TAKING A BREAK FROM THIS BLOG...WILL BE BACK SOON

I have put so many different kinds of things on this blog...a few pretend trips, a couple of fantasy trips, Ben's poetry and paintings, a guest blogger, many  of my own precious memories. (67 entries.)

 That was a mistake. Sort of a hodgepodge of stuff...especially if anyone else cared to read the blog. I had most of my pretend trips on my first blog started in 2011. (76 entries.)

annieinmemphis.blogspot.com

But I never really meant for my blog writing to entertain others, but to entertain Ben and me.
                         

 In 2011 I got the idea that pretend trips could be remembered the same as "in the flesh" trips. I have been blessed with thousands of miles of real live travel...both in US and abroad....also thousands of miles of pretend trips. But now my brain remembers pretend and live trips just the same. And I use my three blogs as permanent scrapbooks to save the details.

After sleeping on a Greyhound bus so many times (which was actually kind of fun) I decided my pretend trips should be first class in travel, I would stay in the most expensive hotels, eat at the most expensive restaurants. I would tell people I had unlimited funds (?) that can only be used for travel. I would pay for it all with monopoly money or a monopoly charge card. 

I'll be back on memphisannie.blogspot.com.....soon. 

I will continue the same way on my trip around the world. So far only one entry.
patriciaanninmemphis.blogspot.com 

But it will probably be boring because I have no story in mind so far.
If I were you I wouldn't bother reading it...instead, I hope you will make your own pretend trips. If I can do it, anyone can. Love, annie

FROM ONE MOM TO ANOTHER by DOROTHY FINLEY,. guest blogger

Dot Finley is my cousin; we discovered each other on face book a couple of years ago. Her grandmother was my grandfather's sister.
When I read this poem she wrote about her only son, I asked if I could put it on my blog. I think you will find this  delightful.
 Thanks, Dot. with love, cuz annie 

                                

Windows of the Soul

By: Dorothy June White Finley

1960

I used to love to rise up early

Before the others were out of bed

To sit at the table to sip my coffee

Dreaming quiet thoughts within my head

Before a verbal word was said.

But in my house another early riser

Loved to join my revelry.

How could I ever take offense

When he so cheerfully greeted me

And the day in such a pleasant way

He joined in looking out to see

But his response required conversation

He had so very much to say

I did not realize childhood’s pass so fast

The innocence of plans at age three

With glorious thoughts of what would be

Would not go on forever

Those special childish relations would not last.

Now I cannot recall our morning chats

For that I feel so much regret

To go back to those early days

Would bring much pleasure and joy

To hear again from my own child

His thoughts and dreams for his life.

Did I listen to him carefully?

Was my response suitable for his needs?

What memories does he have?

Without a blueprint for being a mother

When there was no internship or other

Ways to learn to do this job

Leaves life a chance mothers have to take

To succeed or fail by the choices we make.

                                   Here is Dot with her husband Odie Bud Finley.

A little note from Dot about her husband: "My husband is a true TX with a double name—Odie Bud---named for his 2 grandpas One was Charles Otis Finley called “Otie”) the other Issac Van Zant McElroy called Bud”. When my husband went into the Navy he learned that his name had been misspelled to ‘Odie” so he just changed to that. All his life called Otie Bud by all who knew him in TX. Later introduced himself to me as Bud so all of my family & my friends call him Bud. He has a warm personality and loads of friends. God does send THE BEST!!" 

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