HCG January 30, 2014

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Good morning, this is Monday morning the 27 of January, it is 45 degrees and that will be the high for today. Yesterday, Sunday it was 60 degrees, tomorrow Tuesday the weatherman is saying there is a possibility of snow…by the end of the week it is predicted we will be back up the high 50’s and lower 60’s. This seems to be our weather pattern of late.



During last week’s cold snap I became very nervous about the state of my pantry, there were long vacant spaces on the shelves, where there was suppose to be backup provisions, there was no can of coffee waiting on the ready …no extra sugar or flour…it was low on canned fruits and vegetables.

So yesterday Sunday I went to town and stocked up on groceries…when it is cold outside I do not like to be short in the pantry.



This maybe off subject….Maybe not since I have not yet picked subject…Yesterday as I was pushing my cart gathering groceries…I thought of Katherine Hepburn, and a line she had in a movie.  I do not remember the name of the movie…just the statement she made, and through the years it has stuck with me. Another actor’s line was, “I don’t make the rules.”

 Katherine Hepburn’s reply was, “Sure you do, we all do.”



Well there I was pushing my cart picking up cat food and lettuce with folks that it was obvious they, like me, had just come from church…. I could tell because they had their Sunday clothes on.



 I begin to recall, maybe you all remember when it was decided, some time in the late 70’s early 80’s, to let the Metro Center Mall open on Sunday…And what a up roar that caused. Many of us vowed declared we would never shop on Sunday.  Then came the little league baseball hullabaloo…remember?  Remember when they began playing games on Sunday? Parents said they opposed the new rule…But they still took their kids out of Sunday school and church loaded them in a van to go play ball.



I will always believe the majority of people back then, actually did oppose both the opening of businesses on Sunday and the playing Little League on Sunday….

Which leads me say this ….The majority does not rule…. we follow.

As followers we are making the rules….
Call if you need me
P




Gloria Christiansen
201 Luster Street
Edwards Mississippi 39066

Christiansen's Comments
published in Hinds County Gazette April 25 2013

John and I moved to Edwards in 1987,

 Inez Lee, was my very first Edwards friend. Back in those days Miss Inez was delivering the Clarion Ledger newspaper around Edwards.  Miss Inez was out early every morning, she had her finger on the pulse of Edwards, she was one of the first in town to know who was sick, who needed help, and who had died…Black and white she knew everybody.  Inez is one of the kindest people I have ever known. 

Miss Inez is 92 now, I saw her at the Edwards Fellowship Club last Tuesday, she had on a beautiful pink blouse, cute as a button she was, and  an absolute delight, Miss Inez kept the conversation bubbling at our table that is for sure.

Miss Inez

The very next day, Inez fell and broke her hip; she has had surgery, but physical therapy is ahead. I told you that, to ask you this, please pray for Miss Inez Physical therapy is not comfortable.

Inez was my first friend after coming to Edwards….  Doug Beard, he does not know it, but he is my NEW BEST friend.

This is not the first time Doug has been my best friend.  The spring after John died and I just finished chemo…I needed a new string trimmer, I wanted to know who I would be looking at if it needed fixing, so I went to Doug.

  Doug informed me I could buy one a lot cheaper just about anywhere, and he advised me it was heavy.  Bless him he tried hard not to sell me one.   I guess he didn’t think I was strong enough yet to handle a trimmer…  I kept insisting until I finally wore him down a bit…Doug said he would put one together, I was to come back later and he would see if I could start it.

I left there, on the way back home I called my friend Emily Dear, put her on notice that  she might have to call Doug and testify on my behalf…”You tell Doug I am well! And I am strong!”

 Later that afternoon I went back to pick up my brand new machine…Sure enough I could start it…On the first pull! But he still would not sell it to me!!! He insisted I take it home and try it…he wanted to make sure I could run the thing, before he let me pay. Doug is a man of integrity.   I still have that trimmer and it still starts easy.

I am just about to the part about why Doug is my NEW BEST friend…..

I told you about learning how to change the spark plug in my riding mower a few weeks back…well I mowed and then the crazy thing would not crank for anything…Knew it was not the battery it was brand new…One of the guys from the bottom of the hill came up declared it was a bad solenoid, but did not have time to work on it right then…. so I was going to have to wait until the next day. 

But then later that morning I was in Bolton, I spotted Doug…an idea flashed in my brain…” I shall go ask Doug about solenoids, see if he has one to fit my mower and ask him if he thinks I could change it myself.” I talk to myself a lot.

Last year Doug talked me through changing my fuel filter…..He did not actually say he thought I could install a solenoid …What he did was…he handed me two solenoids told me, one of them should fit it…explained to me where I would find the solenoid on my mower…He even took the parts out of the box…and gave me some pointers about removing the old and installing the new….placed the new solenoids down in a bag, asked if I needed to borrow any tools, and told me to bring back the one that didn’t fit....and sent me on my way.

solenoid

 It took a couple of hours but I got it installed and the mower ran!!!  And that folks is why Doug is my NEW BEST friend…

My new best friend needs prayers too…Doug has finished treatments and will be having surgery soon.

