BOOKS

BOOKS


Do people nowadays know how important books are ?


Some kids, rather than look at the printed page, look at videos and movies, maybe even
watch a documentary on TV., to get the information they need for tests their schools require of them.

Some adults do also, and they advise the kids to prepare for their tests using these means, rather
than have them pick up a book and READ for the necessary information !

Kids are failing in school, and some will not be able to graduate and go out into the world to
make a living, as they will NOT be prepared for any kind of work . They will have to be content with doing menial work for little pay and no chance for advancement .

If any kids hope one day to become a doctor, nurse, lawyer, business person, politician, etc. they
MUST know how to read the printed page, and be able to write !

Who will run the country if everyone is illiterate ??

Parents, Teachers, PLEASE be sure to provide printed books for your children and students .
TEACH them how to read !! 

Stop plying them with electronic GADGETS !  These things are changing the way their brains work, I believe !!  Give them BOOKS instead of all these brain-destroying TOYS !!

Books make them THINK...toys do not !   The world is run by thinkers, not the robots made by these toys  that steal away their desire and ability to THINK !!

Next time your child asks for the newest electronic gadget, give them a book instead, and insist they READ !!  Show them the wonderful worlds that reading opens up to them ; help them to use their
imagination !! They can 'see' different countries and their customs,  learn about their culture, and
many other things that only books can truly provide . 

Let them use their 'toys' only as a reward for reading a certain amount.  Then, for a limited time.
Insist they put away and turn off their electronics when reading, having dinner as a family around the table, interacting with other family members...looking at them when speaking, not looking down at their phones !

If more adults would practice this behavior themselves, perhaps the kids would see the value
in reading books . 





Until next time,

count your blessings and READ !!!




D

MY TINY

Two years ago today, I woke to find my sweet Tiny dying on the living room floor.
He was just lying there, unable to do anything...walk, eat, drink , nothing.

But he knew I was there, talking to him,petting him, telling him
what a good boy he was and always had been, 

Telling him how much I loved him, and how sorry I was to not know
that I should have given him more food. The vet, when she had diagnosed him

with Diabetes, said to take him off the dry food which had always been
his and his Mommy's diet, and to give him canned food, every two hours , 

or his blood sugar would go down to a dangerous level, and he might die .
So, I didn't question it, just went ahead and switched his food from dry to wet.

His mother had always eaten the same food, so now, since it would have been
difficult to feed them separately, with different foods, Mommy got the same diet.

After a short while, I noticed that Tiny was putting on weight, losing
the cute little body shape he'd had, but I kept on feeding him every 2 hours,

as the vet had said to do.

Oh yes, I forgot to mention that she had put him on Insulin , too, so each morning, 
and each night, we had to stick him with a needle, and, at times, we could see

that it hurt him. But, not once, did he ever lash out to scratch or bite us !                               
He had to endure that for months, all the while gaining a huge amount of weight.

and couldn't groom  himself any longer.  He would try to bend over, but 
was just too fat. It finally got so bad that he was running around, frantically,

trying over and over to take care of his grooming needs.
I decided then and there, without consulting the vet, to cut back on the canned,

or wet, food, and mix it with some dry food, and cut the amount, also .
I thought this would help Tiny lose all that excess weight, 

and get back to looking normal .  He did seem to be losing weight, but was 
coming to me to ask for more food, pretty constantly. 

I had determined that I would help him lose weight, and lose that fat, 
so paid no attention to his pleas for more food. 

In fact, I became annoyed with him, thinking he just wanted to eat
a lot, as he had been doing before, but it was my thinking that he would

get fatter again, and be in the same situation of not being able to groom .
Mommy was fat, too, so I thought the new regimen would help her

shed some pounds, also !  Add to this, that Tiny was still peeing
on the floor, all around the house, and that was dismaying.

My caregiver would see the dried pee spots everywhere, and would
get the mop and clean the floors . This was going on ever since before Tiny

was diagnosed . It isn't pleasant to have animal pee everywhere, and 
I was getting very frustrated with him. At one point in time, Mommy 

got outside, into the back yard. I panicked, because she and Tiny were
always INDOOR cats, never going outside.  Well, I couldn't get her

to come into the house, so I thought I'd just take a chance, and leave
her out there. She didn't run away, so it wasn't long before I started

letting both of the kitties outside ...they absolutely LOVED that...
they enjoyed the grass, and the sun, and Linda's garden, etc.

so it became a regular thing..the kitties going out there with the pups !
With Tiny peeing in the house, although he was still also using the litter box, 

it was a relief to have him go outside, and do some of his business 
out there, instead of in here. But, he still did a lot of peeing in here,

and I was getting upset about that. I started scolding him, which 
I'd never done in all his years with us  ... . They were the best kitties, and 

had never, ever done anything to upset us . They had the best disposition
of any animal we'd ever owned .

