Things I Should of Said

When that guy called me "Bitch" instead of getting mad and calling him a "Bastard" I should have responded, "Bitch? ... I'm not your mother."

Don't you hate it when you miss an opportunity like that? I know I do. Sometimes it's taken me years to come up with a good response I should have used during an encounter. I wish I was quicker on my feet. I just forget that you always have to be on your toes and prepared for an attack at any time. 

I imagine there will be many more of those episodes in my life because I'm not the kind of person to stand around and take it when anyone starts belittling me. I hate bullies and I hate ignorant people that start name calling anyone just because they don't agree with them, especially men. 

Some men have those alpha male episodes where they pace around beating their chests saying, "Look at me! I am a man! You have to listen to me!" They become enraged at any woman who dares to stand up for themselves and say what they thing. If anyone disagrees with those alpha males, they can't handle it. They want to lash out and attack. They're very scary. I know because I've been at the receiving end of too many fights.

One time I was on Walnut Avenue at a red light getting ready to turn left into the old Walmart when the light changed to yellow and I didn't go. My car was unreliable and I wasn't about to floor it to turn into oncoming traffic so I waited on the light to turn green. A man got out of his car parked in the turning lane behind me and came up to my window and started yelling at me because I hadn't turned on yellow. He was irate. I could see a young child in his car which he had left sitting in the road with the door open. The crazy man actually got out of his car to confront me, leaving his little kid in the car! I couldn't believe it.

Another time the kids and I were at Walmart getting ready to leave when a man and his wife and kid walked out of the store pushing a shopping cart. The woman started putting her child in the car and the man pushed the buggy behind my car and jumped in the driver's seat. His thoughtlessness made me so mad that I got out of the car and pushed the buggy aside. I shot him a bird as I drove away.

The lanes were crowded and I had to go around the parking lot. I saw the man cutting across the parking lot towards me in a rage. His neck muscles were bulged out and his face was red. He wanted to come throttle me. I recognized the look. I maneuvered around and got out of the parking lot before he could reach the car. I couldn't imagine how the scene would have played out if he had reached me but one of us would have gone to jail. Probably him, for murder.

I have an ability to rub people the wrong way, especially if I think they are being thoughtless or inconsiderate. I usually let them know what I am thinking. That's how I got into it with some guy on Facebook who called me a bitch. I really should have taken it as a compliment. He couldn't fathom an open minded woman like me. 

I believed the teachers when they taught us that we were born in the land of the free, and the home of the brave. I think America's greatest gift and most sacred right is freedom of speech. I exercise my first amendment rights often. America is great because we have the freedom to express our opinions. I respect people's right to express their opinions even if I don't agree with them, but that doesn't mean I will keep my opinion to myself.

Everyone is born and experiences different things in their lives that made them the way they have become today. No two people, even twins, experience the world the same and has the same experiences and reactions as each other about everything. Some people never voice an opinion about anything so you never know what they are thinking. Some people never shut up and never try to hear anyone else's opinion. Some people get along with everyone and never have disagreements with anyone. Some people shoot off their mouth and say what they think. Guess which category I fall in. 

I heard of a Facebook group that's name implied they would be discussing local politics. I joined it because I thought it would be fun to learn information about candidates and how they stood on the issues and what their experience was, you know, things like that. I couldn't find any information about the group and soon realized it was a new listing on Facebook. The moderator who created the group had a few interesting posts from real candidates talking about the election and their backgrounds. It was a lovely idea and it would have been successful except for the moderator's constant derision of the president and name calling of his supporters.

I counted three insulting words he used to describe me. There may have been more. He started off referring to Obama supporters as "damn morons". When he started confronting me about my support he progressed to calling me a "fool". He sarcastically apologized to me before ultimately calling me a "bitch" because I wouldn't take a damn bag of groceries for a friend of mine who is in a pickle. 

He and a couple of his groupies had been deriding people who took welfare and saying how sorry they were because they didn't get out and earn their own money. They were whining about how hard they had it and shouldn't have to pay taxes for people who "sit on their ass and won't work".

I tried to tell them there were plenty of people that needed help. I told them about a friend who is pregnant. She and her husband are about lose their rental house because he lost his job. They've been living on unemployment but it was about to run out and he couldn't find a job. They have two kids. I asked the moderator who would be able to help them. He offered them a bag of groceries. I said the husband needed a job and they needed someplace to stay. They weren't starving, yet.

