Another Tailgating Season in the Books

Well, the tailgating season in The Town Up North is officially over for fall 2018!  It seems like it just got started yesterday!  We went from Shorts and T-shirts overnight.    All the gear is being cleaned up and stored for next year.  Over the next several months I'll be on the lookout for some more cool tailgating items for our crew.

Not too many mishaps for our crew this year.  One ice chest disappeared, and our cooler got cleaned out during the Egg Bowl.  We always looked forward for some unsuspecting soul to round the corner and hit the magical bump in the curve that ends up dumping out the contents of your cooler, exposing the beer that has to be poured out.  There were lots of memorable "beer busts", most of which involved a woman!  The coeds continue to surprise with the range of outfits that expose more and more skin!

This year we got more of our tailgate team members involved in the setup and take down of tailgate site.  The early kickoff time of 11:00 made this a challenge for those driving up the morning of the game, and having traffic through the Grove closed three hours before the game.

With Alabama on campus, led by their throwing Samoan, and TSUN and their Hawaiian QB, the decorating theme for that weekend was easy.  Our Chef Kyle and his wife Casie showed up with three tubs of Hawaiian decorations, let the good times begin.  Kyle even cooked up skewers of pineapple and Spam, which was actually quite tasty.  Pictures from that weekend qualified us for Tailgate of the day a few weekends later.  Here's the Jumbotron pic!

The school administration tried to do some "out of the box" thinking.  They created a premium tailgate package, 10x20 tent, parking pass, table & chairs, tv, and fully catered for the low price of $17,500!  And, they had quite a few takers!  They also had $1 hot dogs, while they lasted, at the beginning of the 4th quarter!  The new courtesy shuttles were right on for fans without a parking pass.

New items for us this year included a logoed wall panel backdrop placed behind the tables.  The bar height table was added late last year, and it added addition table space for displaying table scape.

I found a Stanley 3 quart steel crock that keeps food farm for 12+ hours.  They worked great this weekend with the brunswick stew I made.  I dropped it off at 9:00 a.m. and the contents were still warm at 10:00 p.m.!

The next nine months will be spent coming up with new food ideas,  finding that next neat tailgating item, and I have bragging rights for the next 12 months, #HAILSTATE!

Its All About the Tailgate

Used to be, back in the day, you would pop open the trunk, pull out a card table and have yourself a picnic before heading to a college football game.  Younger people now look at you, with card table, what's a card table????  And that picnic ain't a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken anymore!

First you start off with one tent canopy, then two, then four!  And that card table, its been replaced with new light weight folding tables designed specifically for tailgating.  You have to keep a roll of duct table and a bag of zip ties handy to pull it all together or to make a repair or two.  In the "old days" you paid college kids to reserve your space and to set up the tents and tables.  Now you have companies that set everything up for you, for a price!  These crews spend Friday afternoon and nights setting up your tents, tables, chairs, generator, satellite, and wide screen TV.  You can for a fee, have an ice chest delivered full of your favorite beverages.  Even the food can be delivered, so that you can walk up with only your pom pom and ticket in hand!

Our crew is budget minded.  We pay for the setup of two canopy tents, and three tailgate tables.  On game days with a 3:00 or later kickoff, we will double the covered space with two more canopies.  The early arrivals put out the table cloths, decorate the table, and hang the banners and other items that have been collected over the years.  With the arrival of yet another mascot at the town up north, there is even more collectibles being added to the mix!

I got smarter a few seasons back.  I put luggage tags on all my tents, and chairs.  The tables have names and telephone numbers on them.  We all have the fold up wagons for the mule train back and forth to the parking lot.

The "Grove" is gathering place with electrical connections scattered throughout.  Generators are where there is no outlet.  No grills or appliances of any kind are allowed in the inner circle.  The grilling occurs on the outer asphalt pavement, or across the street.  We are across the street, and are blessed with our resident chef Kyle!

This was Kyle's week to be responsible for set up and clean up.  With Bama coming to town, and both quarterbacks from the Pacific Isles, his choice of a Hawaiian theme was a no brainer.  For the last two weeks the UPS truck was a regular at his door with boxes from Amazon!  He and his wife Casie were all in!  Go big or go home! 

Kyle & Casie

You have to have a palm tree!

Blow it up!

Kyle adding more decor!

Kyle spared no expense!

Sharknado!

You have to feed the Mascots!

that elephant never had a chance!

Table is set, including grilled pineapple with Spam!

Even security got into the act!  Here is our buddy Possum!

And of course it wouldn't be a tailgate in the Grove without a couple of pictures of the ritual sacrifice of a few cases of beer:

Lots of fun was had by all!

During the middle of the day, Kyle looked at me, and asked, "should we do all this every game????  As we were taking it all down, he then asked, "would the set up fee double if we added the two extra tents?"  By the end of the night he and I were totally exhausted, only to be saved by our spousal units.

Next week has an 11:00 kickoff.  No extra tents, or excessive decorating for us!  Is gonna be mimosas and breakfast snacks with one easy trip to the parking lot after the game!

Happy Tailgating errybody!

Tailgating 201

This time of year, the planning begins for the next tailgating season.  These days, each group has a tailgating setup guy that takes care of setting up your tents and tables.  Some groups take it to the next level with generators, TVs, and satellite dishes.  The annual costs can range from $1,000 up!  Ole Miss has taken it to another level, with a tailgating package at $17,500!

Each group has a coordinator that pays the setup guy, takes care of the shopping list and hands out the signup list for members to host a specific game.

Generally, all are welcome to the tailgating scene, just bring a chair, a cooler full of drinks,  and some kind of snack or dish to share.  Fans of the weekend's opponent are always welcomed with a plate of food and a cold drink.

An interesting topic came up at our weekly pool talk gathering.  We began talking about the habits of tailgating that bug the heck out of you.  We had a lot of common issues among us.  One topic in particular came up that had some to be quite vocal.

Occasionally, you come across individuals that come by, every game, stay til game time, eat the food, and raid the coolers for a free beer.  They are friends of a "member", but choose to not participate in the cost.

How do you pick the member to drop the news to them to find another pasture to graze???
1. Paper, rock, scissors?  2. Draw straws? 3.low card draw?

Once the messenger is picked,  how do you deliver the message? 1.face to face? 2. Phone call? 3. Text message? 4.  Email?  5. Just move the tent location? 6. Send them a bill for their share?

It cracked me up to hear the finite details that were being described about the culprits!  I wondered, do they also play bunco together?  Do they do birthday parties together?  Are the related by blood or marriage???

There is never a dull moment at pool talk, at the Markie Mark!

