Wednesday, April 26, 2017

1947 WAS A VERY GOOD YEAR

April 26, 2017

By Olivene Godfrey

If my late husband, Ralph, was still alive we would be celebrating our 70th wedding anniversary May 1st.  My thoughts this week have lingered on that time.
The year was 1946 when Ralph and I met.  The Big War (World War II) was over and the veterans were returning in droves to the delight of we single girls.
Let me give you a bit of background.  At that time in Dalton, Georgia there was a beautiful small Methodist Church which is no longer there.  Ralph's dad was a Methodist preacher and was the pastor of that church.  The parsonage was next door.  My family lived a couple houses down the street.  Cars were still hard to get so we walked everywhere.
My mother and I had walked to town on a Saturday afternoon.  As we approached the parsonage, Ralph, who had just returned from the Pacific where he had spent the war maintaining radar, was sitting on the porch with his sister, Agnes.  She introduced him to us.
I remember I was wearing a red coat and matching hat.  I was an innocent teenager.  I was a tiny girl and people told me I was pretty.  But, I longed to look like movie star, curvy, Betty Grable.
Ralph told me he fell in love with me that day.  He was six years older than me.  About an hour after we returned home, Ralph called and asked me for a date.  I already had a date but being the silly, immature girl that I was, I told him I couldn't go out as I had to wash my hair.  Shortly, Ralph was on his porch and saw me leave with a fellow in his car.  He never let me forget that!
Another memory of walking everywhere during and for awhile after the war was when the weather was bad we would call a cab which would take you anywhere for fifteen cents.
We both continued dating other people for awhile.  Then we started going steady.  I was working in an office in Chattanooga and living in a girls residence.  Ralph started coming up there to pick me up for dates.  At that time big name bands would play at the Memorial Auditorium and there would be dances.  One weekend we had tickets to see Gene Krupa, a drummer.  On the way there, Ralph parked behind the old Fort on highway 41 and asked me to marry him.  He was pretty sure of the answer as he slipped an engagement ring on my finger.  We told our friends at the dance.  The next morning people were calling me nonstop.
On May 1st, 1947, Ralph and I were married in the little Methodist Chapel.  Ralph's dad performed the ceremony.  My daddy gave me away and said a prayer.  Our siblings were all part of the ceremony.  The church was overflowing with friends and relatives.
Ralph's dad had a brand new Chevrolet which we borrowed and drove to Atlanta for our honeymoon.  Yes, I think 1947 was a very good year.
See you next time.  Comments welcome.  (Edited and typed by Tam.)

Friday, April 21, 2017

PRAYERS PLEASE

April 21, 2017

By Olivene Godfrey

Wednesday, April 19th.  I want to tell you about my latest health problem and ask for your prayers.  I have lost a lot of weight and we're not having much luck stopping it.  I have been eating better lately.  Barry and Tam are serving me delicious tasting, calorie loaded foods and I'm eating it all.  I can't afford to lose any more.

On Easter our good friend, Larry, and his sweet wife, Tara, came for a visit and brought us some food.  Barry and I agree that we can always depend on Larry to sit with me while Barry goes to the grocery store.  Another friend we can depend on is Kym.

Several years ago Tam gave me a knock out rose bush as a gift.  This year it's loaded with blooms.  Tam cut some for a bouquet that I'm enjoying in my room.

Thursday, April 20th.  GOOD NEWS!  Tam weighed me this morning.  God is good!  I have gained seven pounds!

See you next time.  Comments welcome.  (Edited and typed by Tam.)

Thursday, April 13, 2017

EASTER MANY YEARS AGO

April 13, 2017

By Olivene Godfrey

I was remembering an Easter Sunday during World War II when I was a teenager.  My mother was a needle genius and she made mine and my twin sisters clothes.  Everything it seemed like was rationed.  Our old car "died" and we had to walk everywhere we went.  We lived on the outskirts of Calhoun, Georgia and walked on the sidewalks most everywhere, including to our Methodist Church.

