STORYTIME TAPESTRY

April 14, 2005

Happy Birthday

Hassan Zahid,

Gorden Warner,

Ariel Navalo and

Nicole Stevenson,

poetnwriter,

from your friends at Storytime Tapestry.

 After a long absence, I am pleased to announce that Ron Gold is back with us and what a comeback.  His story, The Cat that Roared is hilarious.

Today we welcome  Catrina Mouton, writer # 198, for Storytime Tapestry.  Please give her a warm welcome and encourage her to pursue her writing.

Now on to the good stuff..........

Animal awareness series endorsed by Shiloh and Hank our mascots; all stories must receive their approval.

THE CAT THAT ROARED

By Ron Gold

The Astounding Vincent is my favorite uncle.  He has style, massive ego, flair and gall and is always outspoken; W.C. Fields in a Clint Eastwood chassis; a very welcome dash of cinnamon in an otherwise oatmeal family.

Uncle Vincent is from the old school of show-biz folk. He dresses outrageously, speaks polysyllabically whenever possible, underscoring his important phrases with grimaces and wide gestures.  To emphasize his points even further, he??™d shake his head, showing off his elegant milk white mane.

Maybe what I like best about the old curmudgeon is that we are the only non-dog lovers in the family.  Mom and her bachelor brothers and spinster sisters kept so many dogs that neighbors called our home ???the dog house???.

Last Wednesday was our family??™s annual ???Let??™s Re-introduce Our Pets Day??? and Vincent and I returned to the doghouse for family peace.

Family dogs jumped and barked when Uncle Vincent arrived in a hired limousine with chauffeur.  He was dressed in his customary stage attire: a single breasted black silk tuxedo, a double??“breasted vest, a fresh carnation boutonniere, black patent leather shoes, a white starched wing-collar on his studded ruffle shirt.  Of course, he wore his signature orange and white polka-dot bow tie.  He wore a wide Rolex oyster shell timepiece on his left wrist and a doubled-over flea and tick collar on his right wrist. And he carried a gold wire cage that held, of all things, a kitten, spread-eagled on a crimson pillow.

If you like dogs, ???pet re-introduction day??? was a cute, charming and challenging idea.  And if you don??™t like dogs, well, you just don??™t like dogs. And you normally wouldn??™t go to the doghouse for all the kibble in Checkerboard Square.

So why don??™t I like dogs? Being the youngest boy in my generation, I had to play postman, walking the dogs in rain, sleet and darkness. And I always carried large plastic bags for follow-up tasks.

Uncle Vincent hated dogs because he could never escape them.  The doghouse was always overpopulated with dogs, dog lovers, dog authorities (Uncle Victor wrote a newspaper column on dogs and advertised his free dog telephone hotline.)Vincent could not abide the dog dander that polluted his sinuses.

Then there was Goldie, Mrs. Clancy??™s late cocker spaniel, who would yap and bite young Vincent as he walked the shortcut through their property each school day. 

My mother, Vera, who loved her brother, felt he had an obligation to learn to live with dogs.  And after all, she said, all dogs have sweet dispositions.

The ritual ???pet re-introduction day??? agenda was religiously followed: each pet owner re-introducing his pet to the family and their pets. (We knew most pets for years.)  The pet pecking order was based on size.  From Sister Suzie??™s goldfish, ???Whale???, and Aunt Wilma??™s Yorkshire Terrier, Nigel, up through Uncle Malcolm??™s Great Dane.

Uncle Vincent??™s cat was number three in the pecking order.  Dogs barked as Vincent lifted his cat from its cage. The Astounding Vincent began, ???Ladies and Gentlemen, it is my extreme pleasure to introduce you to Yorick.??? He then drew the cat close to his vest.

???Yorick is a very splendorous feline, a royal red-orange mixed breed with 24-karat gold eyes and a

slightly pushed-in proboscis. Unfortunately, the tabby has one minor psychological peccadillo: he cannot, or will not, escape his jungle genealogy.  He longs to return to his cousins, the cats of the Serengeti: lion, tigers, leopards and their ilk ... all of whom would inhale Yorick like a half-baked canap?©.