Rules of the Pool, Markie Mark Style

Everybody has pool rules, and they are usually posted on the fence or wall somewhere.  At the Markie Mark we have our own set of rules.  Here are our top 12:

1.  If the water is green, don't look for your toes, you won't find them.  If its too green, start looking for frogs!

2. If you bring snack, be sure to bring enough to share. A pork butt to snack on, include slider buns instead of the full size ones, women and their diets

3. Don't get your man card punched by blowing up a giant sized beach ball for a lady with other women around.  Death sentence

4. In a pool full of cougar mommas. head for deep water, with a float, and your cold beverage.  As they drink, their vision gets blurry, then anybody in trunks are fair game

5. On a warm day, have your flip flops handy.  Not cool to scoot across concrete yelling hot! hot! hot!

6. When the pool sounds like it has a bad case of indigestion, time to add several inches of water

7. Never call the Pool Popo lady a "ball sack" when she asks you your name and unit number.  Citizens arrest!  You better have your unit number and owner name down pat!

8. Never fall asleep on your pool float, you might miss out on Duck Commander dropping by with his duck decoys to record a video.

9. If you're a sugar daddy and you are with your sugar baby, keep your affectionate little butt pats underwater, or back at the house!  You'll be the talk of the pool for weeks!

10.  When the pool is in cocoon mode, don't be letting your babies be splashing and making waves.  Us older peeps need our calm waters!

11. Alcohol and pool floats can be a deadly combination.  We've seen float swallow up babes like a taco!

12. Woman that goes silent, works her way to open water, then returns to her usual spot has just left you a present in the pool.  A warm spot!

Shacking Up, at Her Place 101

This younger generation has made the traditional relationships with their mate a thing of the past.  You like her, she likes you, hey, lets move in together!  But, before you pack your bags, and move out of mamma's house, there are ten rules you must observe and obey:

1.  Bathrooms:  girls do not share their bathroom, period.  You will be granted access to the guest bathroom.  You must keep this room neat and tidy at all times.  No beard hair in the sink!  And the cardinal rule to never break-never use the monogrammed towels to dry your hands and do not use that special bar of soap in the dish!  That soap is for guest only!

2.  Toilet seat:  the seat must be in the down position at all times.  If you miss or spatter, wipe it down!  And don't just flush and go!  You must remain in a holding pattern until the completion of the water cycle!  Most women prefer the lid down also.

3.  Toilet Paper:  you must observe the paper flow of the roll of paper before using up the roll.  The woman of the household has a particular preference, paper under, or paper over.  Do not make light of this.  Your relationship with this woman depends on it.

4.  Running water:  during the first six-twelve months of your stay, you will notice that the woman of the house runs the water in the sink, while they are in that room doing their business.  Once the gal of the house becomes comfortable with you in the house, then the running water will stop, and then you will notice the sounds of the jungle coming from behind that door!

5. Closets:  your best hope is that the bedrooms have walk in closets.  If not, you best get used to living out of your suitcase!  The bedroom closet will be full of this season's clothing, and the other bedroom closets will be full of the other seasonal clothing.

6. Refrigerator:  forget having space for your twelve pack of your favorite beer.  The refrigerator will be full of bottles of white wine, cottage cheese, yogurt, and sugar free flavored water!  The veggie bins will be full of, you guessed it, veggies!

7.  TV:  don't even think of reprogramming the favorite tv channels on the TV, even if its yours!  The remote control is her domain!

8.  Laundry:  stick with just washing your own clothes, until she gives you permission to run a load for her.  On each and every item, you must check the recommended laundry procedures, as some items will need to be sent to the dry cleaners, and you must separate the whites, from the pastels, from the dark colors.  When removing items from the dryer, have a pair of tongs handy, in case you come across her thong underwear.

9.  Bed covers:  chances are the duvet, or bed spread is light colored.  Never come into the bedroom all hot and sweaty and crash on the bed for a quick nap.  You must first take a quick shower, dry off, and put on clean clothes.  Your body sweat will stain that light colored material.

10. Pets:  if the gal of the house has a pet, remember, it was here first.  If the woman of the house has to make a choice, it will not be you!

If you will observe these house rules, your stay may eventually become permanent  Most of these rules will apply, if she moves into your domain, but that's a whole separate topic!

Pool Talk, at the Markie Mark-Brunch on Us

Our little pool crew had so much fun on Saturday, doing our interpretation of cocooning and gossiping that it had to pick up again the next day.  Let's bring snacks they said.  Ok, cheese straws and champagne, that's the ticket!

We were the last to arrive.  We look under the pavilion,  and there is a table cloth on one of the picnic tables!  This last minute planning idea resulted in a full blown pool tailgate!  We had cheese straws, sausage balls, cinnamon rolls, chicken & waffles, fruit, and mimosas!   What a deal!  A late arrival came walking up with two small bags of chips and a box of cheesits.  Girl!  You gotta step up your game!

From here, our first topic of the day came from our mini-tailgate party.  "Ya'll, let me tell ya about some of the crazy stuff from our Grove Tailgating!...."   We all agreed, there are several universal "oh hell no's"that we all had in common:

1.  Don't be walking up with just a bag of chips in your hand, oh hell no!

2. Don't be showing up at 12:00 for a 11:00 game with the sausage and biscuits that should a been there by 8:00.  Oh hell no!

3. Don't show up, no ticket, no groceries,  and clean us out while we are at the game.  Oh, hell no!

4.  Don't borrow a cooler because you forgot to bring one, then not return it to the owner.  Oh hell no!

5.  Don't be the one to announce, "were out of cups and paper products" when you never bring any.  Oh hell no!

6.  Don't show up late, and plop yourself in front of the tv and ask "when ya'll gonna have the game on???"  Oh hell no!

7.  Don't be showing up with several bottles of wine and ask, "anybody got a cork screw??? Oh hell no!

As the day wore on, even more topics were discussed.  We all agreed to save the gossip for this coming week for next Saturday, for the next installment of Pool Talk, at the Markie Mark!

Pool Talk, From the Markie Mark

Well, it has taken us almost 2 years to finally meet up with the right kinds people at the Markie Mark.  Some are weekenders, some are resident owners, some are renters,  and others just come back for a pool day because they miss it so much.

For the most part,  we resemble those characters from the movie "Cocoon".  We sit on our floats, sipping our favorite beverages, and trying to make as few ripples in the pool as possible!

Yesterday we all noticed this couple at the other end, enjoying the lounge chairs
The guy looked a lot older.  The gal was a sweet looking blonde thang in a skinny bright yellow bikini.  Occasionally, she would get out of her lounge chair to take a dip and wet her ankles.

  All of us noticed the older guy would casually give her a pat on her behind.  It wasn't a fatherly pat, either.  After they left, one of our cocooners blurted out, "I don't think that was a father daughter thing!"  OMG!  The dam just broke on conversation!