Hey I have got to go! Shelby dog has to go to see her veterinarian, Doctor Farr this morning! Doctor Farr has had  some medical issues recently also…but he is back at work…not sure wife Pam was ready for him to go back so soon….but he seems to be doing great….But you might want to put Pam on your prayer list.

Shelby

Love to all

Call if you need me

"Christiansen's Comments" from Hinds County Gazette "Scout and Gabby" came to Grandma's

Oh! My Word! It was a rough weekend here at 201….

I baby sat daughter Angela’s dogs. We each have two dogs, so that is four dogs in the house and yard, which would not have been terrible, but she has a 6 month old puppy and I have a 6 month old puppy…The puppies never stopped…they never stopped barking, they never stopped chewing, they never stopped running, they never stopped digging. I am exhausted my older dog Shelby is exhausted.



Angela's Scout and Gabby

 

My Emma

approximately 6 monthes

My beautiful quiet Shelby






The back yard looks like a war zone…. holes every where…they dumped the garbage can over… ripped in to the garbage and strew trash all around. Angela’s puppy Scout turns over flower pots, then totes the pots around scattering them to all corners….she brought one clay pot up the ramp, when I yelled she dropped it and it shattered in to a hundred pieces….what a mess.



Scout pulled the rugs off my back porch…into the yard, so she and my puppy Emma could play tug a war. I don’t know if the rugs are salvageable…probably not.



Angela’s dogs are gone now, so when the sun comes up good and it gets a bit warmer I shall go clean up the back yard…



But what Angela’s puppy Scout did here isn’t the worst performance of her short life…at her house Scout has a doggie door, one day while Angela was at work; she pulled the water hose in the house through the doggie door!!! All 50 feet! Maybe it was just 25 feet….. Still and all quite an accomplishment.



When Angela’s other dog, Gabby, was a puppy I went out and planted bushes along the back fence…Well, Gabby one by one, over time, managed to pull them all up… every one!…about the time you thought she was finished destroying bushes, she would dig up another …a few she pulled through the doggie door…one not only did she manage to pull through the doggie door, she maneuvered it through the house and up on the bed while Angela slept.



We have had lots of rain so the yard was still quite muddy….so all in the kitchen and up and down the hall muddy paw prints abound. I have called for help…Ms Addie will tend to the mud and paw prints…while I will work on the yard.



But first I got to go out to Cannada Farms, Scott just called, he has deer meat for me…I am going to try to make deer tamales…I will let you know how they turn out.



Love to all

Call if you need me

"Christiansen Comments" Hinds County Gazette March 10 2011

Brain knows Gloria is old. …and he tried to tell her not to do it….




Nothing on my body works anymore, all of my joints are stiff and painful. When I get out of bed, out of the car, even a chair, it takes a bit to get going. I literally have to take several painful steps before my joints begin to cooperate and let me walk up right …. But once I get cranked up, I can go all day long, dig holes, saw limbs, drag limbs, tote cement, I am an stoppable machine…..That is until I run out of gas on up in the afternoon. (I did not tell you that to make you feel sorry for me…Because stiff, painful joints are an inevitable condition amongst the elderly. )Over the counter pain medicine will help ease the pain somewhat…but I have not found one yet that will keep me from wincing all together, when coming out of an at rest position. But they do keep me from whimpering out loud in public.



Now then, I told you all of that to tell you this…Recently one warm, and sunny, Sunday afternoon, I was invited for an afternoon of old cemetery touring. I met my hosts and fellow tour participants in the square at Raymond.



The first cemetery we stopped at was off the road in the middle of a field…..we all got out of the car, I heard the trunk pop open, I thought “Oh! how chic! We are going to have refreshments in the cemetery!” A toast of remembrance, a tribute to those who went before us,….Our hosts have a sentimental interest in this old cemetery, they are not related to those buried there, however their house is. “This adventure is worthy of a Southern living piece, with pictures“. That’ what I was thinking, then our hostess said, to her husband in her sweet southern voice, , “--------, don’t forget the Ladder.” My thoughts took a 180 ….“Ladder?! what will we be doing with a ladder….!?” So instead of wine and cheese, ------- pulled out of the trunk, a short kitchen stool/ladder.



Well, 100 yards or so into the field we came to the cemetery…it was surrounded by an old fashion, ornate, iron fence, the gate was fasten with a rusty chain and it was padlocked. You all, to get in, we had to climb the fence…the ladder was suppose to aid in that effort….Now everyone in the group I would describe as very active, but agile? Not so much….



There was one amongst us who was tall enough to step over the fence ….the rest of us got over with much pushing and prodding….you all, I was the most awkward and clumsy …. they had to physically take me by the foot and lift my legs across to the other side. I have pictures….I do not like to have my picture taken…but half way over the fence I stopped and waited until someone could get my picture….not pretty….I have the grace of a one legged hippo.

But all and all, the afternoon was perfect….and I was not cheated out of my wine and cheese ether. our tour ended with wine and cheese on the back porch of out hosts historic country home and a fried chicken dinner.



