Ever since the two companies combined their resources I've been having some really bad gas attacks. First they started increasing the cost of my long distance plans, then they decided they needed a little more profit in the pocket and increased the cost of basic phone services. Over the past year these services have increased approximately 33% when you also include all those danged taxes they also tack on.
I decided the second phone line (which was once upon a time, a bargain) had to go and while I was at it, I decided the long distance service had to go too, at least until I get around to finding a service that doesn't give me a royal screwing. So yesterday I placed a call to AT&T/SBC customer service in order to place the change order.
Should have been simple.
But it wasn't.
TWO hours and 15 minutes is all it took, TWO hours and 15 minutes of trying to make a yankee voice recognition understand my southern twang, then holding for a human who I'd relay my wishful intents to, who'd then transfer me to another human who I'd have to hold for and who had to know all the same details I'd given to the first human, then holding again for 1 HOUR for the ONE who, I was told, could get needed task completed, then hanging up because 1 HOUR was too long to wait and I needed to pee, then calling back and wrestling with the VOICE again that put me on hold again in order to wait for another human,,,Folks, I was aggravated and aggitated beyond what a normal person can tolerate by then.
Finally, a human voice broke in on the music and I told her when she said, "this conversation may be taped,,," (for whatever reason, I forget), "I sure hope so because I want it to go on record that I've been on this danged phone holding for you people for over an hour and a half so far and I'm mighty cranky right now and I need to pee again already."
She took my change order and THEN said, "But we can give you a $20 discount for the second line if you'll keep it."
HUH?, I said to self, I've been a customer for 30 years and I have to decide to take the line out in order to be offered a discount to keep it? "No thank you Lady, even the discount wouldn't make up for the cost increases or the aggravation I'm going through in order to get this done so please just remove the long distance plans and disconnect the second line."
"Ok, I've removed your long distance plans and now I'll transfer you to the department for disconnecting your second line." WTH???????
Man, was I ever disturbed by then and ready to resort to 2 tin cans and a long roll of string. The last fella I talked to, after another 10 minutes on hold, finally completed the change order.
The 2nd line was supposed to have been disconnected at 6pm today but was disconnected instead, at 6am. The service guy was supposed to be here between 8am and 5pm today and arrived at 4:45 pm.
And I'm about to get over my crankiness,,,almost. BUT I'M SENDING OUT HATE VIBES TO AT&T and whosoever has stock in that crazy company!
Now I'm waiting for this giant headache to go away before I attempt to find a new long distance service, maybe.
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
Monday, August 28, 2006
Jilly Beans and the Post Office snake
Jerri called a few minutes ago to tell me that they were just leaving the emergency room and Jillian is going to be the one to follow in her Daddy's footsteps.
Jerri does a lot of buying and selling on Ebay so she was at the post office this morning to mail some packages. Alexis and Jillian were looking at some Mickey Mouse packaging stuff while she was taking care of business. Jerri felt a tug at her waist and Alexis said, "Momma, Jillian has a snake." Jerri thought she'd said "sack" and turned around to take it from the baby and there was Miz Jilly Beans, with a big grin, holding a snake that was about a foot long and the circumference of a pencil which was wrapped around her arm and neck. Jerri grabbed the baby and asked a man standing in line if he'd help her get the snake away and he just stared at her, so she said, "SHIT man, hold the baby and I'll get the snake off of her!" The postal workers just stood there saying, "Oh my god!" and never attempted to help. Finally the postmaster heard the commotion and came in AFTER they'd gotten the snake off of the baby and Jerri was stripping her clothes off to see if she'd been bitten. They found a spot of blood on her leg so off to the emergency room they went, taking the snake that another customer had stomped on when he came into the post office.
No one at the post office OR the hospital could identify the snake so Jerri called Bubbie, who's an old hand at being snake bit, to come identify the snake. He wasn't sure either but Jillian didn't have any swelling or redness at the site after 45 minutes so they felt that even if it was poisonous she didn't receive any venom. They also weren't sure if she'd been bitten, it could have been that she got a scratch in the scramble to get the snake off of her. Anyway, they're supposed to watch her closely for the next little while and Jerri probably has several new gray hairs after THAT close encounter.
We spent our share of time in the emergency room when Bubbie from the time he was 17 months old and Jillian already has that beat so poor Jerri had better get the doctor to prescribe something for her nerves now.
