A different Martin Luther King, Jr. speech excerpt

Martin Luther King, Jr. speech given at Barrett Jr. High, in Philadelphia, in 1967 

"What I'm saying to you this morning, my

friends: Even if it falls your lot to be a

street sweeper, go out and sweep streets 

like Michelangelo painted pictures! Sweep

streets like Handel and Beethoven

composed music. Sweep streets like 

Shakespeare wrote poetry. Sweep streets

so well that all the host of heaven and

earth will have to pause and say, "Here 

lived a great street sweeper who swept 

his job well!"  

If you can't be a pine on the top of a hill, 

be a scrub in the valley, but be the best 

little scrub on the side of the rill.  Be a 

bush if you can't be a tree. If you can't 

be a highway, just be a trail. If you can't 

be a sun, be a star.  It isn't by size that 

you win or you fail; be the best at 

whatever that you are!"

Where did the time go?

Today I got a message from one of my friends, Kathy, wanting to get together with Linda before she left. Oops, too late! My upstairs neighbor, too, wondered if we could spend some time together but it was not to be. Linda has returned to her home and to her desk, running the show at FG. Or running her legs off, getting the bulletin printed, folded and stuffed for Thursday night's worship and for Sunday. Whew!

Several folks asked me at Happy Hour what Linda and I did while she was here, and as I ticked things off, we sounded quite busy. We were, and we were not, if that makes sense at all. Linda and I have skills that way---easily entertained.

First of all, Thursday, was Bible study and then our lunch at The Club. When we were about to leave Victory, it was pouring so hard that one of the men, Wayne, took our keys and went to get our umbrellas from the cars for us ladies. He is a true gentleman! 

Because Linda and I are wide loads, we could only protect our heads from the rain, while the rest of us got wet, including my booklet and Bible. We ate our lunch at The Club still a bit damp, and had to go out in the rain again to leave. Yech!

That night I made some of my delicious (I am proud of them!) sloppy Joe's for our dinner, and we spent the evening sitting around and talking. Justin was working in the kitchen prepping his beer cheese and bratwurst soup, making the house smell wonderful. 

In the morning on Friday, we were expecting a visit from Dee but Julia came instead. She brought a matte sample to match against Timmy's hug but we chose a different one for Justin's, which will hang on a different wall. She left the sample with me because 'it is your blue...'. We all went upstairs to Debbie's to look things over, as Julia was going to do an assessment of her wall space and room colors, etc. Debbie is looking for FL art and Julia can help her out!

Linda fell in love with the paint colors in the kitchen/dining area. She had brought her sample along for her new counter tops and we were going to look at colors for her. She found them upstairs! It's great to see them applied and how they work.

                

     Linda, Lee, Jacquie, and me (under the hat)

Friday was also our tea at Basketique with Lee and Jacquie. Linda had not met Jacquie before that day but had only heard about her. I am so glad when my friends can meet each other and put faces/personalities to their names. Linda bought a gift for her friend, Angie, at the store, for watching over the cats while Tom and she are gone.

We watched our radio show together and then The Five, with no hopes of going to the pool that day due to weather. Nuts! Justin served us our beer cheese soup while we watched the Packer game together. Stayed up late for that!!!

Saturday Linda and I went to breakfast at Honey B's and then snooped in the scrapbook store a bit. Since we were already dressed, we went to Beall's. Linda found some place mats for her new kitchen and a mat for by the sink, also in the new colors not yet painted. It's all about the accessories!

She helped me find a new purse, too, after I gave her my parameters. Since 2004 I have carried a red purse, my first being purchased in Florence from a street vendor. I also told Linda if we cannot find a suitable red one, a colored one would do, just not black or brown, and not fabric. Linda found me a perfect purple purse, and it was the same brand as the one I was carrying. Half price on top of all that!!! Now my check book fits, and my pocket Constitution, too!

...and now she is gone!

As I lie here on my bed, keeping my puffy foot up, I await word that Linda has landed in Atlanta. Her flight left JAX at 8:15 and she will arrive in MKE around 11:30. It will be the wee hours of the morning when she gets under the covers in her own home for a short night's rest before being back at her desk tomorrow. Bright-eyed and bushy tailed? Not likely!

After getting back from the airport, a surprisingly traffic-light trip, I helped Justin get his mattress situated on his bed. At long last, after work, he was able to get his mattress from the storage and also a chair with ottoman which did not sell from their estate sale. My upstairs neighbors expressed interest in it so he brought it over to here to get it cleaned up, make it presentable.

Prior to his getting his nice mattress back, he had used a twin mattress on his full-sized box spring. Now, he can sleep on his cushy memory-foam mattress padded bed, with a pedestal fan situated to blow air in his face as he sleeps. I helped him get the garters on the sheet to keep them in place, because, as he describes himself, he sleeps "like an alligator wrestling some kill...". So funny, and so entirely opposite of how I sleep. Plunk, and I am out! No alligator wrestling in this bed...