The moderator and someone else offered in jest to buy them groceries or even make "my kids" sandwiches for lunch. I reckon they thought I was talking about myself. I think they thought I was on welfare or something and wanted to denigrate me and act all superior. Every now and then the moderator would say something sort of like an apology but it didn't ring true. The moderator got so angry with me for not agreeing to take his pitiful bag of groceries he screamed, "Bitch ...I tried to help you! ... blah, blah, blah". Call me bitch again and I'll show you a real bitch. You wouldn't like me if you made me mad.

I run into people all the time who complain about the government wasting their tax dollars supporting people on welfare. Nobody must know anyone they care about who is sick, or homeless, or without a job. They keep preaching that love and compassion we are so famous for in the south and falling back on the old "they can go to a shelter or a church for help". That is a cop out. Nobody wants to ask for charity from a religious group they don't belong to. And why should churches be burdened with the extra burden of feeding and housing the people who have lost everything and are just looking for a break so they can get their lives back on track. Most churches can't afford to shoulder that responsibility.

Our tax dollars go to a lot more than welfare. They don't give us an option to opt out on federal taxes that go towards war. Why should we be able to refuse to pay taxes that go toward helping people who are really in need of it?

When my aunt's husband died and her children were little social security sent her a check for each child every month until they turned eighteen. Without that money she would have been broke and destitute. Their house insurance paid off the house but if it hadn't been for social security she wouldn't have been able to take care of her children. She didn't even have a job. She didn't learn to drive a car until after my uncle died. 

There are so many people that have hard times in their lives. You can't plan for an illness or a death. You have no control over the economy or losing your job. When someone is using social security or welfare, that is no reason to look down on them and judge them. If not for the grace of God we might all be there then you'd appreciate any help you could get.

*******

I saw this on my Facebook message from Thursday and responded today.

I would like to add an addendum to the above:

• 
  
• • • Monitor:

      • Your turn. I don't actually know these ppl. So what do they need? Food, diapers?
      • Ma'am ppl are wanting to help. Please let me know what needs to be done?
    • 
      

      9 minutes ago

      Me:

      • A house and a job. When you can come up with that, let me know.
    • 
      

      7 minutes ago

      Monitor:

      • Are you serious? After I was called everything in the book for trying to help you/them the first time?
    • 
      

      about a minute ago

      Me:

      • When the hell did I call YOU everything in the book? YOU called me a "DAMN MORON, a FOOL, and a BITCH"! Get off your high horse and go bale some hay. You are such a hypocrite and you KNOW you don't give a damn about anyone, much less my friends, so don't worry about it. I'll try to find them some REAL HELP and not depend on small minded people like YOU who keep putting people down who need help. XXX you are the same age as my son and if he talked to me like you have I would have backhanded him so hard his teeth would rattle. Too bad your mother didn't teach you better manners. Drop it and please don't contact me again.
        
        

        Monitor:

        Wow... You have some hard life lessons ahead of you ma'am. I was trying to help. You can see that. If you ignore it then you are a fool. My mom is proud of the way I handled your situation. She is also proud I stand up for myself when someone like yourself tries to belittle me by acting like I think I'm better. Im not better, I know I'm not. If you knew, or would have listened to me you would know thus. Your high horse got you here. I'm fine with you being upset. I am upset with you. I feel I never had a chance with you. No matter what I said or did I wouldn't "care" in your book. I'm sorry that you were that closed minded. I'm not. I will never be. If you take government assistance so be it. I don't, that doesn't make me an evil arrogant fool. It just makes me Wes XXXXXX. I don't feel I'm better than you, I listen better, but I'm not better . if you'll got back and read thru the posts you'll see this. Good luck with your friend. I'm sorry I couldn't help. I really wanted to. Goodbye.
        
        

        2 seconds ago

        
        

        
        

        Me:

        XXX if you LISTENED BETTER than me you would have known I am not and never have been on welfare or government assistance of any kind. You also didn't listen when I said PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT ME AGAIN. I'm sure your mother approved of everything you said. She raised you after all. When you called me a bitch I should have said "Bitch? ... I'm not your mother!"

