by Debbie Walker

Come to think of it, this has actually been a four generation female journey. The three generations, my daughter, granddaughter and myself, traveled with mom’s car that she left for me this past summer when she died.

Mom’s name was Alice. I named her car Alice. Mom came to me in a dream one night recently and said, “I gave you your wings, now fly little bird.” The trip was on!

To add to our little adventure into warmer weather, we drove into a snowstorm in Virginia! We were lucky to have our friend, Steve, monitoring the storm and what was going on ahead of us on the entire trip.

Once there, before coming to our room, my granddaughter looked out a third story window onto the parking lot below. There was a vehicle on which someone had written the name “ALICE” in the three inches of snow on the car. Okay, mom is definitely making the journey with us and wants us to know!

Virginia slowed us down with some nasty driving. My daughter has only driven on snow and ice for one week on an earlier vacation, years ago. My granddaughter, Florida born, has zero exposure to life with snow. They were both troopers, especially one stop light where the vehicles did a little slide before stopping.

That night in the hotel, I thought we might be asked to leave the premises. There were some seriously loud bouts of laughing coming from our room. Do you know what happens when three women, after hours and hours of driving on unfamiliar roads and streets, settle in for the night? It seems we can and did get pretty crazy! The two younger generations decided they would do facial masks of clay or whatever. There may be situations in which these things could be done without hysterical laughter, however, that was not the case with our aching bodies. Of course, when they took distorted pictures of the activity and sent them to various friends and loved ones it just added yet another laughing session!

I forgot to tell you about my daughter “losing” me in a totally unfamiliar city, in a snowstorm. She and my granddaughter were the lead vehicle as I followed, they had the GPS. The lead made it through a light and I got caught. Quickly she realized she left me behind. My granddaughter says her mother had a “meltdown!” All panicky because to her I was lost. So funny. Needless to say we reconnected with very little effort.

The next morning we waited until daylight to leave because of the snowstorm. After all the hoopla about the dreaded snowstorm it really wasn’t that bad. Maybe the attitude is a little different when the driver is from Maine rather than Virginia!

We did make it to Florida just fine. It was a bit rainy but we crossed that state line and I was a happy woman! Today it was in the 70s and sunny and I enjoyed every second of it.

I am just curious what sort of journey you have been on. I’d love to hear. Contact me at dwdaffy@yahoo.com. Thanks for reading!

by Debbie Walker

Shared with you by Debbie Walker

Poems

Tonight I am going to share a poem that I wrote and one that I found years ago. I find it and I lose it, I find it and I lose it. While it is in the ‘found’ mode I would like to share it with you.

Not Yet

Author unknown

Winter, don’t descend on me;
I am not ready yet.
The mittens, boots and woolen socks
Are placed where I forget.
The sleds are piled behind the bikes
The runners’ red with rust.
The shovel’s somewhere in the garage
Buried deep in dust.
Winter, don’t descend on me;
Your cold and blowing snow
Keeps whipping through my
Muddled mind –
Where did the summer go?

That is how I feel every winter! I have noticed most folks aren’t saying where did summer go. They want to know where did this past year go! I agree.

So, my attempt at a poem is next. It was written the first winter I came back to Maine from Florida.

Maine March

by Debbie Walker

The dog is so anxious to go out
I’m putting on my coat
Dreading the very cold
There are little patches of snow left in the yard
Left over grass crunching under our feet
The dog is eagerly sniffing the
new smells of the day.
And I’m not really noticing the cold.
Instead I was noticing the crunching grass
The trees groaning as they sway to the wind
And I’m enjoying breathing
the sharp, cold air of a Maine March.

The following material is from an email about Mother’s:

Moms Now vs. Moms Then

by I Might Be Funny

Now: That word is inappropriate.
Then: Say that again and I’ll wash your mouth out with soap.
Now: Good job trying one bite of the dinner I made. Now you can have mac & cheese.
Then: You’ll eat what I make, whether you like it or not. There are starving children in the world.
Now: I can see you’re upset. Take a deep breath and use your words.
Then: You better stop crying or I’ll really give you something to cry about.
Now: You can’t walk around the block by yourself. I’ll drive you. Text me when you need a ride .
Then: You want to go out? Take your bike. Be home before dark.
Now: I packed your bento box with almond butter on whole grain, kale chips and org. smoothie.
Then: Take a brown bag with a bologna sandwich on Wonder bread, a Twinkie and a Hawaiian Punch, too.

