I'm dreaming of a WET Christmas......

Well, not really - but that's what we have! And even if I couldn't see or hear the rain - my aching right leg would tell me it was there. For me and DKW this is either 2 days after and 2 days before Christmas (Mid-Mas?). On Friday past (23rd), we celebrated Christmas with my 3 (of 5) children and their families that live in the area. My mom was there also and we exchanged gifts and had a turkey dinner (that I cooked). The turkey (as usual) was tender, juicy, and falling apart. A very ugly - but tasty - bird. My cornbread dressing though was (I think) the best I've ever made. I confess I think so too. I did tweak my recipe a bit and I've make notes of those tweaks for future reference. Anyway - everyone enjoyed the meal and my grandkids seemed to really like their gifts - so I count the day a success.
Tuesday, next (27th) we will be going to visit DKW's folks for a couple of days and leaving our house and pups in the care of our house/pet-sitter extrodinaire! (Thanks Christi!) Looking forward to an enjoyable time there too.
Kind of a weird Sunday for me - no football! The NFL played their entire slate (except for tomorrow's MNF game - Saints & Falcons) and there's no bowl game until tomorrow. The good news (for me anyway) is that my Raiders are still in the playoff hunt. They defeated KC in overtime and Denver got blew out by the Buffalo Bills. With a win at home next week (against San Diego) and a Denver Loss (against KC) the Raiders would win the AFC West. Even if Denver wins, as long as the Raiders win they could still make the playoffs - but would need a lot of other things to happen. The bottom line is they MUST take care of business and win first. Then what happens - happens. (But I will confess to having my fingers crossed.)
Everyone have a great day - And a Safe and Happy New Year!

Year's Nearly Over

It's been a couple of weeks since my last entry and I thought I ought to wrap things up since I may not get the opportunity again before 2012!
With their loss to Detroit on Sunday - the Raiders may be eliminated from the NFL playoffs. They are tied with Denver (at 7-7) but Denver holds the tiebreaker, so the Raiders would have to win their last 2 games (with division foes Kansas City and San Diego) and hope Denver loses one of its last 2 (Buffalo and Kansas City). All I can do is hope. They haven't looked too great lately.
MSU plays Wake Forest on December 30th in the Music City Bowl (in Nashville). They are currently a 7 point favorite and I feel confident that they will win.
Today is my last work day for 2 weeks (Jan. 3rd). Going into the holidays with mixed emotions. Looking forward to my grandkid's getting their gifts but it also means my oldest and her family are relocating to Jackson so that John can start his new job. I wish them well, but I will miss having them living next door.
Looking forward to the visits, but I know that by the time January 1st rolls around I will be ready to get back to work.
But I can guarantee you that I will get my fill of football (Thanks Sweetie!). DKW indulges my football addiction to the extreme. But the football season is winding down. However, in March, the new Tupelo Hound Dogs of the Ultimate Indoor Football League begin play. I'd like to go see one or two games.
Anyway - I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and best wishes for 2012!
Everyone have a great day!

Heavy Sighhhhhhh.................

I really had planned to blog a couple of days ago, but the weekend football results kinda bummed me out. On Saturday, SHS lost the 5A Championship game to Picayune High 38-21. Congratulations to the Maroon Tide, but I fully expect my Jackets to be back next year.
On Sunday, My Raiders got blew out by a Miami Dolphins team that I fully expected them to beat. Now they are tied with the Denver Broncos (at 7-5) for first in the AFC West, and with the 4 games they have left, in real danger of not making the playoffs. It starts this weekend when they travel to undefeated (12-0) Green Bay. YIKES!!!
MSU found out that they will be playing in the Music City Bowl (on December 30th) in Nashville against Wake Forest out of the ACC. GO DOGS! That's the good news. While there is no (official) bad news yet - the rumor-mill is stating that Coach Dan Mullen will most likely be the next football coach at Penn State. As much as I'd hate to see him go, I'd wish him well. He's a very nice guy.
Well, my Christmas shopping is done and except for 2 small gifts which came in the mail recently, everything is wrapped.
On Saturday, December 10th, I will be putting my Santa suit on and be playing Santa for 3 or 4 hours at the Emerson Family Learning Center in Starkville.
Everyone have a great day!

State (HS) Championships Start Today

There are 3 games today (1A, 2A, & 6A) and 3 games tomorrow (3A, 4A, & 5A). All held in the Veterans Memorial Stadium in Jackson, MS. SHS plays in the 5A Championship Game tomorrow night at 7 PM in what will be the last High School game in Mississippi this year. The Picayune Maroon Tide are actually the (slight) favorites over the SHS Yellowjackets. Everyone is predicting a tight game and, depending on breaks, either team could win. My grandson and I will be in attendance and hoping for an SHS victory. Win or lose, I'll be yelling for our team - but I will be keeping my fingers crossed. (Couldn't hurt.) Found videos for previous SHS Championship games. Most are highlights and run under an hour but the oldest/first one is the entire game as shown on TV. The games are 1984, 1994, 1995, and 2001. I'm providing the links for you to enjoy - if you wan to. On a related SHS (non-football) subject - the boys basketball team is currently undefeated (6-0) and ranked #1 (regardless of class) in the state. They play tonight at West Point High.
And back to football - MSU finds out Sunday where they will be headed for a bowl game - but the general consensus now seems to favor them heading to Nashville for the "Music City Bowl". We'll find out.
My Raiders play at the Dolphins Sunday. Here's hoping for a victory so that they can maintain first place in the AFC West.
I'll blog next week and let you know how things turn out. GO JACKETS!!!
Everyone have a great day!

Those "Rascals" were right.....

