The Good Samaritan

Donny was going to work one morning when a white work truck stopped in front of Valley Point School to turn in. There is lots of construction work going on because Valley Point is building a new school building. 

Donny was sitting, waiting on the man to turn in, when a car suddenly hit him from behind. The impact was so unexpected that he took his foot off the brake and it rolled into the truck in front of him. Now both bumpers are dented and the tailgate looks bad. Fortunately, the guy's truck wasn't damaged because of his trailer hitch but the car that hit Donny was totaled.

The insurance company finally approved the repairs for Donny's truck. Donny asked me to meet him at the house around four o'clock so we could take the truck to the mechanic, Mr. Carroll, to get it fixed. 

I had been at the Whitfield County courthouse this morning. Later I picked up my friend, Joann, and we went to the Cracker Barrel for a bowl of soup. She paid the bill and I paid the tip. That's how I know I had my wallet then. 

Later we went to Walgreen's and while we were in line I got out to look for my pocketbook I had stuffed behind my seat. I needed my dark sunglasses because the sun was finally shining too brightly.

I rushed home to meet Donny and we took his truck to Mr. Carroll's and started to go home but I remembered that Mamma said Donny could drive my daddy's truck while his was being fixed so we went on to Mamma's house to get the truck.

As luck would have it, it wouldn't start, so we called my son and got him to come help push the truck away from the carport so we could get close enough to boost the battery off.

I went to the Walmart Neighborhood Market after that. 

I tried to find my wallet and tore my pocketbook apart and looked all around inside the truck but couldn't find it. Naturally, I got mad and started panicking and calling Joann to ask if she could remember where I had it last. She mentioned that I'd gotten out of the truck. 

She drove around Walgreen's and I called them to see if anybody had turned it in. Joann even called the Cracker Barrel for me. Nobody knew anything.

After about an hour I finally came home and looked for it even though I'd already got Donny to look for it.

The phone rang and I answered it. Somebody said they were Officer Rittenhouse from the Dalton Police Department and wanted to talk to Pamela or Donny Strickland. I was excited and said "I'm Pamela Strickland. Did you find my billfold?"

She told me a nice 85 year old lady turned my wallet in to the police. I asked her where she found it and the lady said it was at the Walgreen's. The officer said I could come pick up my wallet at the police station.

I couldn't believe my good fortune. I offered Officer Rittenhouse a reward for the lady who turned my wallet in and she called the lady to tell her that I wanted to give her something but she said she was just glad she was able to help. Her name was Mrs. Manis. She has renewed my faith in people again. 

                                                

There aren't enough stories about good people who do good deeds and I believe people like Mrs. Manis are few and far between. They deserve a special thanks and honor. Not everybody would be that honest.

Thank you, Mrs. Manis. 
Donny said I'm lucky. 
No, I'm blessed.

AS ALWAYS
PIO

Bonnie's Booboo

It's a good thing I got the urge to start a fire in the goat pen today. I don't usually have urges like that. It's a good thing because it was daylight and I had time to try to figure out what to do. 

My stupid goat got her head hung in a wooden crate. She couldn't pull her head out and I couldn't get her unstuck. Scout and Donny were able to free her. All in all, another good day at the homestead.

WTH

How did you do that?

Along comes the hero.

HTH did you do that?

Come on, Bonnie, relax!

Ta-dah

Free at last!

 Another day, another crisis solved thanks to the quick work of the loyal crew at Shade Tree Greenery.

Stupid goat.

AS ALWAYS

PIO

THANKSGIVING 2016

Don't you just hate it when that happens? The month gets away from you and before you know it, you haven't got the job done. Well, that's me. Busy, busy, busy and not a lot of progress to show for it. 

Thursday we had Thanksgiving dinner at Mama's house. Donny and I brought the turkey and dressing and my specialties; potato salad, deviled eggs, and macaroni and cheese. Mama cooked the vegetables and Colt made a pie. He made a cheese ball and sausage balls, too. That boy can cook better than I can.

Mama's sister, Mary Jane, was there, too. Each time we are together, it is a blessing. Scout came out to get some leftovers for supper. That's the best part of Thanksgiving.