My Mom Taught Me

Religion – You better pray that comes out of the carpet!
Logic – Because I said so, that’s why!
Wisdom – When you get to my age you’ll understand.
Justice – One day you’ll have kids. I hope they turn out just like you!

A friend shared these two tidbits he heard on the radio:

A mother keeps her kids away from the ice cream truck by explaining if the music is playing they are all out of ice cream.

Another mother driving on the highway with unruly kids in the back seat, runs her tires over the rumble strip and tells them there is a helicopter with police flying above them watching their behavior!

I’m just curious what stories you have to share. Contact me at dwdaffy@yahoo.com with questions and comments.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

by Debbie Walker

Thank you for responding with some of your Christmas memories and allowing me to share them with our other readers. I hope you all enjoy them as much as I have. Here they are:

From Casey M.: A teen years memory is the year my brother almost squashed my mom. Every year we tried to be the first to get up. On this year my brother thought he was first up but my mom was already on the couch and almost landed on her.

Also: An adult memory is the year my parents flew to Virginia to spend Christmas with me when I was stationed on a ship there. They flew in Christmas evening and brought a snowstorm with them. The next day everything shut down because of the storm. Us Mainers were the only one out and about enjoying the snowing Christmas.

Marylou says: When I was in high school (1957) – my sister had a record player – like a small overnight case and I loved it! So I asked for one for Christmas – knowing full well my parents could not afford it. But I asked anyway. Without my knowledge, my parents “bought” my sister’s player – wrapped it up and put it under the tree. When I opened it I was shocked! And I cried! My mother could not believe it meant that much to me. It was a very Merry Christmas!

Edgar C. shares: On the little table in front of the window was what my father called his Christmas decoration and he wanted me to tell him why. There stood a small branch, or twig, in a block of wood with no leaves on it and an emptied bullet hanging from one of the twigs. From past events of this type I knew that I could not talk to him until I had figured out his “Christmas Decoration.”

Hmmmm! No leaves. A bullet? A casing? A round? A shell? A cartridge. On a branch with no leaves. Pacing and brain wracking followed. My father looking around the door frame from the kitchen every few minutes. Think about Christmas songs. Christmas trees, the weather? Song after song…. Wait! Cartridge sounds like ….. it’s on the tip of my brain! Yes!! Cartridge sounds like partridge. But the branch does not come from a pear tree. There are none around here. It’s just a bare …. Oh-h-h-h! A cartridge in a bare tree! A smile from my father! The guy with the eighth grade education stumps the college kid, again. I, for my part, did not help my siblings as they arrived and had their turn in the living room!

I’m just curious if you know how important it is to share your memories with family and friends, and to make new ones. Wishing you the Merriest Christmas and a Happy, Healthy New Year! Find me at dwdaffy@yahoo.com! Thanks again for reading!

by Debbie Walker

Collected by Debbie Walker

I filed this on my computer years ago because I loved the thought behind it. I don’t know who the author was but I knew I would want to share it.

Birth of a New Tradition

As the holidays approach, the giant Asian factories are kicking into high gear to provide Americans with monstrous piles of cheaply produced goods – merchandise that has been produced at the expense of American labor. This year will be different. This year Americans will give the gift of genuine concern for other Americans. There is no longer an excuse that, at gift giving time, nothing can be found that is produced by American hands. Yes, there is!

It’s time to think outside the box, people. Who says a gift needs to fit in a shirt box, wrapped in Chinese produced wrapping paper? Everyone – yes EVERYONE gets their hair cut. How about gift certificates from your local American hair salon or barber?

Gym membership? It’s appropriate for all ages who are thinking about some health improvement.

Who wouldn’t appreciate getting their car detailed? Small, American owned detail shops and car washes would love to sell you a gift certificate or a book of gift certificates.