To quote their hit song from the 60's: "Its a beautiful morning. I think I’ll go outside a while, An jus’ smile....."
That's how I feel anyway after what (to me) was a great Thanksgiving/football weekend. DKW and I had a nice Thanksgiving meal with my youngest daughter, oldest son (& his wife & son) and my mom. With just a small touch of drama - but we let it pass - and had a pretty enjoyable weekend.
Sophie (my 18 lb Chi-Weenie - see pic)made out like a bandit. It's been our habit (for several months now) that when I run to town on Sunday mornings to get the newspaper we stop in at the Sonic Drive-In and I have a junior breakfast burrito and she gets a small order of tater tots (except for one or two that I eat). Well, I got up Friday morning and ran to town to get my Sunday paper - ooops! The town was packed. We stopped at Sonic (I had promised after-all) and then headed back home. Other than actually going to town Sunday for my paper (when Sophie got her second order of tots) - the rest of my weekend was spent at home. Primarily because with all the damp, cool weather my leg (injured in the wreck last year)was killing me.
Friday night my Starkville (MS) Yellowjackets played the Ridgeland Titans for the North Mississippi 5A title. After a first half that saw the Jackets fall behind early, the Jackets pulled away in the second half to win 28-7. On Saturday (December 3rd) SHS will play Picayune for the Mississippi 5A State Championship. I plan on being there (in Jackson,MS) along with my oldest grandson to see the Jackets win (hopefully) their first state championship since 2001!
On Saturday, the MSU Bulldogs played their in-state (& SEC) rival - the Ole Miss Rebels. And I'm happy to say that it was pretty much all Bulldogs! With the victory the Dogs become bowl eligible for the 2nd year in a row. There are 3 possible destinations being tossed around but we won't know for sure until Dec. 4th or 5th. The 3 are: (1) the Music City Bowl in Nashville,TN, (2)the Liberty Bowl in Memphis,TN, or the BSAV Compass Bowl in Birmingham, AL. The most likely destination is Nashville, but we won't know until the invites go out. I'd rather they went to Birmingham - cause we could visit friends and I could go to the game. There were a couple of other things (besides beating That School Up North) that made the game special: (1)for the first time in 70 years MSU has beaten TSUN 3 straight years and (2)Vick Ballard finished the year with over 1000 yards rushing.
And on Sunday, my Raiders completed the (for me) football trifecta by beating the Chicago Bears 25-20 and at 7-4, remain in first place in the very tight AFC West.
On a related football note - the nearby (Scooba,MS) East Mississippi Community College Lions will play the Arizona Western Matadors in the 2011 El Toro Bowl (in Yuma, AZ) on December 3rd for the Junior College National Championship. Among JUCOs, AWC is ranked #1 and EMCC is ranked #2. Both teams are undefeated going into the game. Should be a good one!
Everyone have a great day

Thanksgiving Week is here

For the weekend past - it was pretty enjoyable. MSU did get beat pretty soundly by Arkansas on Saturday (44-17)- but that, unfortunately, was expected. The good news is that we came out of it relatively healthy and we are favored over Ole Miss by 18 in the "Egg Bowl" on Saturday (26th). Once we trounce the Rebels, MSU will be Bowl eligible - with the most likely bowl destination being Memphis or Birmingham.
On Friday (18th), my SHS Yellowjackets defeated the West Point Green Wave 20-14 to advance in the 5A playoffs. This coming Friday we will (once again) play Ridgeland High down in Jackson. We played at Ridgeland on October 7th and barely pulled out a 26-23 victory. Its always tough to beat a team twice in one year and even more so with a trip to the Dec. 3rd 5A State Championship game in the balance.
On Sunday, My AFC West leading Raiders pulled a tough Win (27-21) at Minnesota. The Raiders get Chicago in Oakland next Sunday. The Bears will be without QB Jay Cutler as he got hurt in their defeat of San Diego yesterday (which also benefited the Silver and Black.)
Thanksgiving will be here shortly and if I don't get back on here before then - I want to pass my best wishes to all.
Everyone have a great day!

Catching Up

It's been a little over 3 weeks since my last entry because DKW and I took vacation for a couple of weeks. We had a very pleasant time. We did some touristy things like the Ave Maria Grotto and The Lost Sea. Visited the area where DKW grew up in Catawissa, PA and got her undergrad degree (Bloomsburg University). The we had 4 days at a very nice resort where DKW participated in a Knitting Retreat and I just enjoyed the area. Then we went and visited one of her childhood friends who now lives in Elyria, OH, (near Cleveland). While there I went to the NFL Hall of Fame in Canton and we went to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. As much fun as the trip was - we were ready to get back home. It will probably be a while before we take any more long trips.
On the football front. SHS won their last two regular season games to go 9-2 overall and 7-0 in Region 2-5A . The first playoff game was this past Friday and was not as close as the final score (42-28). SHS played a lot of subs in the 2nd half against Hernando High. SHS is now the favorite in 5A since the #1 5A team (Waynesboro High) was upset. Its not going to be easy though since we will be playing last year's 5A State Champion, West Point High. Not to mention that West Point is only 30 miles from Starkville - so Yellowjacket Stadium will be packed when the Green Wave and fans come to town. (5A Bracket-Click here)
MSU won Homecoming (UT-Martin) and lost at Alabama to go 5-5 on the year. We play at Arkansas Saturday afternoon and finish with Ole Miss on the 26th (at 6PM on ESPNU). State is predicted (by USA Today) to go 6-6 and play the University of South Florida in the BBVA Compass Bowl (in Birmingham, AL) on January 7th. I hope they are right.
My Raiders are 5-4 and in FIRST Place in the AFC West. The other 3 teams in the division are 4-5. So its still anyone's race with 7 games left before playoff time.
Tomorrow (11/16) is my sweetie's birthday. Everyone wish DKW their best!
I'm sure I'm forgetting stuff that I'll want to put in later - but that's enough for now. (Oh! The pic is me and the ZZ Top Car at the R &R Hall of Fame!)
Everyone have a great day!

Monday, Monday.....(again)

As far as football this past weekend - mixed emotions. First the Raiders - without their starting QB (out for season with broken collarbone)-they looked horrible against KC and lost 28-0. Even with that though - they are only one game out of first in their division with 9 games to go - so.... fingers crossed. MSU had a bye week - so no news there. This coming weekend (Oct.29th) they play at Kentucky and Tyler Russell will get his second start - so again....fingers crossed.
Much better news on the SHS front. They pitched their first shut-out Friday - defeating Yazoo City 35-0. As a result the Jackson (MS) paper has moved them into their "Super 10" (regardless of class) at number 8 and among the 5A teams at Number 2. Starkville is 7-2 overall and undefeated (5-0) in Region 2-5A. As a result they have already clinched a play-off spot with 2 regular season games to go. They play Callaway (1-4 in Region 2-5A) at home Friday and then finish up at Neshoba Central (4-1 in Region 2-5A & currently tied for 2nd place). SOOOO - Go Jackets.
Everyone Have a great Day!

Hmmmm..................

This past weekend DKW and I made what has become our annual pilgrimage to Natchez to celebrate our anniversary (2nd this year) though we did go a couple of weeks early this time to partake of the annual hot air balloon festival. While it was an enjoyable time with us having great fun at the Natchez Little Theater production of the "Mississippi Medicine Show" - a salute to the riverboat shows of days of yore - with a tip of the hat to vaudeville thrown in.
While I was celebrating over the weekend - my football teams did this: Starkville High defeated Canton 38-7 and are in first in Region 2-5A. MSU lost a heartbreaker to South Carolina 12-14 and have a bye-week on the 22nd. The Raiders defeated the Cleveland Browns 24-17 to go 4-2 on the year (their best start since they went to the Superbowl in 2002). In the process QB Jason Campbell broke his collarbone and is out indefinitely - so they signed Carson Palmer away from the Cincinnati Bengals. Even with this - the Raiders are favored this weekend against Kansas City.
Read this morning that Kent Hull had passed away. Kent played for MSU and was on 4 Superbowl teams with the Buffalo Bills. One of the nicest, most down-to-earth guys you would ever want to meet. Also read this morning about Delta State (Cleveland, Miss.) overcoming a 10 point deficit in the final 5 minutes oftheir game against #1 (in Division 2) North Alabama to become the new NUMBER 1 team. And by coincidence - their game this weekend is against #10 Valdosta State. VSU is where my sweetie got her Master's Degree from. Ought to be a pretty good game.
MSU has announced special "gold-trimmed" uniform for the "Egg Bowl" game against Ole Miss on Nov. 26th. I think it looks pretty cool. Their are a lot of info links in this entry. Take a look if you have time.
Everyone have a great day!