Today was Alice's birthday and Colt took us all out to celebrate at the Cracker Barrel. She slept through the beginning of the meal but woke up and after trying to figure out where she was and what was going on she got to eat her cake. She was hilarious. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Samantha, Dawn, Larry and Alice

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

~Mama and Daddy~

RIP

Albert Silver, Charlie McAllister, Edwadene McAllister, 

Delbert Callahan, Crick Marshall, Frances Causby, 

and Roy Burchfield

REMEMBER

Happy Thanksgiving

AS ALWAYS

PIO

PBS 11-26-15 Saturday  1:35 AM EST

MAY 2016

MONDAY

Today was one of those days. I had a dentist appointment but was late because I realized our goat, Bonnie, was out and I had to go looking for her before I left. Thank goodness our neighbor caught her and was bringing her home when I started looking. He probably heard me yelling for her.

After my dental appointment I had to rush home to make sure Bonnie was still in the pen. I shut the door so she couldn't escape again. I didn't have time to look for the hole in the fence. 

I ran to the electric company to pay my bill that I had forgot all about until the other night. I was happy I got it paid within the grace period and didn't owe a late fee but when I went back to my truck to leave it wouldn't start. Oh great! This day was turning out to be a doozie. I called the mechanic and then Scout and Donny, just in case I needed them later. 

I wasted about an hour trying to get my truck to start.

Donny finally told me to mash the doohickey that Scout pushed when it wouldn't start the last time. I looked around under the hood. To say I'm inept is a compliment. I took some cover off of something and then had to put it back on because I didn't see anything there to push. I finally realized the doodad was right in front of me but I couldn't reach it. No problem. I got my trusty old back scratcher I carry in my truck and used the handlike stick to push the spring a couple of times then I tried to crank my truck and, by golly, it worked! That was a relief. 

I'm just glad to finally be home.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

TUESDAY

Well, today was another day. I thought, "what the heck, I'll do some running around" clearly ignoring my precarious predicament from yesterday. I convinced my buddy, Joann, to go riding around with me and we ended up at Burger's Market in Carbondale. 

Lo and behold, the truck bowed up on me and wouldn't start. Who'd a knew? Well, we called in the cavalry and waited. It was a long hot wait. Joann and I got comfy with a sun shade and ice cold water compliments of the lady from Burger's Market. 

Joann was rescued by her friend, Nancy, who came down to Carbondale to pick Joann up. My son, Scout, came by after work to see if he could help. Nothing we did worked. He gave me the number for the wrecker service and left. 

It wasn't very long before Donny arrived from work and tried to start the truck. No such luck. We finally gave up and called Dalton Wrecker and had them haul my Ford to the mechanic in Resaca. We've become such reliable customers we've built sort of a bond. I hope he won't mind coming to get the keys to my truck in the morning when I call. Crap! I wasted a couple of hours today because I didn't take the truck to the garage the first thing today like I should have. I should have known better.

Oh lord, help me through Wednesday. It looks like it's going to be a fun-filled week.

It was the fuel pump.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Rachel, Steve, Connie, Maranda, Nita, Junior, and Madison

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

REMEMBER

RIP

Edwadene McAllister, Grampaw Carter, Ev Chastain

 Vivian

AS ALWAYS

PIO

MARCH

I know it's March and I know I'm getting later and later every month so don't be hating. I've been busy doing things. Yeah, that's it. I've been busy. Like today, Scout came by and helped dig up the grease trap to see what was wrong with it. 

The sink and dishwasher haven't been draining for a while. For the past three days I was flushing out the drain pipe with the water hose but the water still wasn't draining fast enough. When Scout dug up the ground around the grease trap he found the concrete pipe was broken. He finally repaired it and now everything is okey-dokey again. No wonder everything has been a mess around here.

I developed leg spasms and was so sore I could barely walk after sitting over the pipe for three days. The only bright spot was the surprise I got when I looked down between my legs one day and saw a frog staring up at me from the mud. He was probably thankful for the puddle of water accumulating over his bed. Poor thing. He didn't realize he was living in a toxic waste dump.

You should have seen the chunks of grease that I flushed out of the line. Gross! I hope I didn't grease up the little frog too bad. Maybe it will moisturize his skin. 

