The Blonde solution

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Aaahhhhh.........a nice stimulating warm shower
.........a tall mug of hot chocolate with marshmallows on top......

.........I'm good to go.

Wow! Yesterday's post could be considered a bit of a downer........although probably not news to those who keep up with such things. The LDM (left dominated media) have been letting us know how bad the economy is under the Bush presidency every since shrillary started denying she was going to abandon the good folk of her home state of New York and run for president. (Lack of Capitals intentional)

Looks like even the wealthy may take a few hits from their friendly lending institutions.

Don't feel bad for them. The truly wealthy wouldn't have gotten in that position in the first place because they know the 5 laws of money. The Nouveau Rich may learn them the hard way.

My sister sent me a cute email today. Thanks Sis.






Subject: A blonde and her shoes



A young blonde woman was driving through the Florida Everglades while

on vacation. She wanted a pair of genuine alligator shoes in the worst
way, but was reluctant to pay the high prices the local
vendors were asking.

After becoming very frustrated with the attitude of one of the shopkeepers,
the young blonde declared;


"Well then, maybe I'll just go out and catch my own alligator and get a
pair of shoes for free!"

The shopkeeper said with a sly smile; "Well little lady, why don't you
go on and give it a try?"


The blonde headed off to the swamp, determined to catch an alligator.

Later in the day, as the shopkeeper is driving home, he spots the same
young woman standing waist deep in the murky water, shotgun in hand .

As he brings his car to a stop, he sees a huge 9-foot gator
swimming rapidly toward her. With lightning reflexes, the blonde takes
aim, shoots the creature and hauls it up onto the slippery bank.

Nearby were 7 more dead gators, all lying belly up.

The shopkeeper stood on the bank, watching in silent amazement.

The blonde struggles mightily and manages to flip the gator onto its back.


Rolling her eyes heavenward, she screams in frustration;



"DARN! THIS ONE'S BAREFOOT, TOO..."

I can tell that joke because before my distinguished slivering hair became so distinguished it was a dark blonde color.

But, in thinking about it........the young lady is the epitome of Americans......well not the leaches and race mongers, and others who haven't been broken from the teat yet.

On the one hand a very important segment of our economy is in very, very, very serious trouble. And because of it's importance, it has the capability of causing a great deal of pain to nearly every other segment of the economy.

But the Blonde took her frustration and did something positive with it. She by damned went out to work and started a business of killing 'gators. She hasn't yet realized that her shoes are there in multiples on every single 'gator she kills. They're just not in a recognizable form to her. Give her time and she'll realize that if she skins and tans the hides and then makes arrangement with a shoe maker to keep part of the shoes made she will have all the alligator shoes, purses, belts that she wants. Plus if she gives it further thought she might be able to sell the meat to a local restaurant and the claws, teeth or even the skulls to tourists who'd likely pay a pretty penny for such curios.

She might even learn enough to save up some of the money from the sale of all these things and buy her own piece of swamp in which to raise her own 'gators. Feeding them the leftover scraps of their late lamented cousins and any leftover scraps from the chains of restaurants selling prime alligator tail.

All this to say that there will be those who cry out for the government to help them out of this crisis. (And we see the Federal Reserve and even the European Central Bank doing all they can to staunch the bleeding from our financial artery.)

Make no mistake (I know that's hard. At least learn from your mistakes). Troubled times are coming. Winds are blowing a change in the air. Will it come soon enough?

Not for everyone, but, the watchmen on the walls are shouting at us.........waving their arms about in excitement. Do we hear what they are saying or do we just think they are trying to entertain us with their antics?

The hot chocolate is dwindling in my cup.......so is my enthusiasm for this evening.

We'll talk further if anyone is interested. Just address it to me C/O the Kudzu Grotto.

A Big Texas Cinnamon Roll......

.
......and a diet Pepsi.........

One might get the impression that things are going well.......as I sit here in my bull moose patterned PJ's.