Are you one of those extravagant givers who think nothing of plunking down the Benjamins on a Chinese made flat-screen? Perhaps that grateful gift receiver would like his driveway sealed, or lawn mowed for the summer, or driveway plowed all winter, or games at the local golf course.

There are a bazillion owner-run restaurants – all offering gift certificates. And, if your intended isn’t the fancy eatery sort, what about a half dozen breakfasts at the local breakfast joint. Remember, folks this isn’t about big National chains – this is about supporting your home town Americans with their financial lives on the line to keep their doors open.

How many people couldn’t use an oil change for their car, truck or motorcycle, done at a shop run by the American working guy?

Thinking about a heartfelt gift for mom? Mom would LOVE the services of a local cleaning lady for a day.

My computer could use a tune-up, and I KNOW I can find some young guy who is struggling to get his repair business up and running.

OK, you were looking for something more personal. Local crafts: people spin their own wool and knit them into scarves. They make jewelry, and pottery and beautiful wooden boxes.

Plan your holiday outings at local, owner-operated restaurants and leave your server a nice tip. And, how about going out to see a play or ballet at your hometown theatre.

Musicians need love too, so find a venue showcasing local bands.

Honestly, people, do you REALLY need to buy another ten thousand Chinese lights for the house? When you buy a five dollar string of light, about 50 cents stays in the community. If you have those kinds of bucks to burn, leave the mailman, trash guy or babysitter a nice BIG tip.

You see, Christmas is no longer about draining American pockets so that China can build another glittering city. Christmas is now about caring about US, encouraging American small businesses to keep plugging away to follow their dreams. And, when we care about other Americans, we care about our communities, and the benefits come back to us in ways we couldn’t imagine. THIS is the new American Christmas tradition. This is a revolution of caring about each other, and isn’t that what Christmas is about?

by Debbie Walker

I have had some requests for an example of my fairy family of stories. This one I had some help with, my niece Haliegh, stepped up to the imagination challenge. She has an amazing mind. I hope you enjoy the little trip into your imagination with Haliegh and me.

Oscar the Eagle

by Debbie Walker & Haliegh

Apple Tree Notch is an ever growing, friendly community. As news travels about it being such a nice place to live, animal families are moving in.

One of the latest to move in is the animal family of Hooty Owls with their two owlets, Oscar and Charlene. No one has met them yet because they are night folks. They travel and hunt after dark. When the rest of Apple Tree Notch is just getting up in the morning, the Hooty Owls are settling in for their sleep. Everyone except …. Oscar.

Twig, Daisy and Fern, the fairy children have just been allowed outside after their breakfast. This morning Mom and Dad wanted them to do some tidying up of their area of Apple Tree Notch. There had been a storm that left things scattered about a bit.

As they were picking up they began to feel like they were being watched. They each decided to look around to see why they felt watched.

They found a little bird in a corner under the big boulder. They were excited to meet a new friend. The little bird was unsure of what he was seeing.

The little bird saw a twig, a flower and a fern but they were moving and talking to each other. Daisy spoke up first to introduce themselves as fairies and explain that Momma dressed them to fit into their area, looking like nature. This way they could blend into their surroundings for their safety.

As Daisy is explaining all this, Oscar’s big eyes are blinking, blinking as he looks from one to the other of the fairy children. The sun he is not used to is also causing some blinking. He finally speaks. He says, “my name is Oscar and I am an Eagle.”

An eagle, they know he is a bird because of his feathers and the only other bird they knew was the Momma blue bird that lived in Twig and Chippy’s cabin till her babies were ready to fly. So…an eagle is a great addition to their little community.

They continued to talk and get to know each other. The fairy children were having fun learning about Oscar’s family although they were a little confused. It seems Oscar was supposed to be sleeping like his family, but he so wanted to see and be a part of what this sunshine living was about. His family did all their activities at night and slept through the day.

This morning he stayed awake so he could see all this for himself but he had to admit that it was getting rather hard to stay awake. As his eyes closed he became the Eagle he knew he was in his sleep.

Fern, Daisy and Twig kept an eye on Oscar to make sure the sleeping Eagle wasn’t bothered.