Big, fat mama kitty jumped up in the porch swing and walked right over across my lap. She put her nose up against my cheek and then rubbed the entire length of her under-chin on me. I read one time that animals are marking with their scent glands, but to me it’s an act of pure affection.

She also does that kneading action with her front paws and does that deep-down purring in her throat.

The reason I mention this is it’s a real sign of affection, but I saw one at Bible School last week that out-did Mama Cat. It was a young boy that left the game that his class was involved in, ran over to his mama who had just stepped out on to the porch from her adult class. He did a big leg-hug on her and ran back to take his place in line. It was pure affection and the message was that Mom is here andthe world continued to spin on its axis. So everything is A-OK. It left a lump in my throat.

When I took the AARP driver safety program last week, I seriously flunked two test pages. I passed the course, but it bothered me.

One page was the shape of signs and the other was color of signs - what signs are the green ones, blue or brown. I guess you know by now that if we get a rain storm that washes the printing off all the signs youdon’t want to be on the road with me.

We’ve got one grandchild turning 13 years old right away. That’s bothering me too, because I’ve seen it happen so many times. It means leaving childhood behind. This one rides his bicycle into Pea Ridge to take part in the football conditioning program. I knew it was four and onetenth miles to the tomato cannery so I know it’s five miles on out to the high school. Many days he rides both ways, making 10 miles on rock roads. He’s already thinking about what his first car will be and how soon he can get his permit. One day they are giving out leg-hugs and the next day he’ll be talking about first cars. My, they grow up fast.

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Edith Lammey has been a resident of the area for nearly 40 years. She can be contacted through The TIMES at 451-1196 or prtnews@ nwaonline.com.

Opinion, Pages 4 on 07/28/2010