Kelly’s Story

When I was little, I spent a lot of my summer’s at my aunts house in central Florida. There were a bunch of us that seemed to wind up together, I don’t know exactly how that came about, but we always did somehow. My other aunts kids; Jan, Gail, Becky and the baby Kelly, were a part of our little gathering and all of us together totaled nine. Eleven if you included our other two cousins; Reggie and his sister Georgia.

When our family reunion came around, we were the rat pack. That bunch of kids that ran around together and entertained all of the adults. It was fun growing up in the south, we were a rowdy bunch of little people and tough as nails. We might fall down and skin a knee, but that never was much concern for any of us, we would pick ourselves up and keep on going. Fun was around every corner, adventure was just a short distance away and we were always full of mischief. My grandma was always the ever watchful person that she was, and kept us in line.

When you are young and full of energy as we were, it seemed as there wasn’t enough time in the day for all that we did. We did however have discipline and were not run-away little brats. We had good parents and good up-bringing. We were raised as Christian children in the Baptist Church. My family has always been people of faith and for that I am very grateful. The cornerstone of our lives has through the years been one of faith and hope, with that comes; charity. I think that those three words pretty much spell out how everyone could find peace in their lives, if you can just keep those simple ideals in your heart.

Growing up was easy for me, and the transformation to adult life was made simpler by the life that I had come to know and love. Sure, I have made plenty of mistakes along the way, but I have tried to learn from them and am now at a point in my life where I can look back at all that I experienced in my childhood and it brings out some of my biggest smiles, even on a dreary day. The days that we as kids spent together on a hot July afternoon, with a cold slice of watermelon, trying to be the one who could spit a seed the farthest and all of the laughter that ensued are pleasant memories for me. Simple things like that will almost always brighten my day.

So why do things sometimes go so tragically wrong with our children these days? This past year one of my cousin’s daughter’s decided that life was not worth living anymore and at the young age of twenty-three, decided that she would end her life. She was successful in school and well liked, had a good family and never wanted for much. Her family was very loving and they spent a lot of time together as a family. Her parents never saw this coming. Her mother is a wonderful lady and still grieves very much for her daughter.

Two days ago, my baby cousin that I grew up with, part of our group of eleven, received a text message from her son, that simply said; “I’m sorry.” Her sister received the same text message. Several hours later, my uncle and my cousin found him in the woods, in the front seat of his truck. He had taken his own life. My sister in Illinois received news of this, from my aunt and called me. I was stunned. I knew this boy. He was twenty years old. He had  just finished technical school and was about to go on his second interview for a job  that he had recently applied for. He would have turned twenty-one, this month. He was the nicest kid that you would ever want to know. Once again, no one saw this coming. He did have a few problems as a child, but all seemed to be okay on the outside.

The funeral service is Saturday afternoon. How do you bury your twenty year old son? I asked my wife that tonight. I thought of my own son, he just turned twenty-five. He is my entire life. I tell him every day, that I love him. I tell him all of the time, that if there is anything that he needs, just ask. If something were to happen to him, it would be unbearable for me. Then I think about my cousin, who not long ago, was just a child herself. Like a sister to me. Things were so simple then.

My sister said that something good will come out of this. Maybe so. Today I asked several people who I know, how old their children were. I told them that when they get home this evening, to gather them up close and hold them. Tell them that they love them and remind them of that every day. Nothing in this life is certain.

I’m going to a funeral Saturday. For a twenty year old boy. I will watch my cousin cry. I do not know what I will say to her. I will probably hold her and cry also. My son will be with me and I will tell him again, how much that I love him.

He Never Did Nuthin’

It’s been some time since I posted anything here. Since all of the turmoil in Washington, I think I became a little to political. Enough of that for a while anyways.

Several people have come into my life’s path lately and some are worthy of sharing the experience. As much as I have come to believe that people are just no damned good, once in a while someone comes along and brings out the best in me.

She was an elderly black lady, probably in her mid seventies. She spoke with a voice that betrayed her struggles in life and at the same time highlighted an inner strength and self-determination that only those same struggles can instill in a person. She called last weekend when it was so unbearably hot and asked if I could look at her air conditioner.

