Giraffes, People and God's Sense of Humor

           My favorite animal is the giraffe. This infatuation with giraffes, came about when I was a freshman in high school. We read a short story called "The Creature God Forgot". I no longer remember the author, but I do remember the gist of the story.  I was appalled!!! Why would God make a creature so vulnerable?

          To me, the giraffe is comparable to a crudely made "crazy quilt". The pieces are all there, but they don't fit exactly as they should.

          When my children were small we played a game called,"What's your favorite animal, food, etc." When it was my turn to answer, I would say "giraffe" for favorite animal. It never failed that someone would say, "Giraffe, why do you like them so much?" and I would tell them the story about giraffes.

          Lisa, my oldest daughter, really listened to the story. Through out the years she has brought me several stuffed giraffes and this year for Christmas I received a beautiful picture of a mother giraffe and a baby. It started me thinking about the story again. In fact, it has run in and out of my mind for 4 days. I tried to find the short story on line, but couldn't. I researched giraffes, to see if what I remember was right. Once again, I was amazed at their luck in surviving.

         I am prone to think that when God created giraffes and people He was showing us his sense of humor. Technically, neither of us should be alive, and yet we are. And we are thriving--go figure.

         The lion is the natural enemy of the giraffe.  People on the other hand, have enemies everywhere they turn.  Not only do we battle each other, we have predators in the mountains, deserts and oceans.. And yet we have made these areas, our playgrounds and our homes. I think God smiles at this---alot.

        The giraffe is a mixture of body parts,that technically should not work together--but do. They are the tallest animals in the world,ranging from 14 to 18 feet. They weigh around 2,000 pounds. Their front legs are shorter than their back legs. This makes it impossible for the animal to run normally. They lope when they need to escape. Or they hop and jump but never run---it is an impossibility .

        Their necks, which make up the bulk of their body are too short to reach the ground!!!  As a result, the giraffe has to either spread its legs or kneels down on it's knees to drink water. At that moment, he is completely defenseless. Nothing could save him if attacked. Unless, another giraffe happened to be nearby and kicked the predator. A giraffe's hooves can decapitate a lion if given the opportunity. 

        And where to you think God puts this animal?  Right in the middle of Africa!!! Not my first choice for a basically defenceless animal---but what do I know?  And who am I to tell God what to do?
       Giraffes eat acacia leaves--about 75 pounds of leaves a day. These leaves supply both water and nutrients. The tail of the giraffe is 8 feet long. Making it the longest of any mammal.

        Their hearts beat at a rate of 170 beats a minute. Their blood pressure is usually 280/180. It is the highest of any animal. When chased by predators they will die of heart attacks.

         As for sleeping, they seldom sleep more than five minutes at a time. A good days sleep is 4 hours. They also have no tear ducts, but have been seen crying.

         Although giraffes are a quiet animal, they do make noises.They have been heard making a whistling sound, a mooing sound and a few times roaring.  They travel in herds for safety. When a baby giraffe is born, he falls 6 feet to the ground. The young one starts nursing about an hour after birth. (Probably after he regains consciousness)

         All in all, the giraffe is an oddity. He was placed on one of the fiercest continents, with little self protection, and a ton of liabilities and yet he lives. The giraffe is not on an "endangered species" list either.  Why?? I really don't know. He has learned to adapt in a rough environment by making the most of what he possesses.

        Mankind could learn a thing or two from the giraffe.  Was God laughing when he made the giraffe--or was He showing off.??  Did He say to the giraffe "go forth and multiply--kick you heals up--have a good life no matter where you are--beat the odds!!!"  Maybe. 

        When it came to mankind, I believe God said about the same thing to us that he did to giraffes. We are both oddities, both beat the odds daily. We usually rely on our "herds" for comfort and protection. And Lord knows we do like to kick up our heels!!

        Have we both made God  laugh? I think so......but mostly I think He smiles and says "I knew they could do it"



        


      

  

A Tale of Two Weathermen

            Good morning everyone and a Merry Christmas to you all. Our Christmas is going to be a "white Christmas" for sure.  It started snowing about 4:30 this morning, The snow is steadily coming down. We have been tracking this storm all week. No one really knew for sure when it was going to hit or how much we would receive, guesstimations varied from news channel to news channel. Also from day to day. I worry about the people traveling. Melodi, Jen and Pamela are coming in from Kansas City. I-70 is not known for being kind to travelers.  We are leaving here about 9 and we will all meet up at Tami's house. It is just an hour drive for us.

