ergonomics

The bitch in my right shoulder got a nice myofascial release treatment the other day and stayed pretty much unbunched until my 12 hour slumberthon of last night. The evening news was still on when I gave it up and went to neverland. The ability to do that is a luxury and one that I cherish. I can see me being like my mama sleeping 'til 10 every day but Sunday when she joins Daddy for church. She can't see who anybody is so unless she recognizes a voice we have to tell her who's stopping by our table at lunch for a chat. Last week we sat behind the Hooks and Daddy got to talk football with a real coach. His wife was BG's elementary teacher and a true jewel. It's little moments like that which I know I'll miss when they're gone. I ran into my friend Liz the beautiful at the funeral and told her we'd have to stop meeting like that. Last time I saw her was at a family funeral service. I sat with my parents beneath the stained glass windows etched with names from the past and I knew that in some sense I was being prepared for my day as the grievee. We have spent the past ten years fighting each other over control of their safety and well being and oddly enough, it's still working. There was a time there when one or the other was in the hospital and that was tough keeping up with 'em at different locations. Plus somebody had to carry the other to visit said hospital bound spouse. For years I counted out pills each week until the drug store took that job over. Their grocery bill is down to about 30 bucks a week and my brother does the shopping. When I'm working, Tony has church duty. It takes a village.

Getting older sucks even though it's better than being six feet under, as they say. The human body is meant to be cared for and I've certainly not been easy on mine. I did aerobics for about 15 years which kept me young and healthy for a pretty good stretch. My friend Sally used to tell me that it was her sanity or else she might hurt somebody like BAD. I can relate. I was in my 30s and trying desperately to be a mom,friend,worker,wife and good girl all at the same time. That's where therapy happened and thank God it did.

Shannah cut my hair and it's to die for now all layered and fluffy. I need something that you can run your fingers through since I'm so lazy about "getting ready" and it's perfect for that. I sat with Booger in my lap this morning during his early wakeup time and rubbed his head while we rocked on the bed in the dark. He has a new swing and a wading pool and about 50 TeeTees to dote over him. TTW is still sleeping but will be his companion for today while I piddle away my last of three off. It has been good for the body and soul to have no agenda other than wandering from one room to another seeing what's up. Dishes are mostly clean. Laundry is manageable. Life is good.

I'm really tired of ranting about politics, and realized yesterday that when I started arguing with a conservative on my own page it was time to re-group. My roving demolibtard friends usually see a lady in distress when the word twisting begins and come to my rescue. That one? I gave up quickly. One of the most loyal readers of this blog is a conservative and I respect that because he's not the mean kind. As a businessman he knows what's up with our economy even though we don't always agree on means to an end. Sorry Keith...Robert Reich isn't just any old professor.

Corporate has come and gone not to be seen again until the fall when crops are being harvested. It's pretty cool I'd think to see just the beginning and the end instead of a summer surrounded by children of the corn. At least the barn still stands, but next year it will go as well. I have pictures of all of the ancient wooden out buildings that Gumbler scrapped. In one there was a saddle and other horse stuff which was moved to the basement where it still remains. I washed and kept the wool blankets and use them as rugs and such. It's just my little way of preserving a past that is uniquely mine.

Peace and love ^j^

the state of things

My brother was busy with corporate today so I did the grocery run for the grands which consisted of orange juice (already had it) milk *ditto* and bread. Plus some microwave spaghetti. I bought sweet corn and salted butter and some frozen bird plus spinach. The onions will more than likely be the chives in that pot out back. I'm traveled out and got a nice treatment of a terribly achy shoulder that I intend to enjoy. I'm enough of my mother's child to keep on trying to crawl but a realist in that nobody can take care of me but me. And Pelham Myofascial Release.

Corporate is here and likely to drop by if it's on the schedule. They met with Farmer Joey up by the dairy barn where the kudzu crosses the road. I kid you not we need a goat on that hill. The magnolias have been raised up so that blooms are too high to pick except for that one in the ditch. There are two dogwoods and multiple redbuds that I just let go and let God and now there they are all beautiful and stuff. Amazing ways, ya'll. We spent the last two years mourning the fact that we couldn't watch Chelsea except on our phones and now the show is. ending in August. Only two months into my two year contract with the giant mega dish provider. Meh......

I saw a little bit of Matt Lauer and Snowden this morning and I'm interested to see what both men have to say about the state of our union. According to my conservative friend Mark, Obama is not a leader because he didn't send troops to die in Syria and or Ukraine. I asked him if he seriously thought we could beat Russia at their own game and he didn't reply. There comes a time when reality is what it is. Hunger Games X! I see Snowden and Greenwald as a modern day Woodward and Bernstein. It's not too late if everybody will just pay attention.

Lotso' rain for the corn and whatnot. I haven't seen Mr.Snake yet this year but I feel it coming. I'm working on not looking at him so much as a threat and more of an omen of change. Lorna taught me that plus totems and much more. I went by to see Precious and family today over at the church. We chatted among ourselves and I waited until P showed up before heading out to deliver thawed out groceries. At least the sun wasn't out. As I was leaving I backed into some guy's pickup and had to get out and apologize for the error of my ways. Liz was there...and Gigi and Lisa. Ashley looks just like her daddy and so does her brother.

My salsa sister is getting married and looks happier than I've ever seen her which makes me grin too. Maybe some day Big Ernie will see fit to bless me with a guy who fits my personality. He would totally have to be funny and cute and be willing to put my needs on the top of his list of priorities. At my age, that means a lot.

pick your battles

In my almost 59 year old life I have discovered that unless and even IF somebody has experienced a loss they can't relate to the issue at all. But (as Rod would say) "here's the thing." Most of us define loss as when somebody dies but it's much much more than that. Every day is a lesson in letting go of what was to experience the joy that life has to offer. I read today that my hero Maya was raped at the age of 7 and subsequently the rapist was killed by a mob. She didn't speak for six years after that, carrying the guilt for his death with her until words came again. And boy did they spill out over the years! She's right up there with Mother Teresa and the new Pope in my book. Do good. Always. Otherwise? The devil wins.

The NSA is taking hits today on that "outing" of THE Afghan spy and I'm like really ya'll? Here we all are going to hell in a southern Republican handbasket and you do that?! Ain't no excuse for it. I told BG this afternoon that I'm excited for the first time in a long time at the prospect of an election because November looks like a big deal to this casual political observer. I sense an attitude of defiance and not in the live in a bunker with a gun way. Term limits are long past due. Get those old mother effers back home and let some younger non-party affiliated people use their Civics skills. Being a lawyer is not required. PS. Fox News failed to identify the project manager. I'm sure they had to check with legal on that one.