• Monitor:

  • You should have.* But then again that would have meant you were actually reading my comments.
• 
  

  a few seconds ago

  
  

  Me:

  • No I had a knee jerk reaction to your obscene language. You have a lot to learn buddy, that is if you can get the wax out of your ears and the plank out of your eye. Go away. You've become annoying by now.
    Monitor:

    •  you're a wonderful American. Have a swell afternoon.
      
      *Notice he agrees with me about his mother.  What a dummy.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 

FYI

I. I'd like to add, that the dude I was talking about had some health problems after this discussion and I was amazed to see his friends raising money for his medical expenses after all the crabbing they did about "needy people".

II. My cousins who received Social Security benefits when their father died in a tragic accident are now Republicans.

edit 10-19-2016 pbs

AS ALWAYS

PIO
********
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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

My Day

I am so grateful for my family. I was an only child so I don't have any brothers or sisters to lean on. That is why my parents, and my husband, and my sons are so important to me. They are my closest relatives on this earth. They love me and help me whenever I need them. I am so proud of them.

Colt and Don and I took the pickup truck to Scout's to get a tiller. I thought the tiller was heavier than it really was or Colt and I could have gotten it ourselves. 

On the way home we stopped at the truck stop so Colt could get a corn dog and a drink. We were across from Burger's Market on highway 136 so Don got Colt to drive across the road to pick up some boiled peanuts. I bought bell peppers, tomatoes, and lettuce. I love Burger's Market. They sell fresh fruits and vegetables and honey and relish.

At the crossroads of highway 41 and highway 136 construction is going on. Rumor has it that a Dollar General Market is coming to town. What little I know about it describes it as a Dollar General store and a grocery market combined. I hope that doesn't cut into Burger Market's business. I'm afraid it will.

Colt had to pick up his tag for his car today and go to Marietta to pay his electric bill. His birthday is next week. 

I went to the Tractor Supply store in Calhoun to buy chicken feed, and to look for hoses for an above ground pool. Scout and Kim gave us their old one when they got another one. 

I went to Home Depot, a pool store, and Walmart looking for pool hoses. I found a hose set at Walmart. A lady told me she had seen some pool ducks that hold chlorine at Kmart so I swung by there and bought the ducks and chlorine and shock before coming home. I have a feeling this little bitty pool is going to be expensive.

My parents used to have an in-ground swimming pool but they didn't really like it. Momma and Daddy can't swim and they didn't get in it very often. The only time anyone swam in their pool was when company came. The pool was a lot of trouble and Momma didn't like cleaning it. 


One time I invited several girls I knew from school. That was a disaster because one girl slathered herself in suntan oil which coated the walls of the pool which had to be wiped down at the water line. It made a ring around the pool. We never wore anything that would come off in the water. I quit inviting anyone over because I didn't want to repeat the experience. Some people don't have good pool etiquette. I should have spoke up when the girl put the oil on but I was trying to be nice. Most of the girls had never been to my house before. 

I think I've spent most of my life being the watchdog when something goes wrong. I always have to speak up. I can remember having to follow a couple of little girls when I was a little girl because they were horrible kids who rifled through my parents belongings, opening drawers and closets, and getting into everything. I would have to say, "Don't do that." or "Don't touch that."

Momma couldn't stand it when they started snooping in everything and pulling things out they had no business touching. I hated having to watch them. I didn't like being the 'manner police' but I guess that's why I'm not afraid to speak my mind today.

Momma would take me to visit their house and I had to sit still on the couch beside Momma and couldn't play with them. I couldn't get down, or look at anything. Momma wanted me to set a good example for them and impressed on me the importance of minding and not getting into anything. I knew better than to cross her.

I never did like those little girls because I had to go around correcting them. One time they dropped my big beautiful piggy bank and busted it when I was out of my room. It broke my heart. I wanted to fill it up before it was busted. Thanks to them I would never have that chance.

I used to feel so old when I was a kid. I think that is a drawback to being an only child. It's not easy being funny and silly when you have to always be on your best behavior. The only time I remember acting like a silly kid was when I would be alone watching TV in the evening while my parents were sleeping before they had to go to work.

I loved watching old movies and musicals. My favorite memory was watching Esther Williams movies. She was a famous competitive swimmer. Her underwater ballets were beautiful. I would stand on the couch and pretend I was diving onto the floor and then 'swim' over to the chair to resume my imaginary underwater ballet. I went from chair to chair to couch and back again. You would think anyone that enamored of water ballet would have learned to swim but I was terrified of water. I didn't learn to swim until I was a grown woman, even then, I could only dog paddle.

