Fiftieth Birthday: Hawaii Five-O. -By Karla

The Reason for the Travels 

Our blog, Smorgasbord of Sisterhood, is centered on faith, family, and laughter. For this special 50th birthday, I received a trip that embraced all three. I love lying on a float in the ocean! This trip we may not have been in Hawaii, but my 5-0 birthday brought us to the beach.

Sisters, cousins, and an aunt accompanied me to Florida. I do believe our laughter might have been heard all the way back in Georgia. Some names have been changed to dashes (-) to protect the innocent (or guilty).

Spotted before We Realized

On the way down, Donna and I spotted an aunt who was driving alone. We came up with this great plan, which amused us! Donna was going to put the pedal to the metal, catch up, and strategically pull parallel with her at nearest red light. My job was then to hang out the window waving my arms frantically yelling at her. We did catch up and tailed her, waiting on the opportunity. But being the human jukeboxes we are, when an old favorite came on we got distracted.  While sitting in a turning lane, we were singing and videoing ourselves, as she spotted us, got out of her car, and came back to give us a hug, surprising us!

Games and Laughter

Four out of the six nights we played board games; one of my favorite things to do. Ranging in ages from forty-nine to seventy-six, games can be quite interesting. One game required us to pick from a multiple choice list of different things that best described us while the other players try to guess “who you are”. This is when we learned that one cousin considers herself apathetic. Now, that was like wearing a target for the rest of the trip! Anytime there was a choice to be made someone would shout out, “Well, — doesn’t care!”

Another game was somewhat like Pictionary. One contestant felt so successful when her teammate guessed her drawing to be an action. Sadly, her bubble was quickly burst when we told her the word “action” was just the hint not the word to be guessed!

Fatty Wad Ryder

Later in the week, one player stated, “Well, I’m just sucking hind ***” because she was in last place. This caused someone to almost spit out her water she had just gulped! Turns out, that is a farm saying for what happens often to the little runt. Sometime during the games, we heard of a story from “the good old days” in which a cousin’s best friend’s brother was named Fatty Wad Ryder. I lie you not! I cannot make that one up!  

“Well, it’s true! I don’t even know his real name. His parents and teachers even called him Fatty Wad.” She pronounced. I am still laughing over that one, and might be at my 100th birthday party!

One night between a round of the game, I received some birthday cards. As one cousin handed me my card, she announced, “Here you go. It’s a funny one. I didn’t sign it in case you want to reuse it!”

Only a Few Arguments 

We had such a blast. With almost no arguing, except every time we got in the van! Two of the eight attendees have back problems. They were constantly arguing about who was not going to take the front seat because the other one needed it more. It even came to a few “friendly” shoves!

A feud occurred over who would pay for the pizzas. One cousin had declared she would pay for it, and laid her debit card out. Donna and I volunteered to go pick it up. Walking out the door, I said, “Oh, I forgot –‘s debit card.”

Donna whispered, “It’s my turn to pay for something. Don’t get it.! Go and shh!”  When we were almost out the door, — yelled, you forgot my card.”

Donna tried to push me on out the door, “Pretend you didn’t hear her.”

“I can’t lie.”  I trudged over and got it. Donna thought she had the last laugh and paid the $20 at the counter. Upon leaving the beach, the aunt gave Donna a card (whose birthday happens to also be in July). Inside, yep!  You guessed it. There was a $20 bill.

Our family loves to eat! We enjoyed several meals and lots of ice-cream. There would be no arguments over extra ice-cream because — not only ate her’s every night, but the leftovers of everyone else too! “Don’t throw that away!  I’ll eat it!”

Beach Time

At the beach, the fun continued. The ocean is not on the top ten list of favorites among some of our family. One of these cousins was being oh-so-brave as we coaxed her out further and further. I stated, “You know, I am pretty proud of you being out here.”  Her reply, “Yeah, I’m pretty proud of myself too!” Donna and I were careful not to discuss the helicopters that were flying back and forth over the water and what they might be looking for.

Our family is so awesome. to care for one another. One night, Donna and I were taking the trash to the dumpster. We detoured to swing a while on the kid’s swing set. An aunt met us at the door when we got back. “Y’all been gone for a long time. I was not going to bed until you got back!”

One of the bad “back” ladies was in the ocean. After a while she tired and another cousin treaded back with her to the beach. I looked up from my float to see them holding hands. Taking care of each other is what we do. At meal times, we all held hands saying grace and thanking God for our safety, our families, and birthdays!

-Karla (Who will withhold the names of the innocent because what happened in Panama City Beach stays in Panama City Beach, except the memories!)

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Accepting Help: Plant Yourself -By Donna

My house and land is bordered on three sides by 200 acres owned by an out-of-town family. For twenty-seven years we have been surrounded by a forest. This year, what we have always dreaded, happened. The owners had their land clear-cut. Now on the outskirts of our 40 acres is a thin line of trees, and many trees that stand alone.

When a storm comes through our area, my daddy always calls to check and make sure no damage occurs.  Besides the Blizzard of 93, we have had no damage. But since the cutting, the last two big storms have knocked down large old trees, both times across our long dirt drive. One morning I had to drive down a small hill around a fallen tree on the driveway to get to work. A few stormy nights ago, Tucker called saying, “Bring me a chainsaw, I can’t get up the driveway.”

I pondered why the high winds were blowing over trees when it’s never happened before. Right or wrong, I have come to this conclusion. When there were 200 acres of trees standing side by side, together they were like a wall or barrier.  But now standing alone, they lack protection from one another.

I think life is that way. When you try to go through life, preferring to handle it alone, you may bend and break. During the last few days before my mama passed, my parents’ life-long forest was so obvious. In the hospice room, there were days when additional chairs would be brought in for the circle of friends and family. A nurse once commented, “We have never had a patient with this many visitors.”  My Daddy was well taken care of after her passing. His forest made sure of that.

“You can’t see the forest for the trees.”

My mama was my protection tree. When my tree began to wither, fear set in. I called my Aunt Kathy, and she arrived at the hospice, staying until the end. She has been there for me ever since. I have always kept things to myself and dealt with things alone. I just don’t want to burden others, or appear to be weak. You know the expression, “You can’t see the forest for the trees?” that was me. I had always been surrounded by my forest, but didn’t realize it until my time of need.

I came back to work, and my lesson plans for the month were complete.  Friends brought meals and gave gifts (which at the time I thought it was strange to receive a gift when a parent dies, but oh how I cherish them now).

I have had many challenges over the past year, and it has enabled me to see how big my forest is. I have a forest of co-workers, church family, related family, and friends. There were times I hesitated to accept help, but as I attempted to decline help from my Uncle Lynn, he told me, “the polite thing to do is accept and say thank you.”

Don’t be the tree standing alone. Plant yourself in a forest. Don’t let pride prevent you from the blessings of others. Someday you may need their strength. In return, you are a part of their forest. Reach out to those who may be looking for a place to plant their roots.

—Donna

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