???Yet Yorick, this quiet, sweet, trusted kitty resides in perpetuity as our mascot at the Actor??™s Home.???

On cue, Yorick purred while the proud dog lovers and owners harrumphed at the scrawny pussycat.

Uncle Vincent nonchalantly sipped his Tom Collins when his brother Victor presented his West Highland White Terrier.  Yorick exploded a leopard-like growl, frightening all the dogs (and probably even Suzie??™s goldfish).  The ???Westie??? bolted Victor??™s table  (knocking over the breadbasket) and ran across the now flooded floor.

Aunt Wilma shrieked and ran out of the room, wrapping  her Yorkie in her wet apron. Aunt Carol became so flustered she kissed and hugged her Airedale and never introduced him. Vincent nonchalantly puffed his Panatela cigar as Cousin Malcolm introduced Melchior, his proud, elegant

Great Dane. Yorick responded with a high decibel lion  growl that frightened the dog, who dropped his lunch,  knocked Malcolm down and bellowed at the ceiling.  Malcolm got up off the floor, stared daggers at Yorick, and began baby-talking his behemoth until the animal regained its regal composure.

The dogs were then released to the back yard, ???Whale??? and his bowl went back to Suzie??™s room and Uncle Vincent held Yorick tightly, protecting the cat from the irate dog lovers.

???How??™s business???? Victor asked his brother.

???Less than satisfactory. As you know, I??™ve retired to the Actor??™s Home.  We stage a few modest shows each year and I still perform at a convention or two--plus three trade shows each year.  But it??™s not like the halcyon days of yore when we had the Ed Sullivan, Merv Griffin, Mike Douglas and Steve Allen TV shows.???

???I imagine it??™s hard to find a lot of work for a ventriloquist these days,??? Malcolm sympathized.

???You can say that again,??? the cat said. 

Ron Gold
outthinkresumes @aol.com

About Me:

Ron Gold has been writing professionally for some 50 years--in public relations,
advertising and motivation agencies. He now writes
inspirational and humorous stories for the Internet. He also creates
professional resumes from a recruiter's viewpoint, ethical wills and
personal love stories. He also edits college essays students submit
to undergraduate and graduate schools. He was graduated from the
University of Bridgeport and served as a Public Information Specialist
in the U.S. Army. He resides in West Orange, NJ He can be reached at
outthinkresumes @aol.com

Today's Queue Stories
~**~**~**~ 

The Little House Out Back
By Pamela Blaine
 
When I was a child, there was a well-traveled path behind our
house. If you were to follow that path, you would find yourself
at the doorstep of the little house out back.
 
There aren't very many of these little houses anymore, but they
used to be quite common and necessary, especially in rural areas
where very few people had indoor plumbing.
 
Where I grew up, the path led from the back door, past the cellar,
the smokehouse, then on through the gate near the old apple tree.
The little house out back stood about halfway between the house
and the barn, next to the chicken house. Maybe that was planned
so any offensive odor could be blamed on the chickens.
 
These little houses were called by different names, such as:
outhouses, toilets, or privies. They were usually built close
enough to the main house to be convenient, yet far enough away
to be inconspicuous; sometimes they were hidden behind a grape
arbor or board fence.
 
If guests were shy about asking to use the facilities, they would
often just slip outside unnoticed. Others would simply announce
they were going out to "visit Mrs. Jones." Mrs. Jones was quite
popular and probably the most visited lady in our neighborhood.
 
Most of these little houses were equipped with a bench inside
with holes cut in various sizes to accommodate both adults and
small children. I heard it was once said that a man must be
pretty well off if he had more than a two holer and two catalogs.
If someone had "store bought" toilet paper in their outhouse then
they surely must be putting on airs or else they had more money
than good sense.
 
The majority of outhouses were very simple, but some people did
extra things to keep them fixed up and clean. My mother used
wallpaper scraps to paper the walls of our outhouse, and sometimes
on washday, a little bleach would be added to leftover wash water,
and the outhouse would be scrubbed.
 