Today, Linda and I opted to stay in from water exercise class (too cold and cloudy out there) to watch the opening service of Martin Luther College. The pastor from our home church, FG, was taking part in the service, along with his father, installing his brother as a teacher at the college. We wept, of course. One man was being ordained and installed by his father, and the dad got a bit choked up when doing so, as did we. That is what we do!

When it was over, the sun was out and it was above 80 degrees, so we two went out to the pool. I had put some cheese curds in my bag, grabbed Linda's bag of pretzels, and some grapes which had been purchased for her breakfast, to have for a snack. (We had both had breakfast, me having half a bagel with veggie cream cheese on it.)

When we walked out in the courtyard, I saw a tablefull of ladies, so I went back into the house to grab the other bag of cheese curds which Linda had brought along at my request for Ollavan. She had been so grateful for the ones I brought back for her in June, sending me a lovely card with Mojo gift cards tucked inside! This time she was thanking Linda for them and wants HER address!

I was so glad the ladies were out there and that Linda got to meet them and chat. They had ordered lunch from the dining room, so Linda ordered the soup and salad from the menu. Since I had eaten earlier, I was not ready to eat yet but did enjoy some Diet Coke. We shared our grapes, and I ended up sending them home with Susie, who was making chicken salad for her dinner that night. Otherwise, they would go to waste here.

After the other ladies left, Nancy, my newer friend, hung around with us. At one point I was getting warm so we went to try the pool water. Having been cautioned that the water was quite cold, we braved it for a bit to get cooled off. Yikes! We have had so much rain and clouded skies which makes for cooler water temps. While some don't mind it, I sure do! 

                        

Around 3:30 or so we came back in. Linda heated up her leftover shrimp from the night before and then commenced her packing for the return trip to Wisconsin. The swimsuit was likely nearly dry but she had a plastic bag to transport it home. I had the last of my sloppy Joe's from Thursday night's dinner, without a bun. I told Linda it's bad form to compliment my own cooking but I just love my sloppy Joe's!

We watched the first half hour of our show, "The Five", and then had to leave. Justin had done his good-byes the night before, not being sure of getting home in time. He did pop in, all smelly and dirty, and had to leave again right away, so simply waved to Linda from the doorway.

I really hate to let people go at the airport but the security folks make sure I do! We got there right on time, no traffic problems, and I released Linda to Southwest Airlines. I have since gotten a text message that she is safely in ATL at her next gate, waiting for her connecting flight. Hoping all goes well and she gets tucked into her own bed before the light of dawn! 

What do we do?

People often ask Linda what goes on down here when she visits me. The same questions are asked of me when I am in WI but I at least have my people up there to hang out with besides Linda. She gets stuck with mostly me when she is here, poor thing. One thing we do is cry very nicely together! In racking my memory, I can't remember who said it recently that we are either laughing or crying. We do a good share of talking, too, which usually triggers one or the other response from us.

This morning Linda and I went to Bible study at church. Before she came for her visit, I had gone to Winn Dixie to get some supplies for her as she eats breakfast and I normally do not. Well, when we got to Bible study, we  were faced with a tray with some leftover baked goods from the previous days' Fellowship Sunday treats. Judy C. had made a couple different type of bars, of which I had two. Almond something or other---so very good! I can eat breakfast when I have to!

The class was interesting as we continued our discussion about church fellowship. Many folks have questions which start with the words, "Well, what about....?" as things are often case by case. Hopefully by the end of the study folks will be able to see things more clearly---some perhaps for the first time, and others, again.

We went to lunch at Longhorn, as usual, and had a very nice meal and time together. There were 7 of us, including Linda. Some of the ladies were upset when they got their bills for the food, since they usually don't pay extra for the soda when ordering from the kids' menu. The assistant manager came over and said it is not policy to give free soda to those over age 11, but took it off that day only. Guess the days of free soda are over. I wonder if that will change our Monday plans...I wonder if I can adjust??

We had to stop at Beall's to make some returns and exchanges (I failed to mention our shopping excursion on Saturday!!! We went up and down the aisles just throwing stuff into our carts!!). I, at last, have a new swimsuit at the end of the season. And, then, to the pool!

But, it was too cold to enjoy the pool very long. I called my mom while we sat out there, asking the question of "What are the poor people doing today?". That is something Linda and I like to ask each other when we are doing something fun or interesting. Today, Mom was enjoying some unseasonably warm weather which was good. She had gotten some wonderful peaches at the farmers' market and dropped them some off for my auntie, too. Glad they getting some good weather at last. It was warmer there than here, I think!

