The Incredible Woody

You Should Have Seen It In Color

2012-01-27T05:00:00.000-06:00

So I might have mentioned the slide project I have been working on....For weeks, I have been working on scanning my Dad's slides from the 1950s into digital format.

All the photographs that I have seen from the early days of my Mom and Dad's relationship and marriage are in black and white. And while I dearly love black and white photographs, seeing things in color is powerful.

I have cried so much over the last few weeks while working on this project. But they are not tears of sadness. They are tears of joy at seeing my Mom and Dad so young and vibrant and full of life.

I know you won't want to watch the full 25 minutes of photos of strangers. But the most powerful part takes place in the first minute:) And be sure to have your volume on!

They Say It's Your Birthday!

2012-01-26T05:00:00.000-06:00

Happy 23rd Birthday to The Drug Dealer!

Me and The Drug Dealer circa 1990

How she went from this sweet little girl to Drug Dealer I'll never know? But somehow she overcame the emotional scarring of those enormous hair bows from her childhood to excel in all she did.

The Drug Dealer and The Fisherman circa 1992

She graduated from the University of Tennessee Knoxville last May with honors in a major called BCMB (aka Biochemical, Cellular, and Molecular Biology)! She is now in her first year of pharmacy school at the University of Tennessee Memphis, which is consistently in the top 20 pharmacy schools in the nation.

Posing with Shrek while visiting me in Cali last year

She managed to do all of this while holding down a part-time job all four years and working at different pharmacies each summer. She also wasn't just buried in books and work. She was an active member of a sorority and had an active social life. And she is also my original Bonna-pal:) We attended our first Bonnaroo together several years ago.

At the birthday party with Crafty and Home Brew. They were sporting team colors in support of The Fisherman, who was away at a
tournament with the University of Tennessee Chattanooga Fishing Team

She is a good egg! I think we'll keep her!

Don't Tell

2012-01-24T05:00:00.000-06:00

On Saturday evening, The Boss Man and Prima Ballerina went to a Nashville Predators hockey game, leaving Pita and AB in my care. We were celebrating The Drug Dealer's 23rd birthday. Yes, College Girl has now graduated and is in her 1st year of pharmacy school at University of Tennessee Memphis!!

And while the parents are away, Pita and AB spent some quality time with Uncle Home Brew....;)

[Disclaimer: It is just Sprite!]

The Process

2012-01-23T09:04:00.004-06:00

While trying to get our annual family Christmas photo, this happened......

Technical Difficulties

2012-01-21T08:52:00.003-06:00

I am hard at work resolving some technical difficulties in the broadcast of the family slideshow.

So to give you a little grin in the meantime, here is Pita as a toddler :)

This Morning

2012-01-19T08:09:00.002-06:00

This morning I just happened to be standing in my front yard in my pajamas at daybreak. While out there, I just happened to notice this....

Maybe I should get up early more often :)

It Sucks To Be On The Other Side

2012-01-18T08:56:00.000-06:00

For years, Vol Fan has needed to have everything just so when he sleeps. He has pillows for his head. Pillows for his arms. Pillows for his legs and feet. He arranges and fluffs until everything is perfect. Then, and only then, he can lay down to sleep. If things are not just so, he wakes up with a backache.

Due to this ritual, I call him a princess. While he is fluffing and arranging, I make extremely funny remarks about his tiara. And his needing a footman. Trust me, these comments are extremely funny. I must be the only one that gets these jokes since I am the only one that laughs. But they are really, really funny!

Fast forward to yesterday....

I have been having some weird heart rhythms going on so the cardiologist put me on a 48-hour monitor. And I am glad for that. But heart monitors make it difficult to sleep. Wires. Electrodes. The bulky base unit. Tape pulling your skin.

Due to all that, I couldn't sleep in my normal position. And woke up with a backache.....

Someone Watched

2012-01-12T10:50:00.002-06:00

Alternate Title: I Have Such Good Friends That They Will Sit Thru A 30-Minute Slideshow After A Long Day At Work Just So I Don't Bust :)

You will be glad to know that I did not bust. My best friend, Blazer, came by after a long day at work and watched the slideshow. She is a treasure!

About To Bust

2012-01-11T10:54:00.000-06:00

Have you ever completed a project?

And have that completed project be perfectly awesome?

And you have to keep that project a secret until your sister comes to visit which is still 10 long days away?

Yes, that is where I am at. And I am about to bust!

I completed phase 1 of the slide project. It is so perfect, so powerful that I am about to DIE to show someone!!

Water Theme

2012-01-10T10:55:00.000-06:00

I am a member of a photography group on Facebook. The point of the group is to post one photo each week. On occasion, we have theme weeks. This week's theme is water.

Since I am buried up to my eyeballs with work and projects, I have not even touched my camera. But the theme immediately brought a photo to my mind. It is Pita in the tub when she was about 2 years old.

And please take a moment to remember my friend, Mental Pause Mama. She has been diagnosed with breast cancer and is undergoing surgery today.

The Slide Project

2012-01-06T10:17:00.002-06:00

While scanning my Dad's slides, I have really enjoyed seeing his personality. From this photo of him with a friend's car...

...to his reference to himself as "Hot Pilot"...

...to his label of "Hollywood" on this shot of my mom.

What a fun project this has been!

I Wish....

2012-01-05T13:31:00.001-06:00

There are things I wish for.

Silly things. Serious things.

Simple things. Complex things.

But today, I wish for the perfect red lipstick. Not too pink. Not too orange. Not too dark. Not too bright. Just perfectly red.

Surely it is out there. Somewhere.

Probably sitting right next to the Wheel of Fortune $.25 slot machine that I dreamed I hit and won $3 million......

Specifics

2012-01-02T09:23:00.000-06:00

I am a lover of lists. I need to have things laid out or I will forget something. I like to check things off as they are completed. So I decided to make a list of things I plan to do in 2012.

2012: The Year of Completed Projects

I will finish the slide scanning project.
I will finish putting the box of random photos in albums.
I will finish the photo hanging project in my hallway.

2012: The Year of Doing The Things I Have Been Meaning To Do

~~I will sew the couch cushion.~~ Check!
I will organize the attic.
~~I will get a new mattress.~~ Check!
I will purge my closet.

2012: The Year Of Trying New Things

I will try Thai food.
I will actually get a photo of myself and Vol Fan. Together. In the same photo.
I will learn some technical photography terms and how they pertain to my photography.
I will...

Any suggestions of things to try?

A Clean Slate

2011-12-31T10:10:00.001-06:00

I am terrible about making and then not keeping New Year's resolutions. Each year I make resolutions. And each year, I don't keep them. Except for the last two years....

My resolution for 2010 was to ask 'Why not?'. And thus began the Year of Adventure. We made several cross country trips. We saw things we had never seen. We experienced things we had never experienced. We saw whales. We jumped out of an airplane. We embraced life.

For 2011, I did not make a resolution. And thus began the worst year of our lives. There were doctors. And hospitals. And painful tests. And surgeries. And medicines. And bills. And layoffs. And employers going bankrupt.

So for 2012, I am SO ready to get back to the embracing of life. So once again, the question will be...

The Faces Of Christmas

2011-12-29T05:00:00.000-06:00

Please can’t I go outside? Please…..

But I reallyreallyreallyreallyreally want to go outside….

Oh yeah, this guy was there too:)

The Project

2011-12-28T05:00:00.001-06:00

I have been working on a project as a gift. A gift for my Dad. For my sister. For my brother. And for me.

My Dad has trays and trays and trays of slides from the 1950s and 1960s. Over the years, they have become damaged. So before the damage becomes worse, I am working to scan them into a digital format. Unfortunately, I can't afford a high-end film scanner so the results are not optimal.

But every so often, I run across a slide that is just perfect. Maybe not the quality of the slide. Or the quality of the scan.

But it is perfect in the feeling of love that it evokes.

The Actress

2011-12-27T05:00:00.000-06:00

There was some excitement while opening Christmas gifts.

Considering she opened this gift an hour before this photo was taken, I’d say she has an excellent future in Hollywood!

The Photo Session

2011-12-26T11:53:00.001-06:00

Pita and AB had a little photo session to make a Christmas present for Mommy and Daddy. We could not decide which one we liked the best so we gave all three:)

Along with the good ones, we had some clinkers too! Haha!

Somehow I let them convince me to pose....

Just What Everybody Wanted For Christmas

2011-12-22T08:50:00.001-06:00

A certain somebody I know got a karaoke machine for Christmas. That certain somebody loves it WAY more than Aunt Woody or Uncle Vol Fan ever imagined.

So with a lot of help from that certain somebody, we made you a little gift.

Without further ado --

Your Christmas Present

The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear!

Merry Christmas!

Love,

Woody, Vol Fan, Pita, and AB

My Dad Is 19

2011-12-19T08:42:00.002-06:00

Over the weekend, we celebrated my Dad's birthday. He tells anyone who will listen that he is 19. How exactly that works....I'm not sure since he has two grandchildren older than that. But I was raised to respect my elders so who am I to argue:)

Then again, he did beat his 20 year old grandson at running the hurdles in Kinect so maybe he's not telling stories!

Do You Know What Happens?

2011-12-14T08:30:00.001-06:00

Do you know what happens when a new job starts?

Yes, I am covered up with work.

Do you know what happens when three new jobs start?

Yes, I am CRAZY covered up with work.

Add in holiday busy-ness, usual year-end paperwork, and a dash of still recovering from surgery.

I'm busier than a one-legged cat in a sandbox!

[Sidebar: As my friend Nelson's Mama pointed out, I need to clarify. Not new job-job, just new project-jobs:) ]

Post-Parade Festivities

2011-12-06T05:00:00.000-06:00

My good friend, Mr. Fabulous, always has a get-together after the Christmas parade each year. And he flat knows how to entertain! Good friends. Delicious food on beautiful serving dishes. The jukebox (Yes, he restores vintage jukeboxes!) loaded with Christmas music. The most tasty hot chocolate ever!

Have you seen anything as precious as Mr. Dimples? And guess what? There is a duplicate! Two sets of those dimples were almost more cuteness than I could take!

The highlight of the night? His house. It is decorated to within an inch of it's life! Have ever seen such a glorious tree?!? Yes, there actually is a tree underneath all those decorations!

And seriously, AB was in RARE form that night!! She could have partied all. Night. Long.

Christmas Parade

2011-12-05T05:30:00.000-06:00

Each year our town has an annual Christmas parade. It is chock full of firetrucks and scout packs and beauty queens and floats by local churches and schools.

I have such great memories from childhood of being bundled up, sitting on the curb watching the parade. Wanting to create some great memories like that with Pita and AB, we met up with friends to do just that!

Oboe was marching with the high school band. Too bad, I was not exactly ready with the camera when he went by but I swear he is in that mess somewhere. Can't you see the Santa hat he is wearing?

Giggles also plays the oboe but for some weird reason, the oboe is not a part of the marching band. So she carried the banner for the middle school band.

Mr. Greg was thoughtful enough to bring glo-sticks for the kids.

Do you know what that look says? Something like "Aunt Woody, are you ever going to stop taking my picture"? Possibly.

Can you tell who thoroughly enjoyed this night? When I asked AB to tell me her favorite part of the parade, she shouted "EVERYTHING!!!!".

And that answer made my day :)

I Hope Santa Didn't See

2011-12-03T00:24:00.001-06:00

AB may be in some trouble when it comes to a visit from Santa. I hope he was looking the other way at the Christmas parade tonight...

Nannie-Nannie-Boo-Boo

2011-11-29T14:23:00.001-06:00

Vol Fan likes to hunt. He doesn't get many chances to do so but each year about this time, he itches to go. Sometimes I think the deer tease him. This guy was in our front yard this morning.

Can't you hear him saying "Nannie-nannie-boo-boo. We're in the city and in your neighborhood so you can't shoot me. Hahaha!"?

Vol Fan didn't think he was very funny.

Meatball-ectomy

2011-11-23T05:30:00.000-06:00

So our medical saga is apparently never-ending....

On Monday evening, we had meatballs for supper. While eating his first bite of food, Vol Fan successfully lodged a meatball in his throat. He is pretty good at doing this - as was his father and his grandmother. The food is lodged far enough down as to not obstruct the airway but nothing can get by it. In the past, he has always been able to get the food to continue on its way by changing positions, sipping water, jumping jacks, etc. Or he can get the food to move the other way....

Anyway, he is able to get it to move. Eventually.

Last night, he was not able to get it to move. We are not ones to run to the ER when the problem is not life threatening. We waited for our doctor's office to open Tuesday morning and met him at the door. He said he did not have the type of equipment needed to remove the obstruction and sent us to the hospital.

