Seeing Double

I told you we were going to cover the other little rocker to match the first one I showed you. (See My Rocking Chair) Momma and I worked this week to tear it down and try to match the first one we covered before. It was challenging but I believe they passed muster. We worked on it Monday through Thursday and took Friday off for our family Thanksgiving dinner. I went back up there on Saturday and we worked until we got it finished. I loaded both rockers in the back of the pickup truck and brought them home.

Momma let me do a lot more work on the second rocker. I cut out fabric and made cording and sewed some. I even learned how to tie on buttons. Until then I had been dreading trying to tie buttons but it turned out to be pretty simple. 

Kim wanted to host Thanksgiving for our family so Momma and Daddy and Donny and I had dinner with them. Colt showed up with his friends, Sydney and Justin. We had plenty to eat. Kim is a great cook and hostess.  It was fun for us all to spend time with Scout and Kim and Layla. Thanks yall.

AS ALWAYS

PIO

Thankfully

Momma and I went to Walmart after we finished working for the day. I needed to pick up a few things to make potato salad and deviled eggs. Momma had to pick up a few things of her own. We were cruising up and down the aisles and circling around looking for something on an aisle we had already been down before. It was very crowded. I hate crowds.

I noticed a man standing at the end of the aisle. I told Momma it was my old friend Stan*. He and his wife Joy* used to be my friends. She was walking behind him, pushing a buggy. He noticed us and said 'hi'. Joy saw us and came up, hugged me and started talking to me and Momma. See? You can be polite to someone even if you aren't friends any more.

They asked about the old Airstream camper Momma bought from them. She told them she sold it. Stan asked how Colt was doing and Joy said her son Dan* was going back to Dalton State College. That implied he had dropped out sometime since I last saw them, I guess. Then we wished each other a happy Thanksgiving and went on our way. 

I was mentally scratching my head and marveling at fate, or serendipity, or whatever it was that brought us to that point at that time together. I had mentioned them the other day. I had asked Momma if she ever saw anything in the newspaper about their divorce. Momma hadn't seen anything. Now Momma and I ran into them at Walmart on Thanksgiving eve. How cool was that? I had my answer. They're still together. I'm glad. They're made for each other in a crazy, dysfunctional sort of way.

Joy is the woman that dropped by after Christmas a couple of years ago to tell me she was divorcing Stan. (See Da-Dumb-Dum) She and I had a couple of disagreements and quit talking years ago. She's the woman that my old friend (Peg*) gossiped about. I didn't believe the gossip and quit talking to Peg. Friends and former friends. What can I say? I'm getting too old for anyone's crap any more. 

When I have days like this I imagine the stars are aligned or something. My cell phone rang on the way home. Scout called to say that Colt was bringing a couple of our friends home. I could barely understand what he was saying but he wanted me to send the turkey and ham Kim is going to cook via Colt and his buddies to his house.

I took Momma home and helped carry in her groceries then headed home. I was sooo happy. Two of my favorite guys were here.

Allen was here with Colt and Timbo. We've known Allen since we moved here 23 years ago. He was seven years old. He would follow Donny around, talking a mile a minute, all day long. Allen moved to Murray County and we don't get to see him very much any more. Allen has been sick and in the hospital. I worry about him because he doesn't take care of himself. He thinks I nag him. I only do it because I love him.

Timbo is Scout's other buddy that moved back to Florida a few years ago. He was involved in the '80 Mexicans' fiasco in Scoping Out The Neighbors. It's wonderful to see some of our very special friends sometimes. It reminds me of old times when there used to be lots of commotion and laughter around here. I always enjoyed picking on the boys and their friends. They always gave as good as they got so there was no telling what was going on. 

It's a lot quieter around here now that Scout and Colt don't live here any more. Colt comes home from the university on weekends but half of the week it is very lonely and a little bit sad. That's why it was so great to see some old friends and familiar faces. That can make anyone smile.

Old friends, family, and loved ones. Now that's something worthwhile to be thankful for. Happy Thanksgiving yall.