This couple had to have been one of those sugar daddy and sugar baby thangs!  One of our crew knows of a girl that goes out to dinner with older men, and gets tipped $150, plus the meal!  We all then began plotting on how we could figure out which building they stay in!  The old ladies in the assisted living facilities ain't got nothing on us!

We had so much fun that we had to give our little group a proper name!  Pool Talk, at the Markie Mark was born!  Plans were made to regroup the next day, pool side, early at 11:00 a.m. sharp!  Cheese straws and mimosas would be served.  I'm thinking, this is gonna be a hoot!

Beach Vaca 101 for 2018

Every trip to the beach brings new experiences and new discoveries to add to the list:

Must bring items:
1.  A muffin pan.  Martha White muffin mixes are and easy breakfast treat.  I also discovered from FB, a other muffin pan treat. Line the muffin cups with ham slices, add cheese, then a whole egg, salt and pepper.  Bake 400 degrees, for 15 minutes.

2.  A dash mini waffle iron.   Waffle mix that you just add milk or water, and your babies have a waffle breakfast treat!  The dash mini makes them the size of an Eggo waffle!

3.Quisinart ice cream maker.  Put the mixer bowl in the freezer.  Mix up the 4 ingredients and 20 minutes you have a frozen treat.  Make it the day before and it's good and firm.  No ice or salt needed!

4.  Homemade cookies.  Bag all the dry ingredients in ziploc bags.  Sugars together, flours, salt, and baking soda together.  Mix in wet ingredients at the beach, and bake for a homemade treat!  I also bring parchment paper and a simple cookie scoop.

5.Hand mixer.  I made my chocolate chip cookies by hand, since the condo didn't have a mixer.

6.Margarita machine. (Repeat item) Best discovery ever!  Mix them up overnight, store in ziploc bags.  Use the frozen bags as ice for your beach lunch.  Pour into a steel 30 oz tumbler, add a smoothee straw, and you have a frozen adult beverage that lasts for hours!

7.  Beach wagon, with wide wheels.  Must have for all you bring! The heavier the load, the more you end up dragging instead of pulling.

8. Beach chairs and umbrella.  A three day rental at Sandestin is $100, or $150 if you aren't a card carrying guest.  We go to the beach so often, we bring our own.  Best umbrella ever is the Cool Cabana.  You can find it at www.cool-cabana.com.

9. Beach.  The beach at Sandestin is usually way over crowded, and the chair rental guys takeover the prime spaces, pushing tent and canopy  users way back from the water.  Down here, Henderson State Park is between Destin and Sandestin and only $6 a car load.  It's never been busy when we go, and you can set up any type of shade at the waters edge.  Worth it if you are going to make it a full day.

10. Bluetooth speaker.  Hook up your favorite Pandora channel without having to use earbuds.  The sound usually doesn't disturb your neighbors.

11. External battery charger.  This will keep your phone battery fully charged, a long with any other USB devices.

12. Rainy day entertainment.  We were here seven days and it rained six of them.  We managed to get some beach time every day, but with several "pack it up quick " moments.

13. Go early.  Best time for restaurant dining is EARLY!   We target 5-5:30 to miss the long wait times for a table.  Sometimes when it's just two of us, we will eat at the bar!

14.  Bacon.  Cook it at home till "floppy".  Place on paper towels.  Once cool, put into ziploc bags and freeze.   At the beach, microwave slices for one minute, and you have crispy bacon without the mess of frying!

15. Plastic tubs.  We store all our kitchen supplies in small plastic tubs.  Paper goods, washing pods, seasonings,  etc...  we restock pack at home, saving on trips to the store for those "local marked up pricing "!

Wow!  15 items for the Beaching 101 list!  Some old ones, but more new!  We have another trip in August, to Hilton Head.  Maybe there will be some new items from the Atlantic coast!

Vaca Foodie Stops

When traveling an Vaca, one must always stay alert for a new foodie stop.  You might see a billboard, a Facebook foodie post, or as my momma says "it looked good from the outside"!  We were ending our trip over the bay bridge to Destin, and spotted Lulu's, next to the boat warehouse that's covered in a mural of whales.  We have been to the one in Gulf Shores, but haven't tried this one, so why not!

LULU's
The parking up close is limited, so expect to drop off your riders, then go park, with a nice walk back.  The building is open air, with huge garage doors up and lots of fans spinning.  We noticed from the bridge that there was a sea plane in the water.  The pilot will walk by your table and drop off a card, to remind you during your stay that he is available.

We were not sure what we wanted to order until I saw a seafood basket for two on the menu.  It has fish, shrimp, oysters, and crab claws, along with hush puppies and fries.  Granted, it was all fried, but it was oh so good!

I noticed one of the waiters working one of the other tables looked like he wasn't from around these parts.  The only thang missing was a kilt and a sword!

 Can you imagine getting a call from your daughter, "Mom! I met this guy at the beach!  And, we love each other!  Don't tell Dad, I want to surprise him with a visit on Father's day!

He must have really shook me up.  We got down the road, when I suddenly remembered I had left my credit card on the table.  A quick thinking spousal unit made a phone call, and we detoured back to pick it up.  Whew!  Is this a sign that I'm getting old????  One of many!

CULVERS

Along Hwy 98, before you get to the "Premium Outlet Stores" was a new place called Culvers.  They are  a fast food joint, but they also serve custard desserts.  We have been through the drive-thu at several other locations, but have never gone in.  We were waiting for out room to get ready, so why not.
We walked up to the counter, and just stared.  There were so many choices!  The cashier remarked, "take your time, we are used to it."  We were there for the custard.  The chain originated from Wisconsin, and they also have fried cheese curds, which we love.  The custard reminds me of Bops, back in Mississippi.

They have an endless amount of toppings for you to try.

WINN DIXIE

With our early arrival, we were able to check in an hour early and unpack.  Our kids were still in transit, so we decided to go ahead with the first grocery run.  Siri said WinnDixie was the closest (Publix and Walmart a short ride further).  Winn Dixie was an absolute mad house!  It was like bumper cars with the shopping carts!  The cereal row was a wasteland, nothing but a few boxes left on the self!  The deli meat section was like pit row of a NASCAR race, everybody pulling up to the doors with their carts, emptying the shelves before the guy behind them could blink.  On the end of aisles, and down thew rows, there were abandoned carts, half filled.  Is this the Zombie Apocalypse?????

We survived the checkout line, with everything on our list.  I can just imagine what the first night restaurant scene would be! Shrimp boil condo style for us!

Stay tuned.  more to come.....

