DUST

The dust lies thick in my house
On the tables and lamps and TV
And every day I say to myself,
"I really should dust," but you see

The baby is tired and needs to be rocked
Her big sister needs a story read
The husband needs help finding his socks
The cat needs a pat on the head

A neighbor is sad and needs some cheer
Grandmother needs a visit
The family next door needs some help this year
Someone needs love who can't give it

The Food Pantry needs help filling its shelves
The Shelter needs kids' mittens
Nobody gets fed if we just help ourselves
Nobody keeps warm without giving

Yes, the dust lies thick on tables and chairs
But I will have no sorrow
Someone needs my help today
The dust will still be there tomorrow

That bad penny turns up again...or would that be Pearl-y?

   The strangest thing happened yesterday concerning my cat Pearl. I've had her for about a month, got the shots and tags and spaying and stuff, and yesterday a little boy from down the street shows up and says the cat is his and her name is Snowflake. Long story short I let him have the cat because I didn't have any reason not to believe him.
   He says he can carry her home but I seriously doubt that's going to work out well. He starts down the street with the cat in his arms and the cat goes crazy. Fighting, spitting, clawing, the poor little guy couldn't hold her. She gets away and runs for my porch as hard as she can. It should have ended there, I guess, but I didn't want the little boy to be unhappy about his cat so I drove them home myself. All the while, Pearl is screaming her head off in the back seat.
   I deposit them both and go back home, thinking I've done my good deed for the day by helping a little boy find his cat. About two minutes later, here is the boy and his Dad back at my door with the cat. They brought her back! Said she was hissing at the other cats they have and was clearly unhappy. The boy had this long face on so I insisted they keep the cat and maybe it would be alright.
   So I open my front door this morning and guess what?  Yep, there she was sitting on my front porch waiting for me to let her in. I did and you've never seen a happier kitty in your life. She went straight to her food bowl and her potty and then came back to cuddle up to me, purring so loud I think the folks on the other side of town could probably hear her.
    I have no idea what to do now. She obviously wants to stay with us but I don't want to see that long disappointed face on that little boy again. Time will tell what will happen next. For now Pearl, my bad penny, is home.

A Cat By Any Other Name...Would Still Stink

     I have a new friend at my house. A solid white female cat. She has been nothing but trouble so far and it will probably just get worse. Everything was going fairly well until the rabbit incident. My neighbor called and said she had just seen my cat running past her house with something in its mouth. Immediately I remembered my granddaughter had seen an adult rabbit in our front yard and I had seen it in the same place the next day.
     I went out to check and, sure enough, there was a hole covered by grass and soft, gray fur. I lifted the top and saw two sets of eyes looking back at me. Two baby rabbits. I suppose there had been three and I could figure out what had happened to the third one. Gone to an untimely death in the jaws of my sweet little kitty. I didn't know what else to do so I brought the two rabbits into the house. No sense in letting her get them too. One rabbit should be enough for anybody.
     I put the rabbits into an old thermos lunchbox and called my son for advice. He said put some grass in there and, if they ate it, all was well. If not, I'd be finding a way to nurse a rabbit. Well, that sounded painful so I hoped for the best. The next morning I check on them and guess what? No rabbits in the box! A frantic search lead to one right away but the other was nowhere in sight. I looked under beds and found nothing. Actually I did find rabbits under there but they were dust bunnies.
     After giving up the search, my husband said he thought he knew where it was. He was right, under his night stand. He carefully lifted the stand and I grabbed the bunny. Did you know rabbits scream when they're scared? At least I think it was the rabbit I heard screaming. Not sure, the sound sort of echoed around the room for awhile.
     Both rabbits safely back inside the box, I took it out to the back yard far from the house. I didn't want the little critters getting any ideas about coming back. As soon as their tiny feet touched the ground, both were off like a shot and disappeared into the bushes. That done, my next thought was, where is that cat? If cats can be in the dog house, this one was.
      The next day she reappeared as if nothing had happened, with a feline smile on her rabbit-eating face. Yes, I forgave her. I told myself she was just doing what cats do and let it go. Then came the collar incident. I had decided to keep her so I bought pans and litter and food and two collars. One was for the prevention of fleas, the other a pretty pink one with a bell. I never got to the bell one.
       I slipped the flea collar around her neck and she went into a frenzy. Spitting, howling, kicking, it was a terrible sight. And the cat did almost as bad. We fought for awhile and she managed to get the collar across her mouth and it was holding her mouth open. I tried to get the collar loose and at the same time not get myself torn to bits by her back claws. Suddenly the collar broke and she was free. And gone out the front door.
       This morning she was back. Apparently this time she had forgiven me. And, since she was gracious enough to give me another chance, I guess I can be gracious too. I've decided to call her Pearl.

