'tis the season

Now that Thanksgiving is history, it's full force Christmas mania.  Except for here because umm....I'm not in the spirit just yet.  I forgot to get batteries for the clock that chimes carols on the hour, part of my inheritance from Mom and Daddy.  Debbie's stained glass wreath hangs in the kitchen with my one little village house lit up close by.  

The Dyersburg parade was Monday night with huge participation.  As I drove through the darkness the next morning I could see cups lining the sidewalks, from hot chocolate I suppose.  Somebody forgot to put out garbage cans~

I have been to the 'gentral to price lights for a friend and stopped at the chicken store.  My little quad.  

Now about truth in journalism.  Enough already!  I'm not saying who or who isn't guilty.  It's just that it's so sensationalized that you don't know the truth anymore.  MSM is feeding us daily and we bite it like fish.  The sad thing is that it's all being orchestrated in the name of money and politics.  So what if Ann Curry is gloating?  I could care less.  

Responsible journalism consists of more than he said she said which is why the biggies are playing that now.  There is very little truth in news these days across the aisle.  We are not even one full year into the Trump fiasco and the cast is about to change again with Tillerson.  Lerd.  It's musical positions up in there.  

Here's the power of high tech for you.  I'm a week away from surgery and still have no FMLA granted.  As it turns out the fax number for the middle man was recorded wrong at the doctor's office and never arrived.  Alrighty then.  Might be a sign.  All I know is that it hurts.  Bad.  Shame on me for neglecting the power of MFR.  Note to self:  get arnica.

Lauren went back to work today leaving Baby Reaves with Erica and Bay.  They are a virtual love nest over there.  It worked out well with no travel for Reaves involved for Lauren to work.  I love it when that happens.

Advent is about waiting in anticipation.  I love the season as we wait to celebrate the birth of Jesus but I also cherish the holiday traditions of other faiths.  Because seriously?  That's what He would do.

^j^

h

at a snail's pace

You know how sometimes it's an effort to put one foot in front of the other?  Yeah, that's pretty much where I'm at.  The water died yesterday afternoon which I discovered right after my friend left from our visit.  She told me all about her trip and Huck bonded with the elder boys.   I had noticed the county doing ditch work and thought immediately "they hit something."  When I called Bubba to tell him his response was "Janie.  You have a well! "  Duh.  I was a day and a half out from last shower so I called the neighbors and they offered their bathroom.  The dogs rode with me and hung around outside with Libby.  Thanks guys.  

The water was fixed when I got home, hallelujah!  Turned out to be a bad switch on the pump.  I remember when this time of year came around, Daddy would come up with a shovel and winterize the pump for me, complete with hanging bulb.  It stayed that way 'til spring.  I still have the same cover that was here when we moved in 1988.  Other times he and Bubba would change out fuses just generally trying to keep this old house going.  There are people who lived here before me like Ms Mary Crawford and the Councils.  They were the tenants for 50 years.  Horse man, I do believe.  I enjoy her flowers every spring.

Be strong ~

guilty

One of the things about being a blogger that really fascinates me is the freedom of expression that it allows.  If people like to read it, that's a plus.  I try very carefully to avoid calling names or being unkind.  I am not made that way.  However, sometimes the reader delves into my piddly little words and takes offense on a personal level.  It's happened more than once.  I was even told at one point that my job could be in jeopardy for the things I share.  Once again, I am very careful.  I don't slam anybody except evil doers like Trump.  

Every day is different and you learn something new if you're at attention.  Mine was a whole bunch of interaction with other departments which I like.  I get bored sometimes not seeing the patients or knowing the processes outside of my little cubicle.  

The county is busy with ditch improvements on the lane which should help a lot with the flooding.  I can't remember a single year in my 28 here that I've not had to drive through water to get out.  

Peace ~

i need a keeper

The people at my insurance agency know how I roll so I got a call from Cheryl reminding me to pay the premium prior to the renewal date on the 24th.  Which I promptly forgot.  I wondered why I had more money than usual but just spent it on the car for the oil change, etc and carried on to Jackson as if I were insured.  Which I was not.  

It hit me like a ton of bricks this morning at 7am that I had missed the payment. Initial payments on a renewal are due on a specific day.  Which I missed.  I hurried up and paid online but it made me shudder thinking that I was uninsured for 3 days and on the road where anything can happen.  All is well except I'm overdrawn.  *sigh*  It's the story of my life.

I'm not good at managing the details of everyday life be it paying bills or cleaning.  It's just me and I figure I've winged it this long.  I have made progress in the financial sector via consolidation in a chapter 13 because....honestly?  I didn't have the cash up front for a 7.  That, is also how I roll.  I need a down payment for a car or else money to make the Camry not all hoopty.  We'll pray about that one.  My friend Lorna went for a loooooong time with no ride and she lives in Lake county!  She had a heart attack on my bedroom floor in the middle of an ice and snow storm one time.  UCMTSU.

