Children and Their Car Repairs

As anyone knows, if you have children, eventually they will be driving cars and they will need an occasional repair or two.  My boys are no exception.

Son #1:
  Son #1 wrapped a Durango around a tree less than a mile from the house.  He then ended up with old Buick Regal.  He decided it needed an upgrade to the stereo, since it had an old cassette deck and the manufacturer radio.  Neighbors spent over 6 hours trying to retrofit it in there, then at the last minute Son #1 hands us the adapter wiring harness and says "do y'all need this"?  Our "hot wiring" burned up several things before an automotive electrician fixed it in two hours.

The Buick had wire rims that had a lock screw to keep them from getting lifted.  Problem was, the hubs had broken loose and they would not come off without using a big screw driver and a hammer.  Went to "Hubcap Heaven" for some replacement hubs.  Couldn't find and that matched so I settled on paying $65 for plastic replacement hubcaps.  Told Son #1 that those original wire rims were worth around $300.  One day he asked his momma if he could borrow some money against those $300 rims.  She said, "Nope.  Go sell the rims."  Son #1 wouldn't go by himself, so off they went.  $25 for the set.  I still laugh about it!

When Son #1 went off to USM, he inherited his Momma's white Nissan Sentra.  Told him it was the last ride he would get from us.  So far it has held up fairly well.  One day  I notice that the driver side door mirror cover was hanging loose. I pushed it back on, told him to squirt some Gorilla Glue up in there and it would be on there for good.  He didn't.  He eventually left the nest for Nashville.  One day we get a phone call that the mirror cover had come up missing.  After back tracking his trail, no luck, its history.  The other day I went to St. Dominics for a checkup.  When I returned to the parking garage, I notice this white Nissan Sentra.  As I pass it I notice that the cover to the passenger side mirror was missing!  I had quite a chuckle on seeing this.  Son #1 has a twin!

Son #2:

We have had more luck with Son #2.  He inherited his Mom's Chevy Equinox.  This car was a great ride for the Spousal Unit.  Only thing we discovered was that when we stopped in Hattiesburg for gas, the car would sputter.  Turned out the injectors had trash in them.  This was the first model year for this car and GM did not put a fuel filter on it!  Go figure.  We haven't stopped at that station since.

Son #2 took this car to MSMS for his last two years of high school.  One night, someone broke out the window and keyed the hood.  They stole items that had very little value except the tools in the back.  During one of the semesters, the battery died.  The Spousal Unit and I drove up to Columbus to change out the battery.  Took one with me from AutoZone.  Guy assured me it was the right battery.  Get there, and guess what, wrong kinda posts.  Got it exchanged at the local AutoZone, put it in, only to discover that the power steering wasn't working.  Got it to the Dealer and found out that swapping out the battery will sometimes blow a fuse or two on this model of car.

The car has not exceeded 100,000 miles.  He went to open the door, and the handle fell apart.  No problem, he just unlocked it, opened the back door and reached in and presto! Door open. The rear windshield motor developed a mind of its own.  This became very irritating to him.   He checked with the Dealer and they wanted $285 for the repair.  He ordered a replacement plus a can of paint off the Internet for $35.   He then discovers that the rear hatch pistons had gone bad.  He asked his girly friend's Dad "do all cars fall apart at 100,000 miles?"

During The Thanksgiving break, we made the trip to Advance Auto for the replacement parts,  Five minutes later, the hatch goes up with ease. For some reason he didn't bring the door handle.

Four months go by and he has not done the door handle repair.   Finally during Christmas break, he brings it home.   I look up the repair on YouTube, unbelievable!  There is only one screw and five minutes later it is done! 

We decide to just remove the wiper blade on the back.  Bolt won't budge.  Decide to unplug the motor.  Spousal Unit says "why don't you pull the fuse?"  Yeah, right.  We pull the panel off and find the wires.  We find a connection and unplug.  Whoops, not the wiper motor.  Finally look at the owners manual, and what do you know, a fuse dedicated to that motor.  Pulled, and motor dead, YES!

Lessons learned:

  1.  Look for a repair demo on YouTube.  You will be amazed at how simple a repair can be.

  2.  Listen to your Spousal Unit, or you will never live it down!

Toilet Paper

Nice subject.  But this is not a joke in my house.  There is only one brand that comes through the door.  Ever since Mr. Whipple has been squeezing it, we have been buying nothing but Charmin!




Charmin is such a coveted commodity with us, the boys go to extremes to keep their roomates away from their supply.  Son number 2, as a freshman, had his in a footlocker under lock and key in his dorm room.  Son #1 would sneak a fresh roll out from the trunk of his car.

There is absolutely nothing worse than that feeling when your finger has that "break through" moment.  It only has to happen once for you to become a true believer in multiply.  At Baptist Hospital, they supplied each room with plenty, but it was that single ply sheet from the wholesale paper product supplier.  Sandpaper, pure sandpaper!

From "The Baptist"

This commodity is considered so valuable at Northwest Community College that it is kept under lock and key:

 



There also is the long standing controversy of whether to install the next roll either "over" or "under".  My personal preference has always been "over".  I, however, gave up the fight  a long time ago. Spousal unit puts it on backwards so I just set the next roll on top!

 



We how have a self standing dispenser in the guest bathroom for "certain" overnight guests that have knocked off not one but two wall mounted dispensers.



 So, regardless of your preference of single ply vs multiple ply, soft vs sandpaper, or over vs under, you now know my preferences on the subject.  May your paper always hold and disappear under a single flush, which is another topic in itself!

 

Lost Art

Hoping that this one is not a lost art, the courtesy of saying "thank you".

We have some dear friends whose children were married a year and a half ago.  Funny thing is, neither have written a single "thank you" note for any or the wedding gifts that each received.  Writing thank you notes is a courtesy that you are taught, and practice typically starts big time when you graduate from high school.  These kids are now starting families of their own.  Hopefully, they will pick up this tradition upon the arrival of their babies and then pass it on to their generation.

I know it is always better to give than receive.  I picked back up a hobby of mine last winter that I had stopped years ago.  I decided it was time to give the nieces and nephews something special from me.  I began making a dozen cross stitched Christmas ornaments for each of them.  They were distributed to some of them during the Thanksgiving Holiday.  Others got them on Christmas day.  My hope was that each would make them a part of their holiday tree trimming tradition, something to remember me by.