Thirty minutes after arriving at the ER, Vol Fan was being wheeled back to the OR. He would have to have general anesthesia to perform the meatball-ectomy.

Thankfully, the meatball-ectomy was successful. Vol Fan is home. He is going to have a sore throat for a little while.

And he is already getting really, really tired of being told to chew his food!

The First Thanksgiving

2011-11-21T18:44:00.001-06:00

AB was in the Thanksgiving program at her school. She was an Indian. We thought she resembled The Karate Kid a little more than a Native American:)

It was a very cute program. But for those that don't care to watch 10 minutes of cuteness, the best part happens at around 6:25!

So I Wasn't Biased After All

2011-11-15T10:23:00.001-06:00

I have often said that I think Pita is doing fantastic in her gymnastics class. Turns out, I wasn't biased after all.

Last Sunday, Pita had her first competition. She placed 3rd in balance beam, tied for 2nd in vault, and 1st in floor and bar. And she got 1st place overall!!

Let's Make A Night Of It

2011-11-14T04:00:00.000-06:00

Since I was scheduled to be at the hospital in Nashville at 5:30am the morning of my surgery, Vol Fan and I decided against making the 1+ drive to Nashville in the wee hours of the morning. We decided to make a night of it!

After checking into our hotel room, we took the shuttle to downtown Nashville. Broadway and 2nd Avenue. Tourist central! Restaurants and bars with live music line each side of the street. We have spent time there on prior occasions and it is always fun. Vol Fan decided to pull the cork from this jug with his teeth:)

We wandered up and down the street - finally landing at The Wheel for a beer. The music was one guy singing older western/cowboy type songs. And then it was time to move on. Our next stop was at The Stage, which is always one of our favorite stops. Their bands always play typical honky-tonk music and are always fun. For dinner, we decided to try a barbeque place, Jack's. It has a reputation for being really good. Maybe we were there on a bad day because it was certainly nothing to write home about!!

After dinner, it was time for the main attraction. The Grand Ole Opry at the Ryman Auditorium! I had been to the Opry at the Ryman when I was about 7. All I remember is Minnie Pearl:) While the new auditorium may have more comfortable seating, I think the Opry is best at the Ryman. It is classic!

We were treated to performances by Jeannie Seeley, Eden's Edge, Little Jimmy Dickens (which definitely gave me an idea for next year's Halloween costume!!), Phil Vassar, Riders In The Sky, Rodney Atkins, and Rascal Flatts!

Our seats were in the balcony but as you can see, they were fantastic! Really the only bad seats are the ones on the floor that are behind the support poles for the balcony. Guess who got that seat when she was 7?!?

It was a fantastic night! If you are ever in Nashville, The Grand Ole Opry should definitely be on your list of things to do!

HOLY COW!!!

2011-11-11T15:30:00.000-06:00

Over the weekend, I noticed that there was a heaviness in my chest and I was short of breath. Since my surgery involved the heart, I thought it was best to be on the safe side. I also noticed a small knot forming in my groin where they inserted the sheath for the heart cath procedure. So while Vol Fan was in surgery, I put a call in to my cardiologist. When they called me back, they agreed that it would be better to err on the side of safety and scheduled an appointment for me on Tuesday morning.

I convinced Vol Fan to stay home and take some pain meds while his Mom and I went for the tests. It was going to be no big deal. Tests. Consult with doctor. Home. Easy peasy.

We arrived at 9am for my first test - an echocardiogram. The echo is basically an ultrasound of your heart. It only took about a half an hour and then I was sent to the lab to have blood drawn for a CBC panel. Then we went to wait for the ultrasound on the veins in my leg. Unfortunately, I did not have an appointment so they were working me in. So we sat. And sat. And sat. And sat.

And sat. And sat.

About 3pm, I received a call from the nurse practitioner in my cardiologist's office. Since the wait for the ultrasound was taking so long, she thought it would be best if she checked the area and decide whether we wanted to continue to wait. She didn't think the area felt bad and the results of my echo and bloodwork were good. So she was teetering on just sending me home. About that time, my doctor was called into an emergency surgery so we had time to waste before I could see him. So back to the ultrasound.

Lo, and behold - I had a clot in the main femoral vein of my left leg. And it had a spouse in another vein in the same leg!

That meant I was admitted into the hospital to be put on a heparin IV. I would also be having a CT scan to make sure the clots had not procreated and sent a baby to my lung or heart! They had not but it was discovered that I had pneumonia in my right lung. Crazy, right?

Once in my room, blood was drawn to be tested to make sure the clotting isn't a genetic issue rather than a fluke. I was hooked to the IV and the heparin bolus was started. Heparin is not a fun thing to have to be on. To get you in the 'therapeutic' range (meaning your blood is thin enough), they give added injections in the IV line and test your blood every 4 hours. Seriously not a fun thing!

Fast forward to yesterday, the heparin finally reached a therapeutic range. We were able to be sent home on a blood thinner shot that Vol Fan has to give to me twice daily until the coumadin (blood thinner in a pill form) reaches the 'therapeutic' range in my system. And I'm on antibiotics for the pneumonia!

Let the healing begin!

This last week has been absolutely nuts. We are SO ready to step off this roller coaster!!

Back To The Story

2011-11-10T16:45:00.001-06:00

Vol Fan has been having some trouble with his hand. It started several years ago with a knot on the palm of his hand. We just thought it a cyst developing from using his hands so much in his work. He dealt with it as best he could. Finally it was to the point where he could not straighten his fingers without pain so we made an appointment at Vanderbilt Bone & Joint Clinic in Franklin, TN.

After an x-ray, the doctor took one look and knew exactly what he had - Duputren's Contracture. It is a genetic condition that affects the fascia which is the layer between your skin and your muscles/tendon/etc. It usually flares in the hands. The fascia sends out 'roots' that attach to the skin and to the muscle which keeps it from moving freely. The 'roots' then start to shrink which pull the fingers toward the palm. This was where Vol Fan was and it was causing him pain while he worked. So surgery to remove the roots was the answer.

Since my procedure was scheduled for Wednesday, I was positive that within a day or so I would be back in full form. I know several people that have had the same procedure and definitely within 3-4 days, they were feeling fine. Just to be on the safe side, we asked Vol Fan's mom to come down and stay with us for a couple of days. So we scheduled his surgery for Monday of this week.

I still wasn't feeling tiptop so my Dad showed up at 5am to drive Vol Fan to Franklin for the surgery. He arrived at the surgery center right on time and within 10 minutes, he was headed back to the prep area. Two and a half hours later, I received a call from a very groggy Vol Fan - he was fixed and on his way home! A friend joked that it was so fast that the doctors must have used a Skil saw! Thankfully, the doctor said everything went just as he had planned!!

I love a great doctor! So a plug for Vanderbilt Bone & Joint Clinic - if you live within driving distance to Franklin, Tennessee and are in need orthopedic care, this place is fantastic! They did the surgery on my shoulder several years ago and rebuilt my ankle in 2009. They also did my step-mother's back surgery. The doctors are talented and every possible thing is done to ensure patient needs are met!

And then the fun began...

The Gory Details

2011-11-07T04:00:00.000-06:00

On Wednesday, I had a heart ablation. Here are the gory details...

I arrived at 5:30am. Why? Beats the hell out of me. The cath lab workers didn't even arrive til 6. And I had already pre-registered. But anyway, we were there at 5:30. Waiting. Poor Vol Fan was a bundle of nerves. Like to the point of throwing up - several times. His lost his father during a cath procedure back in 2002. So he was SCARED!!! Evidently I was scared as well since I left an "If I Die" message to my closest friends! But anyway, there we were. Waiting. And waiting. And waiting.

I finally was called back around 6:45. And waited. And waited. And waited. The nurses did their prep on me - yes, I am now sporting a Brazilian!!

I finally was moved to the cath lab around 8am. Once there, they started hooking me up. All manner of electrodes and oxygen and placing me in the correct position in the machine. About this time, I asked the nurse what would happen if I needed to pee. I got my first introduction to peeing in a bed pan! The nurse had to turn the water on in the sink to help me to go!

Then it was time for the procedure. At this point, I was only very slight sedated. I had to be awake while they were pacing my heart. If I was too heavily sedated, they might not be able to put my heart into it's bad rhythm and thus not be able to find the bad set of nerves.

The doctor told me I was going to feel a sting and then pressure. I asked if it was a bee sting or a hornet sting. He laughed and assured me it was a bee sting. The cath lab assistant was behind him, shaking his head that it was closer to a hornet! To be honest, the 'sting' wasn't that bad. It was the pressure that followed that hurt like crazy! The pressure was him pushing the catheter into the vein in my leg. I was able to feel the catheter moving up through my abdomen into my heart. It was very unsettling. Not painful. Just weird.

Then the pacing began. The doctor would send electric impulses to my heart and 'map' the nerves. As he mapped, it went into it's bad rhythm. I heard the doctor exclaim "Beautiful! Just beautiful!" Apparently, I have a very good looking bad rhythm! He then called the others in the lab to come over and look at my rhythm. I even turned my head and could see (and feel!) the location of his instruments in my heart as well as the rhythm on the monitor!

About this time, the pacing became increasingly uncomfortable. I picked a spot to concentrate on while trying to breath deep. I finally had all that I could take and told the nurse who told the doctor who told the anesthesiologist to put me completely under. And I was out like a light!

I woke up a couple of hours later in recovery. The surgery had taken about 3.5 hours. And then the fun began.

Post surgery, I had to lay flat and not move my legs in any way. I have never experienced such pain. I had NO idea just laying flat could hurt so bad. I was hurting so bad that I was crying. Vol Fan was able to alleviate my pain some by rubbing my back. But it only helped a little.

And then it was time for more fun. It was time to remove the tubes going into the veins in my groin. They made Vol Fan leave and he was NOT a happy camper. HOLY MOTHER OF GOD, THE PAIN!!!!!!! Not only the removal of the tube but since the tubes lead to the major artery in your leg, the nurse had to apply pressure directly to the wound. And not just a little pressure. She was pressing with all her might. And she pressed. And she pressed. And she pressed. And she pressed!

I now know that I had a standing order from my doctor for pain medication and I did not have to experience this. My nurse was not exactly 'Miss Bedside Manner'! She never even offered anything to manage the pain. The nurse under her direction came in to assist while she was pressing. She was the one that said I could have medication. It was all I could do say a feeble "please"! She immediately brought a shot and put it into my IV line. Oh the relief!! More tears but this time from the cessation of pain.

Once both tubes were removed and the bleeding stopped, I was moved upstairs to my room. I was still in major back pain and still couldn't move my legs. After another hour of excruciating pain, I was finally able to move to a 45* angle. That was such a relief! Plus some more drugs added to the relief :)

Finally at 9pm - 13 hours since the ordeal started - I was able to move my legs. I cannot tell you the relief I felt! Everything was just peachy throughout the night!

The next day I was scheduled to leave. As they were working on paperwork, I got up to get dressed. Next thing I know, my nurse (Lynn, the one I loved!) was knocking on the bathroom door, instructing me to get back in bed. Apparently getting up had caused my heart to go crazy!

So she called the doctor. Who ordered another EKG and an echo cardiogram! So much for going home early!! Finally the tests were run and the results were in and we were finally able to head home later that day!

Now we are home in recovery mode:) I am moving a little slowly. I can occasionally feel my heart give a little flutter. The doctor said this is normal. The bad nerve is still trying to fire. It will take some time before it learns that it can't. So hopefully, the flutters will become less and less. As long as there are no problems, I will return to visit the cardiologist in mid-December for a follow-up.

Until then, we heal.

And today, Vol Fan is having surgery on his hand. When it rains, it pours. More on that tomorrow....

Time Flies

2011-11-04T21:43:00.000-05:00

Hard to believe that my sweet little Pita turns 7 today. Time Flies!!

Happy Birthday, Pita!!

Am I Scared?

2011-11-02T05:00:00.000-05:00

As most of you know, I am having surgery today. I am having a heart cath procedure to correct a condition called supraventricular tachycardia. In case you missed it, I talked about my condition here and here.

When people have asked if I am scared about having the surgery, my immediate answer is no. And I'm really not. I have had surgeries before - I know the routine. But their questions and concerns did cause me to examine my actions from earlier this summer.

When Vol Fan and I arrived home in June, it marked 5 years of our life working on the road. So when we arrived home, we both got busy doing things that are just easy to leave undone when you are gone. Vol Fan worked and worked and worked out at our property - cutting back brush, mowing, clearing the fence row, etc, etc....

I helped some but mainly I got busy around the house - cleaning, organizing the attic, cleaning closets. I also got busy organizing our personal paperwork - making sure Vol Fan knew the location of everything, writing down banking information, insurance information, passwords, etc, etc....

In hindsight, I can see that I was putting my affairs in order.