When I talked to Lauren this morning Reaves was crying because she had to put pants on.  Lerd.  Dem babies! I've shown that sweet face to at least 10 people today.  

Speaking of scattered brained...I took ten bucks out of what I had to stop at the shady 'gentral for dog food only to find a full bag sitting in the kitchen out of sigh.  At least I know it won't go to waste.

Keep the drama low key kids.  Life's too short ~

blast from the past

One of my mother's oldest childhood friends is Jeanne Mallard.  Out of the blue she called me last night to say she had something Mama had made for her back in their early bridge days.  She lives at an assisted living facility in Bells so I stopped by for a visit on the way home this morning.  At 86 she is still a live wire and drives *but not at night* to Dyersburg and Jackson.  She shared a story with me as we visited in the foyer about the births of myself and her son Jack.  I was due in August and was late.  Jack was due September 4th and came on time.  Miss Jeanne said my big old pregnant mom came huffing and puffing up into the Baird Brewer hospital crying " it's not FAIR!"  I was born 5 days later in the same place and so was JoAnn Davis.  She gifted me with a 50 year old tablecloth set that my mother cross stiched and gave her one year at Christmas.  Priceless!  It will be handed down to the next two generations.  

Reaves and I watched CBS Sunday Morning together just like my parents did.  Lauren took that opportunity for an extra nap.  We both slept well because Reaves had daddy time overnight.  She is so alert now!  It makes my heart melt when she smiles at me.  

Back to the sawmill tomorrow.  It's a matter of days now until I get my shoulder fixed and I pray that it works.  The pain is getting worse by the day but I keep stretching so it won't freeze up on me.

Enjoy the day.  It looks pretty awesome from where I sit on the top of the hill.

^j^

live from reavesville

I got here around 11ish and found Reaves wide awake and enjoying a Daddy visit.  We bonded and laid under the Christmas tree lights.  She got some wicked hiccups after my bottle but we got all that worked out.  We watched a great Christmas movie until the antenna said "nada."  

The drive over was smoother thanks to all the new fluids.  It's amazing how much difference maintenance makes.  The trusty Camry has been ignored  like a lot of other things in my life.  There is no light in this place so I'm blogging in the glow of tiny littled colored bulbs.  Reaves is doing yoga in Lauren's lap.  All is well in the world.

Hope you're feeling the love right now ~  And to hell with the MSM.

^j^

safe travels

I think this is probably the busiest week of the year for airlines and whatnot.  Thank goodness I don't have to fly across the country to eat turkey with relatives.  Most of my people are right around here except for Virginia Bro and his crew.  I have, however, been burning up the road to Jackson lately so I stopped by Speed Lube this morning for a checkup.  It was as Hoss would say "not good."  Being a girl and all I tend to neglect car maintenance until it's to the point of dangerous.  I left there with an oil change, new transmission fluid and a new air filter, all badly needed.  I could tell the difference on the ride home. 

There's a lone picker out there between our two houses doing the sit and reach method which is what I prefer.  I was all fired up to go to the cabin today or to Silvertop for my own picking.  The spirit told me to take an allergy pill and avoid the leaves.  Tomorrow I go to see the girls and bask in front of the Christmas tree that is already up!  Lauren said she was channeling Daddy when she decorated.  I bet Reaves loves the lights.  She definitely loves TV....even football.  

It is quiet here, and I like that.  Whenever I think about living somewhere other than this paradise, I factor in the stress of 24/7 noise.  Unless there's hunting in progress, you can hear the voices of the wind and nature.  Coyotes are back after a long absence.  There's a lot of timber cutting going on so I guess they got flushed up closer to the lane.  I love the sound...reminds me of my childhood.

I'm still in the process of getting things pre-arranged for surgery.  Since I work there it's pretty easy, ya know?  The surgeon is one that I met recently who practices out of Jackson and is on staff at multiple hospitals.  His Dyersburg office is primo thanks to an excellent staff.  

I wish I had a buck for every tree being lit today.  Driving behind a gal carrying a live one I poked along praying it didn't fly off and hit me.  It was strapped in, stand and all.  Lowe's was covered up.  I didn't go down 78 but I bet it was a hot mess too.  Happy Black Friday from Pecan Lane.

keepin' the faith ~ 

take the high road

I must have been a mediator in a past life because I sure do use my therapy techniques in every day life.  I can go with the drama for a bit but then I tend to remove myself from the middle of the fray after a few well chosen words and facts.  Remove myself as the middle man, so to speak.  The only way for two people to really communicate is person to person.  

Work was steady.  Bubba came by for dressing and deviled eggs and brought boiled custard.  There's a real memory of the grands!  I walked the yard down at the cabin before I came home checking out the nut situation.  If robbers don't come there's enough for me tomorrow.  I have a to die for smoked ham to munch on for the weekend.  Life is good.