To my surprise, our of nine nieces and nephews, only one took a moment to say "thank you".  Yes, a feeling or two got bruised.  For a little while, I forgot that it is "better to give than to receive".  I have resigned to the fact that it is a practice that is taught.  I have been pondering whether to continue making these as gifts.  Time heals all.  Probably will make more, just be selective on the recipients.

Gotta Loves

Just a few observations from the season :

1.  Gotta love the relatives that ask you for a Christmas list back in October, then the gift is a no show because it gets ordered at the last minute.

2.  Gotta love that relative that brings the same food item that nobody eats, 20 years running.

3.  Gotta love the gift card giving.  Then the gift card swap before the spending spree.

4.  Gotta love the family elder that insists on saving the bows, boxes, and gift wrapping each year.

5.  Gotta love that relative that "re-gifts" stuff received, two years earlier.

6.  Gotta love the relative that says "I just love what you gave Suzie.  How come I didn't get one?"

7.  You gotta love it when a toddler loves playing with the box more than the toy that came in it.

8.  You gotta love the expression on your son's face when he opens a gift or fingernail polish meant for the girlfriend.

9.  You gotta love it when you are the only one that doesn't get cornered by the family's "Mr.  Webster".

10. You gotta love that relative that has to call you at 6:00 in the morning to give you the complete inventory of what they got, and a play by play reenactment of the last two hours.

11.  You gotta love young parents that are up all night doing assembly and are Zombies the rest of the day.

12.  You gotta love a missing part at 3 a.m.

13.  You gotta love discovering that the dog has been eating candy out of stockings all night.

14. You gotta love the sister in law that gives you head scarfs that she didn't use while recovering from cancer.

15.  You gotta love getting the credit card bill for all the stuff you bought that you swore you wouldn't do 12 months ago.

16.  You gotta love finding out you ran out of propane half way through the cooking process.

17.  You gotta love all the silly Christmas traditions you marry into.

18.  You gotta love seeing all your friends in the return line at Walmart with the crazy stuff they were given.

19.  You gotta love finding the one gift that came up missing back behind the tree, two days later.

20.  You gotta love it when the independent appraisal of a gift is less than half of what you paid.

Lastly,  you have gotta love the reason for the season.  God bless you all, each and each and every one!

Inverness Tradition

Growing up in a small Delta town, especially those like Inverness, Mississippi is an experience  you  will not find in any other part of the State, or any other part of the country for that matter.

Before the completion of the four lane bypass from Yazoo City to Indianola, you knew you were close to home when the drivers in the cars and trucks passing by would give you a wave from the steering wheel.  In the days of old, the downtown merchants would close up shop every Wednesday afternoon.  I guess this was their version of a Mexican siesta.

The best place to get a burger or fried chicken was Fannie's place.  Gossip could be found at Brown's Grocery.  If you needed a cold beer, Ponds and Woos were the place to be. Almost anything could be found in Wings, from household items, fishing supplies, and all of your last minute grocery items.

Many years ago, a tradition was started by the community leaders.  Each Christmas season plans would be set for setting out the luminaries throughout the town, but especially around "Lake Bradley".  The townfolk pick up paper sacks at the Community House and spend the days leading up to Christmas Eve folding down the top edge.

Early Christmas Eve morning, volunteers gather at Duncan Gin to begin the bagging process.  Cups of sand are poured into the paper bags, a candle is added, then trailers are loaded down with the bags and contents for the trip to Lake Bradley and other parts of town.  Additional volunteers are at the ready to drop the bags along the lake bank and roadside.

Several hours before dawn, the candle lighting begins.  The invention of butane lighters was a God send.  This is the back breaking part of the task.  Nothing worse than running out of gas in the lighter.  To the best of my recollection, very few years have been missed.  There has been severe cold, gusty winds, and even freezing rain, but every year, the Town of Inverness is determined to continue their tradition. 

Seeing the reflections of the luminaries against the waters of Lake Bradley is a sight to behold.  The candles burn well into the night.  Some blow out, while others catch fire, but those that remain bring a magnification to the reason for the season.

Down the road, if you find yourself in the area on Christmas Eve, join others in a tour of the parade of lights in the small town of Inverness, Mississippi, off of Highway 49, between Indianola and Isola, not far from Belzoni.

Busted!

My Mom has been on me to include some of her "suggestions" in my blog.  Okay Mom, this one is for you!

Yazoo River:
Growing up in Belzoni, sometimes things would get a little slow.  Somebody came up with the idea of going swimming in the Yazoo River. Hours were spent on a vine swing, and sliding down the river bank.   Brother Jim and a few others were a bit more adventurous and decided to swim across and back.  Once we got home, we didn't know what to do with that muddy underwear.  We knew that we shouldn't throw them away, so we hid them in the closet.  Busted!  Well, it didn't take Mom log to find them.  Off to the health department we go for a typhoid fever shot.  Turns out this was before sewage treatment plants and the Ole Yazoo River was the dumping ground for all that.  Brother Jim had baseball practice that afternoon, and his arm almost fell off from the aggravation of that shot!

Heater:
Back in the day before central heat and air, out house had electric space heaters.  The grid had the look of a waffle iron.  Butt naked, and boys being boys, Brother Jim and I got into a shoving match on who would take a bath first.  I won.  Jim's butt lost. Yep, in the tussle, he got backed up right into that space heater.  For several months he had the nickname of "waffle butt"!

Dog Named Heinz:
My Mom was famous for coming up with named of all our dogs.  We had a beagle covered in fleas, he got named "Fleahound".  Heinz,our sister Julie's dog, had more breeds in him than you could name.  Mom said, "well, he's nothing but a Heinz 57"  Thus the name.  One day my Mom was bent over the dog using scissors to give him a trim.  All of a sudden I hear this explosion of gas.  My Mom says "well Heinz!".  I said "Heinz nothing"!  Busted!

Damn Radiator:
I had an old Chevy that occasionally would run hot.  I used to keep an old antifreeze jug in the trunk.  It was the summer after my senior year of high school.  Got up late to go to work, but needed to add water to the radiator before leaving for work.  I popped the trunk to retrieve the jug of water, forgetting about the case of Miller ponies left over from the weekend.  I sweated it out for several days, not hearing anything from Mom.  Several months later, after my 18th birthday, at a family gathering, a discussion arose concerning underage drinking.  Busted!  Mom: "well Bill had a case of beer in his trunk this summer!"