Jerri does a lot of buying and selling on Ebay so she was at the post office this morning to mail some packages. Alexis and Jillian were looking at some Mickey Mouse packaging stuff while she was taking care of business. Jerri felt a tug at her waist and Alexis said, "Momma, Jillian has a snake." Jerri thought she'd said "sack" and turned around to take it from the baby and there was Miz Jilly Beans, with a big grin, holding a snake that was about a foot long and the circumference of a pencil which was wrapped around her arm and neck. Jerri grabbed the baby and asked a man standing in line if he'd help her get the snake away and he just stared at her, so she said, "SHIT man, hold the baby and I'll get the snake off of her!" The postal workers just stood there saying, "Oh my god!" and never attempted to help. Finally the postmaster heard the commotion and came in AFTER they'd gotten the snake off of the baby and Jerri was stripping her clothes off to see if she'd been bitten. They found a spot of blood on her leg so off to the emergency room they went, taking the snake that another customer had stomped on when he came into the post office.
No one at the post office OR the hospital could identify the snake so Jerri called Bubbie, who's an old hand at being snake bit, to come identify the snake. He wasn't sure either but Jillian didn't have any swelling or redness at the site after 45 minutes so they felt that even if it was poisonous she didn't receive any venom. They also weren't sure if she'd been bitten, it could have been that she got a scratch in the scramble to get the snake off of her. Anyway, they're supposed to watch her closely for the next little while and Jerri probably has several new gray hairs after THAT close encounter.
We spent our share of time in the emergency room when Bubbie from the time he was 17 months old and Jillian already has that beat so poor Jerri had better get the doctor to prescribe something for her nerves now.
Pageant Time
The Chick and Jilly Beans have their dresses for the Tri-County Fair pageants next week. The Chick's pageant will be on Sept. 5th and Jilly's on Sept. 9th. What do ya'll think?
Saturday, August 26, 2006
I'm Slow, but I eventually get there
I want to apologize for not getting around to visit blog friends as often as I'd like to but the combination of old "Arthur", who's been giving me hell when I sit for very long, and this blasted dial-up, that on a GOOD day gives me a 28.8 kbps connection, my visiting time is sometimes limited. Please don't give up on me, I'm 'a tryin!
Friday, August 25, 2006
Couch Potato
I was fussing at Zach yesterday for not bringing his spelling folder home to study for a test today and he told me, "Nanaw, you just don't understand about school stuff, you get to stay here and lay on the couch all day."
He's very lucky to still be walking upright.
My first Thursday chore was to install the newest version of Norton Internet Security. Since I have this blasted dial up, I order the disc for the install every year and Norton is not Brenda friendly because it doesn't come with enough instructions for those of us who NEED plenty of instruction. It's also a slight aggravation when I have to look all over the house for my rarely used reading glasses in order to read the teeny, tiny print that I'm sure they hire a teeny, tiny fairy with a teeny, tiny pen to write for them. Then the rebate thingy was written by the fairy's pet ant.
Chore #2 was to complete 2 Ark State amended returns for a client. It's a chore for me because to do this stuff I have to take my thoughts back to 2005 when I have problems making them go back to what was going on last week. They're all ready to put in the mail now though, thank goodness.
Chore #3 was to REdo a sales tax report that was lost by the good ole US Postal Service for another client.
Today I would lay around on the couch all day except that I need to do the chores that I didn't do yesterday due to those other chores I had to do. Maybe I'll remember to turn on Fox television network so I can catch one of those court TV programs. Have ya'll seen one of those? I don't know how those judges keep their cool cause I'd be rolling in the floor laughing at some of those folks. They should be on the comedy channel.
He's very lucky to still be walking upright.
My first Thursday chore was to install the newest version of Norton Internet Security. Since I have this blasted dial up, I order the disc for the install every year and Norton is not Brenda friendly because it doesn't come with enough instructions for those of us who NEED plenty of instruction. It's also a slight aggravation when I have to look all over the house for my rarely used reading glasses in order to read the teeny, tiny print that I'm sure they hire a teeny, tiny fairy with a teeny, tiny pen to write for them. Then the rebate thingy was written by the fairy's pet ant.
Chore #2 was to complete 2 Ark State amended returns for a client. It's a chore for me because to do this stuff I have to take my thoughts back to 2005 when I have problems making them go back to what was going on last week. They're all ready to put in the mail now though, thank goodness.
Chore #3 was to REdo a sales tax report that was lost by the good ole US Postal Service for another client.
Today I would lay around on the couch all day except that I need to do the chores that I didn't do yesterday due to those other chores I had to do. Maybe I'll remember to turn on Fox television network so I can catch one of those court TV programs. Have ya'll seen one of those? I don't know how those judges keep their cool cause I'd be rolling in the floor laughing at some of those folks. They should be on the comedy channel.