And it is quite........at least since I stared down the pair of Lab's two yards over. Well......I didn't so much stare them down as shine a laser at them until they stopped hanging over the fence barking at me as I sat on the back deck. (hardly worthy of that name being only 8' X 10').

I had to go visit the VA doctor for the quarterly interrogation as to how I feel the drugs are doing. (something she should probably be asking the people who read this drivel). We ended up agreeing that they would keep sending them if I promised not to do anything drastic or rude.

On the way back home I made a slight side trip to one of the mining locations I frequent............and the owner and I spent a pleasant half hour discussing the current sad state of affairs (and lack of same) in the local economy and around the world.

It seems that he has a new neighbor who also has a fondness for Crown Royal. (How many of you keep any of your valuables in a CR velvet bag?)?? If you do you just might be a redneck.

Anyway as they were thus engaged in lubricating their vocal cords, his neighbor......who by the way recently sold the bank he owned in Florida and moved up here to the NE GA foothills......opined that to his way of thinking the US economy had only a couple of years left until complete and total meltdown and chaos. To make things even worse his neighbor on the other side of him has recently published a book forecasting the same thing. You know............the sort of things that makes simple folk like us ask the unfortunately long overdue and almost too late question of "WTF do we do now??

This conversation led to much ruminating and cud chewing on my way home and I considered some of the possibilities that might be open to a boomer like myself only a few short years from drawing my generous old age pension due me for the at least 10 quarters when I actually did work for a living.....and paid taxes.

First, We baby boomers are a financial force to be reckoned with right now. We've worked hard and saved a little money and many have reinvested it by continually buying ever more expensive houses which we plan to sell.......make a fortune of of and live the high life ever after......once we pay the balance of the mortgage off.

Second, The housing market in my opinion was way overbuilt 3 years ago. Major mortgage lenders are going broke......er, um, .....I mean being bought out by even bigger major players. This is because it's getting damn hard to sell your house for what the county said it was worth a year ago. This may be influenced by the litterly thousands of speculative houses built by formally flush real estate developers who have had to give them to the banks voluntarily or be foreclosed upon. I've had bankers ask me if I'd be willing to buy one appraised at 245 K for less than 175 K. Of course they weren't willing to finance it themselves and many lenders are now requiring a minimum of 30 % down, in cash, on any investment property with proper assurances that you could make the payments out of current income before rents.

....so.......

Third, your investment just went down at least 30%..........your 401K and IRA's got hit by the tech bubble for about half. Do you think this might make you tighten your belt a little thereby not stimulating the local economy because you eat out less, you travel less, you don't spend as much on luxuries and services. How do you think this makes your lawn care professional feel after all he has done to make your property look like a English garden. And let's not forget the undocumented workers that he used to pay in cash every Friday afternoon. Will your local businessman still be in business in five years?? What will this do to Tax Revenues? When the businesses stop pay where will they look to make up the shortfall? The property owners?? The concept of cutting unnecessary workers and services will never ever even enter their squirrel sized brains.

Forth, Will you be willing to continue to work much longer than you had intended to? Will you be physically able to continue to work. How will you ever be able to pay the increasing cost of the medical treatment you will need.........you know you will... if like me you love red meat, white meat and all those cheeses and wines the magazines tell you you must have. Perhaps those investment bottles of wine in the cellar can be used to season your squirrel or venison stew..........if you can afford the electricity or gas to heat it over, or the property owner doesn't shoot you for poaching and trespassing.

Of course all this is just the rambling of an over the hill, high school educated redneck who has experienced more than a few ups and downs...with the emphasis on the downs.

Others might have different opinions.......all of which would be welcomed here in the Kudzu Grotto...........if you can stand the sneering and jeering as we encourage you to get to the point dammit.

My friend John

I knew him as John........the uncle of a classmate.
When you're from the rural area around a small southern town everybody is related to someone you either know or are related to yourself.

Search my family tree in any direction and you're as likely to find a Doctor as a storekeeper or dirt farmer. From Preacher to property owner (where the property owned was humans)...........to a War between the States deserter who was hanged as a horse thief. One distant cousin traveled with the '49ers to Cali-for-ni-a and returned with a bag of gold.........then returned West and on the trip back died in Illinois at the start of hostilities.