Which brings us right back to Snowden and his buddy Greenwald. These men are all responsible journalists who saw the ways in which our government is trashing our rights to privacy and they told the story. Perhaps if somebody besides Zapruder had followed up on the CIA Dealy Plaza wouldn't be a place that everyone identifies with JFK's death. Dr. King died on the balcony of a cheap motel in Memphis struck down by some poor fool who took the money and ran. Evil knows no boundaries.

If you responsible God fearing gun owners think that gun control is about taking away your right to defend yourself, think again. Just don't do it with an AK17 is all I'm asking. Somebody has to stop the madness. Might as well be us, and I think Jesus and Hoss would like that.

Love ya...mean it ^j^

the end is near

Here I sit with earbuds in to listen while I type. When working with an ten year old Dell, one must be clever. I would totally lose the desktop if it weren't for being able to SEE to write. My vision is fading like my mother's but by golly Big Ernie gave me some good news today in the form of a negative Pap smear. First time that's happened in five years, ya'll. Now if we can just get this shoulder done I'll be feeling a whole lot better healthwise. It's raining like a mofo right now nourishing the beans that got planted today and the corn that's already out there. And also filling up the potholes in my driveway. Maybe corporate will spring for a load of gravel if they drive all the way around. I have a confession to make and this is as good a place as any. One night I got all pissy and decided there were some things in the cabin across the road that I'd like. There were two old school crystal lamps that didn't work and this seriously cute Mary Engelbreitish chair in the bathroom with no tub. There were monogrammed dishes that belong to their family and I've managed to save all of them but the chair got destroyed when Ryder was a puppy. She chewed off the entire arm, upholstery and all. That was about the time she ate Michelle's Nook. Talk about having to face the music~

The current generation of heirs has been mostly absent and the business of it is managed by one of three brothers who is several years older than me. His girls are cute as pie as is his wife and there's a son that I've never met. I think he lives in New York where all the financial action is. The elder Harry was a money man who made his fortune in Michigan but always returned to "the farm" once or twice a year to ride horses and hang out on the hill. His lovely wife Nan was here on occasion and all of their kids at one time or another. The history is almost a hundred years old, and so my house will be in 2018. The house at the end of the road was the showplace, nestled in the woods just above where the clubhouse was planned. It never happened, but the drawing remains intact, hanging in the bathroom that lacks one seriously cute chair. If I ever get the arm patched up I promise I'll take it back will move it to my room.

Like my father, one of my brothers has taken on the duties of managing the farm that I call home. Every wooden door and all original windows are vintage and in terrible shape. There is a transom over the front and back doors which is cute but really? The storm doors won't even shut. The basement is clear and 9/10 of the garbage either burned or hauled. There are boxes on the front porch one of which is draped with a state of TN flag headed for the burn pile. At one time, I was proud to be a volunteer. Now? Not so much.

I sense an Oregon theme going on with my new friend Frankie posting a picture from Eugene and Nita and Dave moving to that state. One of my oldest work friends Ronnie lived and worked there back in the day and I remember watching the winter weather and thinking that I'd have to call in. Also my angel buddy Hoss lived in the state and I have always admired their progressive political climate. I met these couple of bar hopping guys from OR either before or shortly after Hoss came for a visit and was struck by the..uh. Whatever you call it when you get a hint early on.

When my youngest brother left for VA there was a parade about a mile long with both vehicles hauling trailers through West Virginia to their current home. The UPS guy who had serviced their home based business stopped by for his last pickup and we all stood in the driveway waving. He's the one who warned me that it was "the beginning of the end." And you know what? He was right.

^j^

long may she wave

As long as I can remember my father has had Old Glory on a pole whipping around in the wind by his once immaculate flower bed. Part of his daily ritual is turning the light off and on that illuminates the stars and stripes. He was a supply man in the Air Force during the Korean conflict and spent a good amount of time in the Azore Islands. I still have his language textbook from Portugal and somewhere there is a full length wool dress coat that I once wore over bare feet to Led Zeppelin concert. Daddy never understood my resistance to Vietnam having grown up during the time when goals of the military were clear cut and for a purpose to defend our country. The Vietnam war was definitely not that. Every war since then, including Desert Storm, was based on protecting access to foreign oil. See: Koch Brothers, et.al.

Oscar and Peggy Bruce came from Mississippi sometime prior to my elementary school years because he was the principal who told my mother that every time he walked past my room I was looking out the window in spite of my higher than average IQ. Miss Peggy was a librarian and Jeanne Mallard an English teacher. My Uncle Jim and Ms. Ann Rone taught music. Mom and Peggy played bridge together every other Tuesday like clockwork. After Peggy died, Mr. Bruce was pretty much at a loss about what to do with himself. There was the usual parade of church ladies with casseroles but he chose to spend time with Mom and Daddy instead. One 4th of July (probably after picking sweet corn) I stopped by the homeplace and found him there visiting my folks. I sat on the carpet like a little kid listening to his story from Iwo Jima and how he was one of the 10% who made it out alive. He carried shrapnel internally for the rest of his life.


Was it Truman who said that "war is hell?" I'm not sure but I believe that to be a true statement. Homeland security is a must and I'm afraid that we have neglected our own in order to further the interests of some rich folks. I believe in American values which have gone by the wayside, including villages sticking together and helping each other. Much more can be accomplished at the local level than through some giant government program that is easily abused. Community farms and daycares....church based health services. All of these and more would be easy to implement and change lives. I know, what a dreamer I am.

I am grateful to be an American even though I don't like the political climate. Long may she wave ^j^

thunderstorm watch

Our typical summer weather pattern has set up which consists of a few days of cool and a return to hot'n'humid which will quickly turn into a very RARE cool day with more heat and humidity. The corn loves it but it makes me wilt what with my status as an aging southern belle carrying a torn shoulder who can't find her big girl panties. I've got a three day weekend so that's a good thing. For the first time in a very LONG time I started my day with a prayer, simply for peace. At work. At home. In the world. I'm enough of a spiritual person to know that nothing ever gets solved with hatred and war. Self defense is one thing but somebody has watched too many episodes of creepy government as the bad guy movies. Our country was booming in the early years following 2000. Stocks soared and retirements were stacking up to where it looked like the working stiff might be able to retire before they die on the job. If it really is the government's fault it's because of partisan politics and big bucks with the Dems being just as guilty. Somebody has to be the first to say "no more" and be transparent with the $$$. Congress would be a nice place to start, I mean seriously! Grow up ya'll. Doesn't anybody ever learn from the past? I do hold our sitting president accountable for huge corporate bailouts following the crash. He took way too long to stop the war on terrorism...on their turf, no less!

