I'm The One In The Orange Shoes

 My mother had six sons before I was born, so naturally, I grew up wearing pink.  She made all my clothes, which, as I learned later, caused those who did not know me, to think I was a little rich kid. She was a very good seamstress, and I was her Barbie doll, so I was well dressed. But, she rarely strayed from pink.

 Like every child, I eventually rebelled, and wanted to dress myself. We were out shopping for Easter shoes, one Saturday, and I found the perfect pair. They were orange patent leather, and the shiniest things you ever saw. She, of course said no, but I insisted. My mom saw this as a learning experience, a chance for me to feel the misery of failure. So, she finally agreed to the purchase, all the while knowing, my Easter dress was pink.

 Now, in those days , I, like most kids, had one pair of shoes. Yes, I got them for Easter, but they would be worn to church, school, and to play. This was the first of many poor choices in footwear, I would make in my life.
  Once, my friend, Ivy and I were looking at old photos. When we came to the group picture of my fourth grade class, she started to laugh. She told me how she, and her older sister Tracy, would make fun of me in my orange shoes. When I came over to their house, Tracy would say, "Here comes Sheila in her orange shoes". Well, it no longer hurts my feelings. The shoes were bright orange and begged to be laughed at. After all, it's not like Tracy ever wore my training bra on her head or scrubbed her dresser drawers with my toothbrush.......Oh wait, she did do that.

What I learned at Walmart Today

  It's been a pretty good weekend, so far, with the exception of 50 mile an hour wind. But, here in West Texas, we call that Spring.
  Needless to say, I couldn't do much yard work in that kind of wind. So, after sleeping late, doing laundry, and watching the Rangers beat the Twins, I made my weekly trip to Walmart.
  Any experienced shopper should know, if a shopping cart has been abandoned mid store, there has to be a reason. But, my husband, having picked up too many items to carry, thinks the cart was left for him. So here we go, strolling through Walmart with this ear piercing squeak, alerting everyone of our presence. People are wincing, dogs are howling, and everyone thinks, "There but for the grace of God, go I". A woman passed us, her cart making a noise almost a bad, and gave me a knowing nod. Yes, I thought, we are the Lepers of Walmart.

  Most of us have received those emails titled, The People of Walmart, or, More Walmartians. I'ts pictures taken of people, in and outside the store, dressed in the most hideous garb, and doing incredibly stupid things. I've always wondered where those pictures were taken, were they staged and, most importantly, are there any of me.
  Today, I saw a 350 pound woman wearing a tshirt, emblazoned with the lightening bolt flash, from the comic book character, Flash. I watched, to see just how quickly she moved, but she just starred at me. I looked away, then back again, and she was still starring. She wasn't very quick at all. I found myself wondering why someone would bother to manufacture that particular shirt in such a large size. Who bought it for her, or did she choose it herself, some kind of ironic fashion statement?

 I found a new product at Walmart today. It's a coffee creamer called Natural Bliss, Sweet Cream flavor. It's milk, cream and sugar already mixed for your coffee. I thought it was a little too sweet. I usually put just a tiny bit of stevia in my coffee if any at all, but it was a nice change. It tasted like coffee drank, from tiny teacups, with my father on Christmas mornings. A very nice memory.

Let's Hear it For the Sista's

  Ten years ago today I lost the best friend I ever had. My sister, Sherry gave up a long hard fought battle with heart disease.
  When I say my best friend, only those with sisters can understand what I mean. How many people can say they share exact DNA with another person. I know, you're thinking, "But Sheila, you share exact DNA with six other people besides your sister." This is true. However, those six other people suffered brain damage in vitro, rendering them males, and unable to communicate with higher forms, such as females. I'm only kidding. I am very close to all my brothers, chauvinist, they may be.
  But, Sherry had a big part in who I am today. She was there for me, when I was six, and saw the incredibly stupid crap I pulled at sixteen,but still had my back. She knew my faults, and put me on a pedestal in spite of them. I saw this same thing in my daughters, Sarah and Lauren. The hardest thing I ever had to do, was tell Sarah her baby sister had died. I had given her, what was supposed to be, a life long friend, and now she was gone.
  History talks of brotherhood. The Bible rarely mentions women at all. I think this is just another way men make it all about themselves. I believe the best relationships have to be with the relational of the species. The women. We who nurture. We are what's best about being human.

  

Trash Talk

 Is it now acceptable to litter in Texas? I have noticed the streets and highways are becoming so filled with trash, one might think this was New Mexico. Today, just as I was pulling into the turning lane, the person in the car next to me opened her door and dumped trash out on the street. I turned the corner and saw a man in a pickup roll down his window and throw his coke cans in a parking lot.
 This is happening everyday. Where is our pride? What ever happened to "Don't Mess With Texas", Willie Nelson and that sad Indian, oops I mean Native American, with the tear rolling down his cheek? Remember Alice's Restaurant Massacre? Someone was almost drafted for littering.
  My favorite scripture is Psalm 24:1. The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein. I would never think of myself as an environmentalist, but I believe God gave us this world and expects us to be good stewards.

 
 

Happy Opening Day

   Opening day at the ballpark, the most wonderful day of the year. I love everything about this day. The national anthem makes me cry. I get chills as everyone, from the starting line up, to the athletic trainers and masseuses are introduced. Then, the Texas Rangers, the greatest ball club in the world, take the field and my heart swells with pride.
  They looked great today. They looked like the reigning American League Champs we all love so much.
 This is what makes life worth living. Baseball, along with true love and homegrown tomatoes, is all a body needs to be happy.
  It's going to be a great season and, we will let the Angels rag on C. J. this year, they deserve him.
  Who cares, who wins the White house in November, as long as Texas takes the pennant in October. We can always secede after baseball season.
  Let's go Rangers!
 

Just Call Me A Winner

  I was a winner in the big Mega Million dollar lottery this weekend. That's right. I, along with nineteen of my coworkers, won three dollars. Normally I wouldn't have played the lottery, but one of the guys at work decided we should all put in ten dollars and buy two hundred tickets. How could we lose? Everyone got real excited, but I just got mad, irritated and put out. This is how I know I will never be a gambler.
 Apparently, what motivates the typical gambler, is the belief he will one day win the big one. I have never felt this way. When we were all discussing whether to buy the tickets or not, I thought about how most winners are groups of people, usually coworkers. Well, I didn't want to be the only one showing up for work on Monday morning because I was not an instant millionaire. But, when the others were feeling giddy and hopeful, I just felt like I wanted my ten dollars back. Now, I have my winnings and I'm just down seven dollars.
 I like to get something for my money. I have a hard time buying the brand cosmetics I like, because they are too expensive. But, if they are offering a free tote, suddenly I can afford it. I don't know why, but I just can't resist a free tote. I have come so close to joining the Book Of The Month Club just to get the free tote. Free makeup bags and umbrellas are nice also. How many people join that big name coffee club just to get a free coffee maker or travel mugs, only to cancel as soon as they have fulfilled their obligation?
 What makes us think these things are free? If someone on the street corner offered me a free tote, no purchase necessary, no strings attached, I would probably turn them down. I guess, by making the big purchase first, I feel like I have earned the freebie. I was thinking about this, and realized this is how most of us view our salvation.

 We try to work for it, pay for it, do something to deserve it but, it really is the only thing in life that is free.