I'm in Love...........Again!!

She's a beauty, a beast, a cream puff, a floating cloud of power on wheels.......she's a Cadillac. A 2003 Deville.  At the right price too.  Just look at her and see if you don't agree......

White Diamond is her color with an oatmeal leather interior.  All the bells and whistles one could possible imagine, even including a sunroof!!

Tomorrow morning I make that cold call and see if she is still available for the dance.  If she is, then I'll be taking a cruise on over to just outside of West Memphis to give her the maiden voyage.  Then, all things being just right, the stars aligning perfectly with the moon, she will be mine.  Wish me luck!!  She is everything I have dreamed of and more!! 

UPDATE- She is mine and she shall be called Elizabeth!!!   after the elegant Ms Elizabeth Taylor and her White Diamonds.

Sarayu - The Wind

A couple of years ago I read the book The Shack  written by William Young.  I was enthralled with the book.  It spoke to me very deeply on a spiritual plain.  The book was terribly thought provoking and sometimes so deep it took several readings of passages and time of reflection to reach an insight to the authors direction. 

I was especially moved and related to the experiences that the main character encountered with Sarayu in the garden.  Sarayu is the representation of the Holy Spirit with the meaning of the word meaning the wind. She is a shimmering light and her hair blew in wind even though there was no wind.  She was made of an aura of colors while dressed like a gardener. 

 She shows Mack, the protagonist, the garden, a messy and fractal place.  Rich and vibrant with flowers while others area over run with weeds.  The garden is a representation of one's soul.  A growing place, rich and ever changing, not perfect, needing pruning and like a garden, constant attention.

Mack states he feels strangely comfortable in the garden.   Sarayu says, “And well you should, Mackenzie, because this garden is your soul—this mess is you! Together, you and I, we have been working with a purpose in your heart. And its wild and beautiful and perfectly in process. To you it seems messy, but to me, I see a perfect pattern emerging and growing and alive—a living fractal.” 

A fractal is defined as a place where theory, art and math converge.  How;s that for a nonbeliever, can it get more complex?  Yet more more believable?

I felt such delight in reading the perfect description of my vision of the human representation of the Holy Spirit in a book!!  It's totally amazing to me that the essence of the Holy Spirit and the divine nature of the Holy Spirits leadership in our everyday lives could be more simply explained than in the simple representation of the tending of our garden, our very soul.  Thank you God for having the grace to give me the Holy Spirit and making my garden a beautiful place!

Frost on the Pumpkin

It is finally here - Fall!  This morning was a rite of passage that made it so - I turned the heat on.  And oh what a glorious familiar sensation that was: the smell of the burning of the years' accumulation of dust on the coils.  Something so innocent can happen only once a year.  And if you are paying attention, it brings back a flood of memories and feelings of warmth from years gone by.

I remember the blue duplex Ellis and I shared in Radcliff, Ky when Alex was merely a toddler, playing with him in the snow, him crawling around on the floor in the kitchen playing with pots and pans, him playing in his playpen............hey, whatever happened to the good old playpen, they are obsolete now!!!

I remember being a child in Ohio and playing in the snow for hours, then coming inside, stripping down and standing on the furnace grate to warm up along with our boots and outerwear.  Mom would make us hot chocolate with real marshmallow cream in it to warm us from the inside out. 

I remember years on Read Road in Kentucky, when I would have to warm the car for 15 minutes before driving to work so early in the morning.  Something about living in the country made the frost "thicker".  And poor Alex at his tender age of 15 would drive the kids the 2 miles to the bus stop in FogHorn LegHorn, the old Buick, having to do the same too. 

Smells can bring back the strongest of memories, it has to be one of the more potent of the senses.  For me this morning it was a gift from God.  A crystal ball into the past of alot of fond memories.  And I look forward to turning on the heat each year just for the smell.

Love Song

My Dad writes a daily my two brothers and myself read nearly everyday.  We all look forward to them with great anticipation.  A sneak peek into their lives, one day at a time.  How's the weather, who won between the goal posts over the weekend, what the day shall bring forth.  And there is usually the commentary on the drinking of the latte.  He always ends his piece with " happy trails 'till we meet again" or "love you mises to pieces".  Today he wrote something priceless.........