All this to say that we might have been related........I have no idea. But John would come dove shooting every September after the silage was cut and the ground would be sometimes gray with doves.

He sensed in me a somewhat kindred spirit I guess.........I was fresh out of the Army and pissed at the government for telling me that to keep the farm my Dad worked so hard for, we'd have to pay tribute to Washington to the tune of $53,000.00.
John was divorced.......20 years older than me.......and lived in a 26 ft. travel trailer. He was pissed at the government for passing The 16th Amendment to the Constitution and the Federal Reserve Act of the same year.

Always a character, one of the first things John showed me was how to get a silver dollar to fit into a longneck 12 oz. Pepsi bottle and then out.........without bending the coin or breaking the bottle. Of course there is a secret to it which I cannot reveal lest I bring down retribution on my head from the Magicians guild.

In the mid-seventies this country got exactly what it deserved when it elected a South Georgia supposed Peanut Farmer as President. This denigrated both the honorable profession of growing Peanuts and the Presidency. Those who know, knew that Billy was the farmer and Jimmy was always a kiss ass politician. And not a very good one at that. When he kissed Komenia's ass by refusing to stand by the Shaw of Iran, they repaid him by turning him around, doubling him over and shoving the takeover of our Embassy in Tehran up his nether regions.......causing him to dribble down his pants and lose the next election.

This in conjunction with Federal Reserve policies led to the worst one year inflation of the last century and as a consequence the price of Gold jumped to $852.00 an oz.. An aberration which quickly corrected itself and stayed below that mark until just recently. An while there are companies out there touting gold as a great investment........if you factor in inflation over the last 28 years (which by the way shows that the current value of a 1980 one dollar bill to be approximately .05 of a dollar or five cents) you have to have a price of over $2000.00 to make gold worth as much as back then.

Don't get me wrong........I like gold.......I read somewhere that pure gold reflected the soul of God. Gold is described in the Bible as 'clear as honey' and if you look into a crucible of molten gold it appears to be transparent and at the same time reflects and image of you back to your eyes. Reflecting the God within us perhaps??

Of all of the images made of or engraved on Gold I think I like this one best:



Probably because Liberty has always been the lady I chased the most.......and have the greatest love for.....................

.........something very few of the current candidates for president have any love for......nor any desire to help any of us have more of.

John..............

........Oh yeah.........The Athens SWAT team traveled 2 counties out of their jurisdiction at the behest of a crooked sheriff and shot him 10 times with automatic weapons when he came to the door of his travel trailer.

Another name on the list with Abraham, Martin and John.

Muley Sikes

Muley Sikes had one gold tooth,
An Elgin watch, and a porter's suit.
He hustled bags for fifty years,
And he worked the railroad line.

From overalls and cotton fields
To spit-shine shoes and rumbling steel,
His life was made to roll on rails.
And that suited Muley fine.

His old Pap never got so far as
Twenty miles from a sharecrop farm,
While Muley, he's seen shooting stars
From Denver up to Maine.

He loved the gentle, rolling sway,
The sound the lonesome whistle made.
He knew his calling from the day
That he first saw a train.

Muley was a railroad man,
From Portland to Miami's sand.
He knew that in this great big land
There's nothing like a train.

He'd tell the children stories
How the rails were laid by hand.
And they knew his name
From coast to coast.

Muley was a railroad man.
Muley was a railroad man.

He'd spend his off-days at the yard.
And he knew each engine there by heart.
He could have taken one apart,
But they never let him try.

He said, "We've all got a gift to use.
Some drive the train; some shine the shoes.
The engineer may get folks there,
But me, I make 'em smile."

He always spoke about the time
That Woodrow Wilson rode the line,
And tipped him twenty dollars, gold,
He carried 'til he died.

But he'd have praised the Lord
If someone laid a quarter in his hand.
God put him here to ride the trains.