It makes my soul weary to see benefits being denied to the veterans of our last two wars when the whole thing was so totally not necessary except to make money for Halliburton. I'll never forget the picture of those contractors burning on a bridge in Fallujah. That's when I said to myself that this was serious shit and a lot of young people bought into it because it was the supposedly "patriotic" response to 9/11. Kinda' like all those random acts of violence on peaceful Muslims in this country in the days that followed. Saddam was not the problem. Our dependence on foreign oil was and still is the problem and we're killing the earth as we burn fossil fuel. The world is about a kazillion years old but eventually that shit's gonna run out. Probably right about the time California, Florida and Jersey break off into the ocean that's "not globally warmed." My favorite movie ending is with Tea Leoni and her dad facing down the wave together.

I have always believed in service to my country except for the draft and a few other things. I read today that our governor has brought back the electric chair as an alternative to lethal injection and that reminded me that I'm still in the land of the GOP. The death penalty is not a deterrent to crime in any form or fashion simply because there is no immediate consequence for the crime. Jail! Now there's a deal what with all those contractors providing access to things that I never knew existed until about ten years ago. The thing that kills me is that most prison populations consist of people who, though not victims, grew up in a culture of violence, rage and abuse. Not an excuse, just an explanation of what is. In this day and time to have a picture of local law enforcement with a bunch of weed plants on the front page is absolutely stupid. I can't wait to move to Washington state. Or maybe Oregon.

I believe that as a people, we are faced with a very important decision and I pray that what happens is not as bad as I expect. I'm tired of paying for cable to watch news about fools who buy guns legally and easily, slip through the cracks of our mental healthcare system and slaughter innocents. That Fox and the other sensationalists make big money from this in a Judge Judy sort of way makes me even sicker than O'Reilly and Rush. My heroes are the ones who have done good things and helped their followers to believe that justice really is an option and that old Satan won't win all of 'em.

Peace~

social media chat

Most people use FB and other forms of media to communicate with their friends both real life and "online only." Well, maybe not most but many and I'm one of them because honestly? I'm too tired to get out there for mixing and mingling. Nothing in the world makes me happier than having a friend drop by for a beer or six on the porch talking about life and admiring the view. I have it made in that respect with a panorama of nature for a home. Just this afternoon I spotted two young deer racing from one forest to another right across my road to home. I stopped and watched to make sure they didn't get slammed by golf course traffic and they did, indeed, make it safely to point B. Another slam dunk for mother nature. It's already hotter than July.

I have found that it's nearly impossible to make meaningful comments on posts by people that I don't know personally, but occasionally I try and it backfired on me in the form of a couple of defensive posts after mine made by others that I don't know. And it was seriously all in fun. Lesson learned, and not because there was any ill intent. Only that people out there in the interwebs are projecting an image with their words that is hard to put things in context. I apologized and all was forgiven but it taught me how we are all very distant in spite of the connectivity. We know the type who does nothing but post dinner and prom pics and that's the extent of what we see about them. I'm a new convert to unfollowing because I'm so CoD that I don't want to just unfriend somebody. I'm bad about slapping up demolibtard posters and getting into discussions spats with conservatives. There's this one shrew who is all up over my liberal lawyer cousin's posts which I totally enjoy. She's trying her best to convert him to "her way" which is "god's way" or the highway. Because she's a cousin of his too and Jesus would like for that to happen according to her. He is politely respectful to her but I can hear him going *sigh* every time she jumps into the fray. Mark is a philosopher as well as a very smart attorney and judge who believes in equality and justice. His wife is a friend of friends and they live nearby. His brother is here, but the rest of that family is scattered or gone. My other cousin Bubba (i know, so typical south) is also a personal injury lawyer who moved from court square to a busy highway, LED sign and all. Kenny is also one of favorites because he's so much like me in being a realist and calling it like it is, all the while having fun. I remember one particular night when it was somebody's birthday at the kudzu bar and chickie poured an entire pitcher of beer on his head. Good times! I don't know Phil but Debbie was my co-worker for many years, married to another nurse. Steve is married to a schoolteacher whose Mom was a nurse with me. All of this and more is what makes me appreciate the simple pleasures of hometown life.

I am the elder now to cousins of the Stafford family and that makes me sad. Marfie just realized today that she is the oldest of HER siblings now. YIKES!! How did all this happen when I just graduated from UTCHS? Another ritual of death is the gathering of photos for the slide show in our techno advanced age. Half of my life at the funeral home was spent looking at snapshots of people at various stages in their lives. And of course they have sad like SAD music and it's just eh. I dunno. I believe that when my physical body dies that my soul will become one with all those who have died before me, whether they believe in Jesus or not. In the minds of many people, that's blasphemy. Consider the amount of missionary aid that is sent from local congregations in other countries shared with what we need at home. Otherwise, tax that income and get rid of the flashy salaries and golf.

I've had two good days with the bitch shoulder but ran out of luck on that about noon. The only way I'm functioning now is the occasional visit for MFR and over the counter pain meds. That works for a short term but it's time for some steroids or something, JESUS! Back surgery guy just made it to his recliner at home so it'll be awhile. Hope your recovery is swift, friend :) I was very active up until the age of 50 and then stress and reality set in and ravaged my youth. I was a true power walker in my 30s doing sometimes 2.5M on the two giant hills. The anesthesia guy who lived at the dead end rode his bike to work and jogged around the row crop. His partner had a Harley and loved to make it go vrooom. Pride live here because of him, but that's a whole 'nother story.

^j^

a matter of honor

Evidently it was meant for me to be at the turnoff from FH to cemetery right as the procession passed by so all I did was turn on the flashers and bring up the rear. Like all families theirs is filled with skeletons and such but then who among us doesn't have that? The characters in my lineage would make a really good book if I ever get around to it. Today there were three funerals of friends of friends of acquaintances and family. Miss Carolyn, bless her heart, picked Mama up for Miss Teresa's service at the FUMC. My friend Jack said goodbye to his mother. As I drove the winding path toward Gerald's grave, I couldn't believe what I saw when the line stopped. There was Jacob's little spot, paid for by his fraternity brothers after he died of meningitis. There is now a law in the state of Tennessee requiring meningitis vaccination for every college student. It should have happened many years ago. I've watched the progression of that disease, especially in young children, and it's hard to survive once it sets in. Jacob's law..Google it.

I was impressed with the way things went with law enforcement officials at every corner paying tribute to the father of one of their own. As always in the South, traffic came to a complete halt until at least the stragglers got by. Our lives are simple and filled with ritual that has been passed on through the generations. Honor, loyalty, commitment. And the greatest of these is love. Gerald's son is married to one of my friends and his sister Donna was in my class so I got to score a three on that visit. The pallbearers in their stiff suits took shelter beside their friend under the tent and dropped their rosebuds on his casket one by one. As I watched from the back, I saw a life being honored and cherished by a lot of people. That's all I've ever wanted. I've decided now that my ashes need to go up in a plane and fertilize Pecan Lane.