Blue Ribbon:
When I first moved to Jackson, the spousal unit was a nursing student, and worked a summer at the VA.  One Saturday, I gave her my car keys.  When she returned, she noticed the apartment door was locked.  She used her key to unlock the door.  As she entered the room, she suddenly fell to the floor in total laughter.  There I was, doing my Burt Reynolds imitation on the couch, wearing nothing but a blue ribbon around my neck.  Busted!  So much for a spontaneous moment of romance!

Playing Hookie:
One day at work, my buddy got a call from his wife, who worked at Belk.  She wanted to know if today was a school holiday.  I said "no, why?".  Because I just saw your son Matthew in here with two girls.  Busted!  Made a call to the spousal unit, who drove up to the school and found his car in the student parking lot.  She gave him a call, asking him where he was.  He said he was on his way home.  Mom:  "Oh really.  Well I'm standing next to your car, and you aren't in it!"


Wee Hours:
One summer night, I was awaken by the spousal unit.  "Do you want to know what your son has been up to?"  I said, "I guess I'm about to find out."  Turns out, Oscar the dog had been barking.  He wanted into Morgan's bedroom, but Morgan would not let him in.  It was 3 in the morning.  The spousal unit opens the door, and in she and Oscar goes.  She notices the closet door was shut, which never happens.  She says "Ok Morgan, what's up?"  Morgan's response "girls!"  Busted!  Two girls were hiding in his closet.  They had gotten bored in the night, and came over for a visit.  The spousal unit was getting more enraged as she was telling me the story.  I had to bite my pillow to keep from laughing.  Spousal unit said "what's so funny?"  I said, "well you know what this makes Oscar?  A cock hound!"  Ice broken.  Ever since Oscar gets extra treats.


While not all of these came from my Mom, I am sure that she will be reminding me of more.  She better be careful what she reminds me, as I just might remember a few more on her!

Here Piggie Piggie

Growing up I the Mississippi Delta, I've seen and experienced things that these city slicker kids would never dream of.  With the change of each season, a new round of particles would make its way into the air, both provided by nature and man made.

My sinuses would run amok until each season settled down.  One positive out of all that would be that my sinuses would be stopped up in late fall, just in time for hog killing time!  It was kinda neat to experience these rituals without the sense of smell.

The elder black man was in charge of the activity.  A fire would be built with a 55 gallon drum full of water on it.  The Elder would disable the pig so that it would bleed out.  Eventually the pig would be put to sleep permanently.  About this time the 55 gallon barrel full of water would be at a full boil.  The pig would be dipped in for a good soaking.  The women folk would then attack the pig with razor sharp knives, shaving all the hair off the animal.  The hind ankle tendons would be slit to allow a stick to be inserted so that the animal could be hoisted into the air.

The cutters would go to work, opening the stomach cavity and emptying the contents into a wash tip.  The women folk would go to work separating and cleaning the organs for consumption.  This is where the phrase "stump whooped chittlins" came from.

The cleaned pigs would be loaded up in the back of a pickup and taken to the local butcher, where they would be cut up into hams, chops, and ground up into sausage.  All white paper wrapped and labeled for the freezer.  Nothing would go to waste.  My Dad loved to scramble the brains with eggs.  The rest of the head would be made into Brunswick Stew.  That man would eat just about anything, but I've never been able to get him to try Sushi!

This was the way it was back then.  I have since grown up, moved to the city, and rarely have issues with my sinuses.  Every now and then, I reflect back to these life experiences and wish for a second that once again, my sinuses were stopped up!

The Survey Said!

This week I was invited to participate in a closed blog survey at the request of Wyndham Vacation rentals.  My reward for the time spent would be $100.  There were approximately 25 timeshare owners that ended up participating. I thought it odd that they invited me, since we have only been members for about six months.   I had plenty of time on my hands with the spousal unit recuperating from Hip Surgery, so what the heck.

The goal of the blog was to get owners to provide feedback for Wyndham to use in making the vacation experience more enjoyable.  Topics covered check-ins, check-outs, the purchase experience, update meetings, interaction with other owners what we considered would improve our experience.

I learned a lot about my fellow timeshare travelers.  Generally they do not like to interact with other owners.  They typically are doing the "family thing" with immediate family and other relatives.  Most people take advantage of the amenities found at the resorts, and most use the Internet and online tools for all of their reservations and resort research.

Very few are using their electronic devices during their stay, preferring to ask the concierge service for recommendations on restaurants and activities.  Most affirmed that: Wyndham does a good job "on property", the purchase experience is like buying a car, web site needs tweaking, update meetings are another sales pitch, and they pretty much want to be left alone.

For me, I enjoy meeting people from other parts of the country.  We have made friends with a number of "timeshare people", families, couples, and young party animals.  We share what's fun, how to get the most out of our vacation experiences, and the boys have even gotten a few phone numbers and Facebook friends out of the trips.

I found it interesting, but not surprising, that most older couples make most of their plans over the phone, while the middle-agers and younger couples are burning up the Internet making reservations for their stay, and checking out what restaurants to try, and what attractions to visit.

Not sure the Wyndham will get much value out of their survey.  If anything, it will reaffirm that for the most part they are doing things right!

The Gift of Wine

Wine.  It comes in red and it comes in white.  The stuff is bottled all over the world and some how makes its way to you and me.  Some comes very dry, while some comes very sweet.  You can buy it by the glass, by the bottle and even by the box.  It comes with a screw top, others with a choice of corks.  For some reason, white is served chilled, and reds come to the table at room temperature.

I have several friends that are regular consumers of this fine beverage.  Some, on blood thinners, become quite talkative after a few glasses.  Some drink just the cheap stuff, and get similar results.  Others are true connoisseurs of wine and they take pride in knowing the vineyards, and the good years and bad.  They can sniff the cork, smell the glass, and with a small taste, can tell whether that bottle is naughty or nice.  I usually wait for the "all clear" and drink away.

Once you have consumed the contents, what do you do with the empty bottle and the cork.  Some just throw it all away.  Some like me, put the empty bottle on their bottle tree. Corks either end up in the trash, in a bowl, or heaven knows where once it hits the junk drawer.

