Sometimes, mothers do know best

I tuned in channel 23 early last Saturday night for the "Brit Sits," the English situation comedies I love so well - 'Are you Being Served' and 'Keeping Up Appearances,' and caught the tail end of the Lawrence Welk Hour as well.

I remember how I used to tease my mother in the "old days" when she turned Lawrence Welk on every week. And when she turned it on, it definitely "turned her on." She knew all the songs, and all the words - every word. And I have discovered, all these years later, that I do too. I owe it all those yellow song sheets of my childhood days. I would gladly spend a nickel for a new one each week and then memorize each word.

As long as something rhymes and has a catchy tune, it will be engraved on my memory forever. I recall days on my back porch with no one but my mother in the kitchen to hear me, I could sing to my heart's content.

My mother was a professional singer, and wellknown locally, but her talent had not rubbed off on me. Still, as she often kindly told me, "You have a very good ear." Which meant that, when the notes were a bit off, I could tell. And as she always said, "The world can always use more appreciators - we have more than enough singers."

Hey, I wonder if they still make those song sheets?

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I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to Keller Williams Realty for the attractive miniature American flags placed on the lawns in Whisper Bay subdivision recently. They helped everyone proudly celebrate Flag Day on June 14. With the Fourth of July coming up, keep your flags flying - and though you may no longer buy fireworks, please remember our servicemen who are stationed far from home. A letter or a package from home lets them know you are thinking of them.

When one of my sons was stationed in Viet Nam, he told me he often read parts of my letters to his friends who had not received any mail from home. I tried to send jokes and stay funny, which he said they enjoyed as much as the crumbly cookies I also sent along. So here's your chance to be a comedian.

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Some fascinating research has shown something that petlovers have long known: people who share their lives with animals live longer, healthier lives. Proven health benefits of pet ownership include lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, decreased depression, stress, and pain response, and an increase in mental clarity.

A recent study performed at Brooklyn College found that the presence of a pet was the strongest social predictor of better survival rates among patients with heart disease.

So share your life with animals - they can provide seniors with many social outlets as well. Something about the presence of a furry companion seems to help the shyest of us.

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Here's some data that you might find interesting:

If the world's population totaled one hundred people, 57 would be Asian, 21 would be European, 14 from the Americas (both North and South) and 8 would be from Africa. 52 people would be female and 48 male.

59 percent of the world's wealth would belong to only 6 people, all of them citizens of the United States. 80 people (that's 80% of the world's population, folks!) would live in substandard housing.70 would be unable to read. 50 would suffer from malnutrition. Only ONE would have a college education. One would be near death, and one would be awaiting birth.

Now, don't you feel lucky? I know I do!

See you next week.