What's Cooking

We had another cookout last weekend at my parents house. Daddy likes to celebrate Momma's birthday with a cookout every year. I think he likes having company. 

Scout, and Kim, and Layla were on vacation in Panama City so they didn't get to come but Donny, and Colt, and I were there. My two aunts were invited so they came. They had been at the Memorial Day cookout, too. 

I am so happy that Mary and Patsy live in Tennessee and are close enough to come visit often. They are such a delight to be around. They never meet a stranger, and are always cheerful, and uplifting. Every time we are together is a blessing. My aunt, Jonnie Bell, was invited to the cookout but she has lots of health problems and doesn't feel like getting out much anymore. She lives in Chattanooga. It was a very small celebration.

Patsy made a delicious butterscotch pie, and Mary made a yummy lemon meringue pie. I brought a carrot cake with cream cheese icing. Theirs were from-scratch. Mine came from a box. (I say, "Thank ye' aunt Betty. You know Betty don't you? Betty Crocker.") We had plenty of sweets. 

Momma didn't feel very good so she didn't do much. I put the hamburgers on the grill and watched them for a while. Momma brought a bowl out to put the hamburgers and hot dogs on and we went inside into the air conditioning to eat. 

Momma hasn't been out of the hospital long. She has pneumonia. I don't know how long it takes to get over that. She doesn't have any energy and can't breathe well.

Daddy's not much better. He's had heart surgery and stints put in so he huffs and puffs when he is outside in the heat. He didn't use to be like that. When he was young he was a dock worker. He lifted and moved freight all day or night long. He was in good shape. After he retired he didn't exercise and he eventually developed heart disease.

Although there weren't as many people at Momma's birthday party this year as last year, it was a very nice cookout. Everybody pitched in to straighten up and help Momma. It was just family, and just family is just fine. She really should be resting more than she is though. She needs to get well and that's the only thing they recommend when you have pneumonia.


Instead of having a cookout I had offered to cook a turkey and dressing but Momma said that Daddy didn't want turkey. It was the wrong time of year. What the heck? Is there any wrong time for turkey? I don't know. I just thought it would be easier on Momma if I cooked the turkey and brought it to their house. Momma said I could cook the hamburgers and that would help. Well, alright, but I still wanted turkey and dressing after I got to thinking about it. So did Colt.

I had a whole turkey in my freezer. I also had a whole chicken in there. Since Daddy didn't want to eat turkey for Momma's birthday I'd fix something for Colt's birthday. It was coming up. I decided to thaw out the chicken and cook a special birthday dinner for just the three of us, Colt and Don and me. We had dinner Tuesday evening and it was delicious if I do say so myself. I asked Colt what he would like with his chicken and dressing and he asked for macaroni and cheese. Okay, I figured I can do that. I cooked elbow macaroni, and then drained it,  and added a little milk to melt Velveeta cheese in the saucepan on the stove top. I make pretty good macaroni.

Everything was delicious. I had two containers of turkey juice in the freezer that I thawed in the microwave and poured over the crumbled up cornbread. I added a little bit of sage and salt and pepper and tasted it until I got it salty enough. I had added a little water to make it moist enough so I used chicken bouillon to make it more flavorful and salty. It's good to taste test every now and then so it's not too flat or too salty. Every now and then I get everything right. Colts special dinner turned out alright.


Two birthday parties in four days ... This is going to be a great summer.

AS ALWAYS

PIO

This Too Will Pass

                                                           

Time is so elusive, and memories are fleeting. I'm thankful we were born in the age of photography. Cameras have evolved at astronomical speed in my lifetime. The first camera my family owned was a sleek Kodak Brownie. Now everybody has some kind of camera. Make sure to take plenty of pictures and capture the moments of your life. You'll have something to look back on and remember the good old days. 

We had a nice family dinner on Easter. I cooked ham and roast beef for the main dishes. After dinner, we went outside so that Layla could hunt Easter eggs. While Colt hid eggs, Kim and Scout went inside and made water balloons. Once someone threw a balloon and missed their target. Guess who got smacked in the puss! Yeah, right. Me! Oh well. It was all in good clean fun.

I had so much fun cooking for my family and coloring eggs for Layla. Easter wouldn't be nearly as much fun without children to play with during the holidays.

After Easter, we took Colt's car to the body shop to be fixed. He wrecked it a couple of weeks ago. Since he had to go back to Marietta, he's tooling around in the Buick this week. It's the same old, same old. I'm used to everybody borrowing my car by now. We can only hope that Colt has learned a lesson from this wreck and doesn't do it again.

I think the weather and pollen has affected everyone. Colt's been nursing sinus headaches, or migraines, and Donny and I are always clearing our throats. Talk about sounding like a couple of old farts. You should hear us. It reminds me of my grandmother. She was always trying to clear her throat.

