Developments
Phyllis Oliver
First she laughed and then she cried out loud and didn’t care who overheard her at the grocery store! She finally had won and although it would amount to only a few thousand dollars? It was a sight more than she had now for spending money? How could she not have checked her Super Lotto ticket before this? Let that be a lesson – she had waited for about a month before finding the Lotto ticket in the back of her purse where she kept the unchecked ones. Wondering if maybe a dollar or two could be made she put it on her list of groceries to have ticket checked while at Fry’s. It was the first Wednesday of the month and 10% off of all items for seniors. Most of the time she purchased milk for the month; a few other items to save a little and decided while doing this to check the Lotto too? She had been busy trying to get it all together before her vacation coming up in a few weeks and didn’t want anything left undone. This will be a great vacation! Extra money to spend and maybe I could load up on Christmas gifts ahead of time. She was going by Cruise Line to Mexico for one week with a good friend that went on cruises many months out of each year! That being too expensive for her to do – she went usually on one trip a year with her friend, Sandy. She finally stopped giggling and avoiding the stares from the other customers waiting their turn in the Lotto ticket line. The clerk and her had been friends for years and when she told her how much money it would probably be? But, didn’t know for sure as anything over $600 had to be collected driving up to the store that handled the larger winnings! Well, congrats to you and this is where you go for pick-up and check-in. You can call first if you have any questions and I suggest you have a friend go with you. I am flabbergasted; I don’t believe this – but I will have a friend go with me. I can’t wait to see just how much it is going to be. Best of Luck the clerk said as the line waiting to be helped was beginning to stare more intently at both of us. I quickly finished checking out of the store and stared at the Lotto ticket that I had put in the side slot of my purse. Wow! What a lucky ticket you are. As soon as she got home, she called her friend Sandy and said you know that new development in your city on the outskirts of town? Well I want to buy one of the new houses that they are now showing? You what? She answered sounding perplexed, you don’t have the down payment do you? Or are you going to sell your car? Or your house? She was being funny of course as she knew I didn’t have a lot of extra money for any kind of investment. I proceeded to tell her – you are not going to believe this – I won a large Lotto Ticket! And, I want you to go with me tomorrow to pick up the winnings. Now, I have extra spending money for the vacation. You aren’t kidding me are you? Nope, not this time. I will be by at 9:30 a.m. and it shouldn’t take more than 20 minutes to get there. This was a dream day for me! I could now move from my house of over 10 years and go to the city about one hour and a half from here where I also had some cousins living and it was a smaller population than here. Now, I could do what I had wanted to do for more than two years! I was so excited that I got out the calendar and right away filled in the calendar with activities for the next week: 1.) go to site of new homes being built, 2.) call realtor to list and begin sale of house, 3.) check into transferring to new job for same company where you now are employed, 4.) buy some new summer clothes for vacation: Then she went to the refrigerator and picked up the seldom used wine bottle and poured a wine glass up to the top and full even though it was only 3 p.m. That night her dreams would be full of moving to a lovely new home!
Echo’s of the past
Jim Glueck
I am not sure that memories of the past can be considered Echos
But they are very important to me, so here goes.
My Father always told me from me what he expects
And that is to treat my dates and all women with respect.
My Mother on the other hand was very protective of the family name
She reminded me often to never bring our name any shame.
I learned early the value of a thank you, a yes sir and a please
But repercussions were swift depending on which of my siblings I would tease.
A winner never quits my football coach used to say
And this attitude was reflected in the aggressive way we’d play.
I will never forget the day that President Kennedy died
It was the only time in my life I saw my father cry.
Tree decorating and reflective quiet moments on Christmas Eve
And church before gifts on Christmas morning is what I believe.
Seeing Neil Armstrong walking on the moon was a wondrous sight
But my fascinating view of the universe certainly changed forever that night.
There are many times in life when living gets very rough
However echos of the past make the days seem not so tough.
A traditional echo returns the sound exactly as it was said
So it is with the memories that rattle through my head.
My past memories, experiences and lessons echo through me even today
And frankly I hope they never go away.
Blinkie the owl
Ruby Regina Witcraft
Never had too much to do with birds except the eight canaries that lived in cages in the sunny breakfast room at our Sullivan Avenue home where I grew up. Mama decided to cheer the house up with these beautiful little warblers and I loved them also, except guess who got to feed, clean and paper the cages. They woke me and put me to bed with their singing.
This latest feathered being just came into my life while I was working in the yard planting my usual array of summer flowers. There isn’t much that tolerates a 100-plus degree heat but I have had good luck with vinca, moss rose and those great potato vines that are pretty new to the area.
I heard this strange clucking sound while I was busily digging and cleaning up the flowerbeds but didn’t pay too much attention to it. Then I realized that it only occurred when I passed a certain post on the patio. I looked up to where the sound was coming from and there in the patio eave sat a beautiful, young, full-grown owl. Poor thing had probably just been kicked out of the nest so I commiserated with him about his ill fortune as he clicked and stared at me with the most beautiful blinking, gray eyes. I told him how lovely he was with his still brand new downy feathers which seemed to aggravated him, hence much more louder clucking. Obviously, owls aren’t very sociable.
Not knowing much about owls and their inclination to attack people I just went about my business and hoped that he would soon flyaway. Now I also have a full-grown rabbit named Ears who has set up tenancy under a bush in my yard and wondered if the owl was homing in on him. I discussed this with Blinkie, yes I named him, and told him I would not tolerate him eating my friend even if he did seem to favor the flowers on my plants. After all, he was probably a gourmet rabbit so who could blame him.
Blinkie took this as a threat and clucked and rotated his head as only an owl can do which made me a little wary so I said, “Listen buddy, I once killed a hawk with a nine iron when he grabbed a little squirrel. So, don’t even think of making a move on me unless you want this trowel up side of your head.” Besides, “what’s with the clucking? I thought owl hooted.”
We seemed to come to an understanding so I went on with my chores, ignoring the constant clucking for at least an hour or so. When it came time to clean up I got out the garden hose and was hosing off the patio while thinking this little sucker is waiting for Ears to make an appearance. So, I gave him a shot with the water and off he flew, clucking and I suppose telling me what he thought of me. He never did hoot.
I have accepted talking to myself but talking to an owl and rabbit is another thing. I JUST GOTTA’ GET A LIFE!
Things I Used To Do
Ellie Clark
There was a time when I could do
all the things I needed to;
Some of those things are listed below;
I cannot do them anymore, you know;
Apparently this stage is normal in our later years;
I pass this information on through laughter and tears.
Vacuum rooms without even resting;
Remove lids from new products, very vexing;
Reach the top and lower cupboard shelf;
Get in and out of the bathtub by myself;
Cook for company with relative ease;
Dance all night long and sing if I pleased;
Get out of a chair or sofa, no help needed;
A price at the super market I could read it;
Recognize friends across the room;
Cut my own toenails as I groom;
Read my own handwriting a real chore;
Jump up quickly and answer the door;
Eat spaghetti and meatballs; mac and cheese;
French fries, burgers, shakes, if I please;
The last I say without hesitation,
Getting through days without medication.
It is to me however a very small price to pay;
Many things are good, like being with you today.