The Weekend That Wuz.....

While I will share all the fun & exciting things that went on this past weekend - I would be remiss if I didn't first comment on the passing of a football icon - Al Davis. (Seen Here shaking hads with close,personal friend - Darth Raider). Al was the youngest head coach in the AFL (at 33) before he became AFL Commissioner, then owner of the Raiders. Definitely unique, Love him or hate him - AL you will be missed.
Friday night started a weekend of nail-biting games for me. SHS scored with less than 2 minutes to go in the game and hung on to beat Ridgeland High 26-23. The Yellowjackets are now 5-2 on the season and 3-0 in their region (currently tied with Neshoba Central for first place.) By coincidence, SHS plays at Neshoba Central in the final regular season game (Nov.4th) for both. This game could be for the Region 2-5A title.
Saturday I was at Legion Field in Birmingham to was MSU defeat UAB 21-3. To be blunt, MSU looked horrible offensively in the first half and trailed 3-0 to start the 3rd quarter. Coach Mullen started Tyler Russell in the second half and it was like the offense finally showed up and won it going away. I have no doubt (even though he's denying it) that Coach Mullen will start Russell when MSU hosts South Carolina this coming weekend. GO Dogs!
To get away from football briefly - While I was at the MSU game DKW was visiting with her friend, Ferah, (who was having a "Funky, Fabulous, Forty" birthday party that evening) and helping her as much as she could. The party was great. We were happy for Ferah and had a good time. But I'd be lying if I didn't say we were glad to get back home that night/morning. (We arrived around 1 AM Sunday).
With the death of Al Davis, Sunday was an emotional day for the Raiders as they played the Houston Texans. It was a very tight game - with several lead changes - and at the end -with Houston at the 5 yard line - the Raiders intercepted the ball in the end zone to preserve the 25-20 victory. WHEW!
Everyone Have A Great Day!

Flick Yer Bics & Raise 'Em High - - -

On this date in 1970 one of my all time favorite singers died at the age of 27. She was, is, and always shall be Janis Joplin! Often imitated - but never duplicated. I'm not going to try and write about her life - there is plenty of info about her online - Wikipedia for example. But every since I discovered her music (at the age of 12 in 1967) it has been part of my collection. Even now, I have her greatest hits in my car! So - Flick your Bics, raise 'em high and get "dem ole Kozmic Blues again!"
Today is also our Sophie's 1st birthday. (or 7th - if ya want to go with the common thinking.) She has so much become a part of DKW's and my life in the past year that its hard to imagine not having her around. HAPPY BIRTHDAY SOPHIE!
Yesterday my grandson had his next to last (7th grade) game of the year. They played the Koscuisko (MS) Whippets and (unfortunately) lost by the score of 18-0. So they are 4-1-1 on the year with one game left on Oct.13th at West Point.
Speaking of football, the SHS varsity won their 2nd region game in Region 2-5A and are undefeated, so far, in region games. Take a look yourself at the standings.
This Friday though we play at Ridgeland High in Jackson. If we win this one, I think we will end up with the number 1 seed for our region come playoff time and will have a real shot at the state title. Go Jackets!
Everyone have a great day!

Happy Weekend plus....

This was one of those (unfortunately) rare weekends where my football teams won on all levels. SHS defeated Lanier (of Jackson, MS)on Friday 53-13 - and it wasn't that close. On Saturday MSU squeaked by LA. Tech (in overtime) 26-20. Then on Sunday (9/25)the Oakland Raiders got by the N.Y. Jets 34-24. It would be nice if they could all keep this up.
With the (kinda) cooler weather I'm not having to mow every other weekend but I do plan on mowing this weekend (Oct. 1st). Hard to believe that October is almost here and my sweetie and I will be clebrating our 2nd anniversary at the end of it. And yes, we have plans. Plans we made months ago.
On Oct. 8th, DKW's friend Ferah is having a Funky Fabulous 40th Birthday Celebration and since the party is in the late afternoon in Birmingham (AL) and MSU is playing UAB there the same day -(11AM kickoff) - DKW is going to drop me at the stadium for the game and go visit and show off the stuff we got her - then come pick me up for the party after the game (I hope) :-)
Yesterday I had one of those moments that made me feel old. The radio show I was listening to said that it was Donna Douglas's 78th birthday. Now in case you don't remember (or know) Donna Douglas was Elly May Clampett on "The Beverly Hillbillies". It turns out that the show premiered on her 27th birthday (9/26/1962). I was 7 at the time but in later seasons of the show - had such a pre-teen crush (plus she liked critters and so did I). Hard to believe its been so long ago. Oh well - Everyone have a great day!

Went to my grandson's 4th (7th Grade) football game of the season yesterday and they defeated the New Hope (MS) 7th grade team 21-0. So they are still undefeated at 3-0-1 (since 7th & 8th grade do play tiebreakers). He has 3 games left. On the road (to Louisville, MS) next on Sep. 29. Then two home games to end the season. I'll let you know more about those games later.
DKW's mom is packing up today and heading back home to Arkansas today. She did a fantastic job painting the master bedroom and accompanying bath while she was here. It looks fabulous. This is still part of what she said that she was going to do for us as a wedding gift - and it is greatly appreciated. It makes the place look very nice and I really like the "Peppermint Tea" (a pale green) paint. Makes it very easy to relax at home after work.
SHS (2-2 after pre-divisional play) opens their division competition this Friday night at home against the Lanier High Bulldogs(from Jackson, MS). Lanier is 0-4 on the season so far - so I feel pretty good about our chances. Kind of odd though, there will be a bunch of Bulldogs in town this weekend as the MSU (Bulldogs) play host to Louisiana Tech - and LA Tech is also the bulldogs. Odd. Just saying - ya know.
Everyone have a great weekend!

Catching up

Its been almost 2 weeks since my last entry just because I haven't felt like it. Not a good excuse I know - but I'll try and catch up. Tuesday (9/6) my grandson played in his 2nd game of the year and they tied the Columbus (MS)7th grade team 28-28. So they are 1-0-1 on the year and go to Tupelo tomorrow. This past weekend was kind of disappointing as SHS got whipped by West Point 33-12 and MSU lost to Auburn 41-34. What a heartbreaker. My favorite pro-team (Oakland Raiders) play tonight against divisional rival Denver. The best pro game of the weekend was the Jets' amazing comeback against the Dallas Cowboys. Starting the 4th quarter down by 14 points their defense turned the tide and they won 27-24. J*E*T*S* - Jets!Jets!Jets! Sorry - I'm a Cowboy hater and anytime they lose is cause for celebration in my book. My mudder-in-law is visiting and I'm really having to toe the line. Just kidding! She' a really nice lady and has done a bunch for DKW and I. She's welcome to visit any time!
The weather has started to turn just a tad cooler and its welcome. Beginning later this week the highs will only reach around 85 and lows in the upper 50s. Feels like football weather to me. Yesterday I cooked my beefy-vegetable soup, but changed up my recipe a little and instead of using two cans of Veg-All I used two one pound bags of gumbo veggies. Man it turned out good. Glad there's enought left for tonight. Yum! Yum! Eat it Up!
Everyone have a great day!