Poor old Don has been working seven days a week and never has time to take care of the things he usually has to do around here. He's nursing a cold right now. He's probably just run down because he never gets any rest.

Don's better off than his brother in law, Noody, is though because he got burned by a brush fire and had to go to the burn unit in Atlanta. Ouch!

I went to the doctor with Momma the other day. I'm glad we went because Momma was telling the nurse about eating collard greens to thin her blood and the nurse told her that her blood was too thick already, not too thin, and she needed to quit eating greens. They thicken the blood.

I don't know what's worse, being sick or not knowing what the heck you're doing and making things worse. We went to the Oakwood Cafe afterwards and had chicken livers. 

Donny and I got to eat at the Oakwood Cafe with Colt and Meredith and her family for dinner last week, too. We got to see Baby Alice She is such a sweet baby. We are so lucky. 

I made a road trip to Acworth last weekend to see my cousin Debbie. She is one of my favorite cousins. After tax season we're going to Character's Famous BBQ and check it out. I can hardly wait. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Heather, Jami, Dana, Mike, Mary Jane, Johnathon, Jason, Alex, Patsy, Sunshine

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

RIP

Jerry White, Debbie Chitwood, Crick Marshall, Mary Bell Carter, Evelyn Chastain, and Lela Smith

REMEMBER
Daylight Saving Time, St Patrick's Day, Spring, Palm Sunday, Easter

AS ALWAYS

PIO

FEBRUARY

Happy February. We're in a new year and spring is on the way. I looked hard today and noticed daffodils starting to bloom. It won't be long before the forsythias make a showing. We're getting plenty of rain so it should be a good year. Right now, as I look out my dining room window, it's dark outside. We're under a thundercloud. 

Today is my beloved husband's birthday. He's finally as old as me again. I happen to be a few months older than him. That's why I tell him he should defer to my wisdom, because I'm older, don't you know. He usually just lets me have my way because I'm so vocal and won't shut up.

Yesterday we took a trip to Cracker Barrel and used the gift card we got for Christmas from Katie and Scout. Donny has been nursing a cold and didn't feel very good but he enjoyed getting out and eating his favorite meal, steak and eggs.

I'm happy to report everything is going okay with everybody in the family. I've gotten to visit my granddaughter, Alice, a few times and I think she is beautiful. She has such cute little chubby cheeks.

Momma had to call a plumber out to fix her pipes under the house. It's fifty-five years old and the cast iron started to leak. She finally got that fixed so she is hunky-dory now. I hope the pipes last another fifty-five years.

I have a ton of supplies so I can start painting Colt's room. I keep saying I'm going to paint but haven't started yet. I think I need to build a fire under me. I'm just afraid that if I get started I'll want to paint the rest of the house and that's not going to happen.

Well, until next time, or until I do something outstanding, tah-tah for now.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Mikki, Alicia, Brooke, Don, Douglas, Bailey

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

HAPPY GROUNDHOG DAY
HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

RIP
Delbert Callahan

AS ALWAYS

PIO

SEPTEMBER

It's fall around here, people. Summer's slipping away. I'm glad Donny and I got to take a vacation before the weather turned cooler. We took a road trip to Panama City Beach. Our friend, Joann, went with us. We shared a condominium on the twenty second floor. I had vertigo until I got used to looking down. It was worth it though because we had a spectacular view.

We haven't been on vacation for about ten years. It was perfect. The weather was warm but not scorching hot and there were a few tourists but not enough to overcrowd you.

We saw sea turtles swimming in a line near the shore one day and Joann swore there were whales in the ocean. Huge dark shadows floated underneath the water. We could see for miles. 

The earth really does curve when you can see the horizon but the most awesome optical illusion was looking at the sea and getting the impression that the water rose above the land and was as high at the balcony. I think I spent a large part of vacation imagining disasters. Jaws, tsunami, Cast Away. You get the drift.

The last time we went to Panama City the boys were little and we went during a hurricane. I didn't want to do like we did before and turn around and drive back home. Although the weather channels were predicting a storm we lucked out and it was partially cloudy but otherwise mostly clear weather. I thought vacation was perfect.