Muley was a railroad man.
Muley was a railroad man.

Muley spent his golden years
Explaining throttles, wheels, and gears:
Caretaker for the train museum
At the Dallas County fair.

He'd tell you how the whistles blew,
The engines roared, and the cinders flew.
When he got to heaven, he just knew
They'd still be running there.

He lived to be a hundred-four.
He died in Ft. Smith, Arkansas.
Laid to rest in his porter's cap,
A double eagle for his fare.

And when I step off heaven's train,
He'll have my bags in hand.
With a smile and a "Yes, sir,
Right on time."

Muley was a railroad man.
Muley was a railroad man.

Muley was a railroad man.
Muley was a railroad man.


Courtesy of Dr. North

Ain't it funny

.
...........how things have changed over the last few years. (Oh shut up, I know I qualify for the Denny's senior discount.....don't mean things ain't changed).

I always knew my parents loved me by the way they didn't hesitate for a moment to wear my little ass out if I deviated one step from the straight and narrow. (least if'n they say me........or a teacher.....or sister.......or neighbor ratted me out). Spare the rod and spoil the child was taken literally by rural Gwinnett County farmers in the '50's and '60's. And don't go thinking that only parents were seen as disciplinarians. Oh no! I remember my first week in Mrs. Venable's 1st grade class. Ricky Hall and I were chasing the girls on the playground at recess.......kissing them and making them cry.

FIRST of all Mrs. Venable whupped our 5 year old bottoms and then to add insult to injury she stood us up in front of the class and lectured us on why we shouldn't be doing that (for the life of me I can't recall her reasoning) then she had all the girls pass by and slap the fool out of us. Well....at least it caused the fool to wither and withdraw somewhat.........evidence being what it is, foolishness didn't totally abandon me.

Experiments to find out where the lines were drawn such as the above over the next few months and years taught me to be a little more discreet (sneaky) in the things I attempted.

Corporal punishment at a young age convinced me that there was probably no profit in things that could earn you capital punishment. Believe me when I say that a belting by a rednecked, strong as a mule, pissed off farmer (or even one administered by a slightly more delicate farm wife) will go far toward making one see the error of one's ways. If you survived adolescence they were willing to let you go knowing that they had done the best as they knew how.......the rest was up to you and the lord.

Which is not to say that they didn't care what happened and would help you all they could......just that you had to man up and take what came down the pike after that.

One of the most painful memories I have is the hurt I saw in my Grandfathers eyes as he talked about how much he wished he could have had more influence over my Father decisions and how much responsibility he felt when my Father died at age 46. Headstrong seems to run thru the bloodline even to the 4th generation.

Whence comes this maudlin cud-chewing you might ask. Well since you aren't here to ask, I'll just assume you did anyway.

Yesterday, as I stood in a shop, busily sorting and checking, the owner mutters "oh no", as I hear a young boy and apparently his grandfather come in.

"I'm gonna buy a play station" the boy proclaims.

"Whatcha looking for Cory?" the owner asks.

"I don't know yet but I've got $7.00".

Ben Franklin, in "Poor Richard's Almanack," put it
this way: "A child thinks that twenty dollars or twenty
years can never be spent." Actually, he said twenty
pounds, which was a lot more money in 1755. But you get
the idea. Money gets spent, and so does time.

"Oh you mean you want to buy a game for a playstation?"

"Yeah, a game".

I just keep on doing my thing with one ear cocked to the conversation behind me. I love enthusiasm in a young'un, and this kid was full of it. Loud.........you could have heard him the next block over, and I can tell that he's ripping up and down the game isle in search of what he wants.

"Whatcha got your cap on back'ards for Cory?"

"Cause I wonna".

"If'n youse my boy I wouldn't let you wear yore cap like that".

"My folks let me do whatever I want", proclaimed Master Cory.

Much more was said than I can tell here. Let me just put it this way.......