You will not find me anywhere near a store tomorrow I promise.  I'm stocked on everything I need except for gas station stuff and I have a fuel card to fill up with!  Thanks Dyersburg buddies.  

I hope your day is filled with gratitude ~

some days i think "well...."

...and some days I just don't know.  I never thought that my internetless childhood would turn into a way of life for all of us only to be man handled by Trump's administration with Time Warner and ATT waiting in the wings for a mega-merger.  Trust me.  Those never work out for the little guys like us.  

What is now a reliable way to communicate and do business will be controlled by giant corporations who can play with your stream speed at will to manipulate the competition in the market.  Sound familiar?  While we still got people out there whining "but but Benghazi and emails" Rome burns.  You guys had a chance to pick Bernie and you blew it.  

I've never been a Rand Paul fan because uh...Kentucky.  Their economy and healthcare delivery are a disgrace with much of the healthcare being delivered by not for profits.  I do, however, feel bad for his broken ribs and painful breathing, per his wife.  Angry man without a gun.  It's a good thing or RP would be at the funeral home.  

His father Ron was a physician and highly respected in the healthcare sector, also serving public office.  Texas, I believe.  Long ago conservatives who really cared about medicine blamed the whole deal on "entitlements" and paid higher premiums for themselves.  That's because the government sets the bar on how much will be paid no matter what the charge.  It's a big cat and mouse game of  using write offs for tax purposes.  

This is Small Business Saturday sandwiched in between Black Friday and Cyber Monday.  Please avoid big box and gentral stores at all costs and visit your local merchants this weekend.  Take your time and pick out something special.  It'll be worth it when your blood pressure drops.  

Gobble gobble ~

trial and error

We did a little process today that was very repetitive and involved pulling and twisting which is evidently what makes my shoulder flare up.  OMG it was throbbing so bad I almost was tempted to find a drug dealer.  Just kidding, but damn.  I cleaned the kitchen yesterday and am currently doing food prep for Thanksgiving #2.  Black Tuesday.  

I hate to shop so online is the way to go for Christmas.  I have been "one of those" sheeple wandering the mall on Christmas eve looking for one.more.thing.  Never again. It can wait 'til New Year's.  That was back in the day when there were a ton of us and we gave each other sweaters and shit like that.  Now it's more practical.  

I am thankful for this day and every day.  I may mumble and bitch about stuff but in the end I'm just glad to be blessed with a life that is full of friends, family and love.  

^j^

and justice for all

I noticed this morning at the gentral' that there was nobody around....kinda eerie.  When I pulled up to the checkout with my cart full the sole employee on duty came out of the office and told me her tale of the day.  While she was working BY HERSELF probably trying to declutter the aisles that are filled with stock, three people came in and stole hundreds of dollars worth of stuff.  She was watching the security tape which is why she wasn't right there.  Now, number one:  these folks makes minimum wage for the thankless job of waiting on people in an understaffed store.  And Number two, it is an extremely dangerous practice to have one person running the whole place.  Had these people been armed, I might have found her dead on the floor.  The law showed up while she was checking me out and I was greeted with a "Hi Ms Janie" from Eric.  This particular store used to be the best in Dyersburg.  Since Diane left to manage a new store in RoEllen, Four Points has gone steadily downhill.  You can't get get through the aisles for the boxes of unpacked stock parked everywhere.  This is also due to understaffing.  Sooooo....my big mouth called the corporate office to complain about the entire situation, but especially about that employee being left alone to fend for herself.  About 30 minutes later I got a call asking for somebody that wasn't my name.  Wrong number, I replied.  Five minutes later she called me back and apologized for not getting my name right.  It was the district manager for the gentral' brand answering my complaint.  Thanks for your feedback, she said.  We'll do better, she said.  At least she called me back!!

After that I headed to meet with the expert on small business incubation at his new place downtown.   We have a dream in the works that is really exciting.  His restoration of ancient brick walls and iron ceiling rails makes a stunning piece of workspace.  As partners the three of us dreamed about the possibilities.  Then I met up with some other friends for an unhurried lunch.  We are all in this life together and they have been really good to me and Lauren and Reaves.  

The weather is gawjus and there was a picker in the green wheat poking around under trees that have no nuts.  Amateur.  I can't pick if I wanted to because of the wicked shoulder. Which is paining me more by the day.  Bubba is really wanting some Janice dressing and we're both working so I'm making that and deviled eggs and he'll meet me at work during lunch.  Whomever else is there will join us for Thanksgiving.  Mama would love that story.  

Gratitude ~

read my lips

I was fortunate enough to experience church at work today.  As I did an ID a patient's family was gathered to send her off to another department with prayer for a safe return.  I waited quietly and bowed my head with the group, thankful for that aspect of my job.  

Lauren and I are both sick as dogs and I even resorted to Lomotil from the chicken store on the way home.  She misses dat baby too.  Hell so do I!  Already :)  If I don't die from the epizootie overnight I'll have lunch with some friends and hook up with another one to discuss business.  If I don't make it through the night, talk kindly about me.  

