The Bus Ride

When my sister and I were growing up, we lived in Jackson County.  Our cousins lived in Habersham County and the surrounding counties north of us. We loved to have them come Down to Commerce to visit us, but sometimes it wasn't convenient for their parents to bring them.

I remember out twin Cousins, Lynn and Glenn were coming down and they were going to ride the big old
Greyhound bus to our house...boy they were going to have some fun!  My uncle Buford and aunt Lucille put them on the bus, they were safe, and under the care of a nice driver, who knew where we lived.
 
He had explained to him that they were going to Commerce, and asked him if he knew where the old CC Camp was on the Highway going to Jefferson.  "I know exactly where that is" he told my Uncle."After the drop off in Commerce I go to Jefferson with some more passengers."

On the day of their expected arrival, my Daddy went to Commerce to the depot to watch for and wait on the bus.  My siser and I played out side, just waiting to get a glimpse of them coming down the road in Daddy's car. 

I heard someone call to me, and I looked up the hill and saw the twins walking down, the dirt road!
I didn't see Daddy's car anywhere.  I wondered why they were walking.

We were all so excited to see them, and we knew we would play an play until dark each eay.  We planned to have lots of fun! Mama had cooked a ham, and potato salad! Yummy that would hit the spot.

We helped them get their bags to their room, and the first thing Mama asked was "where is your Daddy?"  The boys both replied at the same time,
We don't know, the bus driver let us off at the end of the dirt road.

My Mother some how got in touch with my Dad, who was still waiting at the depot, and called our anut and uncle, to tell them the boys had arrived safely.  The four of us had already started playing and having fun out side in our big yard.

When my Daddy got home, he asked them how did they get from Commerce to our house.  They said, the bus driver just let us off at the end of the road, he knew exactly where the old CC Camp was!

Two little boys were let out with no one watching for them.....had to walk about a quarter of a mile to our house, which during that time in our life was much safer that it is now  It was the kindness of the bus driver to let them of at the old CC Camp.

Note**CC Camps were places where young men, who were a certain age, and had no job, stayed while they were taking on jobs that were found for them.
Our house was in the shape of a "T" the long part was the living room, very large dining room, and Kitchen...on each side of the dining room were two rooms, a hall, and a bathroom.  With bunk beds it would house many young men.  There was a large cane break behind the camp and a large area of woods and a pretty creek with a natural spring.  When I was young, my favorite thing was walking down into the woods, and looking at the large trees. The men had carved hearts with initials in them, their names were on the trees.  The CC Camp is gone now, and the place where we lived is now the site of Commerce Middle School.

Old Chick With Old Tricks!

I have always heard the saying; "you can't teach an old dog new tricks."  Well, this may be true, but a grandmother teaching a granddaughter some old tricks works just fine. 

Recently my thirteen year old granddaughter got off the school bus excited about going skating with some friends. "I have to get a bath and wash my hair as soon as I get home" she said, "and, I have to straighten my hair."  As we talked, the phone rang...it was her Dad!  He told her to stay at our house, get ready and we would take her to the skating rink, then he would pick her up later.

She was not happy at all!  She said, "I can't'stay, I need to go home and it takes a long time to get my hair fixed, I don't have my makeup here either."

I sat back and fondly remembered the times when it was me in her place, anticipating an event that I knew was going to be a lot of fun, wondering what I would wear, and how I would fix my hair!

I spoke up, "Hayley, put the ironing board up" and get the iron and turn it on medium heat, I don't want  it too hot."  What are you going to iron Gan-Gan, was her question to me?  Just don't worry get a bath and get ready to go skating I told her.  Your Dad has to work, and you will have to get ready here if you go!

Gan, I don't have my straightening iron and I have to get my hair fixed, and put my makeup on. " Get that bath, and wash your hair, I told her, then let me know when your hair is dry. 

While that was being done, I got out a small piece of white fabric and put it on the ironing board, the iron was ready, not too hot. All was well with Me and I was ready to give her the first lesson.
I was standing near the ironing board when she came out, long frizzy hair, and no makeup.  I let out a little giggle and told her to bend over the ironing board and put her head down.  "But, Gan-Gan you will burn me" she said.  "No, Hayley, I won't burn you, just give me a lock of hair."

I thought back of times gone by, then I gently covered her hair, and ironed it straight.  When she lifted her head, and went to look in the mirror, it was then a sigh of amazement that I heard.  I saw a big smile on her face as she gazed at her straight, shiny hair.  How did you know to do that she asked me?  "No straitening or curling irons around our house when I grew up,  we had to make do with what we had," I told her.   She stood, looking at the mirror for a long time, and finally said, "I love my hair, Gan-Gan."