Sometimes I would wake my parents up because they heard me jumping around. I had to learn to play quietly and not 'shake the house down'.

I don't think I'll be doing very much diving in our 30" pool but I can lay in the pool and pretend I am a mermaid after we get it set up. Maybe we should have a pool party. We can take turns sitting in it. Did I tell you it's small?

I really love this warm weather. I've already got broccoli and cauliflower out of the garden and the tomatoes and squash are growing. I really, really love summer, even if it is only spring, it feels like summer to me. That's why we need a pool. It's going to be a long hot summer and I need to cool off.


Just don't mess with me or my family. We'll be chilling in the pool.

AS ALWAYS

PIO

JUNE

Ah, it's June and it's deja vu all over again. The mouse is on the wheel; what goes around comes around ... again, and again. 


Last weekend we had a cookout at my parents house for our Memorial Day feast. Momma took care of everything like she is loath to do. She is very organized so the cookout turned out very nice. She didn't feel like fixing everything so she served chips and bought potato salad and cole slaw. 


Donny, Colt and I brought Jason (one of my 'adopted' sons*) with us. Scout and Kim came, too. Momma's sisters, Patsy and Mary, were also there. I love visiting with my aunts when my parents have a party. They are fun to be around. Everyone had a good time that day. 


Daddy told us that Momma hasn't been feeling well and was having trouble breathing. We were concerned that the blood clots might have come back. 


Daddy said Momma had been sitting on a chair pulling weeds. She can't stand to see things get out of hand so she is always going around weeding by hand. Since she doesn't have the energy to get around she has taken to sitting and weeding the yard. That's how he knew she was very sick and why he took her to the emergency room. 

They went to the emergency room Tuesday. She has walking pneumonia. That is why she has been short of breath. It sounds strange to say, but I am so glad is was only pneumonia. Momma will have to rest and recuperate. That's easier said than done because Momma's a worker.

I don't know how Momma is going to be able to rest. It's not in her nature. I wish I was more like her.

Plenty more things have been going on, too. Jason's father had to go to the hospital. He has cancer. The doctors said he has double pneumonia. I don't understand how people can catch pneumonia, but it is still dangerous and needs to be treated by a doctor. When your body is weakened by disease, you are more susceptible.

**********

This weekend is the annual HIGHWAY 41 YARD SALE. I didn't put anything out to sell but if you drive by the house you can still see my Confederate flags I planted in my front yard during the Battle of Resaca. If you drive up or down highway 41 this weekend be sure to go slow and watch for cars making sudden stops in front of you. You might find some wonderful treasure in someone's front yard.

***********

Our neighbors are tearing down the mobile home on the lot next door. It had rotted down so bad they are demolishing it. I climbed on a ladder and took some pictures of it before they tore down the walls and the roof collapsed. I would post pictures but Colt's computer isn't working right.

Didn't I tell you there's never a dull moment in Resaca?

*********

Colt nearly stepped on a rattlesnake at the Bojangles in Chatsworth last week, so watch out for snakes. Summer's here whether it's officially here, or not.

* Jason and Allen were our neighbors.  They are Scout and Colt's friends.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

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

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

Chase and Krista

RIP

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

REMEMBER
THE HWY 41 YARD SALE THIS WEEKEND
June 1-2-3


AS ALWAYS
PIO

I Feel Like Singing

. . . and since you can't hear me over the internet you can just imagine me singing this . . . 

HOT TIME. 

SUMMER IN THE CITY

Hot town, summer in the city
Back of my neck getting burnt and gritty
Been down, isn't it a pity
Doesn't seem to be a shadow in the city

All around, people looking half dead
Walking on the sidewalk, hotter than a match head

But at night it's a different world
Go out and find a girl
Come-on come-on and dance all night
Despite the heat it'll be alright

And babe, don't you know it's a pity
That the days can't be like the nights
In the summer, in the city
In the summer, in the city

Cool town, evening in the city
Dressed so fine and looking so pretty
Cool cat, looking for a kitty
Gonna look in every corner of the city
Till I'm wheezing at the bus stop
Running up the stairs, gonna meet you on the rooftop

But at night it's a different world
Go out and find a girl
Come-on come-on and dance all night
Despite the heat it'll be alright

And babe, don't you know it's a pity
That the days can't be like the nights
In the summer, in the city
In the summer, in the city