I had not been diagnosed with SVT - hadn't even seen a cardiologist. But the condition that I had been dealing with since I was in my 20s was getting worse. And I knew it - whether I was ready to admit it or not. I knew that the episodes were getting more frequent. That they were getting harder to control. That they were lasting longer.

I knew all of this. And I also knew of the history of heart disease in my birth mother's family. She and her brother had passed away at a young age from heart related issues, as had her mother. Her father and her twin sister had strokes at very young ages.

I knew all this. And I was scared. I didn't want to admit it. But I was.

I said all of that to say, please remember me and Vol Fan today. Send prayers, good vibes, light - whatever. Just remember us.

For me - a safe and successful surgery.

For Vol Fan - so he won't be crazy with worry. He lost his father due to a complication during a heart cath procedure. So he could really use that extra support.

Thanks! And I'll see you all on Friday:)

The Racial Divide

2011-11-01T05:00:00.000-05:00

Because I thoroughly enjoy visiting college campuses, I was excited to visit Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site in Tuskegee, Alabama.

The Tuskegee Institute was started as an expansion of institutions for higher education for African Americans after the Civil War. Booker T. Washington was the first President of the school. He began teaching in a one-room shanty and purchased a plantation to use as a campus the next year. His mission was to teach skilled trades, religion, and moral life. He even started an extension program to take education to the people that were unable to come to campus.

George Washington Carver is another well-known figure that was part of the Tuskegee landscape. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to George Washington Carver National Monument in western Missouri in 2007. He was an extraordinary person as well as scientist, botanist, educator, artist, and inventor. His research into the many uses for the peanut, soybean, and sweet potato is amazing, but his legacy as a person is what I am most in awe of. He is one of those people that seem truly genuine. What a honor it would have been to know this man!

So knowing all this made me very excited about my visit. Turns out the reality left me saddened and a little out of sorts.

Tuskegee Institute has a predominately African American student body. And the town of Tuskegee is also predominately African American. Being in the minority was not something I had a problem with. I was disturbed by the looks that I received from all but four students that I met as I was walking around the campus.

The majority of people gave me a looks that were unwelcoming. They were looks of distrust. Of suspicion. Of wariness.

I hope all this was in my head.

But whether real or imagined, it saddened me to think that there is still such a huge racial divide.

A Little Halloween Fun

2011-10-31T05:00:00.000-05:00

Over the weekend, Vol Fan and I went to a Halloween party. I really enjoy costumes and I usually dress up even if I don't have a party to attend. It usually gets a pretty good smile when I hand out candy:)

This year, I was Cruella de Vil and Vol Fan was my Dalmatian. This is a photo of us with our good friends, MaryAnn and Gilligan.

And yes, we won the contest!

Plains

2011-10-28T05:00:00.000-05:00

Don't forget to vote for my cousin, Joe!

Another spot I visited while in SW Georgia was Plains - home of President Jimmy Carter. Yes, that is where yesterday's photo was taken :)

I had the most delicious peanut butter ice cream at Plain Peanuts (and I don't even LIKE peanut butter ice cream!!). It is located just under the 'Jimmy' in the above picture. But other than that, I have to say there isn't a whole lot going on in Plains. But I found enough to occupy an afternoon. It doesn't take much to amuse me!

I toured the Jimmy Carter National Historic Site. The main section is located in what was the local high school. One thing that I really enjoyed was the honor that was shown to the people that were influential in his early life, especially one of his favorite teachers - Miss Julia. She frequently had words of encouragement for her students. Apparently, one of her favorite things to say was "Study hard because one of you may become President someday". You never know the effect your words may have!!

I tried REAL hard to get a pic with the President and Mrs. Carter. But it is pretty tough when using your purse as a tripod!

I also did a little stalking of their home. I thought it was pretty cool that they still live in the home that they purchased in the 1960s. They have purchased the surrounding land and had it fenced for privacy and safety.
You can also tour President Carter's boyhood home, the train depot that served as the headquarters for his presidential campaign, and Billy Carter's service station. I was a little more drawn to the tracks than anything else.

Before my visit, I didn't really know much about President Carter. Still don't as far as politics is concerned - I skipped over those parts in the displays. But I do feel like I learned about the man. And I have to say that I was very impressed with their humanitarian efforts led by Mrs. Carter.

Just any FYI, you can attend Sunday School at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains and if you are lucky, it might just be a day that the President is the teacher:)

Your Problems Are Solved

2011-10-27T05:00:00.001-05:00

You may think the problems facing our country are insurmountable. Impossible to solve while making everyone happy. You don't have to worry any longer. I got this!

You are welcome;)

Sports Illustrated Greatness In Sports

2011-10-26T05:00:00.000-05:00

I received this email from my cousin Joe Beimfohr.

I thought I would pass it along.

Dear friends,

I am happy to announce that I have been nominated as one of three finalists in the Sports Illustrated Greatness in Sports contest. I am asking for your support by way of your vote in the contest.

Many of you I know and some I only know through Facebook or by some other means. I was wounded while serving in the U.S. Army in Iraq in July of 2005. I later was introduced to the sport of handcycling and have found great joy in competition and teaching the sport to newly injured veterans. As a believer in paying it forward, I have agreed to donate half of my winnings to the Achilles Freedom Team.

The Achilles Freedom Team is a chapter of Achilles International, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, that is composed entirely of wounded veterans. Achilles pays all costs for these wounded warriors to participate and travel to major marathons across the country.

Please take 5 minutes of your time to vote and help me give back to the sport that has meant so much to me during my recovery. The more votes I receive = the more money I can donate to this worthy charity.

Contest page: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/greatness/

Achilles International: http://www.achillesinternational.org/programs/freedom-team/overview

Yours in sport,

Joe Beimfohr

-We make war so that we may live in peace-

P.S. You can vote once a day if you feel so inclined :). Contest ends November 14th. Please post the contest link on your Facebook page or Twitter feeds, and feel free to forward this email to your friends to help generate as many votes as possible. I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you very much for your time and support.

Andersonville National Cemetery

2011-10-25T05:00:00.000-05:00

[Don't forget to vote for my cousin Joe in the
Sports Illustrated Greatness in Sports Contest!

You can vote daily:) Thanks for your click!!]

While visiting Andersonville National Historic Site, I also visited the National Cemetery. I love the uniformity, the tranquility of National Cemeteries.

Andersonville is an active cemeteries - meaning that veterans and their families can still be buried there. On the day of my visit - while I was framing this photograph - the wind picked up at just the right moment. It brought along with it, the sound of a single bugler playing 'Taps'.

It was a magical moment.

Andersonville

2011-10-24T05:00:00.000-05:00

Just the name evokes images of horrific conditions. Of abuse. Of cruelty.

Andersonville was a Confederate prison camp for 14 months during the Civil War. While touring the area around Albany, Georgia, I decided to stop at Andersonville National Historic Site. I wanted to judge for myself - to see if the reputation matched the facts. The answer that I discovered is yes. And no.

Andersonville prison saw its first prisoner of war arrive in February of 1864. It would remain open until the end of the Civil War in April of 1865. During that short period of time, nearly 13,000 Union soldiers died within those walls.

Yes, the conditions were appalling. Due to a serious flaw in the placement of the walls of the camp, the creek (the one that was intended to supply fresh water and serve as a way for the sewage to be washed out of the camp) turned into a muddy bog that really did nothing other than make life more miserable and spread filth and disease. Due to changes from dams etc, this is all that is left of the creek.

Protection from the elements consisted of little more than a tent made from whatever the prisoner could find.

The prison was built with an outer palisade wall and a smaller fence on the inside of that wall. No one was supposed to be in the space between those two walls. If a prisoner was in that space, he was shot - thus the name of the inner line. This type of 'dead space' is still used in prisons today. It is an extra measure of security to ensure your prisoners can't just dig a small hole and escape under the fence.

But the abuse and cruelty? Of that, I really saw no evidence. Everything was in short supply - food, shelter, medical supplies, etc. The film and exhibits at the site tried really, really hard to make it seem as if the terrible conditions were intentional. But it was toward the end of the war and there were triple the amount of prisoners than the site was designed to hold. The shortages seemed to stem more from those facts than from anything else.

I did note one thing that this place tried to do right. Even with the huge numbers of those that lost their lives here, they tried to give them a decent burial. The deceased were buried side by side in a trench. Records were kept of their names and the location of their burial. This single fact allowed for grave markers to be placed after the war with the establishment of the Andersonville National Cemetery.

Unlike the mass burials at Camp Douglas in Chicago. Camp Douglas was a Union prison camp. Vol Fan's ancestor died of small pox while a prisoner of war at Camp Douglas. He is buried somewhere - no one is sure where because records were not kept and some were even destroyed.

But whether you know where your family member is buried or not, the fact is still the same - your family member is gone. Families were left without providers. Children without fathers. Parents without children.

So hopefully we can learn something bigger, something more important after a visit to Andersonville. Hopefully we can learn that war is hell. And we should do everything we can to avoid it.

Achieving Extraordinary Things

2011-10-21T17:22:00.001-05:00

I have introduced you to my cousin, Joe, in the past.

Joe is a veteran of the Gulf War. Joe's time in the Army was cut short due to an IED. Thankfully, Joe only lost his legs. Unlike his friend that was in the humvee with him. He lost his life.

Since recovering from the initial injury, Joe has proven that he is a survivor. He has also proven that he is a thriver. He has taken up the sport of hand-cycling and now rides competitively.

He has made it into the top 3 finalists in the Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year contest. Please take a minute to watch his video and cast a vote. And please spread the word! Thanks!!

Weekend Extravaganza, Day 2

2011-10-20T16:00:00.000-05:00

On Saturday of our fabulous girls weekend, I took Pita and AB to Grandaddy's Farm. It is the local pumpkin patch that I told you about a couple of weeks ago. I wanted to do something fun with them plus I had the secret motivation of letting them play themselves into a good night's sleep!

We arrived at 1pm after a quick lunch at Wendy's. And it was off to the races!

We jumped and jumped and jumped and jumped on the Redneck Trampolines...

And went down the slides and went down the slides and went down the slides...

We went to the Bacon Races:)

And raced horses at Hillbilly Downs. By the way, Pita came from the rear and won!

We got tangled in the rope maze....

And raced rubber ducks...

We got lost in the corn maze...

And went on a hayride.

We picked pumpkins...

And rode piggyback. (The day almost derailed right here when the piggy crashed which led to 3 scraped knees and 2 scraped hands and 1 scraped elbow. But my girls are tough and we soldiered on!)

We had a hotdog from the snack bar for supper and then we balanced on hay bales...

And fed the goats.

And then it got dark. So we decided to do all those things one more time by moonlight:)

I forgot to mention that we posed for pictures and played in the corn box and slid around in the tube swing. In between every activity, we jumped on the Redneck Trampolines and slid down the slides. It was a fantastic day!

And yes, we ALL slept VERY good that night!

Tennessee Aquarium

2011-10-19T17:16:00.001-05:00

Last weekend, The Boss Man and Prima Ballerina attended A Night Of Hope Gala in Atlanta. It is a charity event that sponsors ALS research. ALS is also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease. They attend the gala each year with several friends. The father of one of their friends has ALS and has long been a supporter of this event. Since Aunt Woody was in town to care for AB and Pita, they made a weekend of it.

While I am sure they had fun, the girls and I had a FABULOUS weekend!

We started the weekend by going to Chattanooga and visiting the Tennessee Aquarium. Poppy and the clan decided to come along since Weezy was on Fall Break. College Girl was on Fall Break as well so she joined the fun! And since Soccer Boy goes to college at University of Tennessee, Chattanooga, he joined us for lunch:)

If you are ever in the Chattanooga area, you should make some time to visit the Tennessee Aquarium. It is a great place to spend the afternoon. The downtown area has undergone a real transformation since the aquarium was built - with lots of shops and restaurants to visit.

The Aquarium is divided into two sections - Rivers and Oceans. The River section is the original portion that was built in the 1990s. It's main thrust is displaying the diversity of life in the rivers of the world. Everything from alligators in the bayous of Louisiana to sturgeon from the rivers of Russia to piranha from the Amazon basin. The Ocean section is newer. I'm not sure when it was built but definitely since my last visit about 10 years or so ago. It houses penguins and sharks and stingrays and sea turtles and jellyfish and tuna and everything in between.

This is a slideshow of photos from our day. Enjoy!

Butterfly Kisses

2011-10-17T09:43:00.001-05:00

Love is like a butterfly: It goes where it pleases and it pleases wherever it goes.....

Ocmulgee National Monument

2011-10-14T05:00:00.000-05:00

My quest to visit all the units administered by the National Park Service recently led me to Macon, Georgia to visit Ocmulgee National Monument.