In one corner of our outhouse was a bucket of lime or lye to be
tossed down the toilet to keep odors away and speed decomposition.
In the other corner was an old Montgomery Ward catalog along with
some other papers and magazines and they weren't just for reading,
if you know what I mean. We'd have to get a new supply whenever
only the heavy shiny pages were left.
 
Since privacy was a concern, there was a hook to latch the door on
the inside, but normally the dog sitting on the outside step was a
dead giveaway that the place was occupied.
 
Many outhouses had the familiar crescent moon opening carved
through the front door. I thought it was to allow some light inside
and also to help with ventilation, but I wondered why that particular
design was used so often. Upon research, I discovered that the moon,
or Luna, is an ancient symbol for women, while a sunburst (sometimes
looked like a star) stood for men. This was probably necessary many
years ago when few people knew how to read.
 
Over the years I've heard a lot of stories and jokes about outhouses
 that could fill a book. There was one story my mother told when she
and her cousins were staying with their Grandmother. It seems that
one cousin hatched up a scheme that he thought would be funny.
 
Now, it just so happened that the old outhouse faced a gravel road.
Mom's cousin put on Grandma's apron and bonnet and went to the outhouse.
He went inside, sat down, and closed the door. He listened carefully
until he heard someone coming down the old gravel road. As the sound
of the vehicle approached, he would hurriedly open the outhouse door
and, while sitting there, he gave a great big wave to the passerby.
 
This went on for a while, and he thought this was quite funny until
the last vehicle happened by and he waved at the wrong man. The man
in that particular vehicle was his own father! I'm not sure what the
punishment was for that little escapade, but I'm sure he didn't have
any extra time on his hands for quite awhile.
 
There was another story about a man who got caught inside his outhouse
when a violent storm came up. The little house was swaying back and
forth so badly that he was afraid it would tip over, so he jumped back
and forth from seat to seat in the small two holer in an attempt to
keep it standing. Unfortunately, it tipped over anyway, and he had to
crawl out on his hands and knees.
 
Of course, no outhouse story would be complete without mentioning
Halloween night. It seems it was common practice in many small towns
for Pranksters to push over outhouses. During my childhood, Mr. Kimble
was our school superintendent. All Mr. Kimble had to do was clear his
throat, and we kids would stop breathing. Tipping over toilets ceased
to be as much fun when Mr. Kimble sent the boys who did it out to set them  back up the next morning. He saw that they were put back exactly
the way they were before they were pushed over.
 
These days we don't see very many of the old outhouses, and not many
people "go out to visit Mrs. Jones" anymore. The old outhouses might
be nostalgic, but I can't say as I miss them, because they often
harbored spiders, flies, splinters and even snakes. The heat of summer,
frigid temperatures of winter, and the darkness of night, all made the
jaunt down that well-worn path a speedy trip.
 
The little house out back is one part of the good old days I don't miss,
and I was very happy when Mrs. Jones gave up her little house out back
and moved indoors.

Pamela Perry Blaine   

pamyblaine @blaines.us
---------------------------------
 
Pamela and her husband live in Missouri. She writes, "Pam's Corner"
for her local newspaper, The Edina Sentinel, that carries many of her
stories. Pam has also contributed to books such as the new book by
2theHeart, People Who Make a Difference, A Tribute To Mom, and The
Miracle of Sons. She plays piano and is an avid reader. She and her
husband, who is a minister of music, have a gospel CD out of songs
written by Pam. More information as well as a clip from the CD is
on her Website: http://blaines.us/PamyPlace.htm

~**~**~

"God Heard Me"

 Catrina Mouton

Just recently we were going through a family trauma which has left us with a lot of heartache. Many hurtful words have been said.

So I figure I??™ll start praying for this trauma to settle a bit. Every night before bed. The girls and I say the Lord's Prayer, and then we go on to prayers. Which I normally say silently.

I sing Hush Little Baby and You Are My Sunshine to them. Then off to bed we go. Silent prayers were helping but it was just still a lot of heartache going on.

One night I was reading my email. The person I was reading about said he speaks out to Jesus as if he would be a person talking to him face to face. That gave me the idea to try it for myself.