Rituals of the First Day of Vaca

Every summer brings with it the rites of passage to the holy grail, the white sugary sands of the Florida Panhandle.  You would think, as many times as I have made this trip to Beach Mecca, it would be same old thing.  But no.....!

PACK IT UP
The spousal unit left for a conference down south several days early.  That left me with the responsibility (as always) of packing the car, securing the house, and saying good bye to Otis, our resident travel dog.  Otis knows when its travel time.  He sees the suitcase, and hops right on in.  He then starts his all loving dog routine, like you can't not take me, the sweet lovable travel dog!

I get up early, and load the remaining items into the car.  Otis is watching....All done, I'm like, whoops, where are the car keys???  I tear the house apart looking for them.  I've now retraced my steps at least 15 times.  Well crap, on to the car.  I can't just switch cars, the rack on the back is secured with a lock, and the key is with the others.  I checked all the usual suspect spots where I might have laid them.  No keys.  I pull everything out and give each box the eagle eye.  No keys.  Otis has not left the house, with the door wide open.

I am now sweating, a;most in a panic, and haven't left the driveway.  One more time into the house.  I've formed a mental check list, and gone through it countless times.  There's Otis, calmly sitting in the middle of our bed.  Ok, one last desperate thought.  I brush Otis aside and I begin pulling back the covers.  As I'm doing so, I swear I heard Otis snicker.  The covers are pulled back, and in the middle of the bed, are the KEYS!!!!!   One of these days Otis, one of these days!

MOBILE BOUND
Our usual route to the Florida Panhandle takes us through Hattiesburg to Hwy 98, and then we turn on Hwy 63, at Lucedale, to I-10.  We miss all the stop and go 98 traffic through North Mobile.  This adds a few minutes, but its four lane all the way and only a few traffic lights, some of which are usually green light.  If traffic is heavy on I-10, then we opt for the Bay Bridge route over Mobile Bay.

I had to make a Costco stop, and it is co convenient, being off the first exit of I-65.  The spousal unit sent me the shopping list, via pictures of the items by text message!  Ain't technology great!

  Several friends Facebooked me about these new Vodka infused ice pops.  I'm looking, and looking.  This sweet young thang interrupts me and asked if she could help me.  I tell her about the ice pops.  Wouldn't you know it, "Oh, I'm sorry, this is my first day, I'm not sure, but maybe they're in the liquor store next door.!  She wasn't very helpful, but she sure was purdy!  Next door, I wait my tum, that's what you do in Costco (unlike Sam's).  I ask the cashier about the ice pops.  He gives me that look.... He then begins to recite the preamble to the constitution, They are only available out west, in three states.....I think he has said this 100 times today already!

Mission accomplished!

Since it is right at noon, on a Friday, and traffic is calm, I go the tunnel route.  No problems.  Once I exit the tunnel, and get to daylight, all I see are cars, trucks, and 18 wheelers, as far as the eye can see!  Fortunately, they were all pointed in the other direction!  I picked up the spousal unit at the Grand, at Point Clear, and then we were off!

FLORIDA LINE
You can tell when you get to Florida on I-10, as they have these nice  welcome signs at the State line.  Some travelers stop and take pictures.  Me, I like the jets mounted in the air at the first rest stop.  We take the Crestwell exit to the toll bridge at Niceville. We invested in a Florida Sunpass years ago and it has been well worth it.  As you approach the bridge, stay left, and avoid the pay line with all those other cars lined up, waiting their turn!  You know you are near when at the other end of the bridge you can spot the boat storage warehouse with the whale murals!  The beach is near!!!!

Preachers and Barbeque!

This being memorial day and all, there aren't a whole lot of restaurant choices.  We were in Oxford, so I knew the pickings were gonna be slim.  As I was making my way through the FB new feed, I saw where Pig & Pint was open all day.  Winner, winner, pork rib dinner!

We stopped by the house, to refresh ourselves, and I remembered that Pig & Pint was pet friendly.  Ole Otis is always ready for another car ride.  I was hoping for a cool evening and a close parking spot, since the restaurant has limited indoor seating, and the neighborhood ain't in one of the best locations.

I dropped off Otis and the spousal Unit so they could save us a spot at one of the outside picnic tables.  After parking, I made my way back to the restaurant.  It was not hard to find, I just followed my nose, sniffing the wood smoke back to the pit!  After placing the order, I joined Otis & Momma.

Seated across from us, was a young couple.  I could tell she weren't from around these parts, since she was eating brisket tacos, but her hubby had a mouth full of pulled pork sammach!  They were newlyweds since last July, both involved in the Lutheran Ministry.  He was a local, and she was from Minnesota, I knew it!  I don't know much about no Lutheran, but we all knew about dogs, and the cookies from Campbell's Bakery just around the corner.

After their departure our double picnic table filled up fast.  Turns our it was a whole bunch of Methodist preachers and such.  One was a district superintendent, and another was a Bishop.  We almost had enough board pieces for a game of chess!  They all were here for the "Pre-conference" before the Conference.  We figured out who all the players were, and the spousal unit mentioned that we were members of St. Marks, out at the Rez.  Did they know Keith Keeton?  Boy!  Did they ever!  I used to refer to Keith as my young buck preacher, but now he has enough grey hairs that I had to drop the young part!

We then started playing the guessing game.  I mentioned that I used to run the sound board, and we had one preacher that I referred to as the "15 minute man".  All his sermon's were no longer than 15 minutes.  I figured he had standing reservations at several restaurants.  I mentioned his first name, "Jim", and one of those preachers responded "that would be Jim Curtis!"  Yep! nailed him!  I then mentioned another preacher Jim, with white hair, that has been known to take several phone calls during his sermons.  Another one of those preachers yelled out "that's ole Matheny!"  Dang, these guys are good!

I was short on some of the others names, but told them that we could go to the church and review the wall of shame!  Nobody ever remembers the good parts about a preacher's stay, but you can always come up with some of the bad!

Before we left, I reminded them that since the West Jackson Superintendent was present, they all should be the banana fosters pudding and put it on his tab!

Table full of Preachers!

I posted this picture to Facebook and tagged my buddy Keith Keeton in it, and told them to add any comments they would like.  We'll see how far out of their preacher comfort zones they are willing to go!

I got balls!

Well, it' the last home series for the spousal unit's team vs the Auburn Tigers/War Eagles and she doesn't want to miss it.  First game was on Thursday night,  thank you ESPN, so now we're pushing up I-55 to catch most of game 2, then game 3 on Saturday afternoon.

The great thing about late arrival, is the shuttle service from the south lot, just park and ride! As we are walking up to the shuttle stop, I notice all these shuttles returning with passengers?  Then,  other women are walking up, carrying all these fancy bags and purses!

