Photo of the Week - Spring in Bloom

Magnolia Tree

Pear Tree

Dogwood Tree

Source: Unknown

Please remember to submit those photos to the Dew - photos that show the beauty of the South!

It's a New World

Preface: In recent weeks, my 88 year old mom, no longer able to live alone due to mental and physical frailty, has become an additional resident of our household. Needless to say, our days and nights are quite different, but never boring. Afraid that in time these special events would slip from my thoughts, I decided to take pen in hand and record some of our most memorable experiences.

J.A. Heitmueller


March 26,2008

Good morning from our world of geriatric caregiving.

I just have to share the first hour of our day this beautiful Wednesday. So great to begin a brand new chilly day with a warm, hearty laugh and if this continues, as it has begun, I shall be rolling in the floor before "Sundowner's" time arrives! (Which begins between 4 and 5:30 PM) www.sundownerfacts.com

At 7AM I head mumblings from the baby monitor, so headed downstairs to check on Mom. She was peeking from under her cozy, warm covers like a little child expecting to encounter the Boogie Man and wondering if it was time to get up yet. I told her I would warm the kitchen and be back to get her in just a few minutes. As I entered the kitchen I was greeted by the aroma of a cat "donation". Apparently Squeak, the inside cat had gotten locked in the basement last night, unable to deposit her donation in the litter box upstairs and had chosen a dark, secluded corner behind the clawfoot bathtub. I think she had taken a dose of Exlax...'nuf said. Got that cleaned up , went back to get Mom dressed and ready for her breathing treatment and breakfast. As she sat there picking at her oatmeal, while attempting to remember what her former home looked like and what day it was, I heard a terrible rumbling from the center of the house that grew louder each second and seemed to go on endlessly... Ray had tumbled down the attic stairs from our bedroom! I Left Mom at the table in her state of fogginess, 'midst the lingering cat aroma (mixed with fresh bleach fumes) and sprinted to check on the commotion. I reached the foot of the stairs about the same time that he "landed" and was greeted by a rather frazzled, wide eyed, pale, underwear clad husband who wondered just what in the world had "besot" him at this early morning hour. Other than a pinky toe, which now turns toward 3 o'clock, rather than 12 o'clock, he seems to be no worse for the damage. When I went back to the kitchen my nose detected another scent... hmmmmm... "something" burning. I had forgotten and left the broiler on when I made Mom's toast. Scurried to turn off the broiler and there... "Opie", another cat... (the house is full of them it seems) was entertaining herself joyfully on this spring morning by decorating the stovetop and surrounding floor with the remnants of her vicious attack on a roll of paper towels. She was having such a gleeful time that I couldn't bring myself to scold her or remove her wonderful toy. After all, vacuum cleaners are marvelous devices for clearing away such mischief. Mom kept asking where Ray went and if he was mad and had left the house because she was living here. About that time the Hospice nurse called and cheerfully asked how our day was going...I burst out laughing and haven't stopped yet!

Have a great day...we are.

j*a

"Rapture"

Rapture

Oh joy, the days of springtime when the earth begins to bloom
and gelid days of wintertime have shed their frigid gloom.
When minute buds and shoots stretch forth from their long winter sleep
and delicate, gossamer shapes buoyed by azure creep.

Grand palette splashes overnight spread hues of pink and blue,
as melodies of earth and sky in unison renew.
Awakening soil expels a host of movements,
textures, smells; as if in pregnancy's full bloom she
grows, transforms and swells.

Soft, gentle rain joins sunshine's rays to nourish, soothe, caress.
Totality of elements united to impress!
A dormant landscape, hibernation, shield from winter's wrath.
Immersed within a natural rhythm…a predestined path.

A cornucopia of pride displayed majestically.
Glad welcomed feast to be consumed, to hear, breathe, touch and see.
This present Mother Nature shares, delivered to our door.
Her precious gift of newfound life, peace, joy and hope
….once more.

***
Jane-Ann Heitmueller

Me and several of my friends like to meet up at the kudzu bar on Thursdays. It's kinda like "thank god it's almost friday" combined with the karma that is distinctly womanhood, southern style. We are rednecks, hear us roar! Beer is only a buck so we can afford to kick back and catch up with each others' lives. I wouldn't trade that meeting for all the address books in China. We talk about who's done us wrong at work and what the kids are up to. Sometimes we even pick up our Avon orders and ooh and ahh over the loot. Rarely are religion and politics involved in our discussions. Girls just wanna' have fun.

