Sunday, July 22, 2012

I'm Tired.

Post  792  ~ ~ ~ Sunday  22nd  July,  2012. 

Hello again my dear friends, it is nice to be with you again and it is a nice sunny day here today and a top temperature of 16 C predicted which is about 60 or 7O F.  I do hope it  is a nice day where you are and not too hot or too cold. This is the nicest weekend we have had for weeks and I had my son Geoff and daughter-in-law Joanne come on Friday night to stay. They did some work in my garden as usual and we had a nice visit.

My brother-in-law died last week and the funeral is on Thursday. John will take me to that. He was 88 years old, so it is not as sad as someone young dying, but it is a sad loss to his 
children - five of them all in about the 50s.  To lose a parent is always so sad and I must admit I have felt the loss myself. However life goes on and I hope they will all feel a little better once the funeral is over.  You can grieve for as long as it takes but at least it is unfinished business at the moment.  You never forget loved ones.

Well on with this as it really is Sunday afternoon this week. First item was sent by my brother Peter and is called  "I'm  Tired." Thank you Peter.

This should be required reading for every man, woman and child in  Jamaica, The  UK ,  United States of America ,  Canada , Australia and  New Zealand and To all the world... 

"I'm 83 and I'm Tired"

I'm 83. 
Except for brief period in the 50's when I was doing my National Service, I've worked hard since I was 17. Except for some some serious Health challenges, I put in 50-hour weeks, and didn't call in sick in nearly 40 years. I made a reasonable salary, but I didn't inherit my job or my Income, and I worked to get where I am. Given the economy, it looks as Though retirement was a bad idea, and I'm tired. Very tired. 

I'm tired of being told that I have to "spread the wealth" to people who
Don't have my work ethic. I'm tired of being told the government will take The money I earned, by force if necessary, and give it to people too lazy To earn it. 


I'm tired of being told that Islam is a "Religion of Peace," when every day I Can read dozens of stories of Muslim men killing their sisters, wives and Daughters for their family "honor"; of Muslims rioting over some slight Offense; of Muslims murdering Christian and Jews because they aren't "believers"; of Muslims burning schools for girls; of Muslims stoning Teenage rape victims to death for "adultery"; of Muslims mutilating the Genitals of little girls; all in the name of Allah, because the Qur'an and Shari'a law tells them to. 

I'm tired of being told that out of "tolerance for other cultures" we must let Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries use our oil money to fund mosques And madrassa Islamic schools to preach hate in  Australia ,  New Zealand , UK ,  America and  Canada , while no one from these countries are allowed to Fund a church, synagogue or religious school in  Saudi Arabia or any other Arab country to teach love and tolerance.. 
 
I'm tired of being told I must lower my living standard to fight global
Warming, which no one is allowed to debate.

I'm tired of being told that drug addicts have a disease, and I must help Support and treat them, and pay for the damage they do. Did a giant germ Rush out of a dark alley, grab them, and stuff white powder up their noses Or stick a needle in their arm while they tried to fight it off? 
I'm tired of hearing wealthy athletes, entertainers and politicians of all
Parties talking about innocent mistakes, stupid mistakes or youthful
Mistakes, when we all know they think their only mistake was getting
Caught. I'm tired of people with a sense of entitlement, rich or poor. 

I'm really tired of people who don't take responsibility for their lives and Actions. I'm tired of hearing them blame the government, or discrimination Or big-whatever for their problems. 

I'm also tired and fed up with seeing young men and women in their teens and Early 20's be-deck them selves in tattoos and face studs, thereby making Themselves un-employible and claiming money from the Government. 

Yes, I'm damn tired. But I'm also glad to be 83.. Because, mostly, I'm not
Going to have to see the world these people are making. I'm just sorry for My granddaughter and their children. Thank God I'm on the way out and not On the way in. 

There is no way this will be widely publicized, unless each of us Sends it on!

This is your chance to make a difference.
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The next item is a True Story sent by my dear friend, Jeanette Thank you Jan. 
 
 This is a true story and it will give you the chills. This is a beautiful and touching story of love and perseverance. Well worth the read.
 