 ... i listen during the night    laying there in the silence listening to the rhythmic sound of her breathing.   It is so comforting ,there in the darkness - her breathing  peacefully next to me.     No matter what has happened during the daylight hours ,  my  night is secured by her quietness , for she is here beside me .    This woman has made my life worthwhile , thank you God  for helping me find her , those many years ago ...       " i am a rich man ..."

I love you Dad!  Your love is immeasurable.  You not only have shown it to our mother but shared it with your children and grandchildren.  We are very rich to have you for our FATHER for never has there been a man so giving of his love.  You are the example of our Lord in heaven would have if ever he could hold a man up and say "this is what a man who loves his family should be".

Andrew's Journey

Andrew is in someways a typical middle child.  Rebellious, Open, Affectionate, Adventurous.  Unfortunately, middle children also generally have a lower self-esteem.  They are sandwiched between the Leader child and the Spoiled child.  They say middle children get noticed less often, so they make waves in order to get attention.

When Andrew was born, he was a very cranky baby.  He cried ALOT.  He had terrible colic and an allergy to milk.  Sadly, he did not like to be held in order to be consoled.  That made me very sad and confused.  Instead he liked to be in perpetual motion, rocking in his bassinet and rocking in his swing.  Somewhere around six months of age, he got over his colic, he started to come out of his cranky stage and turned in to the lovable, adorable child ever since.  I have always felt guilty for those first six months, that I could not find that special something that would make him comfortable, make his life more at ease.

As Andy grew into a toddler, he became freakin' ADORABLE and equally mischievous. That has been the case now for the last 24 years!  I will spare Andrew the details of his teenage and young adult years being splashed all over these pages, but let's just say, they were quite troublesome!  Eventually his troubles led to drug and alcohol use for years.

Andrew is living life these days as he has never experience before.  Drug free, and more importantly, living a free life.  We cannot even imagine what it is like to be free of the bond that he was under.  The incredible will it took to break that bond and come to where he stands today is a testiment to his courage and strength. 

Andrew has taken so many steps in such a short time!  He has held down the same job for some 6 months now.  Andrew now is a roommate to Alex and Lindsay and pays his own way  He own a vehicle again and has insurance on it.  He pays his cellphone bill every month and is responsible for taking care of his payments to his doctors and payment for medications.  These are things we do and take for granted, but Andrew has learned to do in a very short period of time!!!  There is not enough praise and glory to go around to express to Andrew how AWESOME his journey has been. 

He still has a demon he lives with and has to conquer for each and every day.  For when alcohol and drugs are your demon, it belongs to you daily.  Because as you go about living a life free and devoid of the problem, ever so innocently, the demon can slide in between the cracks of armour one surrounds one self with. So innocently can one little mistake start a landslide. 

Andrew, we all pray for you daily.  You have the love and support of your entire family behind you.  You are my HERO!!

I hate to rush time, but.....

I am so ready for the holidays!!!  And by the holidays, I mean Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years!  I will still enjoy the turning of the leaves and the crispness of autumn mornings (if they ever get here!).  I will still love watching Jonas trick-or-treat all dressed up in his costume and eat scads of too much candy.  We will participate in the fall tradition and go to the fair next week.  This year, we can take Jonas and he can ride the kiddie rides and go to the (nasty) petting zoo.  But........... I'm ready!

I've decided this year that the Christmas tree is going up the second week of NOVEMBER.  Yep, I want to enjoy it longer, so that means putting it up earlier.  I think this year we will have enough hand-blown ornaments that we will no longer require balls to fill in the spaces - only decorative special balls. This year when everyone comes to the house for Thanksgiving it will be decorated for Christmas.  It will add to the festivity.  I might even get to sneak in some Christmas music.  Hey!!  If Macy's can have Santa in their parade, I can certainly start preparing for the big mans arrival at Thanksgiving too!!! 

I have made out my Thanksgiving Day menu, and of course it includes pepperoni rolls and pickle-Os. Everything is homemade, like my Momma taught me, and preparations start on Tuesday.  Pies, cranberry salad, sugar coated pecans and applesauce will be made on Tuesday, Wednesday is a BIG day with the cornbread dressing, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole and pepperoni rolls being made.  Thursday starts at 5 AM  and the 25 pound turkey going in the oven.  Giblet gravy, mashed potatoes, corn souffle, and stuffed mushrooms also have to be made too.  I don't know about you, but my mouth is watering.   :-)

We will eat at noon, watch parades and football and some of us will find beds for quick naps.  The young ones will all have to leave around 2 to go to other destinations.  We will go over to Chuck's parents house later that afternoon.  Somehow, we will eat a second Thanksgiving meal around 5 PM!!  It's worth it for the socialization and the deep-fried turkey.  I've probably already said it before, but Thanksgiving is in a lot of ways more special than Christmas.  It's just about sharing good food and good family.  (Yeah, I've said it before, I'm getting old and repeating myself.)

