Chapter 3-scene 4-my story

Mom had to grow and can enough fruits and vegetables to last all year, the potatoes were placed in sawdust under the floor, the onions were hung so they would be dry and not rot. Apples were also placed under the floor. some people had cellars to put their canned goods, potatoes and onions in for the winter. Mom made kraut out of the cabbage and pickles out of the cucumbers. I liked the pickle relish she made with the end of the garden. At first frost she gathered the cucumbers and all the green tomatoes and made a pickle relish that I loved.
Every morning we had hot biscuits, gravy, oatmeal, eggs and bacon or ham. When beef and pork were killed during the year some was cured in the smokehouse so we could use it all year, therefore we always had bacon and ham. A chicken could be grabbed anytime out or the yard, neck wrung, cleaned and cooked. Usually on Sunday we had chicken. Mom made cakes and pies all the time. We always picked lots of wild blackberries so we had lots of blackberry pies all year.
For all the employees and their families, the people at the Dam had celebrations and get togethers, at one such get together we saw our first movie, a Laurel and Hardy movie, we loved it. I have never forgotten it. Another form of entertainment, when the department of engineering saw that the lakes were going to flood a farm, they purchased the farm and then there was a large sale. Everything was auctioned off and there was always food there. Many auctions were held.

Chapter 3-Scene 3-my story

In order for you to have some insight on how really difficult it was to live in rural America in the '40's I am going to tell you about the daily life of a young family. When you needed water you either had a well (dug in the ground) or had to go to a spring to get the water. After you got your water, if you wanted it hot there was a teakettle on the wood stove and it took a while to heat it up. Of course, the wood in the stove has to be cut and brought into the house to use. A wooden match was used to start the kindling and get a good fire started, more wood was added all day and night to keep the fire going, for heat or cooking. Washing dishes was a big chore and we girls hated to wash dishes. In our house it was done in two big aluminum pans. Hot water and lye soap was used to wash the dishes and in the second pan they were rinsed and then dried with a towel while still hot. You had to keep adding hot water until you had completed your job. When a hole was discovered in the dishpan, until daddy could solder it, a small rag was pulled through the hole until the leak stopped. Nothing was ever just replaced until all possible use was gotten from it. If you had a well, a rope with a bucket pulled the water from the well and if you wanted to use your well to it's fullest your food that might spoil was hung in the well to keep it cold. If you did not have a well, an iceman brought ice to your house to put in an insulated box and keep your food cool and keep your milk from spoiling.
When darkness fell, lamps were lit and a radio with a large car battery was on for entertainment. The lamps provided light to read by and play dominos or checkers.
tobecontinued.......

Chapter 3 continued-my story

We had as little truck, I think a 38 or 36 Ford. Daddy drove, Mom sat near the door, holding the baby Frankie, Gussie sat in the middle by the gear shift, Jimmie sat on her lap and I stood in front of mom. Now you have to remember that we did not go fast, but even with no safety laws, not one of us even got a bump on the head.
We could not buy much gas because it was rationed and you were only issued so many gas stamps. Since Daddy had to drive to work some, carpooled some, we did have to be very conservative with driving. Sugar and anything made with rubber was also restricted. So you fixed a flat tire and put "boots' in it a lot. Shoes had rubber in them so we resoled our own shoes and wore none in the summer. Daddy was drafted but when he went for his physical, the law had just been approved that said, a man with 4 children could not be drafted. Mom was really happy, can you imagine there being an advantage to having 4 children. Whenever any men or women in the community "went to war' there were huge community parties, I remember playing with lots of children and also the large crocks of lemonade that daddy made.
tobecontinued.......

3rd Chapter-my life

The house that Daddy had built for us to live in was a very primitive house and there were just outside walls and a metal roof. Daddy kept working to improve it every chance he got. He worked 7 days a week, 10 hour days because he got double time on Sunday and we needed all the money he could make to live. We had a couple of cows, some chickens, a few hogs and mom started planting her garden as soon as she could, until the new crops came in we had to rely on what she had canned, the milk from the cow and the eggs from the chickens.
We went to school in a stone building that was used for school all 8 grades, church and community meetings. When your grade was called out by the teacher, you went to the front of the room and had your class time, lessons for the day. I loved math so learned all the other math classes too, especially when the students or teacher used the blackboard. We had arithmetic, reading, writing, spelling, history and geography. We used an outdoor toilet, one for boys and one for the girls and did not have toilet paper so used pages from the Sears or Montgomery Ward catalog.
We carried our lunch in a little metal bucket that had had lard in it. I usually had a bread, butter and sugar sandwich and whatever was left from supper the night before.
to be continued......

