rocket man

I was raised on NASA.  My parents were friends with a couple whose brother in law was Don Peterson and my mother actually accompanied them to a launch one time.  Even as a kid. that's what I said I wanted to be.  I watched in terror as the crew of some ship went up in flames on a practice launch.  There were others over the years...mishaps.  It always amazes me to see a successful launch and docking like yesterday and today.  How I ended up in a lab is beyond me but there went the astronaut dreams.  Hey...I was a kid.  I wrote letters to them and was generally eat up with it.  

The girls and Oscar and I went to parking lot church today and I was surprised at how long Reaves lasted before we had to pull out early.  That was only because Oscar snapped at her and she went to howling.  It's the first time we have been to church as a family and one I won't forget.  After that we ate mexicans and played.  She was exhausted because she was out late last night watching her daddy's car race.  These folks are SO creative with worship.  We are celebrating the birth of the church known as Pentecost.  I am a little teary today and I don't know if the flames touched me or I'm just scared and tired.  Probably both.  What better time for the Spirit to work.

Patrick is taking me to the surgeon tomorrow to discuss the reversal.  I was so out of it last time I couldn't be scared, but this time I am.  I have been there done that so to speak and know what's coming my way.  I don't feel really strong but then I'm in much better shape that the January incident.  

My spirit is sagging, literally and not just because of that.  Seeing the world go to hell in a handbasket makes me incredibly sad.  Knowing that our commander in chief is stirring the pot on a lot of the issues that are knocking us apart scares me.  I don't know what it's gonna' take y'all?  Thoughts and prayers.  That is not enough.  Doing the next right thing is faith in action.  As we continue to get smacked down, people are standing up and making friends with "the other side."  There is tolerance and empthy in the making and a whole lot of white nationalism and politics making it worse.  And y'all who are looting and destroying?  I don't care what race you are.  Stop it dammit!  I do believe a lot of is sincere and that's enough for me.  I remember Ferguson and all the chaos that followed.  In Jackson yesterday there was a peaceful protest yesterday and the police actually brought some water for the crowds.  That's the spirit kids.  Mayor Scott Conger was a name on a billboard to me for many months but I must say he has done a magnificent job of being a leader.  Also, shout out to Adrian Montague who serves on the city council in Lauren's district. 

Look ahead and not behind.  Establish a new normal for you and your family.  And always, keep the faith ^j^

midnight snack

During the night, I heard this god awful cat noise in the bathroom.  When I got up to check it out Lily had an almost dead mouse on the floor playing it to death.  I've seen what comes next and it ain't pretty and I shut the bedroom door so she couldn't come in there to do it.  This morning there wasn't a trace.  I know she's "helping" but it still creeps me out.  

My car registration is due Monday and usually the office is open on the Saturday before so I headed downtown to take care of that and they were closed.  Oh well.  Since I was in the neighborhood I went on down to Pennington's and got some more stuff for my raised bed.  The hip is still hurting but I soldiered through it and got it all in the dirt and watered in.  They are running the bush hog around the edges of the wheat getting ready to cut soon.  It's a beautiful sunny day with a slight breeze.  

A bird has built a nest right by my back door and startles me by flying out when I go outside.  So far no eggs, just lots of busy work.  It never ceases to amaze me how quickly they can build.  Today's totem is a lizard which greeted me on the back steps.  That's where the frogs hang out too.  Probably Mr. Snake as well.  

The plan is for the girls and I to to parking lot Pentecost church in the morning.  May the Holy Spirit touch each of us with flames of love and faith ^j^

divided we fall

As a child of the flower power generation, I have witnessed a lot of civil unrest.  There have been times when I was ready to take to the streets myself and if I could walk any better, now is one of them.  Our country is ripped wide open and the tension, much of it racial, is being fed by a sitting president.  I was sickened by the murder of George Floyd and stunned by the arrests of the CNN crew covering the riots.  They were given no reason for the arrest....just handcuffed and drug away.  All of this was caught on camera by the crew as one by one they were taken in.  They went peacefully, knowing that they would be released, but why WHY did any of this happen to begin with?