Hot town, summer in the city
Back of my neck getting dirty and gritty
Been down, isn't it a pity
Doesn't seem to be a shadow in the city

All around, people looking half dead
Walking on the sidewalk, hotter than a match head

But at night it's a different world
Go out and find a girl
Come-on come-on and dance all night
Despite the heat it'll be alright

And babe, don't you know it's a pity
That the days can't be like the nights
In the summer, in the city
In the summer, in the city

Compliments of http://www.lyricstime.com/lovin-spoonful-summer-in-the-city-lyrics.html lyrics.time

Why don't y'all become a follower of Resaca Rose? If you've been here several times I'd appreciate it. 

Later, y'all. Chill out.

AS ALWAYS

PIO

Weekend Review

Don has been working overtime recently. He was supposed to work 10 hours a day 7 days a week. Last Saturday he hit his knee on something and it swole up so bad he couldn't walk. He decided to take a vacation week off. By Tuesday he felt so bad that he went to the doctor. They took blood. The doctor couldn't syringe any fluid off his knee so he ordered x-rays. An observant nurse pointed out a spot on Don's knee that looked suspicious. The doctor took a biopsy. The doctor filled him up on prescriptions and sent him home.

Don and I went to the Diagnostic Center and got his x-ray. I asked about mammograms and found out you have to have a doctor's order to get one. While I was at it, I asked how much it would be if I didn't have insurance. The lady said $525, I think. I was flabbergasted! Every time you fart in a medical situation it costs you $500 dollars. Colt's episode cost over $400. Don's last medical exam cost over $500. I think that is standard procedure, or something. How in the name of heaven can you look someone in the face and charge them $500 to mash the hell out of them with two window panes that are screwed down enough to make you feel like you are going to pop and take a picture? No wonder most people can't afford to go to the doctor. The cost is exorbitant. 

Don had been hobbling around like Chester in Gunsmoke. Anybody remember him? He hasn't been able to get outside and work in the garden so Colt and I have been taking care of it. Colt planted beans and tomatoes and I planted some okra.

Don called his doctor to find out about the x-ray and biopsy. They told him it was good news. He didn't have melanoma but he does have gout and needs to be taking another medicine. I hope his knee will get better so he can walk normally again.

Friday I mowed the entire yard, back and front. I usually break it up in a two day job. It was so nice and mild I didn't get tired like I usually do so I mowed the backyard without stopping. After that I had to mow the front yard and get it over with. It didn't take very long. This weekend is the yearly Battle of Resaca  reenactment so I wanted the yard to look nice.

I must have really pushed myself because I started limping around like Don. Every time I sat down for too long my legs locked up and I couldn't walk. I stumbled around like a spastic until I worked the soreness out of my legs. Now I can appreciate Don's pain. My soreness will wear off. I'm not so sure about his.


Colt and I rigged up two flagpoles so I could put a couple of Confederate flags in the front yard for the Battle of Resaca this weekend. People coming and going up Dixie highway will see them. That was my small contribution to the spirit of the occasion. That's all for now.

AS ALWAYS

PIO

Queerly The Same

The President of the United States came out in support of gay marriage today. He is the first president to openly support gay marriage. This will cause a stir in the right wing community because it is in complete opposition to their conservative views. Most people cite the bible when they discriminate, and revile gay people. Jesus never said anything against homosexuals. Gay people are bashed daily all over America.

When I was a teenager I had a bunch of male friends who took delight in baiting gay people. One of the guys was a 112 pound weakling who looked like a twelve year old boy. They used him to lure gay men away from town   to some isolated location and then beat them and robbed them. They would laugh about all the queers they rolled. I thought they were being very cruel. I didn't think it was right to beat and steal from people, no matter who they were. 

One of my friends who was involved was also rumored to be an illegitimate son of a local judge. He liked bragging about the judge being a friend of his. He said  he told the judge about him and his friends rolling queers and the judge thought it was funny. I couldn't believe anyone, much less a judge, would condone such behavior. Even though I didn't believe in or understand what being gay was, I knew it was wrong to attack people for being different.

I never realized I knew any gay people until after we graduated from high school. One girl seemed a little weird but she also chased boys so I just thought she was strange, not necessarily gay. Back in the day we didn't even call people gay. We called them queer. I found out a couple of our good friends and classmates were gay long after we got out of school. I was surprised but it didn't change my views about them. They were nice kids and, I figured, they were nice adults. Everyone seemed to like them so I don't think that changed just because of their sexual orientation.