I arrived and when I entered her little house, the heat inside was enough to knock a grown man off of his feet. I heard a girl crying in the bedroom directly behind me, she sounded as though she were in pain and at the time I did not know that she was handicapped. I talked to the elderly lady for just a moment and went outside to look at the condenser unit. It didn’t take very long to determine the cause of the problem. I repaired it and soon it was cooling again. When I stepped back inside. She was sitting at her kitchen table, smiling and had her hands on an open bible. She was very happy that it was starting to cool back down, but I know that she was dreading the amount that the bill would be.

I kept it at a minimum. When she saw the total on the invoice, she almost cried. “If I had of known that it was only gonna be this much I would have called sooner.” She looked down at her bible, closed her eyes and said with a sigh of relief; “thank you, Jesus. I tried to get my daughter to drink something cool but she couldn’t swallow, it has been so hot.”

I told her not to ever let it get that hot in here again and gave her my card with my number on it. “Call me if anything happens and it stops cooling again. I don’t care if it’s midnight.” She handed me a check for the bill and the last thing that she said grabbed me by the heart. “You know…I used to tell him that he never did nothin’. That he sat around and never got nuthin’ done, that needed to be done. I used to tell him that all of the time and you know…he never got mad at me, he just looked at me and smiled. Now…he’s gone and I shor do miss that man. If he were here…he would have taken care of this, just like he used to keep my car running…it’s broke down now. He took care of everthin’ around here and I guess I just couldn’t see. I sho do miss that old man…” She let a tear slip by and wiped the corner of her eyes.

I left there thinking how bad things were for her and hoped that things would get better. I remember the look in her eyes as she recalled memories of her husband before he passed away. I thought about my mama and my dad and the disagreements that we had over the years. Then I thought of all of the love that they gave me. Funny how your perspective changes after you lose someone who you love very much. I miss them a lot.

Never take anything for granted.

Part Deux; The Mexican-Chicken Casserole…Ole!

A follow up to my wifes Chicken Casserole dish…that drives me crazy! Mexican Chicken Casserole! What? Yeah…thats right! Mexican Chicken Casserole. Mmmmmm…Love It! Live it! Eat it! As some of my Mexican friends might say; ¡Esto es muy delicioso! All though, I doubt very seriously that they served this up in the old country. This is some sort of Yankee rip off! But then again, this is the U.S. We like to take things that are already great and make them even better!

I am not even sure, where on earth, Chicken Casserole came from in the first place but, where ever it was, I am very grateful! (Possibly…church socials…)Now we’ve gone and turned it into a Quasi-Mexican dish. Cool! I am not sure if there is any one way to prepare this, so I am going to attempt to give the basic recipe. So bear with me! Here goes;

Ingredients:

3 boneless chicken breasts (amount varies depending on the size of the casserole…duhh…I knew that…)

24 oz. of whole kernel sweet corn (no extra liquid please…)

15 oz. of prepared black beans (or canned if you are in a hurry!) You have to wash and drain them if they are canned!

1 can of cream of chicken soup (This is the secret ingredient…don’t tell anyone!)

1 ½ cups of sour cream

1 ½ cups of your favorite picante sauce (fresh is best!)

1 cup of chopped onion (try sweet Vidalia!)

3 cups of Monterey Jack cheese (or…your favorite!)

corn tortilla chips (save for topping)

Season the chicken with your favorite seasonings. We use fresh garlic, cumin, fresh chili powder, cinnamon, cilantro and if you like it hot; roasted chili’s in chipotle sauce. The list of extras is entirely up to your imagination and your culinary prowess, not to mention; your gastric fortitude! A little spice is always nice but, a lot may be too hot! So use a little bit of caution…or…not!

Brown the chicken breasts in a little bit of olive oil, until finished. Chop or dice chicken, whatever suits you…(I like it chopped!) Place in a bowl, large enough to work in and not make a mess…(like I certainly would)

Add the cream of chicken soup…(no extra liquid) and the sour cream. Mix.

Add remaining ingredients with half of the cheese and stir together.

Place in a casserole dish of suitable size and bake at 400 degrees for about 35 minutes. Remove from oven, break up the chips and cover the top to your liking and then sprinkle on the remaining cheese! Put dish back in the oven for about another 10 minutes or until top is brown and crispy. Viola!