2nd chapter of my life

When I was a preschooler, we lived in a rural community in a rural county. Daddy had the country store, the post office, the gas pumps and did surveying for the county. Remember that this was in the thirties. Mom had four kids and I was number 2 so I spent a lot of time with my dad, when he was in the store I helped, when he was sorting and giving out the mail, I was there and I even helped him survey. Also helped mom make soap in the old iron pot outdoors. My older sister helped take care of the babies. Since this was depression time, no one had money so most of what dad sold was on credit, and much of it was never paid, but no one went hungry if my dad could help it.
I learned to milk the cow even before I went to school. When I was 6 Daddy decided to move away from the influence of Grandpa and live away from family. He built a little house near Mountain Home Arkansas and got a job as a concrete man on the Norfork Dam.
to be continued........

My life story-first chapter

I am going to start today writing a little bit of my life story every day, I hope you find it informative.

I grew up on a "baling wire" farm, that is a farm where everything is held together with baling wire.I helped my dad tend the farm, milk the cows by hand, herd the sheep, fed the pigs and chickens, and bale the hay.

I attribute much of my wellness today to the fact that I worked outdoors in the sunshine and I ate the food we grew on the farm. When I went away to college then to Nursing School, I did not have a lot in common with my peers because of my farmwork background, but I had the strength to life heavy patients and I was never sick, even though I was 5 ft. tall and weighed a little over 100#.

Another thing I attribute to my rural upbringing is my very creative mind. We did not have toys so we created all our play from our imagination. The broom was a guitar, the windowsill a piano, etc., etc.

My older sister and I created huge stories that were always continued and we acted them out.

We read everything we could get our hands on, including Aunt Trixie's romance magazines and Daddy's true murder mysteries. One of the greatest days of the week was the day the "Grit"came, it was a magazine and besides all the info in it, it had a continued story. Our dad and grandpa taught us music and we sang gospel music everywhere we went.

to be continued.........

The daily chores

Had my coffee under the apple tree, 3 times, first cup I left on the picnic table while I fed the horse some apples, Sonny drank it, 2nd cup I was holding in my hand drinking and Chloe came up and sneezed in it so back for the 3rd cup. Bath time for 5 dogs yesterday and have to do some more today. This morning I did trim and shave on the Yorkie, Harry and Pom, 'Lil Bear. Harry hates it and fights me all the way, as my dad would say,"he would not be happy if you hung him with a new rope" but 'Lil bear would tolerate anything as long as I hold him in my lap.
Daisy one of the little toy doxies, stayed hidden all day yesterday unless we were outdoors, she hates baths and knows when I start that she might be next.
I did some writing on the website: www.selfgrowth.com and also watched some of the videos, I also worked some on my website: www.memaswellness.homestead.com

Just had my meditation under the old apple tree, and my 15 minutes in the wonderful sunshine.
Used the time in the sunshine to repot some plants and put together the plans for my fish pond.
Answered questions on the internet concerning giving flu vaccine to children and I said, NO, NO, and NO again. I would like for some research to be done on how chronic diseases have increased since we started all these vaccines. Do you know how many doses of vaccine (toxins) are given to a child even before he is school age? Please have everyone in your family start:

• washing hands and keep them away from the face
• keep hair out of the face, I think hair spreads germs rapidly-all those draining noses and long hair is great for the germs
• take their multiple vitamin/mineral daily
• take extra vitamin D and get sunshine everyday
• eat a well balanced diet and eliminate refined sugars
• eat food with lots of garlic and onions
• take fish or krill oil in maximum doses
• drink lots of non sugared drinks and purified water

Follow these steps and you will be healthy all year.

I will keep preaching but no one listens.

