Friday, January 25, 2013

Changes

I don't know where to begin. It seems like there have been lots of changes in our lives recently. Scout moved back home after he and his girlfriend broke up, then Don's mama passed away, and his uncle died a few days later. Don's sister's husband had surgery for an aneurysm and had a hard time. He has been hospitalized ever since. He's taking therapy now. It seems like everywhere I look there is change.

I went to Doctor Phillip about three months ago and he removed the bonding from my front teeth. It was very painful and left one tooth loose. When I went to Doctor Frank for my bi-yearly cleaning they told me I needed my teeth bonded again to save that loose tooth. Naturally I was upset and worried about losing my tooth. I had to have the tooth re-bonded. It didn't take very long.

Doctor Frank had his beautiful, big dog at the office. I told him that his dog looked like a dog that I saw on the news because people had mistaken it for a baby lion on the loose. He said his dog was the same kind, only it didn't look as much like a poodle. It was shaggy but not poofy. I liked having the dog in there to scratch his head and calm me down. Pets are supposed to help calm your heart and breathing when you pet them. It's a two way relationship because they feel calm, too. 

I needed something to make me feel calm after I asked the doctor how much the bonding was going to cost. I told Doctor Frank I should go back over to Doctor Phillip's and knock a knot on his head for removing the bonding and loosening my front tooth.  He cost me a chunk of change. I'll never get rich at this rate, or anything else, for that matter. I have many unfulfilled dreams and they all hinge on money. I've put too much money in saving my teeth to give up now so I had to have the bonding again.

I lived through all that and even survived the flooding we endured during the heavy rains. I've watched Scout painting and decorating his room, getting it in shape to live in again.

Mama decided to buy Scout a new bed for his room so we went to Dalton Auction to see what they had. That's where I bought Scout and Colt's twin beds last time. We had moved Scout's bed to Marietta when Colt got an apartment so we needed another bed for Scout again. I hadn't expected him to come back home when I let Colt have his old bed. 

Mama, Scout and I went to see if they had any twin-XL's, like the other ones. They had a foam mattress "like the twin beds in the Marriott", we were informed. The mattress cost a lot more than I expected. Mama wanted to buy it but I said we should think about it and check out a few more sales.

We went to Mur-Maid Mattresses in Dalton but they weren't any better, or as thick, as the first one we saw. Scout and I headed back home to think about it. Mama kept insisting that we buy the mattress from Carmichael's. The next day she called Scout and convinced him to go back to Dalton Auction with her to get the bed. Yeah! Scout doesn't have to sleep on the pull-out couch any more.

Near the end of the old year one of my friend's and I got back in touch with each other after her father passed away. We've known each other and loved each other forever but we are both very strong personalities and we don't always see eye to eye. We disagreed about everything during the electoral season until she finally decided not to interact with me anymore. I still couldn't let that stop me from sending my love and condolences when I saw her father's obituary in the paper. I know how much she loves her parents. Mr. and Mrs. S were wonderful when we were kids. I never saw them angry or upset and we did lots of dumb things when we were kids to make anybody want to scream. 

We liked to sleep in her older brother's room and lay on the bed all night  long reading his comic books. That's where I developed my crush on Superman.

Another friend of mine got in touch when she called to offer her condolences when Don's mother passed away. She has always been an avid reader and loves sharing her books with me. She mailed The Land of Painted Caves to me. I have a stack of her books I need to return.

I don't know what it is about this time of year but I've noticed a lot of change. I had been living in fear of the possibility that President Obama might lose the election and have been disgusted by the Republicans tricks and underhanded tactics. I was horrified to imagine a Mitt Romney presidency. It was painfully obvious that he didn't give a damn about people like me. I wasn't rich enough, or conservative enough, or important enough for his consideration. 

I've always lived by the philosophy that riches are the things you value in your heart, not the things you can purchase. I never wanted to impress anyone or live up to other people's standards. It seemed like a losing game. I'm thankful that I am finally of an age when I don't have to try to fit in. I prefer to stand out. I'm not like anyone, and nobody's like me. Nobody would want to be.

Maybe the changes I feel in the air are affecting everyone because there has been a strong change across America. People amazed me as they turned out to vote for President Obama again, and exercise their civil rights. I think people are getting tired of the conservative rhetoric which was polluting the country with it's ultra-conservative chants denouncing the hardworking people who really keep America up and running. It's time for America to get back on track and for the government to quit using scare tactics to control us.

I welcome change, as long as it's for the positive and to create better conditions for all Americans. I used to think we would be living in the space age when I was a kid. It's really disappointing to see that we've moved back about fifty years in the political rhetoric in this country. We should be aiming for the stars, not the past. 


AS ALWAYS
PIO




Friday, January 11, 2013

Distracted

This new year feels like the old year. Another Christmas and another New Year and we had the same old song and dance. It started to rain, and the ground was saturated, and we had to watch the plumbing closely. We live in lowland and get all the runoff when it rains. I believe this used to be a riverbed long, long ago and the natural contours of the land cause everything to flood when it rains a lot in Resaca. 