AS ALWAYS

PIO
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*Aliases were used.

Random Shots

Bees in November?

I spy two monkeys up a tree.

60 Years Together.

A cheeky monkey ignoring me.

A monkey's mother.

AS ALWAYS

PIO

My Rocking Chair

Tearing down the rocker.

Almost stripped.

Putting it back together.

Getting the back lined up.

The skirt is attached.

The back is on.

The other side of the rocker.

My finished rocking chair.
Big improvement, isn't it?

AS ALWAYS

PIO

Guns and God

Some states are starting to relax their gun laws and some have even advocated for allowing concealed weapons to be carried in places where they were never allowed before. People are being allowed to carry weapons to public places like parks and schools and open bars. They used to be banned from group meetings for safety reasons. Some people even advocate carrying weapons to church.

I questioned a few people and read a couple of things and it seems like a lot of Christians think it's a good idea to be able to pack heat in church. People thought that it would help ensure the safety of the congregation.

I'm beginning to worry about America. The anger and viciousness is becoming palpable. Hate and loathing seethes from conservatives and liberals. Name calling and a determination to undercut their opponant at any cost is the rule of the day. Conservatives and liberals are clashing over gun control.

I support the right to own and operate guns. I believe everybody who isn't a felon or mentally handicapped or under psychiatric care has the right to protect themselves however they please. But, in the light of today's volatile world I don't believe that gun owners should have the right to carry a gun into all establishments or businesses. The main ones I frown on are church and beer joints. I also don't want some trigger happy person carrying a concealed weapon on the school grounds, for obvious reasons.

Some people are volatile and explosive. They don't need to be carrying guns. If they get into an argument they might pull out a gun and shoot you. Crazy people shoot at people on the highways in California.

Guns in church. Either you have faith in the Lord to protect you in the shadow of death or you don't. I think, when you become a gun toting Christian you show a lack of faith in the Lord. Isn't every Christian waiting to be carried home to Jesus. Then why would they arm themselves and risk taking another person's life and eternal damnation by having a gun in church?

Sure there are some crazies out there. A few people have attacked people in church. A couple of occasions in the past few years involved some domestic disagreement that spilled over into the church when some husband or boyfriend flipped out and attacked people. 

People who call for arming themselves in church scare me. I wouldn't want to go to church where they go. We don't live in the old west and people aren't killing each other right and left in America in our houses of worship. There have only been a handful of cases. The worst case was when the Amish* people were attacked.

Nobody called for carrying guns after that attack but now the fanatical conservatives are pushing to carry guns in church. These frightened Americans sure aren't black people. If black people wanted to carry guns in church we would be up in arms with outrage. They couldn't have broached the subject after the Birmingham Baptist Church bombing in 1963 so why do white Christians find the need to arm themselves today? Churches and guns don't mix.

I knew a preacher who kept guns in his trunk 'just in case'. He kept all kinds, not just a rifle or shotgun. Another lady kept guns hidden all over her house and said she carried one with her all the time. I'm not that paranoid.

The only time I carried a gun on me was when I sold Tupperware and gave parties at all times of the day and night. I remember sitting at a railroad crossing waiting on a train and becoming nervous late one night. I pulled out my little gun and tried to cock it. The safety was on. I got it stuck and couldn't do a thing to fix it sitting in the dark. That's when I realized that I would have been beaten to death with my own gun if I was attacked and got the gun hung. I couldn't just raise my hand and say "Wait just a minute till I fix this gun." now, could I?

That's all Folks!

AS ALWAYS

PIO

*The Amish shooting was at a school house.

You might also be interested in reading WHAT'S GOING ON

Time Flies

Since we have about a dozen clocks I decided to start resetting them early Saturday afternoon because of the end of Daylight Saving Time. I set Donny's and my alarm clock which was easy since they are digital. Then I set Colt's clock which is like ours. 


