Storytime Tapestry Newsletter

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

August 11, 2007

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Publishers Favourite Sites:

Rosanne Catalano

http://www.rosannecatalano.net/

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Michael Smith

http://subs.zinester.com/86758/

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Barbara Weymouth

penwormprayerwarriors-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

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Helen Dowd

www.occupytillicome.com

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Today?s Announcements

Congratulations goes out to our writer Carol Meeks for her recent contest win, she is the official poet laureate of New Mexico:

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Amy Kitchener's Wings Without Foundation
Sponsor of the National Annual Senior Poets Laureate Poetry Competition
for American Poets age 50 and older

Proudly announces
the 2007

New Mexico
Senior Poet Laureate
Award

to

Carol Dee Meeks

for poem titled

"Tunes of Midnight"





2007 Senior Poet Laureate of New Mexico

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

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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.

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Today?s Stories

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The Stories are still coming in for incredible animals who do have a sense of soul.? Today?s selection is from Clarice Hinson.? Please pray for Clarice and her husband who recently had brain surgery.

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Also featured today is a story from Lynn Stevenson who was inspired to write this story about her connection to me after she read my story A Family Legacy of Neglect and Abuse.

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And of course we have another wonderful story from our favourite storyteller, Bill Walker.

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Not Just A Cat

Clarice Hinson

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Nineteen years ago a black female cat took up residence in our woodpile. Looking out one day,?I spotted a pure white, long-haired kitten. "I have got to have her!" I exclaimed. When she was old enough, we got her trapped in a piece of wide pipe that she played in and caught her. I named her Tiffany. She was quite wild. She soon learned to trust me but nobody else. We called her "the white flash" or "white lightning" because if some one else appeared? she ran-fast.? I had her neutered and had all her shots given by Dr. Skidmore. Over the years she has paid many visits to his clinic.

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I already had another cat named Puddin'.? It took them some time to accept one another but eventually they became very close. We would find them snuggled together?in the same chair. When Puddin' died she was?lonely for some time.

She learned to tolerate Roger, but no one else. When the grandchildren arrived, (she was born before any of them) she would watch them from a doorway, and if they moved in her direction, she moved faster.

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Her first Christmas she watched?as I assembled the Christmas tree. Then?I put the tree skirt around the base.?She almost immediately decided it was there for her and spent much time sleeping under the tree and every Christmas since she has claimed the tree skirt as her place.? As presents have been put under the tree, a space has always been left for her. Sometimes it has seemed she believed she was the owner of this house and we are her "humans".

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For a long time she was an indoor-outdoor cat. However, that ended one time when I was away for a week or so. The dogs scared her away from the house and she did not come back. Roger had me call her over the phone, but it did not work.? They taped my calling her, but got no response. We gave up on her.?About 4 o'clock in the morning after I returned home she came to the back door. Her hair was all matted and she was very thin. I took her to Dr. Skidmore's. They cleaned her up and fed her with a dropper. She seemed to agree with us that outside roaming was no longer for her.

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After that she?would be?waiting at the door when I would come out of the bedroom in the morning. If she thought I was late, she would call me. (Not very loudly, she never had much of a voice.) If she did not see me when she awoke from a nap, she would travel the house, calling for me. Daughter Judy has remarked that Tiffany worried about me.?

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Gradually she began to accept the grandsons. They always showed her that she had nothing to fear from them, but it still took a long time. More recently she would stay in the livingroom when people strange to her were here. (Once we had had a visitor for a week or so who declared we did not have a cat! He never saw her even once.)

Her health began to fail this winter.?I had medicine which seemed to help that I gave her every morning. She got to be very choosy with her food. Often she?would eat a certain kind of canned cat food only to reject it when offered days later.?

On Sunday she acted strangely and could not move around very well. Monday she seemed to slip into a coma. She would come to for a few moments and move her legs slowly only to slip away again. Several times Tuesday I thought she was gone.

This morning I realized her little heart was strong and she could go on like this?for some time and slowly starve to death. Judy and I carried her up to Dr. Skidmore who said she had been having strokes. He very quietly gave her an injection and in a few moments she gave up her fight.