Thursday, August 24, 2006
I'm always at the wrong place
Opportunity hardly ever knocks at my door but if it did, I'd be one happy old gal, waiting there with camera in hand to take a picture of it.
Yesterday James was doing what it is that he does at the shop down on the farm and he began hearing the sound of a large airplane. The noise kept getting louder, and louder, until he just had to drop what he was doing and check to see if he needed to haul his old butt elsewhere to avoid being landed upon. The noise maker was a Fedex DC10 that was flying so low that James said "if I weren't as blind as a bat, I'da been able to see what kind of tires he had on that landing gear." (which was down by the way). He said the plane circled over the shop a couple of times, then climbed and crossed the levee and circled back before finally flying on southward (still flying just above the treetops).
We're still wondering if it was trying to find a place to make an emergency landing, nothing on the news about it though. Weird.
I rarely encounter such cool stuff as that. The helicopter that circled my autumn sunflowers two years in a row hasn't even come back. They must have decided once and for all that I had a brain larger than a walnut and those were not marijuana plants growing out there beside my shed. Kinda makes me sad, sometimes I could use a little more of that kind of excitement in my life.
Yesterday James was doing what it is that he does at the shop down on the farm and he began hearing the sound of a large airplane. The noise kept getting louder, and louder, until he just had to drop what he was doing and check to see if he needed to haul his old butt elsewhere to avoid being landed upon. The noise maker was a Fedex DC10 that was flying so low that James said "if I weren't as blind as a bat, I'da been able to see what kind of tires he had on that landing gear." (which was down by the way). He said the plane circled over the shop a couple of times, then climbed and crossed the levee and circled back before finally flying on southward (still flying just above the treetops).
We're still wondering if it was trying to find a place to make an emergency landing, nothing on the news about it though. Weird.
I rarely encounter such cool stuff as that. The helicopter that circled my autumn sunflowers two years in a row hasn't even come back. They must have decided once and for all that I had a brain larger than a walnut and those were not marijuana plants growing out there beside my shed. Kinda makes me sad, sometimes I could use a little more of that kind of excitement in my life.
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Another Harvest
As I drive down our country roads I've been noticing how many of the cotton boles are popping open and it's only mid-August! There was a time when mid to late September was early for harvesting cotton but with the new varieties and this awful heat we've been having, those cotton pickers will be hogging the highways and byways sooner than usual this year.
I can remember cotton pickin time on Grandpa's farm when I was a kid and it sure was different from what it is now. Huge, half million dollar machines do the work in a few weeks today that used to take months to be done by hand back then, of course the farms were MUCH smaller then. Grandpa had 80 acres and I believe about half of that was in cotton.
His cotton pickers arrived in the back of a couple of old pickup trucks wearing long sleeves, long pants, and sometimes gloves, to keep the stalks and burrs from scratching and clawing at their skin as they dragged their long sacks down the row middles as they picked. A good picker could oftentimes pick 300 pounds of cotton a day. They were paid daily, in cash, for every pound of cotton that was weighed out on the scales hanging from the back of the old one bale trailer PaPaw had. He kept a pad and an old stub of a pencil in his pocket to keep a running tally of the number of pounds each picker weighed out during the day.
After the trailer was full and "tromped" (packed down) by a kid or two from the group, or us if we were out of school, Grandpa would putt along, towing the trailer behind the tractor, on to the nearby town gin which was about a mile away. The pickers kept on picking so as to have sacks to start a new load when he returned.
About the only thing that hasn't changed much in my lifetime of living around cotton fields is the price the farmer gets for his cotton. Doesn't seem right since the price of cotton clothing sure has changed.
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
I'm a Bad American
I got this idea from one of my favorite radio stations and revised it to suit my beliefs.
I drive a truck, and smoke, and believe I shouldn't have to hide out in the weather to do it.. I believe the money I make belongs to me and my family, not to some idiot in Washington who's never had to do a day of hard labor in his/their life and who gives it to others who've never attempted to work a day in their lives.
I don't always care about appearing compassionate. I know that playing with guns doesn't make you a killer. I believe it's called the Boy Scouts for a reason. I think I made better choices than most of the homeless.
I don't think being a minority makes you noble or victimized. I don't care if you call me a racist, cause I don't believe you should be given a job for anything less than your abilities to do the job. I don't celebrate Kwanzaa, this ain't Africa!
