What Can You Get For Fifty

Fifty Years ago today a young man from Michigan married a girl from Missouri, they made a home for themselves in California and over the years raised five children between themselves, the youngest being my Wife Cindy.

You know how life goes, there are always ups and downs but through the years these two have nurtured their Children, spoiled the Grandkids, watched the Great Grands come along and enjoyed living with the love of their lives with more ups than downs.

When you are around these two you know unconditional love is in their hearts, and what you get for fifty here is the hope for fifty more, join with me in wishing them a Happy Fiftieth Anniversary.

Losing The Handle

I have used the term many times “I’ve got a handle on it” meaning everything is under control, or “You better get a handle on that” meaning my suggestion is for you to pay attention to what you are doing before you lose control of whatever it is you are doing.

What about “I can handle that” this one goes back to “I’ve got a handle on that” only better, this one means that I haven’t started on whatever it is I am going to handle but I am suggesting that there will be no problem with whatever it is I am attempting to handle.

“What’s your handle?” or “My handle is” this suggests a name or an alias so to say, remember the CB radios? Citizen Band that is, yes a lot of us had them and we all had a handle, always something clever that would completely disguise your identity from everyone you were talking to, OK almost everyone recognized your voice and knew you anyway so the handle was just something cool to have.

Grab the handle if you are going to move that pot, this handle is that thing attached to the side of the object you are trying to handle, you always should use the handle, to handle the object you are attempting to handle, just remember that or you will have a hard time handling it.

Do you have a handle on life or do you feel like you are losing it? Remember back when you were first out on your own and had to handle whatever was thrown in your lap, life is hard and we learn to handle it by living it, it’s not the same for all of us but at the same time, we handle it by watching everyone else grab the handle so to say.

It’s easy to get yourself depressed and feel like you are losing the handle, everything you attempt just does not work the same as it did in the past, and whatever you are looking for is no longer there, because they don’t make it like that anymore, life is like this, things change and we have to pass the handle to those kids we brought into the world, because it’s their turn to handle it.

So next time you are out trying to handle things, and it seems that no matter what you try, it appears that you are just not handling it that well, pass that handle to the kids and sit back and wait, because they will come back for advice on how to handle things, give them the best advice you can and grab the handle to give them a hand, handling the things that need to be handled, sit back and tell them stories of how you handled things back in the day, and smile when they laugh at you for losing the handle because deep down inside without you, they couldn’t handle it.

How are you handling life? I think deep down you just may have a handle on it.

No-Good Behavior conclusion

Patty was really scared thinking someone she knew was involved in a robbery like this, and even more scared to tell Lou because if anyone other than he yelled into his wife’s face, that gun he used for protection would be used to teach the yeller a lesson once he forced Patty to remember the voice whether she did or not, Jane stared in amazement of the story and stammered for words that would ease her friends fears, no words could be found.

The bank robberies continued, the only evidence anyone had was a low quality video still of a masked man smiling into the camera as he spray painted the lens, this picture was in the newspaper and the evening news, the police were becoming a laughing stock and the Chief reprimanded the whole force strongly in front of the press, he smiled for the cameras and vowed to do everything in his power to bring the thugs to justice, Chief Buford Thompson aka “Bubba” loved publicity, Bubba’s department was a force to be reckoned with, but these bank robbers were always one step ahead of him, Bubba did his best to reassure the community that leads were being investigated, and made a point to show up after each robbery just in time for the press conference.

The bank tellers huddled together behind the counter, all the customers were being forced down to the floor as two men jumped the counter and forced them to do the same, one man was laughing as he smiled into the camera, he yelled to everyone “Hey Yall watch this, now they see us, now they don’t” he painted the lens with a can of Krylon, “Shut up and just do your job” he was told, one of the others jerked a teller to her feet and forced her to the counter, Open the drawer he yelled into her ear, as she fumbled with the drawer trying to open it, he yelled Stop wasting time and just do it! She found the “Panic Button” that sent an alarm downtown, the mans eyes widened as he realized what she had done, a can of Krylon dropped to the floor, and the one who had laughed at the camera now raised his gun toward this young woman and pulled the trigger.

Running down the street after their first fumbled robbery they realized they had just killed a girl for nothing, the sound of sirens were getting closer and closer, Dammit Joe why do you have to talk so much, and why the hell did you shoot her that wasn’t in the plans, now I have her blood all over me, you could have hit me you know. At the end of the alley a police car turned in, blue lights flashing as it sped towards the gang, they cowered into the shadows as the car rolled to a stop in front of them, with the drivers window partially down came the familiar voice they always heard after a robbery, “You Boys looking for a ride?”

Bubba took it upon himself to drive his patrol car into North Carolina to pick up a local man who was arrested, this man had driven a car hauler under a bridge taking the top layer of cars off and doing major damage to the bridge, rather than take the rap for a traffic/ accident charge he chose to pull a gun and threatened the responding officer, in his drug induced state he was taken to the ground easily and disarmed, these officers did not realize they now had a murderer in custody. Joe was telling tales of bank robberies and offered to give up names and locations in exchange for being released, Bubba wasn’t going to stand for his robberies to be solved by anyone else, if this boy was going to talk Bubba was going to bring him home to do it.

Bubba showed up to the jail just in time to hear that the canary had begun singing early, and now he would not be getting his hands onto him so easy, Joey The Rat as he was affectionately called after this did not get his release either, FBI agents had a few questions for Bubba; he did not smile for the camera when they began their talk with “You have the right to remain silent…”

Where the hell is Joe, he was supposed to be here an hour ago, I guess he wants to be more than the paint guy now since he shot that girl was the reply, when we stuck up the Winn Dixie you should have seen the look on your wife’s face when he noticed it was her he was yelling at, and told her she could stand up, a can of Pabst suddenly hit the wall spraying foam everywhere, Lou’s eyes narrowed and he clenched his teeth tightly, he grabbed his rifle and marched toward the door, this one is off for now, you Boys pick out a new paint man and I’ll be back in a little while, I have a couple of things I need to take care of, he kicked the back door open to find the barrel of a gun in his face, his weapon of choice hit the dirt as he was forced against the wall, “FBI Agents, Freeze” was the sound they heard as all the doors were simultaneously kicked open, it felt strange to be the ones on the floor now.

Patty called Jane the next morning crying, “Have you seen the news?” Jane turned on the TV to see both Chief Thompson and Lou’s pictures being displayed over the words Bank Robbery Ringleaders, Patty learned that Lou had been robbing banks with seven other men, Bubba had been intercepting the calls as they came in and dispatching his officers to the wrong locations, he also picked up the gang in his patrol car after the robberies and drove them away to safety, dropping them off at a warehouse behind Lou’s car lot, and returning to the bank just in time to radio his officers and chastise them in front of the media for going to the wrong branch.

