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EYE
HUGS DEEP THOUGHTS |
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MY CHAIR -
SEPTEMBER 2018
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When you truly love someone, you should ask yourself each and every day, 'What can I do to make the one I love happy today?' Today my husband showed me why I've loved him with all my heart for almost 54 years. He surprised me. No, really. He SURPRISED me. If you remember, I posted a tongue-in-cheek, although heart-wrenching homage to my desk chair... Fast forward a few weeks, the day before my birthday. I went outside to find Lee standing in our driveway. He said, 'Come here. I want to show you something?' He opened the back of our suburban to reveal the most beautiful sight. He said he couldn't wait to give it to me...he wanted to surprise me right then. That he did. When my precious chair was down by the curb for the bulk pickup, he secretly picked it up and took it to an upholstery shop in town. He found a wonderful woman who promised to get it to me for my birthday. God sent this wonderful man to me and I am the most blessed person in the world. If I look happy, it's all because of him. |
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FAREWELL - AUGUST
2018
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| It is with great sadness that I share this picture with you. I had to put my chair down by the street for our bulk pickup today. They'll never be another to take its place. Most of all...I miss the pleather. I only paid $69 for it at Staples. It would cost a lot to have it reupholstered. In this chair I performed some of my best work: My fudge company. Sweet Bye and Bye, Swisher Pens and Total Fine Writing's web sites. I also penned Eye Hugs in this very chair. Perhaps I should have donated it to the Smithsonian. I'm still in mourning. I do have enough black articles of clothing, so I'm all set. The icing on the cake was when Lee went down to fetch the paper this morning, my precious chair was gone. More than likely it was picked up by the curator from the Smithsonian. |
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DADDY WAS AN ANGEL - AUGUST 2018
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After
my Daddy's funeral service at the church, he was buried in a cemetery
on a cold, rainy day in October. During the interment, my mind
wandered back to the time when he was in the hospital. I walked into
his room and he was shaking uncontrollably. He told me he was so cold.
He had contacted a bacterial infection...probably at the point of his
drainage tube. He almost passed away but the doctors placed some pills
under his tongue which brought him back to us. They had the paddles
ready and waiting. Another time he went to the hospital 'basement' for
an x-ray or some sort of procedure. I went down to wait for him and
found him lying on the gurney in the hallway without any blanket or
sheet to keep him warm. Being cold is the worst...especially when
you're alone.
Fast
forward that same year to my bedroom. Lee was out of town. I was
sleeping soundly. Suddenly I awoke and sat upright. That's when I saw
Daddy standing at the foot of our bed. He wore a white gown which I
thought was his hospital gown, but now I believe it was his angel
attire. I remember a warm, brilliant beam of light coming through the
window beside the bed and it was shining directly on Daddy. I felt
nothing but pure joy and elation. I stared at him while he was looking
directly at me. I knew instantly he came back to reassure me that he
was without pain and was no longer cold. I laid back down and went
back to sleep in a state of pure peace and euphoria. From that night
forward, I never again thought his body was lying in the cold, wet
ground. My Daddy was now in Heaven.
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MAMMOGRAM - SEPTEMBER 2016
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RANCH OF YORK - AUGUST 2016
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| It's said that a picture is worth a thousand words. I will begin posting my daughter's photos that she's taken for all to enjoy. She and her husband, Jason, bought a ranch in Bertram, Texas, and they share it with two lady longhorns (Milkshake & Blue Bell) and five donkeys (Sugar Baby, Sprinkles, Fudge, Whiskey & Champaign). Each one of these magnificent creatures has it's own personality and I would like to share their lives with you... |
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GOODBYE MOTHER...I MISS YOU SO - MARCH 2016
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| Whenever I purchase a gospel cd, I try to make sure that it includes the song 'Softly and Tenderly'. That was the song I sang to my Mother when she was spending her last hours in the hospital. It was around 2 o'clock in the morning as she lay in her hospital bed and I whispered to her, "Mother, it's OK. You can go now. You can go home to Heaven. We'll be all right. Daddy will be waiting for you as well as all the rest of our family." As I sat by her bed, I began stroking her forehead and started singing 'Softly and Tenderly Jesus is calling...'. She looked into my face and asked, 'Are you a singer?' I smiled and said "Why Mother? Did you like that?" She said yes and then I asked her if she would like me to sing some more. She nodded her head. I was all choked up and tried to hold back the tears. I could hardly carry a tune, let alone remember the words, but I managed to continue the song. She began to laugh out loud. I think it was then she realized that I wasn't a singer. My mother went to Heaven five years ago on March 4th...and it still hurts so badly. |
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A WOMAN'S WORK IS NEVER DONE - DECEMBER 2015
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First of all, let me say
this: I'm very careful about
storing food in my cupboards. I
keep everything...pasta, cereal, rice, crackers, etc., in sealed jars. One
can't be too careful keeping rattlesnakes out of food supplies...this is
Texas, after all. That
said, I've spent the last hour scrubbing my pie safe and getting rid of
moth's and their offspring. I
kept seeing little winged creatures flying about, but contributed that to
the seed moths from our birds' food. I
freeze all of their food, so I was perplexed at the amount of pterodactyls
flying about. I put up fly
strips, but that didn't seem to help.