A friend of mine, Scotty Davidson, has started a business using empty bottles of all kinds.  You can find him at most of the arts and craft shows displaying his wares under the banner of Wyne Chyme.  Here are some of the things he has come up with.

bird feeder

 

 

Recently I saw a Christmas wreath on Facebook made of wine corks.  I studied it and figured out, that "I can do that".  I posted a picture of it on Facebook, and put out a notice to my buddies for any corks that they could spare.  Well, wouldn't you know it, by buddy Ed, replied "come and get'em"! 

 

 

I get over to Ed's house, expecting a good supply, since Ed is one of those dedicated Catholic wine drinkers.  I now see where the expression "they're a good Catholic family".  Obviously this is where all those children come from.  Good kids from the finer vintages, and the not so good kids from the screw top varieties.  Ed's wife goes into the laundry room and comes out with a sack, then another, then another!  Before long this shopping bag was full!

 

 

 

 

Once I got home, I scanned the directions, then went in pursuit of the necessary supplies.  I got two 18 inch straw wreaths for the base, about 100 glue sticks, and an assortment of greenery items from Michaels, now 70% off.

 

 

Directions said the straw wreaths would make a mess, and boy did they!  It didn't take long before I had the first one covered.  By the end, I had used up the majority of the corks.  Once you pick one of the up, you see by the weight where they all went!

.

Well, I'm now out of everything.  Friends are re-stocking me with corks, and soon I will back at the craft store for more supplies.

If I can do this, you can too.  If you get a little more industrious, take on some bottle art.  And, you will be recycling too!

Christmas cookies

Most families have holiday treats that they cook every year.  Back when the boys were little, I would make gingerbread men for them to take for the class party.  At home, we would also spend time together baking and decorating sugar cookies.  As boys got older, they lost interest in these kinda things. However, They have not lost there appetite for eating them.

 

For years I have used the recipe from Crisco.  The butter flavored Crisco seems to work best in cookie baking.  When making sugar cookies with cutters I  also leave out the salt and baking soda so that the cookies keep the shape of the cutter.  This gives them a tea cake consistency.  Lately I have been substituting raspberry syrup for the vanilla flavoring.

 

When it comes to the icing, I use the old tried and true royal icing:  powdered sugar, a little milk, food coloring, and more of the raspberry syrup.   Not much on adding any other decorations.  Kids eat way too many candy sprinkles as it is.

 

Here are some pictures of the process with the final product, iced sugar cookies.  From my kitchen to yours, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Roll out dough to 1/4 inch thickness
 

Lay out cutters to maximize the use of the dough

Place cookies on cookie sheet allowing room for expansion

 

I used royal icing

 

 

Dogs waiting for one to drop

Tis the season for gift giving

Yes!  Its that time of the year where you should be wrapping up your gift buying,  getting it all wrapped and tagged and delivered.

At least that's the way it used to be.  Used to be, you would get some clothes that were the wrong size, wrong color, or God forbid, the wrong style!  Day after Christmas, those that were off work would load up and head to the exchange it line.  Walmart has been famous for having several reqisters dedicated for just the returned items coming back.  The line would be out the door!

The Weems family used to gather once a year and exchange stories and do a gift exchange.  That got old since we only saw each other once a year for the benefit of the grand parents.  After they had passed, we tried to continue the tradition, but we only grew further apart.  Somebody suggested that we do a "dirty Santa" gift.  One aunt blew up on that idea, and all us cousins got a kick out of that!

One year, the same Aunt decided that the "children" needed  more religion in their lives, so she "decided" that the children would read the Christmas story from the Bible.   All went well, until the reader kept going and started reading the passages "and then he was circumcised! "  That was the end of that!

Nowadays things are different.  Older Kids don't play with toys.  Its all about computer games, gift cards, and money.  You can almost just throw a bunch of gift cards into a pile and say pick one.  The lines at the stores aren't for returns anymore, its gift card redemption.

This year I made an effort to make each niece and nephew some cross stitched Christmas Ornaments for them to remember me by as they begin their traditions their future spouses and their famlies.  Best part, these aren't breakable so they should last several lifetimes.

All this to say, its ok to give money and gift cards, but try to include something personal to them and you.  You'll be glad you did!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Christmas Traditions

Lots of Christmas traditions in this house, bet you have yours too!

Tree Lights:  When we went to a pre-lit artificial tree 10 years ago, we have had clear lights glowing.  After most of the strands burned out, we stripped the tree and started over.  Since we had quite a collection of colored lights from years past, color it is.  Turned out nice.

Trees:  For years we would load up and go to the fairgrounds to get out Christmas tree.  Our preference was a Frasier Fur, because of the shape and they didn't drop many needles.  I grew up with Scotch Pines, and they were a nightmare to keep them standing, and the shedding needles were a real pain at disposal time.  The trees would get donated to a local fisherman that would add a cement block and sink them in the Rez for bedding fish.  Finally switched to a pre-lit artificial that has paid for itself in just a few short years.

Ornaments:  We have quite a collection.  We have a set of "dough boy" ornaments that the boys will eventually inherit.    We have a set of hand stitched cross stitched ornaments that we made before the boys were born.  Some of our favorites are a series of ceramic ornaments made by Gail Pittman.  The ceramic ones are on the tree this year.

Luminaries:  When we moved into out current home, we brought a tradition from Inverness to the neighborhood.  On Christmas Eve, we would set out paper bags with sand in the bottom, and add a lit candle to welcome Santa to the neighborhood.  As the kids got older, this one has kinda gone by the way side.

When to Open:  Every family has its preference, Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.  The spousal unit gave into the boys years ago and allows them to open one present on Christmas Eve, then the rest are ripped apart the next morning.  We would then eat a quick breakfast, then load up and head to the Delta for the rest of the Day.  With the spousal unit having hip surgery this year, we will not be making the trek "North".  Kinda looking forward to it.

Candy Making time:  For the last 20 years or so, my Sister up in the Delta spends her free time baking Christmas candy treats.  Her customer list has grown each year.  Her most popular items are: pralines, divinity, fudge, coconut date skillet cookies and turtles.   A special batch of turtles are made for my Dad, the diabetic.  These are made with sugar free caramels.

Other Desserts:  Our favorite is coconut cake, caramel cake, an my Dad's specialty Ambrosia.  I usually make a batch of Ambrosia with coconut, pineapple and navel oranges.  A ladle full on a piece of coconut cake is to die for!