Bubba got a lengthy term in prison, his request to be incarcerated in a facility that had no chance of housing anyone he knew was laughed off by the judge who said “Criminals are housed with criminals and you are one of them”, Lou threatened to kill Patty for not telling him about Joey The Rat, she had kept a secret from him and now it was her fault he was caught, Patty filed for divorce and moved to another town, Lou died in his cell a couple years short of his parole hearing after twenty five years of “good behavior” The Rat was found hanging in his cell with hands and feet tied, not sure how he did this but they called it a suicide, the other six men also spent the rest of their lives incarcerated sharing the charge of felony murder for the life of the young bank teller.

Buster's extra job at night suddenly went away, he no longer got late night calls to do things and go to places unknown, Lou’s son eventually took over the “Family Business”, and made a lot of money even though few cars were ever sold. Jane now worries if an arrest warrant for Buster may come down the street one day, and cringes every time she answers the phone to hear Patty say, “Have you seen the news?”

No-Good Behavior

Walking into her friend Patty’s house as she had done a million times, she was startled to find Patty’s Husband Lou standing behind the door with a rifle in his hand, holding the rifle firmly in one hand he pushed the door closed with the barrel and stared directly into her eyes, she smiled and said You robbed that bank didn’t you? He grinned and replied just what makes you think that, I’m just cleaning my guns and you could have been shot sneaking into my house like this.

She and Patty had been friends since they were kids, they grew up together in the same small Southern town and lived just one town away now, they had both married and raised a group of kids of their own and these kids played together, She and her Husband were good friends with Lou and Patty and they depended on each other as most good friends do.

Some time back her husband Buster had gotten into a car wreck and totaled her car, she loved this car and now it was gone, Buster had been taken to jail because he was way too drunk to walk home and now that their car was gone driving was not an option, the next night he picked up the phone and called Lou, it wasn’t long before Lou pulled up and backed his Caddy into the driveway, popped the trunk and removed what looked like a loaf of bread, walking into the house he dropped the bag of money on the table and asked Buster how much do you need, borrowing just enough to pay his fines and thanking Lou for the loan with the promise to pay him back, Lou smiled and said “I know you will” as he walked out the door.

Without a car Jane had to ask Patty for a ride to shop and do her errands, this gave them a little more girl time together and Patty didn’t mind because this was kind of fun, but Lou put his foot down and wouldn’t allow Patty to come over during the day anymore, it was a big surprise when Lou showed up late one evening with a car identical to the one Buster had wrecked, this car looked brand new and still had that new car smell inside even though it was a few years old, the mileage on this car said it had been driven very little, a hole in the windshield raised the question if it was from a bullet which Lou laughed off, and never answered, when Jane asked where he found a car so clean he said “You know I deal in cars, and I knew you needed one” This thing is like brand new how can it be the same year model as my old one, Lou grinned and said “It’s been sitting in a warehouse up north waiting for a windshield”, a new windshield was installed the next day and Jane had a new car.

Jane and Patty sat and talked about the rash of bank robberies going on around town lately, it was sure funny that there were so many and no one had been caught, the police were always showing at the wrong bank, they laughed about Jane accusing Lou and he left for the day taking his rifle with him, it’s the one he keeps in his office at the car lot for protection Patty said as Lou was leaving, waiting for the sound of the Caddy pulling out of the drive before saying anything else, Patty wanted to tell Jane of the robbery she witnessed the day before.

Patty had gone down to the Winn Dixie to pick up some groceries the day before, she had her preschool age son with her and while standing in line to pay, a group of men burst through the doors brandishing firearms that included rifles, shotguns and maybe a few machine guns, everyone was ordered to the floor and told to lay face down and to not look up, they began emptying the cash registers and continued yelling for everyone to stay on the floor, Patty’s son was crying and one of the men approached her and yelled in her face to make him Shut Up, he looked at her son then quickly back to her and softly said, “I’m sorry Mrs. Stone, you can stand up and take care of him”, when questioned about this statement by the police she said that the others must have misunderstood, actually what he said was you had better take care of him or you will be sorry, the police bought it and Patty was still racking her brain trying to recognize the familiar voice of the ski masked hoodlum.

To be continued…

Doesn’t Really Matter

Looking through the crowd there are all types, the one home for a visit that you keep thinking needs their batteries removed so to say so others can get in a word edgewise, the sibling who wants to be anywhere else but here, and at the same time is so proud they came, Negative Nellie who knows more than anyone and will say anything to prove that she is correct and everyone else is wrong, and the matriarch of the whole bunch who was brought in to join the fun of the day.

Each family has their very own characters, and looking back over my lifetime there have been quite a few, there is always the loner who sits in the corner and speaks to no one, you always have to beg them to come, the drinker who overindulges and says things that really shouldn’t have been said at the time, the preacher who is giving that old evil eye to the drinker while he is attempting to save the loner, while overlooking his own salvation, and the stutterer who fights so hard to get their words out before everyone else finishes the sentences first.

Then there are the kids who learned all they know from these adults, Little Nellie is confiscating all the toys while screaming that they were hers first, the lanky kid in the middle of the crowd is talking so fast not a soul knows what he is saying but yet they listen in amazement of what may be learned, a couple kids hide around the corner attempting to light cigarette butts, while another tells them how they are going to get burned and into so much trouble if they don’t listen to him, but yet there is always a group who play well together while keeping the rest out.

Characters are what this country is made of, each and everyone of us have characters in our family or either we are the character, we sit back and talk about these people and their stories go on for years, there is a lot of laughter spent at their expense and this will never change, but just for fun I wonder what exact trait of mine the characters in my family are laughing about today, or is it that I am the character, doesn’t really matter does it.

A Small Bookshelf

Reading is a very important part of our lives, we were all taught at a young age to read and appreciate what you have learned, there have been years of textbooks at school teaching us the same lessons our parents learned, and the Bible which we have all read at least part of, which teaches us everything from the lessons of the beginning of the earth all the way to the commandments which teach us right from wrong.

We go back and reread favorites that we have read before and reach out for new material whether it is a new book, blog, magazine or newspaper we are always looking for something to read.

I always enjoyed reading and over the last few years I haven’t read as many books as I would have liked to, in our move I have lost a lot of my reading material due to not having a place to store it, my Bible lays on my desk but I really haven’t picked it up as much as I did in the past.

Today Cindy gave me something I really didn’t expect, a gift that I really appreciate, a gift of unlimited books and reading material with a small bookshelf so to say that will hold it all, yes I now have my very own Kindle, with a leather cover and a couple gift cards to cover several books, yes I have downloaded my first book and will be looking at more just as soon as I hit Publish Post here.

Yes The Bible was my first download because I feel this is an important book to have in your collection and I started reading it again from the beginning, and you know what? I really enjoy reading, and will soon be downloading my second selection.

Thank You Cindy

Joy And Blessings

Merry Christmas

This past year has been full of changes for us, still settling into our new surroundings we have traveled to witness two of our children marry the loves of their lives, we viewed the sonogram of the little man who became our first Grandson back in August, and went to New Mexico when he was born, witnessed the birth of a colt from beginning to finish and opened the Chicken Ranch which is now providing us with fresh eggs.