I reckon Big E knew I was about to lose it because I rested well and today wasn't PURE hell. My hip is doing this funny slip thing now and then which is beginning to be, shall we say, a bother. I'll be making tracks on a mission somewhere and all of a sudden *pop* and I have to regroups. Bodies are made to wear out, I guess. Ashes to ashes and dust to dust. My oldest friend Yaya stopped by the sawmill to give me an impromptu hug today after reading my blog for the first time in forever. She could tell I was at the end of my proverbial rope. Remember that scene in Nurse Jackie when she screams "WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME, JESUS!" And there came Amy Claire all smiles and hugs. She's definitely one of my top ten.

^J^

justification

I suppose in the most literal sense, it is means to and end in that you have to show a reason for an action...why a certain thing was done or not. It implies a certain amount of authority to the person or persons making the decision about whether or not justification is met. There are guidelines put out for decision making in all areas of life including marriage,family and the workplace. The problem comes when the person making that determination is very rigid and or controlling and is unable to see the wide assortment of gray areas in life. Authority in these hands can be a dangerous thing whether you're a parent or a sawmill worker or just somebody who happens to be at the wrong place and wrong time when there's a dickhead in charge like a badass cop/teacher/etc. I've been in all of those situations and more and find this type of personality drives me up the freakin' wall for multiple reasons, most of which has to do with their lack of empathy or ability to get out of the box. Rules are made to be bent on occasion and learning and growth usually occur when they are. The ability to see the big picture rather than focusing on what's wrong is the mark of a good leader or parent. It is also a skill that is extremely hard to find middle ground with. Enough of that. I'm tired of justifying myself to anybody and I'm the only one who can stop it. That being said, I believe that if I do my best and that's not enough, I probably should reassess the situation. In my mind and heart, I try to do the right thing in every situation. As "they" say, when it rains it pours and sometimes you just can't win for losing. Oh, and tomorrow is another day chirps Pollyanna Poops!

I find myself longing for silence and meaningful conversation when I feel like this. It is a letting go of sorts, a lesson in hitting bottom and starting the climb back up. I've lived long enough to know that you never get "there" so it's important to enjoy the trip. More and more I'm moving toward solitude as comfort and sometimes it's hard to come by with a whole 'nother family in the house. It is what it is and I love the company, it's just not the norm for us and tends to be a bit overwhelming at times. It was my choice and one that I felt compelled to make because of a strangely spiritual commitment. No words, just a feeling. You never know what lies around the next corner, ya' know?

Nurse Jackie is really getting deep and it's both entertaining and disturbing. A friend and I were discussing the prescription drug epidemic and how physicians and big pharm are responsible for what is a huge ass problem on the streets of everyday life. Well, that plus meth. I kind of think of meth in the same light as distilled whiskey during prohibition and illegal abortions prior to RoevWade. The demand never goes away, no matter how many laws you pass so it's a losing battle. What is necessary is to pick your battles (here's the key phrase) with an eye toward the middle ground. Unfortunately most of the conservatives in this country are giving a bad name to their party by claiming it's their way or the highway. I do not believe in "entitlements" or reparation. I believe in doing what is right in an economy that is sucking the life out of even the most reasonably paid in our middle class. Those of us who had a chance back in the 80s and 90s are stuck with a declining quality of life and spending power.

I have had the distinct pleasure of working with a financial professional over the past few months who really knows the meaning of customer service. To a workhorse like me, that means the world. I noticed a FB friend today ranting about how some nitwit at Lowe's failed to help him with a request only to be passed onto three other associates who were eager to please. What workers don't understand is that companies have HOTLINES where they can call you by the name on your tag and either say "atta'boy" or "you suck." If there's no number, they'll fire off an email or letter to the CEO in a heartbeat. Some are justified and that's why the process is in place. In the workplace every person you come in contact with as a team member should ideally strive to serve the customer in the best way possible to ensure satisfaction. In reality, it rarely happens.

The longer I live the more I realize the value of true friendship and how rare it is. It involves trust and thoughtfulness and being upfront without coming across as mean. I've had many acquaintances but could probably count ten people who really take my well being and happiness to heart. I wish all ten of them were here right now for a group hug.

Faith ^j^

no comment

As Mondays go today was one of the worst I've had in a long time. It's a good thing I got to sleep late for two days or I would have been dead in the water. And again, I am too old for this shit. Once upon a time in a land far away I fell in love with a guy or eight while at work. It's the perfect setup for escape from reality but one that has turned into *gasp* a goldmine for personal injury lawyers like Corey B Trotz and old Johnny Cochran. Trust me ya'll...OJ did it. We were in Gulf Shores that day and watched him running from the law via live freeway cam. That he was richer than Big Ernie during the years when the NFL ran our economy is beside the point. I've never understood why people pay megabucks for a "brand" where players make a kazillion bucks for being on TV. That feeds right into our addiction to the MSM and I'm as guilty as everybody else on that one. I am a picky media consumer and exercise my right to choose.

There have been several passings onto glory lately that are on my mind, not the least of which is my friend Jack's mama and Marfie's brother Gerald plus Mrs Mount, bless her heart. Their obituaries won't get front page status on the daily rag but their families are suffering nonetheless. My buddy Scott is in recovery from back surgery due to years of building and roofing on the side from his day job. He's got a cute girlfriend who knows how to take care of things when somebody is sick. Booger finally gave it up and went to sleep after howling forever while TT rubbed his head. Just another day in paradise as the Monsanto products get sprayed to and fro over the farm. The heirs to this property could possibly have a chance to help mother earth if they'd just pay attention. I mean gah...you can only spend so much money.

Looking back, I see Work Guy as my last true love before the one who used to drive two hours to spend one with me. He brought his dog usually and the four wheeler. I was at rock bottom and needed a reason to believe again and I can guarantee you he did just that. Viva Viagra! This guy is the one who helped me get Hoss to and from Memphis International Airport to Dyersburg TN and Pecan Lane. We met halfway at my friend Sue's tearoom and gift shop with a fresh canister of oxygen for the ride. And then we got the Camry stuck in the mud and had to call Lowery's Body Shop for a tow. I blame all that on the bottle of Jack I bought. My brother and I had a conversation about end times and how things just seem to be out of control so why not just have fun. Sounds like party time for he a bunch of folks at his future retirement home on Pickwick. We could all do worse, ya know?

and the beat goes on

We were watching a movie with Boogs yesterday when all of a sudden here comes Jimi Hendrix doing All Along the Watchtower, and we both just kinda' went "hmm." I would have never heard of Pharrel Williams were it not for Despicable Me. I just love good music, no matter who's playing it. As I've aged I come to value the happy ones much more because that's how I try to be. Raised on the Beatles crossed over to classic rock, I followed individuals from most of the groups that I liked into their solo careers. Steve Winwood. Phil Collins. Kenny Loggins. Gino Vanelli? Wait, please tell me I didn't listen to Gino Vanelli! "I just wanna STOP!"

