph, and I shared a lot of scary adventures over the years.

There was an ice storm we had here a number of years ago.  Our patio tends to become a solid sheet of ice in bad weather.  Ralph was retired but was still able to get around.  I remember the day when Ralph and I decided to go to town after an ice storm had left the patio slick with ice.  We went outside and then we were on the patio holding on to each other.  Somehow, we made it to my car parked in the driveway.  Ralph was no longer driving so I drove us to town.  We made the trip safely with God's help.  When Barry came home from work that night he blew his top.

Ralph and I had been married 12 years when Barry was born.  So, we had a lot of scary adventures.  There was the boat he built on the large back porch of our Dalton home.  When he had the boat ready to try out he chose the Tennessee River to launch it.

Just a few words now, for readers who aren't familiar with the river.  The Tennessee River is the largest tributary of the Ohio River.  The river is located in the southwestern U.S. in the Tennessee Valley.  The river was once popularly known as the Cherokee River, as many of the Cherokee Indians had their territory along it's banks.

On a pretty spring day, Ralph and I launched the motor boat in the large river and it performed perfectly.  Ralph was an ardent fisherman.  He started fishing and I was bored, and snacked on the picnic lunch we had packed.  Later, I became scared thinking about the risk we took that day.

My sister, Jeanette, and her late husband, Charles had a large boat with a small cabin.  We would take our boats out with plenty of snacks on sunny Sundays.  I remember one weekend we went camping at Harrison Bay.  The weather turned ugly and it rained.  The men slept in their cars and Jeanette and their children, Charlene and Kenneth, and myself slept in the boat cabin.  Needless to say, we had a soggy weekend.

We had many more adventures in those years and now we have the precious memories.

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

Monday, January 18, 2016

BACK IN THE DAY (PART 2)

January 18, 2016

By Olivene Godfrey

In the early days of television, our lives began to change.  In the beginning, TV didn't have round the clock broadcasting.  Most stations in our area stopped broadcasting at midnight.  The National Anthem was played as the station signed off.  Then, the "test pattern" appeared on the screen which helped the owner of the set to adjust the picture.  I had a friend whose husband was so obsessed with TV, he would rise very early every morning and stare at the test pattern on the screen.

I'll never forget when my late husband, Ralph, and I finally made the decision to buy a TV set.  We bought it "on credit" from the Crutchfield Furniture Store.  That night the Crutchfield family, who were good friends, came out to our house and watched the TV with us.  When the young pastor of the Methodist Church we attend heard about our TV, he would come to the house to watch TV with us.  I worked in an office in Dalton and had chores to do at night.  The preacher kept calling me to come "watch TV".  We were glad when he finally purchased his own TV.

When black & white TV's were a part of our lives, we began to hear about "color TV".  Ralph said he was waiting for the color TV to be perfected.  I remember we went to a convention at St. Simon, GA and stayed at a hotel on the island.  When we got up in the morning the color TV was on.  I remember we watched the Today show and Jane Pauley looked so pretty.  I told Ralph I was ready for a color TV.

I remember when Barry, our son, was just a boy, but he wanted a color TV (he had a black & white).  We didn't have a color TV for our living room and couldn't afford the color TV for Barry that Christmas.  I think that was the first time "Santa" didn't please him.  Now he has a large color TV in his media room.

We had favorite programs through the years that we never missed watching.  Ralph liked Gunsmoke and Clint Eastwood westerns.  We watched I Love Lucy every week and Sunset Strip.  Also, Barney Miller, Mash, All in the Family and Cheers to name just a few.  TV has really changed since that first black & white.

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

Tuesday, January 12, 2016

BACK IN THE DAY

January 12, 2016

By Olivene Godfrey

Barry and Tam grew up with television and can't imagine how life would be without it now.  I, and my contemporaries, grew up with radio an important part of our lives.  I remember coming home from school and eating a snack while listening to the soap opera, "Stella Dallas" on the radio which was still in it's infancy.

An uncle rented a radio for entertainment at my parents wedding reception in 1926.  My parents listened to "Lum and Abner" and "Amos and Andy" during supper on week nights.  I also remember Franklin D. Roosevelt's famous "Fireside Chat" on the radio.

Later, when I was a young teenager and my twin sisters were four years younger, Frank Sinatra's crooning on "Your Hit Parade" was a program we never missed.  Our mother, who could be "funny", (she thought) would sometimes enter the living room while we listened to Frank Sinatra crooning and she would shout "Oh Frankie, you make me swoon".  We were furious with her and thought she was "corny".

Years later, we were all fascinated with television even though most TV screens were "snowy" and would sometimes roll in the early days.  My late husband, Ralph loved television.  For years, he worked as a TV repairman.  He was a big sports fan and on occasion would have three TV sets on different "games" while he yelled and enjoyed himself.  Barry says, "Pa would have loved the flat screen TV's."

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

Friday, January 08, 2016

COMFORT IS MY STYLE

January 8, 2016

By Olivene Godfrey

I had an appointment with my primary care doctor this week.  She made some changes in some of my medicines.  I hope this will be for the best.  I have a record of having some problems when I have any change in my medical routine.  The new COPD medicine the doctor prescribed for me promises to be for the best.

My ears had quite a bit of wax and was causing "total deafness" while I was at the doctor's office.  Tam was with me and filled in what the doctor was saying.  Later, a nurse cleaned my ears out which was extremely painful.  Sore places were found in both ears and was causing wax to form and was against my hearing aides.  When all of the gook was out, I suddenly had my hearing back.  I may go and see my audiologist regarding my ears and hearing aides.  I am able to hear good now with my hearing aides.  I'll have more information on my other health problems soon.

Now for a bit of a light subject - woman's fashion.  As I've become an old lady, comfort is number one in my wardrobe.  And it is good that today's long dresses with dark stockings or legging's are stylish as well as comfortable.  I have a wardrobe of long dresses, both for warm and cold weather.  Comfort is my "style".

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

Monday, January 04, 2016

ANYONE RECOMMEND A MOVIE?

January 4, 2016

By Olivene Godfrey

The weather is very cold here in the North Georgia mountain country.  I try to stay inside most of the time.  I have an appointment with my primary care doctor this coming week.  On that day, we're suppose to have the coldest weather so far this winter and I may not be able to go out.  It's been four months since my last doctor visit so I need to keep this one.

I have been having intense nervous spells for no apparent reason.  I think I'm having various physical ailments so we'll check my vital statistics and all are perfect.  So, Barry and Tam and I believe it is a nervous condition.  I don't know the reason as my life is free of any unusual problems that might cause nervousness.  This cold weather causes my arthritis in my knees to be more severe but that isn't a new ailment.  Hopefully, the doctor will solve the problem.

I once was an avid movie fan.  But, it would be impossible for me to go to the movie theatre now.  Barry has made it possible for me to see most any film I'd like to see on my TV.  I'm starting to find movie reviews.  I'm not familiar now with movie actors.  I don't like violence in movies.  If any of you could recommend a movie for me to watch, I'd be most grateful.

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