Our lives have been filled with many changes and as you know there are more to come for all of us, having loving friends and family is a blessing and I just don’t see how anyone can live happily without them.

For us this past year has gained us many new friends and reconnected us with family we either have not seen in a while or have never met before, we are a long way in miles from a lot of our friends and family members and we miss you more than you know.

Jimmy’s Opinion has kept me busy and a lot of the friends I mentioned above came from good people who chose to read what I had written at the time, and for all of you I say Thank You.

Christmas is a blessing that brings us joy and gives us a reason to reach out to one another, through all the gift giving and meals shared together take time to remember Christ because as I have said before He is the reason for Christmas and without Him we would have nothing.

Merry Christmas to each and everyone of you, and from our Family to yours may your days be filled with joy and blessings, your years filled with health and happiness, and your heart filled with pride for the friends and family you love and enjoy.

Jimmy and Cindy

Fake Or Real

Sometimes you have to look really close to see if they are fake or real, most people really enjoy real ones but look at how easy it is to get really big fake ones, because everyone likes big ones, and for just a little more money you can get huge ones that look real depending on where you get them, myself I have always loved real ones, when I was a young man I could just sit and stare at them for hours, when no one else was looking I just had to reach out and touch one, the feel was amazing and placing my face really close and breathing in slowly gave me a feeling I will always remember, I never saw fake ones until I was a bit older, and now that I am a bit older the small fake ones work just fine, we always hang ornaments on fake ones now. Yes I said ornaments and this is a family site so Christmas trees is the subject here just in case your mind was wandering.

One memory of a real Christmas tree I had was the first year I took it upon myself to go out and get the family Christmas tree, I was raised in South Carolina so there were plenty of trees around but you don’t just go and cut one without asking, I drove my Gran Torino Sport all the way up to my Uncle Chester’s house and asked him if he knew where I could get one, he pointed me to an area across the road and said that I could cut any tree I wanted on his land, as long as I stayed in the area he told me, I did exactly what he said and marched myself into the woods and carefully picked the best looking tree I could find.

This tree was beautiful and I didn’t realize how large it was until I began dragging it back to my car, you remember I said car, yes this was a two door Gran Torino Sport and I actually stuffed this tree inside, for the long trip home, the trunk was up in the back window and this tree was twisted and turned leaving only room for me to barely fit into the drivers seat, this actually looked like a car wreck with a tree rolling down the highway, with limbs sticking out of every window, and the top of the tree crammed into my windshield partially blocking my view, heck I think a nest of owls actually flew out while I was sitting at the stop sign.

At home Mom just smiled as I was trying to get it out of the car, she told me it was too large and after trying to get it into the door of the house there was some strategic trimming done, leaving enough limbs to make several more trees and enough lumber to build a small house, I think I actually saw Charlie Brown make off with one of the limbs, this tree was beautiful and I learned from this experience to choose smaller trees after that, I also learned that it is easier to tie one to the roof if you don’t have a truck, and that once you transport a real Christmas tree inside your car, the need for a little pine tree air freshener goes out the window forever.

All I Want For Christmas...

All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth, well Benjamin is on the way to getting just this, Benjamin for those who don’t know is our Grandson who was born in August and at the tender age of not five months old as of yet popped through his first tooth yesterday, so come Christmas this boy better be getting a Christmas cookie don’t you think.

Are You Ready?

Looking back what is the first Christmas you can remember and what is the most important thing you remember about Christmases past. This can be as simple or complex as you want to make it, but looking back I hope you can smile at some of the memories you may have not thought of in a while.

In the story A Christmas Carol, Ebenezer Scrooge is taken back and made to look at how good things were in his past, how some opportunities he passed up could have made his life better, and how choices he made turned him into the evil lonely man he is now.

I hope none of you are taken away by a ghostly spirit on a trip like this, I just want you all to look back and remember those who are no longer with us and smile, look back at your first Christmases together with your spouse or children, look back on that Christmas you were so excited and worked up worrying about getting that special gift that actually showed up just as you expected, and look back and remember what the season is all about because without Christ we would have no Christmas.

Christmas present, no I didn’t say Christmas presents I’m talking Christmas right now as we speak, how do you feel about yourself right now? Go and look in the mirror and have a good look, I mentioned before how this time of year we can get ourselves into a mood where nothing seems to be going our way, depression is normal for a lot of people and if you are there tell that person looking back at you that they are great and everything is going to be just fine, you can’t change Christmases Past so don’t let things that are out of your control decide how your Christmas Present will be.

Now after your little talk, wish that person in the mirror a Merry Christmas, turn around and go out and have yourself a Merry Christmas with your friends and family, they are depending on you to be happy as we all wish for our loved ones to smile, Christmas is all about joy and giving and this is a day we should put our worries on the back burner and laugh for a change.

Christmas future or Christmas yet to come, none of us know what is going to happen in the future, but what we do right now will have a strong bearing on that, one day people will look back and talk about Christmas past and laugh at how happy you were on that fine day, don’t let your worries now change someone’s Christmas past in the future into a sad time because you make your Christmas Present a bummer worrying about a Christmases yet to come.

Plan yourself a Merry Little Christmas because, yes it is almost here and no matter how much planning you do it will turn out just fine.

A Little Bird Told Me

OK what about the whole Twitter craze, yep I got me a net and caught one of those follow me twitter birds but to make it work I had to get me one of those accounts that go along with it, now I am not an official tweeter whatever that means.

How many of you tweet and how long did it take you to figure the whole thing out? I am thinking it is not such a big deal, heck if I can blog then I should be able to tweet, or if nothing else I can blog about tweeting or not being able to tweet, whatever the case may be. If you are a tweeter I sure hope you love it because I did give it a try but my brain just won't keep up.

On to another flock of birds, I know you all have been sitting on the edge of your seats wondering about Cindy’s Chickens, I know you all remember the flock of chicks Miss Cindy got back in June, well the big event has arrived, we are now finally getting eggs, yes even little Bossy Betty is laying, I know that at least one of you will be proud to hear this.

This group of chickens we were told would lay a bluish greenish egg, the Americana/ Americauna/Easter Egger or whatever breed the feed store sold us, all six chicks were supposed to be the same and from the start I thought we had three different breeds, two black chicks that have been very mellow from the start, three red looking ones with feathers around their faces, and Bossy Betty who I think just may be a type of Bantam or small game chicken but I am not a chicken expert, I do know this one has always been the smallest and a bit more aggressive than the rest.

Now that they are laying we are getting brown eggs and one that is almost white, from all my deductions I have come up with the answer that the black chickens are laying the brown eggs, Bossy Betty is laying the tan almost white one, I know this because while looking into the nesting box I actually saw one drop from her little behind, she wasn’t real happy with being spied on and I really didn’t enjoy the show either, the last couple days the red chickens are now laying blue green eggs, so my conclusion is three different colors of eggs adds up to three different breed of chickens.

Now to sum up my little bird story if any of you are chicken experts fill me in on what I have here other than some really good tasting eggs, and anyone who is an expert on twitter, God Bless Ya, I'll just stick to raising egg layers, because a little bird told me that I can do this.