Prepare your taste buds for an extravaganza! A Mexican inspired extravaganza! As Julia Child would say; Bon Appétit ! (how do you say that in Spanish?)

Re-Evolution!

Today I have decided, that I have listened to entirely too much talk radio. Not just any kind of talk radio, political talk radio. My brain has become completely saturated with every pundit whoever pundit-ed on the airwaves. There is only so much of a thing that you can take before something pops.

Whether you be a Republican, a Democrat, an Independent, a Liberal or Progressive (or whatever you are calling yourself now) or a Left Wing Nut or a Right Wing Nut, A Radical Leftist or a Tea Bagger or you just haven’t figured out where on earth you stand on anything yet, you have to admit that politics is anything but boring. Chaos, (or is it KAOS ?) comes to mind, with the current tone of things in Washington.

Then there was Scott Brown. Now; Senator Brown from the great State of Massachusetts. Did you watch that on election night? It was electrifying! A solid Democrat state for as long as anyone can remember and now it is Republican! Imagine that! Ted Kennedy is rolling over in his grave. Did anyone catch his victory celebration! Where he told everyone that was watching, that his two lovely daughters were available! Wow. Had I said that and my wife was on stage with me, she would have bopped me in the head! Oops! Caught up in the moment I guess.

However, now the Democrats are wondering; just how did this fiasco happen? The day before, we had the majority and now its all kind of; iffy. Just one vote. A lot can happen with just one vote in the world of politics. It can mean the difference whether something passes and gets signed into law or it dies a quick death! Imagine that.

I watch the news and listen to talk radio to stay informed, but I think that there is a limit to the amount that I can digest. All too soon it becomes nauseating. One side calling the other side names and each starts digging up garbage about one another. One group is lying and the other side is telling the truth. But, which side? I seek the truth and if I can’t get it in one place, I will go somewhere else. I consider myself pretty smart and the last thing that I need is some phony politician trying to tell me what is in my best interest.

Sometimes I think that the most difficult things that are in debate and which might affect my country in a bad way, ought to be put up for a public vote. I hate the idea of being force fed something that leaves a bad taste in my mouth and being told that its a good thing!

Then there is election time. All of the politicians come out from under whatever dark, damp, moldy place that they are currently hiding under and want me to believe that they are my best friend and have only good intentions for me! Then its over and they go back under that rock and we won’t see them again until next election, then they come back out again, kissing babies and smiling! Funny isn’t it? Or isn’t it?

Always fluid, the world of politics is indeed, never boring. It gets our blood boiling and starts revolutions. Then, its back to business as usual. Crazy, hunh?

This Health Care debate is going to be the death of me. While I agree that some sort of reform is necessary, to stop the spiraling cost of medicine. It would best be handled by adult people who are actually willing to sit and listen to each others ideas, rather than storm off and go behind a closed door to strike a deal without listening to any one else. After all, these guys up there in DC are put into office by us, the public. Then those concerned are stunned by what happened in Massachusetts. And they wonder why!

Oh well…tomorrow is another day and life goes on. Another talk show, another interview, another sleepless night! Give me a break!

Mr. Hairstons Salmon Croquettes

Two or three years ago, I was lucky enough to meet a gentleman, who defined that very word; gentleman. There are not that many of them around anymore. They are a dying breed. The last remaining bastion of them, is located in the deep south. In my opinion, that is. I was taught a certain way, while I was growing up. Yes ma’am and yes sir, were attached to the end of every sentence when speaking to either one. It was required. It was proper etiquette and there was always a thank you.

A true gentleman would give up his seat for a lady, wherever he may be. He opened a door and smiled politely for the elderly and ladies alike. These courtesies always came effortlessly, from one who was a gentleman, never put on or acted out. The world will see the end of these rare individuals one day and that will signal the end of an era. Sadly, we are not adding any more to our society. We are in too big of a hurry, going no where. Trying to earn more money than we need or spend it just as fast as we get it. There seems to be no more room for manners and common courtesy anymore.

And then, there is Mr. Hairston. Oddly enough, he is not a southerner. He is a native New Yorker, retired from the mass transit system of that great city. Years dedicated to his job as a bus driver, paid off for him. Eighty three years young and living now in Georgia. Happily retired, and I have the honor to call him my friend.