That night I prayed that way out loud. I always ask him:

1. To forgive me for the sins I did today.

2. To keep my family and I safe in whatever it is we will do.

3. To guide me through our present trauma.

4. To help me make a will to pay for the test.

    (another story for another time)

I prayed this way for a week.

My husband works on the boats all week and comes home only on weekends. It just so happened that this time they came back on Monday. Since he only goes back out on the boats Sunday nights, it gives them all week to stay home. It was because of Hurricane Ivan that the guys could not go back out to the Gulf.

My husband decided to do an odd job on the side to pass his time however he was sick all week. Yet, I was still able to gather up the money that I needed to pay for the test.

The results were as we expected- Good News!!! I have God to thank for hearing my prayers and for helping me make a will. I just thought I??™d write about my real experience with prayers.

Prayers do work. I have learned that if you reach out to God he will help in his own way. I always knew that but when you experience it yourself you can understand it in a completely different way.

AMEN.

Catrina Mouton

sweetbutterfly202002 @yahoo.com 

About Me:

I've been married for 5 years now. I have 2 girls; 3 & 1 year old. I love to do Arts & Crafts of all kinds. I recently got my 1st godchild. I??™m very excited. And I am truly enjoying my girls before they get two big. I'm a stay-at-home-full-time-mom.

 ~**~**~

A Stroke Victim ??“ Remembering

By: Jan Verhoeff

He looked out the window and stared at the people walking by, some on their way to school, some to who knows where. It wasn't always this way. He used to be a vibrant person, so full of life, and then...

Eyes lifeless and dull stared out. He wanted to call them inside, invite them in to get to know the man he was. He had a spirit that didn't list to the side of his chair. He had a voice, strong and sure that spoke out, confident, powerful, he could hear it as he sat there, alone.

He remembered walking to the middle of the rink. Standing tall, powerful, sure of himself and his ability. He was a fighter, world class, with a buckle in the drawer to prove he had won the Olympic Gold. He had a life.

But, they walked on by. They didn't see him there. They couldn't know who he was, stranded here in this wrinkled body, sitting alone by the window with his head falling down to his chest. He tried to hold it up. But no matter how hard he tried, it was just too heavy. His head drooped to the side, his lips fell open on the right side, drool spilled out, wetting his shirt. The nurse would come back soon and tell him she had to put a new bib on him.

He remembered children, his children. They were tall and strong now, but seldom came to visit. He wondered why they didn't come to see him. He was still the same, though his body had changed. He wanted to see his grandchildren, he could remember them all, called them by name, and even knew the day they were born. He smiled at their jokes, but they couldn't see past the drool.

In this shell, they didn't see his heart warm at their laughter. They couldn't feel his arms around them, holding them tight. They didn't know that he was taking care of them, praying for them every day. They didn't understand that he was still the same person, just locked inside this body that no longer followed his instructions.

So unexpectedly it hit him, a stroke out of the blue, knocked him to the ground. It left him there. But inside he was still the same person. He felt, he thought, he laughed, and he wanted them to know, he cared. He struggled to open his eyes, he wanted someone to see the man inside the body, held captive by the stroke that took his power to move. Inside he was still the same vibrant man, but they couldn't see... inside.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In the last days of his life, Roy Dunn - World Class Wrestler, winner of the Olympics in 1936, in Berlin, Germany, was visited by family and friends. He had been a dear friend of mine, and my children. He and his wife spent many hours in our restaurant and in our home before he suffered a stroke that left him unable to communicate. Deep inside his blue eyes I could see that he was still there, only his body had betrayed him. His family and friends sadly miss him.

Jan Verhoeff

janverhoeff @yahoo.com

More recently, Jan's writing interest leans toward mystery and behavioral humor. Both are included in her latest endeavor due to be released in March 2005 "Out of the Box", a publication about the triumphs and joys of home based education, and the processes she's found that work best with her children and others.