We went to Captain Jack's for an all you can eat seafood buffet one night. Joann hates seafood but she was a good sport and came with us. Donny and I scarfed down crab legs and shrimp until we nearly burst. Well, I did, anyway. I love crab legs but I wonder who looked at those ugly creatures and thought "Hey, I bet those would taste great steamed and dipped in garlic and butter." Thumbs up, to them. Joann dared me not to squirt her with crab juice. She didn't want to smell like a fish. She cracks me up.

When we came back home, Donny had an appointment to see one of his heart doctor's. They checked Donny's defibrillator and said he was doing great. I am so proud of Donny. He is amazing for a man who had a quadruple bypass. He deserved a vacation. Bless his heart.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Butch, Katy, Kim, Susan, Carol, Larry, Corbin, Gail, Melissa, Melody, Erin, Emily, Debbie, and Jesse

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY
Resaca Rose

RIP

Gary McNamer, Robert Burchfield, Jack Rat

REMEMBER
Labor Day, Rosh Hashanah, Autumn

AS ALWAYS

 PIO

PBS 9-14-15 Monday 10:15 pm EDT

Road Trip

Donny and I took a road trip to Tellus Science Museum located in Cartersville, Georgia off I-75 this week. It was awesome. They have antique motorcycles, cars, and an authentic reproduction of the Wright brother's airplane. There were huge dinosaur exhibits and geodes of all colors and shapes that were absolutely stunning. You can go fossil hunting or pan for minerals. Children love it. 

Tellus is affiliated with the Smithsonian. If you ever get a chance to visit, you should go.

Thanks to Donny Strickland for the photos.

AS ALWAYS

PIO

PBS 8-14-15 Friday 10:25 PM EDT

AUGUST

This has been a busy and exciting summer and it's been a dull, and uneventful summer. I guess you can have both kinds. Right now my aunt Mary is visiting my mamma and keeping her company.

I've been mowing our yard and my mother's yard all summer. Recently Mama got all bent out of shape because I left grass clipping and decided to take over. She made Donny put the baggers on the riding mower and mowed. It takes a couple of hours to mow it all in ninety degrees heat.

A couple of days later Mamma told me she didn't feel good. Well, no wonder! An eighty-six year old woman with congestive heart failure shouldn't be mowing the damn yard. She doesn't listen to me though. I wish she'd quit doing that. I'm afraid she'll hurt herself.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Ashley, Tommie Lyn, Pat, Pam, Myra, Nancy, Nancy, Brenda, Chris, Randy, 

Jonnie Bell, Gloria, Blake, Bob, Justin, Cole, Jerry

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY
Susan and Bob

RIP

REMEMBER

Back to School Time

AS ALWAYS

PIO

PBS 8-7-15 Friday 12:26 AM EDT

MAY

Whew! Nobody told me getting older was going to be so hard. If they had of told me I'd have tried harder not to get old. 

It's always something. Right now I am transitioning from constant caregiver to part-time homebody. I get so distracted when I'm not on my own schedule that I forget to keep up with my bills and laundry. Needless to say, I get behind.

Things have "flipped" again, in my life. My baby boy, the Coltman, has flown the coop. He moved out on his own. Yeah, now Donny and I are empty-nesters. Colt is working in Atlanta full time now. What to do, what to do?

*******

Between running up to Dalton every day to check on Momma or Bennett I don't have much time to do everything that needs to be done around here. I have literally a mountain of junk piled in Scout's room that I've accumulated since he's been gone. Now I'm sorting through Colt's room moving stuff around trying to figure out what I should do in there. It's a mess.

I think I am psychosomatic. I probably suffer from ablutophobia or possibly disposophobia. I collect things. Things ordinary people would trash. For example, I have an overabundance of plastic meat containers with lids that sandwich meat comes in. I took a stack of them to the Christmas dinner with Donny's family so everyone could get leftovers to take home last year. It impressed my sisters-in-law. I don't know why I haven't thought of using them like that and depleting my reserves before. 

*****

I promised to keep Mamma's yard mowed and, between Scout and me, it's looking pretty good. I went to mow Saturday. Colt was loading the truck up with spare furniture he salvaged from Momma to take to his trailer.