He has two loves in his life. His wife, who he takes the time to tell everyone, how she is his life, and makes his weekly trip to the store to bring home a fresh bouquet of flowers, just for her. His eyes light up every time he talks about her. And will tell you that every man should love his wife and cherish her as he does his. He is never at a loss for praise and says lovingly, that he would not know what to do without her. I adore this about him.

His second love is, Salmon Croquettes. You may be thinking, what an odd contrast. Believe this when I say it. He is a master of the art! You have never tasted anything like, what this man puts together and then calls; Croquettes. They are amazing! The first time that I ever had the pleasure of tasting them, my jaw dropped open. My mother used to make them all of the time and I have always loved them. Although, she called them; Salmon Patties. Her recipe included, Salmon, cornmeal and onions, along with some eggs to bind them together. They were formed into a small pattie, by hand and quick fried in a little bit of oil. They were always served up with a hot biscuit. Delicious!

Mr. Hairstons version, is a completely different recipe all together. He uses breadcrumbs, two eggs, sweet Vidalia Onions and a few other secret ingredients, and you would not dare to cook them in oil. Only butter will do and a small amount, at that! Low heat and a gentle turn. “You are only cooking the eggs!” he tells me! When they are done, they have the consistency, of a fresh, New England Crabcake. He told me how each batch takes two hours to prepare. “Two hours of love”, he says with a smile! He then forms them into the perfect shape and neatly wraps rows of five in wax paper. And then twenty to a freezer bag. He freezes them and they are ready to be given away. That is what he loves most, giving them to his friends!

His wife once told me that if you want to see him get upset; “ask him for some, he only gives them to the people that he really likes!” she says with a slight grin. If he gives you a package of his Salmon Croquettes, then you are his friend. You will never ask him for them and expect to receive any. If he likes you, he will insist that you take some though. The first, that he ever gave me, were wrapped up in a paper sack, that he acquires just for these treats. An ice cream sack, from Blue Bunny Ice Cream. He will tell you, how they will keep frozen in those paper bags, for at least two hours and if you are not going to use them right away, to put them in the freezer, promptly when you get home.

Every once in a while, a gentle soul such as Mr. Hairston comes along and enriches our lives. They are to be treasured. Next week we are taking him and his wife out to dinner. I’m sure that they won’t be serving his specialty to us. If they were  then, that is all that they would ever serve to their customers! I’m certain of that. Just think what our lives would be like, if we all had a little bit of his character in us. It would be a totally different world, that we live in and every day would be a pleasure!

Global Warming…really?

It was very cold today. It may be very cold tomorrow. In fact, I’m pretty sure that it will be extremely cold tomorrow. Frigid. This is South Georgia. Usually, this time of year, it’s just a “tad” cold. I never took my coats off today. Notice, I said coats, not coat. Not too long ago, I seem to recall a certain gentleman running around collecting Nobel Prizes, all the while claiming that the sky was falling or something equally silly…like “Global Warming” I think his name was Al or something like that.

There seemed to be some sort of urgency, in the fact that we need to do something about it right quick like or we would all drown from the ensuing floods of the Polar Ice Caps melting-off. I’m pretty sure that he even threw in something about the Polar Bears up in Alaska. That they were dying off as a result of this dilemma. He seems to have come up with this notion from some old science teacher of his from kindergarten or something like that. Did they even have science teachers in kindergarten? I don’t recall any myself. All I remember were giant pencils and crayons, oh yeah and finger paint! I think maybe it’s because, they now teach computer science in Kindergarten. Geez…the kids are light years ahead of all of us!

He got everybody so stirred up on the subject, that he even convinced our President, to fly all the way over to some place called; Copenhagen and make a speech about saving the planet! The people that were supposed to be over there listening to all of this, (I think that they were scientists) all got up and left for some odd reason. I still don’t know why that was. Nobody was in the audience when he finished his speech, except for that funny little dictator from Venezuela. What was his name? Caesar Chavez? I don’t know…something like that. He stuck around though, because he heard that, we were going to give him a bunch of money if he did. Like a hundred billion dollars or something crazy like that. Heck…I would have stuck around and listened to him for that much!

