bubba time

I absolutely treasure my daily visits with Bubba as he wraps up the renovation of all time.  We met at the shack yesterday where I met Abbie in person and praised her to high heaven for what she did with the place.  We had talked before and she is one of the folks that will be featured in SHE magazine along with Jessi and a shit ton more.  Women in business have to be smart and tough and I admire that a lot.  

Speaking of talking to people...my poor phone is wore out from recording Downtown Dyersburg businesses for an upcoming feature.  I took a few notes along the way and picked up business cards from the ones who were amenable to that.  The past few days have been devoted to just roaming around and catching people where they are.  You're at lunch?  Fine.  The one thing that really stands out with all of these visits is that the people involved want to help make Downtown Dyersburg a destination.  Much of this was made possible by grants for downtown development.  It looks pretty but nobody much wants to invest in what we need.  Like a freakin' grocery store!  I live in a food desert where I have to drive 5 to 10 miles just to get fast food, much less groceries.

Now, onto other more important matters like AR15 rifles and why people are allowed to buy them.  These guns are killing machines and only suitable for law enforcement or military where defense is the goal.  What is the end game here?   It's all about money and the NRA.  I don't have any problem with you and concealed carry or grandpa's rifle on the wall.  That's a totally different scenario, like hunting for food.  You like duck?  Have at it.  You like squirrel, make you some stew.  It's a throwback to the old days when there was no Kroger or Aldi or online meat.  

When the Sandy Hook massacre took place, I did not have a five year old grandchild, but now I do.  To think that all of those innocents were murdered by someone with access to that type of weaponry makes me quite sad.  I haven't seen dat' baby in a long time and it doesn't look like that will change anytime soon.  And that, makes me sadder.

No, I am not moving.  Several friends saw that I mentioned "the move" but that was Lauren's stuff.  She is tucked in nicely over there waiting for the storm. She has a basement but I don't.  I reckon if things look too bad I'll go to my old house on the hill and go downstairs.  Light a candle or something.  Faith ^j^

critter du jour

I have never seen a live armadillo, only the dead ones on the side of the road.  As I was pulling into the driveway today I spotted this slow moving animal in the field nosing around and immediately knew it was a live one!  He meandered around out there and then walked through the yard slowly to crawl under the back deck.  I was too slow with the camera to catch the dude but I can see why they get run over because 'lerd they move slow.  Once Oscar catches sight of him it's on, for sure.

We got Lauren moved yester day and  her house is to die for cute.  It's an older home in a nice neighborhood and easy to get to.  Logan and Simon worked hard and were quick and dependable.  I highly recommend them for all your moving needs.  Their prices are VERY reasonable and they know what they're doing.  We borrowed a dolly from the house where the appliances were and they returned it later.  I want to thank everyone involved with this venture for finally making it happen.  There were a few false starts but I figure it went the way the Lord intended.  Yesterday was a beautiful warm spring day, which was a blessing.

Before that I went to tabernacle and read some scripture including almost an entire chapter from the Gospel of John about Lazarus.  The Old Testament part was about the dry bones in the desert coming back to life.  And yes, I was nervous.  I've done a lot of public speaking in my day but this is different.  All of the services during Lent are leading up to what Easter is all about.  

My yard needs to be mowed but I have to pick up more sticks before then.  Gardening will be limited because of funds which makes me sad but, that's life.  Hopefully I can get some more perennial transplants to fill in the gaps.  

Merry and bright kids!

take a break

As days go, these past two have been glorious.  I mean not like, weather wise but the experiences.  My brother and I bonded with a whole bunch of farmers yesterday at the fairgrounds and enjoyed some really good food.  Our table mates were a small acreage farmer who does beans only and his lovely mother.  From Brownsville, I believe.  I learned a lot that I didn't have a clue about and had Bubba coaching me on questions.  

My road is the perfect little hidey hole for delivery and service trucks to kill a few minutes while out and about to call their girlfriends/wives/mommas so I am never surprised to see them parked on the road for a bit.  As long as the truck is marked I don't worry.  Occasionally I will run across a shady looking character like the time Lorna and I chased a guy all the way to town who was having sex in the driveway to the dairy barn.  This guy was smooth and when he pulled out had something hanging out of the trunk to cover his license plate.  One of these days I'm gonna' get shot playing citizens' arrest.

I woke up to a monsoon this morning and there is oh so much more in the forecast.  Oscar hates the storms and is right under my butt panting and shaking the whole time.  At night he can't manage to jump on the bed so he just puts his face right in mine and breathes like he's dying.  Poor baby.

Knocking on wood here, all things seem to be on go for Lauren's furniture transport tomorrow.  The dresser is in the back of my car and Logan will handle the rest.  I saw no need to unload that dresser so it's been riding with me for a week now.  I'll miss that little rattle....not.  

Y'all watch out for flash flooding and tornado sirens.  And keep the faith ^j^

hug a social worker

March just happens to be National Social Work awareness month.  And social work just happens to be one my passions.  Back in the 80's I went on a side trip from clinical medicine and started exploring social work in general and hospice in particular.  I helped Lauren write her high school thesis about the hospice philosophy and she later, after trying out nursing, became a BSW at UT Martin.  Her first year was a whirlwind of for-profit mental health and resulted in a quick burnout.  She has now returned to that genre and loves it with a passion.  Making change in people's lives is a huge challenge because of generational issues related to mental health and addiction.  People are homeless and can't help it.  They have mental health issues and cannot get help.  Thank God for charitable agencies that are funded to reach out to these folks.  