Lifting My Head

What exactly do you feel this time of year? Christmas is supposed to be a time of joy and hope and yes there are the presents that everyone gives and receives, the smile on the little kids faces and the sheer screaming at the top of your lungs excitement that comes out in anticipation of the surprise behind the door or what you will find upon waking.

The time to reflect on the past and to worship the birth of Jesus because this is what the season is all about, contrary to what the advertisements on TV tell us, we have been swept up into a whirlwind of technology in our ever changing world, and through these changes even though some are for the better we have all but forgotten the simple things in life, oh to go back and live the way we did back then, most of us say no way but just saying life was nice with a lot less to worry about.

This time of year does bring about a lot of joy as it should and it also brings on a dark cloud of gloom for some people, you just don’t feel like anything you do is good enough, not enough money to buy what everyone wants, and the money you do spend scares you to death because you know the wolf is at the door so to say wanting whatever money you do have. You think of the past and miss those who were there, you reach out for them and all you get is your hand slapped away it seems, the ones with you now are a blessing and you want to cling tightly onto them, but the fear of doing so keeps you from sharing your feelings because in your mind you don’t want to drive them away too.

This time of year is cold and dark with the winter weather and staying inside the house for the majority of the day is depressing, the Christmas specials you want to see are not there, replaced by anything but good news because bad news draws more attention, but that in itself is a whole other post.

Christmastime is a blessing with friends and family getting together, a big dinner with a turkey, ham, leg-o-lamb, goose, enchiladas or whatever you choose to prepare is really a big thing, enjoy your time with these people because they are a part of your life, sip the hot cocoa and enjoy those Christmas cookies because that little kid inside you will recognize the flavors associated with days gone by.

Some things never change, those Christmas dinners are prepared the same each year, the hot Cocoa is made exactly the same even though stirred with new hands as time goes on, and the recipe for those cookies are passed down to keep the memories of Christmases Past in our hearts forever, the time of joy is right in front of us, we just have to lift our heads to enjoy it.

Look Into Their Eyes

A few years back Collin Raye sang What If Jesus Comes Back Like That, the words to this song have always gotten to me, since my post yesterday the words have been running through my head, you know how it is once you have a song stuck in your head, rather than sharing the random thoughts I am used to being in my head, I decided out of the goodness of my heart to share this song with you.

♫ He came to town on an old freight train,

He jumped off in the pourin' rain.

Everybody said, "He's insane",

"Just a low down no account hobo."

He made his bed 'neath the county bridge.

The city folk said "Hey that's not his!"

They signed a petition, They're gonna get rid,

Of that low down no account white trash.

What if Jesus comes back like that,

On an old freight train, In a hobo hat?

Will we, let him in or turn our back?

What if Jesus comes back like that? ♪

The very first verse gives you a view many of us have seen, an old man trying his best to find some compassion within a community that looks down on him, no matter where he lays his head it seems he is in the wrong place, many people may want to help but the only time spent on this man is an attempt to get him to move along, no one ever wonders where this man came from nor will they ever take the time to ask him, What if Jesus comes back like that?

♪ She was born into drug abuse,

She couldn't help what her momma used.

It wasn't like she got to choose,

Now she's layin' there all alone.

Gotta monkey on her back,

The nurse's say they never saw a smile like that.

Dr. says she might stand a chance, If somebody takes her home.

What if Jesus comes back like that?

Two months early, Hooked on crack.

Will we, let him in or turn our back?

What if Jesus comes back like that? ♫

Children are our leaders of the future, but the little ones who have nobody really tug at my heart, how many people right in our own town go out of their way to send money overseas to help underprivileged children, how many of our celebrities have you seen pat themselves on the back for adopting foreign children, and how many children right under our own noses need a home and someone to love them? What if Jesus comes back like that?

♫ Nobody said life is fair.

We've all got a cross to bear.

When it gets a little hard to care,

Just think about him hangin' there.

He came to town on a cold dark night.

A single star his only light.

A baby born that silent night.

A manger for his bed.

What if Jesus comes back like that,

Where will he find our hearts are at?

Will he, let us in or turn his back?

What if Jesus comes back like that? ♪

Where is your heart? I think I already know the answer because we are all good people and I have faith in all of my friends and family, I really wanted to stick this song in your head because the meaning behind it is so strong, the meaning I see is that we are all the same no matter where we live or where we started in life, no matter how big our family is or how many friends we have, and we really need to take care of one another.

Next time you look into the eyes of that no account low down Hobo just think he has the exact same feelings as you, next time you read about the baby who was left at the hospital with no one to claim her and is fighting for her life, remember she needs the same love and compassion as that foreign child who also needs adopted, opportunities to help others are right before us each day and for the most part we choose to turn our heads rather than look into their eyes. What if Jesus comes back like that?

Wasn’t Jesus Homeless

I have discussed people living on the streets some lately, homeless if you will but no matter what you call them, they are way too many folks in this situation and for the life of me I don’t have the answer.

Yes some may like living out there with no responsibilities, others may be just druggies or drunks you may try to tell me, but I know in my heart that the majority of people in these situations would rather be anywhere but under that overpass, sleeping on the ground or inside their cars.

Talking to my Mom last night got me to thinking on this subject once again, inside the school she works at she had the chance to be inside the nurses office when a first grader came in to see the nurse for a minor problem, the nurse attended to him and during this time they noticed how dirty and thin his clothes were, the shoes on his feet were actually wrapped with tape holding the soles and the uppers together, the little boy mentioned that his family didn’t have a home anymore and these were the only shoes he had, needless to say my Mom sprang into action and a short time later there were seven pairs of shoes sitting in the nurses office, this little boy got himself a brand new pair of shoes and so did his Kindergarten age brother, the remaining five pairs went to other needy children within the school.

The next day she came upon one of the men who also works at the school, he had found two young children sitting outside in the freezing cold waiting for school to open, a young girl in the fourth grade and her brother who is in the first, the little girl was wearing only a lightweight windbreaker to shield her from the temperatures which were in the teens, it was about forty-five minutes before they were supposed to unlock the doors for students but rather than leave these children outside they were let in and to make a long story short the little girl was wrapped with a warm jacket and given a pair of gloves from my moms pocket, another pair of shoes were given to a young girl who only had sandals and a large smile was beaming behind the waving gloved hand of a young girl as she bid my Mom goodbye when she left school for the day.

These are just a few examples of children in but one school in our great nation, I am told that many only get meals at school thus leaving them doing without from Friday until Monday when they come back to school, now my concern is that a two week break is coming up for Christmas and a whole lot of us will throw away a lot more food than some of these folks will see. As I said I don’t have the answer but ask for you to pray for these people who are doing without, and if you can spare anything at all to help someone who really needs you please do so, donate food for the local food bank, or give that homeless couple on the corner a few dollars, donate coats, shoes, and such to your church or give that little kid who has the frozen hands your gloves, it will be well worth it if only to see that smile behind the gloved hand waving goodbye to you.