So last night I picked up a package of pinto beans which were in
the pie safe. I must confess
that I'm a rice and dry bean hoarder.
I hate running out of the staples of life.
Then I examined the other 3 packages of pinto beans, 1 package of
navy beans and 2 bags of brown rice. These
hadn't made it to their antique Mason storage jars.
They all were turning to powder and had the remnants of dry wings
and moth poop along with their babies.
DISGUSTING! So
tomorrow, I plan to make the trek to Wal-Mart to make a return.
The expiration dates are all April 2016, so I feel justified in
taking them back. I'll be
wearing my Hazmat suit.
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TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS - DECEMBER 2015
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| Well, Santa is asleep, and Mrs. Claus is past ready to go to bed. The presents are wrapped, the cookies have been baked and are waiting for Santa to sample when he comes in the morning. She didn't make her fudge this year, as she's the only who eats it. She did manage to bake batches of mince meat, chocolate chip and Christmas tree sugar cookies. She also threw together a couple of cheese logs, sausage balls, jalapeno/cheese balls and turkey sausage balls for a brunchy type thing and will put the cinnamon rolls in the oven and make a fruit plate in the morning when she awakens. Thank you God for the Blessings that you've given me and my family. We owe everything to you as we celebrate the birth of your son, Jesus. That's what Christmas is all about, after all. |
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ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS - DECEMBER 2015
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| It doesn't take much to make me happy...even less to make me unhappy. Although I do become a little verklempt when McDonald's advertises they sell breakfast all day...then you pull up to the drive-in around 12 pm asking for a sausage biscuit and they only serve English muffins. That sucks... |
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THANKSGIVING - 2015
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I made my Cranberry Salad this morning and was so proud of myself for getting it done early. This is a dish my mother-in-law, Lila, used to make over 50 years ago. I learned how to make it from watching her and later on she gave me her recipe. When I tasted a sample of my completed recipe, it was sorta sweet and I didn’t even add any extra sugar like I used to do. I went out to the garage fridge and checked on it a couple of times to make sure it was setting up OK, because I make it with Jello. It was progressing quite nicely...or so I thought. So tonight I was fixing dinner and picking out ingredients for a salad in the veggie drawer. There were the cranberries...still in their package. |
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FAMILY GATHERING - OCTOBER 2015
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Lee and I just got home from a 17-day road trip to be with family in Ohio and Georgia. We had such a wonderful time and it was so good to be with our loved ones. I only wish we lived closer so we could get together more often. Life really is much too short, and I cherish the times we can spend with each other. It seems like only a fleeting moment when we were all together, laughing and reminiscing...telling stories to the young ones so they can pass them on to their offspring. It was a long but fun road trip...almost 3,600 miles! We drove through 13 different states...Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and then back to our beloved Lone Star State. I must say...West Virginia was the most beautiful state of them all, especially on the turnpike. The view was breathtaking as I gazed out of the car window upon the glorious spectrum of God's creation. All of you who still live in West Virginia, please don't ever take it for granted. When you're away from there, you'll miss it more than you'll ever know. We're back home in Texas now, and I'm so happy to be home...but my heart is back in West Virginia and her hills. |
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MY
MAMMOGRAM - 15 SEPTEMBER 2015
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GREAT NEWS! MY MAMMO WAS
NORMAL! I was so happy and excited to let my husband know that I went into
the waiting room in my 'put this on and it opens in the front' gown. Silly
me, I didn't think anyone else noticed. After I changed back into my top
and we were leaving, a lady said to me, "I really like the top you
have on now..much better than the other one" Lee takes everything in
stride. Bless his heart, after almost 52 years he's used to me!