At the prodding of my friends I am writing this
story. My name is Mildred Honor and I am a former elementary school music teacher from Des Moines , Iowa . 
 
I have always supplemented my income by teaching piano lessons - something I have done for over 30 years.
During those years I found that children have many
levels of musical ability, and even though I have never had the pleasure of having a prodigy, I have taught some very talented students. 

However, I have also had my share of what I call
'musically challenged' pupils - one such pupil being Robby..
 
 Robby was 11 years old when his mother (a single mom) dropped him off for his first piano lesson. I prefer that students (especially boys) begin at an earlier age, which I explained to Robby. But Robby said that it had always been his mother's  dream to hear him play the piano, so I took him as a student.
 
Well, Robby began his piano lessons and from the
beginning I thought it was a hopeless endeavor. As much as Robby tried, he lacked the sense of tone and basic rhythm needed to excel.  But he dutifully reviewed his scales and some elementary piano pieces that I require all my students to learn.  Over the months he tried and tried while I listened and cringed and tried to encourage him.
 
At the end of each weekly lesson he would always say 'My mom's going to hear me play someday'.  But to me, it seemed hopeless, he just did not have any inborn  ability.
 
I only knew his mother from a distance as she dropped Robby off or waited in her aged car to pick him up. She always waved and smiled, but never dropped in.
 
Then one day Robby stopped coming for his lessons. I thought about calling him, but assumed that because of his lack of ability he had decided to pursue something else. I was also glad that he had stopped coming - he was a bad advertisement for my teaching!
 
Several weeks later I mailed a flyer recital to the
students' homes. To my surprise, Robby (who had received a flyer) asked me if he could be in the recital. I told him that the recital was for current pupils and that because he had dropped out, he really did not qualify.
 
He told me that his mother had been sick and unable to take him to his piano lessons, but that he had been practicing.
'Please Miss Honor, I've just got to play' he insisted. I don't know what led me to allow him to play in the recital - perhaps it was his insistence or maybe something inside of me saying that it would beall right.
 
The night of the recital came and the high school
gymnasium was packed with parents, relatives and friends. I put Robby last in the program, just before I was to come up and thank all the students and play a finishing piece. I thought that any damage he might do would come at the end of the program and I could always salvage his poor performance through my 'curtain closer'.
 
Well, the recital went off without a hitch, the
students had been practicing and it showed. Then Robby came up on the stage. His clothes were wrinkled and his hair looked as though he had run an egg beater through it.  'Why wasn't he dressed up like the other students?'  I thought. 'Why didn't his mother at least make him comb his hair for this special night?'

 Robby pulled out the piano bench, and I was surprised when he announced that he had chosen to play Mozart's Concerto No..21 in C Major. I was not prepared for what I heard next. His fingers were light on the keys, they even danced nimbly on the ivories. He went from pianissimo to fortissimo, from allegro to virtuoso; his suspended chords that Mozart demands were magnificent! 

 Never had I heard Mozart played so well by anyone his age. After six and a half minutes he ended in a grand crescendo, and everyone was on their feet in wild applause!  Overcome and in tears, I ran up onstage and put my arms around Robby in joy.  'I have never heard you play like that Robby, how did you do it? 

 Through the microphone Robby explained: 'Well,
Miss Honor ..... remember I told you that my mom was sick? Well, she actually had cancer and passed away this morning. And well ...... she was born deaf, so tonight was the first time she had ever heard me play, and I wanted to make it special.'

 There wasn't a dry eye in the house that evening. As the people from Social Services led Robby from the stage to be placed in to foster care, I noticed that even their eyes were red and puffy. I thought to myself then how much richer my life had been for taking Robby as my pupil. 

 No, I have never had a prodigy, but that night I
became a prodigy ........ of Robby.  He was the teacher and I was the pupil, for he had taught me the meaning of perseverance and love and believing in yourself, and may be even taking a chance on someone and you didn't know why.

 Robby was killed years later in the senseless bombing of the Alfred P. Murray Federal Building in Oklahoma City in April, 1995.

 And now, a footnote to the story. If you are thinking about forwarding this message, you are probably wondering which people on your address list aren't the 'appropriate' ones to receive this type of message.  The person who sent  this to you believes that we can all make a difference!

