Storytime Tapestry Newsletter

The newsletter devoted to spreading love and cultural awareness around the world.

Jan 15, 2007

Today’s Announcements

Congratulations to Bill Walker today we feature his 200^th published story with Storytime Tapestry

Donations are needed to help with the operating expenses of running the newsletter and to keep Storytime Tapestry the quality newsletter you are so accustomed to.   

Please note that Storytime Tapestry is a free newsletter to members and there will never be a cost for the newsletter.  Donations are purely voluntary and no member should ever feel guilty for not making a donation at this time.

Today’s Stories

~**~**~

Love Never Dies 

Sharon Bryant

I watch the calendar, though I really don't need to look at it.  I know the date.  I know where I was at exactly one week from today, last year.  I was on my way back from Michigan to Alabama when the radio call came in.  Dad had died.  I still can't seem to get it to sink in that I will never see him again.  His photo sets on my desk.  Every day I look at it and say, "Dad, I'll always love you."

I was a daddy's girl growing up.  Not that I got any special favors with my two brothers, but I loved hanging with dad.  He had so many interesting things to do daily.  I didn't care if I learned how to hem a pair of slacks, or cook, or clean good.  I preferred to grab a pail of paint and a brush and help dad paint the boat or a barn. 

He was always my best friend.

Don't get me wrong.....I loved mom too.  It's just that dad was "cooler" with cooler things to keep me occupied.

I'm glad God gave dad what he always wanted.  No convalescent homes, something he never wanted to go into.  Something I always promised he'd never have to do.  I'd have quit my job and taken care of him myself.

He always said he hoped to God he never had to be disabled and could not work anymore.  He retired at 83.  Alzheimer's began to set in at 84. 

There are a lot of jokes out there about Alzheimer's, but once you see someone you love getting it, you will never joke about it again.  It was robbing my father.  It was robbing him of the present, the past and the future.  He knew he had it, but he couldn't believe it.  Neither could I and my two siblings.

Since I'm the oldest my sister, who is the youngest is scared.  She gave me a bottle of Pomegranate juice and made me promise I'd start drinking it regularly.  She says it helps with Alzheimer's.  "What if you get it," she asked.  And I think, "What if I do get it?"

What it my memory is robbed.  What if I can't recall my own children's names?  What if I don't recognize them?  What if.........

It really hurts down deep to know someone you love is losing so much of their memory.  It hurt so much when my father looked at my son's photo and didn't remember him, nor his name.  I'll never forget the pain in my heart when he asked who he was in a photo.  It felt like someone stabbed me right through the heart.

It hurt when I'd call dad and he'd ask me if I was my aunt, his one sister.  Sometimes I would try and test him and I'd say, "Noooooo......this is your daughter."  Sometimes he hesitated before he would say, "I knew that was you Sharon."  When I knew he had to think so hard to remember.

I brought back the little book he kept writing things in.  Over and over, he wrote my name and phone number, as he did with my sister and brother's name.  I think he was testing himself, not wanting to forget us.  I thank God he struggled sometimes when he heard my voice, but he still remembered me.

My dad had a massive heart attack while combing his hair.  I brought that comb back home with me after the funeral.  I look at his glasses daily and touch them, knowing he needed them to drive and watch television.  In a special frame is a photo of he and I together.  In my wallet is his drivers license. 

It is what keeps me going.  Memories of almost 60 years with a father any girl would have been proud of.  So proud, his first grandchild was named after him.

Last year on my birthday I spent it in a funeral parlor.  I can't recall what I wore, what I said, or even who was there.  I only remember looking at the man who was always there for me and who paved a road and taught me to walk straight.  In his eyes, I was the perfect daughter.  In my eyes, he was a saint.

Love never dies.  I know that better than anyone.  But it hurts so much when we lose someone we love.

Last night I was looking through old photo albums.  Some photos made me smile.  Others brought tears to my eyes.  Love does that.  Love tugs at your heart strings.  But.....it never dies.