Shannah's dog Gizmo has this plastic lime green snake that he chases like a dang fool when you throw it. I noticed that somehow it had crawled into the living room this morning, and shortly thereafter Sophie tore Mr. Snake's head off and chewed it to bits. Giz don't care...he'll chase it anyway. Today is the third anniversary of Shannah's mother's death and it's still raw for she and her brothers and dad. I didn't know her but feel like I do through their tributes to who she was in their lives.

We steered the grands today away from eggs and doughnuts toward the Dairy Queen because Cracker Barrel is way too much trouble and it's all about the experience anyway. As we ate our cheese curds and fries, the deputy to our local sheriff approached our table to say "hey ya'll" to Daddy. On my way home I noticed a city cop hidden in the trees by the pond at the end of the road. It's a great place to catch people driving their asses off because there's no traffic light for three miles. This is the aforementioned dangerous crossover where my parents collectively totaled four vehicles.

I stopped by the office of a guy who bought some of the Southtown Hindu hotel property for cheap and talked to his daughter about possibilities for a grocery store on that site. According to her nothing is feasible until the city funds improvements for river flooding in that area. The neighborhoods are ghost towns now, a sad remnant to once thriving neighborhoods who took care of their own. Dyersburg was built around that river and the Mississippi, home to generations of river people who built houses on stilts and grew their own food for the hard times. There were lots of snake handling churches down there too, just saying.

I once dated shacked up with a guy whose family grew up there around Bradley Road and he was poster boy for that lifestyle. His family home got swamped by the Mighty Mississippi as did his sister's. I remember riding a mule about a quarter mile down from a fish fry and right into the floodwaters. As you would expect, it's awful hard to keep those roads maintained for the farm equipment and whatnot. That was my last attempt at a relationship, mostly because he moved out on his birthday with a bottle of expensive whiskey that I gave him. Live and learn, girl. Live and learn.

^j^

over the gate

Since Booger started walking he is becoming increasingly intolerant of the baby gates on each of the doors to his room. One leads to the kitchen which is where we gather so he's bound and determined to come join us. I noticed earlier that he was trying to climb it and thought "nah". He proved me wrong and went head first onto the kitchen floor adding another bruise to his already purple forehead. The kid just will.not.quit. He's also started smacking at the dogs and cat or whomever he pleases and all of us humans just give him a tiny dose of what he did to us because, hey. Other folks aren't so nice when you bite or slap. He and TeeTee are sleeping it off as I type.

I have to haul my own garbage in the trunk of my trusty old Camry and it was piling up and not raining so my one and only trip to town consisted of doing just that. As I approached the junkyard next to the highway, there were Oscar and Ryder seeing what was up and running toward me. They got an unexpected ride to town hanging out the window together and the garbage pile is thinner. Not gone, mind you. Since I'm a dreamer, I believe that will happen some day. The house is reasonably clean except for the office/pawnshop. The yard is mowed and a lush green because of all the rain. Life is good on the lane today.

An unexpected call came this morning as I was taking a pic of Lily curled up in the back Cadi window for warmth. It involves one last opportunity to get our somewhat shaky finances back at a reasonable starting point with a monthly payment until I retire, or start thinking about it. I'm just hoping the Camry holds out a bit longer until I can afford my "last car." I remember when my Mama got hers and promptly totaled it on the by-pass. Ten years later, she did the same thing. I am at high risk for macular degeneration as well as cervical cancer and my joints sound like popcorn so it's time for a daily glucosamine fix. I remember thinking that it must be a miracle cure because both of my parents took it for years...still do at 80+. Mom also takes the eye vitamins even though it's way past helping. We try, all of us, to hang onto life as we know it. A friend of mine has had a week from hell with his elderly mother in the hospital "environment" and all I can say is I relate buddy. Over the past few years I've spent a lot of unpaid time there with my own folks. We do what we can to honor them because they were there for us as children. That's one of the Big Ten, ya know. I am a very irreverant sort of gal most of the time, a rebel who chooses her battles and comes out swinging on the important things. Elder care is one of those things, BTW.

It's still cool and kinda' gloomy but that's okay with me. I feel some quality indoors time coming on. Ya'll call your mama'n'them and keep the faith.

runnin' on empty

What a freakin' day, man. I'm thanking sweet baby jeebus I made it out the door on this particular ladies night and have plans for nothing more than beer, TV and foot soaking. Normally a trojan horse when it comes to carrying on and on and on, this one just plain old kicked my ass. And that would be my OLD ass. I wondered to myself how in the world I could ever keep up that pace at 70 which is what I'll have to do to survive unless Sugardaddy shows up between now and then. And of course the older and tireder I get and look, the harder it is to find an SD who isn't 80 years old and requires a pre-nup. As a girl, I believed that there was "one true love" out there for everybody and I thought I had found it many times. As it turns out, I all believed in it more than they did. As the daughter of an emotionally absent father I found myself pairing up with the same type as an adult. Like they say in recovery "You marry one parent and turn into the other one." My abrupt departure to therapy land showed me these things and more.

I like to think that I've turned into the best of both with my mother's social side balancing out Daddy's work ethic and temper. I have worked since I was 14 at some job or another and paid half down on my first car. It was the coolest job ever being a lifeguard at the Moose pool. We made 50 cents an hour for babysitting rich people's kids and cooking them 'burgers. I babysat when I was older but never much cared for little kids until BG came along. Once her great great uncle in Texas told us we needed to "get a'hold of her" or we'd be sorry. That was while she was eating butter pats off the iced bowl. She later threw up in our bed (ack) and the next day we went to Padre Island which was freaking amazing. No tourists where we were...just sand and surf. My husband's family spoke harshly of the ones who were everywhere, spitting the name out with hate. "They're EVERYWHERE" Aunt Sue said. She was Aunt Nez's sister and Nez went with us riding next to BG in the back seat of our Camry for 18 hours straight. Did I mention she didn't have legs? Yeah. So there was a bedpan and all. I'm sure Austin is beautiful but you can have the state as a whole because of Rick Perry.

Ya'll know I can't resist getting into the fray now and then when a social media type person takes a swing at my beliefs. There is a sign somewhere along my daily route that says: " Imperfection isn't a person. It's an event." That is true of everything in life be it career or family or spirituality. We all fall short of the gifts we've been given. Every single one of them come from Big Ernie. The thing I don't understand, and this is strictly non-partisan, is that people who have more money than they will ever spend fail to help out the least of these. And Jesus wept.