Jan is the Editor/Publisher of Your Hometown News,email to:
your_hometown_news-subscribe@yahoogroups.com NEW ---------- Check out the new website http://windmill29.tripod.com/ Bid til October 31, 2004 on the Golden Lights Original Oil Painting by Southeastern Colorado artist Jan Verhoeff.
janverhoeff @yahoo.com

Writers Feedback 

Today??™s tapestry was most enjoyable. "A Beautiful Thing TO SEE" by Susan Roberts reminded me of the eagle that I saw. One day as I was walking along the lake where my husband and I were camping, I saw one gliding over the water. It was an awesome sight since I had never seen one except on tv or the movies. It took my breath away. as I could see him looking to find an unlucky fish for breakfast.

I also enjoyed Bill walkers article "Have you washed Your Hands". It was good to read someone??™s thoughts on bible lessons as we are taught.

Monsters and ghost by Roger Dean Kiser is so right. There are still monsters out there to frighten us. Every day we read of such terrible incidents of actions that have no relevance to life what so ever.

Nat

Saul Bellow (1915 ??“ 2005) by MurtazaDanish Husaini

Dan, you are professional writer. You showed good skill of writing. Also, thanks for introducing Saul Bellow to me. When next I hear of such name elsewhere I should be able to tell who he was.

Georgewaters Ojeigbe ??“ Lagos, Nigeria

Monsters and Ghosts, James Byrd, Jr. by Roger Dean Kiser

I could understand your mood you were in when writing this story??¦ you probably had some tears dropping from your eyes??¦ Please, who was James Byrd, Jr., an actor or what?

GeorgewatersOjeigbe ??“ Lagos, Nigeria

Lessons from an ant by Susan Roberts

Susan, you really did a great work. Your story on ant is quit correct and well articulated. That is life for you. When you need people most that is when they will become too far away.


GeorgewatersOjeigbe ??“ Lagos, Nigeria

Thank you so much for making me a senior member for Storytime Tapestry! It is an honor.

I also think that having a writers interview is a wonderful idea, I am all for it!

GOD BLESS

Susan Roberts

Hi Carol,

Thank you so much for posting my poem about my dad on Storytime Tapestry.  I was very surprised to open my email and find my name on the subject line of Storytime and find the poem there as a "special treat".  I'm glad that it moved you and am truly honored that you featured that particular piece, which is so special to me.   

I called my mom and brothers and told them and they were thrilled to hear that you'd published it.  It's like my dad is still touching people, in a way.  He'd have liked that.  My mom is sure he is beaming a big smile at us from heaven.

I must go to bed.  We leave for Mexico in just a few hours.

Love,

 Jodi

Announcements

Thank you Janice for introducing us to this wonderful site.

{Heart4Teens.com}  *More to Life*

______________________________________

If you enjoy this free email service, I encourage you to spread the word to family and friends that we may bring inspiration into the lives of teenagers everywhere! If you are not on the list and this has been passed along to you, you can join Heart4Teens.com readers around the world by visiting:

http://www.hundred-acre-woods.com/magic-list/Heart4Teens

Visit our inspirational web site to read all the past articles in our archives and view the tons of resources we have there for teens!

http://www.Heart4Teens.com/Teen_Stories

Seeking pastors and writers to submit articles for a monthly Christian newspaper, which will begin Jan. 2006. Stories pertaining to the intervention of God's hand in people's lives and uplifting the Lord Jesus Christ. E-mail james4436@charter.net

Forty Years Ago.. Reunion


    Celebrating America??™s Military <http://heartswithsoul.com/Military.htm>

Jerry Turner

egtwarrior25@sbcglobal.net <mailto:egtwarrior25@sbcglobal.net>

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Forty years ago this year (1965) was the first time that an Assault
Helicopter Company of the 101st Airborne was committed to combat. It was
the first time since WWII that any unit from the 101st had been
committed to combat.

It was done in the form of Company A, 101st Aviation Battalion, 101st
Airborne Division which very quickly became know as the "Warriors and
Thunderbirds".

We are planning a 40th reunion (many of us may not be around for the

50th) in Houston, April 22-24, 2005. As soon as a place is secured you
will be informed. It will be somewhere in the vicinity of Hobby Airport,
just south of the city which is most accessible by air and convenient by
land.