He spoke on the issue of carbon emissions from burning fossil fuels and how we all needed to step up to the plate and think of ways to eliminate them. Which I thought; ”wow can it really be this easy?” Then, him and his two hundred or so group of people that followed him over there, all got on several giant, jumbo jets and flew back across the Atlantic Ocean! Then they all got on helicopters and flew to the Whitehouse. That was awesome! I thought about it. I am gonna get an electric car! Just as soon as I can afford one! I’m gonna do my part and cut back on burning gas! Just like he asked us all to do!

Meanwhile, this fast approaching Ecological Nightmare, that we, it seems have created, is fast approaching! “Global Warming” wow…just think of the consequences. Hotter and hotter weather. Until we all just…POOF! Burn up! I am sweating…as I write this! No…dang it…I had the thermostat set too high. It was seventy degrees in here! Phew! I was just in time! I turned it back down to sixty five! Any higher and it would have melted the ice out in the yard by the water faucet, that’s been out there for three days now! Boy! That was a close call!

Did you ever see that Christmas movie, with that strange little dude that wears glasses? The one that said the “F” word. You know the guy…”Fudge”! Yeah! Peter Billingsley…that’s him! Remember how his mother dressed his kid brother up for school? That’s how I looked today. Man! I couldn’t even move my arms around. They are even (and this is soooo crazy!) predicting snow by Friday! Can you believe that? SNOW!!! Some whacked out weatherman even went so far as to say that this was gonna be the coldest winter in over thirty years! No way man! People are so dumb….It cannot be this cold…right in the middle of (whisper) Global Warming. Haah!

Look…everybody do the right thing. Okay? Stop driving your car…and stop using the clothes dryer…and turn off the water heater…and cut off the TV…Okay? You know…deep down…that it is up to us as individuals to save the planet. All right? Suck it uppppp! Take one for the team! Stop “Global Warming” before it’s too late!

Chicken Casserole

My wife made chicken casserole for dinner tonight. I’ve pretty much decided that this my favorite meal. If I were on death row and this was my last night, I would want her chicken casserole. Not a steak and baked potato. Not pizza not even a plate of Apalachicola Oysters on the half shell, even though, these items are my top ranked meals of all meals. I rank it right up there with a plate of Sushi.

This in no way is a dis to my friend Tony who runs one of my favorite restaurants here in town. Shogun. He is a master at his art, Sushi.

Chicken Casserole has become my favorite above all of my standbys. How could this be? You ask. Well…it’s all in the taste. It’s pretty awesome. I am not sure what all goes into the mix, but it must be wonderful! I know that she puts sour cream and cheese in it. That by itself is a winning combination. Cheese goes great with most anything. The cream makes it rich.

I am a food connoisseur. I have been since birth. Self taught actually. I recently turned professional and the rest is…well…history. Food is my passion. I am certain that this is what I do best. I love to cook also. I myself am a master of the grill. Slice it, fillet it, stuff it and rub it, then put it on the pit! Slow and low is my motto! Never rush a good thing. Pork or beef, nothing beats a well seasoned and slow cooked, prime piece of meat. Marinate it and slap the fire to it! Or BBQ it on this hot little grill!

Now…my wife likes to use the oven. Which is fine with me, because I can’t cook a casserole and to not be able to use the oven, pretty much deprives me of “The Casserole.” So she, saves the day in that respect. I am sure that she puts something magical in her fare. The reaction to my tastebuds is quite simply overwhelming to my senses. We never seem to have any left. Which is sad because, everybody knows that, Chicken Casserole is better the next day! I will never have the chance to experience this. I have become my own worst enemy in that respect. What to do?

Eat heartily! Enjoy it while you can. I will see you at the dinner table!

(Next time around, I will introduce you to Mr. Hairston’s Salmon Croquettes!)

My Hero.

Tonight we went to dinner at my sons place. We grilled out and afterward, watched a movie. Now this doesn’t sound like anything out of the ordinary, as I am sure many parents have done the same thing over the past generations. To me however, it was special.

Here lately, I have come to see another side of him. He has come a long way. He has overcome a lot of seemingly, overwhelming obstacles. He has matured before my eyes and turned into the man that he is today.