The older you get, the more you become like the old people you used to be 'amused by'. My, how the mighty have fallen. Getting old ain't for the weak of heart ... well, maybe it is. Actually, that's exactly what it is. Getting old doesn't have to be boring though. You can always enjoy the perks of being old. You can finally be yourself. Nobody's stopping you.

The other day Kim and Layla picked me up after I dropped off my car to get the odometer fixed. We had breakfast at Denny's before they brought me home. This was the first time that we've ever been out together. I told Layla I had figured out what she could call me and Donny. I think she should call us "Mammy" and "Pappy". That's a twofer. You know what a twofer is don't you? Two for one. I wouldn't mind being called mammy. That makes me smile.

I don't know anything about this granny business but it looks like little Layla and I are going to be together so I'd like to think she likes her old granny Pam, even if she is shy around me. 

Shalom  Y'all!

AS ALWAYS

PIO

Kim's Couch

Little Layla and the couch.

How do you like Kim's couch Momma covered with the help of me and Scout and Kim? That's some bright and cheerful material. I think that couch will be remembered for a long time. 

Kim found the couch at an estate sale for ten dollars. It's very retro with the woodwork on the arms. I think it was probably bought in the 60's and decorated in a French style. I like the modern update. Don't you?

Scout and Kim sanded the wood and then we put several coats of polyurethane on it. Momma covered the couch and worked on the cushions. I helped her tear them back down. She finished everything up Saturday with Scout and Kim's assistance.

I didn't get to go up there this weekend and help them because I have some kind of bug and didn't want to chance being around them all and making them sick, especially Momma. She and Daddy have to watch their health. Momma had those blood clots the summer before last and had to go to the hospital. She doesn't need a chest cold.

I have a sneaking feeling that Colt made me sick. He has been coughing and spitting up for a while now. I figure he passed it on to me. We're always together because I get on the computer in his room and he watches TV in here. He thinks he probably got his cough from the neighbor's kids.

Justin and Sydnei have three little boys who are four and below. Colt said Zack coughed on him and he told the kid to cover his mouth. Zackary thought that was funny so he would run up to Colt and cough on him again and again.

Later on Sydnei said the boys had foot and mouth disease (not to be confused with hoof and mouth disease found in livestock). It's Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease. It manifests in sores around and within the mouth or on the hands or feet of children.

Being the paranoid person I am, I think I have foot and mouth disease because Colt was exposed to the germy little rug rats. I doubt mankind will go out with a bang. We'll probably go out with a whimper as we succumb to some odious germ.

Maybe I should start carrying around a can of Lysol and spray for germs everywhere I go. Who am I kidding? They'd lock me if if I sprayed Lysol on kids. Kids are all just little walking petri dishes.

AS ALWAYS

PIO

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.

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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Yall try to make a comment. I don't know why people can't comment. Thanks.

OCTOBER

It seems like summer barely got started and now it's over. The weather has changed and everything is taking on an autumnal feel. That's good if you don't like 90° temperatures, although I do. The cooler temperatures and breezes are a nice change though. I like having the windows open and hearing the crickets and frogs at night.


Donny planted collard greens in the garden where our squash garden had been. We haven't had a fall garden in years. I look forward to having fresh greens this year.


I pulled the loofah plants off the vine and picked some red peppers to dry. I'm going to crush them and put them in baggies so I can sprinkle them in foods when I cook. 


It's almost Halloween. You can tell because Scout has already been digging around in the barn looking for Halloween decorations. He likes to decorate for the holidays. I told him that he could take anything he wanted but he would have to bring it back packed back up if he wants to store it here. You wouldn't believe how many messes he likes to make. We still have a box of Christmas lights sitting on the carport from last year.


Speaking of Scout and his messy ways, I think Kim is starting to understand why I was always griping at him and staying on his butt about doing things. They are living together now and she gets to see first hand how much he makes messes.


I went into the bathroom after he took a bath here one day and there were hairs all over my faucet and in the sink. I got on to him and told him that he was developing bad habits since he wasn't living here anymore. He didn't leave hairs all over the faucet when he lived at home. And, why the heck was he taking a bath and shaving here? He said the lighting was bad at his house and he could see to shave here. I told him he better clean up after himself if he wanted privileges around here. Egads! He's devolved. That's not good. 


I was chewing his ear off one day when I told him he was a lot like his father. He doesn't pay attention to me, either. Scout admitted that Kim accuses him of the same thing. I don't understand men, but I do know them. I've lived with three men for long enough to know it doesn't matter how many times you tell them something, unless they want to hear you, they're not going to listen. Some things you can not change. Believe me; I have tried.


I hate going behind everybody and cleaning up after them so I gave up. I felt defeated until I found FlyLady and learned to change my stinking thinking around. I realized I couldn't change anybody but I could change myself. I've clung to my shiny sink and my kitchen routine. That is one think I can control.