Yard Art:  My Dad is the King of yard art.  He doesn't go "ape crazy" but he still puts out quite an assortment.  He puts all kind of lights on the bushes.  I gave him a herd of white reindeer that usually ends up grazing in the turnip green patch.  This year we/he added a stable and manger scene.  His best trick is with Mr. & Mrs. Claus.  He sets them out on a bench, then at day night on Christmas Day he goes out and sends the Claus's on there merry way until next year.

Yard lights:  when the boys were young, we would pick a night and tour the neighborhoods to see the lighting decorations.  The white lights added such a sparkle that you could pretend that it was snow all aglow.  Then occasionally you would turn the corner and find a house that had put out those "colored ones".  I gave a neighbor so much grief about her colored lights that she retired them after the first year.  Joke's on me, the coloreds are making a comeback.

Meal time:  Some traditions eventually go by the wayside,  Once you get married and have children you have to decide what stays and what goes.  Dinner with my family is a very large deal.  All the aunts, uncles, and cousins gather at one house.  The only problem, there are so many women, and so little "mirror space".  Lunch had gradually stretched to a start time, in some years, to past 2 pm.  That began to cut into time with the other "side".  Now that the boys are adults, we let them pick where we go first.  With the encroachment of girl friends, all that is about to change one more time.    Starting to thinks about a destination holiday retreat.

I would love to hear of your traditions.  Leave a post, if you'd like.

Merry Christmas to All!

All I Want For Christmas

Its now The first part of December.  The Christmas decorations hayberve been for sale in most of the stores since right after labor day.  We have had a few artic blasts to remind us that that time is near.

Thanksgiving has come and gone.  Hopefully your turkey carcass was history long ago.  Black Friday has come and gone.  Cyber Monday is but a memory.

Soon all the kids will be out for the holidays and before long all the College kids will be home.  Hopefully you have your tree fully decorated with all of the ornaments that you have collected over the years and lit up with a thousand twinkling lights, and the bottom overflowing with gifts galore.

Each Christmas Eve the Town of Inverness sets out luminaries to guide us into the night that is so special to all of us.  They have been doing this rain or shine for over 30 years or so.  Was a part of it a few times, with lighter in hand, bending over paper sacks filled with sand and a candle.  Seems every time I was there it would be windy and the coldest day all year.  If you are in the area, stop by and give it a look.

I Christmas list is pretty short.  When you are a shopper like !e, you pretty much have everything you need.  Sometimes the "wants" get out of hand.  Here are the things I wish for this holiday season, in no particular order:

1.  Wife to be pain free and resting comfortably between therapy sessions.  Hip surgery this coming Monday.

2. Oscar dog to be pain free.

3.  Sons to arrive home safely.

4. Churches to be overflowing during their Christmas Eve services.  Every Sunday for that matter.

5.  Each of you are able to spend time with all your family and friends, even the in-laws!  We will be home bound for the first time since before the boys came into our lives.

6.  A little bit of snow would be nice, even just a flake or two, for the kid that is still inside of me.

7.  Some new boxer underwear.  Never could stand them tightly whities.  Wife throws out the ones the ones where the elastic is gone, and the others are getting a little thin!

Things I Miss

Driving back from Memphis today, I got to thinking about things I miss, both food and other things:

1.  The Pig Stand, Belzoni, Ms.  Mr. Earl and his chopping block.

2.  Midnight madness celebrations in downtown Belzoni broadcast by Mr. Herb on WELZ.

3.  The black waiters at the Rendezvous asking what beer will ya have?  Sorry, we only serve Michelob!

4.  Steel pointed Jarts.  Yard darts deemed too dangerous because of some ole fool running under them.

5.  Gas costing less than $1.00

6.  Sunday blue laws.  Sorry, life needs to slow down a bit.

7.  Corky's BBQ nachos at Vaught Hemingway.  Sorry, no invitations!

8.  Something made in America.

9.  Sarge's in Starkville.  Hamburger steak smothered in gravy with onions.  I think that's the only thing he knew how to cook!

10.  Little Tokoyo with "momasan" running the place.

11.  Gatherings at the Inverness cemetery for some late night beer drinking.

12.  Small town Chinaman stores.  You could find just about anything in there.

13.  Grandma's Weems' Cooking.  She worked at the school cafeteria and I would have a pbj waiting on me on vegetable soup day.

14.  Sonic fried steak sammach.

15.  Making gingerbread men for the boys to take to school.

I guess some things are just best left to be remembered.  New places to explore, and one day there will be grandkids and I get to revisit some things for a second time :-)

Old Dog, New Tricks

There is an old saying, you can't teach an old dog new tricks.  Well, that doesn't apply to my dear ole Dad!

I can remember growing up and my Pop sending us up on the roof to adjust the TV antenna after a big wind storm so he could watch his "Mid South Championship Wrestling"!  Then along came cable TV and he said "why would I need cable, you can only watch one channel at a time!". He now has cable.

After he slowed down and semi-retired at the age of 70, he tells me he needs a computer.  I ask why.  Answer:  "so I can do the internet and check email.". I ask "do you have an email address?".  Answer:  "no, but I'll get one.". Got him fixed up and the next day he found EBay.  O M G!  I think everybody on his email list gets a handful of "forwards" each day!

This man, who only wrote one check a year his whole lifetime , pays his bills electronicly, canceled his paper and reads the obituaries on line, and can tell you what new movies are coming out at which theater and at what time.

A few years ago, the Delta was hit by a massive ice storm at Christmas time.  No electricity in the Town of Inverness.  To me, one of the best Christmas's ever.  Nobody complained, just dealt with it the best you could.  Next thing you know, ole Pop has his house wired to switch over to generator power!

The man has a cell phone.  He would only have it on while he was in the car.  Now, its his daily companion.  You call it, he answers, then says "hold on, talk to your momma".

I cannot imagine what will happen when he discovers the new features of smart phones.  Look out world!

Thank you Pops for all the life lessons I've picked up from you.   Like you, I'm a doer.  Like you, I cook for others.  Like you, I'd give some the shirt off my back if they needed it.

Pop, Unlike you, I have a smart phone!  Love ya Man!

Ice Storms Of Years past

I'm up in the Memphis area this weekend and the whole area is in a panic about the impending ice storm of 2013.  Its all over the news, there has been panic buying in all the stores.  Schools closed before daybreak, sending parents into panic mode.

I have learned through the years to have: a generator, plenty of gasoline, money if the registers are down, and plenty of propane for the most important thing of all, GRILLING!

