Before summer is completely forgotten with the cooler weather,and all that Fall brings…just one more picture of my favorite summer memory. Along with BFFs Shirley and Tina, we took on the great island of Maui. I had always wanted to share this beautiful place with them, so for me, one of my dreams came true. I thank God for the chance to do this trip with them. It was PARADISE!

It came to my attention this week that some folks were a little offended by my last post. So sorry. But, if you were offended,(and I mean this in the kindest way,) that’s your problem. I write my blog for ME, to express MY thoughts, MY feelings, MY shortcomings, MY life. If I feel that I have some information to pass along, I’ll do it. If I feel like I can share something I have learned that may help someone else, I’ll share it. If I find a little nonsense and I think it will make you laugh, I’ll pass it along. But, am I an authority that should be listened to and followed?…heaven forbid. I am a flawed, mistake making, struggling individual. I try everyday to make the right decisions, to live a life that is pleasing to God and my fellow man, to follow the path that will bring happiness to myself and others. I have only my God and my family to answer to.

One of the nicest things that I have found through this blogging adventure is friendship with other struggling ladies like myself. Now, I may not agree with everything they say, as I am sure they don’t agree with everything that I say, but that’s what makes life interesting. Your opinions, expressed in your blogs, either cause me to examine my ideas, strengthen my ideas, or change my ideas. I never want to get so set into one way of thinking that I refuse to change. With growth, comes change, and things that refuse to grow soon wither and die.

I do not intend to make any changes in the way that I use this forum. I will continue to write for myself, and follow my own guidelines. This is not to say that I do not welcome debate on issues, or for you to question me. But, a difference of opinion should never cause unkindness or name calling or ridicule. You see, my thoughts have been shaped by the life I have led, by the experiences I have gone through, by the people I have learned from…as have yours. So, we should all respect, and learn from each other.

Now, as to the issue in question: Y’ALL vs YA’LL…I, frankly, couldn’t care less how you spell it. It is interesting to me that there IS even a correct spelling…and I am citing the dictionaries that I listed as my “proof.” I have never considered myself a good speller…and I rely on spell checker most of the time. So, this information is worth exactly what you paid for it…Take it or leave it.

Now I am on to better things. I have wasted far too much of my time on what I thought was just a passing post. I choose to put this episode behind me.

Having been born in, and lived in, the South all my life. I’d like to correct a few million people on their usage and spelling of the word ‘y’all’.

It is spelled ‘Y’ALL’ and is short for the words ‘you all’. If you are spelling it YA’LL…you’re just wrong. Sorry. This is not my rule, but according to the following dictionaries…it is the accepted rule.

The Encarta World English Dictionary
Miriam-Webster Dictionary, 10th edition
The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language
Dictionary.com

Just one more little thing…Y’all is a second person plural pronoun. This means it is always refering to more than one person. I hear people sometimes use the word y’all when refering to 1 person…as in, “Where have y’all been?” instead of “Where have you been?”. WRONG. If you are talking to a group of your girlfriends, it would be perfectly correct to say, “Did y’all go to the mall without me?”…because you are talking to a group. [If your girlfriends DID go to the mall without you, find you some more considerate friends!]

Now I hope that I have enlightened y’all about the use of ‘y’all’. I share this with you because I would never want you to use this little word incorrectly, and that is just what us southern friends do for one another!

The preceeding is another in a series of public service announcements brought to you by Gatherings, a blog from the Deep South, y’all. [And, I’m talking to more than one person here].

No, I haven’t gone on a discount store binge here lately, but as I was doing some housework today, I was listening to the Rachael Ray show. They had an expert on club stores like Sam’s and Costco. Here are a few tips that I thought were interesting.

SAM’S CLUB: When you look at the price tag, if you see a ‘C’ on the tag…it is CLEARANCE priced. If the price ends in a penny such as $123.01, it means it has been marked down.

COSTCO: Look for an ‘*’ or a price ending in.97 such as $123.97, to find the marked down and clearance prices.

For both stores, the prices on electronics will not be a major savings. You will find the better prices at an electronics store. The electronic store makes its money selling the warranty and service contracts so they price the items lower. At the warehouse clubs, they do not sell these contracts, so therefore they price their items higher.

Also, in both stores, over the counter drugs and supplies like you would find in a pharmacy should be much lower.
And, even if you are not a member of the warehouse club…most states have to allow you (by law) to shop in the pharmacy dept.

They mentioned that diapers and baby formula were equal to standards upheld by name brands. You can even buy a casket there. EWWWWW!

THE ABOVE IS JUST ANOTHER PUBLIC SERVICE MESSAGE PRESENTED BY GATHERINGS

This is a very special book I received for my birthday this year, from my brother-in-law, Tommy. He and I share an affinity for the written word. [Of course, he remembers when they first started printing books, I think he was a teenager then…JUST KIDDING :)] And I think he is the only other person I know who can get excited about an old book. He has quite a collection, and enjoys searching for them. He picked this one for me, and I love it. It is titled Grandmother’s Child, written by Annie S Swan. It is the sweetest story of a family in London and as you can see from the inscription, this lady received as a gift in 1892. I wonder just where else this old book has been and who else has read this story. Did they find it both sad and heart warming as I did? Was it given to them by someone they loved and cared about? Did it lay in an attic somewhere, or was it stored in a trunk with someones belongings? Was it tucked away on a bookcase somewhere, or was it sold in a library sale of old books? Of course, I’ll never know, but I do know something of its life from now on. It will be stored on my bookcase and listed among my treasures. I will read it one day to a grandchild, and pass it on as a dear possession to be kept and read again.

Treasure, you know, has very little to do with monetary value. To me, treasures are those things that speak to your soul, and strike a chord of the beautiful and lovely things of this world. They certainly do not have to BE beautiful, just remind you of it. This book reminds me of the love between a mother and daughter, and finally a granddaughter. It reminds me of how great forgiveness can be and it shows the tenacious spirit of a young child.

Thank-you, Thomas, for this wonderful present. Thank you for recognizing how I would delight in owning this book. I’m so glad you are my brother.