The People News, a free newspaper serving Cleveland Tennessee (TN) and Bradley County Tennessee (Tn).





Of Bradley County Tn.


JANUARY  2004

                            The People News, a free newspaper serving Cleveland and Bradley County Tn.

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REALM OF REALITY

Checks, Rattle and Roll and  a Happy New Year!!

by Toneeke Henderson

I bet you thought the title was the name of a song. Well it sounds like it, the ole "shake, rattle and roll." In a way maybe it is.

I found that scrooge works in mysterious ways at the end of the year. You know the last month called December that follows just after the good ole' Thanks for Giving Day. Yeah, you know just where I mean.

Now I know it is the New Year and so should everyone else. So I want to bring some resolutions to enlightenment to be checked off this year. Grant you that I may get a little crazy or bizarre in my writing, but I do have a habit of telling it the way I see it. This way I know it isn't gossiping.

To make the point here is that scrooge doesn't just dream up what he wants to take all year long to do at the end when it is near, he does it all the time. (nasty little habit, tsk tsk).

In a quaint little place called Charleston, TN. there are only a few businesses. They strive to make a better community. Everyone tries to work together. It will bring in more money and expand the kewl things we all find in quaint little towns.

I am always recommending shops to go to here or there. I refer others because they will know I support them, and want them to be a success. I like Jamie, she is a very kind and contributing lady who deserves much credit for

Toneeke Henderson

helping a community to grow, and yes she has some very awesome things for women in her corner of the Ace Hardware Store, including some upper fashion handbags. Sometimes women accompany their husbands to the hardware store and Jamie offers a little "girly niche" for the ladies to enjoy. We need to encourage shopping to keep the local economy going. 

That brings us to the check list for the New Year's 12 step self help process:

Be kind to your neighbors.
Bless everyone and ye shall be blessed.
Telling the truth is being honest with yourself.
When you steal in any form, you steal from yourself (that includes business).
Lose weight (yeah right).
Do 12 acts of kindness (apologies are allowed).
Save your money for a rainy day (actually spend it while you're alive).
Thank  God that you have a life to share.
Enlighten a child's life, whether or not they are  yours. If that doesn't work enlighten yourself.
Make someone laugh to see their eyes light up.
Say five nice things about someone you dislike.

And always at least once, dance naked under the moon, the stars, the willow trees, and let your soul sing because you are free.

Check Please!!!!

Rattle and Roll

You were introduced to my newest kitten "Gypsy" a few months ago. Let me tell you she has gotten even wilder. I do believe at times she has been abducted by Cat Nip aliens. She still has that fast move onto the bed while I am sleeping, sliding like she was on a ball field. I have never seen a cat so fast that no matter how many times you put her to the floor she is back up  at your neck before you even get your hands back in place.

She talks to me all the time. She always knows when I am going to be on the computer. Before I have even sat down she is over the back of the chair and into my lap. At least she isn't sitting on my shoulder anymore. I do think she may have realized there is only room for one head there.

She watches my fingers as I type. I know she is doing that so she can attack them in a few minutes. (Hint, that's why the editor may have a lot of my typos to fix). OK, so I blame the cat (grinning). Sometimes when I go online she decides that she wants to help so she jumps on the keyboard and really pops up some windows. Once she typed the word WOW.

Then I found a kewl place to listen to songs as I work online. So I played an Italian song by Josh Groban and as his voice flowed through the speakers, she jumped up and attacked the speakers as if to say he was trespassing. Gypsy just goes nuts when she hears a male voice on the computer. She doesn't do that with any other sounds on here.

I have so much fun with her. She watches the birds when I feed them and antagonizes the older cat still. She swipes our Pomeranian "Munchkin's" chew sticks, carrying them around like a bone. Other days she just goes wild by getting on the roof just to aggravate the bigger dogs up the hill because they can't get her.

She always knows when I am home. No matter if she is inside or outside, she is waiting and meowing. She knows when my husband comes home from work too. She runs to the door and waits on him just like Munchkin does.

If I didn't give her any cream or milk that day, she comes in like a hail storm in the middle of my sleep and awakens me to the fact. Yes, I get up with my eyes still closed and bounce from wall to wall to find the kitchen and feel for the refrigerator, reach for the can of milk and pour into her special little cup. Then I have to add hot water out of the water dispenser because tap water isn't what she wants.

If she had hands she would I am sure, get it herself. One day I caught her reaching for the cold water tap and she almost pulled it down. One of the funniest things she has done was to watch how to hit the handle on the commode. Oh my goodness, she did that and fell into the potty, now that's what you call a cat wash. (Attention cats, do not try this on your own). She is also attempting the turn the door knob trick. She can hang from it and meow like she is dying, so you will let her out.

In the warmer weather she just politely opens the screen door and  lets herself in and out. I told my husband we may need to put a toe kick high handle on the outside so she will be a bit easier on the door coming back in. She is in that transferring from kitten to mid adult stage like everyone goes through. Oh wait, some people never pass that stage. (no doubt)

I like writing these articles, and as I said before I do get a little carried away, then sometimes I physically get carried away too... go figure. As long as I have staked my claim in the frilly little jackets that used to be white and now come in paisley little designs and various colors, I will be understood. What! You didn't understand that. OK, you see strait jackets were only called that because they were a basic white color with no finesse what-so-ever. The buckles on the back were over pronounced and very strenuous to undo. Look at Houdini, it took him a bit longer than the norm to get out of his. Now they come in sweet frilly and paisley prints with color, color, color. Buckles are now seamless and tufted away as  to not be so noticed. I asked for matching slacks but they were unsure as to the nature of the use because of mother nature it's self.
     
                                                          **************

So now that I have started my wacky New Year off  in pretty paisley do's and don'ts, I will exit as swiftly as I approached. I leave you with "summing it up" as I call it.

I find that even though scrooge is amongst us all year long and in the hands of those we felt were friends or highlighted Christians; he burrows there too. We are neither here nor there so why do we concern ourselves with tactics unbecoming, to hurt or hinder the competition. Competition is healthy for everyone for it keeps us on our toes.

If you have a wacky cat and can laugh then you deserve a wacky cat and it deserves you.

Although you may never keep a New Year  Resolution past the first two weeks, you might consider the 12 step self-help process as a real starter.

May God bless all of you throughout this New Year and grant you the serenity that beckons at each door. May your worries be few, your foundation strong, for the poor man is the witness in the rich man's song.

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