Month: April 2021

Last night I did what grandmothers do. I wept in relief at the news coverage of the verdict in the George Floyd case, while praying for all of our children in this world. And I got up every twenty minutes or so to wash my hands and baste the chickens roasting in our oven.

And as I wept and basted I thought of the genealogy work I’ve been doing and the fact that, on Monday night, I had managed to work my way back to 20 generations of direct ancestors on my Gramma Elsie’s side of the family. Back to the 1300’s. People with names!

Back to the time when very few women could read and nobody could vote and there was no CNN for everyone to gather around and find out what was happening.

Luther needed water. Great heroes of the American Civil Rights movement spoke. And one of George Floyd’s brothers said, “We’re gonna sleep, but we’ve still got to work.”

And we do.

I don’t know what that means in your world.

I do know that in mine, it means that we have to admit that something is wrong before we can work to fix it.

Monday, I went to see my doctor. I had an earache and chills and a rash on my arm. I’d been doing my usual home remedy routine, including olive oil with garlic in my ear. I wanted it to get better.

But I wasn’t getting there on my own and I’d about exhausted my DIY options. And, most importantly of all, I couldn’t see in my own ear!

A proud possessor of an otoscope, my doctor had a different perspective. I did, indeed, have an infection. And the rash on my arm, along with the odd chills, were pronounced a vaccine reaction.

Now I have different stuff to put in my ear and on my arm. Stuff that came with more information and perspective.

[Time out for a public service message about vaccines… I have strange body chemistry and react to all kinds of things. Frankly, I was surprised I didn’t react to the first shot. PLEASE don’t let the fact that this has been a bit more challenging for me keep you from having a vaccine if at all possible for you. For the vast majority of us, and for all those around us, the risks of not having the vaccine are much greater than the risks of having it.]

Now, back to our story…

As the chickens roasted on, and I cried through CNN, I was hugely proud of and grateful to President Biden and Vice President Harris.

My heart believes that the verdict in this case was what it needed to be for for the memory of George Floyd and for his family. My head knows that our work is far from done.

Kamala Harris said, “A measure of justice isn’t the same as equal justice.”

And Joe Biden assured George Floyd’s daughter that “Daddy changed the world,” calling for a legacy of peace, not violence, in the name of “justice.”

I suspect we’re still going to be working on these issues throughout my life. It won’t be easy.

Here’s one thing I do know. It’s time to teach our children different than so many of us were taught. Not by lecturing, but by modeling. And time to hold not only hope, but accountability.

I’m not the only one with kids growing up in this world!

ps… that’s Tree Woman, watching over my shoulder while I get set up for week 2 of Soul Expression Breakthrough. email me for info on a new group starting soon, or for the Premium option if you’d prefer to work individually with me suesvoice@gmail.com

pps… long awaited hair cut soon! Fully vaccinated salon! (I’m still on it, Mr. President!)

Nope. Probably not what you’re thinking, though I’m so hoping you’ll stick around to find out!

Yesterday, Bill and I had our second Covid vaccinations. It was quite the adventure!

We went to a different vax site than the first round. Much closer, mileage wise, than before. The annoying woman in Bill’s phone who was navigating neglected to mention some type of major glitch with I-85 in Atlanta and, yes, to quote my West Wing buddies, that’s a road which generally gets used a lot.

We got there, though, and followed the big signs all over an abandoned shopping mall for where to park and how long to stay in the car. (It was 80 degrees yesterday!) Then, once we were inside, we followed green arrows on the floor and the vague directions of yellow-vested helpers until I began to hope we’d wind up in Oz, where I’m pretty sure a vaccine is not needed.

No biggie on the actual injection front. Just a gentle warning from the kind nurse that “some people were having more symptoms than with the first dose.”

We had been warned by my sister and son that this might well be the case.

So, what, you are probably wondering, does any of this have to do with a ring?

Well, this is a Great Grampie story!

First you need to know that we moved a whole lot when I was a kid.

It all began in the sixth house we lived in before I got to first grade. Early 1960’s. Split level “modern” house with an actual farmer in the backyard.

My sister, who was 2 or 3 houses less along, had trouble with her one year old molars. According to the pediadontist, they had no enamel and were in great danger of decaying and causing all her other teeth to move around.

So, the adventure of the stainless steel crowns. My dad and I spent a lot of time in the waiting room which wasn’t so bad for me because they had good toys.

They also gave every patient (and occasionally their sisters) a plastic bejeweled ring in an enlightened effort not to pass out lollypops.

Fast forward a bit and my dad was dealing with the need to have his wisdom teeth removed. Sadly, the pediadontist was a bit out of his league and a referral was made.

This time, Mom and my sister and I held vigil in the waiting room and listened to all the directions about sedation and soft foods for when he was finished.

After what seemed like forever, a nurse appeared with my dad in a wheelchair, face twice the usual size, yelling, “I want a ring!”

It’s been a family joke for ages. One that came vividly to mind this morning when some clueless but well-meaning soul woke me with a lawnmower. I was achy and a bit dizzy and the first thing that came to my mind was, indeed, “I want a ring!”

It’s entirely possible that Bill wants one even more than I do at the moment.

Now, I can almost hear you wondering why I’m telling you all this. Well, my answer is the same as it was last time.

President Biden asked me to.

And, after leading my wondrous new group of Soul Expression Breakthrough sisters before we set off in search of the vax place, there’s another answer as well.

I’m telling you this because, as nutty-crunchy a consumer of health care as I am, I went and had the vaccine for my girls.

So I can hug them, for sure. But also so that we’ll learn about this whole pandemic thing and get enough in front of it that those we love won’t be counting empty chairs around holiday tables.

So they can feel safe in school. (And, yes, that one has other factors to work on, but this is what I can do today.)

And because I’m hoping that somebody, somewhere will read this story and realize that they, too, have some really big reasons for getting vaccinated. In the meantime, more tea and, probably, a nap.

Blessings for you and yours!

And thanks that there is extra soup in our fridge! This is definitely a soup sort of adventure!