Ocmulgee was the location of an Indian village dating back thousands of years. A community first of Paleo-indians then Woodland then Mississippian. These peoples were the ancestors of the Cherokee and Creek Indians.

These ancient people were mound builders. Unfortunately, many of these areas were destroyed as 'white man' settled in the area. The central railroad constructed a rail line through a portion of one of the mounds. Some of the dirt from the mounds were used as fill dirt. Many relics and evidence of human burials were removed during these periods. In this photo, you can see the scar that was cut across the land by the railroad grade.

In 1933, a group of local citizens became convinced of the historical significance of the area. They sought assistance from the Smithsonian Institution, who sent someone to conduct archeological excavations. Many treasures were unearthed, leading to the establishment of the monument.

The day of my visit was mid-week so I was one of only a handful of visitors. It enabled me to see the site in quiet reflection. The mounds were temples, ceremonial structures, burial sites. Places that are still held sacred by Native Americans.

One of the things that I found fascinating was the earth lodge. The floor of this lodge was discovered during an archaeological dig and has been dated to 1050AD. I stood for a long time gazing at these seats in the lodge. Wondering about the lives of the people that had sat in this very place.

History amazes me.

Crime Rates

2011-10-13T05:00:00.000-05:00

One of my many jobs is managing the mini-warehouse business that belongs to The Boss Man. So on occasion, I have to meet a new customer to get paperwork filled out. On Saturday, I attended to just that.

I met with a lady and her son that had just moved to our small town from California. To make small talk, I asked where in California she was from. She said that she was from Stockton. Rather than comment on the horrid reputation of Stockton (Stockton consistently tops lists in terms of crime rates), I said that Vol Fan and I loved several things about California. I went on to talk about the glorious weather and no mosquitos and the fact that smoking is not allowed in bars.

When we went to leave, I noticed that she had locked her car. It was such a small thing. But for me, it just went to shine a glaring light on the difference between my hometown and theirs.

Don't get me wrong. I am all for safety.

I lock my car door while I'm shopping.
I even hook the grocery cart child safety belt through the handles of my purse.
I lock the doors to my home at night.
I rarely travel alone at night.
You could not pay me enough money to stop at a deserted rest stop or gas station.
If I have to travel alone, I stop before dark and always choose a safe hotel with inside corridors.
Etc
Etc

But the thought that she felt she had to lock her car doors while at a warehouse site with no one around in the middle of the afternoon saddens me. It saddens me that there are places so unsafe that you would feel the need to be on guard every moment of every day.

I'm not so silly to think that crime can't happen anywhere, that crime doesn't happen in my small town. It can and it does. But not to the extent that she is used to. And I hope that she and her family will come to learn that fact as well.

Goat Petting Is My Trigger Apparently

2011-10-12T05:00:00.002-05:00

On Monday since the kids are on fall break, Blazer and I took them to the zoo in Nashville. It was a fantastic day. Weather was perfect - sunny, warm but not hot. No crowds. Perfect.

As we were wandering in the petting zoo section and brushing the goats, I had an episode with my heart. I was very, VERY excited and did what I was supposed to do with the monitor. It was a relatively mild episode so I just went on about my zoo business.

We finished with the goats and went to the cafe for lunch. I was commenting to Blazer that the cafe had very poor acoustics for a restaurant - perfect for a concert hall but bad for a restaurant. It magnified every voice, every sound so that you really had to speak up to even talk with those at your table.

And then I heard my phone ring. It was Vol Fan telling me to call the cardiologist's office. Apparently in the din of the restaurant, I had missed several calls. The monitor had set off alarms during my event (that was still ongoing!) and had sent notification to the cardiologist. So they had tried to reach me. Repeatedly. The monitoring service had tried to reach me. Repeatedly. Since neither could reach me, they called Vol Fan, who called me. Repeatedly. Since he couldn't reach me, he called Blazer. Repeatedly.

Once on the phone with the cardiologist's office, they told me to come to the ER as soon as possible. I told her that the event would pass. That there really wasn't any need to go to the ER. That as soon as I got there the event would be over. That I was with friends (and LOTS of kids!) an hour from home. That I really just needed some time and it would pass. So they reluctantly agreed.

The event would ease off some and then would ramp back up. This caused the monitor to set off alarms and more notifications to be sent to the cardiologist. And they would call. I would say just give me some more time. And round and round we went with the cardiologist's office calling about every 5 minutes.

It was beginning to look like the event was not going to pass so I reluctantly agreed to come to the ER. Trying to figure out the logistics of doing so - I mean, I was at the zoo. An hour from home. With a friend. And 5 kids. And only one car. Logistics!

Rather than have everyone wait around the ER, I finally convinced Blazer to drop me there (she really REALLY did NOT want to do this!!) and take the kids home. I would contact my Dad to come to Nashville and pick me up from the ER. We decided to give the kids a few more minutes of play on the fantastic playground before going. I called cardiologist and told them I was coming but it would be a little while before I arrived.

As we sat there watching the children play, the event stopped. So I called the cardiologist back and told them it had stopped. They agreed that there was no need for me to come to ER. Doctor called in a prescription for a beta-blocker medication and moved my appointment up to Thursday of this week. And we went on our merry way.

As we were driving home, I received a call from the after-hours cardiologist saying that they had received notification of another event. I questioned them because I had not felt the event. In the past, I have ALWAYS been able to feel them when it happens. They said that I needed to come to the hospital. So I reluctantly agreed but told them it would be a while. We were going to get the children home and I would have my Dad bring me back to Nashville to the hospital. They said they were going to notify the ER to expect me.

So I showed up a couple of hours later at the ER and told the lady at the desk that the cardiologist had told me come, etc, etc. She looked at me like she had no idea what I was talking about. So I explained the situation. She consulted with the doctors in the ER and they agreed with me. Since I was not having an event at that moment, there was really nothing that they could do other than admit me for observation. But since I was on the monitor, I was already under observation. So Dad and I turned around for the hour drive back home.

We were about halfway home when I received a phone call. It was the transfer nurse at the hospital wondering where I was. They had a bed reserved for me. I told her I was just at the ER. We had decided that there was no need to be admitted and I was now on my way home. She sounded confused but said OK and hung up.

About 10 minutes later, I received a call from the after-hours cardiologist that had told me to come to the hospital in the first place. He too was wondering where I was. I told him that I was just at the ER. We had decided that there was no need to be admitted and I was now on my way home. He sounded confused but reluctantly said OK and hung up.

Can you say "serious breakdown in communication at that hospital last night"?!?

Tuesday morning I talked with my real cardiologist. And I am taking the beta-blockers. They wanted to move my appointment to Tuesday afternoon. But after discussion (and 'encouragement' from me), we decided to give the beta-blockers a day to see how I deal with them and moved up the appointment to this morning at 10am.

And I have to say, I don't like the beta-blockers. They make me sleepy. Or maybe it was the rain....

Tour of Southwest Georgia

2011-10-11T05:00:00.001-05:00

For the last few weeks, Vol Fan has been in Albany, Georgia. I have been running back and forth between there and home. When he is on short jobs and living in a hotel room, I usually don't pack and go with him. It makes for some lonely times for both of us. But hotel living is expensive. Believe it or not, it is cheaper for me to run back and forth

And while I run the roads, I like to take the time to explore and see new things. To be quite honest, southwest Georgia doesn't seem to offer much in the way of tourist destinations. In my eyes though, everywhere is a tourist destination. There are always things to see, even if they seem commonplace or boring.

Southwest Georgia is full of beautiful groves of pecan trees. Think of them the next time you take a bite of pecan pie! Have you ever seen how they harvest nuts? They spread a tarp on the ground under the tree. Then a machine with a padded arm grabs the tree and shakes it like crazy! The nuts rain down from the branches onto the tarp for collection. Pretty ingenious!

Many pecan groves frame beautiful homes! Isn't this place just fantastic? Scarlett, where are you?

There were fields full of whatever this crop is. I was so curious that I pulled over and went into a field to get a closer look. My best guess is millet but I'm not sure. If it is, I am really curious as to how the farmers keep the birds from eating their crop since they are growing bird seed:)

The cotton harvest was in full swing. If you have never been near a cotton harvest, it is quite an experience. It looks like it is snowing as the cotton fibers get blown by the wind. I, for one, love a crop of cotton because I LOVE my high-thread-count 100% cotton sheets!

Those things covered in blue tarps are loads of cotton that have been harvested and are waiting transport to the gin.

Another huge crop is pulp wood. Huge tracts of land are planted in pine trees, row after row after row, growing until they are harvested to be made into paper. I couldn't seem to frame a photo that captured the vast amounts of trees. That was just as well because I was way more enthralled by the Spanish moss hanging from the branches of the live oaks.

I hope you take the time to look for beauty and interesting things anywhere you happen to be.

Grandaddy's Farm

2011-10-09T07:55:00.000-05:00

On Friday evening, we (meaning me, Blazer, Giggles, Oboe, and The Fabulous Man) went to Grandaddy's Farm is in Estill Springs, Tennessee. It is one of those great fall places with pumpkins and gourds and animals to pet and slides and swings and caramel apples and....

Our first stop was the 'Corn Box'. Just like a sand box, but with dried corn kernels. There was a bunch of corn flying in that box. And when they got out, most had corn kernels is places that ought not have corn kernels.

We bounced on the redneck trampolines - overinflated tractor tire inner tubes. We solved a maze that was laid out on colored mats. The rules for the maze - you can only go straight or turn left. It left us quite dizzy afterward!! We climbed through the rope obstacle course. You clip a rope to your belt loop and clip the other end to a rope. Then you have to work your way through the tangle of ropes to reach the end.

Then our time was called for the hay ride. That was where our nice little group turned into a bunch of monsters!!

Next we followed this sign that almost led to our permanent disappearance. We tripped lightly, laughingly into the corn maze. It took an average of 40 minutes, the brochure had said. And it had helpful hints placed throughout. How could we possibly get lost?!

Well, lost we got! It took us over an hour to get out of that thing. We ran and jumped and cheered like victorious fools when we finally found the exit!!

Oboe and Giggles convinced us to go down the Hillside Slide a couple of times before we called it a night. It was a long section of pipe angled down the hillside. It was SO much fun! We were all running around like a bunch of 8-year-old kids. But we finally had to call it a night! If you ever get a chance to go to this place (or one like it!), GO! You won't be sorry!

Aimlessly Wandering

2011-10-07T05:30:00.000-05:00

As I said a couple of days ago, I like to roam back roads. I also like to do another kind of roaming. I like to roam the internets. That's how I found a lot of the wonderful people that live in my computer and I just LOVE them!

Last week while roaming the internet, I stumbled upon a pretty cool place.

Pummelvision.com

They take a set of your photos and load them into a really, really fast slideshow. This is the slideshow that I created yesterday from the photos that I have uploaded to Facebook.

I present the last 2+ years of my life in 2+ minutes.

Pretty cool, huh?

Southern Ladies

2011-10-06T10:00:00.000-05:00

In my travels on the back roads of Georgia and Alabama the last couple of weeks, I saw some of the most beautiful Southern ladies.

Some had worn the years well.

Others had not.

But all were beautiful in their own way. This one was my favorite!

If I had the money, I would love to restore these beautiful homes.

I love Southern ladies. What about you?

Back Roads

2011-10-05T05:16:00.000-05:00

I like to drive on roads that I have never been on before. I also like to drive on back roads that meander through the countryside. So when you combine both of those things, you have a drive that I love, love, love!!!

I left Albany, Georgia this morning and my route should have looked like this. 381 miles. A trip that takes me right at 6 hours.

View Larger Map
I opted to take the scenic route. Only 350 miles.

View Larger Map
I arrived home 9+ hours later.

It was totally worth it!

Grandpa Swanson

2011-10-04T07:06:00.000-05:00

I love my Dad.

And by extension, I love the people that he loves.

He loved his grandfather, his mother's father. He spent the majority of his childhood living (and working!) on the dairy farm in western New York owned by Grandpa Swanson. He has such wonderful stories about the times spent with his grandfather. His eyes just glow when he speaks of him.

Even though I never had the opportunity to know him, I love anyone that can make my Dad's eyes sparkle like that. That's why this picture is so special to me. It is one of my most favorite people in the world with one of his most favorite people in the world.

The Mixing Bowl Period

2011-09-30T04:56:00.000-05:00

Most girls love to sit in front of the mirror and primp. They love to fix their hair a million different ways. They love to try different types of make-up and different techniques for application. They love to paint their nails.

Maybe there is something odd about me. I do not care to do those things. I never have. I'm assuming that I never will.

This is evidenced by my 5th grade school picture. It is during a segment of my life that I refer to as 'The Mixing Bowl Period'.