Christmas is a time for giving and who better to give to than those who are really in need, just think there was once a little boy who started out in this world homeless so to say, born in a manger as the story goes and became our savior, so with this said leads me to think, Wasn’t Jesus Homeless once? Kind of makes you feel differently about looking down on them, doesn’t it?

Birthday Paybacks

My sister Melinda and Cindy both have birthdays really close together, last time we were visiting back home in South Carolina it just happened to be in July right near both of their birthdays, so needless to say there was an entire week of fun and pranks between these two.

We went up to the store my sister works in, she manages a small local store with regular customers who know her and our entire family it seems, her store has a typical convenience store type rack in front and over the cashiers head where cigarettes that are for sale are stored, leaving a blank wall area overhead from the customers viewpoint, this area sometimes has banners or product advertisements, on this particular day while Melinda’s back was turned Cindy placed a sign she had made that boasted “Happy 45th Birthday Melinda” this was the year Melinda was actually turning 38, it was pretty funny to sit back and watch Melinda’s face as each customer came in, glanced up at the sign and shouted “Happy Birthday Melinda” Melinda looked so pleased and said Thank You, you could just see how happy she was that someone knew it was her birthday, until someone added “How does it feel to be 45”.

The smile turned into a frown immediately, the next customer came in with “Happy 45th Melinda” Melinda smiled and said “Thank You but I am not 45”, the customer replied “That’s not what I heard”, this continued for about an hour, we were about to die laughing until one man pointed to the sign and said “I didn’t know you were 45” this is when Melinda came around to the front of the counter and the sign came down, Melinda said some words that I really didn’t know my little sister could say, there were a couple sailors standing in the corner blushing and they hurriedly left the store without buying anything, I am so proud that they weren’t regulars that knew my Momma because that is the same mouth that my little sister uses to kiss my Momma with, she pointed at Cindy who was laughing hysterically at her and said something that I just couldn’t make out.

A Couple days later we met up with Melinda and her entire family for a Birthday trip up to Carowinds, which is a Theme Park kind of like Six Flags on the border of North and South Carolina, Momma was also along for the trip and the day was filled with a lot of laughs, the first laugh came when we got out of the van at the restaurant we were meeting everyone at for breakfast, and lo and behold Melinda and Cindy were dressed exactly the same all the way down to their hairstyles, if I didn’t know better I would have thought they had planned it, later in the day at the park they went to separate booths you know those “Guess Your Age” , “Guess Your Weight”, “Gimme Your Money” booths, they were at separate places at the same time and came away with the exact same prize, it was kind of spooky sitting there with Robbie (Melinda’s Husband) watching these two girls dressed exactly the same, skipping toward us like the Doublemint Twins with the exact same prize and at the same time shouting “Look What I Won” at the exact same time, this was not the end of the exacts but I will save this for later and get back to the birthday story.

On the way home we stopped at a Denny’s restaurant for supper, our entire group consisted of about fifteen people sitting around one large group of tables that were pushed together for our party, you know after being on the road for a bit everyone was lining up at the restrooms before sitting down so it took a while for everyone to get gathered together, Melinda was talking with the waitress helping her get things organized, the waitress began going around the table taking everyone’s drink orders, this went well until she got to Cindy and leaned over real close, heck it scared me I thought she was going to kiss her as she got right up into Cindy’s face and literally shouted, “Can I get you something to drink Hun?” Cindy ordered Iced Tea and the Waitress shouted “OK I’ll be right back with that”, this lady was really good with everyone but when she talked to Cindy it was at the top of her lungs, she shouted everything and always leaned over looking right into Cindy’s face, the whole table was laughing, Momma was red faced she was laughing so hard and I think I literally saw Melinda rolling on the floor once, Cindy and I thought it strange and wondered between ourselves what may be wrong with our waitress.

At the end of the meal all the waitresses came marching out from the back in unison, with a candle burning atop a cake screaming at the top of their lungs, I kid you not they were not singing they were actually screaming “Happy Birthday To You” as they serenaded Cindy and wished her a Happy 55th Birthday, at this point Melinda was laughing so hard she was gasping for air, I think she just may have peed herself too, Cindy played it off well and was thankful for the attention until Melinda told her that she was the one who told the waitress it was Cindy’s 55th Birthday and that she had to talk loud because Cindy was really hard of hearing

I guess this could have been what helped lead up to the Birthday Cake Fight of 2006, To this day Cindy is still not pushing 55 and I sure hope our next trip home is in July again because it’s going to be a lot of fun being an innocent bystander when the next round of paybacks come.

Just Follow The List

We went Christmas Shopping Saturday with Bob and Martha to finish up our gift giving search for each other, Bob and I teamed up and Cindy and Martha did the same, the plan was for they guys to get everything on the lists that we were given by the girls, and for the girls to have a shopping trip all by themselves.

The trip went well for Bob and I, there was no zig zagging through the stores because we went directly to what we wanted, got it and left the area, now since both Cindy and Martha read this blog I will do my best to not give any secrets away.

Our first stop was at that store where you can buy all kinds of stuff, we went to the area of the store that had the stuff Martha wanted and Bob bought everything on her list, well maybe not everything because you know how it goes, just because she wrote it down doesn’t mean that’s how he read it, I sure hope she likes Camo because it is the new White…right. Bob did buy Martha a cool cover that stands up all by itself holding her new Kindle where you can read it, but since this was actually for her birthday and he gave it to her at the end of the trip I can tell you about this without getting myself into trouble.

Our next stop was to about one hundred stores looking for things on Cindy’s list, I think I either read her list too literally or she was sending me in circles in an attempt to keep me zig zagging even though she wasn’t with me, after going over the list more times than I can count I stuffed it into my pocket and listened to Bob, I sure hope she likes Camo because it is the new White…right. I got her some things that I am sure she will like and since it is not her Birthday I suppose I can’t share this delicate information with you right now.

We met up with the girls at Applebee’s for supper, I knew it was going to be a fun stop when Bob and I got there first, we got to pick where we wanted to sit and even though where I wanted to sit was not where Bob wanted me to sit, I reluctantly moved to the other side of the booth and left him to sit by himself waiting for Martha and Cindy, our waitress came to get our drink order and like a good boy I ordered myself a glass of iced tea along with everyone else, she looked at me and said “You look like a beer drinker, allow me to bring you a tall frosted glass of beer” heck you can’t argue with a statement like this so when it actually got to be my turn to choose a beverage I blurted out “I want a beer”, yes I got a few strange looks but the beer was good.

Martha just had to get a song and a sundae, I mean she was acting like it was her Birthday or something, so we sang along and enjoyed the three part harmony from the waitresses, it sounded a whole lot better than the two part harmony from Bob and I, Martha even got presents and a cake at home, I guess I’ll have to try this birthday thing next Christmas.

Christmas Shopping this many times in one year can drive you crazy or make you imagine things that may or may not have happened this way, I am thinking it could be all the zig zagging but anyway we always have fun with Bob and Martha whether or not we go according to the list.

