One Life To Live

My favorite soap opera, One Life To Live, was taken off the air after 41 years. I loved that show. It focused on families and involved people representing several generations. Asa and Rene were the elderly members of the cast, and next were Viki and Clint Buchanan, Asa's son. Viki's children and grandchildren were on the show. That accounts for four generations of family. I'm sure people who have watched the program longer than I have remember Viki's father, Victor Lord. One Life To Live was the best soap opera I watched. 

Actors like Erika Slezak and Kassie DePaiva or Robert Woods and Jerry VerDorn could spin gold out of drivel and keep the audience engaged. Everybody bought and accepted some silly stories. We accepted Viki's multiple personalities disorder over the years. We even accepted Clint's mean streak and redemption at the end of the show. We were all rooting for Clint to revive and reunite with Viki for the third, and possibly last, time.

I watched Starr Manning, played by Kristen Alderson, from the time she was a baby on the show. She and her brother Eddie Alderson, who played Bo and Nora Buchanan's son Matthew, were incredible young talents who grew up on the program. 

Over the years, and thanks to the internet and Media Domain, I have grown to admire and love many of the characters and the actors who portray them so well. When I hate a character I have to admire the actor for being able to project those characteristics that repel people and cause fans to buy into their narcissistic or evil characteristics. 

One Life To Live had delicious characters like Roxanne Balsom and Dorian Lord. David Vikers and Rex Balsom were good comic relief, and they weren't hard on the eyes either.

The two Todd's will always be remembered and weighed against one another as the final ultimate plot twist when One Life To Live brought Roger Howarth back and revealed Todd to be an impostor. Todd (Trevor St. John) was revealed to be original Todd's twin brother, Victor Lord, Jr.

I know there are plenty more wonderful actors and characters who deserve to be mentioned from the show but they are too numerous to count. Although the cast is front and center in our hearts and our minds they would be nothing without the great staff and crew behind them. The writers and the directors and the grips and the makeup and decorating departments were all exceptional and excellent in all that they did.

One Life To Live gave us characters that we could root for, or despise, together. I will always cherish the stories I have followed over the years and the wonderful actors who honed their craft and earned a living working in the wonderful world of make believe called soap operas. 

Adieu my sweet stories and delightful characters. 

So long. 

Good bye. 

I'll miss you and remember you fondly. 

I promise not to cry.

AS ALWAYS

PIO

Blue Speckled Pan

Ode to My Blue Speckled Pan


My blue speckled pan is my baby

She ain't hardly no size at all

She barely holds a five pound chicken

But she'll cook anything up for y'all

Instead of tin foil and garbage

My blue speckled pan is so sweet

All I have to do is wash her

In hot soapy water

After removing the meat

Roasts a roasting for the family

Vegetables nestled around

A splash of Dale's seasoning

After cooking for an hour

It's time to turn the temperature down

I know this blue speckled pan may not show it

I know you can't tell by the sound

But I use this pan for my family

To make great meals

Because I love having them around

AS ALWAYS

PIO
*****
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Momma's Alright

"Mommy's alright

Daddy's alright

They just seem a little weird ..."

SURRENDER by CHEAP TRICK

Momma had another health scare last week. She has been sick and short of breath since the middle of December. She went to the doctor and he treated her for bronchitis. Her condition deteriorated and she seemed to be getting worse. She didn't feel like doing anything but lay around. Momma never lays around so, after a while, Daddy convinced her to go back to the doctor. The doctor diagnosed blood clots and immediately had her admitted to the hospital. She was in the hospital all last week. Thankfully, she was released and is back home now.

Daddy stayed with Momma every day to keep her company. He also made sure to get the word out that Momma was in the hospital. She had several visitors. She even got a couple of nice bouquets of flowers.

I called her one day to see how she was doing and if she was going to get to come home. She said she wasn't getting to come home yet but she was 'ill as a hornet' so I figured she was starting to feel better. Momma doesn't like to lie around. That cheered me up but also made me reluctant to visit her.

Not to worry. Momma was in high spirits and starting to feel more like her old self again. Nobody could cross the threshold without having a conversation with Momma. She loves talking to people. That runs in the family.

