SEIZEtheSEASON!

L’Chaim ~ To Life!

“Unless a grain falls to the ground and dies it can not produce fruit.”  That could be an apt metaphor for the process of giving birth — one my mother ascribed to as she lay moaning in the hospital bed.  Her cries of “It hurts so bad! I’m dying, I’m dying!” brought no sympathy from the never-married, childless labor nurse.  “Oh be quiet!  You aren’t hurting.  You just THINK you are!  And you aren’t dying either so be quiet!”

Before Jane came to complete consciousness that mid-October morning she was embarrassed.  She could never in her grown up life remember wetting the bed — but there was the proof right in front of her — a huge wet place soaking the middle of the mattress.  But, she was pregnant and maybe it had something to do with that.  Maybe the baby had kicked her — or heaven forbid maybe something was wrong.  She quickly called her mom.  She would know.  After all, she had had all eight of her children at home.  In fact, Poverty and Pride had delivered two of the babies without the assistance of a doctor or midwife.

“It’s time for you to be gettin’ to the hospital, Jane,”  was her pronouncement.  Jane and Bill, my mom and dad left immediately.  Mom’s contractions must have become intense quickly, because with no intervention or medical aid at all I was born about six minutes past noon — a mere six hours later.  The same nurse that attempted to shush my mother in her labor groanings was very quick to confront my mother with “Just who do you think you are fooling?  This can’t be your FIRST baby, because FIRST babies just don’t come that quickly.”  A comment, I might add that still angers my mother when she recalls it…which is at least once a year because Mom never fails to call and tell me one more time how happy she is that she had me.  She starts the phone call with “Happy birthday, birthday girl, followed by some variation of “You know it was a day JUST LIKE THIS ONE, eighteen (or 27, or 32, or 39, or 43, or 50) years ago when you were born.  I could smell the scent of fall leaves burning in the air.” Once she added, “I’ll never forget when they laid you in my arms.  I would have fought wild tigers for you.” Today she said, “This certainly is no birth day weather.  If it clears off and the sun comes out later today it’ll be perfect – just like the day you were born.  Maybe I’ll have to go out and get me some leaves to burn.  How old are you now? Fifty?”  “No, mom, I passed that one already.” “52?”  “Can you believe it, Mom … I’m 54″.  “Well, I know you were born in ‘46, so that would be about right.”  We chat for another few minutes.  Again, she wishes me a happy birthday, and I again thank her.  We say goodbye.  Only then do I let the sadness wash over me.  More and more I hear her age in her voice and our conversation.  More and more I become aware that if the natural order of life occurs, one day in some distant mid-October, I will not get that phone call.  I comfort myself that this has not been the year and I savor this moment.

The phone rings again.  I hear the sweet voice of my three-year old grandson.  He learned a song to welcome his new brother or sister, scheduled to arrive any day.  Now, he is singing to me.  “Happy birthday to you.  Happy birthday to you.  Happy birthday, dear YaYa. Happy birthday to you.”

L’Chaim!

******

In 1946, in that small town in Ohio it was required after a birth to stay in the hospital for at least ten days.  Ten days in bed, doing nothing that required any physical effort at all pretty much ensured that it would take at least that much time in bed again after going home.  She stayed tired though.  And she was more depressed than she thought she should be for having such a beautiful happy baby.  Well, happy all night a least.  She’s told me that everynight as she would lay me in my bed, she would be gripped by these eyes staring back at her — big as saucers.

Dr. Malone was the physician that was in attendance at my birth.  Mom’s impression of him is that he was an unkind man.  She defends her choice of doctor at that time though that it was a small town and there weren’t many choices.  Add to that the fact that if you would in any way, irritate a doctor by questioning him — even asking what your blood pressure was or your temperature — the doctor could drop you as a patient and you would be doctorless.  A fate no one wanted to invite.