Growing up, when we would lose power, my momma would say ”now don't be opening up that frig or freezer, because you are going to let all the cold air out!”  nothing went sour or melted back in those days.

Growing up in Belzoni during my preteen years we would get all bundled up and walk to the Indian mound to slide down the only hill for miles on our trusty ole sled.  Somebody would show up with one of those old coke bottle cap signs, and we would load it up and down the hill we would go!  Clear across the street, over the curb, and into somebody's yard.  Back then, nobody got hurt.

One time we got together with our older friend Archie Waid, and get in his dune buggy and head to Glendale for some "behind the car snow sledding"!  Us younger kids had the time of our lives watching the older ones skid this way and that, dodging parked cars and trees.  Back then, nobody ever got hurt, except when some of the parents found out!


As a young married adult, we were still having fun.  One winter day, the whole Jackson Metro area was shut down by a massive ice storm.  The spousal unit worked night and was catching a ride homes with a Doctor that had a four wheel drive scout that he used for duck hunting.

  The power eventually went out, i had built a fire,so all neighbors and friends came over with all of their beer and wine.  We set the beverages out back on the patio to keep it cook and fired up the grill when we got hungry.  Hours have passed, and no wife.  This was before cell phones.  Finally after 3 they finally pulled up.  Both were drunk as a skunk!  Spousal unit was the last one to be dropped off before the Doctor headed home.  Seems ole Doc had a case of Coors lite in the back of that Scout of his for days like this!  Case was all but gone by the time they got to our house.
Back then, nobody ever got hurt, or a ticket....

A few years later, we were in our new house.  Had not bought any firewood yet, so next day I loaded Up the boys and off we went, to get us some gas logs,since I had tired of toting firewood long ago.  That was almost 20 years ago and we haven't had a winter storm like that since.

Now I find myself Up in the Memphis  area, waiting on the spousal unit to finish her seminar for the day, so I can go get some wine and beer and maybe a Lost Pizza or two, and make someone memories to talk about "when we get older", but hell, from the mirror this morning it looks like I'm already there!

God bless everyone out there in nature's way.  Start living.  Life is good, all the time!








 we still managed to have fun.

Oh Christmas Tree

Yes, its that time of year again.  Thanksgiving has come and gone.  Regular season college football has now wrapped up.  It is time to get out that artificial tree again, or go pick one up at the lot, or even go to the tree farm for a "fresh cut".  No matter what you use, once it is in the stand, with lights a glowing, with ornaments a sparkling, the magic of the season has begun!

Over the years we have collected quite a variety of ornaments.  B.C. (before children) we made an assortment of handmade cross stitched ornaments that we still get top billing once the stringing of the lights has been completed.  We also have quite a collection of "dough boy" ornaments that we collected from one of the vendors at Mistletoe Market Place until she retired.  These will eventually find their way to Christmas Trees in the homes of our boys.

My personal favorites have been a series of ceramic ornaments made locally here in Mississippi by an artist named Gail Pittman.  Gail had a Christmas dinnerware pattern that would have a different center piece in the middle of the plate.  She would also make an ornament with the same design.  Another series that she did was the "Twelve Days of Christmas".  For twelve years I knew exactly what two or three of my gifts to my wife would be.

More than twelve years have passed.  Gail Pittman no longer makes these ornaments locally.  Turned into an "over seas" kinda thang.  Honestly, I have been lost in my pursuit of the annual gift for the spousal unit.  Sadly, the times do change :-(.

This year, LaNelle will be recovering from her second hip replacement surgery during most of the holidays.  No trips to the Delta for family visits, or even a trip to the Krystal Grill.  Both boys were home for Thanksgiving, and along with the girly friend, they "volunteered" to put up the Christmas tree.

Work in Progress:

 

The completed Tree:

Here are some of the ceramic ornaments, mostly from Gail Pittman:

Twelve Days of Christmas 

 

Annual dinner plate ornaments:

And yes, there are even some representing our favorite teams:

Always remember the "reason for the season".  Teach the lessons well so that the future generations don't forget the true meaning of Christmas.  Wish I had done a better job.  In Jesus' name, AMEN!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Its the Holiday Season--Good Times

Good times always seem a lot better as times go by.

Christmas Trees: 
Growing up in the Delta, our family had a strange tradition. For years. we would drive to Yazoo City to our Aunt & Uncle's house to pick up our scotch pine Christmas tree that the Uncle had picked out for us at the tree lot sponsored by the Boy Scouts.  It didn't take my brother and me long to loose interest in this tradition.  As we got older, and had gotten our driver's license, our Mom instructed us to go to Indianola to pick up a tree.  We had more fun that day, finally deciding on one.  Get it home, in the stand and decorated.  Turned out that it was one of the most crooked tree trunks on record for a Christmas tree.  That sucker must have fallen over 3-4 times during the season.  Did not care, it was ours!

Now that I'm older, married. with grown boys, live trees became less special. The last live tree got put into the stand and sat there a day or two before it got decorated.  The spousal unit and I decided to get ourselves an artificial, pre-lit tree, a big, tall seven footer!  Loved that tree, up and lit in a manner of minutes.   The decorating was another matter.  Had to go recruit "Baby Jess" to come over and help trim it out.   Now that a few years have passed, not so quick to light.  Some of the strands have burned out and have been replaced.  Last year the spousal unit finally spent hours pulling them all off and manually added the lights.  Guess we will see in a few days what the tree plans are for this year.

Holiday Punch:
Years ago, as a young adult, I had the bright idea that the family needed to celebrate the holidays with a festive holiday punch.  I found a recipe, bought the ingredients, including a fifth of vodka, and before long, we had ourselves a batch of holiday punch.  Only problem was that I was the only one drinking.  Next morning, you guess it, the worst hangover ever!  My Dad got such a kick out of me and my headache!

Spousal unit spent her first career as a nurse at Woman's Hospital.  The hospital employed a man, Mr. Shelvee", that knew how to take care of all the doctors on staff.  That man had a recipe for egg nog that was out of this world!  Miss it big time.

Christmas Gifts:
Never been good at keeping a secret.  Getting better at it.

Growing up, the family went to Greenwood to go shopping.  My brother and I had saved up our money and bought our Mother a special gift.  In the car, my Mom mentioned that we was gonna need a box or two for wrapping gifts.  I let it slip the "your dress is in a box".  Whoops!  She said, well, at least don't tell me what color.  Later she hinted to my Dad that she needed some new shoes.  Good ole me-let it slip "get some brown ones".  To this day, I still get reminded of this.