^j^

absence and the heart

I know many folks, BG included, who must have the TV on at all times until lights out. I was out of contract and opted out of cable two years ago and honestly haven't missed it much except on occasion. Like when everybody else was watching BB and Nurse Jackie and I had to pay Hastings for box sets years later. Honestly at the time I quit 'em, there wasn't a lot of good quality programming, and there still isn't with the "big three." Beginning for me with The Sopranos, HBO and Showtime have proven themselves over and over to be the geniuses of our day. When I was putting in our order last night on live chat they asked what kind of shows I like. My response was give me the cheapest package with Comedy Central and E!. No sports. No shopping networks. No Latino movies. No porn. I want my Chelsea and Colbert and Stewart and all the rest of them because hey...i've missed them! How sad that an almost 60 year old woman lives vicariously through characters. Just kidding. Things we look forward to are what make life worth living and the tough times seem somehow like a memory. My celebrity boyfriend made his first movie for HBO.

Imagine, if you will, a world in which I'm trying to explain the whole Putin/Snowden scenario to one who saw SNL and their PootingTooting skit. Of course we forget about him being a hero because the big bad government is after him for "spilling" secrets which we needed to know. Meanwhile, all the freakin' right can talk about is Benghazi and Monica, as if that's more important than homeland security. Congress? You disgust me. I am registered to vote at my new address on the lane and I will be watching your asses for the next few years. Please don't make me go postal because I'd never make it in jail. My friend came by awhile ago and we visited in the driveway as he told me about falling head first into a ceiling fan with a big bump to prove it. I bought new earrings from my engaged salsa sister today and put in an order for another bracelet. Like bedding plants, her stuff is my crack.

I have three surviving 'maters in concrete blocks but they're not thriving, if you will, just yet. It's rained just about every day and is again now, with the sun shining no less. I guess that means I'll be looking for the rainbow. when my friend Ms Ann died I was camped out with her family doing the watch thing and on the day she died, I drove into the sawmill parking lot and saw the biggest rainbow EVER stretched over the entire building. It was a message I'll never forget.

^j^

baby kudzu and tiny corn

Here I sit at an ancient desktop Dell while Rome is burning and all I can do is keep on keeping on. Despite what the GOP says, global warming is real and it's already hot'n'humid in West TN, the ass end of tornado alley. You know it's summer when the kudzu manages its' way up through last years heap to prosper once again. Fortunately there's only that one bank or else we'd all be in a big mess with dead bodies being dumped and such. That was according to one of my favorite writers Joshilyn Jackson in her book " gods in Alabama." I seriously doubt we've got enough for bodies but you never know what will happen when summer comes. The farmer actually mows it or it would be everywhere.

Corn is popping up due to plenty of sunshine and rain and the tiny little strips of green amaze me since I know that by July there will be a "children of the corn" feel to our house. Great photo-ops with the barn surrounded for the first time. Poor Pride will just be fertilizer! There's a patch of sweet corn hidden for the neighborhood which is always a plus side to country living. Mom and Daddy's new neighbor Aunt Molly is having a huge reunion of their family on the very site of Son's house only this time it's a nice double wide. There's a patch of trees where the farm equipment stays right about where the hen houses were. He and Ms Lockie were my favorite childhood memory. Daddy says that Son actually helped build the silos by the dairy barn in the 20s.

My house was built in 1918 as the farm manager's place I suppose, thus the cute little side porch to call those hands in with a dinner bell. I imagine fried chicken served in that dining room on special days along with purple hull peas and new potatoes. The spirits of those before me here are amazingly active, most especially Mrs. Council because of the floral gifts that she left. 60 years later, I still have peonies. If I'm not mistaken the Ferguson farm operation even shipped asparagus and peonies country wide. Oh, and lots of chickens....the fancy kind. The owner made his fortune selling rain gear to the US government during WWI and from what I hear it was quite a showplace. Huge concrete slabs remain where the livestock lived. The dairy barn itself has been restored and shines like a beacon to me each day I spend coming and going.

Today was orthopedic day in which cute doctor told me that the only cure is six weeks in a sling following surgery and I asked to defer that decision until the waiting list at work thins out. He advised gentle physical therapy because up to 50% of cases will resolve with proper care and exercise. And yes, I am right handed which is how I fell on it twice, dammit. Freakin' winter of 2014 'about killed me.

Tomorrow is pap smear day where we take one for the cervical care team so as not to die of cancer. It's down to twice a year in the "observation" phase of a very slow moving dysplasia so I'll take my chances with that too. Like I said, sometimes I know too much.

Off to enjoy an afternoon whatever I damn well please ^j^

goal setting

When I sign into blogger there are some bells and whistles to tell me how many posts I've done and I'm only about 200 less than I did on Poop Happens before pulling out Truman to say goodbye. I've never been one to just sit around and think about what to do next, choosing instead to live in the moment and enjoy it. Thus, my scattered life. There is however, one thing on my bucket list that I must make happen and that's "the book." Since it began post 9/11 the whole process has been streamlined and outsourced so that the print business is reserved mostly for those who have the money to back it. THEREFORE, there's got to be a way to just pack these blogs up and send them on their way to readers worldwide. There are three, and the one least used is "the book." Suggestions? I know there are some writers out there who know how I roll and could offer advice to a good old smartass southern gal.

It was a relief to go into the sawmill this morning and not have visitors. It was quiet and nice for which I thank Big Ernie because the bitch is in pain again *sigh*. Appointment with orthopod on Monday. Let's all hold hands and sing kumbahya that we find a way to get some relief for her. I was advised by one friend to be hesitant on the surgery thing and I'm appropriately looking for ways to fix things without that much medical intervention. Holistic healing methods are nice but very pricey and insurance doesn't pay which I don't understand. It would cost them LESS to treat someone's pain that way than to do something invasive and fraught with dangers like MRSA and whatnot. I suppose you could say I know too much. Actually my ideal job would be as a patient advocate, paid a reasonable wage for helping patients to make their way through the maze that is modern healthcare. There's more to it than a diagnosis. If you need a guide for travel you sure as hell need one in the doctor's office.

I've finally made a move to tackle the living room and make piles of things which make some sort of sense. There are a ton of family pictures and pieces, plus lots of farm stuff. It's time to sort and move again only this time the load will be lighter. BG is still mad because I sold my grandma's antique flower pot but she broke the bowls so we're even. We had plans for a Mother's day celebration of some sort but of course neither one of either finishes anything so it won't happen. I'm good with that, really. Being mother to she and her friends is something I wouldn't trade for anything even thought it's stressful sometimes. Hey..what isn't??