Bells Are Ringing

Which of the Christmas programs do you really like and which one just reaches out and touches you no matter how many times you see it? A Charlie Brown Christmas, all the way from Snoopy decorating his doghouse to the famous Charlie Brown Christmas Tree is one that I have always loved, but the one that reaches deep inside no matter how many times I see it is, It’s A Wonderful Life.

We are talking all the way back to 1946 when this one came out and the message is still an important one today, George Bailey played by Jimmy Stewart finds out what the world would have been without him, Clarence played by Henry Travers is an angel assigned to him so to say, to show him how different life would have been without him and by completing this task he is to earn his wings, one of the funniest lines in the movie is when George Bailey states something to Clarence like “Well you look about like the kind of angel I’d get”, if you get a chance to watch this one do it, no matter how many times you have seen it before it is well worth watching again and again.

Yesterday I threw out the question “What if you had the chance to go back and do it all over again, would you do it any different.” The responses from my friends and blogging family were awesome, the general consensus was that we would do things exactly the same, because if we did change something from the past then our future would have been changed also, some wanted a do over on some things and wished to have listened to themselves at the time, but for the most part we all would choose where we are right now.

Take it a step further, what if you had never been born, just how different would the world be and would you actually be missed at all, your accomplishments would have never happened and just how did your accomplishments effect your friends and family, your children would have never been born simply because you were not there, and if they were someone else’s children… yes you see where I am going they would have never existed, How would your parents have gotten along with one less child? And without you how different would their lives have been, the pleasure and pain you shared with them was never there, the lessons learned were never taught, and the Love you hold in your heart for them never lived.

Our good deeds, bad deeds, accomplishments, failures, pleasures, and pain, whatever we have experienced simply due to existing, plays a part in so many different peoples lives, so next time you are thinking that maybe the world would have been better off without you, think of your friends and family and the times whether good or bad you have been through with them, no matter the outcome your life is worth millions because even the smallest thing like a smile in passing plays a big part in someone’s day.

Clarence the Angel said “Strange, isn't it? Each man's life touches so many other lives. When he isn't around he leaves an awful hole, doesn't he?”

Think of the hole that would have been left without you, no matter how bad things get we always find better things after we let go of the bad, holding onto things from the past that we can’t change need to be left to fly in the wind, these things only drag you down, look ahead for new things in your life and let the past become a memory, looking back you will see where your accomplishments have gotten you, and looking ahead you will see where you want to go, listen to your gut and follow your heart but don’t fret over the times you failed to do so, Clarence also said “Remember, no man is a failure who has friends.”

Cherish your friends and always leave your heart open to make new ones, Love your family with all your heart and smile next time you hear a bell because they say when a bell rings an angel gets his wings, and if everything is going according to plan that ringing bell just may have been for your angel.

What If…

What if you had the chance to go back and do it all over again, would you do it any different?


And if you did some of the things differently, just where would you be now?


Things I think about frequently but never really ponder the outcome.

Zig Zagging

Christmas Shopping, don’t you just love it and how many of you still have a bit to do before time runs out, and how many of you wait until Christmas Eve to start, Cindy and I went out yesterday to finish up some of our shopping, I keep thinking we should be finished but I know my wife, rather than start shopping on Christmas Eve she will continue shopping until then.

Shopping in the Winter Wonderland that is Southern California caused us to brave the cold, frigid, icy, grab your heavy jacket, OK I will have to admit that shopping when it is about seventy five degrees is not too bad and with this said there was no jacket required during this shopping trip.

I decided to practice a bit of what I have been preaching lately, I also made a point of observing people because I do love to people watch and there is a diverse group of folks to watch in the area we live. I have suggested being nice to people and giving each one you meet a smile, hello, have a nice day, and Merry Christmas while you are out and about, I held as many doors as I could and really enjoyed the smiles I received in return, I did get a few grumpy looks and sighs of disgust as I held doors open with my crutch tips held firmly at the bottom of the doors but that’s OK, I made an effort and if they didn’t appreciate it right away maybe they will give someone else a hand later on.

While observing people one man I noticed was standing in line ahead of us talking loudly to himself it appeared, he was really animated and talking in a language I didn’t recognize, as he laughed and pointed and continued talking I looked to see if he was wearing a bluetooth device on his ear, I have made the mistake of thinking someone was either talking to themselves or me in the past when they actually had a cell phone conversation going on, this man seemed so happy with his conversation and paid for his purchase without ever acknowledging anyone around him, as he walked out the door his arms were still waving and he was still talking as if someone was right by his side, Cindy thinks he was talking to himself but I don’t know, I never saw sign of a cell phone device but I did see an animated individual who was laughing a good bit and enjoying his day, that is not a such bad thing in my opinion.

A young woman in another shop dressed in military pants, a heavy jacket, scarf, and hat drew attention as she stood in a corner and scribbled on a tablet, like I said before it was 75 degrees outside but to each their own I suppose, she actually stood in line behind us and when it came her turn to be waited on she turned her back and scribbled on her tablet, the clerk looked at me and I suggested that she may be writing down what she wanted, the clerk asked her if this was what she was doing and the young woman walked away, to make a long story short she turned her head and spoke to no one, she scribbled on her tablet the whole time she was in the store, turned her back whenever approached, and shared her writings with no one, she left the store right behind us going to her car and retrieving what looked like a long walking stick, last I saw her she was standing in front of another store window scribbling on her tablet, when we passed back by her car was gone, this young woman was out and about among the crowd but at the same time was all by herself, whatever she was scribbling I pray finds her an answer for whatever was keeping her to herself, no one should be that alone among good people in my opinion.

One major department store we ended up in I found myself going in circles like the little kid in the Family Circus comic, you know the one who is going to a house just up the block but zig zag’s all over town before he gets there, well this was me following Cindy through all the clothes racks and back again, we finally landed in a section of nightgowns which Cindy and about four other ladies were all going over one particular rack, I smiled to myself as I watched this group laugh and enjoy each others company, I tried my best to stay out of their way, Cindy really enjoyed talking with these ladies and found out more about their lives and shared a lot of ours with them in about a half hours time than most families learn about each other in a lifetime, I wished them all a Merry Christmas as we turned to leave and got a group of smiles and well wishes in return. These ladies were a blessing to see and Cindy having a bit of conversation made each of their day and Cindy’s too a little bit better, sit down and talk to your family when you can and even talk with strangers when you meet, because without conversation you never learn anything about anybody and with conversation you meet friends and stay close to your family.

Shopping in a Winter Wonderland was really a lot of fun for me, there are a lot of good people out there who are happy and a lot who need a bit of understanding, I see good things in our future and I know good and well that this was not out last shopping experience this season, I do think I will take a lesson I saw in an elderly man who was sitting by himself in front of a store staring at the floor, I said Merry Christmas to him as we passed by and he smiled, he came out of the store soon after us walking on a cane with his wife by his side laughing and talking as they made their way to their car, this man sat on a bench in front of the store while his wife zig zagged through all the racks and came out with a basket full of goodies, I think I will skip the zig zagging and find myself a place to rest next time we go shopping, although on second thought it is fun to try and keep up.