I never understood gay people and couldn't figure out what they did with each other. It was a totally foreign field for me.

Years after I got out of school I read an article in the Dalton paper about the DOT shutting down a rest stop on the interstate because of homosexual activity. It is still shut today. I was shocked. Honestly, I figured there was only a handful of queers in our town. I couldn't understand how they even knew there was a meeting place to connect and why the heck they chose to meet at a rest area in the first place. They must have a better network than I realized.

The first person I met who was openly gay was the sister of my boyfriend. When I first saw her, I wondered if she was a boy or a girl. She was very masculine. After I got to know her, I found out she was very smart and funny. She would lecture me about how women (like me) would stab each other in the back, but men wouldn't do the same thing. She was right. 

A woman will break her neck to get to and tell someone about another woman cheating on a man, but men will deny, deny, deny any knowledge of another man cheating on a woman, even if they don't like the other guy. I wonder why that is. No, I don't. Women are jealous and catty and enjoy taking down other women. They especially enjoy gossiping about other women and sympathizing with their man if they think they have a chance of hooking up with him.

My friend, Carrie, had a girlfriend she lived with. Her friend was a schoolteacher. She taught elementary school children in the Dalton school system. I got to know them both pretty well. For some reason I have an ability to rub people the wrong way. Claudia was no exception. She never did like me. I think she thought I was a threat to Carrie's and her relationship but I was so enamored with Carrie's brother that it was obvious I was a heterosexual. 

Claudia was a loose cannon and one day she got so angry she committed suicide in front of Carrie. That is when I began to realize the differences between married heterosexual couples and non-married gay couples.

Carrie and Claudia owned lots of property together but when Claudia killed herself Carrie wasn't entitled to anything. Claudia's family got everything that had been hers and Carrie had to sell things they owned together to give half of the money to Claudia's family. Carrie wasn't even allowed to make the funeral arrangements.

Claudia's family dressed her in a dowdy old woman's dress that Claudia wouldn't have been caught dead in, except she was, because the family wanted to make a spectacle of her in her death. They joined together and wanted to make Carrie feel unwelcome at Claudia's funeral. Fortunately for Carrie, her family banned together and they all went to the funeral in South Carolina. I rode in the convoy. We were trying to cheer Carrie up and show her our support. Because of that, nobody in Claudia's family said anything hateful to Carrie.

Claudia's brother lived in Rome Georgia. Carrie and her brother and I went to Claudia's brother's house to return Claudia's personal belongings. That was an eye opener. Even though he was married and lived with his wife, he was as queer and sissified as a three dollar bill. His hateful attitude towards Carrie was hypocritical in light of the obvious fact that he was a homosexual, too. He may have blamed Carrie because Claudia committed suicide but, as God is my witness, Claudia had a violent temper and was volatile. She had threatened me several times, until Carrie stepped in and made her leave me alone. 

One time I was riding around with Carrie and Claudia when Claudia decided she was too drunk and needed to get out and walk. We were in the middle of nowhere at night and she was walking along the side of the road. Carrie was following her slowly in the car. I was sitting in the backseat wondering when the heck I could get home and away from their drama.

A cop car pulled up behind us and put on his lights. Carrie stopped the car and waited on the officer to approach the car. She explained that Claudia was a little sick and was walking to get some fresh air before he came along. He surmised that Claudia was drunk. He asked if Carrie had been drinking anything and she answered truthfully that she had been. He asked me if I had been drinking and I said no. He told me to drive them both home. 

Claudia got back in the car and Carrie told me how to get onto the interstate and head back towards home. I used to get turned around and lost everywhere I went unless I was used to the area. After the police car disappeared out of sight Claudia started threatening me and telling me to stop her car. She was going to dump me and Carrie on the side of the interstate. I begged her to just let me get to the next exit so I could at least find my way home. She finally relented and we made it to the Rocky Face exit.

Claudia drove off, leaving Carrie and me at a gas station. Carrie started walking down Shughart road and I used the phone at the gas station to call someone to come get me. Before I could get hold of anyone Carrie's younger brother showed up at Racetrack to get gas. I told him what had happened and he offered to take me home. We picked Carrie up as we headed home. Carrie was living in Marietta at the time so her brother took her home.