Love ya'll. Keep the faith ^j^

mother's day madness

I learned a lot of valuable things from my mother, not the least of which are talents for writing and cooking. Her particular brand of recipe is the old southern staple of butter and sugar, much like Paula Deen. Her biscuits were to DIE for, not big fat fluffy ones but thin crispy ones that melted in your mouth. I've seen my daddy eat ten of 'em covered in purple hull pea juice or syrup. There were sliced home grown tomatoes every day and she fried them up green when it wasn't 115 in the shade. The oven was on daily making either the beloved biscuits or cornbread and always making it a "red face" supper for her. We loved every minute of it because it was great food prepared with love. She never sat down until we were all served until about five years ago when the cooking and serving was turned over to us. I visited with her today and we made plans for me to sneak off from leave the sawmill for brunch at Daylight. If I'm not mistaken, that's what we did last year. There are some things you just don't skip. The last few times I've been there, she urged me to take her pink ladies jacket back to the hospital. Daddy's red coat still hangs in my closet along with her wedding dress. They are my heritage and personal history and I think Big Ernie everyday that the one potential buyer for that dress never showed back up.

BG and I sat on the back porch, allergens galore, and talked today. We've been through so much together that we really don't even have to mention a memory but once and the other "gets it." I see my mama's mind slipping away at times yet this morning she recited the names of every member of a local family up the street from their family compound on Pate. She and her sister Nancy grew up there and their grandmother was next door up the hill past the alley. My daddy's mother lived across the street. Needless to say I was properly cared for after school. I remember little things from that time, like where I was when JFK got murdered.

There is this vintage photograph of my mama and her sister as children beautifully dressed in blue and bows and smiling like good little girls. I've had it in a frame that a dear friend gave to me 20+ years ago and it makes me smile to see it every time I pass by. They were born into the best of times when life was not so complicated. The financial blessings of a hard working man who was once in a traveling band managed to get them all over the country for things like the World's Fair and whatnot. This was the boom time following WWII in which I was born.

I think that the most valuable lesson that I've learned from both father and mother is that you should always help those who don't have as much as you because it's what J would do. I guess that's how I became co-dependent. Nah, I blame that on the South.

Happy mother's day to everybody and you're next ^j^

throwback

I am off and slept in today which was sorely (no pun intended) needed. Sleeping with a heating pad surrounded by doggie love I drifted off and woke only when I heard Booger's voice as he walked around chatting to himself. I can't stand to see what all that babbling is about. He's getting a swing and a wading pool soon and all will be well with his little world for the summer. Sometimes I envy the simplicity of his life yet his ability to show awe and wonder keeps me believing when all else fails and the universe knocks me on my ass. Again. That's where your old friend Step One comes in handy.

I'm seeing a doc finally about my shoulder next week so we'll at least know what the plan is. Right now the pain is quite bearable unless I overuse that arm. When I think of surgery all I can think of is having no right hand for a month and I tell myself "girl,don't go there" as long as I can maintain. Surgery itself carries many risks and isn't something to just jump into if there's an alternative. The way I understand it, a completely torn tendon will continue to cause retraction until it can't be repaired, usually within six months. My injury is not your typical rotator cuff deal, but involves the subscapularis which is much less common and almost always due to trauma. Like falling on the ice. Twice in one month, no less.

The microscopic examination of our sawmill wraps up this afternoon and I'm glad my part was over and done with before I left yesterday. I have no doubt that there will be "opportunities for improvement" but we are a solid crew with excellent work practice and bossfriend is an organizational wizard so there you go. Somebody started a list of our recent phlebotomists and we added to it as somebody's name popped up. Needless to say, there's a big turnover for that job. They are not paid NEARLY what they are worth seeing as how the entire testing process rests in their hands when obtaining specimens. All the QC in the world doesn't matter if it's the wrong person's stuff.

One of my friends from work has a relative who is the talk of our town what with her parading up and down the street in wifebeaters and a walkman doing modern dance. There have been FB pics of her in action but I think that's mean because she really can't help herself. Crazy as batshit, ya'll. I'm really curious as to what, if any, meds she's on. Chickie usually seems happy in her own little music filled world and even dances with her fru fru dog sometimes. Whatever keeps the monsters at bay, I say.

Tick season is in full swing and a real doozie this time. So far I haven't seen Mr. Snake around Casa Poops but I know my days are numbered. We shall see, and keep the faith.

swings and things

I'm glad yesterday was a snoozer because I barely ate or sat all day what with officials everywhere and you know who slamming us. Like, to death! We figured today was it so we were all ready to face the music. I must say that I'm proud to be a part the team of the healthcare professionals that I call friends. To paraphrase my bossfriend: We may fuss and fight but when the rubber hits the road......" Indeed dear. Love ya. Mean it :) High five to the nurses who learned how to give blood from me and others and pulled it off without missing a beat. Fortunately our visitor wasn't just on a mission to pick things to death which can happen and has. It ain't pretty. You know how everybody hates to go to the dentist right? I was actually ready to go this afternoon and had to leave a message at the beep with my regards.

I stopped at the gas station this morning to get ciggies and ran into my old friend TimmyD as in SammyD and that whole tale. He bought the kudzu bar after corporate did their thing and has kept the huge following of non-rowdy regulars who meet there for drinks coffee after work. Obviously most of 'em don't have kids at home and at the very least very understanding wives. I was one of those wives for many years. The odd thing is that as long as we were on different shifts, it worked. When he came to days after 11 years, it all began to fall apart. Well, that and other things. He told me from the get go that I couldn't afford a hundred year old farmhouse by myself and he was right. Fortunately the snowball seems to have turned around just a bit or at least ain't rolling at warp speed. Thank you BF and sweet baby jeebus.

Landlord brother just cruised into the 'hood on a rent pickup and I got to see his beautiful border collie named Sally. She is every bit as sweet and gentle as Bandit was wild. When Bandit died, I thought I'd have to bury him out there alongside the dog pen. It's a tradition that we ride together to pick out pups. First for Daddy, now for him. Unlike me, the crazy dog lady, he chooses to keep a low profile. She does look stunning all black and white hanging over the bed of his white truck watching my dogs be heatherns.

No political discourse today other to say that I feel hopeful for the first time in a LONG time about our country. Even though there are gay hatin' rednecks on every corner it seems, there are a hundred more loving humans to counteract that negativity. Belief that random acts of kindness will make a difference is what's up.

Keep the faith ^j^

manic monday

Thanks to Big Ernie, it wasn't. I swear to you I went to bed at 6:30 yesterday with Sammy D and watched the sunset through my bedroom window. Poops is wore smooth out. I've had an MRI and a myofascial release treatment in anticipation of not having a retracted right arm for the rest of my life. MFR is an amazing therapy and one that the bitch in my right shoulder has needed for about four years. As many of you know, $$ has been tight for some time so self-care has been on the back burner. I'm going to the dentist tomorrow for the first time in four years, and it's not the one who turned me over to collections. That's the thing about folks...they have a huge posse of people to send one on down the road to a bad credit rating over amounts that don't really matter in the whole scheme of things to the anointed ones who deliver that vital service. I also have an appointment with an ortho guy to discuss options on the torn subscapularis tendon which is(according to Google) not the usual injury. My theory is that the bitch had been at home so long back there it was an accident waiting to happen.