Sharon Bryant

1946@bellsouth.net

~**~**~

Sleeping Dog

Bill Walker

missourisage@yahoo.com

I noticed my Little Girl,  you know my live in Girl Friend Doggie, seems to sleep a lot after she has her morning outing, and breakfast. I never noticed this so much with Tink and Poo,  and I got to wondering if she has some kind of health problem. Tink and Poo was such live wires all day long. She don't seem to be that way.  She does a lot of sleeping off and on all day long.

Well at last I think I got it figured out some.  Tink and Poo had one another, and it seemed like there was some system to every thing they got into or did. A dog has a few thoughts about things, even if lots of people calls a dog dumb.  I myself thinks there is no such a thing as a dumb dog.  There is more people that fits in the pure dumb and stupid class then the dog, I mean the so called high schooled class of people.  Some of them collage people tant got brain one when it comes to thinking power.   I know all the dogs I ever met, does think.

Now it comes to me Tink and Poo had this sleeping bit all figured out.  We got a job to do, so being how there is the two of us little guys lets do it like this.  Dummy goes to bed. He is sound asleep deaming about all the chances he had in life of grapping one of those 5 foot two, eyes of blue walking talking gals. So it is up to us guys to pull guard duty on this shack.  We will take turns, one watch for things for a while, the other naps.  We got snacks to munch on, water to drink, and guard duty.  So the next day,  maybe a nap now and then, but we are ready at any time to play, and go have a good time.

Now Little Girl, she don't have a helper in crime.  So she has to do it all by her self.  She is the lone guard of the shack.  So she stays awake most of the night, maybe closed the eye lids for a  few minutes,, but the ears is wide open, the nose taking in all the strange smells, and so on.  Never really getting a good nights sleep.  Ever little bit she gets up from the side of the bed, and takes a walk though the shack looking and checking real close that every thing is still in place.  When she thinks all is well, she come back and lays down, but she don't drop off into a deep sleep.  Just maybe a  type of nap.

So the next morning, she after making her rest room trip, and breakfast, has to have her beauty sleep. 

Tinker and Poo; The Boys Write

http://www.iuniverse.com/bookstore/book_detail.asp?&isbn=0-595-35741-5

~**~**~

Poetry Corner

~**~**~

"N E W"

Mary Carter Mizrany

What speaks when
"NEW" you hear or see . . .
New Life ~ New Year
New You ~ New Me?  ~

Do visions of innocence
like a baby appear . . .
or Auld Lang Syne playing
when "NEW" you see or hear? ~

The opposite of old
or used may compare . . .
to "NEW" ~ fresh and recent
try Webster's ~ it's there ~

I love the sound of it
just thrills through & through . . .
a chance to start over
beginning  brand~new ~

Bathed from the dust
of yesterday's  woes . . .
from top o' the head
to the tip of the toes ~

New Year ~ New Life
in Christ all things are NEW . . .
is my heartfelt prayer
for each one of YOU!

Mary Carter Mizrany©
musingbymary@aol.com
http://www.onwingsoffaith.com

~**~**~

"HE GIVETH MORE GRACE"

Mary Carter Mizrany

Faltering footsteps
that stumble and fall . . .
shadowed by mountains
so massive and tall ~

Teardrops a blurring
the right path to take . . .
confounded ~ confused which
decision to make ~

Where is the help
to whom might we  plea . . .
to unravel this conundrum
of strange mystery ~

God Giveth MORE GRACE?
His Word cannot lie . . .
MORE GRACE for each
chance allowed to pass by?  ~

MORE GRACE for the wrong
for right paths untaken . . .
forgiveness weds mercy
we'll ne'er  be forsaken?

God's Spirit speaks clearly
each new day we face  . . .
Love forgets mistakes and
GIVETH  MORE  GRACE !