I believe that if you are selling me a Big Mac, you should do it in English and it aggravates me to have to search for the English directions on the box. I don't use the excuse "it's for future generations" as a shield for socialist opinions or actions. I want to know what gives you the right to censor what I read, listen to, or watch on TV.
I know what the definition of lying "is". I think Oprah is annoying, and self grandizing. Who else would start a magazine and only have herself on the cover. I believe it's wonderful to be kind and giving but advertising it gives it a different intention.
I believe in getting an education but I don't believe having one gives you the right to a job that you don't know how to do.
I believe everyone has a right to pray to their own God or gods, and they can do it in their schools. I believe the Star Spangled Banner is a cool song.
I've never owned or was a slave and I didn't wander forty years in the desert after getting chased out of Egypt and I haven't burned any witches or been persecuted by the Turks and NEITHER HAVE YOU, so SHUTUP already.
"The Roadrunner" still makes me laugh. I believe a self-righteous liberal out to Save The Earth is more dangerous than a Play Station. I want to know which church is it exactly where the "Reverend" Jessie Jackson preaches.
I believe that it doesn't take a village to raise a child - it takes a parent, or two. I think tattoos and piercings are fine if you want them, but they're not artistic statments.
I drive a truck, and smoke, and believe I shouldn't have to hide out in the weather to do it.. I believe the money I make belongs to me and my family, not to some idiot in Washington who's never had to do a day of hard labor in his/their life and who gives it to others who've never attempted to work a day in their lives.
I don't always care about appearing compassionate. I know that playing with guns doesn't make you a killer. I believe it's called the Boy Scouts for a reason. I think I made better choices than most of the homeless.
I don't think being a minority makes you noble or victimized. I don't care if you call me a racist, cause I don't believe you should be given a job for anything less than your abilities to do the job. I don't celebrate Kwanzaa, this ain't Africa!
I believe that if you are selling me a Big Mac, you should do it in English and it aggravates me to have to search for the English directions on the box. I don't use the excuse "it's for future generations" as a shield for socialist opinions or actions. I want to know what gives you the right to censor what I read, listen to, or watch on TV.
I know what the definition of lying "is". I think Oprah is annoying, and self grandizing. Who else would start a magazine and only have herself on the cover. I believe it's wonderful to be kind and giving but advertising it gives it a different intention.
I believe in getting an education but I don't believe having one gives you the right to a job that you don't know how to do.
I believe everyone has a right to pray to their own God or gods, and they can do it in their schools. I believe the Star Spangled Banner is a cool song.
I've never owned or was a slave and I didn't wander forty years in the desert after getting chased out of Egypt and I haven't burned any witches or been persecuted by the Turks and NEITHER HAVE YOU, so SHUTUP already.
"The Roadrunner" still makes me laugh. I believe a self-righteous liberal out to Save The Earth is more dangerous than a Play Station. I want to know which church is it exactly where the "Reverend" Jessie Jackson preaches.
I believe that it doesn't take a village to raise a child - it takes a parent, or two. I think tattoos and piercings are fine if you want them, but they're not artistic statments.
Monday, August 21, 2006
Did Karr Do It?
Is John Mark Karr guilty of the murder of 6 yr old JonBenet Ramsey or has Boulder, Colorado District Attorney, Mary Lacy, helped to enable this weirdo to confess to the crime for the attention?
The, as yet, unarrested, Karr was returned to the US late yesterday after flying back business class and being treated to fine dining and champagne on the flight. Surely Miz Lacy has more to go on than this guy's "confession", right?
I'm not sure what I think, but I believe I'll hold my guilty or innocent verdict until DNA and finger print experts have done their jobs. This guy's obsession with the murdered child has had almost 10 years to fester and he's had more than enough opportunity to learn the facts about much of the evidence from the crime scene. Just Google JonBenet Ramsey evidence and you'll come up with 2,860,000 hits. Even maps of the crime scene can be found.
I hope they've found that little girl's murderer, I really do.
What are your thoughts as to the possible outcome of this investigation?
Sunday, August 20, 2006
Whew,,,that was a headache waiting to happen.
I'm still doing some tweaking here cause I don't know how to correct a couple of things, but for the most part I've come to the conclusion that this look is what I was aiming for to welcome in a new season.
I'm not crazy about Autumn but it's not because I don't welcome the prospect of some cooler weather or the wonderful aromas that it brings, I don't care for Autumn because it leads to winter and I just hate cold weather and the way most everything in nature looks like it's dead or dying.
And you know, as soon as Autumn wans, Christmas comes a'callin and lately I've been having a difficult time getting myself into a Christmas mood.