Oh how the mighty have fallen!

This past Sunday was Easter and what an eye-opener it was indeed. Sometimes you think you know people and suddenly it becomes clear that you don't know them at all. Or, on the other hand, the darker thoughts you had about them prove to be true afterall. So what do you do? Do like others and put on your "company" face and pretend you saw nothing? Or be true to yourself and admit the faults you feared are really there?
I realize this is all very cryptic but I cannot be more plain without getting myself into trouble. There is only one person on this earth that stands between me saying what I really think and keeping it to myself. After she has gone on to be with Jesus in Heaven, then I will be free

It's the time of the season for...

I feel the earth, it's shifting sand
Something lost and something gained
And when at last it seems to stand
Here we go, around again

And The Walls, um Nanny, Came Tumbling Down

    I fly a Northern Ireland Antrim flag during March to honor my Irish ancestors. It's hung on two hooks on my front porch. This week I noticed that the flag had come loose on one side and was flapping in the strong wind. I didn't want it to tear and there was no one at home but me so I decided to fix it myself.
    I had enough sense to realize that the wet banister wasn't safe to stand on so I had the bright idea to get a chair. I had just replaced the flag on the hook and wound the bread tie anchor around it when I realized I was falling. Now, what happened on the way down I don't know. I have no memory of any of it.
     The next thing I do remember was hitting the concrete porch flat on my back and whacking my head. I lay there not knowing if I should try to get up or not. Maybe I had broken a bone. I couldn't tell because I wasn't hurting anywhere yet. But it was raining, I was in my nightgown and no one had seen me fall. I knew I couldn't just lie there, I had to get to a phone.
      I managed to get up on my hands and knees and a wave of nausea hit me big time. I stayed in that position until it passed and then somehow got to my feet. I discovered I could still walk, so far so good. I got inside, called my son Jimmy and then lay on the bed. That's when the shock set in and I realized I had probably hurt something inside. My leg was scraped but that was nothing compared to the pain in my side.
     Jimmy got me to the ER and another son, David, came. I had a CAT scan and an MRI and amazingly I was actually alright. They did find a hernia and a really big gall stone but, except for unbelievable soreness, I was going to make it. The next challenge will be how to get rid of the gall stone. More on that later.

How The Mockingbird Got Its Name

Have you ever wondered how
The mockingbird got its name?
Why no matter what song another bird sings
The mockingbird can sound the same?

Well, listen my children and I will tell
A story from when time began
All about the lovely mockingbird
And how it got its name

On a bright and windy day
God the Father looked down to see
What was the noise that He could hear
Coming from His trees

It was the sound of His beautiful birds
But not a song of praise
The birds were all singing at once
What a noise they made!

Each one had a marvelous song
The Father created just for them
But there was none that could direct
The glorious morning hymn

The robin and sparrow could sing the lead
The owl sang bass with power
Harmony came from cardinal, crow and wren
But they all wanted to lead the choir

God the Father thought and thought
How best to solve this problem
He decided to hold auditions
And He began with the robin

The robin was a proud bird
Sure he was the best
He smoothed his wings, nodded his head
Puffed out his bright red chest

But although he sang with all his might
Until his neck was stretched
God only shook His head
And called the sparrow next

The sparrow cleared his throat and smiled
Ready to put on a show
But at the height of his very best song
The Father simply said, "No"

The next one up was the cardinal
In his scarlet vest and cap
But the cardinal missed his chance that day
For he was taking a nap

The tiny wren was now to sing
But for him too it was No
God knew the wren could never lead
With a voice so small and low

The owl's voice was much too deep
He would never be heard
Above the other songs being sung
And he only knew one word

The crow was the last to sing
With a voice so loud and rough
That God the Father covered His ears
And said, "Enough! Enough!"

"What shall I do" the Father said,
My choir must be heard!"
Then He had a wonderful thought
"I'll make a brand new bird!"