          Tommy and I have two different local channels that we watch. His and Hers!!!  His "weatherman" is always jolly,optimistic and seldom right. The "Flood of 93", was predicted by him, "to be breezy, significant rainfall. But nothing to really worry about!!" Homes were washed away!! Dams broke and water was everywhere all summer long. At times I-70 was closed due to sandbagging and water over the road.

        My weatherman is just the opposite. He is more the variety of "war,death and famine". He thought the "Flood of 93" would be the end of civilization as we knew it!!!  BUT he did tell us to prepare for the worst and hope for the best. He insisted that his viewers stock up on water, and food staples to get us through the worst of it---in case trucks couldn't get to the stores. That was a good idea and paid off at my house. However, life still continues, so he was wrong in that area.

         Tommy's weather guy says it "will be some accumulation of between 2-4 inches. He is leaning more to the 3 inch limit." My guy says 3-5 and is leaning more to the 5 inch amount. I don't  know which one will prove to be right. Neither do they. But I am betting on my guy.

         I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas. I wish for each of you---good health, a memorable moment, to always help you remember the Christmas of 2010. And I hope it is a good memory. One that puts a smile on your face, every time you think about it in the coming years. Our memories are really what life is all about.

        And I am wishing that Tommy's weatherman is right today!!! But just in case, I am going to wake Tommy up with coffee in bed----hoping that will get us on the road sooner.

        

   

        

I Believe.......

       1.  I believe our favorite meals should be eaten more than two or three times a year.

       2.  I believe life really does imitate art. The movies and books of my youth, are the realities of 2010.

       3.  I believe I make the best lasagna....just ask Aaron Johnmeyer.
        
       4.  I believe the older we get, the more we love and miss our families.

       5.  I believe the E Book will never replace the feel, the smell or the delight of a real book.

       6.  I believe there really is a hidden secret in Area 51.

       7.  I believe every home should have a rocking chair, for loving babies and enjoying the rain.

       8.  I believe The United States of America is the most wonderful country in the world.....faults and all.  I can not imagine a world without America.

       9.  I believe a good cup of coffee with a friend, makes most situations easier and more bearable.

      10. I believe in paper plates!!

      11. I believe there will never be world peace. When I look at the future in my mind's eye,  I seldom like what I see.

      12. I believe in allowing children to be children for as long as possible. They will be grown all too soon..  Don't rush childhood, because when it is gone...it is gone.

      13. I believe snow can make a junkyard look beautiful.

      14. I believe sunrise and sunset are the prettiest times of the day. And most of us miss them both.

      15. I believe that sometimes, the dog is the only one in the house excited to see us come home.

      16. I believe watching a fire is magical.

      17. I believe fishing and ice cold beer go hand in hand.

      18. I believe I am most myself, when I am home. Dressed in a flannel shirt, tank top and leggings, either reading or writing.

      19. I believe my children are my greatest  contribution to the world.

      20. I believe being a grandmother is the best gift I have ever received.

      21.I believe it is possible to love someone for 41 years. To still find him funny,  interesting and  exasperating---all at the same time. I believe in a love that lasts a lifetime.

      22. I believe "what goes around--comes around". Sometimes the route is longer and filled with roadblocks. Sometimes the answer comes after death. Karma finds us all eventually.

      23. I believe in wishing on stars.

      24. I believe that "alone time" is necessary for some people...essential for me.

      25. I believe Jesus, free will and sex are the greatest gifts God gave us.


       I believe I am done for the night. Talk to you later.  Much love to all...

   

On Reading

      One of my first childhood memories is of crying because I could not read. I was 4 years old. I desperately wanted to read. My mother scooped me up in her arms and told me, "as soon as I was old enough to go to school, I would learn to read."  She read the book to me, and I stopped crying. I was not satisfied. I wanted to read and I wanted to read by myself. I have never lost that feeling.

     During the past few weeks, I have received several emails, asking who are my favorite authors and to list my favorite book of all time.  I have really thought about those questions. Picking my favorite book, would be like asking me to pick my favorite child---impossible. I love all three of my daughters. I can honestly say,that I do not love every book that I have read. There are books, however, that made great impressions on my life. Most of them started at an early age. I think they helped shape my personality---or they brought to the surface what was already planted inside.

     I was surprised when I started listing the books that made such an impression on me. Most won't be considered "Great Literature", although a few are all time classics. They are books that shaped my childhood. Books that let my imagination roam and soar. One of the best gifts God gave me was my imagination. I will be eternally grateful. He also blessed me with a sense of humor. It would be awful,to not be able to laugh at yourself or to laugh with others. This is a pretty crazy world--humor helps.