Donny and I are usually empty nesters until Colt comes home for the weekend. I've gotten used to feeding the pets and cooking dinner for two again. It's usually quiet around here but on the weekends I have my baby home. He and I watch TV into the wee hours of the night.


The boys are going to fix my speedometer and brakes on the Buick this weekend. With any luck we might even get a few more things done around here. I love having my family around. Maybe we'll get to see Kim and the baby, too. 


Last week Jason brought Tristan to visit. Jason is 'another son'. He and Allen grew up with Scout and Colt. I loved watching little Tristan running around in the backyard chasing cats everywhere. They don't visit very often.


We used to have little boys running around in the backyard all the time. God, I miss the good old days.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Joann, Shannon, Alesha, Lon, Layla, Matt, Devan, Michelle, Kelly, Debbie, Chase, Barry, Diane, Summer

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

Kelly and Troy

AS ALWAYS

PIO

Who's Keeping Score

We have a running joke in the family about who is the better driver; or should I say, really, who is the worst driver. Needless to say, "yours truly" held the record for a very, very long time and was teased and reminded constantly. Thanks boys.

When the kids were young they were with me the time I was backing out of the carport and tore the five foot wooden gate right off the hinges. It had so much momentum it bounced into the yard. Thank goodness I was driving the Mercury Marquee. It was an old yellow station wagon, built Ford tuff. 

Another time I scraped the side of Scout's Toyota as I was backing up in the driveway in my Ford truck. I didn't even see it. Donny scraped the other side.

One time when I was driving through Ringgold, I screeched up to a four-way stop so hard that it threw the timing chain off. Don's step-daddy, Charlie, said he'd never seen anyone do that before. I didn't know whether to be proud of that, or not. I think I was driving the station wagon that time, too. It was like driving a Sherman tank. The car was practically invincible.

I was trying to pull the boat out of a campground.The axle got hung and I nearly pulled the wheels off of the trailer. It was so warped we couldn't drive it home until Don crawled under it and tried to straighten it out. He was afraid I was going to take out some mailboxes on the windy little roads near Harrison Bay. Frankly, I was too.

I've had more close calls than I care to remember. Once I almost ran over some obnoxious woman when I changed lanes in town. I was driving the truck with a big white camper on it and it was hard to see out of the mirrors. I thought I was safe so I moved into the right lane. I pulled into the Chamber of Commerce parking lot and started to get out.

I didn't realize I had cut someone off until a car whipped in beside me and a woman started screaming at me because I had cut her off. She claimed I hadn't given a signal but, since my truck is old you have to turn the signal off and on by hand, I had turned it off when I stopped and couldn't prove it to her.

She was screaming about how I could have killed her baby and wouldn't shut up. I told her I was sorry I hadn't seen her but she must have gotten in my blind spot because I had checked the mirrors. I told her that I wouldn't have hit her baby, I would have hit her side of the car, if anything. She wanted to turn me into the police. I told her to go ahead and tell them what happened and see if they cared. I hadn't done anything on purpose and nobody was hurt so she should shut up. She finally left and I never did see the law.

Those are just a few of the examples of my bad driving record. 

One day Donny, and the kids, and I were in the backyard. Donny was going to move the station wagon. At the time we had a homemade power pole in the middle of the yard. Donny backed clean over that thing! I was so happy. Finally, somebody else had done something stupid while driving. The mantle had been passed. The best part about it was the fact that everybody saw. Scout, Colt, Jason, Allan and I had witnessed it. 

Scout told me about a couple of close calls but he managed to avoid having a wreck. Scout was driving in the country on a holiday when a car veered into his lane and nearly hit him. He said he had to drive halfway in the ditch to dodge the  other vehicle. Scout was afraid he would flip the truck. He thought the driver had to be drunk as a skunk to do that.

Everything was fine until Colt started to drive. He was terrible at tailgating other vehicles. I was always telling him to back off and not get on people's bumpers. Colt drove my Buick to Dalton College every day. One morning he rear-ended a car that was turning in to the school at Valley Point. He called me very upset. He figured I would be furious. I was just grateful that nobody was injured.

I am thankful that the guys will try to fix everything. They worked together to cut and replace the front of my Buick with another front end. Thankfully, with Scout's car expertise and Donny's skill in building, the car was perfectly square. No shop could have done better.

The title of worst driver has been passed on to Scout's girlfriend, Kim, now because she hit Colt's truck after it had been restored. She scraped the fender. She hit it while it was sitting in our driveway. Sound familiar? Welcome to the family, Kim. 

AS ALWAYS

PIO

More Car Trouble

Scout's Ford broke down so he asked our neighbor, Richard, to help him figure out what was wrong with the car. Richard and his son, Todd, are very good mechanics. Richard used to work for the Ford dealership in Dalton and he taught Todd how to fix cars. Richard said the car needed an ignition module.