New website

I just opened up a new website www.memaswellness.homestead.com
I am also on www.selfgrowth.com

Just great today under the old apple tree and watching all my animals. My big sin is having real half and half in my coffee every morning, a comfort food from my childhood when I skimmed the heaviest cream from the milk can for my cereal, no half and half this morning so I feel deprived. Guess there has to be a trip to the grocery store. Out of printers ink that is really bad too. The only bread I eat is the oatnut bread and I have depleted that too, feel almost as if I am near starvation.
I have been to the local post office twice in the past week to mail some books to my friend, Dorothy, the post mistress takes her lunch hour for 2 hours and I have hit her lunch both days. Listened to more audio on www.ihealth.com yesterday and am learning new things every day. Also have applied to be an "expert" on www.selfgrowth.com

A wonderful day yesterday, weather wise, and my granddaughter came for a short visit. My Chinese med vet came to vs. my 14 dogs and I mowed most of my yard. That is a full day for this 75 year old lady. I did spend the evening watching the baseball games on tv. Texas Rangers @ 6 pm then my cardinals @ 9 pm. Be glad when the cardinals come back to the real world, central time, and play, my day will be shorter and I can get more sleep. While watching the Rangers I listened to a lecture by the dream lady and pondered over the fact that my dreams have changed over the years but I still have dreams. Have hooked up with a website I used many years ago and think it might help me with my dreams. Many years ago I got a lot of info from a website www.selfgrowth.com and lost touch, as computers go down you loose touch with certain people and places then you can eventually hook back up. I started getting info from it yesterday and plan to do a lot with it. There is mounds of info on the website and I think everyone could glean something from it. So look it up. www.selfgrowth.com

"Working" people

Wonderful weather today and as soon as the heavy dew evaporates, I have to start mowing. Would love to have someone dependable to mow at least every 2 weeks but I have found it difficult to find people who like to work.
One of the most difficult things about being in the work world before I retired, was the fact that most of my employees liked to come to work only if the little voice in their head whispered,"It is a good day to show up for work." over the years I worked so many 24 hour shifts just because there are so many self-centered, lazy people in the world. I worked about 45 years and never failed to go to work, I missed work only when my children were born and that was planned ahead, so no one depended on me being at work.
I am so happy to be in a place in my life where I do not have to depend upon anyone but myself. My but I sound grim today, guess I had better go spend some time under the old apple tree with my animals.

Yesterday after doing my daily reading, I resolved to follow my nutrition program more faithfully and ordered more goji berries and real raw chocolate (cacoa). Also need to get a new aloe plant, my last plant was ignored and went the way of most house plants. I had a light bulb moment and realized that I needed to be using aloe on a lot of the little skin problems on the older dogs. My skin could use a little aloe too, as I age my skin is thinner and it is a good thing to keep my skin in good shape because it is my largest body organ and protects me from much disease. I will also do some more writing for www.howtodothings.com

Sophia

My spoiled pets

Got new order of pet food yesterday and Sophia was so happy because she has a new box. She is so happy when she has a new box to lazy around in, it had rained on the old one and I had to take it to be recycled. Yesterday she just couldn't hardly wait for me to empty the food out before she crawled in. The other 2 cats do not want boxes, just treats.

Before daybreak the livestock (Jesse, the pygmy goat, JR the mini mule and Janet my haflinger mare) were all standing under the apple tree waiting for some apples to chew on, all the low ones are gone so I have to knock some out of the top of the tree.

My animals are so spoiled, I wish someone would spoil me. It was fun watching Daisy teach her sister how to catch frogs, they are toy doxies and so much fun to watch. Yesterday was the first day in a long time that we did not have guest dogs, just the 14 dogs and 3 cats, so much quieter.

Don't get shot!

How lucky can you get, a delay in production of flu vaccine, I can not believe that there are so many gullible people that will let themselves and their children be poisoned by that vaccine. Many old people will probably die from the vaccine but we will not know about those cases. There ought to be some public records somewhere to let us know what happens to the people who get the vaccine.
Well I will just sit here under my old apple tree with my animals and watch as the world gets their shots. Haven't had a flu shot for the past 20 years and have not even had a sniffle. Must keep my immune system in great shape and wash my hands often.
I know all my preaching falls on deaf ears but I keep spouting off to any one who is still breathing.

Health care reform

I would like to reform the whole system and it does not have anything to do with health insurance directly.

• Make it mandatory for all physicians to attend classes in integrated medicine.
• Require all physicians to make alternatives a choice for each person.
• Insurance required to pay for supplements, as long as they come from a reputable company.
• No required training for physicians paid for by the drug companies.
• Require all physicians to read side effects to the patient when they order a drug or treatment.
• Go back to the old system in which all drug sales persons have to be trained pharmacist and all have to have training in alternative medications.