Football Tonight! (tomorrow, Saturday)

Football! Football!! FOOTBALL!!! This weekend (which in my book starts tonight) is a football junkie's dream. It starts this afternoon at 4:30 when my grandson starts for the Armstrong Junior High (7th grade) Yellow Jackets. Normally I would stay afterwards for the 8th & 9th grade games, but with the MSU on TV at 7 PM and a 45 minute to an hour drive home (They are playing Noxubee County in Macon, MS)depending on traffic - I'm headed home. 7th and 8th grade games consist of two 20 minute halves so that the boys don't get overheated. So I should be on the road back home by 5:30.
Tomorrow SHS (1-1)plays at home against Tupelo (1-1) and should be favored for the first time this season.
Then Saturday is the first full day of college ball. I've checked my DirecTV schedule and on just the channels I get - there are kickoffs for 5 games @ 11AM, 7 games @ 2:30, 3 games @ 6 PM, 2 games @ 7PM and 4 games @ 9PM. DANG!! Now I do have yard work & stuff I want to do, but with Monday being a holiday - I can quit whenever I'm ready and still be able to get stuff done before I come back to work. BRING THE BALL GAMES ON! Now - having said everything above - I've got to give a tip of my hat to my sweetie who indulges me and my football addiction. Most guys aren't as lucky as I am in that respect.
Everyone have a great day! (I know I will.)

A Real Nail-biter

What a game! What a game! After jumping out to a 13-0 lead SHS gave up the lead to Madison Central in the second quarter. SHS took the second half kick-off and in a drive that took just over half of the third quarter, got a field goal that gave them a 16-14 lead. Defense was then the name of the game as they held on and that was also the final score. What an exciting game!
MSU starts their season on Thursday night (Sep. 1st) against Memphis. I can't wait. Everyone around here anticipates a good year for the Bulldogs.
Everyone have a great day!

Another New Address . . . . .

I retired from the U.S. Coast Guard in 1992 and have resided in the same house on the same spot ever since. However, the U.S. Postal Service has once again changed my mailing address. This is the third address I will have for the same place in 20 years. I have one year (from 8/20/2011 - when I received the official notice)to notify everyone that sends me mail with any regularity. What a pain! Hope that this will be the last time.
For 3 quarters, this past Friday it was a neck & neck game - but Noxubee County capitilzed on SHS mistakes in the 4th quarter and beat my Yellowjackets 33-21. Not making excuses - but our starting QB missing nearly all the 2nd half due to cramps did not help. Oh well! But it doesn't get any easier this week with #5 Madison Central coming to town.
Everyone have a great day!

Pickin' and Grinnin'.........

......with the J-Man! Yesterday my oldest son called and asked if I would watch my grandson for 2 to 3 hours so that he & his better half could take in a movie matinee. I told him sure - as it had been a couple of weeks or more since I last saw him. The J-Man (Jonas) is a little over 2 1/2, is talking well and is cute as a button! Anyway - my son dropped him off around 1:30 and Jonas & I walked next door to visit my mother. (Be aware I live in a rural area and next door is 400-500 yards away.) I had carried some plastic bags with us and on the way back we stopped at my pear tree - which is loaded. So much fruit is on it that the limbs brush the ground. J-Man had a ball picking pears from the tree. I put a few pears in each of the 4 bags and then just kind of set back and watched him We spent well over an hour filling those bags and I had a smile on my face the whole time. I could have finished by myself a lot sooner but I would have missed the show.
Every pear he picked went like this - Grabbed the pear, "grunt, grunt", twist it left - twist it right, pull again and the pear comes off - followed by an elated "I got it! I got it, PawPaw! I picked the pear!" And if I didn't remind him to be gentle - it was followed by a slam-drunk of the pear into the bag. I'm pretty sure I had as much fun watching him as he did picking. When we did get back to my house I peeled and sliced a pear up for him. He ate the whole thing - all the while telling me about how he picked that pear. Such a great kid!
I'm happy! Football is finally here. Watched some NFL pre-season ball this past week and today marks "game-week" practice for Starkville High. It's not an easy game to start either. Starkville is in 5A this year (dropping from 6A) and opens on the road with the #1 ranked 4A team - Noxubee County. Noxubee County is also the defending 4A state champion. I expect a very tough - but close game - irregardless of who wins.
Everyone have a great Day!!

Its August - Time for Football........?

Man - Hard to believe it but Starkville High starts their football season 2 weeks from today (Aug.19th) at tough Noxubee County High School (in Macon, MS). At least the predicted high temp for that day is only 91 degrees! Tuesday of this week I week and purchased my SHS season tickets. So I'm ready to go!
My oldest grandson will be playing organized football for the first time this year on the Junior High team. He's in the 7th grade and is a big boy. I'm 5'9", wear a size 11 shoe and weigh 155 (& I'm 56 years old). My grandson is also 5'9", also wears a size 11 shoe and outweighs me by 20 pounds or more - but is not fat. (& he's 12 years old). I have no doubt that by the time he graduates high school that he will be 6'4" or better. The Junior High schedule has yet to be released but I expect to see it soon. His games will be played on Thursday nights.
The USA Today Coaches Pre-season Coaches Poll came out today and MSU is ranked in the pre-season for the first time in 10 years. If you don't think the SEC Western Division is tough - consider this- MSU is picked to finish 5th of 6 teams in the west. The 4 teams picked ahead of them are all ranked 15th or higher in the same Coaches Poll. TOUGH!
Since DKW and I have plans for Saturday and its predicted to rain every day for the next week - I took off work on Wednesay to cut my 5+ acres - and it was HOT! The high for the day was 102 with a heat index of 114. I started early (7 AM) and mowed until 2 PM. At which point I took a 2 hour break - I took a cool shower - ate a popsicle or two and drank lots of water while sitting in the AC. Went back to cutting at 4 and finished up around 6:15. It was slow going because even though I had cut just 2 weeks ago the grass was really high. All the humid/hot weather causing the rapid growth. Ahh Well! Such is life.
Everyone Have a Great Day!

Old Age is................