In the early years of marriage, the spousal unit often had to work at the hospital during the holidays.  One particular one, I waited at home for her to get home so we could enjoy opening our gifts to each other,  I decided that we should make a game of it and try to guess what was in the package before we opened it.  The spousal unit was very surprised to see that I was batting 1000, up until the last gift.  Believe me, it was very hard to keep a straight face.  On the last box, I guessed it was a pair of shoes.  The spousal unit was in total disbelief!  That was until she inspected the packaging and box that she had used for the wrapping.  Busted!  She soon figured out that while she was at work, I had secretly inspected, even opened the packages to find out what she had gotten me.  Best Christmas ever!  She now hides them and pulls them out at the last minute.

Christmas Eve:
After moving into our first house, we began attending church at St. Marks.  We made plans to go to the Christmas Eve candlelight service, then go out to get ourselves something to eat.  The service was wonderful, and was over well after six.  We took the ride to I55 to pick out a place to eat, only to discover that most of the restaurants had already closed, and those that were open were either closing or not taking anymore diners.  We ended up at the Krystal on Meadowbrook Drive.  Best Krystal cheeseburger I ever had!

Package from Santa:
My first overnite Christmas at the In-laws was memorable.  I had wrapped up a special gift for the baby sister.  In it, I placed some sticks and a ziplock bag full of ashes.  It included a note "count the times you have been good this year, and count the number of times you have been bad.  Shake the box three times and open it for your surprise!  Later found the box and its contents behind the piano.  Thirty years later, baby sister now has her own babies.  Last Christmas, she looks me in the eye, and says "don't you even thing of doing that to my babies!"


There are many more, may share a few closer to the day for the real reason for the season.  Feel free to share some of yours.  Happy Holidays everyone!

Time of Thanksgiving

If you spend anytime at all on Facebook, you know that the month of November is the official month to express "30 days of thankfulness".  Me, I'm thankful everyday to be alive, well, and able to do things for my family and others less fortunate.  I do have a list, like everybody else, here are my top ten:

1. Most important of all, I am thankful for the girl I met and married over 30 years ago.  She could have had a lot others, but she said yes to me.  Love you LaNelle Leggett Weems!

2.  Matthew and Morgan.  You are the greatest gifts two parents could ever ask for.  We have always told you to follow you dreams and we will be there to support you.  May God be with you on the paths that each of you have chosen.

3.  Thank you Mississippi.  I have had the opportunity to be raised in the Mississippi Delta during better times.  I lot of what I experienced is now gone.  The small towns scattered throughout the Delta are now shells of their grand pasts.  I used to love Saturday's, to see "all the country come to town"  Folks, black and white, would come in to town to do their shopping, get their haircuts, sit on a porch, and share a few stories. 

4.  Ain't nuthin' like the south.  Growing up down here is a place like no other.  You learn your manners early, Saying "Yes Sir, and No Ma'am" comes automatic.  Nowadays, people seem to be insulted when you refer to them as "Sir" or Ma'am".  This is purely an expression of respect and courtesy.  Accept it when offered.  Lots of things are taken for granted these days, like holding the door open of those that follow you, returning shopping carts to the store, allowing someone with a handful of items to checkout first.

5.  Glad to see churches now offering a contemporary service as an option for those unfamiliar with the ways of the traditional service.  I spent over 20 years running the sound board at my local church.  Gave me the reason it "get up and get dressed" on many a Sunday that the passion wasn't there.   In the early days, the sound system was located in the eagle's nest at the back of the church.  You see the world a little different from up there.  You can spot the "regulars" that occupy the same seat, year after year, You notice those that come on the major holidays, you get to see who give from the wallet, and I even watch a girl faint at the rail during a youth confirmation service!  Now I'm driving the bus on Wednesday's to pick up the "hellions" for choir practice, driving the golf cart for those needing assistance, and working at Stewpot Food Pantry with some other devoted St. Marks members.  Yep that old 20/80 rule is still alive and well.  Join the 20, you will be glad you did!

6.  Glad I learned to cook.  Still learning.  Love it when a good meal brings a smile to my two boys.  Cooking for my tailgating groups in the fall is all pleasure.  I try to put a little bit of love, besides the sugar, salt, and pepper, in everything I cook.    I'll ask the boys what do you want me to cook and the response is always "don't matter, we love it all", but bacon wrapped chicken livers, not so much!

7.  Thankful for all those Facebook friends that read my posts and those that make me break out in laughter from a posting of theirs.  My boys say I'm addicted to FB.  Maybe so, but hey, its my lifeline to the world of friends current and past.  "Getting retired"  took me away from the thing I loved the most, the interaction with other people.  Get used to it, FB is filling that void.  Ain't much on twitter, but I do like Instagram.  Thank you social media!

8.  Love my road trips.  Driving the Spousal Unit on her appointed rounds has given me the opportunity to go places you would not normally venture to.  I'm allowed the time to explore to find a bargain or two, eat and meet in some truly unique establishments, and never be bored.

9.  Thank you to my Granddad for my Jewish heritage.  Without it I would be lost.  I just love finding a bargain.  I buy them up, and stick them in the  "gift closet".  Son commented one time, "Dad, does everything have to have a clearance sticker on it?"  Can't help it, its in my bones!

10.  Thank you God for boxers!  I never did like those "tighty whities".  And I hate it when my favorite pair all of a sudden fall apart from dry rot.  Takes months to break them in, and then all of a sudden, RIP!  Other times, you eventually end up in a public restroom, only to discover while getting dress in the dark that morning, I put them on backwards!

Learn It Once

You go through life and learn some valuable lessons along the way.  I have reached a point in my life where it is time to share a few:

1.  When you make tuna casserole for the first time, be sure to boil the macaroni first.  Crunch, crunch.

2.  When cooking a turkey for the first time, be sure to remove the neck out of the carcass and pull the innards bag out of the breast area.

3.  When burning a trash pile, do not use gasoline.  Never laughed so hard when I looked up and saw "run Forest, run"!

4.  When you marry a woman, you marry her family.

5.  When out with the boys being boys, never stick your head out the window and barf into the wind!

6.  Never eat the last slice of your wife's birthday cake, ever!

7.  Don't punish your child by always yelling at them.  How will they know when you really get angry.

8.  Never allow your pre-teen son to "gas up" a two cycle engine.  "roar, roar, bam"!

9.  When you are in the parking lot waiting for your spousal unit, be sure the headlights are off when listening to the radio.