Riding With Tom And Jerry

How much food can you eat at the Sizzler, it always ends up being too much for me, because while you are there just one more plate sounds like a good idea, and topping it off with a bowl of ice cream topped with all the stuff you usually don’t get to eat just adds to the misery later on, I usually get just the “Salad Bar” because there is more stuff than I can eat there, but with the price of about fifty cents more I can add a plate of fried shrimp on top of all the stuff that is already more than I can eat, so as a good American I state, Yes I’ll take the Fried Shrimp.

We went to Sizzler with Bob and Martha on Saturday and for those of you who have been here for a while know that a little scuffle just had to break out between Cindy and Bob, picture this happening at the register, Cindy and Bob were both poking and pointing at each other laying blame on one another for being the one causing all the trouble, the girl at the register was laughing at us, but behind that smile you could see the expression that says “I’ll be glad when they move along” but in my opinion if you can’t have fun with family then it’s hardly worth it, so when Bob and Martha retreated to our table I had to mention of how quiet it was now that Bob had left the area, so for tonight it was decided that Bob was actually the troublemaker, the girl at the register smiled in agreement, we will just say she agreed with me as she pointed us toward our table.

After the meal was finished Martha mentioned that she needed batteries for the Christmas Village that she and Cindy would be setting up back at their house, a quick stop at Rite-Aid was anything but quick and left Cindy a bit restless sitting in the vehicle, yes you could say Martha was in the store for a while so about Forty five minutes later Cindy, Bob, and I bailed out of the vehicle to have a look around, we never made it inside because there was a Tom and Jerry kids ride sitting right there in front of us, Cindy yelled to see if anyone had a quarter and the ride began, picture this Cindy riding with Tom and Jerry while a young Father is trying to explain to his young daughter why that lady got to ride and she couldn’t, not that Cindy wouldn’t have given up her seat but the little girl would have to wait her turn just like the rest of us, Bob took out his camera and took a few pictures to be used as blackmail later on, but that’s OK too we were actually a quarter short because now it takes two, just what is this world coming to when you can’t ride a kids horsy for a quarter?

Cindy and Martha began setting up the Christmas Village with help from Kathy (Bobs Sister), everything was going well with Hot Cocoa for everyone, well almost everyone had cocoa, Bob and I were standing watching in utter amazement on how nice of a job these ladies were doing, they needed six more batteries which Bob was going to pick up the next day but I had to suggest that batteries only came in packages of twelve just to get Martha going and going she did get, we argued numbers for a while and questioned things like why do hotdogs come in packages of twelve but there are only eight buns, this argument ended with the girls sending Bob and I out to the Rite-Aid to pick up six batteries only, we walked right by the horsy ride and resisted the urge to ride Tom and Jerry, although I did see Bob hesitate and look back with a tear in his eye as we got into the car, I had to laugh when the batteries she needed came in a package of eight, it wasn’t a twelve pack but it was more than six, we were doing good until I also made the mistake of mentioning that I thought there was so much snow that Martha’s village actually looked like a foggy little London town to which a look from Martha caused Bob and I to retire to the back room of the house and leave the art of Christmas displays to the ladies, I’m sure proud she didn’t send us packing on a quest for less snow or something, I will have to admit how well the display turned out and I am sure that she actually needed four more batteries.

Just One Smile

Passing judgment on others is not a task assigned to anyone on the face of this earth in my opinion, yes I know some have the position of Judge when it comes to legal situations or deciding on who the best singer out of a bunch is, but when it actually comes to passing judgment on one another, there is only one that is qualified and by the time we meet Him if we have played our cards right then judgment will not be an issue.

My last post and the great comments from you all got me to thinking about judgment, Trailer Trash is a term given to those who are less fortunate than others it seems, or someone who just doesn’t have the gumption to get themselves out of the park and do better with their lives, how about the millions of young people who are just starting out in life and are proud of the Mobile Home they are either renting or buying, or what about the elderly couple who sold everything they had to make their elder years a bit more comfortable, since they can no longer handle the yard and house maintenance and no one seems to have enough time to come by and help them out. What about the people who are living there simply because it is exactly what they can afford and are happy with their surroundings, are any of these people Trailer Trash and who are we to label them as such?

What exactly makes one person less deserving of the compassion you have than another, what makes this person less desirable as a friend, and what makes you choose this person as the one you avoid eye contact with? And for the big question on my mind and many of yours, who gets to choose the one who can pass judgment on everyone else in our “Social Society”

Everyone puts their pants on the exact same way, and we all carry the exact same feelings and emotions, so during the Holiday Season reach out to those who may be down on their luck and give them a helping hand, smile at everyone you see while you are out and about and say Merry Christmas to those you don’t even know, hold the door for someone even if they appear capable of holding it for themselves, and for goodness sake do not let it slam on anyone.

None of us were placed on this earth to judge, so why do so many of us take upon ourselves to do so, never judge a book by it’s cover and never judge someone at first glance, we are all good people and it is up to each and everyone of us to get along with each other. Just think how many people you actually affect each day, you never actually know how far that smile carries because the person you smile at passes it to another then it multiplies throughout the day, the same goes with a hateful act, not that people continue to act bad, but that bad feeling you started will go just as far as that smile.

With the hard times everyone is suffering through during this economic downturn, wouldn’t it be nice to share a few smiles and shake a few hands with people you meet if only for one day, being nice to others will go a long way toward repairing the misery that just one hateful glare burns into your memory behind that slamming door, so stop allowing doors to slam on one another, make your Christmas wish be to pass a smile to someone who needs it, because Lord knows there are a lot out there wishing for just one smile.

Down In The Boondocks

Growing up on the wrong side of town, how many times have you heard this? Or something like “they live way out in the boondocks” refering that someone is from the country or their mannerisms point them in that direction.

It seems that I have always lived on the wrong side of town in someones eyes, back when I was a youngun so to say I remember sitting on the porch shucking a bunch of corn Mom had gotten for us, the whole family was sitting around pulling the shucks off and throwing them into a trash can, this was a fine mess of corn we had, and we would be eating on this for a while which was a blessing to us, a group of kids I went to school with was walking down the road and one of them yelled “Shuck that corn Country Boy” and they all laughed, they called me country boy after that and it’s pretty sad that some folks can make you feel ashamed because you were helping out with a task that would feed the family for a while.

A while later my Mom and I teamed up and rented a trailer together, we shared the bills and the groceries and made sure my two younger sisters were fed, now I had moved to another side of town and I wasn’t known as country boy anymore, now I was just pure dee Trailer Trash so to say, I had a full time job and I was paying for my own car, the bills were paid and groceries were bought and paid for so why is this a bad thing, yes we lived in a trailer park and I will never look back on that as a bad experience, my Mom and I grew up a little bit together here and I learned a lot from her on how to take care of myself and others due to this time, and many more lessons from her I did learn during this time in my life.

