I have realized that there was some truth to the fact that life was gentler and easier when I was a young child. One thing I miss more than anything is manners in children and respect for others, especially adults. In this current age, children call everyone by their first name and seem not to have been taught the simple act of saying please and thank you.
As a child I had to call everyone Mr. or Mrs. or Aunt and Uncle, etc... If a relative was quite a bit older than I was they were Aunt and Uncle. I was almost an adult before I found that many aunts and uncles were either cousins or just very close friends of the family. I never outgrew that respect for them. To this day they are still given that moniker when I talk about them.
I never called a teacher by their first name and I knew better than to talk back to any adult. The consequences at home were a strong deterent to such behavior and should a child be rude, you could bet the parent knew all about it before they ever got home.
What is extremely curious is that it all happened in an age without emails and cell phones. The telephone was the only communication device and it was put to good use for any wayward child. We knew it and we knew better than to get uppity unless we really wanted a spanking or grounded.

Grounding was harsh back then since we didn't have tvs,computers or handheld games to entertain us and when we were told it was for a week, it was for a week, period. One didn't get off for a party or game or even a planned family outing. There were extra chores or sitting in our room reading a real book. No phone calls to friends, no one could come over. Did it hurt us and ruin our lives? I for one think it did not and the lesson of learning to be respectful didn't hurt as I grew and began working.
I wish that children today could learn some of those lessons. Maybe some day adults will decide to be leaders once again. It could happen.

Envy is still the monster

Envy...that purported green eyed monster that lurks within all of us. I must admit that sometimes I drool (mentally of course) over what my loving relatives have accomplished and wonder why I was not smart enough, wise enough, or maybe passionate enough to do the same. Case in point, I have two wonderful cousins who are artistic while I couldn't draw a straight line with a ruler nor wax eloquently in writing about just about anything. Meanwhile, they blithely create beautiful, mysterious paintings and jot down thoughts that I must ponder sometimes til my head feels stuffed and albeit maybe a little confused. To add to all this they discuss wonderful trips they've made and all the beauty they have seen while I discuss the latest jaunt to help move one of my family members.
But then I think of the love of my family, the joyous little trips we've made (although I really am tired of the deep ruts I have made between Washington and Arizona) and the NOW hilarious little trip ups that have occurred on said trips.
Maybe that green eyed monster does surface as I drink in the latest tales and envision it for myself, but occasionally I will hear that someone envies what I have or am doing and I wonder why.
Could life be more mysterious?

Please visit my wonderful cousins great blog site at http://sandramardene.googlepages.com
I know you will love the beautiful paintings and great stories that reside there. Enjoy.

First Day

Ok, here I am with a new blog page. Oh, boy. At my age I'm not sure what I'm going to be saying as I progress forward, but I'm sure that I will find it will take on a life of it's own before long.
Do I have anything important to say? Hmmm that will be an interesting path to go down and search for the answer. Will I be profound? In all honesty, probably not a whole lot..I find humor is much more fun and if someone gets what I really mean by something, then it is all the better.
They say blogging can be theraputic and about now that would be quite nice as life is on the hectic side this way, not to say that no one else is trudging along through the muck of daily life.
So I shall see what comes of this.