"The toddlers looked at each other as if they had just been told their mutual funds had taken a complete nosedive." ~ Funny Metaphor, copied

This day is as good as any day to pause and give thanks to God. If you are able to do that, you can get this particular day, Tuesday, June 26, 2018, off to a good start. You just have to love how colloquialisms help to flavor our communications. ~ Actions speak louder than words. ~ A penny for your thoughts. ~ The ball is in your court. ~ You are barking up the wrong tree. ~ Don't bite off more than you can chew. ~ Maybe you need to blow off some steam. ~ It's time to burn the midnight oil. ~ Don't judge a book by its cover. ~ We'll come to that bridge when we cross it. ~ There's no sense in crying over spilled milk. ~ Curiosity killed the cat. ~ Let's cut to the chase. ~ Drastic times call for drastic measures. ~ I'm feeling under the weather. ~ In the heat of the moment. ~ That way we can kill two birds with one stone. ~ It will be easy, it's a piece of cake. ~ It's raining cats and dogs. ~ We need to see eye to eye on this. ~ Speak of the devil. ~ I wouldn't be caught dead. ~ Your guess is as good as mine. ~ These reflect a few ways in which we illuminate the subject we are discussing. Having grown up in the deep south in a rural community, there's even more colorful slang, idioms, and figures of speech that kick up the dialogue by a notch or two. One day I'll visit some of those I heard growing up. Until then, I'll do my best to make sure I am barking up the right tree.

I was introduced to language differences at a fairly early age. After our dad passed away, in 1954, we relocated from Port Arthur, Texas, to a very small Louisiana rural community. I was seven years old. My grandfather had some kinfolks that lived out from that little town. The little town we lived in would have been considered backwoods in some ways but these kinfolks lived way back, in the woods, out on the land. They were folks who didn't get into town much. The first time I accompanied my granddad out there for a visit, well, I didn't have to have a passport, but, it was as much a foreign country as I could have imagined. The kids out there did not pick up on the limerick, "I don't smoke, I don't chew, and I don't go with the girls that do." They would have done all of the above. Their words all ran together. My mom believed that cleanliness was next to Godliness and she practiced that belief in how she kept house. Our country cousins, not so much. Or, maybe, not at all. They were courteous. They offered me some snuff from a can and even asked if they might roll me a cigarette. I can remember lying in my bed at night trying to figure out what they were saying. Much later, I learned about Appalachia and life in those parts of our land. I could identify with what I read. I still don't know what some of those kids were saying to me, but, if I recall, when I said no to the snuff and cigarette, I believe they replied, "Good, more for me!" Believe me, I'm not throwing off on them. They lived differently than we did, but, they always seemed to be happy. I believe when polled that's typically the number one things folks long for.

I had been practicing on getting ready to get ready to be lonesome, but, she moved up leaving me by a day. I was set on saying my farewell for now on Tuesday morning, but, on Sunday evening she and her sister revised their schedule. Do what? Since their brother was not up to driving to see them, they would need to drive over to see him. While that makes sense, the announcement of the change caught me off guard. It reminded me of that time I fell back out of my office chair. The landing on the floor didn't hurt. It was the trying to get up before I got down that wrenched my back. Oh well, life is about making adjustments. On the fly. I would have given her a list of things that I needed for her to take care of on Monday before she left. Now she is gone. I haven't made the list. I have no one to give it to. I have to take care of it myself. Woe is me! Her brother is one of the finest men I have ever known. He is now in his 80's and he has to deal with a number of health-related issues. You may not have met him. His name is Cleon. If you look up the word 'loyal' in the dictionary, you will find a picture of Cleon. His difficulties are a preview for those of us who have been together for these many years. I actually celebrated Christmas with Cleon and my girlfriend's family the year before we were married. That was 55 years ago. I mention that only to prove that I know what I know about my brother-in-law. To me, he, and my wife's entire family have been a blessing in my life. I mean that sincerely, although, there have been times when it would have been nice to be able to make some of those jokes about the in-laws. I never could. Never. I do hope you have a good rest of the day Tuesday and that our Great God will add His blessings to our day. Amen. ....More later.