As a nation we have been knocked to our knees by a pandemic only to be met with things so preventable and heinous as this.  The no tolerance mentality of extremists is taking over our culture and our government at an alarming rate.  This is a time when we need to come together not be driven apart.  I watched the response of the governor of Kentucky to protestors hanging an effigy of him right outside the window where he raises his kids.  Thankfully, they weren't there to see it but in this age of instant replay I'm sure they know what's up now.  Once again....why?  What is your point people?  I don't think there really is a point.  It's just an excuse for angry white folks to raise hell about their "rights."  Listen up y'all, from what I've seen the past few days everybody's rights are at stake here.  This is not what the founders of our country had in mind.  

No, this is evil at work....devil in the flesh and soul.  And the only way to combat evil is with good.  Love, forgive and move on.  As for me, I will walk the way of peace.  How about you?

off the beaten path

I woke up with the butt aches again even after sleeping on the heating pad.  Don't know if I strained it again but the left hip, she is aching.  I forced myself to get out because I was determined not to sit here all day in pain.  First I stopped by the church to get a Pentecost packet and then wandered on over to my cousin Mo's to check out her back yard.  She is like my mother, good at all things creative and an excellent cook.  I guess that comes from being named after her!  When we were talking yesterday I learned about a tidbit in their history that I didn't know.  She remembers sleeping in a tent at a campground when Jimbo was working on his Masters in Piano in Williamsburg.  They camped all the time and the first time I went to Big Springs was with that bunch.  We  walked her yard and stopped to chat about every little growing thing.  It was food for my soul.

I didn't want to go to Kroger but I was out of food so there I went to do the deed.  I was out of yogurt and that's a must have when Reaves is around.  I was astounded at how many empty shelves there are and how the prices have gone up, especially on beef.  A 2 lb pkg of ground chuck that I used to pay eight bucks for is now 20.  This is why I need to become as vegan as possible.  I love to cook but don't do it much because I don't have a dishwasher.  I remember back in the Youth Club days my friend Jimbo pitched a fit because we were washing dishes by hand.  As a doctor he was acutely aware of how things are transmitted.  It's not just about getting them clean, but also sanitary.  Oddly enough, I never questioned it even though I was a healthcare provider by trade.  Now, I do....and very much so.  

Lauren used to work at a little tea room called Southern Sisters and they had quite the business but no dishwasher.  Their solution was to wash first then dip in bleach water in the double sink.  Genius!  Only I don't have a double sink so I just dump it in with the Dawn or presoak with it.  Whatever works.

My old phone number will be history as of next week so if I haven't let you know the new one, holla.  We're all in this together and must stay in touch.  I saw my dear Lake county cuz at the grocery store and she could tell I was having trouble getting around.  I promised to keep them updated on my surgery.

As they say on John Boy and Billy: " Hey big man...lemme' hold a dollar"  Peace out.

video don't lie

I have watched two videos centering on the death of George Floyd, both of which really disturbed me.  Of course the one where he was literally smothered to death under the knee of a policeman using a move that the PD said was not approved was bad enough.  He was asking for his mama over and over again when they wouldn't listen to him.  Then, the protestors began their unarmed march, a racially mixed crowd outraged by the whole thing.  Somebody started throwing rocks and it was on complete with tear gas and rubber bullets.  Even with children in the crowd.  Disgusting.  

Was it because Floyd was black?  I don't know.  All I know is he was a human being suspected of a non-violent crime and he is dead due to excessive police force.  As for the protests, you never see that kind reaction to the long gun carrying protestors over the lockdown.  Of course they probably don't throw rocks except with their filthy mouths.  Sticks and stones so to speak.

I know personally a lot of police officers and most of them are good and honest people just trying to do their jobs which is mighty hard right now.  Heck everybody's job is hard right now because the world is turned freakin' upside down.  Those who have managed to hang onto what they had before shutdown are working reduced hours and under uncomfortable conditions like mask wearing, etc.  Everything about life has changed and not much in a good way.  The division in our country at this point is insane and is being fed by people who insist on being right.  Compromise?  What's that, they say.  It's what we elected you to do folks.  It's a two party system and if you don't reach across the aisle, you are part of the problem.  

Rant over.  I had to get a filling this morning and it took three shots to numb me.  As Ms Reba schooled me, it was a buccal.  The itching has commenced as the feeling tries to come back.  Our sanctuary is open for a few hours on Wednesdays so I dropped by there with mask intact to get a copy of The Upper Room.  It was odd being in the space of that sanctuary with so much time away.  Odd, but comforting. The building is still there but the work goes on outside the walls.  When we do go back it will be all social distanced and whatnot.  No passing of the peace except for jazz hands and waves.  