.....always twenty years older than you are now. At least that what I heard one time. What brought this on? - you may ask. Well, I heard on the radio this morning that Mick Jagger is 68 years old today. DANGGGGG! I was listening to the Stones when I was in Junior High. Mick, Mick, Mick - what the H*ll happen.... - errr, never mind - just caught a glimpse of a mirror. All of us have made many revolutions around the sun since the Stones first burst upon the music scene. I did then - and do now - still enjoy rock & roll. But I know (& DKW will confirm) that my hearing is not what it once was. Ohh Well!
WAAAAHHHOOOO!!! The NFL has finally settled there labor woes and it appears the NFL preseason will start on time. Teams start reporting for traing camps tomorrow - with the last teams reporting Sunday. The first preseason game will take place on August 11th and the first regular season game will be on Thursday Sep. 8th with the Saints at the Packers. I am - most definitely - ready for some football! The only way I miss this game is if my grandson is playing (7th grade) that night. Gotta have my priorities straight - if ya know what I mean!
Everyone Have a Great Day!

Small Cars - BIG Mileage

Ok - when DKW and I got engaged (in Feb. 2009) she was driving a 16 year old Dodge Dynasty (which was needing work - but - in the interest of full disclosure its been fixed and her mom now owns & drives it). Anyway - I wanted her to have a dependable,new car - since she (in her entire life) had never had a new car. She told me that she would like a small car. One with a small turning radius, easy to park and good on gas mileage. So I did some reasearch (price, availability, repair costs, etc.) and gave her some options. After much discussion we decided on the Toyota Yaris (hatchback)(just like the pic above) which we purchased in July, 2009.
In April of this year I decided to finally sell my old (1985) truck and I lucked into a car that I had always desired at an excellent price - a 2003 Mini Cooper - like the one pictured. And it only had 65K miles on it! I love my COOP. Since I've had it I given DKW a bit of good-natured needling about her driving the "big" car now - while she said there wasn't really much difference in the two. So today I did a side-by-side comparison - so to speak - and as is usually the case -she is right. (all measurements in inches) Y=Yaris and C=Cooper: Overall Length Y-150.6 C-142.8 * Max Width Y-66.7 C-66.5 * Overall height Y-60.0 C-55.7 * Minimum Ground Clearance Y-5.5 C-4.4. So, even though the Yaris is (barely) bigger both cars are pretty close to the same size. I did find it interesting though that the Cooper actually has a larger gas tank (Y-11.1 gals C-13.2 gals). But the only thing that matters is that we both like our cars very much.
Everyone have a great day!

Dogs Telling Time ..... & ..... Females

Okay - First - this pic has nothing to do with this entry - I just thought it was cute. If you've been reading my blog for a while you know that DKW and I have two inside dogs. Shaddow - 9 (almost 10) years old, a lab-mix weighing in around 65 pounds and Sophie - 9 months old, a chi-weenie weighing in at 15 pounds. These girls are buds. They play together quite often. Shaddow (being older) is usually the one to decide when and for how long they play. Shaddow does have the endearing habit - when she gets excited - of bouncing her front legs up and down like a puppy. When I come home from work in the evening she meets the car bouncing up and down - I love it. Shaddow is smart too! At 9 PM every day she lets me know that its time for them to get their treat. She is always within 20 minutes of the exact time when she walks over to my recliner, puts her chin on the chair arm and breathes on my hand while staring at me with those big eyes. Gad! Those two girls have me wrapped around their dew claws. When I finally acknowledge her and say the "T" word - she starts bouncing - all the way to where I keep the treats - with Sophie running around her.
As I was dishing out the treats last night I was thinking about how most of the people in my life that I interact with are women. Besides my 2 girls and the lovely DKW - I have 3 daughters, a sister, and (of course) my mama. My new boss (as of July 1st) is a lady as is the other staff person here and I have 4 student workers - all female. Didn't plan it - just worked out that way! But that's okay! To paraphrase Abe Lincoln - "I get along with all of them some of the time, some of them - all of the time ....." Besides - I'm very secure in who I am!
Everyone have a great day!

Are You Ready For Some Football!!!!!!

Okay! I know that today is only July 1st, but dang, I'm ready for the season. If you're a football junkie - like me - you know that the CFL (Canadian Football League) kicked off their season last night with the Montreal Alouettes edging the BC Lions 30-26. NFL network is carrying at least two CFL games a week in addition to their Friday night Arena League game.
I know most people (in the US) don't get caught up in CFL games, but there is news a lot closer to home. The "Sporting News" came out yesterday with their pre-season rankings for all 120 BCS teams yesterday and my MSU Bulldogs came in at #20. This is the first time in about 10 years that the dogs have been ranked early and ALL home games for the upcoming season are already sold out. Everyone is hoping this will be a break-out year for the team.
The pre-season polls for high school sports has Starkville High ranked #2 in 5A - and everyone expects that they will be competing for a state title this year. The SHS season starts 7 weeks from today (playing Noxubee County High in Macon, MS - about 35 miles away. I'm thinking I will probably go - Cause I'm definitely ready for some Football!
Everyone have a great day!

Good bye Friend!

I read this morning that Bully XIX (also named "Tonka") - MSU's mascot from 2001 to 2009 was humanely euthanized yesterday following a long battle with health problems. Everyone who is a member of the MSU family knows/knew of Tonka, but since I worked here at the MSU Vet School I was fortunate enough to see him on a frequent basis. One of my favorite memories is of coming into work one morning at the same time as Tonka and his owner. His owner was talking to someone else and Tonka just followed me into the elevator. I was almost to the third floor when I realized he (alone) was with me. I petted and rubbed his head as I pushed the button to take us back down to his (now frantic) owner - who had missed him and had no idea where he had gone. We had a good laugh about it (then & many times following) about me and my "elevator buddy". Bye Tonka!
Friday, my new boss is scheduled to start working. (July 1st is first day of state's new fiscal year). Laurel will be the third person in the Library Director position since I have been here at the CVM Library. She seems like a nice person, but no-one really knows what a person is like until you actually spend some time around them. I'm gonna give her a chance though and hope things work out.
Everyone have a great day!

Father's Day Card

My granddaughter (Amber - who knows I'm a "Doctor Who" fan) gave me this card yesterday for Father's Day. Isn't it COOL! You can't buy anything like this. Just thought I'd share.
Everyone have a great day!

Father's Day

Well, as this coming Sunday (June 19th) is Father's Day - I've been taking a little time to reflect. I had two (male) people that had a huge impact on making me the person I am today. One was obviously my father and the other was my mother's father (who everyone in the family called "Big Daddy" - pic is of Big Daddy on his 97th birthday with Mama Jenny & a group from MSU.). My Dad's father passed away just a couple of months after I was born (due to lung cancer) so I never really knew him. My father passed away in 1991 (also due to lung cancer) and Big Daddy passed away in 2003 at age 97. As the oldest male in my family now (without being morbid) I often think of those who have gone before. I really miss both of them but sometimes I can almost hear or feel them around. I've read that as long as memories of someone survive - that person is alive. And I like to think (as I move through various aspects of my life) that they are there with me.
My children are all adults now with lives of their own and I hope that they too will keep my dad and Big Daddy alive in their memories. I, myself, hope to be around long enough to be a nuisance to them for many, many years. :-)
Everyone have a great day!

Again! Seriously! Come on People!!!