Ladies! It's the last home series!  The clear bag policy has been in effect since last September!   They all stand there in disbelief!  Well, SOMEBODY is gonna have to go back to the car! Now on the shuttle, the driver is waiting for these two women, one on and one not, saying their daughters attend school here and their daughters knew nothing about the clear bag policy!  I'm sitting next to the driver, and I tell him, he can go now, because those two women will be talking about this for hours!

We arrive at the front gate of the stadium, and there are even more of these women walking up with all these purses and colored bags.  The looks on their faces was priceless when they were told, sorry, no bag, then the realization that SOMEBODY was headed back to the parking lot!

Keep in mind, this policy went into effect last September.   There are road side billboards explaining it.  There are placards on all the roads leading to campus.  The warning is even printed on the ticket!  The only explanation would be that they are all black bears coming out of hibernation, this is graduation weekend, and this is their first time on campus in four years!  This ole bulldog was laughing his head off in black bear country!

It's now the 3rd inning, I head to our seats, and the spousal unit makes her two water stops, one drop off and one to drink.  I make my way down the aisle, and notice people in our seats.  No biggie, they can just move on, since these are our season tickets versus their general admission ticket stub. Wrong.....

I say hey buddy, those two seats belong to me and my wife.  Apparently, it' a family of four (adult and teenagers).  The poppa bear immediately starts throwing out profanity at me!  "You f...king asshole, you want to break up a family of four?  Sorry buddy, those are my seats, see this ticket, what does yours say?  He throws out more vulgar insults, ending with "I need to plant my fist on your face!"  I reply, not the time or place little man (a foot shorter than me), you need to move on.  He did...

I sit down, then all my neighbors begin to chime in.  Lady in front, "I'm confrontational but you looked like you had it handled.  Guy behind,  "nice to meet you f...king asshole, I'm Tom".  Guy to the left "I know who I'm calling when somebody is in my seat!" Guy in front "if he took you out, I was gonna catch you!"  Girl behind, "man you got balls bigger than my dad!"

Dang!  I know who to call in a crisis!  I can't wait to see them at game 3!  Now I need a foul ball to add to my collection!

Double Decker Weekend

With April comes the Double Decker Festival.  And with it, we had the Ole Miss vs LSU baseball series.  The weather was great, Arts, Food, Music, and people, OMG the people!

Thursday night was an ESPN thing, with Ole Miss winning in a runaway game.  Friday night did not disappoint, with the Spousal Unit's Rebels coming up a little short.  Our crew decided to make a stop downtown for a bite and to catch up on the gossip.  My buddy Paul has a secret parking space that's just two blocks off the Square.  South Taco Depot was the destination.

As we rounded the corner, there were two horse patrolmen blocking the sidewalk.   Three patrol cars were also there blocking the road.  And, a little further down, three more horse patrolmen in formation had the street covered.  Security for night one of Double Decker?  Nope.  Next door to the restaurant at the Lyric, a shot had been fired, with an injured person.  This just happened before our arrival!  Nobody goes down the street, nobody leaves the area!

Eventually we were allowed to enter the restaurant, which was full of students enjoying their favorite adult beverages.  Those "21" year olds were packed in there like sardines!  And there was no leaving with any cup in hand!  A few conversations with security, and we were up to speed.  The next day, the police report indicated that a patron had shot a round up in the air, and a girl got cut on broken glass on the rush to exit the scene!  Glad I had my pocket knife on me at the ready!

The Double Decker Festival got kicked off Saturday morning at 10:00.  All the downtown roads are blocked off, and the parking lots are restricted to event staff and vendor use.  You either hike it for quite a bit, or park at the High School and do the $5 shuttle ride.  We opted for the shuttle service.

We arrived at the high school, and the line was quite long.  After parking, we joined the wait.  In this world of "I want it now!" our line began to shrink.  A rumor was going down the line that one of the buses had broken down.  People in front of us began thinning out.  Patience people, patience!  Eventually the two buses returned for the next load.  The buses dropped us off one street off from the Square!

The Courthouse was surrounded by vendors selling their food items.  We made the circle, looking to see if the "fried pie" lady was present.  Dang.  No spot for her this year.  Those pies are oh, so, good!  I think the longest line was at the Regions Bank ATM!  Don't people think to bring cash to these things anymore?????  I ended up with a tasty smoked turkey leg, and the Spousal Unit got a chicken bacon ranch wrap.  Making your way around the Courthouse was an adventure whe you spend your time dodging the wagons, strollers, dogs, service carts, and the 600 lb lady in the double wide electric scooter!  She was literally plowing her way through the crowd with her entourage in tow! Time to move on....

We made our way past all the vendor tents.  Yep, seen all this before....  It kills me to see how many people buy the bird feeders year after year!  We finally made the turn, and were headed back to the bus pickup line.  Oh, and we did see the two double decker buses two blocks down on Jackson Avenue, full of parents and kids taking the tour.  Now time to head back to the campus for the baseball game!

I dropped the spousal unit off in front of the Ford Center, then I went searching for a spot.  This was almost 2 hours before the game!  No luck in the Ford Center Lot.  I called the Spousal Unit and suggested she begin her walk without me.  I headed to the South Lot near Hwy 6 and caught the shuttle back to the stadium.  As I entered the concourse, there was the SU only 30 paces in front of me!  Who knew!

The third game of the series with LSU would be a nail biter!  Ole Miss took an early lead, but the wheels fell off the pitching staff and LSU took a big lead.  Then, Thomas Dillard smashed one so hard over right field, that the students under it forgot to toss up their beer in the traditional celebration!  Ole Miss had a two run lead in the top of the ninth.  The bases got loaded up, and the closer ended up walking in a run.  In dramatic fashion, the next batter hit one to the fence, but it was caught for out number three! What a fitting ending to the game and our Double Decker Weekend!

Beach trip on Friday the 13th

I planned this trip over 10 months ago, a beach trip for the Spousal Unit's birthday.   This is not any beach, but Miramar at Sandestin, where the water is clear and the sand is like sugar!

We got a late start Thursday night, with me tossing the necessities into the car:  cool cabanas, chairs, wagon, yeti with already made Rita, and two CPAP machines!

For us to be old timers at this, you would think we would be more prepared!  No beach bag, no beach towel, no sun screen, limited snacks, but plenty of Ritas!

As soon as you top the slight hill on the board walk, you can smell the salt air.  When you reach the crest, you get the sight you have been waiting for all winter, that emerald green and blue water!  Yes!  BEACH!

We pick our spot, and pull out the two cool cabanas.   It's been a while!  One canopy is brand new, a replacement for one stolen in Fort Myers last summer.  We almost forgot how easy the Set up was.  Chairs were in place in no time!