Sometime after I was born, Mom was walking hand in hand with me towards town, feeling very sad, nearly crying, completely worn out and convinced that she never ever wanted to have anymore children.  She saw a sign on a door opening onto the street that said “Martin M. Horowitz, MD”.  She walked in.  In those days, it was possible to walk into a doctor’s office without an appointment — first one there was the first one seen.  She waited her turn and when she was face to face, broke down sobbing.  She poured out all her sadness, tiredness and pain and in response he pricked her finger to draw blood.  A few minutes later he said, “Jane, no wonder you are so worn out.  You are as anemic as anyone I’ve ever seen.”  He had her come back several times for B12 and liver and iron shots.  She must have gotten better because shortly after my second birthday my brother was born.

Dr. Horowitz was a doctor she stayed with until his untimely death of a heartattack in 1965.  Dr. Malone died of alcoholism.  Another quality of living in the same town all your life is that eventually, life circumstances come to light.

What should this space be used for. It is not listed for the public .. just people who find Seize the Season… us for the most part.

I don’t think most kids know what an apron is.

The principal use of Grandma’s apron was to protect the dress underneath, because she only had a few, it was easier to wash aprons than dresses and they used less material, but along with that, it served as a potholder for removing hot pans from the oven.

It was wonderful for drying children’s tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears.

From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.

When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids.

And when the weather was cold, grandma wrapped it around her arms.

Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove.

Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron.

From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables. After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls.

In the fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees.

When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.

When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the men knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner.

It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that ‘old-time apron’ that served so many purposes.

Send this to those who would know, and love, the story about Grandma’s aprons. ?Or it can be a good history lesson for those that have no idea how the apron played a part in our lives.

REMEMBER:

Grandma used to set her hot baked apple pies on the window sill to ‘cool’. Her granddaughters set theirs on the window sill to ‘thaw’.

They would go crazy now trying to figure out how many germs were on that apron. I don’t think I ever caught anything from an apron.

Will Rogers, who died in a plane crash with Wylie Post in 1935, was probably the greatest political sage this country has ever known. Enjoy the following:

1. Never slap a man who’s chewing tobacco
2. Never kick a cow chip on a hot day.
3. There are 2 theories to arguing with a woman…neither works.
4. Never miss a good chance to shut up.
5. Always drink upstream from the herd.
6. If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging.
7. The quickest way to double your money is to fold it and put it back in your pocket.
8. There are three kinds of men: The ones that learn by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence and find out for themselves.
9. Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment.
10. If you’re riding’ ahead of the herd, take a look back every now and then to make sure it’s still there.
11. Lettin’ the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier’n puttin’ it back.
12. After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started roaring. He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot him. The moral: When you’re full of bull, keep your mouth shut.

ABOUT GROWING OLDER…

• First ~ Eventually you will reach a point when you stop lying about your age and start bragging about it.
• Second ~ The older we get, the fewer things seem worth waiting in line for.
• Third ~ Some people try to turn back their odometers. Not me, I want people to know “why” I look this way. I’ve traveled a long way and some of the roads weren’t paved.
• Fourth ~ When you are dissatisfied and would like to go back to youth, think of Algebra.
• Fifth ~ You know you are getting old when everything either dries up or leaks.

Winter Classes for Men at
THE ADULT LEARNING CENTER

REGISTRATION MUST BE COMPLETED
by Friday, January 4th, 2009
NOTE: DUE TO THE COMPLEXITY AND DIFFICULTY LEVEL OF THEIR CONTENTS, CLASS SIZES WILL BE LIMITED TO 8 PARTICIPANTS MAXIMUM

Class 1
How To Fill Up The Ice Cube Trays
Step by Step, with Slide Presentation.
Meets 4 weeks, Monday and Wednesday for 2 hours beginning at 7:00 PM.

Class 2
The Toilet Paper Roll–Does It Change Itself?
Round Table Discussion.
Meets 2 weeks, Saturday 12:00 for 2 hours.

Class 3
Is It Possible To Urinate Using The Technique Of Lifting The Seat and Avoiding The Floor, Walls and Nearby Bathtub?
Group Practice.
Meets 4 weeks, Saturday 10:00 PM for 2 hours.

Class 4
Fundamental Differences Between The Laundry Hamper and The Floor
Pictures and Explanatory Graphics.
Meets Saturdays at 2:00 PM for 3 weeks.