    I was about nine years old when I was allowed to go to the library by myself. Carol Porter, our local librarian , introduced me to the "Nancy Drew Mystery Series". I suddenly had a hero. Nancy Drew was a nosey, imaginative teenager, who was forever getting in trouble and solving mysteries and crimes. I wanted to be just like her! That was the summer I started looking for criminals in our sleepy, southern town. Everyone was a suspect to me. People I had known all my life, suddenly looked suspicious.

   Since I lived next door to the post office and across the street from the jail----I was in a perfect place to spy.  I stole all the" Wanted " posters from the post office. After all, a budding detective needs to know who she is looking for, in case she ever sees a real live criminal.

   Saturday night, was my favorite night of the week. That was the night the town drunks got arrested!!! I kept notes on all of them. Checked my posters--just in case one had slipped through the police lines. My life wasn't exactly a Nancy Drew book, but when you are nine, you take what you  can get. All I had to do was let my imagination run wild and wait for Monday morning when the library opened and I got a new mystery to read.

     A couple of years later, I read "Little Women". Jo was my favorite character in the book. I decided not only did I want to be a detective but I also wanted to be a writer. In fact, I wanted a cold room upstairs and gloves with the fingers cut out so I could write away--just like Jo. Never mind that I lived in  a small shotgun house and it was 97 degrees outside.

    About this time I discovered "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee.  I loved this book--still do. I wanted Atticus for a father and Jem and Scout for siblings. I was pretty sure we had a "Radley" like family living on Beeler Hill.

The family lived in a run down three story "southern mansion". The family consisted of two old maid sisters and their very sick brother. I really can't remember ever seeing these people. But I listened as their brother died a horrible death. Cancer I suppose. I would sit on my grandmothers porch and listen to him yell, scream and cry. I wondered what in the world was going on in that house. I longed to see in that house, but I have to admit, I was scared too. I would slip up to the house and as soon as he yelled ----I was headed home--fast.

    Somewhere in the mix, I met tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. My kind of guys!!

     I cried with "Jane Eyre'. Charlotte Bronte gave me my first glimpse that love could very easily have a dark side that I had never thought about.
  
     Enter "Gone With the Wind". Mama and I went to see the movie. I cried so hard she had to take me out for a few minutes. Absolutely loved it....still do. It would be years before I read the book, but when I did it was magical. I have always loved the South. The traditions, the stories, the language. I could do without the humidity though.....July in Kentucky can be miserable.

     I was in my early teens when I fell in love with Leon Uris' writing. After I read "Exodus", I immediately wanted to become Jewish and move to Israel, so I could live and work in a kibbutz.

     My mother would not agree to any of my new wishes. According, to her--she had put up with my imagination about as much as she intended to do. We were not moving to Israel!!!  It did not make any difference to Mama that Jesus had also lived there---we were not going.  Another dream down the drain. However, it is on my Bucket List.

    I read "In Cold Blood" in high school. That book haunted my psyche for several months. After reading it, I didn't read any books for over a month. I kept rehashing the book in my mind. I remember thinking "what makes people act like this?" This book started me on  my journey of trying to understand mental illness.

    I read everything I could concerning mental health. It eventually became my career of choice. I can truthfully say the only job I ever had, that I really enjoyed, was at a forensic hospital for the criminally insane. I retired from Fulton State Hospital, after 20 years service. I have seen and heard a little bit of everything imaginable...and some things that cannot be explained. I hope Nancy Drew would be proud of me.

Twenty Years Really does make a Difference

        Today the temperature was in the 50's. The sun was shining with just a light wind. But this is Missouri and by tomorrow night we have rain, changing to snow (not much if any accumulation) BUT the wind chill will be -15 .Sunday, the low is 11 and Monday it is supposed to be 6. So with this in mind, we decided that we needed to bring more wood up closer to the house. We have always enjoyed doing this ( when the weather is nice) today was no exception. We worked hard for about 3 hours. I was exhausted and Tommy still wanted another load of wood brought and stacked at the house. We did it. I knew he was right but still ,I was running on empty and so was he. Finally, he agreed to quit. Yes!!!  I put on a pot of coffee. We sat outside and drank in the clean air and sunshine. It was the best coffee of the day.

I had filled up all our bird feeders earlier. The birds are delighted, Now they have a reason to fight each other.  I think birds act like mental patients. They refuse to share. Always picking on someone smaller. Excessively messy and not particularly hygienic. But I like them , just like I cared for the mental patients.
My grandmother, Mamamae, once told me that Cardinals mate for life. I really don't know if this is true or not, but I believe Mamamae. We have several pair of Cardinals that winter around our house. This morning, I was in the den, watching them. Evidently one couple had a disagreement last night. As I was watching them, it really did look like the female was mad at the male. He flew in first and landed on the ground and began to eat. The female flew in a couple seconds after him and landed on a branch above him. He flew up where she was, and immediately she flew to the ground. He tilted his head to the left and flew down. She looked him in the eye and flew back up to the branch. They looked at each other and then both flew off in opposite directions. Hmmmm,. wonder if they will make up tonight.?  