Seriously? Could NO ONE talk me out of this style? And if not, couldn't they at least introduce me to the curling iron?!?

Love's Truck Stop

2011-09-29T04:52:00.000-05:00

Several days ago I took Pita and AB to Murfreesboro to shop at Toys R Us. It was the fulfillment of a promise I had made to them on the 5-hour drive back from visiting family in Mississippi. Yes, I will stoop to bribery! Anyway.....

On our way to the store, we pass a Love's Truck Stop along the interstate. AB noticed their sign but isn't to the age where she can read yet. It was the digital type that displayed the current fuel prices.

So she says, "How nice of those people to put a clock along the road for us! And it has a heart on it! They must be really nice!"

Gosh, I love that kid!

The Red Gingham Dress

2011-09-28T04:00:00.000-05:00

This is me in my red gingham dress. My Mom kept this dress in a drawer along with my first pair of shoes.

Somehow in the craziness that was my life after my Mom got sick and passed away, the dress disappeared. I was able to find the shoes but not the dress. Silly but I miss that little dress.

Don't You Just Love A Man In Uniform

2011-09-27T04:00:00.000-05:00

I have often stated that I am sure my Dad made my Mom swoon. Like for real, swoon. Here is why....

My Dad is a farm boy from western New York. He wanted to go to college but being a farm boy, his family did not have the money to send him. After graduation from high school, he worked to put himself through a 2-year community college. After graduating, he saw the Navy as a way to pay for the remainder of his education.

He was a pilot. No sissy landing a jet on dry ground for him. Give him an aircraft carrier with pitching deck! This photograph is my Grandma pinning on my Dad's wings.

A man in uniform. That is a jet pilot. So yeah, she swooned.

But I bet my Dad did a little swooning as well. My Mom wasn't too shabby either:)

They swooned. This is the family circa 1962 with Bubbles. Aren't they cute?!?

Memphis Zoo

2011-09-26T04:00:00.000-05:00

My sister, Bubbles, sent this photograph to me last week. During my childhood, a visit to the zoo was a regular thing we did with my cousins. Those on the front row in the picture are Bubbles, Aunt Watsy, Tormentor #1, Tormentor #2. And on the second row: Aunt Cece, Aunt Mechee, Mom holding me.

This photograph raises several questions for me:

What is everyone looking at?!? Definitely not the camera for most:)
I always remember those trips to the zoo so fondly. So why am I (and Tormentor #2) looking so miserable?!?
And why, why, why is my Mom looking so happy? She has been lugging a 1 year old around the zoo all day!!

A Visit To The Cardiologist

2011-09-24T11:45:00.001-05:00

I have always said that this white girl has an extra dose of white girl when it comes to rhythm. You know the person that you hear clapping slightly off-beat when in a crowd clapping to the beat? Yeah, that's me. Apparently, my heart has the rhythm of a white girl as well.

I have had this condition that I have dealt with for years and years. My heart will start racing like mad - giving me a fluttery feeling in my chest. It started when I was in my 20s. It would only last for a few seconds, maybe a minute or two, and then it would stop. Sometimes I could cough and that would make it stop. It didn't happen every day. Or even every week. Or even every month.

As I have gotten older, the episodes have gotten more frequent and last longer. Over the last year or so, they have really ramped up. I spoke with my doctor at my annual checkup back in January. We discussed going to the cardiologist then but decided to wait so I could track the episodes. To see if I could figure out a trigger.

I only figured out that there is no trigger. There is no rhyme or reason to the episodes. Exercise. Sitting at computer. Stress. No stress. Caffeine. No caffeine. Morning. Evening. It just happens. At random.

So the last month or two, the episodes have increased to several each week. They can last anywhere from 5 minutes to 45 minutes. I break out in a sweat like you would not believe. I feel light-headed. On occasion, I have experienced tunnel vision, which means you are on your way to passing out. And they have started producing pain up near my collar bone that radiates down my left arm and up to the left side of my jaw. Yes, that scared the crap out of me. So it was time to return to the doctor.

Yesterday morning, I left the house with every intention of going through the drive-thru at the bank and returning home to put on my pjs and bury myself in my office. It was chilly, rainy. A perfect pj day. So I left without a shower, barely brushing my hair, no makeup, etc....

While I was in the car, Vol Fan ~~demanded~~ suggested that I call the doc for an appointment. I called and told the office girl that I needed to make an appointment - fully expecting to have one next week. She said "If you can get here in 15 minutes, we can fit you in today". So, not really wanting to, I went to the doctor's office.

I told him what had been going on. I also told him that an episode had occurred while I was at home one afternoon and I slipped on the cuff for my home blood pressure monitor. It beeps every time your heart beats while it is doing its thing. There were several segments of no beats - my heart was beating so fast that the machine could not count it. Even with those gaps, my heartrate was over 350 beats per minute. And my blood pressure was 220/120. Yeah, scary stuff. When I told him that, he ordered an EKG immediately.

While his nurse was hooking me to the machine, he called a personal friend of his that is a cardiologist and told him what I was experiencing. The cardiologist said "Tell her to get here NOW!!!!!"

So the person that really wanted to be home in her pjs was now on her way to Nashville to see the cardiologist.

Upon reaching his office, the guy at the front desk was searching his appointment listing for my name. I told him that I really didn't have an appointment. His eyes got big and he asked if I was the patient from Tullahoma. Yep, that was me. I was immediately ushered to the back, skipping in line ahead of the 20 or so people waiting!

I had a battery of tests. Blood work. Chest x-ray. EKG. Ultrasound of my heart.

All of this determined that my heart is fine physically. Not enlarged. No abnormalities. But I have a condition called supraventricular tachycardia or SVT for short. It is a fancy way to say that my heart short-circuits going into afib, where it flutters rather than beats. All my symptoms are textbook.

The doctor assured me that the event itself is not life threatening, even though it feels like it. Problems can arise from the fact that while my heart is in afib, it is not pumping blood efficiently. Since the blood isn't pumping, it can pool in the heart and form clots. Then those clots eventually get pumped out into the bloodstream and can lead to a whole other set of problems, including stroke and pulmonary embolism. And I definitely don't want that so I have started an aspirin regimen!!

So now I am on a heart monitor for the next 48 hours to hopefully capture an event. If one doesn't occur this weekend, I will be put on an event monitor that I will have to wear until one occurs. They need to see an event to determine where and when the bad signals occur. The next step for this problem used to mean taking medication for the rest of your life. Now they have developed a surgery to correct the problem.

The surgery is the type where they snake the instruments up a vein in your leg to your heart. Once there, they determine which set of nerves are causing the problem and nip those suckers.

Until then, I am wired up and doing everything I can to cause an event to occur.

Gymnastics

2011-09-22T08:28:00.000-05:00

You know what happens when you try to take a photograph of a very fast-moving gymnast named AB in a dimly-lit building that houses her gymnastic lessons? Yeah, you get photos like this. Haha! I loved the 'flame head' look from this one:)

But occasionally, after messing with buttons and changing settings, you get some a little better.

AB thinks she is really grownup now that she is old enough to take part in the same activities as Pita. I just want her to stay little.

The Learning Place

2011-09-21T08:40:00.001-05:00

AB attends preschool at The Learning Place on several days each week. Last night was Open House. She invited me to come along. She wanted to show off her room and her artwork. How could I resist a sweet face like that?

Albany, Georgia

2011-09-19T07:23:00.002-05:00

Vol Fan and I are currently in Albany, Georgia.

In reading about this place before we arrived, I was not excited about coming here. It is not exactly a tourist mecca. High poverty. High crime. Just not exactly a place screaming for people to come and visit.

After arriving here, I found that the things I read were not wrong. The poverty in this area is extensive. There is not much here in the way of industry and that leads to high unemployment. Which leads to high poverty. Which leads to high crime.

But I also found something else. The people in this area, while faced with huge challenges, are some of the friendliest people we have ever encountered. Even in Wal-Mart which is ALWAYS full of unhappy people and unhappy, unhelpful workers, I encountered people that were smiling. Employees spoke and asked if I was finding everything I needed. Same thing at Kohls. Same thing at Winn-Dixie.

I also found that the stores are neat and clean. Usually a Wal-Mart on a Sunday afternoon or a Kohls on any afternoon is a wreck. Things strewn about. Shelves not stocked. But that was not true here. The Kohls was the tidiest Kohls I have ever been in. Things were in place - even sorted by size! In Wal-Mart and Winn-Dixie, the shelves were all neatly stocked. It made for a very nice shopping experience.

So while this place may have a lot of things stacked against them, a lot of obstacles to overcome, I think they just might make it. They certainly seem to take pride in their town and in their jobs. And that is a great foundation on which to build.

Me And Grandpa

2011-09-16T05:00:00.000-05:00

My Grandpa passed away on my third birthday. Even though I lost him at such a young age, I have two vivid memories of him. And these photographs capture those memories perfectly.

Grandpa was a smoker. He used Prince Albert loose tobacco and would hand-roll his cigarettes. He would always let me blow out his match. I thought that was the greatest thing in the world. This photo of him kicked back with a cigarette is just how I picture him in my mind.

My grandparents had cows. They would get up at the crack of dawn each morning to milk those cows and would sell the milk. When we were in Mississippi visiting, I would always get up and go to the barn with them. My Grandpa would see this as a perfect excuse to get out of milking. He explained that he had to hold me to keep me from getting my feet dirty:)

After his death, I continued to get up with Gramma to "help" in the barn. My reward for this work? I got to take a coffee cup to the barn with me. I would dip the cup in her milk bucket and drink the warm milk! I thought it was the best stuff in the whole world. Kinda turns my stomach to think of it now...

Maw Jones

2011-09-15T05:38:00.000-05:00

This is Maw Jones, Vol Fan's great-grandmother. I loved this photo the instant I laid eyes on it.

The vast ocean behind her mirroring the vast number of things experienced by her hands, the vast amount of wisdom shown by the lines on her face.

Something about the expression on her face causes me to wonder...What was she thinking? Reflecting on all the wonderful things in her life? Reflecting on all the 'if onlys' of her life?

I have always waxed poetic about it, every time I look at it.

Vol Fan, on the other hand, doesn't see that at all. All he sees is the woman that had the best aim in the world.

When Vol Fan or any of his cousins got in trouble, she would send them out to cut a fresh switch. Yes, they had to cut the switch that was going to be used to give them licks! Talk about giving a kid something to reflect upon! Her aim was always true and they didn't fail to remember their lesson.

But mainly, Vol Fan remembers her aim for the spittoon. You see, Maw Jones liked to dip a little snuff. According to Vol Fan, she would place two fingers on either side of her mouth to pull her lips taut and spit between those fingers. She could hit the spittoon by the front door while sitting in her favorite chair across the room. Without getting one drop on the floor!

That's pretty impressive stuff! Gross but impressive:)

The Box

2011-09-14T11:35:00.002-05:00

Over the last couple of days, I have been cleaning out a box that has sat in my closet for several years. It is a box of photographs that I keep meaning to organize. In the midst of this project, I decided it would be a good idea to scan the pics to make it easy to share with other family members. So expect me to be waxing nostalgic for the near future!

Can you guess who this bundle of joy is? :)

I Am An American

2011-09-11T12:13:00.002-05:00

I am an American.

I am from a line of people that includes Swedish immigrants, Romanian immigrants, English immigrants, German immigrants, Native Americans, and Irish immigrants.

Lutheran, Anglican, Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Spiritualist, Baptist, Puritan.

Different skin colors. Different languages. Different traditions. Different cultures.

All so very different but somehow they melded together to create me.

I am an American.

Look! It's Not A Hummingbird!

2011-09-07T09:25:00.003-05:00

In fact, I do take photographs of something other than hummingbirds:)

I Just Can't Stop Taking Their Photograph

2011-09-06T05:30:00.000-05:00

Fun With Hummingbirds

2011-09-04T12:52:00.003-05:00

Are There Sharks In This Lake?

2011-09-02T08:53:00.000-05:00

So what happened on such a perfect day? What is Vol Fan not recovered from? Is Maggie permanently scarred?

Winner of Best Guess is Busy Bee Suz! Her guess - Vol Fan lost his swim trunks and Maggie was the unintended spectator! Hahaha!!! Thankfully, nothing as traumatic as that!

Vol Fan and Maggie were riding the jet ski and were way out in the middle of the lake. Apparently, they zigged when they should have zagged and ended up in the drink. The jet ski landed upside down. Not normally a terrible thing when riding a jet ski. Except this time.

This time when they flipped it back over something went terribly wrong and the engine compartment filled with water. They were sinking. Like for real sinking!