I didn't feel very well around the holidays and it took me a while to recover. On top of that, Colt was home for the holidays, and Scout has come back home again. 

Scout has been in the process of cleaning out his room, that I had turned into a dumping ground, and decorating it. He went to Home Depot and got two gallons of green paint and painted everything, then he put down new linoleum. He says it's the best looking room in the house, and he's right. It is. I didn't know the little fellow had such good taste. He's creating a man-cave and I love it. He got his decorating talent from my mama.

I gave Scout free rein to clean up with strict orders not to lose my papers. Papers could range from old bills and receipts, to important tax documents. I pile everything up and wait for it to all go away. It never does. That's why I need FlyLady. Doing a little at a time and going through it regularly will finally help conquer a mess, fifteen minutes at a time. I need to start flying again and that's a good place to start.

Having Scout and Colt home again over the holidays was nice. I had forgotten how much fun it is to have them around. They always pick on me and make fun of me because I'm "old", or "deaf", or something else. I don't mind. I know they're only stating the obvious and it's never in malice, only fun. I keep trying to explain to them that they should cut me some slack because ... well, doggone it, I'm old and deaf and naturally annoying so just get over it and give me a break. After all, I am their mama. 

Colt started winter semester at Southern Polytechnic State University again this week. I cried when he left. I thought I had finally stopped that silly blubbering but I guess I haven't. It took me by surprise because he had been getting on my nerves over the winter break. 

When Scout came home he brought his pets, a dwarf goat and two white chickens named Larry and Margaret. The goat's name is Vinnie but sometimes I call him Bennie and can hear that Elton John song in my head singing on a loop "Bennie! Bennie! Bennie and the Jets" only I hear it "Vinnie! Vinnie! Vinnie and the Pets."  Did I tell you I have a vivid imagination? 

Vinnie
and the Pets

An old friend sent me a book before Christmas and I've been reading it. When I get into reading a book, I tend to ignore everything else and don't get on the internet as much. I was reading The Land of Painted Caves by Jean M. Auel. It is the fifth, and possibly final, book in The Clan of the Cave Bear series although I hope it isn't her last. I was left hanging wondering what will happen to Ayla and Jondalar in their future. 

While I was reading The Land of Painted Caves I happened to see a program on the History Channel called CAVE OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS about a cave in France called Chauvet-Pont-d'Arc Cave with incredible paintings on the walls. It was discovered in December 18, 1994. That is the same cave portrayed in the Jean Auel book The Land of Painted Caves. The program brought the story to life as I saw the remarkable drawings that had been described in the book. It must have been a very important and sacred site for the indigenous people who lived approximately 30,000 years ago and who painted the animals on the walls of the cave. 

We are very fortunate to live in a day and age in which we can view these amazing drawings via pictures and film over television and the internet. I thank God every day that we live in such a modern society which links us all, everyone all over the globe. Knowledge is power.
AS ALWAYS
PIO

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Daddy's Last Birthday

Happy New Year Everybody! I hope everybody made it through the New Year alive and well. Today we went to Momma's and Daddy's for dinner. We were celebrating New Year and Daddy's birthday.  Momma made two delicious lemon meringue pies. Yum, yum. My mouth is watering just thinking about them. I love lemon pies.

I thought I'd share Momma's recipe with you for new years. Consider this my gift to you. Enjoy! 

Happy 2013 Peace and Prosperity for US All. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


LEMON MERINGUE PIE

9" pastry shell per pie

FILLING
1/2-3/4 tsp grated lemon rind, packed
1/3 cup strained lemon juice (2 med. lemons)
1/4 cup cornstarch 
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 1/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup boiling water
3 egg yolks
3 tbsp firm butter

MERINGUE
Dash of salt
3 egg whites
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp sugar

Bake and cool pastry shell. Wash lemons and grate off yellow part of rind. Squeeze juice, run through course strainer. Blend cornstarch, flour, sugar, and salt in a 3 quart saucepan. Stir in boiling water (double boiler style). Place over direct heat, cook and stir constantly until thick and clear, about 3 minutes.

Beat egg yolks, quickly stir in about 1/3 cup of hot mixture, return to double boiler. Cook and stir about 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat, stir in butter, then the rind, then the lemon juice, gradually in small portions, mixing well after each. Pour into cooled pie shell.

Meanwhile, make meringue:
Add salt to egg whites and beat until just stiff, then gradually beat in 1/3 cup sugar until meringue is stiff and shiny. Spread lightly over pie so it touches crust all around, swirl or spread smooth and mark into 6 serving pieces with long knife blade. Sprinkle with the tsp of sugar. Bake at moderate temperature 350 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to cake rack out of draft to cool 2 or 3 hours before cutting. Makes 6 servings.

Double recipe to make two pies.

From Meta Given's Modern Encyclopedia of Cooking (1959)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY
Donny and Pam

RIP
Jimmy Hutson, Sam Burchfield, Lela Smith, Beulah Burchfield

HAPPY NEW YEAR

AS ALWAYS
PIO


Happy Birthday Daddy!

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