There are Men Too Gentle to Live Among Wolves

"There are men too gentle to live among wolves
Who prey upon them with IBM eyes
And sell their hearts and guts for martinis at noon.
There are men to gentle for a savage world
Who dream instead of snow and children and Halloween
And wonder if the leaves will change their color soon.

There are men to gentle to live among wolves
Who anoint them for burial with greedy claws
And murder them for a merchant's profit and gain.
There are men to gentle for a corporate world
Who dream instead of Easter eggs and fragrant grass
And pause to hear the distant whistle of a train.

There are men to gentle too live amount wolves
Who devour them with appetite and search
For other men to prey upon and suck their childhood dry.
There are men to gentle for an accountant's world
Who dream instead of Easter eggs and fragrant grass
And search for beauty in the mystery of the sky.

There are men to gentle too live among wolves
Who toss them like a lost and wounded dove
Such gentle men are lonely in a merchant's world
Unless they have a gentle one to love."

James Kavanaugh

Swiped This From Skittles

Your Hillbilly Name Is...

Big Bessie Rambler

Hillbilly Name Generator

Which Way Did I Go

We took off this morning earlier than normal. We both were ready for a change of scenery. The drive into Nashville was breathtaking. I am not sure how it happened but I ended up on a two lane, curvy road somewhere in Nashville. We went from the interestate to "where the hec are we" in less than 15 minutes. The "where the hec are we" went from "how the hec am I going to turn this rig around?" Fortunately we came up on a church with a large parking lot. Then we got back on Interstate 24. I told mom to call the park and get directions. He said "well you take 65 north to ...." This is not good because we were on Interstate 24E. So we drove until I could find a place to turn around and got on Interstate 24W and drove back through Nashville until I found 65 north. Once on 65 north I started relaxing. It was pretty stressful driving through Nashville twice. Then it hit me and mom at the same time, the exit numbers were going up instead of down. So I found a place to turn around and we got on 65 south, even though the man said north the numbers were saying something else. I drove through Nashville for the 3rd time. By now my stress level was off the scale because traffic was picking up. Besides that the three of us had to go to the restroom and mom was not going to move for fear that I would end up on a two lane road again. We did find the place and we are so far out in the boondocks that mom and I probably won't leave for a while. It is peaceful here, the park is beautiful, and I do not want to see Nashville for a long time.

Cornersville Tennessee

Ben Did It Again

(CBS) Sunday Morning contributor Ben Stein thinks it is time President Bush admit that Iraq is a disaster.

Times are very tough in Iraq and if I was still a speechwriter for the President, like I was for Mr. Nixon and Mr. Ford, this is what I would suggest he say:

My fellow Americans, I have some sobering news. It is my duty, above all, to protect the nation. I sincerely believed I was doing that when I ordered the invasion of Iraq. I still believe Saddam Hussein was the most dangerous man in the world. But it is clear to me now that things are not working out well in Iraq. Despite the incredible confidence, bravery and sacrifice of our men and women on the ground there, Iraq is still a violent, largely out of control nation. We may be making more terrorists than we destroy. "Quagmire" comes sadly to mind. It is clear that change must be made. Therefore, I have this morning accepted Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld's resignation with sincere thanks for his service to the nation. He will be replaced by a truly heroic American, Senator John McCain of Arizona.

Despite my best intentions, I made mistakes in Iraq and mine is the responsibility. Good men and women died and hard-earned tax money was lost. Fine young men and women are crippled and disabled, which is a tragedy. It is time for a change. Therefore, I am convening an official, national, bi-partisan, blue ribbon commission composed of Democrats, Independents and Republicans, civilian and military, to start meeting at once and give me a recommendation in one month as to what our Iraq policy should be. All options are on the table. All.

I want to close with this thought. I am just a man. I have no miraculous powers. I have no special pipeline to God. Like all presidents from Jefferson and Lincoln onwards — and believe me, I know I'm not in their league — I make mistakes and sometimes good people die because of them. I am deeply sorry. As we re-examine our policy, I would ask that you all pray for us to make the right decision. May God continue to bless us all. Thank you.

©MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

How

I have been asked via e-mail and received some comments about my age and early retirement. Someone even had the audacity to insinuate that I am independently wealthy. That was a comment I deleted and chuckled about. So how did a person on the downhill side of 40 ends up in a RV and traveling down the road. It is quite simple.

My father had cerebral palsy. The doctors told my grandmother that he was retarded and needed to be institutionalized. Keep in mind he was born in 1930. He was raised by his grandmother. He was sent to private schools because of his disability and wasn’t until he demanded to be mainstreamed in high school that he was allowed in public schools. His gait was awkward, his speech hard to understand but he was a people person and people responded well to him. His grades reflect his intelligence. He later married my mom and started his own business.

When he was 50 he was diagnosed with peripheral neurothapy. It was then that he was confined to a wheelchair. Add neck surgery, arthritis, and other ailments that age gives us and he started depending on my mother more and more. He was also scared to be left alone and no one can blame him for being afraid. So my mother found herself over time, becoming more and more housebound. The last five years of his life it took the two of us to care for him. His mind was sharp but his body had deteriorated to the point that he was no longer able to take care of his most basic needs. My mother left the house for a couple of hours to shop once a week.

When he was hospitalized May 2005, the doctor told us that we could no longer care for him. He would have to be put in a nursing home. It wasn’t because he was receiving poor care. We took outstanding care of him; it was simply the care he would require went beyond what we could do for him. This upset mom and I more than his passing. We promised him that he wouldn’t go into nursing home. We did everything we could to prevent this. Like I said earlier his body was weak but his mind was strong. He wouldn’t survive in a nursing home. His passing became a blessing simply because he wasn’t in a nursing and we fulfilled our promise to him.