Have you had your annual mammogram yet? If not, schedule one now! |
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MY
BIRTHDAY - 1 SEPTEMBER 2015
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I turned 70 on September
1st and I don't feel a day older than 69. Actually I don't feel
anything...certainly not any older.
I have been so blessed in my life and birthdays are a plus! I never pay
any attention to how old I truly am...just as long as I am.
Aging is inevitable...along with the obligatory wrinkles and gray hair (which is God's way of softening the aforementioned wrinkles). Now, the 40th was a different matter all together. I remember 30 years ago sitting on the floor in front of the hamper while sorting clothes in a daze, crying and thinking...'Is this all there is to life?" After that pity party was over, I never looked back! I want my friends and loved ones to remember that I never whined nor fussed about getting older and that I treasured and seized each and every day! After all is said and done, everyone wants positive, happy people in their lives. That's my goal...my legacy. |
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MOTHER'S DAY - 10 MAY 2015
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She
was so beautiful...even more so than expected. That would be the last time
we saw her. Just a couple of days earlier I assured her it was all right
to leave us, because we were going to be okay. Such a worrier she was!
Never did she fail to ask about us even though the purpose of our call was
to check on her. Although we knew that day was coming, it was truly
difficult to utter that final goodbye. We will always remember our time
with her and she will forever live in our hearts. I've
heard it say that a mother is the one through whom God whispers love to
his little children. From her we learned of God's love and for that alone
we are eternally grateful. She made many sacrifices so all her children
could have a life much better than she ever did. She was always there for
us to help and guide us through everything in our lives that came our way.
Her generosity was unsurpassed. Whenever she would come for a visit, she
would always bring something to share with us. When we would visit her, we
never left without her giving us something she thought we might need or
want. She always told us that when you give, you get back tenfold. The Law
of Tenfold Return was practiced faithfully in our upbringing. A
mother gives life to her children so they can live their life. That speaks
volumes of our Mother. She never failed to let us know how proud she was
of her four children and all of her grandchildren. A mother's job is to
nurture and to discipline. She never lacked in either of those
departments. My two younger brothers can attest to this. We all managed to
grow up as she projected....happy, caring and responsible adults. No
matter where we go or whatever we do, we will always hear her voice...and
we will continue to evermore make her proud of us. She is gone now, but
her Heavenly journey has just begun. I
will dearly miss the letters. |
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NOVEMBER 29, 2014
Blue Bell ice cream. Nuff said. So creamy...so good! The pungent taste of the black walnuts takes me back to a good place while growing up in West Virginia. Black walnut ice cream is best when eaten alone at your computer while you play a game of Free Cell. I have my own personal stash of this heavenly, woodsy, creation. And, no. I will not share. It is all mine, I tell you, all mine! |
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NOVEMBER 25, 2014
So, I was at Walmart this evening. Before heading out, I always remind myself to be a happy shopper and smile at everyone I meet. I just hope Ted Bundy won’t be shopping at Wally World when I’m there. When I finished shopping and was standing in the checkout line, I let a lady go in front of me because she was late for an appointment. No problem…felt like the right thing to do and I had no pressing engagements. When it was my turn to check out, the cashier was unable to ring up an item. She wanted me to purchase everything but this one particular article. She told me that I was holding up the line. I thought to myself, “HOLDING up the line?!!!“ “Holding UP the line?!!!” “Holding up THE line?!!!“ “Holding up the LINE?!!!” So I obediently ran my card through the machine. In the meantime, she called for assistance and 7 managers…or perhaps only 3…and a technician came over to fix the problem. I was unable to cancel, clear, sign my signature or enter my zip code in the credit card machine. When everything was right with the world and the moon was in the Seventh House and Jupiter aligned with Mars and peace guided the planets and love steered the stars, I made the second transaction for the item with no pricing. Before I left, I leaned over to the cashier and whispered politely so no one else could hear, ‘I did not appreciate your telling me that I was holding up the line.’ She said that she was really sorry and shouldn’t have said that to me, but everyone in the line was looking at her. You know, in another life, she could have been me or my daughter or my mother behind that cash register. She was probably tired from standing long hours, too. Am I sorry I let her know how I felt? Not in the least. Because the next time she tells someone they’re holding up the line, that person won’t be me. |