In an instant, I was bird watching  from my favorite perch, beach chair in the shade!  First sighting was an orange crusted strut butt.  That ole gal was giving it her all in her attempts to get her umbrella anchored in the sand.  The Spousal Unit has a sharper eye, noting that one of the girls in this particular covey of birds was the niece of one of her high school classmates.  How women are able to keep up with all that is beyond me!

A little boy and his dad were sneaking up very slowly and quietly.   He whispered to us "I'm gonna catch me one of those birds, but you have to be very quiet....".  His dad had beer in hand.  I told him, "hey, no drinking while on the hunt!"

All around us were these coveys of women!  The first one we spotted had that familiar face in it.  The one behind us, was a bachelorette trip, all in their 40's.  One was a recent widow, and the others were trying to spot her a prize!  We overheard them making up commentary about the events occurring around them.  We were doing the same!

This one woman had on this one piece skin tight onesie!  That suit was from head to toe!  Then she came out with this cape!  Her onesie reminded me of those beach blankets that doesn't let the sand come through!  With the cape, she could have quickly become a beach kite!

It's funny to watch these birds use up a whole spray can of sun screen in just four squirts!  The rest becomes airborne and heads down wind!  The gal with the vaping habit had a strange taste in flavors that we all got to smell down wind!

The young bucks spent the day getting up their courage through cans of beer.  They decided they would all succeed or all go down in a ball of flames with an attempted hit on one of the many coneys around them.  Crash and burn they did!

I think all the women over 40 were on sensory alert overload.  They all spotted the one girl that had way too much to drink, being cared for by some guy she had just met today.  We got a recap of her day from the bachelorette party that had been measuring her up all day!  We are goimg to meet up with them tomorrow to add another chapter to "a day at the beach"!

Stay tuned......

Not Your Normal Day at HD

Working as a contractor at HD, I am asked daily, "do you work here?", "can you help me?", and a host of other questions.  The best trick to avoid this is to NEVER look up!  Some will stand there, waiting to ask you their question.  Some just walk away, others persist in their waiting on you to look up, while others just bark out their question.  Our usual response is "I don't work for HD."  We are compensated on the items we assemble, so interruptions cost us time, which is money.

Today, my "don't look up" force field wasn't working!    Three different customers broke through and "got me"!

Old Guy Gardener:  This dude was looking for a rake.  Not any rake, but one with a telescopic pole!  Sir, all the rakes they have are right there.  Old Guy Gardener dude would not give up.  "well, I'm looking for a rake with a telescopic pole to use in my garden.  Those on the rack will not do.  Is there another area in the store where I can look?"  Me:  "Sir, you may want to ask someone in an orange apron, or ask at the service desk."  Old Guy Gardener, "but why can't you help me???  Even more conversation.  I have got to get that hat that says "I don't work here!"

Seven Acre lawn Guy:  Hey mister, do you know anything about the Ariens zero turn mowers?  Me:  I take them out of the crates and prep them for sale.  Dude:  But are they any good?  Me:  Sir, I just take them out of the crate and prep them for sale. They are the most popular, and don't stay on the lot very long.  Dude:  But will it hold up?  Me:  That depends on the operator.  Dude: That's true.  Do many come back?  Me:  I take them out of the crate and prep them for sale.  I need access to the intercom:  "Manager!  Complicated Order!!!!"

Middle Eastern Dudes:  These two guys bought a small tiller.  The manager brought them and the tiller to me.  Manager:  can you assemble this for them?  Me:  Now?  Manager:  Yes.  How long will it take?  Me: 3-4 hours.  Kidding, 15 minutes.  We instructed the two middle eastern dudes to go spent more money.  Just as I was finishing up, they returned.  I told them:  "mix this container of 2 cycle oil with a gallon of gas, put use ethanol-free gasoline."  Here it comes....

"My English is very poor.  What is 2 cycle?"  Five minute conversation about 2 cycle vs 4 cycle engines.

"I no have gallon can.  I have five gallon can"  Ok, mix 5 containers of 2 cycle oil with 5 gallons of gas, the non-ethanol kind.  "What is ethanol gas?  Another 5 minute conversation about gas.....

"How do I start it?"  Me:  read the instruction manual for the proper steps to operate this machine.  Dude:  "my English is very poor.  Can you show me?  Another 10 minutes to show him how to crank it.  Then it dawns on him, "Oh, I have weedeater, like weedeater?"  Me:  yes just like weedeater!

"Can I use weedeater gas in tiller?"  Yes!  You got it!

"My mower, when I turn the key, the mower does not crank, just makes noise, like errerrerrerr.....".  New Battery, I ask?  "Yes new battery, must be starter?"  Me:  yes sounds like it.  "You fix mower?" Me:  No Sir!  Check with tool rental at the other end of the store. "I not need to rent, I need to fix."  Me:  Tool rental can refer you to a repair shop.

They leave, then back again.  "This the right oil?  2 cycle?"  Me:  Yes.  Remember 5 containers to 5 gallons of gasoline.  They leave.  They return  "I want box back."  Me:  here you go!

The younger guy looked like he understood everything.  I ask, do you understand?  He said yes, but he hardly said a word to the older guy, with limited English.  And I'm an old southern redneck trying to explain!  I'm guessing the younger guy did not want to embarrass the older guy in front of me!

I made $10 on that tiller.  Build time and conversation took an hour.  Now you know why we use the "don't look up" rule!

It Ain't What It Used To Be

There is one thing certain in life, and that is change.

I was visiting an old friend in the hospital yesterday. His daughter was there and she had on what appeared to be a brand new pair of jeans, but the knees were busted out.  I asked her if she bought them that way?  She said, yes, that's the new style!  What???

When cable tv came out, I remember my Pops saying he would never pay for that, you can only watch one channel at a time.  The antenna and four stations was enough for him.  That man now has one of the fastest remote control fingers I've ever seen.

When bottle water showed up in stores, my Pops said he would never pay for drinking water, that's what the sink tap was for.  Now we have smart water!

Growing up, if you wanted to put pine straw in your landscape, you went to the trees and raked it and filled your pickup.  Then they started baling it.  Now, Home Depot has it self contained in bags so your SUV won't get trashed.  So, you are paying more,  for less???

Tailgating changed forever with the arrival of the popup canopy.  It Used to be a frenzy to "claim your spot!"  Eventually you started paying college students a few dollars to do it for you.  Now you spend thousands for a company to do all the work.

Gasoline now has at least 10% ethanol in it, which messes up small engines.  You now have to pay considerably more for "ethanol free" gas!