10.  When you loan something to a friend, expect to retrieve it.

11.  When the video says "do not try this at home", believe it!

12.  When changing the diaper of a baby boy the first time, be sure to cover up the water hose.

13.  When installing your first ceiling fan, throw the breaker.

14.  During the winter, do not turn the heater on, lock the doors and windows, and fart.  This is costly!

15.  Hug your children and tell them you love them.  Still working on this one.  Never too late to start.

16.  Always be "a man of your word".

17.  Strike up a conversation with the checkout clerks.  You never know when you just might brighten up someone's day.

18.  You can buy them their books, send them to school, but the learning, they will have to figure that out on their own.

19.  Never wake up your neighbor's teenage daughter to come outside to play in the snow.  Glad pillows are stuffed with feathers and foam!

20.  Never wear a red shirt on a vacation to Orlando during "Gay Pride Week".

21.  When your children leave to go play, lock the door before you "go play".  still laughing on this one!

22.  Never re-light a gas grill with the top down.  Boom!

23.  When making dog treats at Christmas time, do not add food coloring into the mix.  Dog owners freak out when poop changes colors!

24.  Tip well.  Waiters remember that on return visits.

25.  Never sign anything and write a check on the first visit.  If the salesman can't wait another day, there's your sign........

Bottle Tree

A few years ago my mom and pop blessed me with a bottle tree.  I woke up one morning to find a rebar bottle tree in my front yard, a birthday present surprise from you know who!

I scratched my head on this one for a bit.  Decided to make a flowerbed around it in the back yard.  Got some retaining wall bricks and presto! Instant flower bed! Decided to go with multicolored bottle arrangememt.  Problem was, the liquor store only had a few choice colors.  Finally ordered some blue and red and depended on the neighborhood winers for the rest.

I dug a trench and ran an extension cord through some PVC pipe to give it some juice.  Bottle collection was ready, bought some string lights And in no time the tree was complete.  I added a timer and been enjoying it ever since.

Eventually the strings of lights would burn out and I'd be out there restringing.  Two years ago I got smart and upgraded to LED lights.  More expensive,($100) but should last a lot longer.  Well, two years later, only one strand is still burning.  Figured the fuses had done popped so I found some this season.  I open up the little fuse box to discover the fuses had not blown.  

Now I'm stumped.  Got to looking and discover that the wires had been cut.  Figuring it had to be those damn squirrels I've been hauling off!  After a few choice curse words, decided to go back to the cheap strings.

Hoping the next squirrel to take a bite gets a nice jolt!

Things Learned Over a Wedding Weekend

What a joyous occasion  it was this past weekend with the marriage of Chase and Tara.  A great time was had by all, and I truly enjoyed the time spent with family and friends.

There are always lessons to be learned from these occasions and this weekend was no exception.

1.  Brother Jim has had his iPhone for quite some time.  Taught him how to delete all those unwanted icons off his phone that he has somehow accumulated.

2.  Nephew taught his Dad how to turn on the cargo light on the truck that he has had for four years.

3. Learned having three old male dogs in the house results in a dog pissing contest.  Good God, can those dogs hike a leg!  (Maid coming today!)

4.  Ok, cousin BBK, keep this a secret.  " BBK to TPB: you gotta hear this!"

5.  Ex sista in law is getting older but her clientele is getting younger.

6.  Always handy having a triple head nurse in the family.  Never know when a bridesmaid will go into a seizure!

7.  Have a set of booster cables handy.  Two cars DOA in the parking lot. Flashlight for hooking up the cables in the dark will keep you from blowing up a battery also!

8.  Know the address of the venue before you call 911 for EMT's and an ambulance.  They will get there a lot quicker.

9.  Don't wear pencil thin high heels to a wedding with a slag gravel parking lot.

10.  Make sure you know the grill works before having a party of thirty or more.  Nice to have a full tank of gas and some lighting to avoid food poisoning from under cooled meat.

11.  Show the love with a hug instead of a shake.  Glad I learned this one before it was too late.

12.  They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks.  Don't tell that to 15 year old Dwezzel.  He does like my dog treats!

13.  Don't wait to be asked to help.  Just jump right on in there.  They will be glad you did.

14.  Blogging is great.  Just heard two more confessions from women that said "now don't be posting this on FB or that blog”!

Life is good.  Looking forward to the next series of life lessons that the world has to offer!

Ole Henry Dog

Been a while since Ole Henry has paid us a visit.  His momma brought him to town for a visit while she takes care of some personal business.

Henry got here around 11:00 last night.  Soon as the door opened, he hit the ground running!  Right off the bat he was jumping and shaking and giving love.  Oscar dog wasn't having any of this.  His hair was standing up on his backside and the growling and barking began.  Wasn't long before he was begging for treats!




I had almost forgotten what an Ole Henry Dog visit was like since it has been over six months since his move to Nashville.  Ole Henry Dog didn't forget!

About 6:00 this morning, here he comes!  Jumping into my bed, barking and licking, wanting me to get my butt up!  Oscar got into the act, barking and carrying on.  Up we go.

First thing, outside we go.  First day of frost and of course he wants me out there too!  Burrrrr.  First thing, Henry is running around, into the bushes looking.  He has not forgotten about the squirrels and the trap.  Get back inside, and its like, OK, where are the treats?  Oscar is not about to miss out on anything and he is now along side Henry, begging and waiting.

Henry does his tricks for his treats, Oscar just gives me that look.  I give them both some of my homemade dog treats, but they aren't satisfied.  I had cooked down some beef bacon for more treats and they both are digging this special treat.

As I am making up some treats for a customer, there they both are, waiting for the leftover dog treat dough.  Their diligence was rewarded.

Henry went back outside to say hello to all the neighbor dogs.  They gather at the back fence and bark and growl at each other to the point where it sounds like a major dog fight going on!  Wonder what would happen if the fence fell down.

Dog boys have settled in for a nap.  Oscar in his dog bed, and Ole Henry Dog at his appointed watch station, on the back of the chair by the window.

Guess I'll get back to making more dog treats in the calm.  May have to make a run to the ice cream store for these boys later.

Welcome back Henry!