Life as we knew it.  It's pretty much gone but I think we're adapting pretty well for the most part.  We have a formidable enemy in COVID and failure to comply with public health recommendations is only going to make it worse.  Look for the spike because it's coming, hell it already has started in those states that were not very restrictive and opened early.  People are restless and forget that they are not invincible.  

It's time to start a Kroger list Friday when, hopefully, I get some bucks.  I try not to think ahead to three years from now when my LTD runs out.  Things will be mighty slim then living on SS only WITH Medicare payments coming out.  I never imagined it would be like that, but then again life throws you curve balls like bad shoulders and emergency colon surgery.  Soldier on I reckon.  It's that or lay down and die.

Y'all be happy and blessed.  Shine your flashlight on others as you would have them shine upon you.  And always keep the faith ^j^

context

Sometimes in this age of instant everything that includes social media and email, we forget that the reader may not take what we say for what we mean.  I am particularly guilty of that but have learned not to ever send an email  without sleeping on it first if it involves something serious.  After the yard was mowed yesterday there was a clump of grass left standing over Sam's grave and I had a flashback to finding him dead on my office floor.  I was still pitiful and recovering from surgery and my neighbor Gerald came up to bury him so I wouldn't have to deal with it because well....I couldn't.  It was cold and rainy and he insisted I get back in the house because I was still sick.  He is in his late 70's and I tearfully watched through the window as he laid Sammy to rest.  

Yesterday I made a post on FB that my dog died and I was still grieving only it didn't say WHICH dog.  I woke up this morning to dozens of sympathy notes from folks who thought I had lost another one of the pack.  I felt really really bad about that, though it showed how many people care about me.  I've been on the phone with Yaya and relived all that just minutes ago as I told her the story.  Grief has no timeline.

It's looking stormy again.  I was going to go for a walk this morning but noticed that corn spraying was going on and I don't like to be out in that mess breathing it, especially when the wind is up.  I'll just chill in here with the critters.  Ellie is the guard dog these days, sleeping outside at night and inside during the day.  Oscar just follows me around as I wander, and Lily will jump up in the chair with me just for a head rub.  The purring is great therapy.  So is listening to them snore.

Like everybody else I'm wondering what's next.  Who knows.  All I know is that it's out of my hands.  Remember who you are ^j^

the fallen

Each year many Americans enjoy a three day weekend that ends with Memorial Day.  Land of the free and home of the brave.  Many service men and women have lost their lives in battle to defend our rights and I am thankful for that.  As for the rights, I feel that they are being stripped away incessantly by the current right wing gang led by the notorious Trump who is currently golfing on one of his courses last I heard.  Oh, he might show up without a mask and shake a few hands somewhere but I can guarantee you he has no idea how many people in this country have been sacrificed, not only by war but by the pandemic.  I just saw a video of a pool packed full of partiers in Missouri and I can't believe that people are so foolish.  So much for social distancing. 

Now I know there are many who believe that their rights are being infringed upon by mask wearing and social distancing.  If you don't like it, don't do it but don't whine when you get the big C.  Talk to the hand.  I am curious to see the numbers, if they aren't manipulated, following this weekend and the grand re-opening of tourism.  I have read that some states are combining both positive COVID test results with the antibody test.  Anybody who understands science at all knows that these assays are like apples and oranges.  I went to the 'gentral today and saw not ONE person wearing a mask except for me.

I can hear the mower going outside as Mayberry's guy cuts circles in the grass.   It was kinda' tall due to all the rain but I'm not real picky about it.  As long as it's not too high so that I can't see Mr. Snake, I'm good.  He will probably get the buttercups which are properly dried.  I do love some yard folks who know their flowers.  

Meanwhile, life goes on for those that choose to live it fully one day at a time.  That is much easier said than done and having a grandchild has given me the opportunity to enjoy toddlerhood while not chasing my tail.  She adores her Gaga, BTW.  I admire Lauren's patience with her and feel bad that I didn't have that back in the day with her.  She is a good mama with a strong spirit and precious soul.

I noticed that the fireworks building is cranking up for July 4th.  I expect to be in the hospital around that time so maybe I can watch them from the window.  I've heard that Memphis really shows out with that stuff.

My hair is falling out which is kind of a normal post anesthesia event.  I remember when my mother's did that.  It comes back though.  Note to self:  double up on the collagen.  

Y'all have a good one and be blessed ^j^