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We brought her home, wrapped her up, put her in a box, and George (our farm employee) dug a deep hole by the rock in the front yard where she now?lies without pain. The lilies that are around the rock will be hers now.

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Clarice Hinson

hinson@bowie-cass.com

~**~**~

Observation From the Pug Farm

Lynne

My Dearest Carol,

????? I have always suspected that we were twins separated at birth, now I know for sure.?I have always had the weight thing going on in the back of my mind for as long as I can remember. I have even suffered through anorexia and being ostracized by my own family for years about my weight. I made the mistake of being born between two perfect grandchildren and nothing I ever did was nowhere near good enough, even making decent grades in school and earning Honor Rolls at different times. There is a reason why I am still in college at 45 and am hoping to finally graduate in December. I didn't even start college until I was well into my middle 30s.??

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????? I developed anorexia at 13 when my grandmother and aunt made the comment that I embarrassed them and should do something about my weight because I looked like I was 8 months pregnant. I didn't eat any more than I had to for three years until I developed a throat infection and started eating again as a result of the antibiotics.?My mother made smart assed comments about my waist being larger at age 12 than her's was at?33 and she had?given birth to two children. The entire time my battle with anorexia was fully blown my grandmother used to take a tape measure and measure my hips, waist and thighs on a weekly basis and make comments about whether or not I had gained or lost any weight that week. She was the same size then that I am now, a 16-18 and now I wonder why she gave me such grief when she needed to lose weight just as badly as I did. I gave up trying to lose weight any more even though I am having some severe health problems now.?

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????? For years I have been battling with this problem. I think it explains a lot of the bad decisions I have made during the course of my life. The main one of these is looking for the love I never felt anywhere else in all of the wrong places and the dubious choices in men I have made as a result.?Hey, if you have never had? anyone tell you that you are worthy of being in a loving stable relationship?or even demonstrating?what one is to you, you seek it out the best way you can.?My first husband was physically and emotionally abusive and over the years I have been with some men?who were of the same caliber simply because I didn't feel that I deserved any better.?Any attention is better than none at all, as far as I was concerned.

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????? Things have looked up lately though. The person I have been with for 22 years and counting now has been through a lot with me.?There have been plenty of opportunities for him to walk out and never look back and somehow he's still here.?He has been with me through the good and bad, and lately it has been no picnic, but we are coming through it.?Sometimes I think he sticks around because he has no where else to go. Others I think it would be too much effort for either one of us to try and have relationships with anybody else at this point in our lives.?

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????? There has always been something with him that I have never had with anybody else and I think his parents knew it a long time before we did, some 30 years ago. I was talking to him before I even got up with hubby number 1 and I think he was scared of being tied down at 21 for the rest of his life and he took off before I married number 1 and moved to Baltimore, MD with his brother for a year while I tried to find wedded bliss with number 1.?Strange how things work out in this life and come full circle after all.?

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????? For the record, my surrogate children, my dogs,?are a huge part of my life and I would rather spend quality time with them than most of the people I know. At least I don't have to worry about them having a hidden agenda?or leaving me for someone else if the going gets too rough. I keep mostly to myself and don't really have too many friends or family I would consider to be close. It has been my experience that?most people, especially those claiming to be family, have the tendency to mysteriously vanish into the woodwork after they get what they want from?you and use you until nothing is left emotionally or physically.?

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????? I love you, my Dearest Carol, and could care less if you weigh 115 or 615. You are one of the sweetest and most caring people I have ever known and?I gladly consider you to be the sister I always wanted but never had.?I have learned the hard way that sometimes you have to pick "your family" the best way you can when you don't have a biological?one left.?

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????Sorry about the rambling novel! Like I said, now I know we were separated at birth!

????Hugs from the SC loony bin,

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Lynne Stevenson

Pugmom37@aol.com

~**~**~

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A Cup Of Water
Bill Walker
missourisage@yahoo.com

It is?strange, but do as the Bible says, and you will run into people that will push the cup of water away. I am thinking of the Katrina flood.