I remember buying my first washer and dryer, with all the fancy electronics.  Barely a year later, the circuit boards were fried.  My repair buddy said, "Bill, you're a smart guy.  You know electronics and lint & water don't mix!"  Been buying them with switches ever since!

You buy your kids these smart phones so you can reach them when you need them.  Who answers a phone call now???  First, it was text messages, and now it's Snappy Chat!

Holidays, for the most part, are meant for family gatherings and catching up on life events.  Now, everybody is in the same room, but they all are on their smart phones using social media.  We even have secret hand signals or text messages suggesting it's time to go!

Used to, as you got older, your body parts would begin to fail.  You and your crew would sit around complaining about all the aches and pains.  Eventually you would end up in a wheel chair, or worse.  Now you go to an orthopedic doctor and get replacement joints.  My spousal unit has two new hips and a knee.  She's good for at least another 100,000 miles!

We used to have to look outside at a thermometer for the temp.  Then we got the weather channel mobile app.  Now, I just ask Alexa!

This list could go on and on!  But then, something in this list would change.  Slow down world!

Goodbye My Friend

I said goodbye to my best friend yesterday.   We have been together for over six years.  We have been through a lot together, traveling together from one adventure to another.  You have been there for me from the day we first met.  You were there on the day My life changed forever.  My best friend was a 2012 Kia Sorento!  A car?  Yep!

I was in a job for 20 years, doing what I knew best, number crunching.   Along the way, I became the care taker of the employees of that company.  Then, the new guy arrived.   It didn't take long for things to change.  First it was the little things.  Then they became bigger. Finally, I had enough.  It was time for a change.   But how do you do this at age 54??  I figured,  make it through the busy season, and then find out.

I got my last annual review.   This time, my rank of officer was lowered.  If I did not get back to the prior level in three years, I would lose several benefits, including the keys to the company car.  This was pretty much the last nail in the coffin.  But then, it hit me.  I could decide when the keys got turned in!

The next week i went on the hunt, for a new car.  I didn't need anything fancy, just a ride.  My last three purchases were Dodges from Doug Wilson.  I liked his location, right on Lakeland Drive.  He no longer handled Dodge, but he had just added KIA.

Through the magic of internet searches, I decided on a Kia Sorento.  I liked that it was an SUV, and had some of the early techy stuff that caught my interest.

I bought the Sorento, and the next day, I sent an email to the fleet department indicating that I was surrendering the keys to my company car.  Damn, that felt good!

Several weeks past, then one day, on a Friday afternoon, the bossman called me into his office.  I was informed that my position with the company was being eliminated!  At first, I was like, WTH???  But then it hit me!  Here was my way out!!!  As I was walking out the door that last time, I realized that it was the car that finally was the last straw!!!  Thank you Kia Sorento!

On that day, me and my Kia began a new adventure!   First there was the unemployment check.   I collected it for two years, the only requirement was job searches for three positions per week.  The internet and career builders made that easy.  I applied for over 250 jobs during that time, resulting in only two interviews.  Hum.  Let's see.  I was over 55, over qualified, and overpaid.  The employers could hire someone younger,  trained at newer technology, and pay them less.  Rutrow....

During this time, I was the chauffeur for the Spousal unit.  At least the bus driver got to eat free!  I finally found a contract job, putting standees together at the movie theaters.

 Standees are the cardboard promo signs that advertise upcoming movies.  This was actually a lot of fun.  Me and my Kia were in the know about all the new upcoming feature films!

Then there were the beach trips, lots of them!  And i had the margarita machine! I was having the best times! I wass having the time of my life!  No more work stress, no more 8 to 5!  Eventually though,  I needed to find something else to occupy my time.  Thank you again. To the internet search engines!

I would be able to start drawing out of my retirement soon, and I needed some supplemental income. I found work doing product assembly.  Work alone, unsupervised, at my own pace.  Sounded like just the job for me and Sorento!

That car and I covered the entire State of Mississippi, building product for HD and several variety stores.  We have been to Oxford, Tupelo, Laurel, Hattiesburg, and to the coast!

But, as we travelled these roads, my friend, Kia Sorento, began putting on the miles.  It was now time to give the ole girl a rest.  What better send off than to update her with a newer model!

So, I have said goodbye to my best friend!  Thank you for being there when my life got transformed.  I had forgotten how to smile, and you helped bring it back with a vengeance!   You will be missed, but a new chapter begins!

Hopefully those of you that are struggling with a job decision will find your KIA!

Como Steak House

With a condo in that town up north, the Spousal Unit and I are trying to eat our way through Oxford.  In eighteen months, we have given it a pretty good run!  We have missed out on some opportunities, as restaurants open and close all the time.  In a few instances, its been close, but no cigar.  Walked up to Taylor Grocery in early January, only to discover they were closed, but having a private party.  We tried the Ravine, but parking made it impossible, on a dark, rainy night.  Eventually we will get there.

This weekend was a short trip, for the Spousal Unit to attend the Ladies Baseball Forum on Saturday, then she was flying to Baltimore on Sunday morning.  I dropped her off and made my rounds. First stop was at BBB (Big Bad Breakfast) for their Eggs Benedict, oh so good!  The waitress was Kristin, a gal from Inverness (my hometown), who tried her best to get me to try their new donut special.  If she would've at least offered a sample!  My next stop was Bottletree Bakery.  They have the absolute best pastries that you ever put in your mouth!  I got enough to share with the Spousal Unit, because I knew she would be starving, from looking at all those tall and slender baseball boys in their uniforms!  (She was!)

The Como Steak House had been on out "to go to" list for months, but its a 45 minute ride from our Condo, in that town up north.  Since this was such a short trip, why not?  Otis could entertain himself for a couple of hours, and ole Gustoff was upstairs and could check on him.

While the Spousal Unit was at the ladies forum, I did my research.  Como is 45 minutes from our house, just 15 minutes north of Batesville.  Their foodie pictures on the internet looked awesome.  the are open 5-10 Monday -Thursday, and 4:30-10 on Friday and Saturday.  Wait???  4:30? Who eats dinner at 4:30???

The ladies forum was over at 3:00, so we decided to dine early, come back and pick up Otis, then travel back to Cliffview Drive.  5:00 sounded early enough for us, shouldn't be crowed at that hour, and we can get home at a descent hour.  45 minutes later, we are in downtown Como, MS!  I turn on main street, as directed by Brender, out GPS lady.  As we get closer to the address, we begin to notice that the parking on Main Street is completely full of cars in every direction!  WTH???? it's only 5:00!!!!!