Since Scout didn't have a car I've been taking him to work every morning and picking him up after work and taking him to the auto parts stores looking for parts every afternoon. It's throwing a monkey wrench in my usual lackadaisical morning routine. It took a couple of days for the module to come in and, in the mean time, Scout told me the module wasn't like a regular module. It was built to conform to California standards. It was hard to find parts to match. In other words, it costs more.

Todd told Scout he needed a new rotary cap and wires. Scout found a cap but couldn't find the wires to fit it. We ran around looking for parts in the stifling heat every afternoon. The new rotary cap has a screw in the middle that is broke loose. Now he will have to reorder one. That's the Strickland luck, for you. That's why I don't believe in gambling. We're not conducive to good luck.

I did enjoy spending time with Scout and taking him to work and back. My favorite part was driving down long ribbons of winding roads, with grazing cattle, and fields of golden crops, over rivers, and through shady lanes, soaking in the day. One day I think I saw a fawn colored fox but I couldn't get close enough before it was gone, lickidysplit! 

Bob's farm is in Red Bud, but Scout goes east on highway 136 from Sugar Valley, through Resaca, to a road that runs all the way to Bob's house. I turn right on the first road past Polecat Creek, (can't remember the name) and cross two bridges, a couple of stop signs, one at highway 225, traveling through picturesque scenery. From one end to the other I feel like I've been riding an amazing roller coaster ride. 

I didn't even mind getting out early since I was helping my son. It was better than letting him have my car and drive the crap out of it. I've seen him drive and I don't need the shocks falling off the car. You can't push the Buick. She doesn't respond well. Besides, I'm just now getting comfortable with having my car back. I didn't have it for a while when the heater core was being fixed. I'm anal retentive about my ride. But, I have my reasons!

You know what F-O-R-D stands for don't you? Fix or repair daily! Well, that's the price of driving antiques, I guess. We aren't motor-heads, we're just rednecks. You gotta love it. Either that, or admit defeat. I choose to embrace my redneck roots. Thank you Jeff Foxworthy. O we are all worthy! If you're southern you're bound to be a little bit redneck. Don't you think? 

Scout finally got his car running so he went to Dalton the other day. I got a call from him telling me that the Ford broke down in town. He said the police came and were going to make him have it towed by a Dalton wrecker service. Scout wanted to call Kim's family instead because they have a wrecker service. 

Scout said one cop took mercy on him and said he would help Scout push his car out of the road. Scout laughed and said the policeman told him, "Wait a minute until I lock my doors." Scout asked him if Dalton was really that bad and the officer said "Yeah." I don't know if he was kidding or just had to go by procedure and lock his doors before stepping away from his car, but I thought that was funny and sweet. Scout told me the other two cops acted abrupt and unfriendly. It's nice to know there are some nice cops out there.

Reeves Wrecker brought Scout's car to the house and dropped it off in the driveway. You know what that means, don't you? He got Kim to take him to work and would call me to get a ride home after work.

Scout put a new distributor cap on the car this afternoon after he got off work.  I hope that fixes it. He's replaced just about everything he can.

I cooked a rack of ribs I've had since last year for my birthday. Moma got sick about that time and we postponed my birthday dinner so I've been saving them. I decided today was the day I was going to cook them. Kim's birthday is tomorrow so I asked Scout to call her to see if she and Layla would come over to eat with us. We had ribs and cream corn from the garden and potatoes and fried okra. It wasn't a fancy party but any time you don't have to cook, or clean up, I figure that's a pretty good present.

AS ALWAYS

PIO

Our Celebration

Today was a good day. I raked leaves out of the front yard under the Magnolia trees and put them in the mulch pile outback. It didn't start raining until I got them all up. 

Scout came over to work on his car. He is putting a new carburetor and radiator on his car. He stopped working before it started raining.

We had about three thunderstorms today. The front yard was standing in water  after it started raining so hard. About a month ago Don sowed some grass seeds in the front yard. I hope it will start growing now.

This evening Donny and I went to Kim and Scout's house to celebrate the 4th with them. Kim is a very good cook. The barbecue ribs were delicious. Later we went outside to set off some fireworks and watch Layla swim in her little pool.

Donny had fun playing with Layla in the pool. Kim had fun setting off fireworks. And, naturally, Scout had fun starting a fire. I had fun taking pictures of everyone.

 Scout cleared out the brush in back of their house. Now you can see all the way to the railroad tracks. He also has a little garden at the edge of the woods.

This train had eight engines and no cars on it. It went by while we were standing in the backyard. 

The rain was nice. It cooled everything down and the steam rose off the roads like fog. Today was a great day to spend time with our family. Thanks for a wonderful day Kim and Layla and Scout. Happy fourth of July everyone.

As Always

PIO