As I was heading down the home stretch that is Pecan Lane I saw a truck parked in front of the house. I assumed it was pickers until I got closer and found Tommy and Shirley out and about taking pics.  After they left I dodged pecan chunks and waited for Bubba to come back up the road.  He thought he had missed a Thanksgiving dinner when he saw my post about our feast.  It was DAMN good food like my Mama taught us.  Not a lot left, either.  

I'm thankful for so many things it would be absurd to try and name them all.  There have been a million times I've hit a difficult vein and said "thankyoujesus".  Per Tiffany, I now follow it with an amen and "father!"  She sings gospel while she works and worries about her kids.  

Me and my road dog Mitzi took care of our part this weekend.  Others pitched in and helped with a very tight staffing situation.  We are warriors, no doubt.  

Y'all keep it between the ditches ~ Timmy D

breakfast with reaves

Reaves woke up about 4:30 which is about my ideal wakey if I'm not gonna be stumbling into work.  We sat in my daddy's recliner in my office and bonded while she fed.  My friend gave her some megasize dr browns so that came in handy.  Work was steady but, by the grace of God, manageable.  I just missed seeing the baby on her way out of town with daddy.  There's always next weekend.  

A cold front moved through and dropped the temps by 30 degrees.  It was quick and windy and as it ended up, a huge mess on Troy avenue right in front of Beverly and Randy's house.  I saw a neighbor out taking pictures.  It WAS a big ass tree that took down a pole and all the wires at a major juncture.  Cops everywhere.  You Lattawoods people take a left.  

I have thought a lot about the motivation of giving lately.  Being blessed with a still anonymous Blog Fairy for two years led me to believe in the grace of giving because one is financially able to do so.  All of these fund raising societies and organizers prey on the cause to get PR for themselves.  Take the American Cancer Society v Dyer County Community Cancer Fund.  With the ACS there are huge administrative costs.  DCCCF keeps it local.  

Watching the fall blow in.  That's what Daddy said to me out front one day when he found me sitting in that wind watching leaves fly.  We more than likely talked about the hospital becuse he was still a volunteer there.  Or maybe the coyotes.  Lauren reminded me a memory of Mama when she was dehydrated or something that made her crazy as a loon.  "It's ALL George Bush's fault!!!" she cried out as she tried to climb the curtains.  Lerd.  Mama was a volunteer too.  That's what they did with the church as well.  They honored their faith by giving back their time and talents to the Kingdom.  In that, they never wavered.  Financially they were good stewards in our local congregation.  They are still adored by a whole bunch of us who grew in faith at the corner of Main and McGaughey. 

It's back to the sawmill for me tomorrow.  Let's pray the epizootie doesn't take us all over!  Hold that thought Mitzi Lou.  Love ya....mean it.

^j^

tgif?

I work every other weekend so I don't get to say that very often.  While everybody else at work was all excited about being off the ones of us who are down for duty just carried on.  I've had lots of "moments" when I wanted to backhand a smartass, but today took the cake.  'Nuf said.  As usual I remained irritated but calm.

The girls should be headed this way soon and I'm doing some food prep.  Reaves will only be here for tonight and her daddy will take over tomorrow.  LP is here 'til Sunday.  We get to split our time and re-connect.  Plus she's behind on Stranger Things.

A miracle of sorts happened this afternoon.  My friend Tracy who cared for mama bought her bed at the estate sale.  She has since started a career in travel nursing with plans to sell the house.  Her beautiful daughter Hannah and friend Braden brought it to me this afternoon.  Even the sawed off legs.  That's a story in and of itself.

Y'all enjoy whatever is next on the horizon.  

dizzy

My photog friend Jim posts some pretty different types of creations and some of them kind of make my head spin.  That's the ones I call dizzy.  He does great work with landscapes and flowers.  Especially bridges.  

I woke up first around 7 with a bellyache and managed to get three more hours.  I was not feeling well but soldiered on to the doctor's office to find out how to do FMLA on their end.  Then (of course) I went to the gentral' at four points for necessities.  Kroger is just too.much.trouble.  

I had every intention of making cornbread last night but it just didn't happen.  That's what today is for, plus some landry and cleaning.  Company is coming, ya know.  Yesterday my dear friend popped into work with a big batch of giant size dr brown bottles.  Just in time for Reaves' increased appetite.

At this point, I don't care who sexually harrassed whom.  The MSM is having a field day with this and it's like watching soap operas that my memama saw.  As the world turns!  She called it her "stories."  Everybody loves a good piece of gossip.  Remember Monica???  That was Trump's fault too.  My only beef with the Clinton administration is NAFTA and what it has done to our country and workforce.  Outsource or die!