So, there I was, fussing at that sweet Baby Boy, as I often called him, and making 
him feel very confused as to why I was suddenly scolding him,

when I'd never done that before.
Another thingI forgot to mention, was that, around the time Tiny was

diagnosed with diabetes, I got my Fluffy, due to the death of my former son-in-law,
who had been given the puppy as a Christmas gift. He died 2 months later.

So, I inherited this adorable puppy, who was the sister of Linda's
equally adorable puppy, and I kept the name he had given her, Fluffy.

Well, I was enamored of this beautiful puppy, just 3 months old, as was
her sister, Amber, whom my daughter had received for the. same Christmas.

Well, I was quite taken by this little fluff ball, and would be trying to play
with her, and there would come Tiny, meowing for food, too often, I thought,

so I would get annoyed at that, and didn't treat him the way he should have been treated,
being as sick as he was. He'd always been the sweetest kitty ever, he and his Mom both, 

and they were like dogs, in their devotion to me. They would lie at my feet often
or beside me on the sofa, or in my bed at night. All that changed when Tiny

developed diabetes, and started peeing all over. Then, I had to shut both
kitties out of my room, and tried to keep Tiny off the sofa, as he had peed

on it a few times. Thank goodness, I've kept it covered with 2 sofa covers and have
a heavy pad on the seat, to protect the sofa from all the animals.

So, my poor kitties had their lives turned upside down, with Tiny's illness, and the
newness of pups around...Tiny had never seen a dog, so it was all new to him.

but they all got along famously, Linda's Foxy, her first dog here, having made 
friends with the kitties right away.

So, here I was, giving the new pups a lot of attention, while letting my
precious Tiny, beg for more food, because he was hungry. He had been losing the extra weight, and 

that made me happy for him. I was so determined to not let him get fat again,
that I refused to give him more food, thinking I was helping him to get back 

to where he could groom himself again . I didn't realize that he was really hungry, and not
just be trying to annoy me and get more attention from me. I was giving so much

attention to the puppies, that I was depriving my precious Baby Boy of the
kind of attention he needed ! I was most often annoyed with the peeing and the begging,

that I just took good attention away from him, and lavished it on the puppies !
Tiny got the angry, annoyed attention from me, instead of the loving kindness

I'd always given him before the illness and before the puppies.
what the HELL was wrong with me ?!!!

That beautiful, sweet, precious little boy was suffering from, not only
the ravages of diabetes, and having to suffer being pricked with a needle

twice a day, he was suffering from what he must have felt was a lack of love
from Mother, the name I called myself to the kitties, as Mommy was his

mother cat's name. I had no clue that he was slowly starving to death, 
because he needed more food to keep his  blood sugar up. 

If only I had known, I'd have changed his diet and given him more so
that he would get enough, but not too much.  He had lost all that fat,

and I had been adamant that he was not going to get fat again!
I did not know that I'd harmed him by withholding extra food .

But, there he was, on June 1st, dying on my floor.  He wouldn't let me
pick him up. I wanted to hold him, tell him I loved him, and apologize 

for being mean and scolding him for peeing, and begging, and to tell
him what a precious boy he was, and how good he was and kiss him and hold him

until the end.  But he didn't want that, He heard me talking to him, saw me 
hovering over him, telling him all these things. He even flicked his tail 

when I called him my Baby Boy .  Fluffy came over to where he lay, and
proceeded to lick his head and face . It was so sweet and I had the feeling that 

she was saying goodbye to her friend. Amber and Foxy smelled him, but didn't
lick him, as Fluffy had done.  Being that it was Sunday, I thought that if Linda

would be able to take him to the emergency vet, he would pass away on the way there, so thought it would be better to keep him here, with his family, who all loved him ! 

I had called Linda earlier, as soon as I saw how bad Tiny was, and she came over for a while,
but, as he was holding on, she decided to go home to do things there.

Well, Tiny finally did get up, and wobbled his way to the water bowl and took a little drink.
He was so thin, and so weak, that he collapsed, and kept trying to get to the water bowl. I

I put some water in a small Tupperware bowl and put that beside his head, but
he had become too weak to even lift his little head. He would crawl to the big water bowl and rest his 

head on the rim, but not drink. He was beyond being able to do that. Still, he wouldn't
let me pick him up and hold him. I wanted to, so badly.  All I could do was speak to him

and pet him   This went on all through Sunday night, and on through to Monday morning. 
He'd finally gotten into the kitchen, and was lying there, with his front paws twitching 

and twitching, all night long, as I sat helplessly, watching the life go out of that most
precious little boy . When he finally stopped twitching, I was able to pick him up, and his little head 

just rolled back, over my shoulder. I held him for the rest of the time, and his body released all the waste matter, and he was gone !