When I look at the medications of my friends and relatives, I am appalled to see that their symptoms are exactly the side effects of their medication and the physicians never take away the drug, just order another one. Case in point, a person with osteoporosis has been taking "the purple pill" for years, it is supposed to be a temporary fix, the antacids repress the HCL in your system and therefore you do not get the use of your supplements you take for bone health. We then have to be on expensive drugs and have fractured bones so the health care gets expensive.

For long term fix of the system has to start with training the Dr. and the public.

My good brain

Feel sluggish today because I have not eaten correctly the past 2 days, I felt that I had a deficiency in Pepsi and I enjoyed it at the time. Also had white bread and that is a big, big, no, no for my body. My resistance was low and I succumbed to temptation. Did some reading in Dr. Amen's books on my brain and made me feel guilty for watching tv more than an hour, had to see my baseball games, Saturday and Sunday are not good days to be nice to my brain by depriving it of tv. I guess I can get by with it if I am participating and I do participate especially when the coach does not know how to use the bull pen.

My Daisy

Down Memory Lane

This morning out in the back yard, one of my little toy doxies, Daisy, was trying to eat a big frog. She caught it so was trying to eat it. It reminded me of days gone bye when I was doing seminars and training and used Brian Tracy's book and tapes, "Eat that frog" Daisy takes things in their literal meaning. At my age I have had to "Eat that Frog" lots of times. Somewhere in my library I still have the tapes but do I still have tape players, I think not. Everything changes so fast, I wonder when my CD and DVD will be extinct?
Had my coffee out under the apple tree this morning and have been wondering when I could get away from 15 dogs and listen to my new demo on relaxation. Have got to start using some of my info to sleep longer. The first thing is to teach some of the dogs to sleep somewhere other than my bed. At age 75 you would think I could sleep alone, it would be nice. I will write a paper on sleep and see if I can follow my own instructions!

Learning about Osteoporosis

I did a lot of research on Osteoporosis the past few weeks and presented my article yesterday, in my research of vitamin D, I found that the info on it is becoming great. They have even found it can prevent cancer. So get out in the sun for 15 minutes a day with arms and legs exposed. My sister has osteoporosis plus osteomalacia, the painful bones, and is having a lot of problems, none of her physicians all this time picked up on her need for vitamin D until the pain becomes unbearable. go to www.grassrootshealth.com/vitaminD and read all about the benefits of vitamin D.

Thirst for Knowledge

I have been on a learning binge and have been listening to many taped interviews with Nutrition people and Neurologist. It just seems that I learn about someone with new knowledge every day. This morning I have been listening to David Wolfe about some superfoods, he has some great ideas and he helped me refresh some knowledge I had in my brain but he helped pull it up to my present mind, my desktop. Most of these experts go a little overboard but you have to take what they say and do your own research. I love Dr. Mercola but some things he just goes overboard on I have to research on my on but I really do like his info.
I was so happy when they published my article on pet care at www.howtodothings.com/user/freddiemema

Learn, Learn, Learn

When I got Jesse the pygmy goat, I immediately wanted to learn about his care, I went on line and purchased 9 hours of audio on his care. It only cost $10 and I have had a healthy goat while others around me have had numerous health issues with their goats. If you take on the responsibility of an animal, you must learn how to care for it and follow up.
The same thing happens when you take on the responsibility of caring for a child, an older adult, etc. The information highway is there to be traveled and we should travel it. I have always had a hunger for knowledge and each thing I have done in life has required me to study and learn. One reason I watch Book TV a lot on Saturday is to learn and of course I watch, the green channel and HGTV to learn. I hope 20 years from now when I am 95 that I will still be learning.

How to

to read all my articles on "how to" go to the website: www.howtodothings.com/user/freddiemema

Bare Necessities

Most of us have a lot more things than we need, even I, who lives very miserly could do without some of the things I have. It would be awfully hard to give up my computer and my cell phone even though they are not real necessities of life. I can hang my clothes on the clothes line to dry, I can do my wash in the sink or bathtub, I can do without air conditioner and open my windows. But it would be really difficult to give up my computer and cell phone. They are my necessities or life, it makes me happy to know that I got to live my life in the computer age.