After Claudia committed suicide Carrie's brother asked me to watch out for Carrie because he was afraid she might hurt herself, too. We got to know each other pretty well and we realized we had a lot in common. Even though she was gay and I was not, we got along just fine. She asked me one time what I would do if she made a pass at me and I laughed and said I guess I'd have to knock the crap out of her if she did. She laughed and never did say anything else about it.

What I am really trying to say is that we are all really the same. Gay people are no different than straight people. They find us as gross as straight people find gay people. They told me that it was nauseating to watch heterosexual people making out. I can understand that. I think anyone, straight, gay, or anything else looks disgusting when they are making out.

Gay people shouldn't be judged for their sexual preference any more than black people should be judged for their skin color, or white people for the color of their eyes. 

The most heartbreaking thing I learned from Carrie's and Claudia's relationship is that when you are gay you have no rights. When your significant other is ill in the hospital, gay people are banned because they are not considered family. Gay people have no support system or any recourse when decisions have to be made for their loved one. Gay people have no rights when it comes to property, or any other legal matters. Gay people are considered non-entities when they are in a committed long term relationship. Somehow that doesn't seem fair to me.

Gay people aren't going to hurt heterosexual people but heterosexual people will willingly hurt gay people. They are not less than anyone. My friend Carrie went to college and worked for Lockheed on a work education program to become an engineer. Gay people are just as smart, and just as ambitious as straight people. They deserve the same respect.

AS ALWAYS

PIO

MAY

I believe we are headed for a beautiful, warm summer. Everything is in bloom here in north Georgia. Don's garden is looking good. He's even broken ground for another patch of garden. We like spreading them out. He's taken over Scout's job. I shudder to think what he is doing. 


I tried to get Don to put newspapers down like Scout has been doing and covering them with straw to keep the grass out of the garden, but he doesn't listen to me. He put one layer of paper down and the grass is sprouting through it. I told him I'd show him how to do it before he started but he won't ask me for help. I guess he'd rather hear me nag him after he's done. 


Scout and I had it down to a science. It's much easier than hoeing or tilling around a small garden, if you prep the area right. The newspaper has to be at least five or six layers deep and crisscrossed so there are no open places for weeds to sprout up. We spread straw around to cover the newspapers and make everything look nice and neat.


I've been sprouting seeds in my little starter kit. I have plenty of yellow tomato plants to transplant into the garden. I also started two kinds of gourds: loofah and birdhouse. I hope the seeds sprout soon. I planted some green bean seeds Don gave me and they started sprouting a couple of days later. Everything is growing in high gear. I love having a little garden in the backyard.


Today I cooked out on the charcoal grill. I had some chicken breasts marinated in Italian dressing. I let the chicken cook on the grill while I prepared rice in the microwave. I pulled out the left-over fixings for a salad we had the other day. I was so proud of myself. 


My meal didn't even heat up the house. It's so nice when I don't have to crank up the oven and heat up the house. I'm trying to figure out how to get around heating the house with my cooking without giving up the convenience of eating at home.


I've read some blogs about using your freezer to store homemade frozen dinners for your family. One suggestion I really liked was to put up foods that you prepare in different ways. Freeze food that can be cooked in different ways so you have variety. Fix stuff for the crock pot, oven, stove top, and the microwave.


That got me thinking about all the different ways I like to cook food. Before I had a microwave oven, I learned to use a pressure cooker. I used to use it all the time. I liked cooking chicken breasts or stew beef because the food was tender enough to eat with a fork. The water I cooked with made great gravies and sauces. Pressure cooking cuts the cooking time in half.


I think I will try to make some meals for my freezer so I can pull something out and cook them at times like this, when you don't want to heat your house up like a coke oven.

Y'all stay cool. See ya on the shady side.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Rachel, Steve, Connie, Buddy, Edwadene, Maranda, Vivian, Junior, Madison 
& to everyone celebrating this month

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

to everyone celebrating this month

RIP

Grampa Carter, Aunt Ev

REMEMBER

The Battle of Resaca May 18-20, 2012

AS ALWAYS

PIO

Catching Up

I've been dragging around for a while with an ear ache. My home remedies aren't getting me very far. I go from boiling them out with hydrogen peroxide, to pouring alcohol down them in the hopes of drying up the sore place. I don't like going to doctors.