I was at the picnic area with the rest of the gang - talking, laughing, snacking on chips, etc. No one was paying one bit of attention to the jet ski riders. Jocie and Alex had been sitting on the dock, watching them. They saw them flip but Jocie is experienced on jet skis and didn't think anything about it. So they laughed about them landing in the water. And they continued to laugh and horse around.

After several minutes (like 15), Jocie realized that Vol Fan and Maggie still hadn't started riding again. Like I said Vol Fan and Maggie were really far out in the lake so it was difficult to tell what they were doing. Jocie and Alex stood on the dock, straining to see what was going on. They finally decided that Vol Fan and Maggie weren't just swimming and that probably they couldn't get the engine restarted after the spill. So they came to the picnic area to get someone to go help them.

When they told us, we all stood, craning our necks, trying to see if they really needed help. We were able to see the jet ski and two heads in the water. We discussed that maybe they were just swimming. Maybe they were having trouble getting the engine to start. Finally we decided to just go check. A good 25 minutes had passed since they had flipped.

I got on the other jet ski and took off across the lake. As I approached, I realized that they were swimming pulling the jet ski so I thought they couldn't get it started. It is persnickety about starting. Then I saw that the jet ski was about 2/3 of the way under the water!! So I pulled up and tied the jet ski to mine for a tow back to the dock.

After having to stop to retie the rope since I'm not the best of knot tiers and having to stop again to retie after we broke the rope by trying to go too fast while towing, we finally made it to the dock. Along with Greg's help, Vol Fan was able to load it on the trailer. He pulled the plugs and left it to drain.

After hamburger and a couple of beers, Vol Fan went to check to see if it had drained. Vol Fan was convinced that it was toast but Cowboy was able to guide him through the process of getting the water out of the engine. Thankfully, it started and soon it was back in the water carrying riders!

So how was Maggie scarred for life? This is the first summer that Maggie has been in Tennessee. She has lived near the ocean or in places where gators are the norm for all her young life. She was convinced that she was about to be eaten!! It took Vol Fan several minutes before he was able to get her calm enough so he could tell her that we don't have sharks. And we don't have gators. I'm not sure if she ever really believed him!

For some reason, she didn't want to ride with him again...

A Good Day

2011-09-01T08:55:00.000-05:00

Don't you just love those days where everything is right? A day that you know you will be able to look back on and smile while saying "That was a really good day". Last Sunday was a day like that.

I have mentioned before that I have a great group of friends. Several years ago, we started FNSC. Or Friday Night Supper Club:) We pick a restaurant to visit each Friday. If you can come, come. If you can't, you will be missed. Nothing formal. Just a bunch of friends gathering for food and fun.

Last week, we decided to do something a little different. We packed a picnic, loaded up the jet skis, and spent the day at the lake. We went to the AEDC recreation area at Woods Reservoir. It is a great place - convenient to the boat ramp and dock, roped off swimming area with beach, picnic tables in the shade, playground, restroom, volleyball net.

We had a great day (with one exception! Vol Fan and Maggie still haven't completely recovered!) of eating, playing in the water, eating, riding jet skis, eating, building sand castles, eating, ... The day was just about perfect. Sunny. Warm. Slight breeze. A perfect day to bid farewell to summer and welcome fall!

I have so many good memories from my childhood that took place at that very spot. I think it was a day that each of the kids will carry with them. It was a good day.

But do you wonder what could have been so tragic that Vol Fan has yet to recover and Maggie may be scarred for life?

The Great Hummingbird War of 2011

2011-08-30T11:10:00.000-05:00

One finally parked and posed for me!

My Peeps

2011-08-29T12:06:00.000-05:00

Have I told you just how blessed I am?

Not only do I have the best aunts and uncles, I also have some of the best girlfriends in the world.

Some of them are craz-e :)

The Art Of Being An Aunt, Learned From Uncles

2011-08-26T06:56:00.000-05:00

In addition to the wonderful ladies that I talked about in my last post, my Mom also had two brothers. Sadly one has passed away. But those brothers did what brothers do. They teased and tormented their sisters. Then their sister's offspring. And then the offspring of the offspring of their sisters. I assume it will continue to the next generation as well.

Whether I was being tormented or joining in their antics and assisting in tormenting someone else, I learned a very valuable lesson.

You always tease and torment those that you love. :) So if I tease you, it means that I love you!

A prime example happened this last weekend. One of my Mom's first cousins came down for a visit. Due to life getting in the way, she had not visited Mississippi in 20+ years. My uncle T went to the hotel to pick her up. She was standing in the lobby waiting by the door. He walked in and said hello. She said hello but it was obvious to him that she did not recognize him. Now any normal human being would have told her who he was and gone on with their day. But not my uncle T. It went like this:

Uncle T: Hello.

Cousin Vicky: Hello. [continues to look out the door]

Uncle T: I was thinking about getting a room here. Are you staying here?

Cousin Vicky: Yes. [continues to look out the door]

Uncle T: So how is it? Are the rooms clean? Would you recommend this place?

Cousin Vicky: Yes. Our room is very nice. [continues to look out the door]

Uncle T: So would you help me save a little money and let me stay with you? Maybe we could make it an enjoyable night for both of us.

Cousin Vicky: Excuse me!!!! [With her mouth hanging open, she turns to the man with all the questions. And finally recognizes him. They hug and do all the "OMG! It's you! Great to see you" stuff and turn to go out the door together.]

Uncle T: [with a wink to the desk worker and the people in the looby] Looks like I found a place to stay for the night!!

Cousin Vicky was not so sure she was going to be able to face the man at the desk again...

The Art Of Being An Aunt

2011-08-24T06:25:00.000-05:00

A group of our friends go out to dinner most Friday nights. This last weekend I sent a note to them saying that I would not be able to make it. I was going to be out of town. And then I added a line that I meant as just bit of humor. I said I was going to be visiting the aunts that taught me how to be an aunt.

As I was driving to Mississippi and making the return trip home, I pondered that statement and realized that it was not just a bit of humor. It was true. Those aunts (and a couple of uncles thrown in for good measure) taught me everything I know about being an aunt.

These beautiful ladies are my aunts.

[I really have no idea what Metria is doing:)]

There is a wealth of experiences in that photograph. They have lost parents. They have lost spouses. They have lost siblings. They have lost children and grandchildren. They have battled sickness and disease. But amid those trials, they celebrated. They celebrated each wedding. Each birth. Each small victory over disease. Christmases. Birthdays. Graduations. Family reunions. Watching how they handle all that life throws at them has taught me many, many things.

They taught me how to be strong. How to be confident. How to always try my best - even when I don't want to. They taught me how to embrace each experience - from the once-in-a-lifetime to the mundane. They taught me that it is always better to choose laughter over tears. They taught me how to forgive. How to look for the good in people.

The main thing they taught me was the fact that love is a verb. It is an action. It requires a choice - one made daily. And it sounds trite and simplistic but they taught me that love is dedicated, steadfast, unfailing.

No matter how old I get, no matter how far I wander - I always know that I have them in my corner. They are my cheering section. They will always be my supporters and my defenders. They will always laugh with me. They will always share my burdens and lighten my load. They will always let me do things that my Mom would not - like jump on the bed:) They will always listen without judging. They will always make spaghetti and cheese just for me! They will always make me feel special. Welcome. Loved.

They are the best examples a girl could hope for. I hope I am worthy of passing on this wonderful legacy.

She's Got My Whole World In Her Hands

2011-08-22T18:10:00.001-05:00

Why?

2011-08-17T14:19:00.000-05:00

I have been troubled lately. My good friend, Blazer, has two beautiful, talented children, Oboe and Giggles. They are great kids. They both play soccer and are in the band - and they excel at both. They also make great grades in school. Just all around, good kids!

But those children are treated like pariahs by their grandparents. The grandparents dote on their other two grandchildren. And I am sure that the other two grandchildren are wonderful kids as well. But why make such a difference between the two? Some may think that this is exaggerated but I will give you an example.

Last night was the first time Giggles played with the band at a middle school football game. Last night was also the first time the other granddaughter cheered at the very same game. Grammy didn't even tell Giggles to do good or good luck. Nothing. But the other granddaughter was fawned over. Even taken out to dinner with several of her friends. All paid for by Grammy. Would it have been so hard to invite Giggles to that dinner? Would it have been so hard to give her a hug and say "Break a leg"?

I just don't understand. And my heart breaks for Oboe and Giggles. Thankfully, we have a great group of friends and we called up the calvary last night to give Giggles some support!

But why do parents and grandparents do this? The more I look around, the more I see just how common it is. Vol Fan and his brother and sister were treated this way by his grandparents. Even Vol Fan's father made a difference between Vol Fan and his brother.

Maybe I was just lucky. There was a difference made by my Dad's parents between me and my siblings and my other cousins. Distance was probably the major factor. We lived 18 hours away while my cousins lived next door. But all the love that I had from my parents, my other grandparents, my many aunts and uncles more than made up for that!

My heart breaks for those kids that don't have a support group to rally around them to fill in the gaps. I just don't understand.

Lessons Learned The Hard Way

2011-08-16T10:23:00.000-05:00

If you are allergic to poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac and you are clearing a fence row that contains these plants, you will have to visit the doctor for a shot.
Twice.
Even if you wear long sleeves, long pants, and gloves.
If you use your shower scrubby to scratch while showering, it feels heavenly. But it is not a wise thing to do.
Zanfel and Super Ivy Dry are worth their exorbitant prices.
When you are awakened from a Benadryl-induced coma by the itching, it is NOT a good time to clean up files on your computer.
You will hit the wrong button/not read things correctly and erase very important files.
Thank goodness, I already learned the "You MUST have an external hard drive with automatic daily backups" lesson.
And thankfully, I did NOT learn this lesson personally but it is still a very, very important lesson. ALWAYS turn off the blade when messing with the mower. Even if you "have done it a million times". Or you will spend the day in the ER trying to reattach three of your fingers.

Have you learned any lessons lately?

Guess What Pita Learned To Do Today?

2011-08-13T19:23:00.000-05:00

And she's only 6. Have I mentioned how awesome she is?

A Lesson I Hope To Remember

2011-08-10T09:47:00.000-05:00

In middle school and high school, I had a good friend named Joyce Muse. She had a flair for life, for living. She could take some of the most unrelated articles of clothing and create a fabulous outfit. She had a contagious laugh. She could burp the alphabet:) She had a smile that would light up a room. The day my high school boyfriend died in a tragic accident, she came to my house and laid in the bed with me. Holding me, comforting me...for hours and hours. She was very special.

Joyce also had a father that had Huntington's disease. This meant that she had a 50% chance of inheriting the disease. After doing genetic testing, it was determined that her mother was also a carrier of the disease. This meant Joyce had a 100% chance of inheriting the disease.

Joyce passed away last week. From complications associated with Huntington's. She was 43.

When Joyce received the news of what her future held in store, she went a little crazy. As anyone would. She was angry at the hand she had been dealt. Once the reality set in, she very methodically went about distancing herself from everyone. She broke up with her boyfriend, saying that she did not want to saddle him with having to care for her as her health declined. And she definitely was NOT going to pass the gene along to any children they might have! Next, she went about distancing herself from everyone else. She moved away. Stopped communicating. She made sure that she was very, very alone.

In the intervening years, both her parents passed away. I, like most of her friends from high school, went about living life. In all honesty, I really didn't know what she was going through. I didn't learn the facts about her father's disease until years and years later. And I didn't realize that the distancing was a choice she had made in an effort to 'protect' us from what she thought would be a burden. Stupidly, I just thought that life had pulled her away.

Thankfully, Joyce had one friend that would not let her be alone. Til the end, this friend was by her side. I wish I could say that this friend was me. I wish I could say that I held her, just as she had held me.

I hope Joyce has taught me a lesson. Well, I hope she has taught me many lessons. But mainly, I hope she has taught me to be a better friend. One that will always be there. Even if just to lay by your side holding your hand.

Hummingbirds Make Me Smile

2011-08-08T07:47:00.000-05:00

Friday Fragments

2011-08-05T08:50:00.000-05:00

AB and I took some flowers to the cemetery to place on my Mom's grave. She wanted to know where the microphone was so she could talk to Grandma Lane:)
I showed much poise and gracefulness when I hooked my toe on the bathroom door. It is all nice and purple. I think it is broken. When I did it, I didn't cuss. Much.
Pita told her Mom that she is addicted to me. I hope they don't stage an intervention.
We had the most amazing light show from a storm rolling in on Wednesday. I cannot remember the last time the sky was lit up in such a dramatic fashion. And it lasted for hours.
Vol Fan went to Mississippi. I told him not to mow the yard before he left - I would be glad to do it. The rain came at very convenient times this week. Vol Fan will be home today - just in time to mow the yard.
AB and I went to pick Pita up from school. It was my first time in the pickup line. Since I didn't really know where I was going, I cut in front of about a dozen cars. It was truly an accident but I am sure the other drivers do not care.
Pita did not want to leave me alone yesterday afternoon. She said that I would be scared since Vol Fan was gone. How do you convince a 6yo that she really does have to go home with her Mommy when she is crying and saying "But you need me, Aunt Woody" when you really do need her?
Maybe that addiction runs both ways.