Mary Carter Mizrany©
musingbymary@aol.com
http://www.onwingsoffaith.com

Readers Feedback

Carol,

Thanks so much for this. I had such a young boy crush on Yvonne De Carlo growing up. She was so beautiful. I didn't care what role she was playing as long as I got to look at her.

Bruce

I loved the Munsters!!!!!!!!!!! Lily was my favorite character!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Tannia

Congratulations upon winning the holiday contest. I am proud of all of you. All of the best of luck in writing. Cynthia

Carol,
    I just want you to know that Storytime is one of the things that I am
very thankful for in this life.
It touches more hearts than you know.  Have a blessed weekend.  Wishing you
every joy, Joe

Duane Bates, THANKS FOR SHARING THIS STORY WITH US...  In the beginning there was Dolly and now comes the latest fashion, Baby Designers! - How low are we going to go to destroy the human race? I have two children and refuse to know their sex when the sonogram was done. I wanted to be a SUPRISE!!!!  My doctor ran all the necessary test to be sure both of my children were healthy and this doctors want to play Dr. Frankestein! I am outrage.  Scientist have done wayyyyyyyyyy tooooo far!!!! TANNIA

Storytime Tapestry Angels

Angels on earth, they exist they are out there.  Angels come in all ages, shapes and sizes, civil status, and religion.  Their nature is love and their purpose is giving to the less fortunate of this world.  Storytime Tapestry angels are no exception.  These angels are loyal members who have contributed to the upkeep of Storytime Tapestry newsletter so that Storytime Tapestry can continue come to your email box 350 days of the year.

Here is our Storytime Tapestry Angels: Also, I would like to thank those of you who chose to be a silent angel and gave an anonymous donation to keep Storytime Tapestry up and running.

Clara Westerfer, Mark Crider, Rosanne Catalano, Paula Booher, Kay Seefeldt

Mary Ellen Grisham, Louise Nomani, Sharon Bryant, Angela Walker

Hart and Helen Dowd, Keith Ready, Ginger Morgenstern, Ellie Braun-Haley

Surinder Jandu, Marion Holbrook, Barbara Deming

Senior Writers

Chief writer: Sharon Bryant

Chief researcher/historian: Hartson Dowd

Agee, Vance; Apted, Violet; Baker, Kathy; Batt, Al; Berry, Nell; Blaine, Pamela; Boda, Ginger; Booher, Paula; Buhagiar, Victor; Cassady, B.J.; Costner, Joan Clifton; Cavalera, Robyn; Crider, Mark; Dees, Mary; Deming, Barb; Doherty, Maria;  Dowd, Hartson; Dowd, Helen; Gilbert, Robert, Jr.; Gold, Ron; Goodier, Steve; Grisham, Mary-Ellen; Braun-Haley, Ellie; Harris, Kathy Anne; Henry, Linda Ann; Hunt, Sharlett; Hymes, Christina; Jacobson, Gary; Kiser, Roger Dean; Kerens, Claudia; Kevin, Tim; Jenkins, Pamela; Liles, Norma; Lily Jodi Flesberg; Lock, Joyce; Marlor, Janice Bumbalough; Mazzella, Joe; Meeks, Carol; Mizrany, Mary Carter; Morris, Deepak; Ojeibge, Georgewaters; Petry, Dianna Doles; Pringle, Sandra Lewis; Roberts, Susan; Shiveley, Debra; Shaw, Bob; Sims, Richard; Smith; Michael; Streidel, Saskia; Swarner, Ken; Vaknin, Sam; Verhoeff, Jan; Walker, Bill; Walker, Joe; Warner, Gordon, K; Walsh, Sue; Weymouth, Barbara J.; Whirity, Kathy;

Wainland, David; Westerfer, Clara; White Robert;

Storytime Tapestry Staff

Carol Roach - Founder/publisher

Thelma Hartselle - Co-Founder, Moderator

Clara Westerfer – moderator