WHAT THE MIRROR SAYS

I just happened to glance in the wall mirror today and saw me with all my wrinkles. I now really look like the eighty-one year old woman I am. Later, when I shower and put on make-up and comb my hair, I’ll still be the same wrinkly person.

Tomorrow, I will meet for the first time the people whom I will probably spend some time with this year. I paid fifty dollars for a luncheon which is a fundraiser for the newly inspired Democratic Party of Pasco County. I have been on their mailing list for several months and have spoken with the gentleman who is behind the push for people in this county to run for public office. I had told him I wasn’t able to go door-to- door but could help in an office.

Once again my life seems to be changing. Several days ago, I received a script from the director/writer of the “Old Times Radio Show’. I was informed last month that he was so taken by my acting he wanted to write something for me. He has now written a dramatic half hour show for a cast of three. My character has had a tragic experience in her life. When I first read it, I wandered how I could do it, but after reading it out loud several times, I realized he capitalized on what he had seen me do and it really is for me. This is a first for his group, because they have only done old radio comedy show scripts.

With a recent tragedy in my life, which I cannot speak of now, I find I feel my heart is broken, my life is over and the tears don’t stop. Then something else pops up to renew my energy and I have new hope.

Looking in the mirror though, I still see the same sad person.

A GOOD FEELING

Yesterday the grocery clerk at checkout asked me how I was doing. I told him I actually felt really good because my husband agreed with something I had done. I told him that in sixty years of marriage that had very seldom happened, so I was really elated about it

This morning my husband told me he thought it all over and that he now felt I was totally wrong in what I had done and would have to suffer the consequences of my actions.

So I should have buried my head in the sand and never expressed my own point of view regardless of whether it was right or wrong? That was the story of my life until about eight years ago when I found my own voice. I never spoke out for myself, but I now speak out at meetings, write of my frustrations and have found a group of people who really appreciate my acting talents. And if I express an opinion, I will still feel good about it because I at least spoke out.

THE APOLOGY

“I’M SORRY YOUR SON IS DEAD” This was the apology for killing their son.

In addition, he said he thought the boy was nearer to his own age. Huh?

And the newspaper headline said in essence that Zimmerman apologized to the parents who didn’t accept it. Well, would you have?

According to Florida State law it’s all right to shoot or kill someone if you tell law enforcement that the person meant to cause you bodily harm and you were only protecting yourself and who can say anything different because that person is dead. We have all kinds of laws here that protect only the people who carry guns.

Maybe we will have newly registered voters as well as enlightened old ones who will finally wise up to our corrupt politicians.

JOBS AVAILABLE

Four thousand people seeking jobs showed up to apply for 300 positions at the Hard Rock Casino in Tampa, Florida on Monday.

On Sunday, three people seated beside me at a luncheon complained about all those people collecting unemployment checks who refused to even hunt for a job. They said that “those people” weren’t interested in finding work. I kept my mouth shut because there is no point in trying to reason with senior citizens who have closed minds.

WEATHER REPORT

Today I gave up on wearing my winter clothing. I finally realized my dream of cold weather is dead. I’ve noticed everyone around me has been wearing white for a long time and I was fooling myself keeping all my winter sweaters and jackets ready to wear.

So I’ve moved all the winter stuff to the spare closet and taken out my summer clothes. And guess what! I found a lot of things I forgot about and I’m now excited about wearing them. I feel I’m a brand new me.

I bought white shoes on sale several months ago and I’m finally going to wear them. I had to throw out the old ones because they were so dirty looking and worn out.

Now everyone will notice a spring in my step.

FAMILY NEWS FROM AFAR

I received a picture of my niece Cathy’s daughter that was published in their local newspaper. She was last year’s homecoming queen for her local high school. What a wonderful thing for the family. My late brother, Charles would be so proud. There were also some pictures of Cathy’s family, too. Of the ten people, we had to guess who was who. We hadn’t seen them since my mother’s funeral. That happens with scattered families.

I started thinking of the circumstances of Cathy’s birth. She must be in her late thirties now. We drove for two hours to visit the hospital when she was born. After seeing her mother, we were looking at Cathy in the nursery, when a nurse who knew my husband stopped to talk. Pointing out our new niece to her, she informed us that she had been present when they performed surgery on her. She was the youngest baby that had been operated on in that hospital. She was surprised we didn’t know.

This was totally shocking to us and moved me to tears. We went back to my sister-in-law’s room and asked what the problem was and why we hadn’t been told. My mother hadn’t been told either.

Cathy had been born with a section of her bile duct not formed and she could not be fed. They were sending her to the Children’s hospital in Pittsburgh for surgery to resection her large intestine. We visited her in the hospital there and saw what looked like a little bird with tubes coming out of her. She remained there for six weeks or so with many doctors trying different experiments with her.

Then an interesting thing happened, my mother called the hospital and reamed out the doctors who were taking care of her. She was still being fed intravenously after all this time. My mother said she needed real food. They released Cathy and the parents took her home and fed her. We saw her a few weeks later and she had blossomed into a healthy baby that looked like nothing had ever happened to her. We were astounded to see this beautiful child.

Cathy married and has three children of her own and is also raising two children of her husband’s sister, who abandoned them.

My own mother, who could be a very difficult person, apparently got some advice from someone higher up (she really knew people in high places) who advised her to get Cathy released. I really don’t know who or why, but she accomplished a miracle.

EASTER ALERT

Just finished paying a plumber $73.00 because I put two dozen eggs shells down the disposal. I never hardboiled so many eggs before and didn’t realize their shells would block the drain trap which then needed to be removed and cleaned out. They form a paste like substance and just stay there regardless of using the plunger and Draino. We also got a new trap.

There’s always a bright side to everything. The products stored under the sink have been sorted out and sink and dishwasher are now good as new.

EASTER CELEBRATIONS

For many years our family has picnicked together on Easter Sunday in a park situated on Lake Tarpon. We thought it was a unique way to celebrate the day. Much to our surprise other people thought the same thing.

The first couple of years, if we got there early, picnic tables were available and we even had Easter egg hunts for the little ones, but in the last several years, tables were no longer available because there are now so many people. We bring folding tables and try to find a little grassy area and set up our base. Everyone is in a very happy mood and kids get to play with others. It’s always a joyful experience.

You see all age groups playing soft ball or football in the grassy fields. There are also many small lakes in the park for the balls to go into. One year, our football ended up in the lake and we couldn’t get it back because the wind blew it into the middle of the water. We all had a big laugh when the wind changed and blew it back to us.

Last year our son brought his boat since he lives in a community off Lake Tarpon and has access. This Sunday we’ll set up next to the water and take boat rides, too. You can also view alligators. We always see groups of people standing together and pointing, so you know an alligator has been spotted. That’s how you know they don’t reside in Florida.

Food wise, we have traditional ham, baked beans, potato salad, deviled eggs and the family tradition for dessert. We all call it Dead Bunny or Dead Rabbit.

When I was a little girl, my brothers and I would each get a large solid chocolate rabbit in our baskets. We nibbled on them and ate the ears off. When we had our fill, my mother would melt all our extra pieces and add a can of Planters Cocktail Peanuts. She would spread it on a cookie sheet covered with wax paper, put it in the fridge to harden then we’d break off chunks to eat.

When my kids became old enough, they all got a solid chocolate rabbit as well as a can of peanuts in their baskets. Now our grandkids get the same thing.

We had a farewell party for friends and I made “Dead Bunny” as a treat. Everyone laughed but couldn’t stop breaking off chunks. Our tradition may spread to others.