Jason and Hanna were there with their little boy, Tristan. Jason is Scout and Colt's oldest friend. He and Hanna are expecting their second child soon. They're having a little girl. Tristan is a doll so I know the baby will be, too.

Another white car was sitting in the driveway when I drove up but I didn't pay attention. I finally heard Katie say something about Joann and asked her what she was talking about. She said, "Joann is over there," pointing at the white car. I had totally blown by her and didn't even notice.

To tell the truth, I really didn't think about Joann being there. She's not supposed to drive and I never thought about her getting her friends to bring her by the house.

She said they rode by my house, but figured I was sleeping and didn't stop. Mind you, it was going on noon by the time I got to Mamma's house. Oh Joann sure is a kidder. 

She had Nancy and her friend Sandra with her. Sandra is a truck driver. She's about my age. 

We had a full house Saturday. Not only were Jason and Joann there but my aunt Mary was visiting with my momma. She had been visiting for a while. Mary lives in Savannah with her son now. We love it when her daughter-in-law, Tonia, brings her for a visit. Mary went back home on Sunday.

I was hoping Momma and Mary and I could do some things together but Momma didn't want to socialize. Mary kept herself entertained reading a paperback and chain smoking. 

Thankfully, Mamma's church family fixed them several meals and brought them to Mamma's house. They are excellent cooks, especially Shirley, the preacher's wife. They're good people.

*****

Burger's Market is open again this season so I got a beautiful tri-colored pink mandevilla plant and gave it to Momma for Mother's Day. I bought myself two different kinds of ferns. I love them. They give any house a southern vibe.

Poor Donny has to tend to our yard alone. Nobody else is ever around to help him. I've started doing my part by tying the goat out so she can eat some of our overgrown spots. Bonnie acts like she's always starving so it's a win-win for all of us. Well, all of us except Buddy. He got off on the wrong foot with the goat and she doesn't like him at all.

Now Buddy cowers in fear when the goat gets on a tear and decides she wants to butt him. Oh well. Live and learn, I always say. Maybe next time he'll be a little nicer when he meets a goat.

*****

I'm becoming cautiously optimist that this might turn out to be an awesome summer. Here's hoping. 

Bless you all as you go about your daily struggles. We all have our crosses to bear. Just think "this, too, shall pass" and carry on. I love you all, even when I'm being a bitch sometimes.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Rachel, Steve, Connie, Maranda, Nita, Junior, and Madison

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

REMEMBER

Edwadene McAllister, Grampaw Carter, Ev Chastain

RIP

Vivian

AS ALWAYS

PIO

Musings

Mamma's beginning to feel better. We've started arguing and getting on each other's nerves. That's a good sign. My main gripe is that's she's too independent and stubborn and won't listen to me. 

Mamma's sister, Mary Jane, came to visit last week and Mamma and Mary Jane have already taken off two times in the car alone. Both times I tried to tell Mamma she shouldn't drive but she wouldn't listen. She can barely walk from room to room. She shouldn't  be driving. When they came back, she admitted she nearly had an accident.

I asked her nurse practitioner if Mamma should be driving yet. She said she thought Mamma should wait until they get her medicine adjusted. Mamma still has home health care and a physical therapist come every week. 

I'm glad May Johnson agreed with me because my little mamma is a daredevil and can scare the bejesus out of you. She turned in front of a car when Katie and I were both with her one day and Katie won't ride with her any more. I can't blame her.

I've been consumed with taking care of Mamma and have barely focused on my life although that's not what some people think. 

Anybody that knows me knows I like to make lists and keep track of things. I've noticed that whenever I'm in a crisis I forget to keep track of my days. That drives me crazy. I like to know what day I did something or when I paid a bill. Stuff like that. I am so far behind I will never fill in those blank days I spent during and after the hospital. Those days are lost to me in a fog.

I do have some more good news to report. I've been monitoring my blood glucose religiously and have begun to get a handle on it. Most days my blood sugar is in the low 100's, which is good but I haven't been exercising and I really feel that! I miss it so much. It really helps relieve stress. 

