Need for Speed

The groom got a new car. How do you like it? I think it's H-O-T! And it's red. What's not to like? Scout, bless his heart, gave the old Mercury to his daddy. Now we have reliable wheels to go to Chattanooga next week for Don's defibrillator. I can't understand why Scout didn't just lend us the Firebird. Can you?

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Mama is improving by leaps and bounds. I am so proud of her. I knew you couldn't keep the old crow down for long. She quit using her oxygen so she could get around easier and she started feeling better. She hasn't needed the wheelchair around the house and was only using her walker until today. The therapist is letting her use a cane.  

Mama is able to take care of herself and do the laundry. She's getting back to normal. Nothing can hold Mama back but I hope she doesn't overdo it. She's awfully stubborn. 

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Katie and I like to do things together. Today I rode to the feed store with her to get goat food for Vinnie and Beatrice. We went to 41 Feed and Garden Center. One of my former beaus owns the store. 

I mentioned how sweet he was and the fact that he gave me an orchid when we went to the band banquet. I was only fourteen. He must have loved flowers even back then. He was a nice guy and he still is. That's why I try to buy something from him every year. 

We got the sweet feed and a leather collar for Vinnie then we left.

Katie asked me to help her put the goat food up when we got back to the house and we went into the upholstery room to put the food in a trashcan. 

Katie's white cat was in the upholstery shop so she started looking for her. Katie found the cat and three little kitties that were in a sack. Mama would have a cow if she found out. She can't stand Katie's cat. She's not going to like her kitties any better.

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Tomorrow I'm going to take Mama to the doctor for blood tests. I hope it goes smoothly. Last time Mama was impatient and I was grouchy. I chewed out the nurse because we waited nearly two hours.

I make a lousy patient advocate because I am not patient. The only good thing about having me for an advocate it that if you want someone to speak up for you, I will. But that's also one of the bad things about me. If you want me to be quiet and pipe down, you're probably going to be disappointed in me. I've decided to be honest and upfront with medical people and they can either prove me wrong or do what they're supposed to do. I want the truth and respect. Part of that respect entails not keeping a patient waiting nearly two hours. It took some talking but the nurse finally apologized for the delay.

Why do I have to pitch a fit before people pay attention to me?

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Donny woke me last Saturday and told me the tree cutters were outside. I jumped up and got dressed as quick as I could. They had already butchered one of my magnolia trees. I pitched a fit and asked them why the hell do they always want to cut our damn magnolias! I have fought to protect them for over twenty five years now and it's getting old. 

I don't care what anybody tells you, when they butcher a magnolia tree it never grows back right. The trees up the road look horrible because they cut them using the Shigo tree trimming method. I call it the "Shit-Go!" method because it looks like shit and ruins the trees integrity. They never go back to looking like they should.

Magnolia trees should not be trimmed. Our trees have had the lower branches cut off. They were like that when we moved here. That's why we can stand under the trees and walk around underneath them. Most magnolias have branches so low they touch the ground. Ours don't and they never will. Most trees have sprouts when branches are cut off but magnolias don't regenerate like that. That's why I get so enraged when someone comes along and cuts our trees.

On that note, this is my current fight. 

They butchered my trees. The bastards! Stuff like this makes me sick.

AS ALWAYS

PIO

I'm A Bear

Sometimes I feel grouchy like a bear. Sometimes it's a good idea to stay out of my way. I feel that way here lately. Somebody has become too pushy and I've only just met them. Let me get one thing straight up front. Ain't nobody gonna start pushing my buttons and getting pushy with me on the internet. I am an American woman, by God, and I don't take shit off of nobody. Never have, never will. That's my motto and it's been my motto for a long time so I don't see any sense in changing it now. 

Like the dear comic genius Jim Carey said in The Cable Guy "I can be your best friend, or I can be your worst enemy. You seem to prefer the latter." And as David Banner aka The Hulk was known to say, "Don't make me mad. You wouldn't like me when I'm mad."

I have a hard time dealing with people sometimes and I think internet friendships are strange anyway. I am, and have always been, a stick in the mud. I can only reach out so far, and that's plenty enough. Here's the question. What makes people reach out to strangers from other countries. And why the hell do they pick people? 

I have had several people from other countries who take an interest in me, and I wonder why. I am not particularly entertaining. I'm about as exciting as watching wet cement dry. I am not talented, industrious, or anything. I am just a regular big mouth who enjoys spreading the word.

I have several interests, some more than others, and they can fluctuate from one to the other. I am nothing more than an armchair activist although I do see several heroes in the world making a small or large difference in their own way. I really respect these people. They are compassionate.

Whether it is a cat lover, or a dog lover, or an animal activist for all animals, or an environmentalist, or a whistleblower, or a conspiracy theorist, or a gun control advocate, or an intactivist who opposes circumcision, I admire you all. You have amazingly big hearts and respect all living creatures. You exert more compassion for your fellow humans than the rest of us do. 

I think it takes people with big, loving hearts to make a better future for us all. Until we all work to make the future better for all people, not just ourselves, we will never get back to creating Utopia. In the sixties, I thought we were on our way. Nowadays I wonder where the hell all the hippies went.

Tomorrow is another day. I guess I'll deal with my problem the way I always do. With tact and manners. After all, I can be gracious when I want to be.

Who laughed? Hmm .....   I feel better now.

Come closer. I won't bite.

Bear Dog

AS ALWAY

PIO

PBS 6-12-14 Thursday 11:23 PM EDT

Scout's Married

Finally, I have some good news to report. Today we celebrated the wedding of my oldest son, Scout, and his beautiful bride, Katie. They were united in marriage in a simple but tasteful ceremony in my mother's backyard. 

It was a small ceremony with close friends and family. Mama was there, Colt was the best man, and Katie's best friend was the bridesmaid. Bennett even had a part in the ceremony. 

We had set up tables for the guests under the shade trees but didn't get to use them. Too bad we didn't get to stick to our original plans. We moved the celebration inside when it looked like rain. Fortunately it never came a downpour. 

Last year we celebrated Mama's birthday. Daddy always gave Mama a surprise party for her birthday. This year we are having another kind of party. A party to celebrate the joining of two families together. I wish Daddy was here to celebrate with us. He would have loved Katie. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Aaron, Dustin, Tyler, Sara, Colt, Tim, Eddie, Jimmy, Gary, Dana, Nancy, Hanna, Keegan, and Shanda

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY
Chase and Krista Sheram

RIP

J.L. Strickland, Mary Bell Carter, Sam Burchfield, Charlie Burchfield, 

and Steve Yeargin

REMEMBER

Dixie Highway 90 Mile Yard Sale June 6-8th

Flag day June 14, Father's day June 15, and Summer June 21st

AS ALWAY

PIO