My mother had basically become housebound for 20+ years. When she asked if I would become her caregiver and quit my secure job I jumped at the opportunity. I worked for years in the “welfare office.” I figure if I ended up on the welfare line then at least I have an advantage. That is why I am here today in Kentucky. I traded in my Sebring for a Vue and a Gulfstream. The Vue I could handle the Gulfstream was a different matter. After hitting the tree I became more relaxed about driving it. I sold my house and got rid of everything I owned. It started out as gift to my mother. Somewhat of a “martyr” statement you say? Let me tell you what started out as a gift to my mother has ended up becoming a gift my mother gave me.

Halloween Bad Joke

A cabbie picks up a Nun. She gets into the cab, and notices that the VERY handsome cab driver won't stop staring at her. She asks him why he is staring. He replies: "I have a question to ask you but I don't want to offend you"

She answers, "My son, you cannot offend me. When you're as old as I am and have been a nun as long as I have, you get a chance to see and hear just about everything. I'm sure that there's nothing you could say or ask that I would find offensive."

"Well, I've always had a fantasy to have a nun kiss me."

She responds, "Well, let's see what we can do about that: #1, you have to be single and #2, you must be Catholic."

The cab driver is very excited and says, "Yes, I'm single and Catholic!"

"OK" the nun says. "Pull into the next alley."

The nun fulfills his fantasy with a kiss that would make a hooker blush. But when they get back on the road, the cab driver starts crying.

"My dear child," says the nun, "why are you crying?"

"Forgive me but I've sinned. I lied and I must confess, I'm married and I'm Lutheran."




The nun says, "That's OK. My name is Kevin and I'm going to a Halloween Party."

Where Are the Wooly Worms

Where are the wooly worms? I have not seen one this fall and I depend on them to forecast the winter weather. Others have seen them but not me. What does this mean? Does this mean I won’t see winter? Which is not bad because that means I will be where it is warmer. From what others have told me the wooly worm is black and that means batten down the hatches, pile up the wood, and get your long johns out because winter is going to be bad.

Saw the sand sculptures this afternoon. It is absolutely fascinating that someone would spend days creating these fragile pieces of art.

We ate dinner at Cohen’s. The Cohen Family owned this from around 1921 until 1980, when the last member of the Cohen family, Stella Cohen Peine, died upstairs in her apartment. Her husband was murdered in the alley behind the building. She lived with her sister until the 1950’s. The she became reclusive and was hardly ever seen. Allegedly this place is haunted and has been on the Discovery Channel “Haunted Journeys.”

Location: Paducah Kentucky

Grumpy versus Perky

My mother pops out of bed. She starts the coffee, turns on the TV, and while nursing her cup of joe she watches the news. I, on the other hand, do not do perky in the morning. I slide out bed, plop down at the kitchen table, and stare at her with one eye. I am not a pretty sight in the morning and my disposition makes it worse. Undaunted mom smiles and says "Good Morning." This causes the other eye to open and I to growl, "Whats so good about it." Geez how does that woman live with me?

I lied we are staying two more days. They are doing sand sculptures and Metropolis has a casino - two good reasons to stay on.

Location: Paducah Kentucky

Leaving Tomorrow

We will be leaving tomorrow. Our destination is the beautiful state of Tennessee. We are planning a visit to "Widow of the South."

Paducah and Mayfield was a wonderful stop. My favorite place was the cemetery in Mayfield.  It is very rare to see the statues. The gentlemen that had them created must of wanted his family with him when he passed. Even though they are buried elsewhere they are with him in stone and spirit.

Mom and I are looking forward to warmer and drier weather. Lets hope we find it.

I will post when I can. It is always a challenge finding the Internet. Trees kill my signal so sometimes my satellite won't work and even though the RV parks are getting wireless we seem to find the ones that hasn't.