My beautiful, most precious little boy ,
who had been nothing but angelic in his behavior, was gone from this life. 

I'll never forgive myself for not seeing that my beloved Tiny was deteriorating
right before my eyes, and I was too blind to see what was happening !

I loved that kitty with all my heart, but I let my love for the new puppies
overshadow that, and, instead, became mean and annoyed with that

precious soul who had loved me unconditionally, always. 
I have spoken aloud to him,  telling him how sorry I am for being too stupid to see what he needed, 

I've asked his forgiveness, and pray that he will see me when and if I
. get to go to the Rainbow Bridge

You were the best Baby Boy in my world, my precious Tiny, and Mother will 
never forget you, my sweet Baby Boy.


I love you, my sweet Tiny.


                                             

MORE YESTERDAYS

MONDAY, MAY 9, 2016

MORE YESTERDAYS

 My poor kids ...they were raised by an overly-protective mother                                                           


who worried endlessly about things  that could happen to them.         

I'd been raised that way,because of being born with a bone 

condition, hereditary. My parents had been told to watch me 

carefully, to see that I didn't run or participate in any kind of


activity that might get me injured. Specifically, falling on my

head, because the fontanelles were still soft , prone to injury.

The 'soft spots' as most folks call them did not close at the age of 2 

years, like most kids' fontanelles do.                                                        

There was always the possibility of an injury, so, even in middle or 

junior high school, as it used to be called, I was pulled out of gym 

class, because the docs at that time, thought it to be too risky .

So, I went through childhood like that, too scared to do much

of any of the things that 'normal' kids do.

And when I married and had children, it was 'normal' for me to

be cautious with them, especially since my first baby was born

with this congenital condition, or disease. 

As the other two babies came, without this bone condition, I

was so used to watching my little girl, Linda, carefully, that

I also treated little Dwight and the last baby, Candy, with the 

same  over-vigilance that I was so familiar with, having lived with 

it all my own life.

And so it was, that i didn't let them do many of the childhood 

activities that their friends did, for fear they might get hurt

or killed .

Little did I know that they did most of them, anyway !!  And,

as I related earlier, they didn't let us know until very deep into their 

adulthood !

Some of what they did was so daring, like climbing a tree to pick

 the apricots . The danger they faced was that the tree limb they 

climbed on hung over a wash which was cement ! if they'd fallen,

it could have cost them their lives !

This tree was in the back yard of some lady's house, and she saw

them, and when they got down ( guess she yelled at them to do so ),

she must have followed them home, as she knocked on our door

and told me what they had done.   it wasn't the apricots that they'd

taken, it was the very real danger of them getting killed that

upset the woman ! She had been very afraid for them !

Well, I'm not sure, but think they denied doing it, and i believed

them, not realizing they were lying. I honestly believed our

lids never lied to us !

That may be because I lied to my mother just once in my childhood,

and never forgot the hurt look in her eyes as she knew I was lying,

and that look stayed with me for the rest of my life, so to this day

I find it very difficult to lie .

So, with my three kids, I really thought that they didn't lie, 

especially since my husband, their step-father, was so harsh with

them, that their behavior at home, or when we went anywhere, was 

exemplary, for fear of his judgement and punishment .

My kids were, as I always said, 'little angels', as I thought of them, 

because they were never really naughty ar home.

Perhaps that is why, when they were out playing with the neighbor 

kids, they did some of the risky things that most kids do when

they're little, wanting to fit in, maybe, or just because they wanted

to do these things.

Anyway, as i have already said, we were unaware, and thankful

later on, when they started telling us of all their adventurous

exploits !!

Ok, that's enough for today.   Hope you're enjoying my tales

of my kids' daring adventures !

So, it seems their childhood was more 'normal' than it would have

been, if they's listened to my advice and warnings , and, for that,

I'm happy !






This has been  a bit long-winded, but I wanted to explain my 
kids' behavior, and my part in it. I'm more than happy that they took matters into their own hands and had a pretty good childhood, 
in spite of me, and my many restrictions.

Until next time...

YESTERDAY... continued

My two oldest, Linda and Dwight, started shopping for me

when I was too busy doing all the myriad things

that housewives and mothers do.