I pulled into the yard and lo and behold there were Ryan and his friend with all their boy toys working on the landscape at my house and I swear to you, that's the sweetest vision I've seen in a long time. Well, besides the sight of asphalt after that five inches of ice in March. What doesn't kill us.....

I think back over the past few years and remember bits and pieces like Tara leaning on the power switch and shattering the passenger's side window on the (trustY) Camry. Actually, it wasn't her fault because it had been effed up forever before that fateful day. We used to make the rounds picking folks up for group in that car which was before Shannah had her own. I kid you not, we drove all over the little neighborhoods off Hwy 412 looking for Beezo one day. That was before he went to rehab in LA or wherever. Dumbass broke and crawled into the freakin' drive-thru at my pharmacy which is no more. Currently my lawyer cousin has his practice there so if I happen to need one, I know where he's at. He's a personal injury type dude in contrast to my personal friend who is just a good old boy from Lake county and has watched my ass through two divorces and a judgement for free. He teaches SS to my 80 something parents and they love every minute of it. He's the COC one who is happy just to play a musical instrument in church.

Hmm..Still no plane. Seems as if nobody will ever know what happened that day and I realize that's a hard one to swallow but it is what it is. We have been there and done that as a country and what goes around comes around to those who least expect it. What really slays me is that people worldwide don't "get it" that our drive for industrial commerce is much less gratifying than what J would do. My great grandmother's yellow iris are about to burst forth and multiply so there will be pics.

Love ya'll. Mean it ^j^

eggs and aunt granny

I somehow managed to sleep until 8:30 this morning which was perfect timing since I had to go to the dollar store for BC powders. That plus diet Dr Pepper or Coke is my jolt into the day because I seriously don't like coffee. Ever. Before I picked up the grands I carried off the garbage in the trunk of that trusty old Camry and bought a local paper featuring a DPD officer and his impressive array of confiscated weed plastered all over the front page. Seems as if maybe it's an election year and he's running for sheriff or something. Anyway, they also busted up a vacant house with a shitload of meth labs like SIXTEEN and nobody noticed before election year? Please. This particular cop is running against the incumbent who has two unsolved murders on his hands that will probably be solved prior to August poll time. I could be wrong but I've lived in the South long enough to know politics are the local level. Anybody remember the night the K-9 unit showed up after Faith died? I totally blogged it.

One other time I took law enforcement on because an over zealous undercover cop who was infatuated with one of BG's friends busted up in her apartment where they were having a drink and the door wasn't open but he kicked it and then they proceeded to arrest all the minors up in there. I wrote a letter to the chief, consulted a lawyer and the whole thing turned into an underage alcohol charge for her. There was one other time when the DPD noticed she and her teenage friends going across the tracks to buy weed visit a friend. Since the car was hers I got a call and the other parents had to pick their daughters up. I was not amused, and that was when we met Todd in probation. Lester came along for those rides.

So we went to the home to see Aunt Granny before heading to Samaria Bend and I was tickled to see her kinda' sorta' back to normal...only happier. I went in first and woke her to tell her sister was in the house for a visit and she said her name "Janice?" Oh yeah, and Billy too. He sat there patiently while they visited and I got schooled on the ins and outs of visits. At 80 and 79 they are a handful for all involved. Every time she moved a butt cheek on that bed the alarm went off! That's a good incentive to stay put, if you know what I mean. She and Mama traded stories on nursing home experiences. Roomie was smooth out of it so that was good.


I say that to say this: Reefer madness is alive and well when it's convenient. I got my new voter registration card this week with the new and improved road name and will use it come election time.

^j^

riding with the king

It just tickled me to death that Memphis made national news today with the arrival of the princes for their friend's wedding. If I were a betting girl, I'd say that's because they have spent a lot of time at the nightclub owned by their chum who is marrying the Midsouth socialite heiress to Holiday Inn. Much classier than the Waltons from Bentonville, if you know what I mean. Memphis is where a whole boatload of kings lived, some of whom I've mentioned but now I'm remembering more. Elvis.Jerry Lawler.BB.Albert. Every time I ride through to the medical center I'm amazed at how things have improved since I drove it daily almost 40 years ago. A pyramid has been built and bickered over at the end of a shortcut from Frayser that Marti Ann showed me. I was a new college grad headed for a job there when Elvis died and I suspect that's why I hightailed it for the 'burg. Either that or I knew I needed to be close to family. Or something. Anyway, after we rented a truck and loaded all my shit into it I had a crying fit and decided it was all a huge mistake and I'd rather live at home all my life than be in big bad noisy Memphis by myself. Gotta have my quiet time.

Ryan came to do the first mowing of the season and I have to kick my own ass for not hirint him several years ago. Our little riding mower is nothing compared to his rig. He was here about 30 minutes and did the whole place except for weed whacking. So glad we had benadryl! The radiology report showed that there's something torn in my shoulder so I'm seriously looking at non-invasive treatment options. Maybe the MFR therapist can kill that bitch. The sawmill wasn't bad which is a blessing because we've all got a lot going on. Next week is probably when we will have visitors who put our every movement up next to a checklist and see if it works. We all need some prayers for those of you who are inclined....for a peaceful experience that we can be proud of rather than dread. It's the luck of the draw with those kinds of things because if the surveyor is on a mission and feels self-important? It's gonna be a looooong week. Also one of our peeps has a husband facing the unknown with his health so say one for them as well. It never hurts, ya know? That's how I've kept the faith..through the prayers of others^j^

ladies night

Here I sit, chair dancing to Donna Summer while the rest of the world is having caviar on a stick with a side of to-die-for sauce. ATT, the company that lied to me about not just the price of my phone but the cost of doing business with them is calling often on "their" device asking for payment on said devices and incidentals like internet service. One "device" is in contract but the other is not if I pay the balance which looks like somebody thinks I'm an idiot. You know, kind of like TVA. I sure wish I had kept the paperwork because I would totally kick tie guy's ass at the local storefront.

Here's the thing. Life is hard and then you die soooo, have fun along the way. One of the younger elders out here offered my family burial plots in the small cemetery down by the river...putting it in his will and everything. I told BG to just bury some of my ashes in a pretty box and put up a little stone that says Poopie. It's where I fell/scooted down the hill instead of just walking across Gerald's yard to see the Carter family burial ground.

I noticed in the obits yesterday that the former woman of the house at the end of the main road on the right died and wondered if she was one of "the" Carter family. My brother and I went to the old library and courthouse to try to piece together the land ownership map of this place prior to 1920. The landowner requested that because evidently he's interested in his heritage. It is a helluva' story, if I say so myself. The grandaddy of them all drowned at Reelfoot Lake.

Mom and Daddy are status quo. BG is pimping cherry limeade at the local Sonic. Shannah and Boogs are watching a movie and I'm about to do some landry. I know...you so wish you were me.

^j^