Gotta' get on these chores.  Floors don't clean themselves!

lerd

Things I've learned today:  Good shoes are a must for work.  So are good people.  The friendships that I have there are more than just something that you have to do.  It's the result of weathering the storms together and praying for each other and doing the right thing even when you're tired beyond belief.  There are daily shared grandbaby pictures from the grammaw club.  We cry, yell on occasion and work it out because really?  We all feel the love.  

I need to message KK and let her know that I'm just now cooking cornbread for dressing.  Lauren has requested that for our Thanksgiving visit.  Oh, and asparagus casserole, Janice style.  Lord how I miss that woman's cooking!  Her birthday is November 20th.  Ya'll blow her a kiss in heaven.

I saw one of the surviving members of the Sellers class today and that reminded me of both parents.  The last Thanksgiving we spent with Mama was at Maple Ridge all Cracker Barrel style laid out on the bed.  After that, Bubba put up her tree.  I can honestly say she had a great time there and Bubba was a large part of making it special.  

The Norman Rockwell depiction of Thanksgiving is one that we all hold dear.  Gotta meet up with 98 relatives that you can't stand and eat buffet style.  My tribe has diminished.  We catch up when we can and if it's close to a holiday well....bonus!

Love ya.  Mean it.  

plan C

I was planning on attending the service awards ceremony this evening but one of those "things that come up" did just exactly that.  What began as a young graduate's first job is still where she's at 40 years later.  I have seen a lot during that time.  Leaders and demoninations have come and gone.  Lobbies redecorated and art purchased.  One of the final promises of MHS to us was that there would be a chaplaincy staff.  Within six months, he was gone.

The decisisons that shaped our futures in healthcare were made by a county board of comissioners who took the highest bid between the two denominations.  The facility, built in 1956 still stands in the original spot.  I missed being born there by a few months.  There has always been a board of directors that includes medical staff and local community leaders.  Those faces change too like employee of the month.  

We do an outstanding job with nurturing our patients as if each of us is a chaplain.  In the end, that's what people remember about their visits.  The system is abused by many and patience gets stretched thin but we know our stuff and act accordingly.  I totally love my work peeps.  

Reaves and Lauren are coming in the next few days for another home visit, probably the last for awhile.  She goes back to work soon and Bailey gets her baby all day.  They are the perfect pair!   The two hours Reaves and I had on Sunday morning is what life is about.  The next generation.

Always, forward ^j^

dead skunk

After two weeks I finally got the stank out of my house that came from Sam's carousing.  All it takes now to get him out the door is a spray bottle!  I've enjoyed not having that smell in my nose.  Until this morning.

I was cruising along in the dark not paying much attention when I spotted a black and white puffy thing prancing in the road.  There was no time to swerve and I smooth ran over that skunk with a large thump.  Shortly after that the smell started and in spite of the windows being open all the say, I smelled like him when I got to work.  They were all like "not again with the skunk thing."  I took the Lysol outside and sprayed my car down and rolled up the windows real quick.  That kinda' sorta' fixed the inside but you can still smell it when you get to the rear of that trusty old Camry before loading up.  I've never seen so many of them in my life as this past few months.  They must be feral.  As I was headed home I noticed large vulchers circling the road real low and observed what was left of mr skunk.  Which wasn't much.  One of those giant birds almost smacked my windowshield...scared me to death!  I can still catch a faint whiff but a shower should fix that.  

Lauren will be going back to work in a couple of weeks so we've got limited time for this free range coming and going for family bonding.  The next visit will be them coming here on Thursday.  It's super hard to arrange when only one person can drive!  I wouldn't trade it for the world though.  We've grown into a little family the hard way three operations and a month in the hospital to boot.  Hopefully the next admission will be mine and there's a fix in my shoulder's future.  

We've been busy decluttering at the sawmill and it's therapeutic.  You know how you live in the same house for 20 years and just hide stuff to make room for the new stuff?  Yeah...kind of like that with a lot of papers and pieces of stuff that nobody knows what they go to.  We're soldiering on though.  One of the things that really made an impression on those health occupation teens in Newbern was when I told them that only 5% of the population gives blood for the other 95.  Even they could do the math.  Kids can donate at 17 and many of them do.  Schools require parental consent.  Public drives do not.

Reaves is O negative which means that's the only type she can safely get.  That's less than 15% of the population.  The "universal donor" so to speak.  My mother was O positive and my daddy O negative.  Thus, I got the pair of genes required to pass that Rh neg onto Lauren and she to Reaves.  

Catch ya'll on the flip side ~

 

tummy time

Reaves decided to stay up all night while i was snoozing in Lauren's bed so she woke me up to give her a break this morning.  Reaves slept for quite awhile and after a bottle we got down on the floor on her handmade afghan and played.  While on her back those arms and legs were all over the place and she delighted in watching TV.  Meet the Press, no less.  Then I flipped her over on her belly where she struggled but managed to lift her head up as if to show me what she could do.  Evidently tummy time is a thing with infants to strengthen their mobility.  At their house I get to watch real TV and we enjoyed several military movies in honor of Veterans Day.  This morning's NBC magazine type show covered the gamut and included veterans as well. The local Jackson station runs this ad about how cool it is to be from there and I see it often.  Catchy tune.  