I hope I don't mess up the crystals in my ears. I've had vertigo because of misplaced crystals, and that is a miserable feeling. I'd just about as soon die as go through that again. I couldn't lay down because the bed was spinning, and I couldn't sit up because I felt like the whole world was spinning. It was like riding the tilt-a-whirl without any of the fun. It made me want to throw up. I don't know how anybody can function like that.


A friend who was a nurse told me about the crystals in our ears. They help us maintain balance. She told me of a remedy to get the crystals corrected. She advised me to sit on the edge of the bed and then fall to one side (left or right) and then sit back up. Then I should fall to the other side (left or right) and sit back up. I had to rest when I fell over because I was so dizzy. It was slow going, but my balance finally cleared up so I must have gotten the crystals back where they belonged. 


I was so happy with the cure for this problem that I bragged about it to everyone. When I told my cousin, Nancy, about it she laughed at me and called me Crazy Pam with crystals in my head. She thought I was nuts. I finally ran across an article about the crystals and how they affect your balance. Check out Inner Ear Rock Slides Lead To Vertigo at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=103463398  for more information about those darn crystals.


People say drugs are bad but you don't need any drugs when you feel like you're in a carnival fun-house when you move your head. Ye gads! Getting old is not easy. There's always something going wrong and making you realize you are not immortal.


Have you ever stood up and noticed your skin didn't? I call it elephant skin. I look all wrinkly around my knees. It reminds me of when I used to wear hose and they would always puddle around my ankles, only now it's all down my legs. Gross!


I've always thought they should have a handbook for life. Maybe break it down by age. I wish someone had warned me of the fun facts of old age. I've got old age spots all over me, and my skin is starting to feel like an alligator's. Sometimes I have a fun evening of plucking unwelcome hairs as I peer into a small magnifying mirror. I think about the three little pigs and the big bad wolf. Something about ... 'not by the hair of my chinnie, chin, chin'. Why me, Lord?  Why me?


There are other things, more personal things, that I'd rather not discuss but believe you me getting old affects everyone. If you live long enough it will start working on you. It suffices it to say, you'll understand when you get old


I think I'll go rest now. I'm feeling old.

******

AS ALWAYS

PIO


I'm sorry. I've tried  "twenty ways to Sunday" to fix the link to the article above. 
In the mean time, I'll keep working on it. Thanks
Yeah!! I FINALLY GOT IT

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

APRIL

April has always been one of my favorite months. What's not to love? Warm weather, flowers, more sunlight, and longer days thanks to daylight savings time. Everything is in full bloom. I think I even saw some blackberries blooming today. We usually have a cool spell for blackberry winter. Afternoons are in the high 70's, or even in the low 80's here in north Georgia. 


It was Palm Sunday last week, and Easter is this coming Sunday. We usually have a cool spell around Easter, too. I wonder if we're going to skip it this year. That would be unusual. It would be a foreshadowing of a long, hot summer.

I'm back on the cycle again. You know; the endless cycle. Today I took Scout to work and probably will until he gets his car running again. I hope this doesn't become a regular thing. We have more car trouble 'than the average bear' but it has a lot to do with the fact that we drive older cars. Colt is the only one with a new car, a Ford Focus.


Saturday Colt called me from Douglasville. He hit a car in the rear end on the interstate exit ramp. He was upset, but told me he could drive his car home. It took forever before he finally made it home. I couldn't see any damage in the dark but the next morning I looked out the window and saw a rope tied to the fender. Colt had tied it up so it wouldn't flop around. There is no telling how much his little accident cost. Our deductible is high and he will also have to pay his ticket. Youch! I see someone working as my slave this summer. Payback's a bitch.


I'm hoping our fortunes will improve as we move further and further away from March. I guess I'm being superstitious. You would be too, if you'd lived through some of the March's I've seen. 


Now we are in one of my favorite times of the year; the time of year when the grass and the weeds haven't gotten ahead of us yet, and we end up playing a hopeless game of catch up. That will be a good place to start using my poor old slave. "Oh, Colt, honey. Come here! I need you."

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Sanna, Patricia, Susie, Debbie, Aja, Allan, and Kathy

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

Myra and Noodie, Ann and Jim

RIP

Beulah, Henry, and Donna


REMEMBER
Tire Amnesty in Gordon County
April 14 and 21
7AM-1PM

AS ALWAYS

PIO