Class 5
Dinner Dishes–Can They Levitate and Fly Into The Kitchen Sink?
Examples on Video.
Meets 4 weeks, Tuesday and Thursday for 2 hours beginning at 7:00 PM

Class 6
Loss Of Identity–Losing The Remote To Your Significant Other.
Help Line and Support Groups.
Meets 4 Weeks, Friday and Sunday 7:00 PM

Class 7
Learning How To Find Things–Starting With Looking In The Right Places And Not Turning The House Upside Down While Screaming.
Open Forum
Mondays at 8:00 PM, 2 hours.

Class 8
Health Watch–Bringing Her Flowers Is Not Harmful To Your Health.
Graphics and Audio Tapes.
Meets 2 Weeks, Monday, Wednesday, Friday at 7:00 PM for 2 hours.

Class 9
Real Men Ask For Directions When Lost
Real Life Testimonials.
Meets 4 Weeks, Tuesdays at 6:00 PM Location to be determined

Class 10
Is It Genetically Impossible To Sit Quietly While She Parallel Parks?
Driving Simulations.
Meets 4 Weeks, Saturday noon, 2 hours.

Class 11
Learning to Live–Basic Differences Between Mother and Wife.
Online Classes and role-playing
Meets 4 Weeks, Tuesdays at 7:00 PM

Class 12
How to be the Ideal Shopping Companion
Relaxation Exercises, Meditation and Breathing Techniques.
Meets 4 weeks, Tuesday and Thursday 7:00 PM, 2 hours

Class 13
How to Fight Cerebral Atrophy–Remembering Birthdays, Anniversaries and Other Important Dates and Calling When You’re Going To Be Late.
Cerebral Shock Therapy Sessions and Full Lobotomies Offered.
Meets 2 Weeks, Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 7:00 PM 2 hours.

Class 14
The Stove/Oven– What It Is and How It Is Used.
Live Demonstration.
Tuesdays at 6:00 PM

Upon completion of any of the above courses, diplomas will be issued to the survivors.

We have a new president! Although I didn’t vote for Mr. Obama, he is now the President of our Country. So, (you know me) I needed to be encouraged. These words (posted on Joel Rosenberg’s Website) helped change my focus from gloom and doom.

* Daniel 2:21 - “It is He [the God of heaven]…who removes kings and establishes kings.”

* Job 42:2 - “I know that You [the God of Israel] can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.”

It is the Lord God who will ultimately decide who will lead the American nation through turbulent times ahead. He also decides who will lead Israel, Iran, Iraq, and all the other nations of the epicenter and the world. His will cannot be thwarted. Let us, therefore, pray that His will would be done. Let us also pray that we are faithful in blessing Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus, as He has commanded us in the Scriptures.

More of Joel, and his world-view … at http://flashtrafficblog.wordpress.com/

We need to continue to pray for our Nation and continue to strive to be what God created us to be.

The lyrics to this song, “Don’t Wait too Long” are from my favorite album “September of my Years” recorded by Frank Sinatra in the mid-60’s.  The words to the album/cassette/CD contributed greatly to the development over the years of my mantra: Seize the Season!

You are the summer and I am the autumn
Don’t wait too long
Your song’s beginning
While mine’s nearly sung
Don’t wait too long

Fall is a lovely time of the year
When leaves turn to golden brown
But soon fall is ending and
Winter is near and the leaves
Start tumblin’ down

Why must the moments go by in such haste
Don’t wait too long
Winter is coming I’ve no time to waste
Don’t wait too long

So while my heart’s gay and foolish and free
and still can sing its song
Share every precious moment with me
Don’t you wait too long

Don’t wait too long

Don’t wait too long

So while my heart’s gay and foolish and free
and still can sing its song
Share every precious moment with me
Don’t wait too long

Seize YOUR Season!

I just installed this. First of all I installed it wrong for about 2 hours last night and 2 hours tonight. Then I deleted it, reinstalled it and it was ready to go in 5 minutes or less. Of course, it wouldn’t have installed in 5 minutes tonight either if it wasn’t for all the stuff I learned that I did wrong. I’m pleased. Now I just need to personalize it.

Tomorrow at 6 am I have to be at my voting booth or in line to get there, and a few other things to do before I go night night.

Welcome to WordPress on the STS site. Want to add to my blog? Let me know. seizetheseason@gmail.com