 So many seemingly trivial interactions between two people present us with a choice
Do we act with compassion or do we pass up that
opportunity and leave the world a bit colder in the process?

                Thank you for reading this.
May God Bless you today, tomorrow and always.
If God didn't have a purpose for us, we wouldn't be here!


                

               Live simply.

               Love generously.

               Care deeply. 

               Speak kindly.

               Leave the rest to God.
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Jan also sent the next one called  "Early  Heaven."

Tony and Yvonne were 85 years old and had been married for sixty years. Though they were far from rich, they managed to get by because they carefully watched their pennies.

    Though not young, they were both in very good health, largely due to Yvonne's insistence on healthy foods and exercise for the last decade.

    One day, their good health didn't help when they went on yet another holiday vacation and their plane crashed, sending them off to Heaven.

    They reached the pearly gates, and St. Peter escorted them inside. He took them to a beautiful mansion, furnished in gold and fine silks, with a fully stocked kitchen and a waterfall in the master bath. A maid could be seen hanging their favorite clothes in the closet. They gasped in astonishment when he said, 'Welcome to Heaven. This will be your home now.'

    Tony asked Peter how much all this was going to cost. 'Why, nothing,' Peter replied, 'remember, this is your reward in Heaven.'

    Tony looked out the window and right there he saw a championship golf course, finer and more beautiful than any ever built on Earth..

    'What are the greens fees?,' grumbled Tony..

    'This is heaven,' St. Peter replied. 'You can play for free, every day.'

    Next they went to the clubhouse and saw the lavish buffet lunch.

    'Don't even ask,' said St. Peter to Tony. This is Heaven, it is all free for you to enjoy.'

    Tony looked around and nervously asked Yvonne 'Well, where are the low fat and low cholesterol foods and the decaffeinated tea?'

    'That's the best part,' St. Peter replied. 'You can eat and drink as much as you like and you will never get fat or sick. This is Heaven!'

    'No gym to work out at?' said Tony
    'Not unless you want to,' was the answer.
    'No testing my sugar or blood pressure or...'
    'Never again'

    Tony glared at Yvonne and said, 'You and your Fecking Bran Flakes and Salads. We could have been here ten years ago!'
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Next one from Linda in Canberra. Thank you my friend. It is called "Mom's Driver's License."


A mother is driving her little girl to her friend's house for a play date.

' Mommy ,' the little girl asks, 'how old are you?'

'Honey, you are not supposed to ask a lady her age,' the mother replied. 'It's not polite.'

'OK', the little girl says,
'How much do you weigh?'

'Now really,' the mother says, 'those are personal questions and are really none of your business.'

Undaunted, the little girl asks, 'Why did you and Daddy get a divorce?'

'That's enough questions, young lady! Honestly!'

The exasperated mother walks away as the two friends begin to play.

' My Mom won't tell me anything about her,' the little girl says to her friend.

'Well,' says the friend, all you need to do is look at her driver's license. It's like a report card, it has everything on it.'

Later that night the little girl says to her mother,
'I know how old you are. You are 32.'

The mother is surprised and asks,
'How did you find that out?

'I also know that you weigh 130 pounds.'

The mother is past surprised and shocked now.
'How in Heaven's name did you find that out?'

'And,' the little girl says triumphantly,
'I know why you and daddy got a divorce.'


'Oh really?' the mother asks. 'Why?'


'Because you got an F in sex.'


If you see someone without a smile today Give them one of yours.
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My Cousin Bill sent me 'Five Rules to Remember in Life.  Thanks Bill.

1.  Money can't buy happiness but it's more comfortable to cry in a Bentley than a Nissan Micro.

2  Forgive your enemy but remember the
bast**d's name.

3.  Help someone when they are in trouble, and they will remember you when they are in trouble again.

4.  Many people are alive only because it's illegal to shoot them.

5.  Alcolol doesn't solve any problems but, then
neither does milk.
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One from Mountain Wings called  "The  Frog."

An accountant was crossing a road one day when a frog called out to him and said, "If you kiss me, I'll turn into a beautiful princess." He bent over and picked up the frog and put it in his pocket.