Well, I am more than just a bit aggravated with our friends across the pond. It seems that after Dr. Who (read it here) returns for its split 6th season run (I believe in July for 7 episodes) that it will not be back as a series. No Doctor in 2012 and a limited mini-series in 2013 for the show's 50th anniversary. With such a grand history - you would think they would treat the old guy better. If I'm honest though, my gut feeling this season was that they were getting ready to do this. With the new intro which seemed to emphasize the Doctor as Amy's friend & all the old villians reappearing in rapdi succesion - I felt the show might be coming to an end. So sad.
Everyone have a great day!

Mebbee Next Year........

Well, this past weekend MSU's baseball team took #2 national seed Florida to a 3rd and deciding game but came up on the short end of an 8-6 score in game 3. The weekend was not without excitment though. On Saturday, State was on the short end of a 3-2 score going into the bottom of the 9th inning, and Nick Vickerson hit a walk-off 2 run homer to extend the series to Sunday. Even though my Dawgs didn't make it to the College World Series this year - Well - HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL. Maybe next year.
Now everyone that knows me - knows I am a HUGE football fan. This coming 2011 season DKW will have to put up w/me and football on Fridays (Starkville High), Saturdays (MSU) and Sundays/Mondays (NFL on TV) - not to mention Thursday nights because my grandson will be playing on the Jr. High (7th/8th grade) team. So after December/January there is usually a bit of a football break. WELLLLL - Hold on jest a cotton-pickin' second there pardner - - It was announced today that Tupelo will once again have an Indoor Football team beginning in February 2012. Tupelo has been announced as one of the expansion cities for the Ultimate Indoor Football League. The team name, schedule, etc. won't be announced until later in the year. This will actually be the third time a professional indoor team will be in Tupelo and I did attend games of the previous two teams. From 2005-08, there was the Tupelo Fireants and in 2009-10, there was the Mississippi Mudcats. Whatever this team is named I want to attend a couple of games.
Everyone Have a great day!

Ramblin' - Ramblin' - Ramblin'

Ok - My last entry talked about the wreck - so I'm not going there again.
I talked with Kim Vickers (roofer) this morning before I left for work. He said that they would probably be finished with it around lunch time. If you'd like to see it (as of yesterday) - take a look at my sweetie's blog. She's been following it at home. And say hi to Stumpy, too! (Wearing the cowboy hat). :-)
Tomorrow MSU's Diamond Dogs will be in Gainesville playing the U. of F. Gators in that (best 2 outta 3) NCAA Super-Regional. State will be huge under-dogs. Read Rick Cleveland's article in yesterday's Jackson paper - I think he said it best. Just keep in mind - Sometimes dogs bite and these dogs seem to be peaking at the right time. So at 11 AM (CST) tomorrow I will be cautiously optomistic and listen to the broadcast online as I cheer on my Dogs. GO STATE!
Saturday I plan to do some yard work (weed whacking, pruning, etc) in the morning - before it gets too hot - if it don't rain. (Don't expect it to - only a 30% chance for the next 3 days - & on Sunday drops to 10%). In the afternoon - I think I might go fishing - or not. I'll decide that Saturday afternoon. I actually wouldn't mind a little rain - be a good chance to work on the canes/walking sticks I have in progress and listen to it on my new tin roof. I think that would be kind of cool. I'll try to post some pics next week on the stuff I'm working on - and a couple of the pieces I've finished.
Everyone have a great day!

Happy Anniversary?????? - Maybe Not.

Okay - I was reminded yesterday that Saturday (June 11th) will be the first anniversary of the motorcycle wreck - that came closer than I want to think about - that could have claimed my life. I am very happy (obviously) that it didn't and that I am still here to talk about it. To this day I have no memory of the wreck, the week or so leading up to the wreck and the 6 to 8 weeks following the wreck. All I know comes second-hand from those family and friends who were around during my recovery. Rather than rehash everything - here is a link to my first entry after the wreck. Its a real eye-opener for me to go back and read entries that I wrote - but don't remember. So, on Saturday, if you feel so inclined - raise your glass and give thanks that I'm still here. At least a while longer.
Everyone Have a Great Day.

Busy - but Enjoyable Weekend

With the start of the Summer term here at MSU I am still trying to get paperwork done on my student workers (which the library depends on). The hold-up is the financial aid office getting their "green sheets" done (for gov't "work study" funds). Since the semester has started and I'm still waiting on paperwork I had to work the 8 hour 2-10 PM shift yesterday (Sunday 6/5).
But let me backtrack a bit - On Friday Mississippi State was to play Southern Mississippi in the NCAA Baseball Atlanta Regional. State was the 3 seed and Southern Miss the 2 seed. It was a very close game but MSU won 3-0 and went to the winner's bracket - On Saturday they played #4 seed Austin Peay whohad defeated #1 seed Georgia Tech on Friday. State jumped out front early and won 8-3. At this point, they were the only undefeated team left in the regional and Southern Miss had been eliminated by Georgia Tech. So Sunday afternoon(2 PM cst), Georgia Tech and Austin Peay played an elimination game with the winner to play State that evening (at 6 PM cst). Georgia Tech earned that honor. I was at work and was able to listen to the entire game - since we had very few patrons come in. State jumped out early - 1 run in the first, 2 in the 2nd and 3 in the 3rd. Georgia Tech did score late and made things interesting in the 9th inning but State held on and won 7-3. On a side note - Nick Routt (MSU's pitcher) threw State's very first complete game of the year! As the Atlanta Regional champions they won the right to go to Gainesville, Florida, this coming weekend and play #2 National Seed, Florida Gators. Win or lose - I still love my dogs and for a team picked to finish dead-last in the SEC West (in pre-season polls) - they have already achieved much. GO DOGS!
Not to leave it out - but Saturday - I spent much of the day mowing my 5+ acres. Man - it got hot. The high that day reached 99 degrees. I ended up take a break for an hour and a half during the hotest part. Took a shower to cool down and had a couple of popsicles and lots more water. Staying hydrated in that heat is definited a priority and my sweetie makes sure I keep this in mind. I will say that my tan is starting to look really good though. Anyway - that's the weekend that was.
Everyone have a great day!

Aaaarrrrrggghhhhhh!

Ya ever have one of those Mondays (I know its Tuesday - but as the beginning of the work week it still qualifies) where you just wanted to bang your head against a wall?
This past weekend + (26th - 30th), DKW and I had an enjoyable time at the Moondance Festival in Georgia. So I was totally unprepared for the "feces impacting the air circulatory device". Without going into too much detail - positions I thought I had students hired for fell through (and I'm still scrambling to fill them), the hitch I got for my Mini Cooper won't work (without major refitting and major bucks - so NO),and the main campus library is scheduling a going-away party for my boss on the one day that I can't be here (because of a medical appointment).
I got so aggravated about this I let folks know how I felt. But I did not get over nasty about it - I do want to keep my job.
Anyhooo - I know things will get better. It's just that at the moment - I don't know when.
Everyone have a great day!

You Gotta Read This!