The only store within blocks of there is this little Indian owned deal down the street where tampons cost 8 bucks.  The ice machine was broken and dude just kept pointing toward the ice cream freezer.  I didn't have a clue until he came out from behind the counter and showed me styrofoam cups prefilled with ice from a bag.  Lerd.

I visited Rock'n'Dough and Grubbs yesterday for a calzone and some essential oil.  Their made to order calzone is plenty for two and only ten bucks (without the giant cookie.)  While Reaves and I were doing gymnastics this morning I caught up with my Virginia bro via phone hotspot.  Always a challenge without wifi you know.  

More work on tap this week and weekend.  I had nothing for pain yesterday and my shoulder was throbbing by the time I laid it down for the evening.  The rest helped but I had to take some mega ibuprofen this morning.  Lauren has an ergonomic pillow which helped.  

That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.  

veterans day

Instead of spending the day putting flags in the graveyard, I'm spending the night with Lauren and Reaves.  We've had a laid back day and it's still in progoress with a vet themed movie marathon on the teevee.  I'm hot spotting to post this blog.  

I just gave myself a shoulder massage and it felt good and drug free.  It REALLY hurts without the nsaids which I can't have for a week befoe surgery.  Catch 22.  I left the dogs outside so hopefully they'll stay warm and not get eaten by coyotes.  One of the neighbors said his big black Larry looking dog went out sniffing after a coyote and hasn't been seen since.  He's not neutered, of course.  Poor thang.

love the ones you're with ~

me too

I'm happy to report that I have never been a victim of sexual harrassment or abuse which is pretty unusual.  I know tons of people who were and it leaves a scar that never goes away.  A sheltered life is not a bad thing.  I took a lot of chances when I was younger with older guys who were decent enough to stop when I said no.  Now the buzzword all over the net is masturbation in front of unwilling people.  Um.  Now, I don't know about y'all but if I were feeling victimized by that sort of behavior I would either walk away or tell somebody right away.  Not years later.  That's a conversation to have with your therapist.  

Many lives have been ruined by claims of sexual abuse and or harrassment when most of the time there is no proof.  I am a very strong advocate for womens' rights but what I see going on now is an attempt to grab headlines and ruin careers.  I respect Louis CK for saying "yes I did."  If we raise our girls with a sense of self worth and empowerment, these situations can be handled like any other invasion of privacy like drawing a line in the sand.  Sure...people in powerful positions get away with a lot of things.  Sometimes, we allow it because we are star struck or slaves to authority.  Once upon a time I was one of those women.  

I am not defending these men.  What they did and continue to do ( and it's not just men ) reeks of behavioral disorders straight out of the book with mental health diagnosis codes.  These folks feel entitled to push their agenda on other people, much like active shooters and other psychopaths and narcissists.  They get off on the power of disrupting the lives of others.  Rape is more of an act of domination and anger than for sexual pleasure.  

On a lighter note, I visited the cabin this afternoon and found that the entire roadway has been cleared of the white pines that were always a hot mess.  There is a clear view of that cool little red cabin and the ditches are clean.   The transformation continues.  

I'm off for the weekend so I'll be heading to see my girls tomorrow.  I'm sleeping in before I go because there is no sleeping in with Reaves around!  She went on a crying jag the other night during the CMA awards and Lauren danced her to sleep with country music.  

Y'all stay warm and seize the day.  

happies

My friend Yaya is the queen of happies.  If it's not homemade pimento cheese it's a trinket or something special you would never buy yourself.  She and I go all the way back to early childhood and still cherish the friendship even though we miss each other.  She gifted me with some faith jewelry while doing a friend a favor.  That's how she rolls.

I'm working on a list of potential stories for the new project that will encompass all the counties in the MidSouth area.  If you have one worth telling, give me a shout out.  So far my list includes a canoe craftsman from Clarksdale and a blues singer from Fulton.  

I absolutely adore having the daily Reaves pics for my enjoyment.  It's (almost) like being there only without the crying.  I came home to find pickers in my yard again and almost ran over one but he kept his head down and eye on the prize.  

No news from here.  Just keepin' the faith ~

a pain in the ........

For about six months now I've been overdosing on NSAIDs to try and keep the shoulder pain under control.  I scheduled surgery this morning with a pleasant young orthopedic doc from Jackson that will be done on December 7th here in Dyersburg.  Dude gets around, if you know what I mean.  He told me that it was repair was a good possibility but that the muscles had atrophied to the point that there was a chance it could not be repaired via arthroscope.  Lots of fluid up in there too.  He won't know until he gets in there for a look see.  There are two major tears one in the infra and supra spinatus.  And a bunch of fluid.  Bursitis I reckon.