....Young Cory is going to have an abrupt awakening one of these days.. I just hope he or his parents start making better choices somewhere along the line........else we'll have another Democratic or Republican voter on the loose.......who'll believe anything the Socialist media and politicians tell him..

At some point, some people start looking for visible,
long-lasting value. Maybe most people don't. This is
because they recognize early that they are highly
replaceable and therefore insignificant. They never take
up the quest for significance because they see no future to
it.

As for my political leanings..........I'm a faithful follower of John Gault.

What a B.E.A.U-tiful day

70 degrees with blue skies and an occasional puffy cloud.

Wish to hell I'd have felt like enjoying it. I feel a little more down than that piece of dog squeeze you just tracked onto mama's new carpet.

The only upside is...............this is a heck of a lot better than the weekend.

But I still live. This is just to rattle the bushes a little so you know I'm still here captain.

Wanna Know???

Wanna know how the 2008 election will go?

Too soon to tell, but you might consider some of the opinions of Dr. Gary North.......


1. Most voters want government-funded freebies.
2. Voters expect other voters to pay.
3. The long run is the next election.
4. Government expands unless its budget is cut.
5. Voters do not want to cut budgets.
6. The bureaucracy is close to autonomous.
7. Elected representatives are soon co-opted by the
bureaucracies.
8. Money, sex, and power do corrupt.
9. Good-looking single women like to work on Capitol Hill.

Here is my conclusion: "The system will not change until
Washington's checks no longer buy much of value." Given the fact
that the Bank of England has survived since 1694, I am not
optimistic about positive change inside the Beltway.

Probably be more of the "Same O, Same O"

A new beginning

For some that's what the New Year represents. Of course you could say the same about every new day in which you wake up alive, but somehow it seems appropriate to link it to the turning of a calendar page.

And so.......we begin.

I finally obtained a little egg nog yesterday and I raise a glass of it in toast to the new day and old friends. (non alcoholic of course, because there is an automatic link between my mouth and a glass that switches on my elbow)

Today will find many of us nursing a small ache between our ears. I hope it's not too unpleasant in your head. The parades will be watched on TV or in person. Platters of snacks prepared for the bowl games ahead.

Here at the Kudzu patch the collard greens have already been cooked and only require warming. We'll have black-eyed peas in abundance with cornbread to make sure they all get onto the spoon. Possibly there will be some pork ribs or backbone to add flavor and fat. These are traditional new years grub........eating the greens is to ensure you have green in your wallet during the year, and the peas supposedly represent the coin you'll find in your pocket. The pork is just to make everything else taste better.

UGA is playing Hawaii in the Sugar Bowl today. I'll most likely not watch any of it, but will root for the Dawgs of course. Even though my time at UGA was short and not very distinguished, once you walk thru the Arch something happens to your DNA and you are forever a Bulldog. Go Dawgs.......woof, woof, woof!

What I will be doing.......like many a small business person.......is to back up files, check the balance sheets, and the P & L, get a start on working to begin work on the plans made for the near and longer term........and most especially taking a while to contemplate the blessings I've already received.

Hope your patch of Kudzu has a great time this year.

11:02 and counting down

Soon complete strangers will be kissing each other on the streets of Times Square if you would believe the popular media. Hell, I hope so. There is a need for more kissing in the world.

Fire works are beginning to pop around here, although we still have nearly and hour in the old year. It just sounded like someone knocked at the front door, and as I went to answer it with my Hi-Power held just behind my hip, I realized as I opened it that it was fireworks. I strolled around anyway, just for the hell of it. It never hurts for the neighbors to see that someone is awake and alert.

2007 has been a roller coaster ride in many ways........struggling to remain afloat for most of the year to reaching a point where at least the necessities are assured for the foreseeable future is a good feeling. We've been blessed indeed.. I've got a shop/storage building to put most of my stuff in. I won't have to sleep with the dog in her plastic barrel lined with straw if I really screw up. I can clean off a shelf and wrap up in the two sleeping bags out there if necessary. Even have a hot plate.....but I'd have to raid the house for something to cook on it.
The piddling I do to bring in a few bucks has really picked up the last couple of months. Hopefully i'll keep enough of a head of steam up to keep moving down that track.