While I have been staying with Mamma, I have been mowing her yard and trying to get some exercise. I don't consider that much exercise when you're on a riding lawnmower but it's better than nothing. I figure the jiggling is shaking some fat off. Right?

Everybody says I'm not around as much as I should be but I'd like to know how much more around I need to be. I've been there every day and most nights since Mamma was in the hospital and I have languished away waiting to do my mother's bidding when she needed something to eat or assistance with anything. Mostly, I've sat around watching her work circle word puzzles.

I think people have forgotten, just because I don't work, that I have things I need to do. 

Nobody considers that my old dog is stuck in the house all day alone, with the poor old bird stuck in a cage, or Buddy is outside huddled on the porch waiting for somebody to come home and let him inside. 

Nobody considers the goat we've got that needs tending to and watched so it can roam free and eat bushes and weeds in the backyard without being attacked by Buddy. He can't be trusted.

Just because I'm an anomaly doesn't mean I don't have a life. It just looks different than yours.

I didn't even notice the dogwoods in bloom because I've been so preoccupied with other things. Spring is really here and I barely noticed. I hate that because spring is the most beautiful time of the year. The azaleas are blooming, too.

I don't think we will have but one more cold snap this year, blackberry winter. I could be wrong.

I don't mean to complain because I am very thankful for my life and everything going on in it. I am tickled to death Mamma is getting better and wants to do things for herself and doesn't need constant supervision. I am grateful for my boys who pick up the slack whenever I'm away. 

Colt and Donny jump right in and make sure they have clean clothes and something to eat. That's a blessing and one more thing I don't have to worry about. I could have ended up with someone like my Daddy who never cooked a meal in his life, as far as I know.

I am thrilled to be a mother-in-law and a granny. Scout picked a winner when he married Katie. She's been a great support to us all.

Katie is starting a new job and, by default, I am starting a new one, too. I am responsible for seeing that Bennett gets off the bus safely every afternoon when Katie isn't home. We bond over chocolate pudding and reading books. He is my best little buddy.  I only hope I'm not a bad influence on him. (Don't ask)

I'm going to get my hopes up again and look forward to a better summer than last year. I hope we are able to plant a garden and keep the goat out of it. I really, really would like a break for a while. I'm tired, already.

AS ALWAYS

PIO

MARCH

I am thankful for the hints of spring we are experiencing now. Temperatures are in the 70's and we are getting plenty of rain. I don't mind, not after the frigid weather we lived though a couple of weeks ago. Our gas heater went out and we had to live through some of the coldest temperatures we faced all winter with space heaters. We worried about the water freezing but we got off lucky. Mama wasn't as lucky. Her pipes froze. Thankfully, they didn't burst.

I don't think we would have been nearly as comfortable if it weren't for Mama and our friend, Joann. Mama gave Donny an infrared heater for Christmas, and Joann generously lent us her extra heater during our crisis. Believe me, we needed them. 

The bedrooms were cold as ice. It reminded me of the times I sent the night at my grandparent's house in the winter when I was a kid. My grandmother always stacked up plenty of quilts and usually put a hot water bottle in the bed for my feet. She also let me wear her mother's flannel granny gowns. I felt warm and toasty in my cold, cold room wrapped in my sweet great granny's old gowns.

I was basically a hermit until we got the heat back on the next week. Now, I am becoming a little bit optimist and that frightens me. I'm like Chicken Little. I'm afraid the sky will come tumbling down on my head if I get too cocky or happy.

Donny and I started walking for exercise again and I'm able to walk twice as far as he does now on our treks. He comes home after a few turns around our track and leaves me to walk until I give out. 

I hated walking when I first started but I knew that I'd eventually hit that plateau that people talk about where your body kicks in and starts to "sing" with energy. I hit that peak about six or seven turns around the parking lot where we exercise and get pumped up and want to walk faster and farther every time. I sure am glad. I missed that when I was recovering and the weather was bad.

I've been cooped up in the house too long. It's time to get moving to get healthy. Katie and Joann go to the gym to exercise now so I don't have my walking buddies any more. That's alright. Donny and I are about the same speed anyway. You know ... old farts. We get plenty of walking in when we get started.