New Toys

2011-08-04T08:23:00.000-05:00

Have I mentioned that we got a couple of new toys? Someone owed us some money but couldn't seem to come up with cash. So we got these instead! We have had SO much fun.

Lake day anyone?

Photo Session

2011-08-03T08:22:00.000-05:00

I asked Pita and AB to pose for me. And this is what I got. Love those girls!!

A Hot Summer Day

2011-07-30T11:30:00.000-05:00

On a hot summer day, a perfect place to be is Rutledge Falls. The water is SO cold but it feels fantastic when the heat is brutal. One of my favorite memories from childhood is going to this magical place with my Dad. Thankfully, Pita and AB will have some of the same memories to treasure when they are my age.

Memories of skipping rocks.

Memories of wondering if your feet will EVER get used to how cold that water is.

Memories of being excited about catching a crawdad until you actually have to touch it. Thanks Poppy for being willing to touch those things!

Memories of looking for treasures under rocks. The treasure this day was the discovery of a nest of caterpillars. And a couple taken home to watch the transformation to butterflies.

Memories:) Have you made any lately?

Part Deux

2011-07-28T10:21:00.000-05:00

So as Saturday rolled into evening, the temperatures at Bonnaroo cooled. And I headed to the Main Stage to catch The Black Keys. They are a Grammy-winning blues rock duo. Tighten Up is the song that won them a Grammy and is probably their best known. They have a great sound and put on a great show. Their sound is not as 'manufactured' as many acts these days. I can imagine that this is what Woodstock might have sounded like.

I could have jogged across the venue to catch Buffalo Springfield but I wasn't really feeling that much energy flowing. I always sit toward the back of the main stage, in close proximity to a tiny stage called Cafe Where. So I was in the prime position to hear J. Roddy Walston & The Business. I had never heard of them but I was really glad I stayed for their show. What a fun, fun time! I will definitely be adding some of their music to my iPod.

Next up was a headliner. Eminem. I wasn't really excited about this show because rap just isn't my thing. But I will say that if I am going to listen to rap, I would rather listen to Eminem than most other rap artists. Mainly because years ago, he had some really funny videos:) From those that like rap, I heard that the show was really good. For me, it was just OK. He had a second guy on stage with him that was acting as an emcee but also was rapping. And much of the time I couldn't tell if it was Eminem or the assistant rapping. After his set ended around 12:30am, my crew of Bonna-pals deserted me for their nice comfy beds. But for me, this night was young!!

Thankfully the first late night show I wanted to see was late starting so I was able to catch some of The String Cheese Incident. These guys are festival mainstays - one of the great jam bands! They always have such a fun but laid back vibe to their music and it translates to the audience. This time they had all kinds of 'props' to accompany their show. Giant lightup beach balls. A huge inflatable t-rex. And a dude in a jetpack! This video, though not the best quality, gives a great shot of what it is like to experience The String Cheese Incident at Bonnaroo:)

Next it was time for a reunited Dr. John and the Original Meters with Allen Toussaint. That show was about as funky as funky can get! I was ready to put on my big gold hoop earrings and grow a huge afro it was so funky!! The highlight of their show was the performance of their album, Desitively Bonnaroo - where Bonnaroo gets its name. One thing I love about Bonnaroo are these once in a lifetime experiences!

Next up was the band that I had stayed up this late for...the band I had seen at Bonnaroo 2008...the band that I had deemed the most fun live show I have ever experienced...the band that I always said if given the chance, I would definitely see again! That band was Gogol Bordello. Their music is called Gypsy punk. And that is almost a perfect description. A perfect description would be Gypsy punk all hopped up on cocaine! They are the most high energy band ever! And you cannot help but join in on their energy. Seriously starting at 3am, I danced for 2 solid hours. And I DON'T dance! At one point, a couple of hippy chicks came and asked if they could join me because I had been "up here just jamming the whole time" all by myself! The entire crowd was dancing the entire time - so much so that it looked like the stage was on fire from all the dust being stirred up! They finished their set as dawn was starting to light the sky. Wow, what a show! I stand by my earlier statements - most fun live show ever and if given the chance, I will not miss seeing them perform!

It had been a long, long time since this old girl rolled home at daybreak....

#3 - Part One

2011-07-26T09:56:00.000-05:00

[Seriously, could these Bonnaroo posts be any less timely?!? This summer has been crazy busy!]

[Also a Public Service Announcement: If you are anywhere near Newport, RI this weekend, GO TO THE NEWPORT FOLK FESTIVAL. Not only a great lineup but the chance to see a show by a band that I classify as the most fun band ever!!! More on them in tomorrow's post...]

Saturday was day #3 of Bonnaroo 2011 and it was shaping up to be a hot one. Like a your face is going to melt off hot. And once again due to my 'Bret Michaels' hat, my vehicle and backpack got thoroughly searched upon entry to the venue and I did not make it in time for the first show that I had wanted to see.

Thankfully, I did make it in time for Old Crow Medicine Show. They are a string band playing bluegrass/folk/Americana/etc but I like to call their music, Newgrass. It is very bluegrass but it has a modern edge to it. I was really looking forward to this show and they did not disappoint. OCMS is always a romping, stomping good time! Their set included one of my favorites - Mississippi Saturday Night - as well as their hits, Wagon Wheel and Tell It To Me. Another band deserving some space on your iPod!

My plan was to stay for Alison Krauss & Union Station. I just knew that my good friend, Alison, would miss me in the audience if I was not there. Oh, you didn't know that I was friends with Alison? We met at LAX back in May. We were both flying home to Nashville. For some weird reason, she didn't want to sit with me but preferred to sit with the members of Union Station. But she did sit in front of me for the flight home. And after 4 hours of sitting behind her, I can tell you that she is the wiggly-est, peeing-est human being in the world! :)

But my reunion with Alison was not meant to be.....My ability to withstand the heat made other plans. Alison was performing on the same stage as OCMS - The Which Stage. It is notoriously hot at that particular stage. It isn't anymore sun-drenched than the other stages but the air does NOT move for some reason. So it seems a whole lot hotter! And my ability to take the heat had hit a wall. I needed water and shade. Fast. I got a couple of cold bottles of water, found a shady spot, and sat misting myself until I recovered. That is the first time in all my years of Bonnaroo attending that the heat had caused me to miss a show! I guess being used to those cool California temps did me in. But soon enough I was back to myself. And I chose a spot close enough to be able to listen to Deer Tick. They have a great combination of country, blues, and rock in their music. I really enjoyed recovering while listening to them!

And I was in place for Devotchka. I learned about this band from listening to Pandora Radio and I really enjoy some of their music. But I could have lived another day without seeing them live. They were late coming on and took a break about 10 minutes into their set. I am not impressed with that kind of primadonna attitude. Especially when there are loads of other bands to see!

Instead of waiting around for them to return, I had a difficult choice to make. Go to see Mumford & Sons (a band that I love and one that I had seen before) or go to see Loretta Lynn (country music legend). I'll admit I have never been much of a fan of Loretta Lynn's music. I know, I know - Go ahead and take away my "Country Music Lover" membership card. But I had seen Mumford & Sons, so I chose Loretta. And boy, was I glad that I did! At 79, she has one of the most powerful voices I have ever heard. I cannot imagine the power of her vocals 40-50 years ago! She was incredible and it was an honor to be able to watch her perform.

All this and it was only 8pm. And my day (night?) was not even half over!!! More later.....

AB And Posing

2011-07-25T08:43:00.000-05:00

I have a crape myrtle blooming in my yard. After getting my camera back from the camera doctor, I wanted to get some pics of Pita and AB with the blooms. [We probably should have at least brushed hair for the pics but oh well...] AB decided that she wasn't really in the mood for posing.

AB notices that Pita is standing WAY to close to her...

"Stand right there. That is the perfect spot for you, Pita."

"I see you sneaking closer to me."

"Get away from me, Pita!"

"I'm gonna push you over if you don't get away from me, Pita!"

"See! Distance is awesome!

Bonnaroo, Day #2

2011-07-08T10:36:00.000-05:00

On the second day of Bonnaroo, I headed in at 11 with plans to make it to the 12:15 show of the New Orleans Allstars. However, security had other plans for me. I was wearing my 'party girl' hat so my vehicle got searched once again. As did my backpack. Which put a wrinkle in my plans!

But I did make it in time for Ben Sollee. He can seriously rock a cello! And here I was thinking cellos were only for the symphony. I missed his show last year and was NOT going to miss him this year. He is fantastic! If you have never heard this guy, you need to! A couple of my favorites are 'How to See the Sun Rise', 'Only A Song', and 'The Globe' - and that last one is live at Bonnaroo:) And the video showcases the beauty of Bonnaroo - you never, never know who is going to show up where!

Next up was Justin Townes Earle, son of Steve Earle. So much for me thinking that this year's lineup was heavy with rap artists because once again here is an Americana artist! His music is like the perfect highway driving music - just enough rockabilly sound to keep things going. One of my faves is Ain't Waitin'. A highlight of his set was when he was joined onstage by Ben Sollee for 'Mama's Eyes'. Friday was fast turning into one of my favorite Bonna-days!

I chose Abigail Washburn next. Most of the crew headed to the main stage to see Grace Potter & the Nocturnals. [And seriously, Grace Potter is fantastic! But I had seen her before and for me, Bonnaroo is about seeing bands that I have never before seen.] So I stuck with The Other Tent - it is my favorite tent:) Abigail Washburn is known for her banjo picking. And she is married to Bela Fleck (the foremost banjo player in the world - seriously, I'm not exaggerating!). He also plays in her band The Sparrow Quartet as does Ben Sollee! Seriously how could this not be fantastic!! And I was not wrong. They were awesome! Banjo players truly amaze me and when you are talking banjo players of this caliber, it cannot be described. City of Refuge is probably my favorite song by her.

Then I RAN to catch a short set by Bela Fleck. His talent is beyond description! Check out this video for a sample of his banjo picking live from Bonnaroo:)

Ray LaMontagne was next on the agenda. He is a singer-songwriter. He has a very raspy voice that adds such depth to his sound. Most have heard one of his songs even if they don't know who he is - listen here and see if you don't recognize this from an insurance ad on TV. One of his songs that I just love is his cover of Gnarls Barkley's Crazy. His show was heavy with songs from his album, God Willing & the Creek Don't Rise - which happens to be a favorite of mine:) If he is not on your iPod, he should be!

Then it was time to catch the end of Florence and the Machine. I only caught the last 20 or minutes of this show. The little I heard was good but their sound is a little too much toward the pop side of music and that's just not my favorite thing.

I moved on to the Del McCoury Band and The Preservation Hall Jazz Band. Del McCoury is a bluegrass legend. The Preservation Hall Jazz Band is a Dixieland jazz band based at Preservation Hall in New Orleans. Join the two and you have a rompin', stompin' good time! Seriously, The Incredible Woody does not dance and the world thanks her for it. But I just could not sit still for this show! Absolutely incredible show!

Then it was time to make my way to the main stage for the remainder of the set by My Morning Jacket. Seriously, this band is just awesome! I had seen them several years prior - for their 4-hour set! But they never disappoint. And apparently, another group of people made their way to the main stage as fast as I did because shortly after I arrived, The Preservation Hall Jazz Band joined them onstage for a couple of songs. I seriously love lead singer Jim James' hair. He has the perfect rock band hair - long, curly but without that greasy look that so many get. His hair would blow in the breeze and when it was backlit by the stage lights, it is a look that I just love! I'm Amazed is one of my favorites!

While making my Bonnaroo game plan, I had intended to RUN from the main stage after My Morning Jacket to catch the end of the set by Primus. But after a full day in the heat, I was very content to sit on my blanket and rest a while. While resting, we noticed that the sky was sparkling. And no, we weren't hallucinating! The sky was sparkling, like someone had dropped glitter across the sky. Turned out someone had! There were a dozen or so skydivers that dropped thousands and thousands of blue blinking lights. It was magical!

Next was Arcade Fire. They were really good and my favorite Bonna-story involves them but doesn't involve their music. My friend, Robin, and her boyfriend were in charge of a beer tent. Their beer tent was set just outside the main gate to the part where the stages are and is set up more like a bar, with tables, etc. Late Friday night (or early Saturday morning, depending on your point of view) she and her boyfriend got on a shuttle that the vendors use to get in and out of the grounds. There were already several people on the van and they all started talking. She told the people about the place that they were working and told them they should come and hang out. Then she told them "You should have come by last night because Arcade Fire was there hanging out with us" to which the other people on the shuttle replied " Uh. We were there. We are Arcade Fire!" Hahaha!!! I just love that a Grammy winning band was riding the shuttle like all the rest of the little people and staying at the Comfort Inn. I love when people are still down to earth in the midst of their fame!