It was probably more like a vacation than being in the hospital for Momma. She got to lay in bed and get waited on and fed. She shared her dinner plate with Daddy. She said they especially enjoyed the fried shrimp. She kept trying to push her food off on me when I came to visit, too, but I declined. What is it about Momma and hospital food? She thinks it's a picnic or something. 

I was so glad the doctors finally discovered what was making her sick and able to treat her. I only wish she didn't have these medical scares. She and Daddy worry me. They are both so healthy and robust that it is hard for me to imagine them growing old and helpless. They are my parents. They are invincible. Aren't they?

Now I'm ill as a hornet.

*****

Daddy was in the hospital last May.

AS ALWAYS

PIO

The Parade

J.R. Martinez is the winner of Dancing With The Stars. He is also a Iraq veteran who was wounded by an IED (improvised explosive device). J.R. was on All My Children in a story about wounded veterans. He was such a good actor they kept him past his original storyline. J.R. and his mother moved to Dalton when he was 17. He went to Dalton High School and played football for the Catamounts. Now J.R. is a motivational speaker and a real American hero. Dalton is very proud to claim his as a citizen. That is why they gave him a parade after he won on Dancing. This is his second parade. The first was to honor him for his service and sacrifice in the Iraq war.

Daddy asked me to ride with him in the parade for J.R. Martinez in Dalton. Momma has been sick and didn't feel like going. I've never been in a parade before so I was kind of excited. We got there early.

This was a neat looking 1951 Chevrolet that was in the parade. It was a beautiful day.

 Daddy made friends with the man with the white Chevrolet and other people who came over to admire his Model T. I was excited to be in the parade. Daddy drove. My job was to wave.

Model T's aren't made like cars are made today. The gas throttle is on the wheel. There are three pedals on the floor. The middle pedal is for reverse. 

We had to creep along slowly in the parade. Everything was going okay until people started pointing and shouting something to us. The radiator started overheating and leaking. Daddy's friend from the car club walked up to us and told us that something was wrong. We pulled over on the first turn and parked because we weren't sure what was wrong.

Daddy had remembered to buy gas and checked the battery but he forgot to check the radiator before the parade. He also forgot to bring a jug of water with us. His friend pulled over with us and kindly went to get us some water.

Well, half of the parade was fun. We got to see J. R. whiz by on a convertible so it wasn't a total bust. I wish we were able to complete the parade. I would have taken more pictures. Better luck next time, if there is a next time.

AS ALWAYS

PIO

Sun Beams and Other Things

I thought I'd give you a peek at some of my observations around here.

You can click on the picture to enlarge.

The dogwoods already have buds developing  on them.

This is our turnip green garden.

Feeding time for the critters.

Sunlight through the magnolia tree.

Some 'lowland' by the Dollar Store in Resaca. A house used to be there. They finally moved away. Can you blame them?

AS ALWAYS

PIO

*****

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JANUARY

Now that 2011 is over I wonder what 2012 will bring. The internet is abuzz about the Mayan calendar ending on December 21st. I'm waiting with bated breath. I bet the survivalists are preparing. It will probably be Y2K all over again. 

I ain't scared.
*******

We got two loads of gravel for the drive way after Christmas. The driver was a woman. She did a great job spreading the gravel but she left a few hills of gravel in places. She had to avoid the electric wires and magnolia trees. Donny and Colt raked the gravel until Scout borrowed Bob's tractor to scrape it down. I almost want it to come a pouring rain. I said, almost. I get tired of living in a mud puddle.

Scout is on the tractor.*

Donny is supervising.

Don, Scout, and Colt are checking out the job.

Looking good.

Now we have plenty of parking.

*Thanks to Bob DeGraan of  Fencing Unlimited  for the use of the tractor. 
1-706-625-8848 office 
1-706-506-4284 cell
Owens Gin Road
Calhoun Georgia
Thanks to Scout Strickland for his invaluable help.

Last year was a hard one for some of my family. One cousin died, another cousin lost her significant other, and today another cousin's husband passed away. My heart goes out to you all. I can only hope that your pain is mingled with beautiful memories of your loved ones.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Roy, Rhonda, Amanda, Evelyn, Ann, Frankie, Angie, Sue, Norma, Joey, Donna, Valerie, Angela, Jacob, Mika, Brenda, and Teresa

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

Donny & Pam

RIP

Jimmy Hutson, Sam Burchfield, Lela Smith, Beulah Burchfield

AS ALWAYS
PIO