Anyway, maybe this bright daisy will bring a little cheer for the next few weeks.
I hope everyone had a great weekend!
I'm not crazy about Autumn but it's not because I don't welcome the prospect of some cooler weather or the wonderful aromas that it brings, I don't care for Autumn because it leads to winter and I just hate cold weather and the way most everything in nature looks like it's dead or dying.
And you know, as soon as Autumn wans, Christmas comes a'callin and lately I've been having a difficult time getting myself into a Christmas mood.
Anyway, maybe this bright daisy will bring a little cheer for the next few weeks.
I hope everyone had a great weekend!
Thursday, August 17, 2006
You've Gotta Wonder What The Day Will Bring
Especially when you've slept so hard that you woke up with a sleep wrinkle in yer head and a hang-over type headache on top.
I reckon I was just so happily tired last night after a morning with the girls, a shopping trip for more school supplies, and an afternoon with the chicklets that I fell into a slumber so deep that I think I even made my usual potty trips in my sleep.
I hope I made it to my destination each time (makes note to self to check carpet for wet spots).
Ya'll can check out the water fun photos if you get a chance.
I reckon I was just so happily tired last night after a morning with the girls, a shopping trip for more school supplies, and an afternoon with the chicklets that I fell into a slumber so deep that I think I even made my usual potty trips in my sleep.
I hope I made it to my destination each time (makes note to self to check carpet for wet spots).
Ya'll can check out the water fun photos if you get a chance.
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Things have been slow around here.
I'm just dragging slowly through the days. School starts on Monday so we have school clothes and shoes bought and ready, and a few of the school supplies that we know he'll need, the rest I'll get tomorrow after I attend the open house at school tonight and get a list of other things the teacher expects him to have. I hope to meet his teacher tonight so I can schedule a conference with her as soon after school begins as possible. I have to stay ahead of what he's doing and what's expected of him in order to shave off a little of the stress that homework brings us.
The temps are in the mid-90's today so that's almost a cool spell compared to the 100 to 103 temps we had prior. It's been smothery outdoors and it makes for a cranky moments when I've had to be out for any length of time.
Bubbie's doing better every day but I'm thinking Jerri is already praying for his return to work as soon as it's medically possible. Lordy I believe if a man ever had to give birth it'd be the end of civilization cause they'd never handle the pain involved.
Ok, I'm outta here to get supper going and put away the laundry. Hope everyone is having a great week!
The temps are in the mid-90's today so that's almost a cool spell compared to the 100 to 103 temps we had prior. It's been smothery outdoors and it makes for a cranky moments when I've had to be out for any length of time.
Bubbie's doing better every day but I'm thinking Jerri is already praying for his return to work as soon as it's medically possible. Lordy I believe if a man ever had to give birth it'd be the end of civilization cause they'd never handle the pain involved.
Ok, I'm outta here to get supper going and put away the laundry. Hope everyone is having a great week!
Saturday, August 12, 2006
Friday, August 11, 2006
For The Rest of The Story
I failed to mention another incident that happened on Wednesday and I'm not sure why except that my brain was a little drained after wording the tale of "the man meets horse and horse wins". But it could also be because I felt just a little bit like a criminal,,,or something.
As I was leaving Jerri's, with frayed nerves and much on my mind, I backed out of their drive and, WHAP, went right into the side of a small truck that was parked behind me in the right lane on their little, narrow street. The front of my truck wasn't even out of Jerri's drive when I hit the truck, so that's how narrow the street is. The truck hadn't been there when I drove in and I guess I just didn't notice it parked there, in the way, when I came out. I got out of my truck and went to the door of the house there and told the lady I'd hit her truck, gave her my phone number, the name of my insurance company (local), and my agent's name. In my frazzled state, it never occurred to me that a police officer was needed. As soon as I left, I went directly to my insurance company and reported the accident and the owner of the truck was on the phone with one of the secretaries when I arrived.
My truck didn't even have a scratch on it!
I think the woman called the police because Jerri told me they were looking for me as they were leaving for the hospital. I don't reckon they wanted me too badly though, cause the woman had my name and number and when I later called the police station, they didn't know what I was talking about.
Bubbie went back to the doctor today and his shoulder is ok but they've found he has 2 broken ribs in addition to the breaks in his collar bone. He's not being a very nice patient and I think Jerri is ready to shoot him.