I moved away and got married, I ended up in Odessa Texas selling supplies in the oilfield, I nearly starved to death here, not because I wasn’t making enough money but because I was expected to spend more to get things that fit my new status in life, keeping up with the Jones, literally I rented from the Jones and worked for one, and had to buy expensive things to look as good as them, I lived way out in the “Boonies” and heaven forbid it was again a trailer house, this looked pretty bad because now not only was I trailer trash but I had the label of Oilfield Trash added on top of it, now to make matters worse I was way out west of town, not on the good end towards Midland, Texas, Good Lord only knows that I never had the knack of picking the right side of town, and Lord knows I don’t actually miss this place because being hungry is not something I really like.

Cindy and I owned our own home in New Mexico, it was a nice house and to this day I am still proud of it, but a funny comment I heard from a co worker once made me really laugh, yes for a time I lived on the west side of this town, and the west side was supposedly the bad side of town, Cindy’s and my home was actually on the east side of town so with this said it appeared that I was finally on the right side of town, one day while riding with this co worker rather than drop me off at home for lunch, he took me all the way back to the office to pick up my own vehicle to drive at lunchtime, when I asked him about it later he commented “Since you now live on the other side of town, I can’t be dropping you off there for lunch” funny thing is that we had to drive right past Cindy’s and my house to go back to the office. I suppose no matter what you do, you will never be on the right side of town all the time in everyones eyes.

Right now Cindy and I are in a rural area way out in the Boondocks, we have chickens and horses, and we grow a little garden in the backyard by the fence, yes we are consuming what we’re growing now a days in self defense, what side of town are we on you ask, I have never really thought about it nor do I care, because in my mind it is exactly the right side and whereever we are from now on we will always be on the right side of town.

One of my favorite memories from my childhood is sitting in the livingroom watching my Mom in the kitchen dancing and singing while she was stirring a pot of something good she was preparing for us to eat, the song she sang was by Billy Joe Royal and she wasn’t worrying about who was watching or where we were living because, as long as you are happy and you are eating then everything else is a non issue.

♪ Down in the boondocks

Down in the boondocks

People put me down 'cause That's the side of town I was born in

I love her she loves me but I don't fit in her society

Lord have mercy on the boy from down in the boondocks

Lord have mercy on the boy from down in the boondocks ♫

Working On The Chain Gang

What do you think about this? Not that I expect you have actually worked on the chain gang, actually how many of us exactly know anything about this at all? I know that the area I grew up in has a facility that still uses the chain gang for the prisoners housed there, in my opinion this is not actually a bad thing, Arizona is another state that uses this type of “punishment” for prisoners.

I remember as a kid seeing one of my family members on Main Street in our downtown area pushing a broom sweeping the streets, he had evidently gotten himself into trouble and was sentenced to a term on the chain gang, other times in my life I have seen groups of people in striped jumpsuits working on the side of the road, either picking up trash or chopping weeds with armed guards keeping watch, so with this said I have actually witnessed the chain gangs in action, maybe from a distance but I think having these people out in the communities working off their sentence is better than keeping them behind bars storing up their energy until they burst at the seams so to say from frustration and boredom.

We have a large number of people incarcerated today and for the most part these people actually have it better than some of our senior citizens who are living out their lives in nursing homes. Three square meals a day, a bed to sleep on, Television and books to entertain and learn by, planned activities and free medical so to say, yes I am speaking of the prisoners and not our seniors, so why is it too much to ask these people for a portion of their day to be spent outside somewhere working in an attempt to somewhat pay for the upkeep they are being given, yes I know that some will say “But they are being held against their will”, “They have no choice”, “It’s against their Human Rights” in my opinion no one should be mistreated nor abused and I also believe that no one should be allowed to lay up on their butts and let the state keep them up in exchange for the crime they committed, working off a sentence by cleaning up our communities is a whole lot more impressive to me than working it off lifting weights, playing basketball, and earning a “Prison Law Degree”

What if every prisoner were taken out in small groups each day of the week, under the watchful eye of an armed guard and made to serve the communities that they are being housed in, what if these prisoners were taken to the cemeteries that need cleaned up, down the roads littered with garbage, along the highways that have graffiti cluttering the signs and walls, what if these people were made to take part in cleaning up our communities and helping to keep them clean, rather than kept behind a wall until their time is served. Your next statement may be that we will just be giving them an easier chance to escape, that’s where the armed guards come in, we have to not be afraid of protecting our communities and if a prisoner makes himself a danger to that community then he should be dealt with accordingly, as long as we make prison life easy then the population will continue to grow, if we make it hard and a working environment then some of these people just may take a little pride in their cleanup efforts and actually turn their lives around.

With this said I wonder why we can’t use our prisoners in this manner, why do our criminals have more rights than our citizens, and why are we the ones who have to pay for their crimes through our taxes with nothing in return. Some things are easier said than done and other things are an easy fix if we just use the manpower available to us rather than being afraid of offending someone.

Damn Gremlins

The weekend after Thanksgiving is usually filled with decorating the house for Christmas, we normally bring out the lights from the year prior and string them along the front of the house, lighting up our evenings until almost New Years day. The Christmas tree is set up and all the bulbs on the strand of lights that aren’t working are checked and double checked until the problem is found and they are all shining once again, now for the life of me I know they were all working last year when I turned them off for the last time.

Today I opened up the large box marked “Christmas Lights” in anticipation of taking out the neatly rolled strands of lights I packed myself last season, like the tree lights they were all working when I took them down so this should be easy---right? I mean that I did pack them all away almost like they came from the store, in neatly packed rows and each light firmly secured and separated from all the rest.

Well to tell you the truth I did roll them carefully and neatly, then place them into the box so as to not tangle them with the other lights, now my question here is, How in the world did they get themselves tied into knots, and how did random bulbs get themselves unscrewed just enough to not come on, and where did that one particular Christmas decoration thingy that I promised Cindy would be safe in my box of lights disappear to? Gremlins I am thinking, there must be Christmas light gremlins that sneak themselves into my boxes of decorations to tie and tangle my perfectly rolled strands of lights into knots that take me longer to untangle than it does for us to get them all hung onto the eves.

I did good today, this little project went off without too much cussing and it took a bit of assistance from Cindy to help me figure out which way the strand had to be pulled to get the knot removed, A ball of yarn I keep thinking, yes I would have about as much success if I rolled all the lights into a huge ball and just stuffed them into the box, heck I could go as far as stomping them down and making room for a few more strands, do you think if I did this that the Gremlins would sneak into this box and straighten them all out for me as a surprise for next year? Nope I don’t think so either so I will neatly roll them up again knowing well and good that there is no way to roll a strand of Christmas lights without getting them somewhat tangled.

Driving home from town this evening I admired our house all lit up with the lights we worked so hard on together today, I smiled as we turned into the driveway but felt that smile go away when I noticed the couple of lights that were not burning—Damn Gremlins!!

Heres hoping you enjoy your Christmas Decorating and that the Gremlins were nice to you this year.