Location: Kentucky Paducah

Well This Is Interesting

I swiped this from Skittle's Place

HowManyOfMe.com

There are: 0 people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

Been Tagged Again

1. You can press a button that will make any one person explode. Who would you blow up?
The insurance person who said I would have to crawl back to Missouri with my broken legs.
2. You can flip a switch that will wipe any band or musical artist out of existence. Which one will it be?
Marilyn Manson – one sick puppy
3. Who would you really like to just punch in the face?
Would saying Bush put me on a list?
4. What is your favorite cheese?
Sharp Cheddar
.5. You can only have one kind of sandwich. Every sandwich ingredient known to humankind is at your immediate disposal. What kind will you make?
Turkey, Lettuce, Tomato, and Mayo. I am very boring
6. You have the opportunity to sleep with the movie celebrity of your choice. We are talking no-strings-attached sex and it can only happen once. Who is the lucky celebrity of your choice?
Mr. Green Jeans
7. You have the opportunity to sleep with the music-celebrity of your choice. Who do you pick?
Harry Belafonte
8. Now that you’ve slept with two different people in a row, you seem to be having an excellent day because you just came across a hundred-dollar bill on the sidewalk. Holy cow, a hundred bucks! How are you gonna spend it?
Slot machines – head for the nearest casino
9. You just got a free plane ticket to anywhere. You have to depart right now. Where are you gonna go?
El Salvador
10. Upon arrival to the aforementioned location, you get off the plane and discover another hundred-dollar bill. Now that you are in the new location, what are you gonna do?
Grab a bus and head for Tazumal. Then later I would grab another bus for Guatemala and sleep under the stars on top of the Temple of the Masks.
11. A demon rises out of Hell and offers you a lifetime supply of the alcoholic beverage of your choice. It is…?
Belikin Beer
12. Rufus appears out of nowhere with a time-traveling phone booth. You can go anytime in the PAST. What time are you traveling to and what are you going to do when you get there?
Who the hec is Rufus? The Antebellum Period, South Carolina.
13. You discover a beautiful island upon which you may build your own society. You make the rules. What is the first rule you put into place?
You can only build thatch huts, wear minimal clothing, and drink only Belikin Beer.
14. You have been given the opportunity to create the half-hour TV show of your own design. What is it called and what’s the premise?
World’s Biggest Gainers starring all of the anorexic stars. Serve them cheesecake, cheeseburgers, and onion rings and watch them eat.
15. What is your favorite curse word?
Once in a while the f word will slip out because it is so deliciously evil.
16. One night you wake up because you heard a noise. You turn on the light to find that you are surrounded by MUMMIES. The mummies aren’t really doing anything; they’re just standing around your bed. What do you do?
Unwrap them and see what lies under all the wrapping. Then dress them up in my grandmother’s clothing and take pictures.
17. Your house is on fire! You have just enough time to run in there and grab ONE inanimate object. Don’t worry your loved ones and pets have already made it out safely. So what’s the item?
My computer
18. The Angel of Death has descended upon you. Fortunately, the Angel of Death is pretty cool and in a good mood, and it offers you a half-hour to do whatever you want before you bite it. Whatcha gonna do in that half-hour?
Call everyone I know and say I love you.
19. You accidentally eat some radioactive vegetables. They were good, and what’s even cooler is that they endow you with the super-power of your choice! What’s it gonna be?
Invisibility. Nothing cooler.
20. You can re-live any point of time in your life. The time-span can only be a half-hour, though. What half-hour of your past would you like to experience again?
Any of the half hours on the day I truly believed I was loved.
21. You can erase any horrible experience from your past. What will it be?
Lighting up my first cigarette.
22. You got kicked out of the country for being a time-traveling heathen who sleeps with celebrities and has super-powers. But check out this cool stuff… you can move to anywhere else in the world! What country are you going to live in now?
Belize
23. This question still counts, even for those of you who are under age. Check it out. You have been eternally banned from every single bar in the world except for ONE. Which one is it gonna be?
Sorry I don’t hang out at bars.
24. Hopefully you didn’t mention this in the super-powers question…. If you did, then we’ll just expand on that. Check it out… Suddenly, you have gained the ability to FLOAT!!! Whose house are you going to float to first, and be like “Dude, check it out… I can FLOAT!”?
My daughter’s home, it would totally creep her out. She thinks I am every where anyway.
25. The constant absorption of magical moonbeams mixed with the radioactive vegetables you consumed earlier has given you the ability to resurrect the dead famous-person of your choice. So which celebrity will you bring back to life?
Mr. Greenjeans
26. The Gates of Hell have opened, and Death appears. As it turns out, Death is actually a pretty cool entity, and happens to be in a fantastic mood. Death offers to return the friend/family-member/person, etc. of your choice to the living world. Who will you bring back?
My Brother
27. What’s your theme song?
Just Dropped In To See What Condition My Condition is in.

I Tagged Those Who Have Tagged Me

Skittles
Ramblings

Hannah

I would love to see the answers that Jolie and Dave would give. Just an option.

The Day The War Stopped In Kentucky

Sister Mary Lucy was born Barbara Dosh in Pennsylvania. She and her sister were orphans who were taken in by the Sisters of Nazareth of Louisville. Barbara had a talent for singing, so the nuns sent her to study music at St. Vincent’s near Waverly, in Union County. A wealthy couple wanted to adopt her, but she so loved the Sisters of Nazareth that she became a nun and was known henceforth as Sister Mary Lucy.

When the Civil War broke out in 1861, Sister Mary Lucy was teaching music at St. Mary's Academy in Paducah Kentucky. Northern troops occupied the Southern-sympathizing town in September, and appealed to the sisters at St. Mary’s to help nurse the sick and wounded. Though teachers, the nuns from St. Mary’s did double duty as nurses. The Sisters served in all the hospitals which were soon filled with cases of typhoid and other infectious diseases and later with sick and wounded from the battlefields. Some patients were captured Confederates but the nuns treated all of the patients the same.

Sister Mary Lucy was young, and unproven as a nurse. But she willingly went about the task assigned to her; tasks which required every ounce of courage and strength that she had. She sang softly in her beautiful voice as she worked, for which the soldiers silently blessed her, as it reminded them of their mothers, wives, and sweethearts back home. Sister Mary Lucy also ate less food so the patients could have more. This apparently weakened her system, and she came down with typhoid fever. Sister Mary Lucy died on Dec. 29, 1861.

Even battle-hardened soldiers were heartbroken at the death of this selfless young nun. She had never raised a hand against anybody, and here she was struck down by this horrible disease. Union authorities arranged a military funeral. Her honor guard was a dozen officers, six in blue and six in gray. All were patients of Sister Mary Lucy. Her coffin was placed aboard the Peacock, the cannon-bristling gunboat draped in black. The warship transported Sister Mary Lucy’s remains up the Ohio River to Uniontown, where a wagon waited to take the coffin to the little cemetery at St. Vincent's Academy.

The soldiers were convalescent at best, in their weakened state; they risked catching pneumonia in the cold out on the river.

It was dark when the Peacock reached Uniontown. They put torches on the wagon and the funeral procession traveled another seven miles down a dirt road to the cemetery. After a brief funeral service, her body was laid to rest. Before they left, the officers, with the permission of the church, gave her a military salute. After the burial services were over, the twelve officers of two different armies parted company, one contingent going to Columbus, Kentucky in the service of the North, the other group toward Vicksburg and the South. Impressed as they were by the admirable conduct and gallantry shown by the Southerners on the journey, the Federal officers allowed the Southern officers their freedom and in that act offered a tribute to the memory of Sister Mary Lucy, who had nursed all men as simple children of God, regardless of the earthly loyalties.