As I was leaving Jerri's, with frayed nerves and much on my mind, I backed out of their drive and, WHAP, went right into the side of a small truck that was parked behind me in the right lane on their little, narrow street. The front of my truck wasn't even out of Jerri's drive when I hit the truck, so that's how narrow the street is. The truck hadn't been there when I drove in and I guess I just didn't notice it parked there, in the way, when I came out. I got out of my truck and went to the door of the house there and told the lady I'd hit her truck, gave her my phone number, the name of my insurance company (local), and my agent's name. In my frazzled state, it never occurred to me that a police officer was needed. As soon as I left, I went directly to my insurance company and reported the accident and the owner of the truck was on the phone with one of the secretaries when I arrived.
My truck didn't even have a scratch on it!
I think the woman called the police because Jerri told me they were looking for me as they were leaving for the hospital. I don't reckon they wanted me too badly though, cause the woman had my name and number and when I later called the police station, they didn't know what I was talking about.
Bubbie went back to the doctor today and his shoulder is ok but they've found he has 2 broken ribs in addition to the breaks in his collar bone. He's not being a very nice patient and I think Jerri is ready to shoot him.
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
Mommas, don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys,,,,,,,
My nerves have been stretched about as far as they'll go today but I believe everything is gonna be ok.
The phone woke me up some time after 7 but I didn't make it to answer it before they gave up and hung up. Shortly after I started sipping on my first cup of coffee the phone rang again and noone was there, then again,,,noone, a little before 8 or so it rang again and after the guy told me who he was my heart dropped to my toes. It was Andrews (I forget if he's a major or lieutenant), my son's superior at the prison, calling to tell me that Bubbie's horse had thrown him and they'd air lifted him to the Med's trauma center in Memphis. I was too scared to take a breath by then but he continued to tell me that they thought he'd be ok,,probably a broken collar bone,,but that he was having problems breathing so they'd decided to send him by helicopter instead of by ambulance. He asked me if I could get in touch with Jerri because he hadn't be able to reach her.
In less than 10 minutes I dragged Zach out of the bed, threw on some clothes, and we were out the door to go tell Jerri what had happened so she could go up there to be with him.
They kept him in Memphis all day and did x-rays and a CT scan, his collar bone is broken in 2 places, he's sore all over, and they're not sure if he's also got a fractured shoulder blade (he returns Friday to check that out) but thank The Lord he's going to be ok but won't be riding a horse for over a month. Jerri is probably going to have her hands full over the next while though with 2 babies and a Bubbie to keep up with.
We don't have the best of luck with horses in this family.
Now. I told Cassie-b after I read her post yesterday that her visitor's brother had stopped in to see us earlier this week and that I'd post a link to his photo on my blog today. I took this through the slightly dingy window of my back door on a hazy morning but I still think he looks rather handsome sitting out there on the garden rail.
The phone woke me up some time after 7 but I didn't make it to answer it before they gave up and hung up. Shortly after I started sipping on my first cup of coffee the phone rang again and noone was there, then again,,,noone, a little before 8 or so it rang again and after the guy told me who he was my heart dropped to my toes. It was Andrews (I forget if he's a major or lieutenant), my son's superior at the prison, calling to tell me that Bubbie's horse had thrown him and they'd air lifted him to the Med's trauma center in Memphis. I was too scared to take a breath by then but he continued to tell me that they thought he'd be ok,,probably a broken collar bone,,but that he was having problems breathing so they'd decided to send him by helicopter instead of by ambulance. He asked me if I could get in touch with Jerri because he hadn't be able to reach her.
In less than 10 minutes I dragged Zach out of the bed, threw on some clothes, and we were out the door to go tell Jerri what had happened so she could go up there to be with him.
They kept him in Memphis all day and did x-rays and a CT scan, his collar bone is broken in 2 places, he's sore all over, and they're not sure if he's also got a fractured shoulder blade (he returns Friday to check that out) but thank The Lord he's going to be ok but won't be riding a horse for over a month. Jerri is probably going to have her hands full over the next while though with 2 babies and a Bubbie to keep up with.
We don't have the best of luck with horses in this family.
Now. I told Cassie-b after I read her post yesterday that her visitor's brother had stopped in to see us earlier this week and that I'd post a link to his photo on my blog today. I took this through the slightly dingy window of my back door on a hazy morning but I still think he looks rather handsome sitting out there on the garden rail.
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
What Condition My Condition Was In
Three days have passed and I'm still trying to get Zach to clean his room. We thought he had it done by the end of day two, but then I opened the closet. So now he's been banished to the confines of his 4 walls until it's done. And stays done, cause Nanaw is all done playing around with this little terrorist.