No mass shootings is a good thing so let's all say thank you sweetbabyjeebus and try to get along.  As tragic as all of these events have been it boggles my mind that folks are still out there hating on each other on the issue.  Give peace a chance and find middle ground kids.  You can survive happily without an assault weapon.  Concealed carry is cool.  So is hunting for food if you are so inclined.  I want the cops to have the big guns.  

I drove by the homestead this afternoon and found a flurry of activity with bulldozers cutting down the pine trees that line the front yard.  It was absolutely gorgeous and I see it differently already.  

Bundle up.  

back to school

Novemblah continues.  Hopefully the sun will return soon even if it is cooler.  As long as those rays are shining I can deal with most anything.  I left the sawmill to visit the class at DCHS taught by my old friend Leigh.  I haven't been in the halls of a school in eons so it was kind of a culture shock.  It was breakfast time as I was leaving so the traffic was heavy in that new dining room.  As she walked me out she shared what she knew about the threats to their school last week by a group of students.  They're all under arrest probably headed to the bad boy place.  That is not something you play with.  I watched the comings and goings sitting there in the office with the visitor's pass right next to my work badge.  I was officially on duty.  Leigh is a (damn good) nurse and we played it like champs.  She was part of the hospice team that cared for my parents at the end.  

^j^

stirring the pot

As usual my common sense blog post about the deadly impact of assault weapons brought forth the usual hoo hah of guns don't kill people and 2nd amendment rhetoric.  It was pointed out to me that knives kill people too, and cars.  Point taken.  HOWEVER, most of these mass casualty events are perpetuated by white males with anger issues and availability of assault weapons.  Are bump stocks illegal yet?  They should be.  If any of you have seen the movie Frozen Ground you know that Cusack plays the part of angry white male with a gun.  That picture of him picking off the girl as she jumps will never leave my mind.  

Enough about guns.  I just talked to Reaves on speakerphone and she told me she loves grammaw.  I'm kind of in a fog because of working last night and the time change.  I had intended to go to Rosemary's funeral but didn't wake up until it was already happening.  I was there in spirit.  

I talked to an old friend last night who is doing travel nursing and is in MN of all places...until February!  She bought my mother's antique 3/4 bed and said I can have it back for Reaves.  How cool is that???  She kept it safe from the pickers when we were selling everything that wasn't nailed down.  I told her that was a God thing to me.  The unbroken circle.  She cared for my mother at the assisted living which ended up being her last home and loved her dearly.

The holidays are approaching and we will have a heck of a time getting the family on the same page due to work.  I just take it one day at a time and see what happens next.  Tomorrow morning I will be speaking to a health occupations class about the laboratory and I'm excited about that.  We need new blood in the field of laboratory medicine.  Not many people go into it because of lack of recognition and low pay compared to nursing.

And yes, I am a pacifist.  That is not a bad thing in a world gone mad.  How anyone can embrace the death penalty while opposing women's reproductive rights is a mystery bigger than I can explain.  

Ya'll remember who you are ~ 

how many more?

We all know the drill by now.  Pissed off psycho with "assault style" weapon takes out his hatred on innocents.  Today's was the biggest mass murder in the history of the state of Texas which is well know for its' love of guns.  What disturbs me the most is that this man had a history of domestic violence and aggressive behavior which the service reprimanded and eventually dismissed him for.   Will someone PLEASE explain to me why it should be legal to own automatic weapons.  That is not your constitutional right.  The reason it's so easy is because the NRA is so powerful....bottom line.  That could and should be stopped because it was not the original intent of that organization  In the hands of Wayne LaPierre and a lot of lobbying and money changing, we are facing a world where these weapons are not only legal but easily obtained.  Why?  WHY?????  If Congress had any balls and put money on the back burner, this could be changed.  God is so sad, I believe, that we live in a time where greed and insanity rule.  

Healthcare in general and mental health in particular are a joke.  It's mostly based on the almighty dollar and to hell with you if you need help with your psycho sociopathic tendencies.  Throw a cocktail of pills at it and feed the beast.  Families are often the victims and are afraid to seek help when one of these nutjobs is in their bloodline.  "Oh, he's just "different."  Right.  I'm sure that's what Sandy Hook shooter's mom said when she bought the arsenal he used to kill her first.  

I went in to work at 3 today which is kind of odd but okay for once in a awhile.  We were busy and I watched the radar all evening waiting for the storms that are about to move in.  It should be quick and it has been abnormally warm these past few days.  The bugs have slowed down somewhat so that I can stomp the wasps instead of chasing 'em.  My friends Charlie, Sam and Glenda came out with the four kids today to Pecan Lane for family portraits.  We got a sneak peek before I left work and they are beautiful!!

