Dancing Queens

Cheryl, Cynthia, Mary, Oleita

I hadn't thought of her in awhile, so when my husband, who was traveling in Tennessee about 20 years ago said, "You'll never guess, in a million years, who I met," he was right.

We were about five years old and coaxed into ballet and tap dancing classes by our overly-confident parents. I truly don't remember if she was good, or not, but I still cringe today, after 50 + years just thinking of my stumbling and bumbling around the dance floor. And, ooooh, those awful recitals!

Still, my inability to dance didn't stop me from taking 25 or so bows after a less than perfect performance. (see picture below)

"Go ahead. Guess!" He coaxed. "C'mon. It's someone you haven't seen since you were 8 years old!"

Well, that certainly narrows it down! "I have no clue." It was late, and I was getting a little annoyed at the guessing game.

"Oleita Cook!" He shouted.

My mind flew, immediately, to pink tu-tus and Oleita, the pretty, dark-haired friend who had, in my juvenile mind, simply disappeared, unceremoniously, from my life.

"Wha...who...how...?" was about all I managed to stammer.

I won't go into the whole story, but my husband was searching for a business lease location and had been put in touch with a realtor. As luck (karma, in this case) would have it, the landlord was late so the realtor invited my husband to go across the street for an ice cream cone. They began talking and he discovered that she was from Southern Indiana.

"My wife's from Southern Indiana."

The realtor told him she was born in Corydon

"My WIFE grew up in Corydon!"

And so, after many, many decades, Oleita Cook (now, Norton) and I were reunited. If anyone reading this doesn't believe in fate, then...well, I have nothing for you.

Oleita is still a realtor, a successful one at that. She still lives in Tennessee with her husband. We just visited them a couple of weeks ago and had another good laugh about that fateful ice cream caper. "Had it been winter, ice cream wouldn't have been an option and we probably wouldn't have spent the time talking," she said. Go figure. All I know is that we will always remain fast friends. Some bonds are never broken.

She's also a WOOFer and proud of it! Gravy Train is her WOOF name! On our last visit, we talked about being WOOFers, and how freeing it is to reach the age where confidence is no longer something we strive to achieve. We have it! We're WOOFers!

If you have a story you'd like to tell about a long-time friendship, or a new friendship that feels like you've know each other forever, let us know!

E-mail GreatDames@woofersclub.com. We might publish your story! Oh, and pick a WOOFer name for yourself, too.


Photo at the bottom: Left to right, Cynthia, Cheryl, Yours Truly and Oleita

Mary (Milkbone)

Do The Math...

Like a lot of other WOOFers, give or take a stray black sock, I’ve sorted and stuffed a load of dark clothes into the washer about 5000 times over the course of my adult life.

You’d think I’d learn.

Oh, but, no.

Today, as I lift damp, limp clothing from the washer, give each piece a shake and transport it to the dryer, I see it. The lint-cover black tee.

That’s what I get for buying new bath towels only every decade or so. And back in the 90’s, when I purchased white ones, I did so to avoid this very thing.

How quickly we forget.

So now, here I wait to see if the dryer can rectify the damage I have done, remove the plethora of lint I have inflicted on an innocent black tee. Damn those new dark green towels.

Besides that, they don’t absorb as well as the old ones.

Oh, there’s the dryer buzzer. Wish me luck…

Of course, the lint filter is going to be just the WORST!

-- d.d. dawg

One Million Women

On

Wednesday,

October 22,

there was an all-day

live webcast of The Women's Conference 2008 on http://www.californiawomen.org/. Live blogging coverage was also provided for all conversation sessions. Speakers included Christiane Amanpour, Madeline K. Albright, Cecilia Maria Attias, Cherie Blair, Cerue Konah Garlo, Sister Joan Chittister, First Lady Maria Shriver, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Indra Nooyi, Campbell Brown, Warren Buffett, Chris Matthews and Bono. Click here to view the sessions.

Empowering women, of all ages, at home and all over the world.

--d.d. dawg

It's My Life

Bon Jovi sings about it. Life. Well, this is my new life. Book fairs and conventions. And oddly enough, I love it!

Not so much the concrete floors, which are hard on WOOFer feet and legs. But I love, love, love meeting new people!

Who knew a writer could come out of her shell and enjoy interacting with people...instead of putting words on paper (or computer), forming words in her mouth and speaking them. Maybe it's the instant gratification thing.

I don't know, but it has quickly become one of my favorite things. People are fascinating and basically share the same needs and wants. Who knew?

And sometimes they actually buy a book or two.

Sweeeet.
---d.d. dawg

Dewey Readmore Books

Must admit...I’m a dog person. But one special yellow cat stole my heart on CBS Sunday Morning.

Dewey Readmore Books was the resident cat at Spencer Public Library, Spencer Iowa after a heartless soul dropped him into the library book return one cold January night in 1988.

Library director, Vicki Myron, a single mother also in a struggle to get back on her feet after a series of tragedies, found him the next morning, hoarse from crying and suffering from frostbite. He stole the hearts of the staff when, despite his discomfort, nudged each one of them in a gesture of thanks. Their decision to adopt him was rewarded by 19 years of loyalty.

A contest was held to pick a name, and Dewey (named after Melvil Dewey of Dewey Decimal System fame) Readmore Books was officially added to the staff. Patrons and friends donated pop cans and money, from as far away as New York, to pay for Dewey's food.

Don’t get me wrong. Dewey was no charity case. As an official library staff member, he had his own job description:

*Reducing stress for all humans who pay attention to him.
*Sitting by the front door every morning at 9:00 am to greet the public as they enter the library.
*Sampling all boxes that enter the library for security problems and comfort level.
*Attending all meetings in the Round Room as official library ambassador.
*Providing comic relief for staff and visitors whenever possible.
*Climbing in book bags and briefcases while patrons are studying or trying to retrieve needed papers underneath him.
*Generating free national and world-wide publicity for Spencer Public Library. (This entails sitting still for photographs, smiling for the camera, and generally being cute.)
*Working toward status as world’s most finicky cat by refusing all but the most expensive, delectable foods—and even turning up his nose at those most of the time.

To read more about Dewey, his incredible journey and lifetime of love, visit:
Spencer Public Library

Milkbone (Mary Cunningham)