I had taught them how to look for bargains, and

they learned quickly . They would go to a Mom and Pop store

on Eastland Ave. there in El Sereno  where we lived,

called Johnny's Market, and get several items, and then

they'd sometimes go to a produce market

on Valley Blvd. to get fresh fruit and vegetables.

They took Dwight's little red wagon, and came home

with lots of food, more than what I'd had on the list.

Think they told me they stole some of it ...

not right away, of course, or they'd have been punished.

Most of the trouble they got into was unknown to

their Dad and me...either they were very clever

at hiding that fact, or we were too naive .

I had these two also go to the laundromat, as

you already know, from my re-telling of  the tale

of Dwight fooling his sister into doing that

dangerous stunt of getting into the dryer and him

turning it on !!

Don't know how Linda managed to hide her bruises

from us...she must have made up something

about falling, maybe.

Whatever she and Dwight told us, we must have believed.

As with all their other adolescent antics, they

waited a lot of years, before telling us the truth .




To be continued, at a later date.


I hope you're not bored to tears just yet .

More stories coming, but this old gal

is galling asleep, so must  listen to my body,

and save the rest, until later.






I love ALL my large family and circle of friends

Now, as always, and hope your lives are fulfilling

and happy.

Remember to continue counting your blessings,

I love you all.




D

YESTERDAY

It was only yesterday that three little towheads were romping about

Happily playing the games that children play

Not a care in the world. As it should be.

A few years went by like this

The three children grew into young manhood

and young womanhood

In those growing years, they experienced many things,

some good, some not so good

They learned many things on their own

Without the help of either of us, their Mom and Dad.

They learned how to swim, how to ride bikes

How to acquire things, without paying for them.

We were poor, and being kids, they figured out ways

to get what they wanted.

We didn't know any of this, until years later...

I was shocked at some of the things they had done

But, as they told me when all grown up, it seemed funny

and we laughed together, at some of the funniest things.

When Dwight related how he tricked his sister, Linda,

into climbing into the laundromat dryer, his way of

telling the story was so hilarious, I laughed until I cried !

Then, there was the story of how all three of them would go

into a local Mom&Pop store, and steal candy, chips, etc.

the two older ones, that is...they wouldn't allow

their little sister,  Candy, to take anything .

UNTITLED


Why is it that we women
Put a hand to our chest

When hearing of a tragedy,
Or what might be one
Our hand flies to our chest.

What does this mean ?

Could it be because that's
Where our heart is ?

The heart, wherein resides love,
When those we love
Are threatened, or we even
Think they are in danger,

We feel it, in our heart,

In our throat, because we
Cannot swallow the thought
That something awful
Has or Might have happened

Sometimes, our hand flies
Up to our mouth
As if to hold in
A scream.

ROUND-TRIP TICKET

Before we come to Earth

we are given a round-trip ticket

so that, when we finish our sojourn here,

we can go back Home .

We come here to this planet

full of excitement and expectations.

Upon our birth as a human being

we embark on our life's journey.

This is a wondrous place,

full of adventure, things to see and do .

People are mostly kind, but

we soon learn that some are not.

It's up to us to decide how

to handle Life's vicissitudes .

Do we enjoy it, get satisfaction from it,

or do we allow it to defeat us,

destroy our spirit ?

Do we learn as we go along;

do we figure out the best path to take,

or do we huddle within ourselves

and hide from the realities of life ?

It behooves us to learn quickly and adapt

to the changes that come, often unexpectedly .

It isn't easy; there are many obstacles

in our path. We have to either go around

or leap over them .

We have lessons to learn while here

in this Earth school .

Only when we have completed them,

will we use the 'Return' part of our

Round-trip ticket, and go back

to where it all began...Home .

This was written 3 days ago, the day

I wrote 'Life's Illusions', after hearing from my son

about his declining health.

I have written before about the fact

that we live here for just a short while, then

go back, return that life to the One who gave it

to us, but that phone call from Dwight, started

me thinking of it again, about the fragility of life,

and how it can be gone in a millisecond .

All the silly bickering, and pursuing riches, and

power are so foolish. As we've heard so many times

in this life...'you can't take it with you', so why

put so much time and energy in chasing after

those ,oh, so temporary things ?

Our time is best spent in loving and being loved,

and showing that love at every opportunity .

Love is what lasts, even beyond death.

I love all my children and grandchildren

and great-grandchildren. I love the children

whom my late husband and I 'adopted in our hearts'.

and all my close and distant relatives, and friends.

I believe that was God's purpose in sending

us to populate the Earth, to spread His love

to all mankind and to all His creatures .

I love you all, now and forever.

D

March 14, 2012