Addiction medicine is a whole 'nother animal but is part of the whole scheme of things.  LP went to an event sponsored by the City of Jackson promoting Fentanyl awareness and she said it was packed out.  Fentanyl is the new heroin I hear.  The tragic thing is that so many street drugs are laced with it and users don't realize it.  The opiate addiction has pretty much been crushed by governmental controls on prescriptions to the point that people who really NEED them can't get 'em.  Often they resort to buying on the street which can be deadly.  I was on low dose hydrocodone for about three months following my huge abdominal surgery and, while it helped, I went through the withdrawal process when I no longer had a prescription.  And I survived.  It wasn't fun at all.....chills, night sweats, etc etc.  

I'm proud of all those who do social work either by profession or volunteer efforts.  It takes a village to help with human suffering and turning a blind eye to the needs of others is down right wrong.  To each his own, but it costs nothing to lend a hand to those in need.

Keepin' the faith ^j^

back to plan A

The good Lord did us a solid and things have worked out for the move this Saturday.  Mysterious ways I tell you!  Our original mover has healed enough from his burn that he re-scheduled so all is well at the moment.  I hit the ground running this morning trying to chase down estimates which were absurd and Logan happened to pop up and say he could handle it.  I love it when that happens.

Our community lost a dear friend over the weekend who died way too young.  She was on hospice in a Memphis hospital and surrounded by her three children when she passed.  Teresa is a long time friend of our family along with her brothers, sisters and kids.  The twin boys and  Sissy grew up together and had all kinds of teenage shenanigans at her house when they were at "that" age in middle school.  She always fed them breakfast after a sleepover!

It is much warmer today and headed up for the rest of the week.  I've been such a good steward with the propane that I'm still at 20% to get me started in the fall.  Being a single person and all I have just about decided that eating out is way cheaper than cooking, even though I love to do it.  No mess to clean up.  I've dropped about three more pounds which I didn't need to lose from being on steroids for a week.  There is a blood draw tomorrow and I'm praying that all that prednisone didn't hit my kidneys too hard.  At least it got rid of that rash.  Lawd...that was a nasty one.  

I'll be the liturgist at church next week so I read through the scriptures and they are LONG, especially the one from John.  His tales tend to run that way, ya' know.  My two stories are about dry bones coming back to life and the woman at the well.

And the wheat fertilizing continues.  Spring is a busy time for farmers...heck, all year is except for the dead of winter when they do equipment maintenance.  My least favorite thing is when the crop dusting planes hit the sky early in the morning when I'm still asleep.  I'll be in a corn box again this summer but will at least have wheat and beans from the front view.  That's farm life.

Be well and happy and humble.  And most of all grateful ^j^

plan c

As we all know, the best laid plans can fail.  We had everything lined up to get Lauren's stuff moved today but, no.  Our friend who was to do the job has been on a welding job in Louisiana all week and something blew up and he got third degree burns on his arm!  So, we are once again looking for a moving crew.  Nothing is open on the weekend so that will have to wait until Monday.  The appliances are paid for but the owner works 8-5 during the week so umm, I don't know.  Once again, we are winging it.  She has an inflatable mattress, a TV and internet.  As my friend Jay said, that's more than some have.

At least she's over the worst of Covid and can go back to work this week.  She got to spend the night with Reaves last night and hear all about the magic of Disney World.  As for me, I have a ton of writing to do on the three interviews that I did last week.  All were very informative and interesting in different ways.  I learned about farming, beer brewing and Vietnam.  Budweiser was one of the staples that got delivered by ambulance to those on the front lines back then.  Gotta' keep those troops happy!

My house is a total wreck but I'm fairly used to that.  As soon as this move is done I plan to re-design the living room with a lot less furniture.  For myself, I'll be looking for a love seat to replace the huge couch that is going to Jackson.  My attic is difficult to get in and out of so the sliding plank that covers it has been open for a few days and Rosie cat is having a ball up there.  I can tell her location from where the sounds come.  I guess I can cover it back up for a bit to save on heat.  One more cold night and that SHOULD be it.  Fingers crossed.  I bought 200 bucks worth of propane to get through this spell and it has served me well.  The thermostat stays on 68 or 69 which suits me because it's easier to breathe.  Don't know if Daddy's transplanted peony is gonna' make it but if it's nature's way she will.

Keep the faith ^j^

life is short

Death is never easy.  We grow up thinking we will live forever and sometimes we go gently into that good night. Sometimes it's kicking and screaming.  My experience with hospice has been positive with what I've witnessed as a hospital employee and with my own parents.  There comes a point in time when medical intervention can't fix it and if we continue to believe that things will get better when there's no way possible, we are being selfish.  Living creatures do not deserve to die in pain if at all possible.  Part of being a healthcare provider is that you are often gifted to be with someone in their last moments on earth to provide peace and hold their hand.  To do unto the least of these like Jesus did.

I interviewed a Vietnam vet who was a young doctor during his time there.  We worked together and worship together.  He is 81 and I was amazed at the running commentary ( from his memory!) that accompanied his slide show presentation.  These guys moved around setting up makeshift aid stations, often in bunkers, to try to save the ones who were wounded in the course of battle.  Think MASH only in the jungles of Vietnam.  As a teenager and hippie wannabe' I was very much against that war and all of the others that followed.  But, I digress.  

Current weather conditions are cold and windy.  Meh to the 100th power I say.  Every year I crave spring temps but they don't last long until it gets blazing hot and humid. That's nature's way I reckon.  I'm sure glad I don't have a Gulf Coast vacay planned because there's a blog of seaweed the size of an asteroid headed that way.  It will be a hard road for tourism this year.  

Be blessed and grateful ^j^