Even as much joy as my daughter and grandchild bring to me, I feel sad for them facing what is considered normal these days.  Things are so random that it makes me scared to go anywhere which means they win.  Actually I don't like to go out anyway.  Ifeel safe here in my little cocoon of a home in the country and have several knives which I know how to operate thanks to Mamye.  My dogs are like a freaking home alarm system.  We had pecan pickers in the yard today but they were old timers so the boys didn't give 'em any trouble.

Peace be still ~

heartsong

Lauren and Reaves arrived yesterday and we had a few visitors plus an outing to meet the lab folks and Uncle Bubba at the fuel center.  We all managed a five hour stretch of sleep which is sort of amazing.  I took first duty three hours after we went to bed and Lauren took the next round probably around 3.  We were shocked when we woke up and it was 8AM!  Reaves started out in the magic cradle but ended up as the filling of a sammich between me and her mama.  

We ran into an old friend and her 8 month old grandson in the parking lot at Kroger so that turned into a meet'n'greet on the spot. By 8 this morning her daddy was wanting to know when she'd be home.  Smitten, he is.  Everything gets put on hold when they're here and rightfully so.  I cherish our time together.  

One of the friends we hooked up with was KayKay my oldest childhood friend.  Lauren just opened the shower gift from her because it's been riding in Aunt Mo's car since August.  Hey....we're all busy you know.  It was the softest fluffiest little snuggly thing to sleep on that I've ever seen.  Cute too!  Millette is my mother's namesake like Reaves, and they bonded ferociously yesterday.  Mamye came by....and my dear friend Punkin.  

I now look at life as an unbroken circle.  Elisabeth K Ross wrote a book by that name that was recommended to me by a libriarian and it's one of my favorites.  She established a hospice for AIDS patients in Afton Virginia which is where my brother eventually moved.  Small world, indeed.

Y'all enjoy the colors while they last ^j^

novemblah

That's what my friend Paxito calls this month which is totally true.  Gray and dreary most of the time.  Reaves is asleep in her magic cradle with a humidifier going.  It seems she decided to pull an all nighter with her mama for ladies night and is prolly wore ass out.  I think they slept for an hour.  I fed her and we visited a little bit before she gave it up.  Her expressions are so animated now like she's trying to talk.  

Since Erica delivered them here prior to shopping I had time to shop at the gentral this morning where you can't get through the aisles for the boxes.  There's never anybody there to help with the stocking and the poor cashiers have to try to work it in between lines of customers.  I let two folks in front of me who only had one item.  After that it was Hinson Insurance and a couple of other stops.  Bubba called in the middle of all this so I guess we'll have to meet him at the pumps tomorrow.  

Time to catch up on finances and news.  Y'all keep it in the middle of the road please.  

^j^

double back

Halfway to the sawmill I realized that I had left my badge at home so I turned around and sped up the lane to get it.  Life is just so much easier with a barcode.  I had seen the skunk scampering when I left the first time and by the time I left again Oscar had him all stirred up.  Windows down from Samaria Bend to work.  Lerd.  My friend is gonna' help me trap it and "release it humanely" in the river bottom.  At least that's my version.  

I've got something to look forward to like a couple of days off with my kids.  TYVM to the wonderful Sherry Dodson for that.  My soul is in serious need of some family time.  The shoulder hurts but I'm able to function with naproxen and ibuprofen.  Old age is not for sissies.

I left work after a hectic day headed for the gas pump only to find that I left my purse behind.  Sooo....here I go back to retrieve that and my jacket from Sondra out front.  I coasted into the chicken store on fumes just in time to see Ashley and Symone.  I passed the little couple that has break there every day because I was "late."  

Here is a message to all of you who blame the rest of the world for your problems:  Bullshit.  If you ain't happy with the gig, move on to something better.  Don't bring everybody else down with you and your misery.  That was just a general PSA.  

The highlight of my day was when we took a 3rd phone and did two side by side phone pics of Reaves and TJ.  We laughed like hyeanas over their expressions.

Love ya.  Mean it ^j^

good for the soul

I'm probably gonna' piss some people off but so be it.  I've watched with interest as more and more "important people" come out with their stories of abuse at the hands of others even more important than them.  While I understand the power of confession, the way it's being played by the media is very wrong.  Kids/women/ethnic groups/etc and yes...even men, are abused daily in some way and often times sexually.  Because we are the little people it gets swept under the rug.  I don't give a rat's ass who Harvey hit on.  I thought it was kind of humorous how House of Cards got cancelled again re: Spacey when it was already cancelled.  See what I mean.

There is real power in telling your stories of abuse.  Sometimes it's referred to as the rock in your shoe.  Once you realize that it was horrible and talk about it in a calm and peaceful setting, it loses its' power.  We tell them to our closest friends and preachers and therapists.  Whatever works, I say.  The key is knowing that you are heard and not judged.  

Beth told me Kid Rock is coming to Bridgestone in a few months but she's already seen him this tour.  We work together saving lives and whatnot.  I had the opportunity to visit with two previous co-workers today and both brought joy to my day.  It's the little things about being local that make it worthwhile.

^j^