I bought him the mesh doo-hickey above in order for him to have another place to stash his "stuff" and earlier today I was standing on his little, short, man-sized sofa to reach the ceiling to screw in a hook. I became frustrated because I couldn't keep my balance and do the screwing at the same time so I hopped down off the sofa thingy (imagine a hippo playing hopscotch here), my right foot landed on one of his never-the-hell-where-it-should-be, sharp, toy cars, causing me to jump before the other foot could land and I ended up bouncing butt first on the floor as my left hand found another of one of the never-the-hell-where-it-should-be cars.
After a string of profanities 2 miles long and a death dagger stare at the car culpret, who was crying, not because he feared his Nanaw was all broken up from the fall, but because he was afraid his toy cars were broken, I tried to keep my dignity as I rolled my old ass around on the floor and finally got to my feet, one of which was throbbing miserably with the imprint of a 1950's classic style hot wheel that had embedded itself there. I then hobbled and limped my way into the living room to lick my wounds,,,,the ones I could reach of course.
He wants to go swimming tomorrow so that room had better be finished by bed time tonight and hopefully I won't need a truck with a winch to get outta the bed in the morning.
I'm getting too damned old for this!,,,,have I said that before?
Monday, August 07, 2006
I been thinkin,,,,,,
Not about much or of anything in particular, just a little day-dreaming and reminiscing about the good ole days. My mother's parents, Grandma and Grandpa Fisher lived in that old house up there from my earliest recollection until after I was married, when one day a tornado come barreling through and swooped off the roof and scooped many of their belongings up into the air to be tossed across acres of cotton and soybean fields.
I spent a' many a lazy summer day on that porch up there so when I ran across the photo it brought so many life photos to mind. I remember pushing the dasher on Grandma's churn until my little arms grew tired and Grandma would relieve me, and sitting out there when a heap of cousins came visitin and there wasn't enough room to seat everyone at the kitchen table. We'd take our plates and iced tea that Grandma had poured up in old snuff glasses cause we weren't grown enough to handle the big glasses yet. I remember my sister, Paula, riding her tricycle up and down, up and down, and coming to close to the edge and tipping over. Not much was hurt but her pride but that was plenty loud enough.
Barely noticeable in this old black and white photo is the old trunk that sat against the house wall near one of the windows. We never, not once, opened that old trunk so until this day the mystery of what it held is lost to me. Grandma loved flowers and she had every old pot, pan, and every other sort of container full of dirt with her flowers planted in them. Her elephant ears were always growing on either side of the porch steps,,,you can see one of those up there. We also shelled plenty of peas and butter beans as we sat out there of a cool morning before the sun crawled over the house.
On the little line she had strung between two porch posts she'd hang out the dish towels or a few undies that she'd hand washed in between wash days. In one of those old pots she had ornamental peppers planted and I heeded her warning about those little, hot, devils after that one time I just had to see for myself if they were as hot as she said.
There on the south side of the house you can see part of the huge pecan tree where Grandpa had an old cot where'd he'd sometimes take a little nap before going back to the fields. There was an old tire swing there for a time and later on he whittled us out a board seat for that old rope. I loved sitting out there during Sunday family get-togethers listening to the adults laugh and talk. I read many a book while sittin or lying under that big old tree and took many adventures in my mind.
Behind those two windows were the beds where we had our naps in the cool dark, even when the days were hot. We didn't have air-conditioners back then so there was an old box fan moving the air around as we snoozed.
During a rain shower that old tin roof made the most indescribable musical sound that would put us right off to sleep even if we'd thought we weren't a bit sleepy. I remember the safe feelings I had back then when all seemed right with the world.
There's nothing left of the old home place anymore, even the trees are gone,,,pushed up by farmers to make the fields bigger. It's sad because I'd love to be able to go back there and remember some more.
Sunday, August 06, 2006
Friday, August 04, 2006
Friday Meanderings
I've made myself a note to check into purchasing some Omega 3 as suggested by Cindra, and the glucosamine w/condroitin as suggested by Cassie-b. Pretty danged sure I'll forgo the viagra-type drug though, I want to be able to move better but only for things that are absolutely necessary! Something's gotta give here cause both thumbs are so danged stiff they don't want to bend. Makes signing the checks to pay the bills a miserable task and I keep waiting for the bank to reject one of the checks for a questionable signature. (They'll probably never notice though, they've sent my checks through even when I forgot to sign them.)