If you will take your dusty Bible, open it you will find many places about not only people in need of water, but in need of help. It seems people and all living things need a few things to live. Food, and water is but two.

After that home wrecker Katrina left Mississippi, it wasn't long till there came many people to see what they could do. There was many who came to steal. Then there was some who came with a helping hand - the cup of water so to speak.

The people who came with the cup of water, put out a call, that more help was needed. God's Katrina Kitchen came into being. Here would be a couple or three, maybe as many as five cars, vans, and such rolling south from say New York with signs painted on sides of the vans, cars - Mississippi or Bust. A cup of water on the way. These people; were mostly young people and maybe a few older ones. The older ones might be the keepers of law, and order. These people were also the church people. Today?s bunch might be of one type of church.

Then in a few days here would be cars, vans and such from say the state of Ohio. Same signs, Mississippi or Bust. They too were coming with the cup of water.

You do know what I mean by cup of water? It was to help out, work and do for those that had lost everything in the storm. Each group would only stay so long, a few days, and another group would pull in.

These people worked for God, in the place called God's Katrina Kitchen. They came for many different reasons, I am sure of that. The main one was to bring the cup of water.

?Many companies?sent in truck loads of supplies. This was done at no cost to those in need. These were supplies for God's Katrina Kitchen.

God's Katrina Kitchen was not the Grand Palace Hotel Dining room, it was just a simple tent. One could get something to eat, and a cup of water. All one saw were happy people on both sides of the serving table; the ones of Mississippi or Bust gang, and the ones getting the food and a cup of water.

There is other things one must figure in also.. Some says we no longer need these people. Strange, last time I looked and heard how things are, there still is a great need.

Once in a while you heard some mouth that was making bright remarks. This is called mouth open, and brain went AWOL You would hear some smart know it all say something isn't right with the beans today.? Well of course that can happen. What you want anyway? You got a plate of beans, and a cup of water.

People ranks as maybe the most stupid thing God made. Some sure will never be happy. I asked for a cup of water, and you forgot to put the ice in it

I remember a man so many years ago. The poor man wanted a cup of water. I am quite sure a cup of plain tap water would have been so nice. Think on that one awhile when you are the one in need, wanting a cup of water.

I hear God's Katrina Kitchen is closing down in a few days. I hear this is due, not that those willing to make the Mississippi or Bust trip aren't in the mood anymore. It is because the ones on receiving end want a cup of ice water.

I must add one thing. I talked a bit with the man that started this operation; God's Katrina Kitchen. He told me, no one church did this. It was a case of many different churches banding together, and keeping the operation going. I walked out and took a good look at the sign again.

"God's Katrina Kitchen.
Many Churches, One GOD."
Tinker and Poo; The Boys Write
http://www.iuniverse.com/bookstore/book_detail.asp?&isbn=0-595-35741-5

~**~**~

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Readers Feedback

Dollie Carol. Thanks for the very kind remarks.? If I would have known, I would have rang the Boys number, and seen if they could have cranked out another story from Rainbow Bridge. You had some real fine stories today. I can't say much for one, but the others was great.? I can understand Mark and his missing his Ms.Doogie.? I miss Tinker, and Poo the same way.? I think any pet lover has to say there is not a day goes by, but a thought comes to mind about something special about a much loved pet comes to mind. Sharon telling about hers,? and B.J. also, and Clara.? Yes our pets were a sometime major part of out lives.?? Why isn't there a place in Heaven for them?
Bill

Tinker and Poo; The Boys Write
http://www.iuniverse.com/bookstore/book_detail.asp?&isbn=0-595-35741-5

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Storytime Tapestry Angels

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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.

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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.

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Clara Westerfer, Mark Crider, Rosanne Catalano, Paula Booher, Kay Seefeldt, Mariane Holbrook, Mary Ellen Grisham, Louise Nomani, Sharon Bryant, Angela Walker, Hart and Helen Dowd, Keith Ready, Ginger Morgenstern, Ellie Braun-Haley, Surinder Jandu, Bob Shaw, Carol Meeks, Charlotte Hilliard, Maria Keller

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