Location: Kentucky Paducah

Why Not Bats

I have been asked why do I like bats. Bats are mysterious. They are the symbol of night which is my favorite time of day. If you have ever stood outside a cave around dusk you will be swept away when you see the bats come out of their home to look for food. Bats are more closely related to humans than they are to rats. I think I fell in love with bats when I first held one and realized that this was an opportunity in a lifetime. Bats were instrumental in my home as well because when my daughter wanted a rat I said "Sure." Because Rats like Bats are two of the most misunderstood animals. I have a tendency to support the underdog. Bats are very helpful to humans - pest control, antibiotics, fertilizer, and even tequila. So raise your shot glass, eat the worm, and salute the bat.

Mayfield Kentucky Cemetary

We visited another beautiful cemetery in Mayfield Kentucky. This one had something a little unusual in it though. An 18-figure group was erected in the late 1890's by Henry G. Wooldridge. He is the only person entombed on the lot. The group of monuments consist of two statues of Henry- one astride his favorite horse, Fop and another with him standing beside a lectern. Colonel Wooldridge raised, raced, and sold horses in the Mayfield / Graves County area. He never married after his first and only love died in a riding accident years before in Tennessee. About 1880, as Col. Wooldridge neared 60 years of age, he moved to Mayfield, where he lived until his death on May 30, 1899. I took lots of pictures and they will be posted after I post this.

Another interesting monument is the statue of an angel holding grapes. According to folklore, when the monument was erected the angel was holding a full stalk of grapes in her extended hand. As time past, one by one, the grapes began to fall and disappear. Legend has it that when the last grape falls the world will end.

Afterwards we headed for Paducah and stopped off at a bookstore. It is not a good place for us to go, believe me. We have reading material now which will be nice when I snuggle into bed tonight. We just found out it will drop below freezing tonight so I will have to drain my hose and turn on the heaters for the tanks.

As the Duke of Paducah would say “I’m goin’ back to the wagon, boys, these shoes are killin’ me!"

Thank You Hannah

When you win that hundred million I want the real thing!

Mayfield Kentucky

Today was laundry day and house cleaning, what fun we have in our little house on wheels. We did meet our neighbor who was just delightful. Later we took a drive to Mayfield because that is where the RV will have to be tomorrow morning for minor interior repair. The cemetery is beautiful there and I am hoping that we will have time tomorrow to go back.

We will also be going to downtown Paducah sometime this week. They have murals as well as historical buildings. My two favorite things to see.

So far all is well and we are keeping warm, hope the same for those that read this. .

Location: Kentucky Paducah

I've Been Tagged

5 Thingamajigs I Like:
The sound of a train
A new book
The smell of coffee
Quiet mornings
Bats
5 Thingamajigs I Hate:
Fever blisters
Irresponsible drivers
Insect bites and stings
Sneezing
Elevators

5 Thingamajigs I Do Far Too Often:
Daydream
Goof around on the internet
Drive
Take Pictures
Sit

5 Thingamajigs I Do Even Though I Shouldn't:
Smoke.
Eat
Stay awake (I live on 4 or less hours of sleep)
Snore
Cuss

5 Thingamajigs I Would Never Do:
Bungee jump
Climb a mountain
Run naked through the street
Pierce my belly button
Own a monkey

5 Thingamajigs I Regret Doing:
Not finishing college
Not saying goodbye

I don't have a lot of regrets

5 Thingamajigs I Would Do If I Won 100 Million Dollars:
Move to Belize or Guatemala
Take photography lessons
Send two of my children to college (hint hint)
Sent up scholarship funds
Finish college


5 Thingamajigs About Me That Are Peculiar But True:
I hate to sneeze
I can't cook
I really do like to climb trees
I really don't mind driving
I love to sidewalk to sit

I am sending this to
Hannah

Outa Here

We will be leaving Osage Beach today and heading for Kentucky. Will post when Internet is available.

Hannah I love the quilting blogs. Robert is to funny. I am still worried about him.

Location:  Osage Beach

Itching To Leave

I am itching to leave. The itch is worse than poison ivy or those nasty little no see ums called chiggers. So far, Mom has a clean bill of health, Surely has problems with her trachea, and my doctor forgot to write my appointment down. I hate Well Women Exams. I spend the night before worrying and dreading it. Of course you can’t eat after midnight and that only makes me hungry after midnight. So I can’t curl up with my peanut butter and a good book and relax. So I was not a happy camper when I walked in the doctor’s office Monday and everyone greeted me and then said “what are you doing here?” I am going tomorrow and once again I will spend an anxious night without my peanut butter.

I always leave an impression at my doctor’s office. It is not because I want to, believe me I really don’t but I always do. Example: I call the office. I say “This is Pepper.” Their voice turns from professional to friendly.
Receptionist: Hey girl what’s up?
Me: I need Malaria pills
Receptionist: where the hell are you going?
Then I hear her say to her co workers, she needs malaria pills. Yes, I did get them after explaining why.

My last visit to see them was when my kayak flipped in Lake Petén (in Guatemala). 45 minutes of treading water and drinking half the lake did a number to my digestive system. I waited a week before I called. I haven’t lived that one down. The feeling to my leg did come back.

I know we are heading to Kentucky to get some minor warranty work done and after that we are heading for I-10. I don’t have an itinerary set up and probably won’t but I will keep everyone posted. Thanks for the emails and comments. For those that inquired about my oldest son and his health, he is good health, the tear in his lung has healed, and he is going out of his mind because he can’t work. Surgery is still on his agenda and he will be able to work two weeks after the surgery. He is looking forward to getting back to normal.