I had to go into town today to do a little shopping and I've come to the conclusion that I could very easily become a roadrage perp. I often take a shortcut though the back roads to town in order to avoid some of the 18 wheeler traffic but in doing so I run across, what I call, Road Goobers. You never know what Road Goobers will do cause Road Goobers most likely never know, themselves, what they're gonna do. Today I came across 2 such Goobers.
RG#1 pulled out in front of me causing me to have to slam on my brakes, then he braked at every driveway along the highway (and there were about 10 along this stretch), but he finally found the drive he actually wanted to pull in to and did so by breaking suddenly and turning without the aid of a blinker. He was a farmer Goober,,I could tell this by the boots sticking up between the cab and bed of his truck and the tobacco stains on his truck door. Farm Road Goobers are almost the worst of the Goobers because they forget that they're not driving along a field turn-row and their blinker switches are probably rusted from lack of use.
RG#2 has to be the absolute worst of the Road Goobers because if it's got wheels, got gas, and a steering wheel, it's road worthy, and that's where he's going with it. RG#2 was on his rusted, old, murray riding mower with it's probable top speed of 1.5 mph. I had to follow him for 2 miles because we were meeting too much traffic for me to go around him and he consistently drove his mower dead center of the right lane. I kept having these thoughts about laying on my horn to scare the shit outta him, but I let them pass because I might have made him run off in the ditch and turn over or something and I don't need that on my conscience (at least not today).
We finally made it home without smashing any Goobers and now I am going to have a cup of coffee before tackling some more of the laundry.
Happy Friday everyone!
I had to go into town today to do a little shopping and I've come to the conclusion that I could very easily become a roadrage perp. I often take a shortcut though the back roads to town in order to avoid some of the 18 wheeler traffic but in doing so I run across, what I call, Road Goobers. You never know what Road Goobers will do cause Road Goobers most likely never know, themselves, what they're gonna do. Today I came across 2 such Goobers.
RG#1 pulled out in front of me causing me to have to slam on my brakes, then he braked at every driveway along the highway (and there were about 10 along this stretch), but he finally found the drive he actually wanted to pull in to and did so by breaking suddenly and turning without the aid of a blinker. He was a farmer Goober,,I could tell this by the boots sticking up between the cab and bed of his truck and the tobacco stains on his truck door. Farm Road Goobers are almost the worst of the Goobers because they forget that they're not driving along a field turn-row and their blinker switches are probably rusted from lack of use.
RG#2 has to be the absolute worst of the Road Goobers because if it's got wheels, got gas, and a steering wheel, it's road worthy, and that's where he's going with it. RG#2 was on his rusted, old, murray riding mower with it's probable top speed of 1.5 mph. I had to follow him for 2 miles because we were meeting too much traffic for me to go around him and he consistently drove his mower dead center of the right lane. I kept having these thoughts about laying on my horn to scare the shit outta him, but I let them pass because I might have made him run off in the ditch and turn over or something and I don't need that on my conscience (at least not today).
We finally made it home without smashing any Goobers and now I am going to have a cup of coffee before tackling some more of the laundry.
Happy Friday everyone!
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Shuffling along
It's Wednesday already and it seems like the week has flashed past. Jordan has been here with us this week and I don't think it took too long for Zach to get on her nerves because she was looking forward today to spending the rest of the week with Jerri and the chicklets. She seems to be so much older than she is and is becoming quite the young lady.
Thank you for the birthday wishes. James took us out for dinner so it was an ok day. Bubbie, Trish, and Jami all called to wish me a Happy day. Jaylen called and told me that she'd make me a chocolate cake. My gift from Zach and James was a toaster and new salt shaker and peppermill. Zach watches the cooking shows on TV and decided that I was in desperate need of the peppermill.
The muscle relaxers seem to be helping and the ones I take during the day aren't making me feel like a zombie at least. Old "Arthur" is trying to take over all of my joints,,,the old bastard, so getting down in the floor to play often means I have to stay there awhile. I need some sort of pill that'll give me the energy of a 30 year old, anybody know of one?
Thank you for the birthday wishes. James took us out for dinner so it was an ok day. Bubbie, Trish, and Jami all called to wish me a Happy day. Jaylen called and told me that she'd make me a chocolate cake. My gift from Zach and James was a toaster and new salt shaker and peppermill. Zach watches the cooking shows on TV and decided that I was in desperate need of the peppermill.
The muscle relaxers seem to be helping and the ones I take during the day aren't making me feel like a zombie at least. Old "Arthur" is trying to take over all of my joints,,,the old bastard, so getting down in the floor to play often means I have to stay there awhile. I need some sort of pill that'll give me the energy of a 30 year old, anybody know of one?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)