He is kind and generous beyond measure. He has a heart as big as the home state of the NFL team that he so dearly loves! Dallas.

His mother and I split apart when he was only three. The hardest thing that I ever did in my life, was to leave. She raised him and I filled in the gaps. I have had many years to sit back and reflect on the circumstance that I placed him in and for many years blamed everything but myself. One day, I too matured and finally placed the blame where it belonged. Me. I failed him.  That’s a heavy burden to carry. I wondered what kind of damage that I had done to my only son. I was determined to change it! To be the opposite of what I was.

Years go by and we see ourselves in the mirror everyday, not knowing who we really are and appearances can be deceiving. I was dying on the inside. One day someone that I love very much, introduced me to a Church that would change my life. The Elders came over and performed something, just short of miraculous. They changed my heart. Softened it up some and…well…the rest is not really noteworthy! Life is funny! Besides…this story isn’t about me, it’s about my son.

He is changing, right before my very eyes. I missed some of the early years and the things that we should have done together, as father and son but, I now have the unique opportunity to watch him grow up. He came to live with me a while back, to attend college and part way through, for whatever reason he dropped out.

The other day, he and his love of five years, were moving from a small apartment, that they have been in for some time now, to a much bigger one. It had a lot more space and was much nicer. The move wasn’t that big of a deal; it was his friends! There must have been twelve of them. They all pitched in and were the most pleasant group of people that I have ever had the pleasure to meet. They all spoke very highly of him.  There was some great friendship there, that night.

One evening, a few months ago, he called me out of the blue and asked me if I had a minute. Sure, I said. “remember how I use to get all mad because, you asked me to do stuff around the house and we used to argue about responsibility?” I answered yes, I couldn’t say anything different to him, “Well…since I have been out on my own, I have found out, that all of the stuff you preached at me was true. It’s tough out there. I had it made when I was with you. So I am going back to school. I can’t keep on doing what I am doing.” With that, I almost burst into tears!

My son can laugh, when things are tough. He  loves life. He is friendly and outgoing. He is constantly surprising me. I envy his outlook on things. Whenever he was faced with a tough situation, he always looked at the positive side. After last night, I found that I can now relax a bit. He is going to be okay! I have been worrying about him and all along, it probably wasn’t even necessary. He is a great guy! I love his smile! I love his heart and I am so very proud of him!

Someone once asked me, who my hero was. Over the years I suppose that I have had many. My father being one of them. My mother also.  I think that we go through phases. Who is my hero now?

My son!

Claude Texas!

The beginning of a New Year is at hand! Hopefully this one will be better than this past one!

Anyways…I thought that I would introduce you to two of my friends. They are both from California and nether one of them speaks English. This make a friendship with them especially challenging. The language barrier is apparent from the first time that you meet them. I have known them both now for just a short while, and as time goes by, we seem to be able to at the very least, communicate with each other a little bit better.

Both of them have special needs, which is unfortunate because, they are both still young at heart for their age and have the potential for a long useful life ahead of them, so, I don’t have the capacity to feel sorry for them either. My wife has been their caretaker since they were young.

My first encounter with them was on the trip home from out west. Julie and I were married in Nevada and she had decided to live here with me in South Georgia. Being from California herself, this presented a small but, manageable situation. Her two companions would come with us! I opened my home and heart to her two special friends. We would be a family.

We had a long trip ahead but, driving cross country was sure to be an adventure. There were a lot of places that I had never been before and this was the opportunity of a lifetime for all of us. We made everything as comfortable as possible for everyone. Julie’s two friends had the entire back seat to themselves, but after a while, things would tend to get a bit cramped, so we stopped as often as possible to stretch our legs and rest.

We drove through Flagstaff Arizona, Albuquerque New Mexico and I must say that the sights were magnificent! We passed through some snow and ice up in the mountains near New Mexico and stayed the night in Gallup. The road we took back was, I-40 and it paralleled the famous Route 66 Highway, across the country.