Too much TV

I think I have been watching too much tv, but I did see some great things this week. On public tv, I heard presentation by Dr. Amen and of course right away I went to his website to order a book and to read his blog. It is a great website www.amenclinics.com/blog.
I enjoyed the green channel but happened to turn the tv on and 60 minutes was presenting the work that is being done using the computer in helping people with no motor function so they can use their brain by integrating with the computer. I am so glad I saw that segment of the program and glad to see that we are doing something with these great computers and helping people who have their brains trapped in a body that does not function. you might go into the computer and watch that segment of 60 minutes. I think I am going to re watch it.

How to treat your pets like royalty

Today I submitted an article to how to do things, about the way I treat my pets. I submitted it today but it will take a few days for approval. My pets have the very best which includes food from www.trilogyonline.com/freddie I thought everyone would want to use the excellent food for their pets, but I find that most people feed food that is giving their pets so many toxins and then paying a lot in vet bills. There is no way I could hear Dr. Jane talk about the food then feed my royal subjects anything but the best. I am dedicated to the health and happiness of my pets.

Gullible people

For over a year now big pharmacy companies have been building up the hype and brainwashing gullible people to sell a vaccine and other medicines for this swine flu scare. For years it has been flu vaccines in general, but some people were getting too smart so they added a new element and called it swine flu. While they were doing that they could probably been putting their energies into, Parkinson's, brain injury, dementia and many other diseases and had a cure by now. I am so untrusting of everyone in the medical field and getting more so each day.
Please read my articles on www.howtodothings.com/user/freddiemema

I don't care how bad your childhood was there is no excuse. Overcome it and become president of the u.s or a supreme court judge. All these years people who were raised by single parents, mixed/race families or lived in the projects have used that excuse for their failures in life. I am so happy we have these great examples for us.
My article today that I am writing is on "how to treat your pets like royalty" it will take awhile before it is approved but I have enjoyed writing it. www.howtodothings.com

Extended DL

I have had my dl extended, Jill is going to help me with my livestock a couple of days so I can rehab a few more days. I have been writing more on the howtodothings website and I have a few that have been approved and published. On this website you can learn how to do anything. If someone clicks on an article that I wrote, I get paid a few cents. www.howtodothings.com/health-fitness/how-to-not-grow-old and then it will also list my other articles that have been approved and published.

I have been on the DL

In the game of baseball, when you have a problem you go on the DL. Last Saturday after my little mishap in the game of life, I went on the DL. In baseball you are usually put on a 15 day DL. well I have been rehabing and am going off the DL today because I have no one to assist me. Lonna has been helping me with the livestock and starting tomorrow, she will not have time so, I am off the DL. I still have pain in the torn hamstring but need to work through it. My article on how not to grow old was published yesterday. www.howtodothings.com/health-fitness/how-to-not-grow-old I am trying to use my own advice.

How to do things

I have been using a website called www.howtodothings.com and doing some writing on health etc. It is a great site and I get a few cents every time someone clicks on my articles. Today the article is How to keep from getting old. I really enjoy writing and I enjoy giving advice so the articles are right down my alley. I just started a couple of weeks ago and all the articles have to go through approval before they are available for publish.

How to stay young

For years I have written that one of the ways you stay young, is to avoid accidents. This past week end I was chasing my livestock to the barn in the rain and fell. I did a ballet move and ended up in "the split" position. My it hurt and the first thing I thought was: " I have really done it this time". I am a very healthy 75 year old and have always had strong bones and I take care of my self. I was really in pain a couple of days but I avoided a catastrophe simply by being healthy and I learned that I must not run in the rain without looking where I am going.

No dependable people

Went for a walk around my property, there was not enough rain this week even to keep the dust down. It rained everywhere but here. I did not get enough to even fill the bird bath. It is raining in the river valley but just cloudy here. If I had a truck or a family member to help it would not be such a big problem to purchase hay, but everything becomes a problem when you are elderly and try to have animals around, I am beginning to feel sorry for myself. I should have enough income to hire someone but when I did, they did not show up to work, reminds me of my days in the work world when I had to work so hard because so many employees do not show up for work. People are so un-dependable. I have to mow my own yard this week because the guy I hired to work on the week ends has not been here in three weeks. Another kid I hired to come and help me trim all my dogs' nails, promised a month ago, and has not shown up. I am getting disgusted. If you can't do it for yourself, it will not get done.