Yes Hannah

I have no childhood memories. The ones I repeat were given to me by someone else who remembers. I don’t remember the feel of my grandparent’s hugs or kisses. I don’t remember past Christmases or Halloweens. I don’t remember my brother and if wasn’t for the pictures I wouldn’t remember his face or his smile. I see pictures of me sitting with my grandmother, leaning into her, and smiling for the camera but I don’t remember her. I sometimes look back at those pictures trying to remember but I don’t. I wish I could give my children and grandchildren the wonderful gift of my childhood memories but I can’t. I give them someone else’s memories that pertained to me. I have a picture of me around the age of 7 with my best friend, a dog called Jimbo. I know he was my best friend because someone told me. What I can remember is the feel of the woods; the security and serenity of the stillness. I remember running through a field by the lake and tasting freedom. I remember setting fire to the woods above the house and my dad went to his grave always wondering and never knowing that I did it. I remember the Turtle Pond and magical spring that fed it. I remember going there once and finding it. I felt like I found the pot at the end of the proverbial rainbow. The woods were my hiding place. I found myself in those woods. I went back to the house today. I saw my woods, my field bulldozed. Depression is insidious, its tentacles squeezes your heart until it bleeds tears. I sometimes complain that the medication I take takes away my tears. It didn’t when I drove to the house and saw the destruction. Yes Hannah I do miss my hills.

Snow, Getting Married, and Pneumothorax

A blog friend of mine mentioned she was getting snow. Snow, four little letters that spell fear, at least for me. I lived in the Ozarks, the land of hills and hollows and snow meant treacherous roads. Ever since I hit another truck head on my fear of snow has only increased. Snow covered roads meant walking ½ sometimes ¾th miles to my car. If the plows came and cleared off the first road then I only walked ½ mile, uphill on a long and winding road. If the weather man reported deeper snow I would park my car ¾ miles from my house on a better stretch of road. I would have to walk ¾ miles up two hills to get to my car so I could work. I hated walking up those hills. I tried to focus on the beautiful landscape or sang silly little ditties to take my mind off the fact that I was freezing to death but it didn’t work. I wore a stocking cap, mittens, a heavy coat and when I took off my hat the static electricity would create a hair do that nothing could tame. I looked like a wild woman when I went to work. When it would snow while at I was at work I would get the hell out of there immediately. I would put in my request for leave, jump in the car, and if I wasn’t stocked up on groceries I would stop at the store. I left a laundry basket in the car during the winter months so I could put my groceries in it. Then I would tie a piece of rope on the laundry basket and drag it while I walked home. This only worked when there was snow on the ground. I remember one time I loaded up the laundry basket and started the trek down the road. The laundry basket must have hit a patch of ice the same time I did because I took a tumble and the laundry basket full of groceries went whizzing by me. I laid there and watch my groceries take the curve of the road and disappeared. I walked down the hill thinking I would see my groceries scattered to and fro but to my surprise there at the bottom of the hill was my laundry basket, still full, and not one thing fell out of it. Someone smiled on me that day. I grabbed the rope and trudge home feeling a little bit warmer thinking about that smile.

Hannah, I know you do numerology the old fashion way but I found a web site that will do it for you. I have to agree with your results though because this one forecasted marriage when I am in my fifties. I do not see that happening. It is fun though and if you want to play with it go to Numerology

Since all of my children are reading my blog now I will explain by copy and paste what is going on with James/Rusty which is, for those that don’t know, my first born.

What is a pneumothorax?

A collapsed lung (pneumothorax) results from a buildup of air in the space between the lung and the chest wall (pleural space). As the amount of air in this space increases, the pressure against the lung causes the lung to collapse. This prevents your lung from expanding properly when you try to breathe in, causing shortness of breath and chest pain.

A pneumothorax may become life-threatening if the pressure in your chest prevents the lungs from getting enough oxygen into the blood.

What causes a pneumothorax?

A pneumothorax is usually caused by an injury to the chest, such as a broken rib or puncture wound. It may also occur suddenly without an injury (spontaneous pneumothorax).

Spontaneous pneumothorax can occur in people who don't have lung disease. This happens when an air-filled blister (bleb) on the lung ruptures and releases air into the pleural space. It is very common in tall, thin, men.

His surgery is scheduled for the first week in November. Hopefully he will be back at work on the 15th. Until then he is a stay at home dad.

My Grandkids

ohmm kind of day

Called the insurance company today because they think I have moved to another state. After explaining to the nice lady that I didn’t move I found out I am only covered in the state of my residency. Let me get this straight, if I fall down a flight of stairs in Iowa and break both legs I am suppose to crawl back to Missouri for casts? Ohmmmmmm

Out of Silk Chocolate milk ohmmmmm

Mom’s fuzzies. She purchased a pair of lamb skin, fleece house slippers and loves them to the point of distraction. “Aren’t these baaaaaaaaaaaad.” “Ah they have little sheep butts on the soles.” “I wish I could wrap these up and send them to Jolie.” “Don’t Ewe steal my slippers while I am sleeping.” Ohmmmmmmmmmmmm


Partial List of things to do today. Hem pants, fix the toilet paper holder thingy ma jiggy. Call insurance, call the vet, call doctor. Fix the shower head. Do laundry. Find where the showers are and take a shower. Ohmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

700 watts how many amps. Ohmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Surely Not takes a poop under a bush, had to crawl under to retrieve it. Ohmmmmmmmm

Cut one pants leg off, if it ain’t right do I have to crawl back to Missouri to get it sewn back on. Don’t panic I am hemming. Ohmmmmmmmm
Location:  Osage Beach Missouri

Truckers and Evangelists

We are back where we started originally. Our purpose here is for our yearly exams and Surely’s as well. The only fun we will have this week is catching up with the kids and their lives. We are so anxious to get back on the road because this is the moment we have been waiting for… the jumping off period of our lives you could say. This is where we will leave the comfort zone of the neighboring states and embarked on new territory. A little unnerving in some ways, but exciting in other ways. We met our neighbors and they are very helpful. They purchased their coach at Colliers as well. They seemed surprise when they discovered we had no plans, no itinerary for this winter. They must have their winter months scheduled, appointed, and planned. We are living for the moment and praying we won’t end up in a parking lot somewhere sleeping.