I told her to go into the spare room, and pull out the drawer of my make up container, and she would find what she needed.  Once again, she was without words.  Straight hair and make up.  We had done it.
"Gan-Gan how did you know how to do that,  I am ready to go and it took me no time at all?"


Grandmothers always have a few tricks up their sleeves.  I didn't tell her I had purchased some extra makeup the day before, and my hair had been ironed many times to get that straight look.

As time to leave rolled around, she was all smiles.   As she went out the door she gave me a big hug!  I gave her a sly look...and said, "the next time you come to our house bring me a medium paper bag." "A what, she asked?"  I said, I'll need a medium sized paper bag because I am going to show you how to curl your hair!

She was reluctant to ask me how we were going to the curl her hair.  "I'll show you a new trick, I told her, your Gan-Gan is getting older, but this old Chick can still show you a few Old tricks.

Sometimes, Parents and Grandparens don't seem to know anything, but, what today's kids don't know,is what we "old Chicks" invented what they do now!
Follow my stories as I tell about our four grand-daughters and all the things that they plan to teach us.

"Earth's Angels" Our Hero's on Earth

Fighter Appreciation Day, February 1, 2011

TO ALL MY HEROS;  I would like to say: "Thank you GOD" for all the Firefighters who risk their own lives to help us keep our homes, our family, and many other things safe, not stopping to take the time to think of themselves as they go in, to battle a fire site! This is one group of men and women who are trained, by competent teachers, who teach them so well that it comes second nature.  I worked with these wonderful people since 1992 and before that at the Emergency Room.  I sent all of you out to some really "bad" calls. Sometimes, I don't think these HEROs get the praise they deserve!

Have you ever witnessed a firefighter running from a burning home in the middle of the night with a little child in his arms.....The child is safe; alive and uninjured...the Teddy bear is clutched tightly in one arm, and blankie is being held close, by the firefighter...!  If you look closely, I feel that you can almost see 'angel wings' covering the back of the two, preventing any harm.....and maybe in the door of the burning home, you might see a strange site..but it is only a "Guardian Angel" making sure they are safe.

Do you wonder WHY that Firefighter ran into a burning building in the first place, without giving regard to themselves?  I think that is a gift, and the training they have gone through gives them the strength and courage to do what they are doing.  Have you ever watched a training detail with firefighters and real situations?  It is unreal what they do, what they learn, and how they react when the real thing comes along...!

God, I want to say; "Thank you Lord for our Earth Angels."  Without the Lord,  giving this knowledge and training to our Firefighters, what would we do?Thank you for sending their Guardian Angel to guide them in, and make sure they are safely out of a deadly fire.  And, Dear Jesus I just want to say once again.  Thank You for Our Hero's.

Keep following this "Girl Raised in the Country" as I tell of many of the things I learned as I worked long years in a hospital and many years at 911. Getting to know the local firefighters, Rescue, EMS personnel, Police and many others who work in Public Safety, I have seen first hand what you do, and it will not go un-noticed by me.
GOD BLESS EACH and EVERY ONE OF MY HEROS, and my
Friends.

My Father's Love

The day I was allowed to go home from the Hospital, after my birth, was one my Father would never forget!  Later, when I was older, he would tell me the story of what happened when I was only two days old.

Giving birth to me, and to my little sister was hard for my Mother.  After my birth, she was not able to walk up the many stair steps to our little home, they had to get an ambulance to take us there.  My Mother would have to be on a stretcher.

The nurse placed me in a little cradle inside the back of the ambulance, next to my Mama, since she wanted me to stay close by. My Daddy had walked to the hospital, so he rode in the front with the driver of the ambulance, as we started toward home.

When we arrived home, the driver and my Daddy came around to the back, and the driver opened the big door so they could get us out.  As the door was opened, my Daddy saw my cradle turning over, and I was rolling out.  I was about to hit the cement curb.  My Father went down on his knees to catch his firstborn child and caught me in his arms, before I was severly injured or killed.  My small body was uninjuried.  My life had been saved.

Later when I was older, Daddy told me he sat down on the cement and held me tight, protecting me, and thanking God, not even thinking about his knees, which were both bruised and bloody. He told me the one in charge that day was our Heavenly Father.  And that things had happened very quickly, he had no time to think, just to act.

GOD knew I was going to be saved by my Daddy.  He knew that my parents would take me to Church, and HE knew that I would ask HIM into my heart at a the tender age of nine years old, when I joined Apple Valley Baptist Church, the Church where I remain a member.

Please follow me as I continue telling of my love of GOD, and family. Come, walk down the road of memories with this G.R.I.T.S--as I remain just that,  a girl raised in the south, and in the Church.