The afternoon crowd in the kudzu consists of a whole bunch of married guys who listen to each other's stories and play dominos while they're watching sports. We know exactly who to trust in that situation. More often than not their cell phone toting wives are out doing their own thangs and it's all good when they meet up at home. Nobody gets jealous because it's all about friendship. Becky runs a tight ship and knows exactly what everybody wants to drink plus what their latest drama is. It comes with the territory, ya know?

Bev mostly stays away now because she's busy doing HER own thing up in Yorkville with her parents. That girl has a set of pipes you would not believe! Started out singin' karaoke at local bars and then bought her own. I've seen a lot of talent up in there on a weekend night with Monkeyboy or Dennis on the boards. Back in the day nobody and I mean nobody would get up there with a microphone except for a few brave souls like Randall. Dang good voice too!

Occasionally a genteleman is allowed to sit with us and listen into our conversations. Helps 'em to understand their own women in an odd experimental sort of way. Poor things don't seem to have a clue what girls want outside of the other half of the rent and flowers on Valentine's day. We talk and sometimes they go away with the feeling that women aren't all manipulative wenches. We love each 'em with all our collective little southern hearts and then some.

Closing time is 3am per city law but they rarely stay open that long except on the weekends when the talent comes out to sing. It's awesome ya'll..you should be there sometime when it all clicks.

The Magic that is Disney

Disney World. The Magic Kingdom. Mickey's house, Cinderella's castle, Pirates of the Caribbean before the movie, Tomorrowland, Epcot, It's a Small World After All.

Is there really anything more magical?

Yes, I know it's a theme park, one that costs a small fortune to attend. Lunch alone will empty your 401K account.

But there's just something special about the place.

Since I'm a Southerner, my proximity to the land of magic has always been pretty close. I usually stay within a 8 hour radius of Disney. Perhaps I'm on a leash, unlike Pluto. :) So I can honestly say that I have been to Disney World a lot. I used to Christmas with my Florida family in Tampa and the holiday was never the same unless we made at least a one day trip to Disney.

Growing up Disney was a lot smaller and one full day could do you. Epcot didn't even open until I was in high school. Ooh, aging myself there. Bless Mom and Dad, they had little to no interest in Disney - they were older parents, but they faithfully walked around that place, renting Polaroid cameras at outrageous prices with $20 film packets because they forgot a camera. $5 hotdogs, back in the day (I really hate that term, but I must remain "with the times".), the AmEx pulled out for dinner with Goofy - the whole bit.

Plus they were motorhome maniacs so we always parked on Wilderness Island and took the little boat over to the Kingdom. One year we took the late boat back right through the water fireworks show they used to have - awesome and scary at the same time.

I moved away for a few years, got married, had babies, the whole bit. We moved back here to the South about 10 years ago and one day we were thinking of a vacation. Hubby asked where I wanted to go - without thought it just popped into my head - Disney!

He gave me a look like why would a grown woman want to go to Disney? He had never been you see - he was from Up North. But he, like the rest of America, watched it every Sunday evening right after Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom. Bless Marlin Perkins.

So he was game, we did have three little kids and two were still free - once Hubby got a load of the prices, he jumped on the free bit and into the car we went.

To the day I die, the most priceless moment in that first Disney family vacation will be the memory of my very adult husband's mouth hanging open as we took the ferry to the Kingdom. Where he looked with joy, just as a 5 year old would, and said, "It's just like on the tv." Then a big huge grin broke out over his face.

Magic.

Now of course the park is so big you buy 4 days worth of tickets - again, say goodbye to retirement income - and you go one day to each park that's tied in - The Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios. It's a whole vacation, not just a day stop. You literally collapse in your hotel room, ignoring the tiki bar at the pool - yes, you're that tired. You do realize the children will kill you if you miss even one huge nightly firework show - each park has one, and in the Magic Kingdom Tinkerbell flies down during the last firework so you know there's no missing that. Therefore, you are there from the opening to the closing, every single day.

It's exhausting, pricey, crowded with people from every country, but still impeccably clean, impossibly friendly, and of course, the ever present...........

magical.

This is not a review for an attraction - this is just a very strong set of memories that I will cherish when I'm stuck in the rocking chair, sipping sweet tea that may or may not be secretly laced with rum, swapping stories with Celia.

:)