The meteorologists were predicting a terrific storm for this part of the area so I left West Memphis with that thought on my mind. I drove 300 miles and my derriere feels it. Today we went at a leisurely pace when they announced the storms might come in tonight or tomorrow.

It is a strange feeling to drive up high with the truckers. You get a glimpse into their semis when traveling down the road. It is interesting to see men with cowboy hats on, wearing A-line t’s, and a kitty cat riding down the road on the dash. The majority of them are considerate drivers.

Wehr Ford in Mountain Grove is where I am purchasing my next vehicle. I met one of their salesmen this morning at the campground we stayed. I realize that car salesmen get a bad rap. They are rated right up there with lawyers and crooks. This gentleman (who was in his twenties) was well a gentleman. I got up this morning and my first chore of the day was to wash the windshield of the RV. That is when I met my neighbors, an elderly couple with a poodle who walked like a human. This couple was evangelists. They traveled from church to church spreading the word and they supplemented their income with the sales of their homemade CDs. They sang old time gospel, she on the bass and he on the flat top and mandolin. They were on a limited income but were trying to make the most of their lives. Previously they owned a Coachman motor home but it was a gas hog and they decided to trade it in. The RV Dealership saw them coming you could say and sold them an older model fifth wheel and I mean older model and a pick up truck to small to tow it. They threw a rod and we were fortunate that their vehicle died while pulling onto their lot. They went up to Wehr Ford which is located by the RV Park to see about fixing their vehicle, which I forgot to mention had 200,000 miles on it. The dealership explained to them that a. the motor is to small to pull a fifth wheel, b. the motor is blown and they would take it in as a trade in on a good used truck that will have the horsepower to pull their fifth wheel. The salesman drove the couple back to their RV to think about it. It was later that night that the elderly gentleman found out his brother died and that is when his family found out what was going on them. The salesman also came back that evening to bring them groceries at that time. This morning the salesman returned to let them know that they will keep the same deal but they (the elderly couple) needed to return home for his brother’s funeral. Because the elderly couple did not have a credit card they couldn’t rent a car so a family member rented one for them but they would have to pick it up in Springfield which is a 40 minute drive. The salesman drove them to their car. He figures as do I their time on the road is over. I bought a copy of each of their CDs, the salesman paid for a week at the campground, and they should have enough money to go home on. I will say a prayer for them.

Location:  Osage Beach Missouri

Andy Rooney - Andy's Geography Lesson

I keep thinking I ought to go back to school. So much of what I learned is out of date now. Kids have to go to school when they're five until they're 17. Maybe adults should be made to go back to school for one month every five years.

If you didn't pass, you'd lose your driver's license, something like that. Maybe they'd take away your television set until you passed.

I studied geography for about four years in school. I learned the names of the capital of every one of the 48 states. I've heard recently that there are more than 48 now so I need to go back to school to learn what the two new capitals are called.

I was looking through my atlas the other day. When I was in school we learned about France, Italy, Germany, Spain, England and Russia, but I don't ever remember hearing any teacher mention Iran or Iraq. Now, they're all you do hear about.

I like the names "Sri Lanka and Sierra Leone" but I couldn't point to either one of them on a map.

"Swaziland". I don't know Swaziland and I don't think I'll be going there for a vacation anytime soon either. I read where the men in Swaziland die at an average age of 32. The women die at 34. The men are the lucky ones.

In Japan, the men live to be an average of 78 years. The women, 85.

Now, here's a surprising figure. In Iceland, the average life expectancy is listed as 78 years. That seems high. I remember the joke about someplace else though. Maybe living in Iceland just makes it seem that long.

I worry about how many people the Earth can hold. It seems almost full now. There are more than one billion people in India and one billion 300 million in China. That little extra 300 million is what we have here in the United States - or we're about to have, 300 million. It's ridiculous that we don't do something to prevent that happening. Or can't I say that on television?

Mexico has a total of 106 million people. A hundred million of them want to come here.

If I ever get to go back to school to learn some geography, while I'm there, I think I'll also take an arithmetic class so I can do my taxes and a history class so I'll remember who came first, Richard Nixon or Ronald Reagan.

By Andy Rooney © MMV, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Ben Stein - Is Foley That Big A Deal?

Naturally, like every other American parent, I am troubled indeed by the revelations about Mark Foley sending sexually explicit e-mails to teenage Congressional pages.

But I am stunned about the amount of attention the subject is getting in the national media. It's 24/7 on all the cable news stations, all over major front pages, and leading the network news. I agree it's a big story, but let's put it in perspective:

There's a war on in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Central Africa. Something roughly like of 1,200 civilians each day are being raped and or murdered or dying of disease or hunger in that war. Millions have died, and very rarely does anyone in the media mention it.

In Darfur, Sudan, there is an ongoing genocide, taking thousands of lives every day, while the world does nothing, and I mean nothing.

The security situation in Afghanistan, which we thought we had conquered a few years ago, is collapsing. Half of the country is enemy infested. Our commanders there are begging–yes, begging–for more troops, planes, and helicopters, and their pleas are going unanswered. The Taliban, which sheltered Osama bin Laden, is resurgent all over the nation. If we lose there–and we are losing — Osama bin Laden has beaten us — again.

If Afghanistan falls to the Taliban, Pakistan will likely fall to the Islamic fanatics in that country. This would be a catastrophe indeed, since Pakistan has a large arsenal of nuclear weapons. But nowhere is this gathering disaster mentioned except on egghead shows.

Call me crazy. But while e-mails about gay sex to a minor are important if they come from a Congressman, aren't 1,200 lives a day in Africa important? They're just as important as you and I are. Isn't the likely victory of a terrorist movement in Afghanistan and the possible emergence of a fanatic-led nuclear Pakistan important?