My daddy was out of town that Sunday.  My mother, the twins, Joan and Jeanette, and I walked to church, I was about 17 and the twins were 13.  That year, they wore their first high heels.  After church, the twins left early and got ahead of us.  As mother and I approached them, they were sitting on the curb.  They had removed their heels and rayon stockings.  We couldn't get nylon stockings during that time due to the war.  The nylon was used for parachutes.  I remember mother and I having a good laugh.

I live in my nightgown and housecoat these days.  I had worn nylon gowns for many years.  Then when I lost weight they were too large.  So, Tam ordered me some new smaller ones which are a cotton blend.  I love them.  My bath nurse, Connie, had assured me I would.

I want to express how your comments warm my heart and continue to assure me I haven't been forgotten.  Happy Easter everyone!

See you next time.  Comments welcome.  (Edited and typed by Tam.)

Monday, April 10, 2017

SUNDAY AFTERNOON BLOG

April 10, 2017

By Olivene Godfrey

I am having a IBS attack and not feeling well.  But, I had decided to write a blog on Sunday afternoon and by golly I'm writing it!

I want to tell you about the delicious meals Tam and Barry are preparing for me now that I am on a soft food diet.  They are using our food processor to turn my favorite foods soft enough to eat without worrying about choking.  They even turn chicken breast into a soft consistency.

They know to only prepare foods that are on my IBS diet.  Barry and I remember when I would have an attack and pass out.  We don't want that again.

I want to thank our friends, Larry and Kym for staying with me while Barry goes to the grocery store. You are both dear friends.

I had a visit recently from the Hamilton Health Chaplain, Tommy Deals.  We had a good visit.

I want to ask all of my friends to say a prayer for me this week.  My vital signs are good.  I guess I'm having an old age, ache all over kind of day.  I am still having a lot of trouble sleeping at night which may be a lot of my problem lately.

I am small again, like I was most of my life.  I was retaining fluid so the doctor put me on a water pill.  I also wasn't eating very well for a good while.  Then, I started eating again and now I am beginning to regain my strength.

See you next time.  Comments welcome.  (Edited and typed  by Tam.)

Tuesday, April 04, 2017

DREAM BECAME REALITY

April 4, 2017

By Olivene Godfrey

I've been asked when I started writing.  Actually, I made up little stories in my mind before I learned to read or write.  When I was six or seven my daddy gave me a notebook to write my stories in.  Sometimes during the summer, I would lay on my back in a sage field and dream of being a newspaper reporter.  (Years later, this dream became reality.)

When I was nine, I wrote a play for the neighborhood children to perform in my daddy's small barn that was no longer in use.  The play was presented to the parents and a two cent admission was charged.

We rehearsed for several weeks.  Finally, I felt the cast was ready to perform.  My mother sewed the costumes and provided a bed sheet for a curtain.  My identical twin sisters, Joan and Jeanette, were "actors" in the play.  Jeanette had a speaking line.  She was what was known as a "corker".  On the big day, I was excited.  We had chairs set up for the audience.  We had a "full house".  The play was supposed to be a serious drama.  And I, the director was happy with the way the actors were performing, when suddenly I heard Jeanette say in a loud voice, "Oh, you make me flutter".  The line was supposed to be "You flatter me".  I was furious!  The parents were laughing and clapping their hands.  Jeanette was beaming!  She turned out to be the star!

Many years later I showed the play to a professional writer who told me the format was quite professional.  I had never seen a written play manuscript.  I never wrote another play.  I have worked for several newspapers over the years.  I have also published several articles for different magazines.  I wrote several novels that have been published.  Tam is working on re-typing a novel that I wrote in the 80's.  We hope it will be ready for publication soon.  It is set against the North Georgia multimillion dollar carpet industry.

My sister, Jeanette, is four years younger than me and lives in Dalton.  Her daughter, Charlene, lives nearby.  Jeanette has a bunch of grand and great grand children, and recently became a great, great grandmother.  Joan passed away many years ago.

See you next time.  Comments welcome.  (Edited and typed by Tam.)