I was going to set the clock in the washroom when I asked Colt what time it was. It was 9 o'clock so I set the clock to 10 o'clock. Then Colt said to set it for 8 o'clock. That's when I realized I had to reset the clocks again and run them back. Geesh! I wish they'd pick a time and stick to it. This switching the clocks back and forth twice a year is just plain annoying. 


It's so much trouble to set the clock in my car that I keep it on regular time and have to mentally add an hour when it's Daylight Savings Time. It's too much trouble resetting it. The other day I turned on the flashers and had to pull over and read the book before I could figure out how to turn them off. See why I don't reset my car clock? It's too much trouble.


I hate it when it gets dark earlier. Now it will be getting dark at 6 o'clock instead of 7 o'clock. I'll have to put the dogs up and feed them and the cats around 5 o'clock instead of at 6 o'clock because I don't like feeding the animals in the dark. The cats will run around your legs and kill you if you're not watching. 


I'll have to cook dinner around 7 o'clock which used to be 8 o'clock so Donny will be hungry an hour longer until his body gets adjusted to the new time.


Like I said, I think they should quit screwing around with the time and leave it alone. 


I went back to Momma's and started tearing down a chair we are going to upholster. It seems like it takes as long to tear something down as it does to put it back together again. I have two little rockers my aunt gave me. I am tearing down the dirtiest of the two and going to cover it. Then I'll cover the other one just like the first. 


I'm trying to be very serious about this and really learn how to upholster. Momma has wanted me to learn for years. She has a nice little upholstery shop and supplies to work with. I had some material to cover the chairs with but Momma and I went to Wal-Mart and looked at some upholstery material they carry. She bought a couple of nice bolts of fabric that we can use for our projects. She used to have a fabric book to order upholstery. Maybe, if I get any good, we can get another catalog to order fabrics for our customers.


I've tried to learn to upholster before but something would always get in the way and I never got into it like I should have. Momma keeps reminding me that she won't be around forever and she might not be able to teach me much longer. Momma is health now, for her age, but you never get any guarantees so I figured if I really want to learn this I better jump on the opportunity she has offered me and go for it.


The added bonus about this is the time I get to spend with my momma doing something she enjoys. I've come to appreciate and admire my momma's talents and stamina. She isn't the type of person to live a sedentary lifestyle. I think that would drive her mad. She and my daddy are always up to something. 


While we were tearing down the little rocker, Daddy started working on a floor lamp he was rewiring, right there on the upholstery table. He got Momma to help him work on it. It is an antique lamp. It will turn out to be fabulous like everything else they ever do. Momma and Daddy are perfectionists and very talented. I only wish I had half their enthusiasm and I'd be happy. They run rings around me.


I feel like everything that's old is new again. Momma wants me and Scout to learn to upholster. I couldn't think of a better teacher or a better mentor. It's time to learn because, as everyone knows, time flies.

AS ALWAYS

PIO

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Comments Welcome

NOVEMBER

It doesn't seem like it's time for Thanksgiving already. It seems like it was only yesterday that we were picking squash out of the garden. Oh well. Time to bundle up and stay warm. We didn't get half the things done we needed to this summer. We still have some projects to finish before very long. The faucets need covered; things like that.


Momma has been teaching me to upholster. We recovered a recliner. Momma had to totally rebuilt the back. It had been stuffed full of loose filling and it crumbled when we took the back apart. She had some foam that she glued together and shaped for the cushion. It is covered in a midnight blue velour. I am very proud of it. We had to improvise but it turned out great. 


Scout and Kim are also learning to upholster. Kim bought a couch from an estate sale for ten dollars. It has wooden arms and legs and trim with a tufted back with 40 buttons. Scout and Kim started tearing the couch down this weekend. It's down to the springs. Once Kim finds some fabric we can get started. I can hardly wait.

We forgot to take BEFORE pictures.

How do you like my recliner? It looks a little bit cattywompus but I don't care. We'll do better next time. I helped Momma cover it and it's mine so I'm happy. It sits like a dream.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Samantha, Dawn, and Larry

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

Roy and Sara

HAPPY THANKSGIVING YALL

AS ALWAYS

PIO
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