I do not give my mortality much thought…I am ready when ever the Lord is ready… But Brain does give my aging much thought. Brain is usually not sympathetic when it comes to me and my growing old, but on the way home that evening, Brain reminded me of something that he began to notice a very long time ago.



Back in the day, when I was a teen, drag racing was a big thing. Really big thing. A fast car and knowing when to shift gears is essential when dragging…but getting off the line, that is vital…if you can’t get off the line, you can’t win…. I could always get off the line…But I would loose my nerve when….You don’t need to know all of that ….It does not matter.



What Brain reminded me of was this, I am still first off the line…at every stop light. When me and my little Toyota pickup are stopped at a light and there are two of us side by side…when the light turns green, I am first off the line…. every time….. not just sometimes…in fact when, I get to the middle of the next block, and glance in the rear view mirror and many times nether lane has only just begun to move. I know you have noticed at even long green lights not as many cars get through as should…and of those who do get through at least one, most time two cars go through on yellow. Brain has declared my old body slow ….but, has come to accept that my reflexes are still significantly above average.



Brain may becoming more compassionate toward me and my physical short comings,….. Perhaps Brain has begun to notice he is not as sharp as he once was ether. I have been knowing, For a very long time, that Brain has had his own aging issues ….but I have not said any thing, because I am much kinder then Brain, and I didn’t want to hurt his feelings…he has a much inflated ego, don‘t you know…..



And I sure don’t want to make Brain angry, because even though he is obstinate and cantankerous…I don’t want him to leave me.



Love to all
call if you need me

Hinds County Gazette, January 6 2011, Christiansen's Comments

Happy New Year!!

                  Here in the South, Black eyed peas and howl jowls, served with cornbread is the accepted menu for New Years.





How were your holidays?



This will be short today, even though the Christmas tree is down and back up to the attic ….and the decorations are packed and placed in the old foot locker at the foot of the bed, in the back bedroom…my house is not yet straight. My Christmas tree is artificial, but I use real greenery on the mantles , so there are evergreen needles stuck in rugs, all over the house and holly berries rolling around the floors. …so must get to vacuuming.

                                                             Foot Locker
                      Painted white because it was Daughter Angela's toy box.

And I have some gift cards that are burning a hole in my pocket…soon as I get up from here I am headed to out buy some lumber!



Oh! Yeah…let me tell you about my grand tamale adventure! Remember? I was making Tamales to give to my walking buddies for Christmas…..I tried different recipes and sent them around to assorted folks to critique …..the judgments were mixed , nobody declared them awful, some said they were not spicy enough, one thought they needed a bit more salt…..My pew mate, at the Edwards Presbyterian Church Maria, who is from Mexico originally, was very impressed , and she said her husband loved them….My friend Isla said they were the best she ever had eaten! Daughter Angela how ever was less impressed…she thought they needed a sauce, but she did give me an A for effort.



I like making tamales…after I got started …I couldn‘t get stopped….I made hundreds of them…gave lots and lots of them away…But Still had dozens in the freezer so the day after Christmas I had a few folks in to eat up the last of them.

                                                          Tamales!!!!!


We sometimes pine for an old fashion Christmas…but this year I realized an old fashion, non commercial Christmas is still to be had. And I did not have to go far to find it. St. Mary’s Episcopal in Bolton held two events, December 12, was lessons and Carols, Dorothy Brasfield, played the organ for the choir from Vicksburg’s Trinity Episcopal, it was wonderful…not a big choir but they sounded huge!.

Then on the 21 of December at St. Mary’s, the Holy Eucharist was celebrated, and the Chimneyville Readers Theater presented Truman Capote’s A Christmas Memory adapted and narrated by James Anderson of the greater Bolton area. What a treat that was!!!! I am not alone in hoping these will become annual Christmas events at St. Mary’s.



Santa Claus once again came to Edwards to Jo Gayle’s house… 20 or 25 children came to have breakfast with him.

There was a community candle light Christmas service at the Edwards United Methodist Church.

                              Community Candle Light service at the Edwards Methodist Church
On the 18th , at St. marks in Raymond, the Raymond Methodist choirs, adult and Joy, performed The Gift…once again not a big choir but the acoustics in these old churches just a few can put out the volume….sounds like many more then you see for sure. The Edwards Presbyterian Children’s Choir went caroling the 18th. The 19th I was at Campbell Swamp for carol singing and covered dish dinner at Gordon Cottons….I look forward to this every year…mostly we sing with out instrument accompaniment….this year we did have a keyboard …but it was uncooperative at times…we just went right on singing loud and out of tune.



Garrett, my big, 6 foot tall ,21 year old, grandson build a gingerbread house, to entertain, my little friend, six month old, Whittaker. Whit was tickled by the whole thing. Whit was so tickled Garrett…. it tickle Garrett.
 And the sight of the two of them tickled me…… And that my friends will always be my favorite memory from the Christmas of 2010.

                    Whit, kicking with glee.. Garrett's hands and a bit of his mustache and beard.

Love to all





Whittaker is the son of CJ and Angie Zadrozny…..and the grandson of Lewis and Kay Montgomery