So He set to work with His mighty hands
To create a work of art
He selected feathers of soft, downy gray
Lovely white to cover the heart

The throat came next and it was filled
With the song of every bird
At last the Father had just one
Who knew all the words

He placed the bird on the leader's stump
And then called His choir
 But the other birds refused to sing
Their faces turning sour

Each one turned to the Father
The line was six birds long
Each one whispered in His ear
To tell Him what was wrong

The robin said, "What a silly-looking bird
His chest isn't even red"
The cardinal said, "What a long tail
And there's no knot on his head"

The owl said, "His voice will surely be high
With such a little throat"
The wren said, "He's not much to look at
With that dull gray coat"

The sparrow said, "His beak is so plain
He'll never be as beautiful as me"
The crow said, "What kind of voice can he have?
This I have to see!"

And the shy, gray bird knew what they said
For he understood every one
But he never complained to the Father
Just listened until they were done

They said if this bird could even sing
He'd only be a "mocking" bird
Would only be able to copy their songs
And pretend to sing their words

God waved His hands and all noise stopped
From the greatest to the least
And when all the earth was quiet and still
God began to speak

"All of you will be silent today
Every song will cease
Only one bird will sing my hymn
The rest will hold their peace"

The newest bird raised his head
And slowly closed his eyes
His song began with a single note
Then came a big surprise

First he sang the robin's song
Better than ever was heard
Next he sang like the sparrow and crow
And he knew every word

He sang the low notes of the owl
The high notes of the wren
The cardinal's song was the last to be sung
The bird stood silent then

God told the others, "No more will you sing
From this very hour
This bird can sing your songs himself
He doesn't need the choir!"

But the bird said, "Father, it's alright
I really don't mind you see
If they want to call me a mocking bird
Then that is what I'll be

"I only want to sing Your song
Your morning hymn to raise
And if the others may sing along
Our voices will lift in praise"

God the Father softly smiled
And each bird got back its part
He knew the new bird would feel that way
Because of his great big heart

So whenever you hear the birds you'll know
As dawn brings the morning hour
Listen closely and you will hear
The mockingbird leading the choir

Shakespeare Re-Imagined

Miss Julianne loved her man                                                
He was her one and only                                                     
Though Roman was his real first name                                  
His Julie called him Romy                                                     

On Valentine's Day for a special treat                                    
Romy took her out                                                                
To their favorite place down the street                                   
Called the "Twist and Shout"                                                 

Romy wore his shark-skin suit                                                 
Julie wore her sable                                                                 
After Romy slipped the waiter a 5                                            
He gave them a table                                                               

Julie looked the menu over                                                       
And then began to order                                                           
Two soups, three steaks, a lobster tail                                       
And then she just got bolder                                                      

Her finger flew down every page                                              
A sight not for the faint-hearted                                                  
Romy gulped and turned quite pale                                             
But Julie was just getting started                                                  

Asparagus, stewed prunes and rice                                              
Pork chops and artichoke hearts                                                  
She ordered everything twice                                                       
And then came the dessert carts

Cheesecake, spice cake, cookies and pie
She ordered with abandon
Romy sat and started to cry
His face was ashen and then some

Then she was done, nothing was left
Although she searched ever harder
When the waiter looked at Romy at last
He said, "I'll just have water"

It took twelve waiters to bring it in
It was an amazing sight
Julie nibbled a cracker and said,
"I couldn't eat another bite"

The waiter stood tapping his foot
Romy wanted to vomit
The bill presented was three feet long
The total was astronomic!

Romy took his wallet out
His hand not quite still
Two fives, two tens, fourteen ones
And a copy of his will

So off to the kitchen they both went
Washing dishes to pay their debt
Because it was Valentine's Day
And Romy owed what Julie e't
                                                  

40 years (almost) of marriage

My husband and I will be married 40 years in 2013 and, to celebrate, we are having a wedding. We originally got married in front of a judge in Chicago so we've never had a real wedding. I figure after 40 years I've earned one. We plan to have our four sons as groomsmen, our daughters-in-law as bridesmaids, our oldest granddaughter as maid of honor, our middle granddaughter as junior bride, our youngest granddaughter as flower girl and our grandson as ring bearer. I know it's far away still but I love to think about it and plan

What's in a name?

My name is Charlotte. I am an author of mystery/thrillers books and a columnist in my local newspaper. I love genealogy and have an online family tree. I have written several Christian songs and my favorite radio station is KLOVE.