The Foley story is a big story, but in the interest of pursuing a sex scandal we are ignoring matters of life and death for the whole planet. Countries that don't know what is life threatening and what is not do not last. I am sorry to say, that's us.

Commentary By Ben Stein ©MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Tupelo Mississippi

A lot of people would go to Graceland if they were in Memphis Tennessee but I am not one of the masses, so to speak. I like to go to the beginning, where it all started and that is where we headed off today. Tupelo is the birthplace of Elvis Presley, the King of Rock and Roll. I like Elvis’ music but I always felt he was a nice person surrounded by manipulative people who did not care for his well being. Something similar seems to be happening with a celebrity in the Bahamas now but I won’t go into that at all. It was an interesting stop to say the least. I think there were some people who were disappointed because it was a small three room house. A chapel was built and dedicated in 1979 adjacent from his childhood home and even though it is pretty little chapel there is a sadness radiating from it. Of course there was an Elvis Presley gift shop for those who wish to buy a souvenir. I didn’t go into the home nor the museum because I felt enough people profited from him who shouldn’t. My little act of rebellion you could say.

For more pictures of Elvis Presley’s home click on the photograph tab. For those interested in Elvis Presley’s childhood click here - Elvis Childhood Home

All in all I didn’t care for Tupelo Mississippi. We went to Wal-Mart’s there and I had enough of people pushing and shoving. Rudeness was running amuck at the Tupelo Wal-Mart’s and Pepper was about to blow. I don’t like crowds and when in a crowded situation and people are rude I get very frustrated and angry. If we didn’t need dog food I would have walked out. We ate lunch in Holly Springs where once again I was amazed by people’s rudeness. Our waitress was not happy to see us. She wasn’t happy to see anyone for that matter so I don’t feel singled out. She flipped our plates and pizza on the table by the toss of her wrist as she was walking by. It was like here is your food, now get out. She did the same performance for the other customers as well and I can assure you she was not tipped well for it either. I told mom when we got back in the car that I have no desire to see the rest of Northern Mississippi and was happy to get back in Arkansas.


Tomorrow is laundry and I have a truck wash to check out. Our little house is getting very dusty from the dirt road and is in need of bath. If I can get the coach in the car wash without taking out the building I will drive it up there on the day we leave for a much needed bath. If not I will let Hannah and Scott the honor when we return home to be tortured by our doctors. Let’s see if they read this.

One Of God's Masterpieces

Moon Over The Mississippi

Words Cannot Describe

Photographs removed

On The Road To Tunica Mississippi

It was really strange to drive down a long stretch of highway on the way to Tunica and see billboards on every side of the road. Big fields of cotton with billboards sprinkled in. Mom and I decided on the Grand Casino based not on the slots but on the “Grand Buffet.” If given a choice of food or slots I am afraid we would chose food every time.

And Oh what a buffet it was- BBQ, Asian, southern fried food, and a dessert section that made your mouth water. I watched the World’s Biggest Loser last night and decided to follow their advice when it comes to eating at the buffet. First you walk around, drooling, looking at all that food, and then you make your choice……. I settled for Asian and no desert.

You know what is sad? I come home all excited and happy. I stop at the office to see if my mail arrived and it did. I received a box of bills. Reality really sucks.

Surely and I took a walk this evening and she got the bejesus scared out of her. She is nearly blind, hard of hearing, and there are moments when she is just not with it. This dog, standing on a tree stump let out a woof that would curl the hair on your toes. I thought Surely was going to turn inside out. Of course when she was at a safe distance she let him know who was boss. All small dogs have the heart and soul of a lion.

I am happy to hear that I made my sister a “Three Weird Sister” fan.” Again I will add to my blog lyrics to another song by them. I especially enjoy the song “My Karma Broke Down.” If you are interested go to their website. Three Weird Sisters


Time for bed. Tomorrow will be an adventure. We have to find a Wal-Mart in Memphis. I have a feeling that it will be like finding a needle in a haystack. I will do the Google search thing and pray the directions are right. Until then, enjoy the pictures and the lyrics.



Mama's Hands
By Brenda Sutton©
Today while clutter gathering I glanced into a mirror
And I had to look again a long, long while
For the woman staring from the glass was somehow not just me
But the moment that she grinned I knew her smile.
Those are my mama's hands on my mama's arms
Those are my mama's eyes looking at me
And from my open mouth her laughing voice comes out
And I'm sounding just like her when I was three
"Did you get a boo-boo, Baby? Let me drink those tears."
"There might be a bogey man, but he'd have me to fear."
"Oh, I could grow potatoes from the dirt inside your ears!"
When did my mother slip inside of me?
I remember as a teenager I swore that when I grew up
I would never say the things Mom said to me
But I find my mother's phrases popping out in crazy places
And what's more, they sound like sensibility
That is my Mama's stance and my mama's stare
I even seem to walk with Mama's stride
I'm getting more like her, do I snore like her?
And am I feeling now the things she felt inside?
"You're too young for make-up, Sweetie. Wait 'til you're sixteen."
"I'm not Janie's mother. I don't do this to be mean."
If those clothes fit any tighter, you would bust out every seam!"
When did my mother slip inside of me?
Mama, oh Mama
You never were this smart when I was young
But Mama, oh Mama
It seems the older that I get, the wiser you become
I'm told that there's a mother's curse that every mother places
Upon the head of each child at her knee:
Someday when you grow up you'll have children just like you,
And they'll do the things that you have done to me.
That is my mama's sigh and my mama's nod
I even have her hair, it's turning gray
She gave much more to me than I'll ever know
But I'm finding a new gift with every day
"Worked my fingers to the bone! Now please tell me for what!"
"You're not too big to be spanked. That's why God made your butt."
"We're putting on a little weight around our little gut."
When did my mother slip inside of me?
Those are my mama's hands on my mama's arms
Those are my mama's eyes looking at me
And from my open mouth her laughing voice comes out
And I'm sounding just like her when I was three