Books that really affect me have been few and far between in my life. This book, however, is one that I think will stay with me a long time and at some point in the future I plan to read it again. "A Dog's Purpose" by W. Bruce Cameron is a quick, but outstanding, read. Be warned though, that if you do read it (and I strongly urge you to) to have a box of tissues handy. There are definitely a few "tear-jerker" moments. Without giving too much away, "A Dog's Purpose" is a first-person narrative by the subject dog from the time he is born (the first time) and several re-incarnations. I know you might be saying "WTF", but trust me it works. You might be able to see the end coming (I did) but I still couldn't put it down. DKW can tell you that when I finshed it last night I had tears in my eyes. If you are one of those folks that only read one or two books a year (I'm not - I read 100+) make this one of them. You won't regret it.
Everyone have a great day!

A Busy - But Enjoyable - Weekend

My plate was pretty full the last few days. Friday (20th) was my oldest son's anniversary and I was asked to baby-sit the J-Man (Jonas) - who is 2 - overnight - which I was glad to do. It made me realize how much he has grown - he's almost too big now for the crib I have.
Saturday morning I had to go pick up my Angelfood order by 9 AM. So after Jonas had breakfast we loaded up my car with his stuff and went to Faith Baptist to pick up my order. After that, I took Jonas home and dropped him off a couple of minutes after 9. I then went home and did some pruning and weed trimming for a few hours. Then my oldest grandchild (Trey - almost 12) and I went to MSU's last (regular season) baseball game. Unfortunately, they lost to LSU - but got the help they needed to make the Southeastern Conference baseball tournament as the #6 (of 8) seed. Trey and I left with just enough time to make my (youngest) granddaughter's birthday party at 5 PM. After the party I made my way home to take a shower & relax with DKW. Sunday morning I went to town to pick up my Sunday paper and some crickets at Walmart. I was disappointed because the clerk there told me that they didn't have any crickets because their supplier was out. I purchased some nightcrawlers instead - since I still wanted to go fishing. I fished most of the morning (3 or 4 hours) accompanied by Sophie. She would get real excited everytime I caught a fish - bouncing up and down as if to say "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! Don't know what it is - but its mine" She even got to the point of being excited every time I reeled in my rod - whether I had a fish or not. I ended up catching 13 bream - of which only 4 were keepers - but I ended up releasing them all. Just didn't seem to be worth the effort to only clean four. Before I took a shower I had to bathe Sophie, she had gotten wet and muddy - but that's okay - she had a good time and I think she's a pretty good "fishing dog". So that was my weekend - hope yours was just as enjoyable - if not more so.
Everyone have a great day!

My Meandering Mind

OUR GIRLS-SHADDOW & SOPHIE.(To the left)
Ok - Been a bit since I blogged - so here goes. Just be aware that I'm dragging. I'm dragging so hard that if I was outside the back 40 would already be plowed.
I'm happy to say that I'm not having withdrawals from missing having a motorcycle. My Mini Cooper is fitting my needs quite nicely. Kind of nice to just get dressed and go in the mornings - not having to worry about jacket, gloves, helmet,etc. ORRRR-the weather. Wooo-hoooo!
Last weekend DKW and I went to see the new THOR movie. While (as a long time reader of the THOR comics) I enjoyed the movie - I hated the fact it was in 3D. DKW and I both left the theater with massive headaches. I refuse to go to any future movies that are only available in 3D. If I really want to see it - I'll wait until it comes out on DVD - then go get it from RedBox for a buck - and watch it on my 2D TV. Cheaper and no headache!
I've mentioned before Starkville High is dropping to 5A in the upcoming school year.
Here is their schedule:
2011 Starkville High Football
Aug. 19 – Noxubee County (away)
Aug.26 – Madison Central (HOME)
Sep. 2 – Tupelo (HOME)
Sep. 9 – West Point (away)
Sep. 16 – Open Date
Sep.23 – Lanier (HOME) *
Sep.30 – Provine (HOME)
Oct. 7 – Ridgeland (away)
Oct. 14 – Canton (HOME)
Oct. 21 – Yazoo City (away)
Oct. 28 – Callaway (HOME)
Nov. 4 – Neshoba Central (away)
*Lanier game is first of 7 games against new divisional (5A, Region 2) opponents.
Thats all for now. Everyone have a great day!

Well - its official now. I have just come from selling my bike (pictured) and signing the title over. Kind of a bittersweet moment. For years I have ridden a bike but after the near fatal accident (which I have no memory of) I had last year and all the repair done to my right leg - I no longer have the strength or confidence I used to have riding. So it is probably for the best. I wish the new owner many years of riding enjoyment.
Mississippi State wins third consecutive national title! Granted - its not a sport - per se - but you take 'em where you can get 'em!
If you know me - you know I love football. So it was with interest I read "The Worst Loss Ever for All 120 FBS Schools" MSU's game falls at #114. This same site also lists the "Top 10 Bang-for-your-buck Coaches" where MSU's Dan Mullen comes in at #3. I'm looking forward to fooball (again) this year.
Everyone have a great day!

Dodging The Bullet

Yesterday was a pretty scary day in most of the mid-south area. Over 150 folks died as a result of storms/tornadoes in Arkansas/Mississippi & Alabama. Tuscaloosa (AL) got hit pretty hard and there was one massive tornado. We were pretty fortunate here. We had some wind and heavy rain - but no damage. We were only inconvenienced by losing power for a little over 10 hours (lost around 4PM and got it back just after 2AM this morning). It wasn't just us though - power was out in the surounding 4 counties as well as our own. All-in-all we weathered it (no pun intended) well.
Today is a big day for a lot of folks. The NFL draft starts tonight (& ends tomorrow). I won't be watching the round-by-round selections but I will read (with interest) who was drafted tomorrow.
Everyone have a great day!

Sad News in the "WHO-niverse"

I was just saddened to learn that one of my favorite actresses in the "Doctor Who" universe passed away yesterday following a long bout with cancer. Elisabeth Sladen(63) joined the Doctor in 1973 playing Sarah Jane Smith. When she joined the Doctor (in his 3rd incarnation) was played by Jon Pertwee. After 3 1/2 years with Jon, she played alongside his 4th incarnation (long-time fan favorite) Tom Baker. She continued to play Sarah Jane in a couple of shows. The very short-lived "K-9 and Company" and more recently "The Sarah Jane Adventures".

Home Again! YEAH!!!

After a week visiting with my friends in Wisconsin - I'm really glad to be back home in Mississippi. As Dorothy said to Toto - "There's no place like home."
The new season of Doctor Who kicks off Saturday (April 23rd). If you aren't familiar with the show (first- SHAME on YOU) then this site will catch you up on 47 years of the Doctor in six minutes.
Yesterday I was still off work and I drove my Mini Cooper into town to take care of a couple of errands. On my way to my office (to fill out my time sheet - so I'd get paid) I was stopped by a MSU Campus police officer. Turned out he was new on the job and wanted to know where I got my car because his wife wanted one. I was a little irked but went and did what I needed to do and an hour later was headed back home. On my way I was pulled over by a City (of Starkville) police officer - for the same reason. I actually lost my temper with him and he was a bit contrite and apologized profusely. (Also bought me a soda - since we were stopped at Sweet Pepper's Deli) *SIGH* I didn't know my Coop was so popular with law enforcement.
Got a call from my oldest that her son (who is 11 years old and bigger than I am) started spring football practice yesterday. He will be in the 7th grade next year and is really looking forward to the season. Heck! So am I. Go Jackets!
Everyone have a great Day!