Tommy and I  are starting to get sore. My back is killing me and Tommy says he hurts all over. We can't wait until 9 p.m. to go to bed...unheard of normally around here,. I hope the birds have a better night than we will!!!  Talk to you all later----twenty years does make a difference in  a person's body and in  the mind. Twenty years ago I probably would never have noticed the Cardinals or made up a story to go with their actions. Today, I am glad I did.

-------So Much for Discipline!!!

      Yesterday was a great day. Tommy and I finished our Christmas shopping. Ate a great catfish dinner and just enjoyed being together. We only had one "near miss" while shopping. He picked out a gray beret for one of the girls. None of us wear berets. I put it back--he was totally perplexed why I did that and picked it up again. Same scenario happens again. We finally agreed on something else.  10 to 1 odds, I get a gray beret for Christmas!!!!

    We had company later on last night, and THEN I remembered the "Discipline B.S." I have been attempting to do. I wrote a short blog note and in the process, I not only lost my profile picture, the gadget called "About Me" suddenly appeared under the title of this blog AND I lost my blog that I had just written!!!! And then "About Me" was also deleted...What a friggin mess!! So I called Tami and laid the ole "Honey, I was in labor with you for 26 hours---can you please fix my blog--again"  And sweetheart that she is, she came to my rescue and fixed it all for me. I couldn't do without her!! 

   The only thing I couldn't retrieve was the blog. By that time, I no longer wanted to talk or write to anyone. Soooo undisciplined person that I am---I went to bed---and slept wonderfully !! I have decided that I am a work in progress. I still want to be more disciplined in most areas of my life BUT I want alot of leeway too!

   P.S. Tami told me that old "I gave birth to you routine" is only gonna work so long----if I can get another 20 years out of it I will be a happy camper. Maybe by then, I will have learned how to use a computer!!

It's a New day--Ready or Not Here I Come

    This is my 2nd day of discipline and I am excited. Why? Because I have already learned something today. I learned  how to post this blog to Face Book. Now whether it stays on FB or not is another matter. I will put the Scarlett  O'Hara to it and "worry about that tomorrow". I may have to send it every day, who knows!!

   The next thing I want to learn about blogging , is how to post pictures. Sounds easy---I have my doubts about that though. But I am working on it until I can do it in my sleep. I am motivated and determined--that is a new "look" for me.

  My plans for the day are loose at the moment. The blog is my main agnenda. I also want to resketch the house I started last week. That Tuscan home could have been built by the Three Little Pigs. No way it could stand on its own. So today I white out the canvas, and resketch the home correctly.....i hope.

  Everyone have a good day. Try something new or revisit an old hobby with new eyes and ideas. Remember--It really doesn't take much to make us happy--just some effort and discipline......right

Now What...

     

After retiring in 2009, it was time to do all the things I had wanted to do for years.  I had kept a journal of hobbies I wanted to pursue, places I wanted visit and stories I wanted to write.

The journal was hard to decipher.  My moods and interests changed often.  I would throw in a random thought for a story, a name I liked for a character or a quote that took root in my imagination and refused to wilt.

My hobbies were just as varied as the stories I wanted to write.  I wanted to learn how to make quilts, grow container gardens, make fairy homes out of gourds I had grown in my garden.  I wanted to turn a boat into a flower bed. I also wanted to raise chickens, goats  and become as self sufficient as possible. Fly fishing was at the top of my list along with camping all over the United States with Tommy, my husband of forty years.  

Tommy and I were through being 'responsible adults' it was our time to turn loose and have fun. No more time cards to punch in and out. No more living by the hands on a watch. Answering the phone became optional. No longer would we be 'the Night Shift people".  We would sleep when we wanted to sleep and never set an alarm clock.  We would see more dawns and sunsets.  We would try our hand a being free...really free.

This is how my blog came into existence. I wanted to record our lives for our daughters and grandchildren or anyone else who cares to share our story.  So many memories to tell, adventures to share and secrets that can now be told.

Tommy has told me since I was 19 that it did not take much to make me happy.  We would laugh because we knew it was true. That became the name of my blog: "It Doesn't Take Much to Make Me Happy..."  Truer words were never written.