Billboards and Cotton - The Staple of Tunica Mississippi



A Beautiful Arkansas Sunset


A Big Dog With A Big Woof

Showers

Our dining room window overlooks the shower and that has proved to be far more interesting than watching my neighbors. The building looks like a ramshackle shack, something out of the movie “Tobacco Road’ but inside it is all modern conveniences. The have a small porch to the side for those who need a modem to surf the net. The behavior of people coming to and from the showers is what fascinates me. Older men throw on shorts, flip flops, and have a towel thrown over the shoulder. They stroll over to the showers and 15 minutes later – they come out doing the shower walk. That is a walk you get after having 5 cups of coffee. The younger men wear droopy pants, baggy t-shirts, and they carry their towel in their hand, not thrown over the shoulder. They amble to the shower nonchalantly. They come out of the shower looking the same, walking the same, and the only way I know they have showered at all is their hair is wet. Women are a whole different ballgame. There are some (like me) that wear anything over to the showers and carry a shopping bag of shower necessities. I consider them bag women of the park. They step into the shower, like superman stepping into a phone booth and when they come out they are transformed from bag lady to doing the shower walk. Some women go in wearing a robe and house slippers and come out looking like a nun. Yes a nun. This one in particular came out dressed in a gray dress with a matching head dress. I swore I was looking at Mother Teresa.

The showers are extremely busy in the early morning hours. Some folks walk over to the showers, find them busy, walk back to their home and return in a car. That I don’t considered strange until this one fellow walked back to his trailer put his family in the car and returned immediately. What was he thinking? I guess he was aggravated and wished to give his whole family the same aggravation of waiting. Maybe two whining, screaming kids would drive the people who were occupying the showers out. Who knows.

I backed up the coach and locked into a signal. So we have the internet.

This morning Surely and I walked to the banks of the mighty Mississippi and sat and watched the barges. There is something soothing about a river. I think after I get through with my choring I will return and sit and ponder.

Later

Hello From Arkansas and Sometimes Tennessee

We are in Memphis. Gave up on Kentucky and decided to gamble away the kid's inheritance at Tunica Mississippi.

This is an awesome park. In the morning I will grab a cup of coffee, sit at the picnic table, and enjoy the Mississippi River. I love rivers, big or small. We were so fortunate to find this park because of its location. Expect sunset pictures!

I am not able to get my satellite working because of a tree. Tomorrow I am going to back up the RV three feet and see if I can get it working. I am using a neighbor's Internet tonight. So if I don't get it working you won't be hearing from me for a week.

Hannah - Scott Rusty's surgery will not be invasive. He will know tomorrow about work. The only concern right now is if his lung collapses anymore that is why he will need daily x rays. I will call you if things change.

My dog Surely is a little girl. She is such a great companion. I am hoping to walk her tomorrow by the river but she hates water and might object. She knows she is need of a bath.

Until then

In The Morning

Photos removed

Oasis

After playing Tarzan today I decided to find a quiet place to relax. Right down from the RV park there is a well-manicured park complete with a small lake and hiking trails. A quiet oasis. Mom, myself, and Surely Not spent the rest of our afternoon there. Took a few pictures, Surely grazed on grass like a cow, and we just relaxed.

We are leaving tomorrow. Lets hope nothing else comes up because I am not going to climb that ladder again. Like I said earlier we did meet our neighbors, was invited out for a beer, and it turned out to be a fine day after all.

Cape Giredeau

Up On The Rooftop

Today is the day we move into Kentucky. I got up and completely broke camp, i.e. levels up, slides in, electric and water off, and then it hit me.... I forgot to stow the satellite. So I went out and hooked up the power and went in to stow the satellite. It was dead. No power to the satellite or the microwave (which is all conveniently located together). No I didn't blow a breaker or had to much juice to one circuit. The television also didn't work, the refrigerator didn't work, and I couldn't figure out what was going on. So I went and check the breaker, recheck my connections, and in the meantime I met my neighbor. Now he said he was an electrician. So he went in and did the same exact checks I did. So I called Tech Support. I went out and reset the inverter which made the television work and the refrigerator work but it did not solve the problem with the microwave and satellite. Then the tech said "I don't know what to tell you except you can't drive the motor home with the satellite up". So I knew I had to go up on the rooftop to manually lower the dish, if it was possible. I am terrified of heights and I am terrified of ladders. I slowly started climbing when I thought I heard the phone ring. So I yelled at mom - if it is Hannah don't tell her that her mother is on the roof. Why? It is an old joke that the kids and I like to tell each other. It goes like this:

A man goes on vacation while a friend takes care of his house and feeds the cat. Each day the man calls to check in and is told everything is fine. However, on the fifth day, he calls and his friend tells him the cat got out of the house, was hit by a car and is dead.The man is horrified. "Why did you tell me about it that way?! Couldn't you have broken it to me easier? I still have three days left on vacation, so you could have worked me up to it each day. Start by telling me the cat is on the roof. Then tell me it's in a tree. Finally, work up to telling me about getting hit by the car."The friend apologized and promised
to be less abrupt in the future.At that point, the man asked his friend if there was anything else he should know."Well," the friend replied. "Your mother is on the roof....."

I want you to know - I solved the problem. The microwave and the satellite is plugged into a surge protector. When I couldn't manually lower the satellite I decided to check the surge protector. It was defective. Problem solved and all systems go. Mom decided to stay in Cape town another night and so I set up camp.

I tell you this, if you want to meet all of your neighbors - just climb on your roof. It works every time. Mom had two strange men crawling on her bed. Woo Hoo!

Cape Giredeau