My New Ride

Saw it and bought it yesterday. 2003 Mini Cooper. Drives very nice.Only has 65K miles. I hope to have it for many, many years. The "official" name of the body color is "Silk Green" w/white top (obviously). But to me that color will be "seafoam" green - which is what I first heard that shade of green called in the past. Gotta come up with a name for it though. So - suggestions? Nothing cutesy though.
Everyone have a great day!

Waxing Poetic

Well - I guess its that time of year for me to do it again. On Sunday (April 3rd) I will be 56 years old. In the grand scheme of things - not too old - but no spring chicken anymore either. Both my father (Fred) and his father (George) passed away when they were 56. They were both, however, heavy smokers from their pre-teen years and both passed away due to lung cancer. The good news is that I am not a smoker, I take after my mother's side of the family (who routinely have lived into their 90's) and I feel like I am probably in the best shape of my life. So I expect to be around for a while.

In the past 12 years, I have lost my father, two grandparents, and my first wife. Even with it being over a decade in one case, something will happen that will remind me of that person and even now I will miss them terribly. I know that one day, I too, will fade from this mortal plane. I just hope that I have made a positive difference in the lives I have touched and will be remembered fondly.

OK - No more morbidity. I'll looking forward to enjoying myself and I hope everyone else is too.

This is the 40th anniversary of my 16th birthday. In 1971 I turned 16 and my sweetie -DKW- turned 1 (*dirty old man*) HEY - WHO SAID THAT! :-).
Everyone have a great day!!!

Moving Mama & Home-Fried Chicken!

Well, this past weekend I took off work on Friday (3/25) so that I could move my Mama from the assisted living home she was residing back to her doublewide - where she will be residing with my sister and her husband. (At least for a while). I had rented a uHaul truck and hired a senior vet student to help me and about 5 hours later we had all of Mama's stuff moved. My sister & Mama spent most of the weekend getting stuff arranged. So now she is pretty much moved in to her half of the place. I paid for moving day with an achy, sore knee most of the weekend. It wouldn't have been so bad (I think) if it hadn't been cool and rainy Saturday and Sunday.

Saturday I got to keep the J-man for about 4 hours. My oldest son & wife brought 2-year old Jonas over to stay for a while. We had a good time even though most of the last hour there he spent sleeping in my lap. (He had fallen asleep while watching the Sprout (PBS-related) Network. He will be a heartbreaker when he's older! Believe You ME!

Friday night I had learned some *SHOCKING* news. Well - shocking to a southern boy! My sweetie had never had *home-fried chicken*. Now, she had had KFC and other restaurant-style fried chicken, but like I said - never had home-fried! So, as a southern boy who had home-fried chicken several times a month while growing up and at every family *event* (i.e. wedding, family reunion, death, any party) I took it upon myself to rectify this situation. So I home-fried chicken for Sunday lunch (and took a couple of pieces to Mama - since it was her recipe & she loves fried chicken) and DKW gave it two thumbs up. I had even fried her up a side of home-made onion rings - which she loved. She stated the obvious - that it was very different from KFC - but also added "it's much better"! (I had to sit down before my swelling head caused me to fall over.) But I was pleased. I had one piece myself and it was good. If you don't know - I don't eat fried food more than once or twice a year. It's just healthier that way.

Everyone Have a Great Day!

Skynyrd Still Rocks

This past Saturday night DKW & I used our *free* tickets and attended the Lynyrd Skynyrd concert at the Golden Moon Casino in Philadelphia. Never mind the fact that I've been rocking to these guys since 1970 - they still put on a good show. The last song of the "regular" set was the mega-hit "Sweet Home Alabama" and the joint was rocking and everyone was dancing in the aisles. Of course they said their goodbyes and walked off - but nobody was leaving and everybody in the audience was making noise including many shouts of (the ultimate concert -song) "FREEBIRD". I have to admit yelling it out myself. Well, after 3-5 minutes they came back out and did a "FreeBird" encore that lasted more than ten minutes and everyone left happy. It was great fun & I actually broke even on the gambling I did - so it was a great "low-cost" night.

Everyone have a great day!

Bye Ole Truck!

Well, my truck is gone. The new owner drove it away a few minutes. It was a bittersweet feeling as it left. I liked my old truck but it was on the verge of being a money drain. Oh. Well - not my problem any more. I was very up front with the new owner about the possible future problems - but he still wanted it. The bill of sale was "As Is" so he has assumed any problems that manifest from this moment on.
Tomorrow DKW & I are going down to the casino at Philadelphia (MS). I was given 2 tickets to the Lynyrd Skynyrd concert at 8 PM. We are going to enjoy the concert and I plan on doing a little gambling. Not a lot - I have a set amount I'm taking with me for it and if I lose that I'm done. I'm not going to be stupid about it.
Actually, besides tomorrow, we are going down to the casino on the 19th too. Rita Coolidge is in concert and I have tickets for that one too.
Ahh well. Everyone have a great day!

Mo' Thunder......

Well, I couldn't let it go. The music selected in my last entry I do love, but there are so many songs I left off that this would be Volume 2 (same rules - 14 songs - only one song per artist -plus can't repeat any from first volume). So here goes: (1) Bang Shang-A-Lang - The Archies, (2) Panama Red - New Riders of the Purple Sage, (3) Timothy - The Buoys, (4) I Think I Love You - The Partridge Family, (5) Karma Chameleon - Culture Club (6) Truckin'-Grateful Dead, (7)Iron Man - Black Sabbath, (8) Still of the Night - Whitesnake (9) Back in Black - AC/DC, (10) We're An American Band - Grand Funk Railroad, (11) Play My Game - The Donnas, (12)Devil Gate Drive - Suzi Quatro, (13) Tainted Love - Soft Cell and finally (14) Bat Out of Hell - Meatloaf. Again - many great songs left off. But I promise this is my last musical entry - At least for a long time. But an explanation is in order (I think) for number 11. It was the theme song for the A&E show "RollerGirls" which followed a Roller Derby league in Texas - It lasted 2 seasons and I liked it. But I realize a lot of folks may not have heard of it.
Sigh - I think I may be selling my truck. Had it in the shop to get the fuel system flushed, oil changed, tires rotated & balanced. They did that, but with further inspection. They suggested I at least replace the front brake pads (which will may it good for maybe a year) , but it will need some major brake/wheel work ($1K or more) before a year or so. So I think I'll cut my losses, get what I can, and let her go. But don't worry - I will let whoever buys it know about the upcoming needed work. Dang!

Everyone have a great day!