Donny actually called me skinny tonight. I don't know if he was being facetious or was really serious. He handed me a dinner plate and said, "Here. You can go before me cause you need to eat, you're so skinny."

What do you think? Was he paying me a compliment, or was he trying to be funny? You can never tell with Donny.

We eat cafeteria style and everybody gets their plate and moves on to the dining room. Our dining room table belonged to my grandmother. I like having family dinners at the same table I've sat at with my grandparents. It's a family thing.

On another note, Donny got his drawers all in a tangle because he hates the pictures I posted of him when he had surgery last year so I decided, in the name of fairness, I'd post a picture of me when I was in the hospital. Just so you know, I look pitiful so you have my permission to feel sorry for me a little but I'm all better now so don't worry about me.

Everybody has to go through their own journeys and we all have burdens we have to deal with. The important thing is to not let the burdens own you. Sometimes you have to cling to that glimmer of hope. We all do.

I love you guys.

Are we even now, Donny?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Heather, Jami, Dana, Mike, Mary Jane, Johnathon, Jason, Alex, Patsy, Sunshine

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

RIP
Jerry White, Debbie Chitwood,
Crick Marshall, Mary Bell Carter, Evelyn Chastain, and Lela Smith

REMEMBER
Daylight Saving Time, St Patrick's Day, Spring, Palm Sunday

AS ALWAYS

PIO

FEBRUARY

A week ago I wrote:

There's a storm coming in the north east and they're predicting blizzard conditions. Everything is set in place for a replay of last year. About this time last year, Katie's father died. There was snow on the ground. We went to Tennessee to the funeral.

You should have seen us. We were a force to be reckoned with. Our goal was to support Katie in her most painful time of need and let her know we cared. Over this last year I have grown to love Katie better than I would have ever thought. She is a remarkable young woman and I think she's a hoot to hang out with and the feeling is mutual. Like Katie said, "We're like two peas in a pod."

Katie and I have become walking buddies. We try to go walking several times a week. We're both getting in shape. We are going to be so fit and so healthy everybody is going to be amazed. Well, I hope we are.

I'm "going under the knife" or whatever this week and I'm a little nervous about it. Not the surgery, per se; just the recovery thereafter. Ouch! I don't like pain. "It's be alright. Surely."

Last year about this time I was about to begin an odyssey with Donny when he collapsed in the bathroom. What I had mistaken for the flu turned out to be a heart attack. We were stuck in ICC during Valentine's Day. Looking back, I am so thankful we have come this far. 

You can imagine why I am nervous about having surgery after everything that happened last year.

*******

This time last week I was obsessing about my upcoming surgery. I didn't know if I'd come through it or not. I was being very pessimistic. I can happily report that I did survive and am beginning to bounce back like the proverbial red rubber ball. 

I spent Groundhog Day, watching the movie "Groundhog Day" over and over again. It felt about right. I've been mulling over the past and realizing you can only do whatever you think is right. We can only hope we make the right choices at the time. We don't get any do-overs. I would give anything if we could try until we get it right like in the movie "Groundhog Day." I have lots of days I would replay over again. I love how Bill Murray's character transforms into a better person by the end of the movie. 

******

Last month we got to go to Chuck E. Cheese's to celebrate Bennett's birthday. I forgot how much fun it is to be surrounded by about a hundred little rug rats, running and screaming, all around you. We got to fill up on pizza and enjoy the ambiance. Kids were crawling through bright colored building blocks overhead and other kids were playing various token machines happily gobbling up everyone's money. 

After about an hour, we had all had enough. Everybody split up to leave. 

Donny and I got turned around and lost before we got turned back around in the right direction and came home. 

Whew! I don't envy people who have to drag their kids to parties all the time. I can only handle that kind of excitement about once, or twice, a year.

*******

Savor every moment you have with the people you love. I can't say that enough. Love the one's you're with. Who knows if we'll ever get that opportunity again. Even if you have to face your phobia about germy kids and noise. "It'll be alright."

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Mikki, Alicia, Brooke, Don, Douglas, Bailey

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

HAPPY GROUNDHOG DAY
HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

RIP
Delbert Callahan

AS ALWAYS

PIO