My Christmas Present Arrives

When you are two years old, I don't know if you are supposed to remember what happened......especially when you are growing old as I am now.  But, I can remember an early Christmas present that I got when I was just a little over two years old.

My Daddy and Mother took me to a cousin's home to stay while they were going to see if they could find Santa Claus and talk with him.  I was excited about Christmas coming soon and I did not want to cry when they left me.   I was going to be a big girl and stay the night.  Daddy told me he would let me know if they found  Santa or my "gift."

I can remember having a bad cold, and the cousin was going to give me my medicine.  I told her I took two spoons  full, but she insisted one would be enough.  I took it ...cause I wanted to jump on her bed, I new the quicker I swallowed that stuff,  I could start my jumping!  And, I did start, but it didn't last long....she stopped me!  "We don't jump on our beds" she said.  I knew Mama and Daddy wouldn't let me jump, but I thought I would get away with it at someone else's house.

I just was not ready to go to bed, but she insisted I must be tucked in and close my eyes. I thought I could say my "bedtime Prayer" when my Mama and Daddy got back,  but she made me go ahead and say it.   I was not  going to sleep! I was determined to stay awake until my they returned.  Of course was my last thought before sleep got me!

Sometime during the night, my Daddy came in,  and I stood right up on the bed and asked..."Did you find Santa?"  He had the biggest smile on his face, and said,   "WE found him and he sent us all a Christmas present."  Oh boy, I wanted my present now!  I didn't want to wait, but I did'nt see a present!

Where is my Mama...was a question I was about to ask when my Daddy took me off the bed, and sat down, with me on his knee.  He said, "your Mama is down at the big Hospital at the end of the main street."  Then with a BIG smile on his face he said, "You have a little baby sister, and today is also my Birthday."

"Our present is a Little Sister, and she is a gift that came on MY BIRTHDAY too!  Today is December 16th.   And, Santa said to tell you Christmas will be here before you know it."

I knew my Daddy was very happy about my early Christmas present, and his Birthday present, cause he smiled and smiled.   " WHAT are You going to say?" he asked me.  I looked up at him with my big green eyes and said,  "Cousin Agnes only gave me one spoon full of medicine, can I play with my early Christmas present now, and can I jump on this bed?" 

I remember Daddy laughing and giving me a big hug, and kiss. "I'll tell her two spoons full of medicine is right, and you will be able to play with our early Christmas present soon, and NO you can not jump on her bed, let's just get you back to in there all tucked in and snuggly again.  "It is December 16th, your Baby Sister's birthday, and MY birthday, Christmas will be here in just a few more days, it will be JESUS' Birthday and you will have your presents to play with.  Then, you can play all day long.''

As my Daddy held me tight, and sung a Christmas song, I began to drift away.....I did get my medicine, and he got a Birthday present, but he'd told me I would have presents on Jesus' Birthday....I knew Jesus would let me play with all the presents, all day long.

My Daddy said as I closed my eyes..."the present we got tonight is like you, a little girl that will grow up with you and both of you can play all you want!  But, right now you are going to have to go to sleep, have sweet dreams, and NO jumping on the BED!"  He once again, gave me a big hug and kiss..." 

I fell asleep listening to my Daddy, and my Cousin Agnes talking....she has a head full of black hair...big brown eyes, is what I thought he said.....but I was so sleepy...and that could not be right, cause I didn't have much hair yet, and I was a big girl, two years old! 

I knew my Daddy was happy, and my Mama was with my new baby sister, and I was content for now, sleep once again came to me....and I WOULD....jump on that bed tomorrow!  

*Follow me along life's path as we continue the story of a GIRL Raised in the South, and life seem simple.*

Look out Georgia..I have arrived.

I made my entry into this world on May 18th a few years back.  My parents smiled as the nurse walked in with me.  "Is it a boy or girl" they both asked the nurse.  "Well" the nurse replied, "SHE is another little GRITS."  The wise old nurse handed me to my Dad, he smiled and passed me on to my Mother.  They both knew exactly what she meant, I was to be another little girl that was raised in the South.

After much love was given to their newborn, Mother and Daddy handed me back to the nurse to return to the nursery.  And, I had been told all about where I lived, and about my neighbors.  I lived on the main street in Commerce, Georgia and two doors down from us was Bill Anderson, who wrote songs and did a lot of singing at the Grand Ole Opry.  Yes, I was ready for a nap, cause tomorrow I'd go to my own home, a little
apartment over a store.  So world, you'd better watch out, cause they named me Carol Ann, and I'm gonna sing and enjoy all I can in life...goodnight for now my new friends.

This is just the beginning...the day I arrived into this world.  Follow my adventures:  GRITS "Yes that is Me."