I've written more this year than before. A little less crazy ranting and hopefully a few cogent thoughts. I really have to thank all of you who drop by for visiting and occasionally commenting. I see you out there........even occasionally a visitor from other countries. I wonder what they think in China or Norway when they stop by here. It'd be wonderful to start communicating with other countries residents and learn of what they are thinking.

We've been subjected to political campaigning from numerous candidates for president of the U.S. in 2007. I look forward to that being over with so we can get down to complaining about the final result in 2009. And you know we will........rather you know I will, because I intend to exercise my franchise and encourage all of you to do the same. Oh you can complain if you don't vote........but we'll just consider you a hypocrite if you do.


So Thanks to all of you out there in the blogosphere. God Bless us all.

Happy New Year.

Now this is just wrong

Decency (and I'm not talking about showing a little skin) used to be the standard for most Americans, especially we expected it of our law enforcement.

No more.........tactics such as these are beyond the pale. Entrapment does not begin to explain it. The entire police force in that town should be made to resign, along with the city council, the District Attorney and his or her entire staff and put on trial for offenses against humanity. The poor guy would probably have just sat and talked with her if she hadn't enticed him to go further than he should.

Makes me sick to be an American if this is what we have become.

Uh-Oh

Here it comes. The post-coi.......er Christmas depression.

All that build up to the climax of the season. The excitement......the anticipation......the frantic rushing around to get everything done on time. Gifts bought....and wrapped. Lists made and carefully checked off so as not to miss anybody. Lights to hang.......and bulbs to replace. Bows and ribbons to carefully tie which will be ruthlessly ripped apart in a joyous, eager burst of conspicuous consumption.

And now.............

Every one has gone home or at least on their way. Farewells shouted and waves waved. Newly activated Tomtoms plugged in and programmed to get us home by the fastest route......one which we've traveled many times before.

We're gradually working our way through the last of the leftovers.....the sight of 3 day old turkey begins to make us slightly green around the gills.

We begin to see the old year come to a close and a new tax year approach.....I wonder if I can claim the cost of that new outbuilding??? And I wonder if the New Year will really bring anything new.......or different? Did I do the things I sat out to do at the beginning of the old year........WHY not? Should I make new plans or just try to finish some of the old?

Over a year ago I bought an old (relatively speaking) phonograph.....remember those?....with the intention of listening to recordings of Tchaikovsky’s symphonies Nos. 4, 5 and 6 by the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra. Events (moving to Athens) forced us to store many things in a rental storage unit for lack of room in the new abode.

Now with the building in the back yard storing all the accumulated junk which isn't in the computer/sewing room, all that sits on a shelf. I think tomorrow would be a good day to dust off the record player and finally listen to the old queers work.

The No. 6 Symphony is called "Pathetique" which appropriately describes my dedication to actually doing the things I say I want to do.

Most often my regrets are of the things I neglected to do rather than the things I actually did. I've lived a varied life doing many different things. A 'Jack of all trades, and master of........well.....a few', and I intend to keep on doing things I want to do rather than those I have to do.

I just intend to do more of them next year. So what really started off as a depressed sort of post has kinda fired me up a little.

If you have things you've been putting off, better get started. None of us know when we'll be meeting up with those who've gone before. I hope when that meeting happens and they ask "Did you do all you could?", I'll be able to say "No.......but at least I gave it a shot".

The wages of Sin

.
Well I really don't know how much they pay.......but every one is always talking about it from the pulpit. I mean Jimmy Swaggart probably gave a thousand sermons on the importance of fidelity to one's wife and then goes out and hires a hooker or two. Did they cut his salary? Probably gave him a raise for temporarily increasing the number of people who tuned in to his broadcasts.......if only to point a self righteous finger or two at him.

The sin I'm speaking of thought is the sin of GLUTTONY.........