For dinner, Justin, Linda, and I went to Koko's. We were treated royally, again. We had a new chef and he told us how the boss man told him he had to "take good care of her", so made sure we were happy. I had ordered extra onion and he did that for me. Huong had come out to our table to greet us when we first sat down and then went back to the kitchen to prepare food. I just love him, and this new chef too. Lots of leftovers came home with us, as Linda's shrimp came out a bit late in the meal, an oversight by whomever set up the cart. I'd be happy with the soup and the rice, and skip the meat but that's not the way the meal comes.

                      

This is Debbie holding a piece of glass we found at Great Hang Ups last Saturday. Julia brought it over to try it on for size, on Friday morning. The colors are gorgeous and perfect for her rooms. The fused glass was made by Helen, who is Julia's sister. All in the family! 

As we walked to our car, we heard our names being called, and there was Julia summoning us into the shop. Linda had not seen Dee this visit and now was her chance! We had a nice after-hours chat, with Julia sending home some artwork for me to show Debbie and Dick (my neighbors) for their living room. She is going to give them a very good price on it, if they like it. Other people close up bars, but we close up art galleries!!!

Sunday's wrap-up

Our Sunday went as it does most weeks, as Linda and I left for Bible study and worship, with Justin meeting us at church at service time. He was running a bit late on his departure and then caught every red light on his ride over. Linda was warmly welcomed by the folks who knew her, and distributed hugs to those for whom my mom sent them. 

We started a new Bible study about life-style witnessing. This could get interesting. I knew of this pastor, the author of the study, when he served at my sister-in-law's church in Coral Springs. It is no more...There were a good number of folks in Bible study, which was also the first day of Sunday school. I think that we had about 9 kids to kick things off.

Linda got to see some more folks she knew when it was time for worship, sitting with Mike S. and Judy J. Justin and I came to join them in the pew, me after finishing taking attendance. A lady who was member years ago came back today, and was warmly greeted, especially by me. Kathy R. was the organist, but more than that, a good friend to my family. 

Back in 1988, I had to attend church one of our first Sundays in FL without my spouse, who had a bad reaction to some food we'd eaten in St. Augustine the night before. I struggled with the diaper bag, my purse, and getting my baby into church, arriving a bit late. I looked around as I stood in the back of the church and saw this lady summoning me to her pew. I sat down and this lady took Justin from my arms so I could get settled. Between her husband and her, they held him all through worship. Danny and Kathy would go on to babysit Justin on Wednesday nights so my spouse and I could attend Bible study. How about that??? 

When Timmy was baptized, something took place which was not normally done---Kathy played the organ while Kristi sang an anthem, "A Thankful Heart", and then the baptism continued. 5 years later the two ladies would again sing and play for Timmy's funeral.

Eight of us went to lunch at Chili's and I was able to share the stories of Kathy and Danny with those at the table. Some of them did not know Kathy so it's nice for them to have this introduction to her through these reminiscences of mine. Certainly others have memories of her too, as Terri mentioned Kathy playing for her wedding and Kristi singing The Lord's Prayer for the service. So glad to have Kathy coming back to our midst.

We had such good laughs at the table, as the rain poured down outside yet again. Ugh! Linda and I had stayed up late the night before watching the Jaguar game which was not a bad or hard game to watch. We were a bit drowsy in the afternoon. Because the weather was not good, we opted to stay in and watch "Fox News Sunday", and then "Gifted Hands", a movie made about Dr. Ben Carson. Wow!

What a great movie and story that is, and what an impressive man he is. In case the readers don't know, he is a man of color who grew up in very poor circumstances and overcame that adversity to become a renowned pediatric neurosurgeon. One major accomplishment he had in his career was the successful separation of conjoined twins in Germany. Talk about tears flowing! 

Next we watched a movie Linda brought along about a young boy in England who had a brain tumor and was trying to get a million greeting cards with prayers in them to help heal him. They were believers in the Lord and knew it was His hand which would heal their son. It was such a sweet movie. The influx of prayers in the cards supposedly helped Craig to bear up. A billionaire in the US offered to pay for his medical needs here and the doctor, played by Richard Thomas, was able to help him. Craig was an adorable child and I simply fell in love with his face. Based on a true-story, which makes it even better. So, more tears!

Justin had made dinner for us all on Friday night, making beer cheese soup with cut-up brats in it. A new recipe to which he added celery, which really added to it, in my opinion. Sunday night we had a buffet of our leftovers accumulated over the weekend, and still had things leftover after that!!!

                

I suggested to Linda that we watch something to make us laugh since we'd wept much of the afternoon so we ended up watching the movie, "Gran Torino" on TNT. NO, it was NOT funny but it is a good story. We especially like it because the story is about how a hardened, yes, angry, white man at first despises his Hmong neighbors, yet eventually gives his life for them. Spoiler alert in case you have never watched it. Watch on TV where editing has taken place...more could be done but it might lose some of its "flavor". 

Linda and I stayed up later than Justin did, and watched an episode of "Frasier" before going to bed. See? We did watch something funny eventually. But we had to laugh softly (yeah, right!) since Justin was already in bed!!!