I drop off the Spousal Unit at the door, to get our name on the list.  We and the Acura proceeded to go to the county line for a parking place.  Did i mention its only 5:00????  There are several other restaurants, including the Windy City Grill along the street, but there is no way that all the drivers of these cars are eating a steak, right????  As I get halfway back, it became obvious what was going on.  In the  middle of the block, they also have a venue for weddings and such, with a big one going on right now.  A peek thru the window, and there are at least 10 bridesmaids and 10 groomsmen, all lined up for photos.  Somebody was gonna write a BIG check!

I arrive at the door of Como Steak House, and there is a crowd already standing.  They must be waiting to be seated.  Nope.  The restaurant is already FULL, and folks are already chewing beef!  I look around, no Spousal Unit.  I make my way to the back of the  restaurant, and there she is, sitting at the last tow seats available for the first seating, at the end of the bar.  As you make your way thru the restaurant, you get to see what others have already ordered.  Then, there is the meat case, full of select cuts of prime beef.  Then as you make your way further, you see that they have two charcoal pits with attendants working the coals and turning the steaks, and hitting them with melted butter!  There is even an upstairs dining room and it was full!

The meal comes with a salad, slice of Texas toast, a baked potato, and the steak cut of your choice.  There are several other entree items on the menu, but when in a steak house, you know what to do!  The Spousal Unit got their smaller ribeye, and I got the larger cut with the bone in.  Both were cooked to perfection. The guy next to us got a "chopped steak" (dentures????) and his wife had a plate with one of the bigger cuts.  She ended up sending it back to the fire for a little more doneness.  I don't think she knew her temperature chart!

This was my plate, and it was to die for!  We were so full, the word dessert never even came up!  I loved this place and I will return, hoping they have my favorite cut of porterhouse for me to try.  If you decide to give it a try, you better be on Vince Lombari time!

Cathead

The spousal unit loves to do her Groupon thang and she came across a 2 for 1 for a tour of the Cathead Distillery. It's the first distillery founded in Mississippi since prohibition, and located in downtown Jackson,  behind the convention center.  At $15 for the two of us, why not?

As part of the "tour" you get the run of the place and four samples of their product at the end.   They sponsor events at the Distillery throughout the year, with one coming up in several weeks.

You can see from the picture that as you approach the building from the road, the name is clearly visible.  A taco food truck is usually there on tour days, which in this instance was on Saturday. The tours are on the hour from 1-5, and are limited to small groups, the biggest being the one at 5.

Once you are inside, you go to the bar and check in, to validate that you are on the list.  The building is an old warehouse with lots of space for entertaining groups and those special events.  They have a dart board, corn hole, connect 4, Jenga, and card games for you to occupy your time while you wait for your tour or afterward.  They also sell beer by the bottle or draft.   Their products are not for sale in the Distillery but you get to sample 4 at the end of the tour.

They have several of these homemade tables and benches for you and your crew to use before and after the tour.  There was a gal there playing and singing, but the acoustics in a warehouse are something to be desired.  The resident dog enjoyed it though, as he joined in with her, howling along as she played and sang.

When it's your tour time, you gather up with the tour guide,  beer in hand.  A rarity, I think the spousal unit and I were the only ones without a drink, during the tour!

This was our tour guide.  He's the computer tech dude and part time tour guide.  He gets all the free beverages he wants, see the cup???  Behind him is the workings of the Distillery.  The acoustics of the building makes hearing him a challenge, especially with the gal and the dog singing in the background.

The tour lasted about an hour.  You get the history of Cathead and how it got its name, you See the process they go through from start to finish, and then, the best part, you get small samples of their products.

I left out a lot of the details, which is all part of taking the tour.  I recommend that you go as a group, and include dinner afterwards to round out the day.  I "liked" their Facebook page so I can keep up with their sponsored events for a return visit, hopefully in a group of friends.  The more the merrier!

If you plan your day just right, you can also hit Lucky Town Brewery, but may be another blog post!

Angels on the Highway

You never know when you will find or encounter an angel.  Today I met two!

Today, we were on our way to the funeral of my Uncle Bubba, up in the Delta, in the sleepy little town of Inverness, MS.  The family was gathered at Cousin Will's house for a meal prior to the visitation and funeral at the Baptist Church.  We were running late, and I didn't want to be a bother at Wills so I decided to venture on to Indianola for a quick bite.

I knew a finger or two would be shaken at me for not coming by.  In small towns like Inverness, you never go hungry, especially during a funeral. Feelings get hurt if you don't come by, even if its for a slice of pie or a cup of coffee.

With time to get a quick bite, and make it back for the visitation, we approached the intersection of hwy 49 and 82.  Suddenly i had a sneezing attack as i was pulling up to the stop sign, and the next thing you know, pop!, I had hit the curb and blown out the front left tire!

Well crap!  So much for making it to the funeral service! I slowly made my way into the parking lot of the old Webers truck stop.  Boy, the memories that flashed through my head from my youth!

We were in the spousal unit's Acura.  These days they do not put spare tires in the trunk, you just get a tire inflation kit.  Those damn Japanese!  Time to dial 1-800 Acura roadside assistance, and the two hour wait for a tow truck and ride back to Brandon. :-(

I made several calls and a text message to see about getting the spousal unit to the funeral service while I saw about the car, but no luck.

Just then i had my first encounter with a highway angel!  A black guy was in the parking lot working on an 18 wheeler.  He walks up and asks me if he can help me with my flat.  Bless him!  I went through my issues with Acura's and the lack of a spare in the MDX.  He then proceeds to tell me, "well, I have a friend that does tire repairs on trucks."  Now, keep in mind, this is Sunday, 1:00,  in the Mississippi Delta, what's my luck in finding a 19 inch Japanese specialty tire???

Well, son of a gun!   The tire repair guy answered the call, and he just passed the only tire store open on Sunday in Indianola. He makes a u-turn, gets the specs for the tire from us, and low and behold, they have one used tire, $40, cash.  Sold!

The tire repair guy, Chris Barnes, arrives, picks me up, and we are off to get that tire!  I have just met my second highway angel of the day!
Yep!  They had the used tire, including a hand full of leaves in the bottom to go with it.  Back to Webers truck stop parking lot we go!

We get back to the car, and highway angel #1 and the truck he was working on, are gone.  I look at the rim and notice the need for a specialty socket for the locked lug nut.  Ok God, you have had my six so far.....  yep, the lug socket was in the back!  My new friend Chris worked his magic, and Presto!  Used spare 19 inch tire is on the ground!  I asked him how much I owed him.  He says, "what ever you want to pay."  Did i mention this is the Mississipi Delta?  I gave him all I had, $55, and offered to meet at an ATM for more.  His response, just drive safe my friend.

Would you believe we made it to the funeral service with five minutes to spare.  God was in that santuary, but he had his highway angels working overtime, on a Sunday, in the Delta!  God's country, yes indeed!