The next day we headed on into “The lone Star State.” We came to a little town called Claude. Claude Texas. There really is a place by that name. I will never forget Claude Texas. Right in the middle of town was a quaint little courthouse, surrounded by the town square. On the side of the courthouse was a picturesque little oasis. A picnic table and a large shade tree, what a great place to stop and enjoy a cold drink. Everybody was glad to rest for a while. I pulled up under the shade and cut the engine off. Julie and I were both a little tired and I let my seat back just a bit to relax and take in the fresh air.

Then it happened. I heard the rear window go down. I looked at Julie and asked, “did you let the window down?” We both looked back and her two friends were out the door and headed off down the road. She panicked and jumped out of the car. “Hey! Comeback!” she yelled. Neither one of them ever looked back! I think that the entire time, that they were with us, they had just decided that they didn’t want to go to Georgia after all. I believe that they were heading back to California. I cranked up the car and told her that I would go get them and for her to sit there and wait. I turned around and raced towards them. Yelling out the window for them to stop. They never understood a word that I was saying!

They both ran towards the highway and for a moment, I thought that this was all going to end in a tragedy. I pulled up past them and stopped the car, I jumped out and tried to get them to listen to me. There was a Greyhound bus headed directly towards us. I think that they were going to flag the bus down, but it was traveling too fast and was dangerously close to them. With all of the effort that I had left in me, I lept in front of them and cut them off from certain death. Nearly being hit by the bus myself. They turned and saw Julie standing there, waving frantically and headed towards her. She had gotten their attention finally! Thank God!

SuZ had to pee and Sam just gave up, probably from sheer exhaustion. As for me…well…I was just happy!

They have been with me now for almost three years and seem to have adapted well to life in South Georgia. They are however two of the most nervous individuals that I have ever met. They do not like loud noises. The other night we had a terrible lightening storm here and both of them jumped up and ran under the end table to hide! Can you imagine that? They both are definitely, very special!

I can look back at the trip and think about that fateful day in Claude…it still brings a smile to my face…

Is this our last Christmas?

Christmas is past. The New Year is just around the corner and we are all holding our breaths, in wonder of what is in store for us. This has been a record breaking year. Unemployment at an all time high. The National dept off the chart and still our dually elected congress keeps spending our money like there is no end in sight. Looks like they would use common sense and back off for a while, at least until we have a chance to balance our checkbook.

That doesn’t seem to be the case with this congress and its leadership. Spend first and ask questions later, is the rule of thumb on the Hill, at this present time. Take over all of the business’s and the medical system of this country and Federalize them. If it weren’t so insanely crazy, it would be laughable, but then again these aren’t funny times for most of us.

So we shall see. We shall see what the smart ones up there, have done to this Great Country, for the better or for the worse. All though the majority of Americans were opposed to this reckless spending, they have turned their noses up at us once again.

The New Year is upon us and we all sit back in anticipation of the possibilities. Boom or bust. What will it be? I’m a bit worried. When my government passes a law that will force me into a contract with them, at a cost of who knows what, and a penalty clause for non-cooperation of a fine and or imprisonment. I cannot help but wonder, if we are headed off into a new communist society. Which ironically, we fought a cold war with for over twenty years. At a cost of trillions of dollars, and countless lives, only to bankrupt the society that we were once enemies with and then turning them towards capitalism and democracy. Wow! Now, it looks as though, we are headed down the same dark path as they once were. It didn’t work for them or any of the other nations, that took the same path.  Are we now headed in the same general direction? Incredible!

I was at a customer’s house the other day and her house keeper and I, got into a conversation about how small Christmas seemed this year. How it has been minimized, by society and the very stores that we shop in, for gifts. We talked about how The Christmas’s of past, have become smaller and smaller. Remember when we had Christmas programs in school and maybe even a tree in our classrooms and how we often sang Christmas carols in class? Not today. Why that would be a sacrilege. She hit a tender spot in my heart when she asked, “do you think that this will be our last Christmas?” what do you say to that?

As we all stand by the wayside and watch all of our traditions slowly wane away from us. We realize that we are changing as a society. Our freedoms are slowly being erased. We are being dragged off into oblivion and doing nothing about it. I hope that one day our flag is still standing and we as a people will open our eyes to what is at stake before it is too late. “Patriotism” is a long forgotten word. Our founding father’s knew the term well. We need a bit of that right about now.