All this and there are still two days to go!!

Bonnaroo 2011, Day #1

2011-07-07T14:12:00.000-05:00

On the first day of Bonnaroo, my good friend Blazer (you may remember her from past Bonnaroos or from our cross-country trip last summer) and I loaded up to head in around noon. In previous years, we have had to head in at the crack of dawn to join the never-ending line of traffic to reach our campsite. The decision not to camp was the best decision we have EVER made:)

The powers that be at Bonnaroo had made the wise decision to open the campgrounds on Wednesday evening, rather than Thursday morning. So the line to get in was pretty short and moving fairly fast. And after boasting for year after year that I could smuggle anything at all into Bonnaroo since I had never been searched, my vehicle was searched!

My sister-in-law, Crafty, claimed that the searches were because I changed hats. I have my usual 'Roo hat that I wear year after year. However, this year I chose to wear my new cowboy hat that I purchased in Arizona last summer. Crafty called it my 'Bret Michaels' hat. She said it made me look like a party girl. I guess she was right because my vehicle and my backpack got searched every day. Except for Sunday....when I switched back to my regular 'Roo hat:)

Our first show was Hayes Carll. He is a singer-songwriter - country but not mainstream, more honky-tonk. I loved his set! He did a great cover of Tom Waits' "I Don't Wanna Grow Up" as well as lots of songs from his two latest albums. If you like Americana, he is well worth a spot on the iPod:)

Next up was Karen Elson aka Mrs. Jack White. They announced that they were divorcing the weekend following her show! But Jack was in the wings watching the set and many in the audience probably went to this show hoping he would perform with her. But she proved that she is a wonderful artist in her own right. I can't really put her style in a box but still probably more Americana than anything. My favorite song by her is "The Truth Is In The Dirt". She was fantastic!

Next was Cory Chisel and the Wandering Sons. I had never heard of them before walking up to their show. They were awesome! A folk-rock band from Wisconsin. He included his very appropriate song "Tennessee" in his set but my favorite was "So Wrong For Me".

Then it was time for Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band. How can you go wrong with a name like that?!? Plus they play a washboard! Well, go wrong we did. They are probably a fantastic band for a drunken frat party but not really what we were looking for. Honestly, every song sounded just like the last song and I was looking for a little more depth.

That was when Blazer decided to call it a night and I headed to see Civil Twilight. They were pretty good, reminded me of a mixture of U2 and The Police. But their music is pretty low key, so they were putting this old girl to sleep! So I headed to The Other Tent to hear Sleigh Bells. They are described as a "noise pop duo" and that is pretty much what they are. But they were entertaining.

All in all, a good start!

And then I headed home. For a shower. Then my own bed. In the A/C. Take that, camping suckers!

Wise Decisions

2011-07-06T17:28:00.000-05:00

What should a person do after spending a year 2000 miles from her home and then taking a 4-day road trip to return to said home?

Rest?

Unpack?

Laundry?

Well, if that person is me, you go to a 4-day music festival!! I made it home just in time for Bonnaroo.

To tell the truth, I was not terribly excited about going this year. The main headliners were rap artists. And rap just isn't my cup of tea. But after going for so many years in the past, how could I not go?!? And I was very glad that I went!!

I did make one very, very smart decision about attending. This year I did not camp! Smartest move ever! I knew after spending the last year where the temperature was a constant 60*-70* that I was going to need a daily break from the heat and humidity that is summer in Tennessee.

I heard some fantastic music. I tried to make mental notes of bands that I wanted to check out further. But as with all things 'Roo, it gets fuzzy. So as I do entries over the next several days, a lot of it is for me...trying to refresh my memory.

I only had my little crap camera with me but I had a great time trying to capture some pics at night. And then apparently, I lost my mind because I started taking pics like this one......

Playing Catch Up

2011-07-02T14:58:00.000-05:00

On Memorial Day weekend, Vol Fan and I left the dust of California and headed to the green hills of Tennessee. I was hoping for a meandering trip. Unfortunately, it didn't work out that way.

We both ended up having to drive a vehicle with Vol Fan towing a loaded goose-neck trailer. So there really wasn't the opportunity to explore. However we did make a couple of fun stops along I-40.

We stood on a corner in Winslow, Arizona. Silly but so much fun! Something every fan of The Eagles should do.

We stopped at Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo. [Where I realized that my camera really, really needed to visit the camera doctor for a good cleaning!!]

And had dinner at The Big Texan in Amarillo, home of the 72oz steak challenge. We were not up for the challenge but several were and one actually finished! It is a real cheesy place but oh so much fun. We were even serenaded by a musical trio. I requested 'Waltz Across Texas':)

We stopped for lunch in Oklahoma City at Toby Keith's I Love This Bar And Grill. There is a nice downtown park near the restaurant which we enjoyed walking in to stretch our legs.

And before you knew it, we were home.

One of these days...

2011-06-17T17:52:00.000-05:00

I will find time to post again. When you have lived on the road for the last 5 years and finally come home for a stretch, there are tons and tons of things that need worked on or cleaned or hauled away or trimmed or planted or mulched or stored in the attic. But I did find time to attend this last weekend:)

Home

2011-06-07T08:01:00.000-05:00

And we have been busy doing this...

I Cannot Wait

2011-05-27T23:47:00.000-05:00

On Sunday, we will be starting a 3 (maybe 4) day drive....

This place is calling my name...

I can't wait to see these faces...

But it also means I will be MIA from visiting all my blog pals. I will miss you guys but I will see you in June!

See You At Wimbledon

2011-05-21T14:42:00.000-05:00

Pita decided that she wanted to take tennis lessons rather than play soccer this spring. I, for one, think she is fantastic...but I might be a little biased...

Win or lose - I think she is pretty cute doing it!

The Great Rib Hunt

2011-05-16T14:43:00.000-05:00

In 2006, Vol Fan and I had just started our roaming ways. Vol Fan had just started the work that would take us all over the country. Little did we know what was in store for us.

Vol Fan was invited to attend a pre-season football game between the Tennessee Titans and the Jacksonville Jaguars at the stadium in Jacksonville, Florida. When he returned, he had a fabulous tale to tell.

On the way to the game, they had stopped at a BBQ joint. More of a hole in the wall than restaurant. They had two things on the menu. Ribs and pulled pork. That was it.

Vol Fan told of ribs so glorious that he thought he had died and gone to heaven. The best ribs he had ever eaten. However, there is one problem. The ribs were so good that every thought left his head other than that delicious meat. He cannot remember the name of the place. Or if it even HAD a name. Or its location. Or anything else about it. Only that he was in heaven while gnawing on those bones!

So asked him if those ribs were so good, what was the second best? And thus, the hunt for the best ribs in the country was started. So in our travels, places have come and gone off of his list. But we always track his top five.

Vol Fan's criteria for good ribs is simple. He doesn't judge based on the sauce. It is based solely on the meat. Does it fall from the bone easily? Is it juicy? Is it flavorful? If the meat needs sauce, it doesn't cut it. Not saying that sauce can't add to the experience but tastes for sauces are so individual that it really can't be a part of his judgement.

So here is his list:

The No-Name Place in Jacksonville, Florida - One day we will figure out its name. But probably not before we have another job near Jacksonville...
Baby Blues BBQ, Venice, California - We heard about this place on The Travel Channel and so we didn't want to pass up the opportunity to give it a whirl. Vol Fan had the platter that included 1/2 rack of baby back ribs and 1/2 rack of Memphis-style ribs, which are a little bigger than baby backs. Both were delicious but the baby back were the hands down winner. I had the pulled pork (I always have pulled pork. I just can't stomach gnawing on a bone!) and seriously, it was the best pulled pork I have ever put in my mouth! This is a tiny place so if you arrive at prime time, be prepared to wait. We arrived just in the nick of time and had to wait about 10 minutes. While we were eating, we heard the hostess say that wait time was about 1.5 hours. As long as you weren't dying of hunger, it would totally be worth the wait!

The Commissary, Germantown, Tennessee - We ate here with Bubbles on a quick run through Memphis several years ago. Another tiny, hole-in-the-wall place with plenty of atmosphere. The BBQ was delicious. And I wish I would have saved a little room for dessert because the cakes and pies looked off the hook.
Jot 'Em Dot, Athens, Georgia - This place was located within walking distance of our lodging while working in Athens. They had great atmosphere and bands played regularly. And from the fumes coming from the back porch, the staff and patrons also enjoyed a toke now and again.
Calhoun's On The River, Knoxville, Tennessee - A Knoxville tradition, especially on Saturdays in the fall. Just don't show up wearing anything but orange!

Also good:

CJ's BBQ, Oxnard, California - This place gets bonus points for having extremely cold beer!
Rendezvous, Memphis, Tennessee - A Memphis institution located near Beale Street. But the ribs that day just weren't up to snuff to make it into the Top 5.
A place in Gaffney or Spartanburg SC that neither of us can remember the name. It was visited long before the list was even started, possibly Southern Barbecue but we are not certain. We should have started writing things down long ago!
Roadside shack near Shiloh, Tennessee - This place was literally a 6*6 outbuilding with a smoker and picnic tables along the roadside. But it was good!
Cheddars, Jamestown, Virginia - Also just a good variety, family restaurant. Since this is a chain, I can't say that every location would have good ribs...but it is based out of Texas so who knows?
BBQ joint located at carwash in old gas station, Knoxville, Tennessee - Probably the most seedy of joints that we have ever eaten but still really good:) It is located at Walker Springs and I-40, right at the top of the exit ramp. You can pull up and order a rack or a half a rack or even just a couple of ribs if you need a snack. Cash only!

Any places that we should add to our "must try" list?

A Perfect Anniversary Celebration - And It Was Free!

2011-05-15T08:03:00.000-05:00

On Saturday, Vol Fan and I woke to find that we were both feeling much better from the bug that has been draining us all week. So after breakfast, we took a leisurely drive to Los Angeles - to Hollywood Park. We were going to play the ponies!

We don't have a clue as to the who/what/where/why of horse racing and betting. So I picked a type of bet and stuck with it on every race. I bet $1 Trifecta Box, meaning I picked 3 horses that I thought would come in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. Since I 'boxed' the bet, they could place in any order. This bet cost me $6 per race.

Vol Fan was all about some research. He read the The Daily Race Report - getting the scoop on the horses, jockeys, trainers, etc. And his betting was a wide array of things - Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, etc along with some bets on certain horses to win.... Lots of stuff!

So we cheered. We shouted. It was SO much fun!

After the races, we went to Baby Blues BBQ for dinner. I had heard about it on The Travel Channel. On our travels, Vol Fan is always on the search for good BBQ ribs. I will write a little more about this place tomorrow. But let's just say that this place good!

On our drive back home, we were on the Pacific Coast Highway. Just as we were leaving Malibu, we saw some activity in the ocean. So we turned around to see what it was. There was a group of 3-4 dolphin feeding in a small cove. Not only were they feeding but they were having a jolly good time while doing it. They were doing jumps like you would see at SeaWorld. A perfect end to the day!

So how, after $100 worth of gambling/lunch at the track/ dinner out, was all this for free? Woody hit a Trifecta and won $300!!

Is It Friday Already?

2011-05-13T12:39:00.000-05:00

This week has flown by. Mostly because I have been in a drug-induced stupor. The bug that kept AB from performing in her dance recital was passed to me. And it kicked my tail. Ear infection. Respiratory infection that was fast-tracking toward pneumonia. Shots. Prescriptions. And yesterday, I can finally hear again in my right ear. I haven't been able to hear out of it since I descended into Kansas City last Tuesday. So healing is coming - it is just very, very slow. And for some weird reason, I am still expected to work...
Yesterday was a momentous day. Vol Fan and I celebrated 21 years of marriage. We had a nice dinner out at BJ's Brewhouse. (Seriously, the mac-n-cheese appetizer is the best mac-n-cheese I have ever put in my mouth!) Unfortunately, the bug from AB to me has moved to Vol Fan as well. Hopefully, we will be able to celebrate in style this weekend!
Today is a momentous day as well. College Girl graduated from The University of Tennessee this morning. She majored in BCMB (or Biochemisty, Cellular, and Molecular Biology) and graduated Summa Cum Laude!! And she managed to do it while having a good time as well. I am an extremely proud aunt. She is a good egg! Now just 4 more years of pharmacy school....

How has your week been?