Really it's not my fault. People kept giving me chocolate kisses and Herseys dark chocolate bars (Love the dark chocolate), bags of pistachios (another real weakness), Cans of cashews, cookies, pies, bowls of home made banana pudding.......

Whewwwwwwwwwww.......... if I were Catholic I'd go say a mess of Hail Mary's or something, cause I do believe all that consuming has about caught up with me. Goooooooddddd thing I don't drink on top of all that. The projectile vomiting would not be a pretty sight to behold.

As soon as I get down off this sugar high and the blood pressure returns to something resembling normal, I'll have to hunker down and make up a bunch of New Years resolutions to never do any of this again. Ha! like that would do any good. I'll just do as always and blame my need for sweets on low blood sugar.

Hoping all your stomachs have started returning to normal.. We could take a clue from the pooch........go out and eat a bunch of grass.....

Full .....Full ......Full....

We've arrived back safely and a little bushed, but filled with the joy that a good time shared with family and friends will give you.

Gifts were exchanged...wrapping paper, boxes and kids with toys all over the floor. Even the pooch received his own stocking stuffed with goodies.

Much food was consumed...turkey breast deep fried in peanut oil...moist and delicious...ham, Elk tenderloin, deviled eggs, potato salad, all those things that make a wonderful feast. Topped off with CAKES & Pies & Cookies & banana Pudding made from scratch (two big bowls). All this blessed by our 4th grand child Lee, who did a masterful job of it, with only a little whispered help from Grandpa.

Oh Yeah! Kudos to the eldest Daughter for baking me a Japanese Fruit cake. I wondered why I was having a hard time getting the wife to look up the recipe so I could post it. They didn't want anyone else to make me one. Four layers tall it was. So high the cake plate cover wouldn't fit by at least an inch. 3/4s of it returned home with me. There goes my diet. Well there is always next year.

Through it all we were blessed with the most wonderful sweet spirit. A gift from the greatest gift of all.

Christmas Eve

Here it comes.....the big day. All the little kiddies will be all excited tonight before bed and be hard to settle down to sleep. Threats will be made and a few even carried out. Last minute assemblage of various geegaws will happen accompanied by curses that parts don't fit, and equally fervent pleas to "just read the instructions".

Cookies and milk will be left out for the fat man and someone will go to sleep with crumbs on his chin.

Last minute shoppers and travelers to Over the River and thru the Woods will be crowding the mall parking lots and the highways and byways. Travel safely if your one of them.

We're off shortly to our oldest Daughters to spend the night and tomorrow with them. Food and sweets will be eaten in abundance and for those who partake maybe a beer or margarita or 6.

There'll be laughter and perhaps a few tears. Tales of olden time and not so olden, friends present and late remembered.

But in the midst of all this jubilation and merry making, let's not forget the real reason the season was started. Whether the date is correct or not........it's the thought that counts.



Merry Christmas to all...........and may God bless us..........everyone.

Just for me

.
I stole this from Sparrow, a lady of rare talent and insight. I hope she'll forgive me.

I've generally been a little apathetic about the political field before us till now.......but no longer.



If I have to tell you why...........you wouldn't understand anyway.

Freie Nacht

We had a bit more rain here last night and this morning. A little over 1/2 inch according to the ABS Jones cattle breeding gage in the back yard. I've had it for 32 years now and unless something happens will likely for years more.

This afternoon the front came through and pushed all the clouds out and the sunny clear skies were so bright and beautiful it made you draw a deep breath and almost forget to exhale. The moon is almost full, and will be full for Christmas Eve. If you have snow and clear skies be sure and look out and enjoy the beauty.

While you're at it...........say a little prayer for safety and protection of your troops in the field in Afghanistan and Iraq and other places around the world far from their homes and loved ones.

Maybe they'll hear from somewhere the strains of music being played bring peace to their hearts.



A peace which every soldier desperately wants no matter their religion. For they truly know the price that must be paid.

Happy Birthday Eve

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I'm off to my middle sister's where we'll enjoy a bit of conviviality, a scrumptious meal and a little catching up with her and her spouse, along with the youngest sister and her family.