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NOVEMBER
8, 2014 So yesterday was our FIFTIETH wedding anniversary! This is a long one. So grab your favorite beverage of choice and make yourself comfortable, because I thought I’d share a little bit of our special day with all of you… It was a cold and rainy day…uh, never mind…that’s for another book. Lee’s been to Africa and together over the years, we’ve been to Wawa Ontario, Virginia Beach, Myrtle Beach..., Hawaii (2 or 3 times…I lost count), Haines Alaska (to experience the Gathering of the Eagles), New Orleans, Washington (state and DC), Niagara Falls, California, Georgia, Daniel Boone National Forrest (I guess I'm part owner, since Daniel is my Great, Great, Great, Great, Great Grandpa), Las Vegas, Acapulco, Shaker Village in Kentucky, Jackson Hole, the Grand Canyon, the Hoover Dam, Saguaro National Dessert (while listening to Willie’s Red Headed Stranger), Big Bend National Park, Luckenbach (nuff said), Paris and other parts of France, Switzerland, and West Virginia (Tioga and New River) just to name a few. So that pretty much covered our bucket list. We just wanted to relax and enjoy each other, so we decided to get out of Dodge and head on out to the Winstar Casino in Oklahoma…or as I like to call it, the Sinstar Casino. Whenever we cross a state line, Lee and I always high five each other. When crossing the Red River into Oklahoma from Texas, I break into my rendition of the Broadway version of 'OOOOk-lahoma, where the wind comes sweepin' down the plain…’ I don’t know the rest of the lyrics, so I belt out this line over and over. Fun times. We live in Fair Oaks Ranch, right outside of San Antonio, so it takes about 5 hours or so to get to our place in Fort Worth. On our way, we stopped to grab a bite to eat at the Bluebonnet Café in Marble Falls, Texas. If you’ve ever been to Texas in the spring time, you know how it got its name. Fortunately, we hit it just right and didn’t have to stand in line. This restaurant is a national treasure and well worth the wait! After Atkins bars and protein drinks all week, this was jumping head-first into gastronomic peccadillo. Most people post their pictures of their food on Facebook. Well, I did take pictures, but don’t know how to transfer them off my dumb phone. No really…dumb…not smart. It’s a flip phone. Therefore, I will attempt to illustrate with descriptive wording, our meal: I ordered Chicken Fried Steak with the gravy on the side (One does not want to get the crispy coating of the fried veneer of this culinary delight soggy.), Red-skinned Mashed Potatoes, fresh Green Beans cooked at least 2 hours with bacon like my mother used to make and a small side salad. And, yes, I had blue cheese dressing. Lee ordered beef something-or-the-other to replicate our dinner of hot Roast Beef Sandwiches at a West Virginia restaurant when we honeymooned at the A-line cabins in Sutton 50 years ago. And we must not forget the obligatory pie to complete this perfect meal. Lee ordered Lemon with a foot-high Meringue and I had the Pecan. When the sweet little Texas-cowgirl-of-a-waitress, learned we were celebrating our 50th anniversary dinner with them, she put a GINORMOUS helping of soft vanilla ice cream, topped with homemade whipped cream sprinkled with cinnamon and extra pecans atop mine. I started to think we’d crashed and burned and I was in heaven. Needless to say, I ate every scrumptious bite. A day later, I can close my eyes and picture that delicious brown sugar filling and perfect, flaky crust with melting 100% pure whipped cream and ice cream. It makes me want to weep. Dear, God…thank you for making pecans ‘In The Beginning’…. A shout out to our Heavenly Father in Heaven: Thank you for the gorgeous moon you so lovingly placed in the sky to commemorate our anniversary on our road trip.
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Eye Hugs is the story of Charaleen Wright who was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Follow her as she faces her battle head-on and comes out on top. Her
incredible journey is poignantly chronicled with humor and warmth. For
those who don’t fully comprehend what a breast cancer patient must
endure, this book will most certainly open your eyes. Eye Hugs is available now from AuthorHouse Order
Eye Hugs through your local bookseller or preferred on-line retailer
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