Our aim is to contact as many as possible of those that served at Soc
Trang (April 65 - Sep 66) as a Warrior or T-bird and all of our
supporting troops. We solicit your help in contacting as many you can
and inform them and or provide us with the e-mails, addresses or phone
numbers of those that we may not have contact.

Our goal is to have at least 50 that served during that period in
attendance. This can be accomplished if we will all get behind this and
contact our contacts.

Our point of contact will be:

Ken Harmon kharmon3@houston.rr.com H 281-343-7788 O 281-561-7111 C
713-816-4422

Ron Crotty hcrot1ps@ont.com Ed O'Quinn edoquinn77@charter.net

Jerry Turner egtwarrior25@sbcglobal.net AGENDA; Our Hospitality Room
will be open continuously for BS and other sessions From Friday through
Sunday.


  Itinerary

1. Friday 04/22/05; Welcome Meet & Greet, Cash Bar, hors d'oeuvres 1900
til 2200

2. Saturday 04/23/05; Reunion Dinner 1830 til 2000, $45.00 per person
(est.).

3. Sunday 04/24/06; Departure Brunch (Hail & Farewell) 0930 til 1130.

NOTE: I am trying to arrange a tour of The Johnson Space Center on
Saturday 04/23/05, time TBD, will confirm as soon as possible (probably
3 hours in length).

Please let me know what you think about this and any suggestions or
ideas that you may have will be welcome, thanks.

Hotel Info; HOTEL/RESERVATION INFO A101 40th Anniversary Reunion

22 April through 24 April 2005 South Shore Harbor Resort

2500 South Shore Blvd., League City, Texas

77573, United States Reservations: 1-800-442-5005 (When calling be sure
you tell them that you are with A101 40th Anniversary Reunion Group.)

Contact; Sharon Whitten Sales Manager Room Rate: $99.00 plus tax (12%)

I have blocked 50 rooms, with 30 rooms we get a free Hospitality Suite.
There is no penalty if we do not fill all the rooms by 15 April, any
excess will be released for normal booking. If we drop under 30 rooms,
no complementary Hospitality suite.

Reservation cut off date: 14 April 2005.

If you are interested please let me know ASAP, so I can get you on our
Morning Report and make your reservations before 14 April 2005, thanks guys.  

Prayer Requests

Dear friends/family,

Another great nephew, Jeremey Conley,26,was born with a heart defect which has required various surgeries over the years. He is getting short of breath again so he is scheuled for an M.R.I.on May 2 to be followed the next day, May 3rd for open heart surgery. Jeremey is a sweet young man who is a christian; married with three children. Please remember him in your prayers. Thanking you in advance, NormaLee and family!

Dear Prayer Warriors

Please pray for my cousin, Paul's Father-In-Law...

He is in need of our Savior's healing touch.

I pray the Lord with work His mighty wonders here

and give this man (who just accepted the Lord as his Savior

and was Baptized) your peace and Love that passes all understanding!

In Jesus Precious Name,

Amen

Here is a note from my cousin Paul:

Hi Barbara,

I have one for your prayer list, Pam's (my wife) father was diagnosed with lung cancer last month, after tests it was discovered that the cancer had traveled to his brain and he has tumors there.This is the bad news. The GOOD NEWS is that on Easter Sunday he gave his life to the Lord and last weekend we flew up to Springfield, Oregon where we witnessed his baptism. He is feeling wonderful despite the cancer and we are praying for a healing miracle, but if not, he is at peace with the fact that he is going to heaven!

God Bless You

Your Cuz, Paul 

To all;

Please pray for my wife Jackie she is down sick, I think its the flu.

So if you all would pray for her. And my older brother Terry is going

Friday the 15 Th to have back surgery, The way the doctor explained

it the disk get herniated from the back or the front of the spine, his

is coming out the side and pushing on the nerve. They will go in and

be carful not to break the nerve loose from the spine clip or cut off

whats pushing on the nerve and then let the nerve go back in place!

Thank you all for your prayers in advance, God bless you all

Richard & Jackie Sims