The frog spoke again and said, "If you kiss me and turn me back into a beautiful princess, I will stay with you for one week." The accountant took the frog out of his pocket, smiled at it and put it back in his pocket.

The frog then cried out "If you kiss me and turn me back into a beautiful princess, I'll stay with you for a week and do ANYTHING you want. Again the accountant took the frog out, smiled at it and put it back in his pocket.
 
Finally the frog asked, "What is the matter? I've told you I'm a beautiful princess, that I'll stay with you for a week and do anything you want. Why won't you kiss me?"

The accountant said, "Look, I work as an accountant. I don't have time for a girlfriend,
but a talking frog - now that's cool."
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Last one tonight was from my friend Gina.  Thank you Gina.

Due to a power cut, only one paramedic responded to the call.  Th house was very dark, so the paramedic asked Kathleen, a 3 year old girl to hold a flashlight high over her mother so he could see while he helped deliver the baby.

Very diligently, Kathleen did as she was asked.  Heidi pushed and pushed and after a little while, Connor was born.

The paramedic lifted him by his little feet and patted him on the bottom.  Connor began to cry.  He then thanked Kathleen for her help and asked the wide-eyed 3 year old what she thought about what she had just witnessed.

Kathleen quickly responded,  "He shouldn't have crawled in there  in the first place........
smack him again!"
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Well it is time to close so I hope you found something of interest or funny.  Look after
yourselves dear friends, and each other. Do something nice for someone.  Even just pass on a smile that may make someone lonely happy. Love and best wishes, Cheers, Merle.

Post  792  ~ ~ ~ Sunday,  22nd  July,  2012.
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12 comments:

Bec said...

Hi Grandma. I've lost my voice again and can't ring you. Sorry bout your brother-in-law. Hugs from Queensland.
Glad Dad can take you on Thursday. Hope you are well. Love Bec

Granny Annie said...

"Smack him again". Oh I love that. Wow, lots for us this Sunday.

Granny Annie said...

And I too am so sorry for you loss. I am so very close to my brothers-in-law and cannot imagine losing one. Family is family. Blessings to all.

Lady Di Tn said...

Glad you got to supervise the yard work again but I am sure you enjoyed the visit most of all. Sorry to hear about your bil and hope the family can find comfort in their time of lost. Now that number 4 is a good one. Peace

Karen said...

If any man deserves to be tired, it's that man. He is still amazing, at 83.

Take care my dear friend! Love you!!! XOXOXOXOXOXO

Dave said...

Wonderful post today Merle! I'm even going to borrow one or two soon! *S*

Have a wonderful week dear friend.

Jim said...

Hi Merle ~~ I too am sorry about the loss of your brother-in-law. One good thing about funerals is that there is a lot of nice visiting between the relatives, some you don't see any other times.

Afternoon jokes were good. I am glad your temps are starting to warm. We still aren't at our max July and August temps. Has only been over 100 a few days so far here.

Cheers,
..

Gina E. said...

Dear Merle, my condolences on the passing of your brother-in-law. 88 years is a good innings, but those left behind will still miss him.
I don't remember sending you that last joke. In fact I don't remember it at all! Is there another Gina in your fan club? LOL!

Big Dave T said...

Hea, Merle. I took your advice and put up a new blog myself, though I'm still boycotting Google.

I think I could debate global warming--it's been pretty hot and miserable in these parts, but cooler and rainier today anyway.

Liked your jokes and your inspirational stories as always. And I liked hearing about your garden because I picked a few tomatoes from my own last night. Bacon, lettuce tomatoe sandwiches for tonight.

Kat said...

Hi Merle,
Read about your brother in law's death - so sorry to hear it. I hope it was a peaceful one. Enjoyed reading some of your stories, especially the one about Mum's driving licence.Gave me a good laugh!
Thanks

audrey` said...

My deepest condolences and sympathy on the passing of your brother-in-law, dearest Merle. Take care (((HUGS)))

Winifred said...

So sorry about your brother in law Merle, it's hard to lose people even if they are older.

Thanks for the funnies. Smack him again - Priceless!

Look after yourself Merle