It's a funny thing to me, I'm the oldest of six and the only one with gray in my hair. 10 years ago I was the only one with out. I want some of those fountain of youth pills they must be taking.

If any body is thinking of what to get me for Christmas, you may be guided by the incomparable Mr. Bennett

It'll never happen here

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The only two white Christmas's I've seen in Georgia in real damn close to 58 yrs now was two years when I was about 12 or 13 when we had back to back ice storms for Christmas.

But that doesn't keep everyone from saying that they wish for a white Christmas..........and it would be nice to be stranded wherever you are with a blanket of snow to muffle the sounds and make you glad to be inside with friends and loved ones
..............sooooooooooo

Let it Snow

Counting down

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Not long now boy and girls...........Soon the Jolly old elf, Santa Clause hisownself will be paying a visit to every girl and boy. At least that's what all the retailers would have you believe. 98 more hours to go........have you finished your shopping and preparing?
On the other hand Christian Churches across the land are having or preparing to have programs devoted to showing how Christ was born in a cattle shed and then laid in a manger where shepards and wise men came to pay him homage...........completely ignoring that it was more likely spring (maybe April)when he was born, and if the Star started shining when he was born the the Wise Men would have had to travel weeks if not months to come from maybe Persia or areas around Iran or Iraq to see the child.
But don't worry about revisionist history.........the child Emanuel is the point of the story.............a gift to mankind.

I love this time of the year. Cool weather.......even a little ice in the water bucket of a morning.....always makes us think that there is just a chance we'll see a white Christmas here in NE Georgia. The neighbor borrowed my ladder to hang lights along the eves on the front of his house (after much threatening from his wife). So far I haven't seen them burning........maybe they'll wait till Christmas Eve.

All my moneys are spent, I'm at the mercy of the weather and the Fed Ex deliveries until after the big day, and then another looong weekend for New Years.

So I'll be spending a lot of time roaming the blogosphere, reading about all the festivities around the country and listening to classic Christmas songs on youtube.com. I'm too cheap to actually go out and buy the CDs or anything.

So I think I'll post one of what I listen to hear each night. You will have likely heard it 10 times the day before.......but I'll tell you a secret..............I'm doing this for me.......'cause I love Christmas.

Let's try a little Sinatra, shall we?



Dang,......now I want some Egg Nog and it's to late to go to the store.

Traditions

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Ask most anyone who knows me at all and they'll likely tell you I'm an opinionated, stubborn, throwback to a different time and era. Is this a bad thing?

Do any of you remember when singers could sing and enunciate the words at the same time. I know that it's not just because i need bionic ears.........really I only got them so the wife would stop shouting at me. What I really need are mufflers for the ringing in my ears and the advertising jingles that repeat over, and over, and over, like an eight year old in the backseat of a '59 Mercury repeating endlessly "are we there yet?"...........sort of like me when I read the directions on the shampoo bottle........."Lather, rinse, repeat.......Lather, rinse, repeat....Lather, rinse, repeat.......

Anyway, I was driving the Red Ram around the highways and byways and on the radio (AM.....OK......it's my radio) comes this caterwauling and screeching like I'd never heard before. I pull over to the side and try to figure out what's wrong with the speakers.........till I realize there's nothing wrong on this end, but on the other end is some diva or other (maybe that Cilon Dejon Canadian twig) singing her version of Silent Night. Every other word....and it's in French or some foreign sounding heathen tongue (she's Canadian fer Christ's sake, an English Commonwealth country, speak English stupid)..........she's shrilling like a cat with her tail caught under a rocking chair..........hitting notes that would crack a walnut much less crystal. I mean this broad (Ha nothing wide about her) is trying to impress everyone with how long she can go between breaths.........or when we'll stuff our fingers in our ears.

What happened to the good old days when you could listen to a song and the beauty and emotion came through with the clarity of the words.

Something like ol' Bing here.........



Or even that Redheaded cowgirl, Reba



Don't go messing with my Traditions