Now Christmas this year will come to us on Christmas Eve (I work Christmas day).  Jonas will be nearly 3 and Santa will be all that!!!!  We are already talking about what Santa might bring for Christmas, and he kind of likes the idea.  I know Santa will be bringing a shiny red tricycle!  He is going to love that.  I think Santa needs to bring a pretend kitchen - he loves to help cook.  Dear Reader, what do you think, is this too sissy for a boy?  Chuck thinks so.  (LOL, surprised?)  Hey, they make unisex kitchens!!!  Let me know what you think.  Going to try not to over do it.  He already has so much.  Time to clear out the younger toys and take them to Goodwill. 

Christmas morning we will open our presents, have our traditional ham and pancakes for breakfast, then go over to the Woodruffs for more Christmas.  We will have a Christmas feast over there too!  They too are having Christmas on Christmas Eve this year, so it all works out!! 

Finally, this is the first year I have had off a New Year's day in yyyyears.  And I'm not sure yet how, but we will be celebrating it!  I'm sure it will include plenty of food, and football, and most of all, fellowship. 

Can you tell I might be ready?  I'm looking forward to the fair and the leaves falling, but my sights are on the HOLIDAYS! 

They're Up

The Photos, they are up!  They are incredible.  I watched the slide show over and over again and just cried like.....like a proud Momma and Gigi!! 

Baking and Cooking Day

Today will be all about baking and cooking (and laundry, of course).  I have more than enough over-ripe bananas to make two loaves of yummy Banana Bread.  And I will be putting on a pot of homemade vegetable soup. Think I'll find a place for my new holiday dinnerware too.  I would also like to sort through my clothes, putting away the strictly summer clothes and make more room for fall and winter clothes.  Pretty ambitious for one days work,  particularly because I feel sleepy this morning and could take a nap already!!!

All the while I will be stalking the http://www.tiawindphotgraphy.com/ page to see if Linda and Jonas' pictures come up today!  Can hardly wait to see them!!!!  Have also talked to Tia about a little surprise, can't reveal it yet...... but I'll tell you this - It is BIG!!! 

Gonna call Mom and have our morning chat... missing Dad's daily!  Their Internet provider went away for the week,  On top of that, the clubhouse recently flooded and he can't get in there to write either.

....... had a nice chat with Mom, have the soup started and laundry going!  Have already checked Tia's site twice and the pics are still a no show.  They are going to be up today, I can just feel it in my bones. 

Love days like today.... nowhere I have to be, have the house to myself and my kinda music playing.....Mel Torme is singing "Old Mexico" right now on the Singers & Swing channel.  If only I had a fireplace and there was a light snowfall, it would be a magical day.....and I can pretend! 

Peace, Love & Crabs to All!!!

I work with the BEST!!

Just this past week we have been asked to complete an Employee Survey with one of the goals being to improve employee satisfaction and retention.   A mandatory meeting is to follow the submission of the survey, presumably to discuss the findings and the action plan management will enact to improve employee satisfaction.  

I contemplated and labored over the completion of my survey for the last three days and have finally put it to rest.  I have to say, the very best part of my job is working with the most awesome group of women I have every worked with, bar none.  And that's a pretty bold statement.  The weekend shift of day and night nurses are a very diverse group of ladies, but we work well together.  When it comes to patient care, quite simply, we are of like minds.  

At ANGELs, we have come to know the pains often bestowed an organization that has grown quickly - but not always and necessarily flourished under such growth.  Management is taking a bold step and asking for open-ended responses to tough questions.  Hopefully this is in an effort to make a commitment to an action of change.  And what shall these changes be?  That is not for me to decide but the collective voice of the employees who also labor over their surveys, wanting their voices to be heard in an effort that positive change will be the end result.  So many diverse opinions, ideas, opportunities, attitudes, feelings, observations, and suggestions.  What will be brought forth and become the new fabric that is woven to knit tightly the current loosely tied factions of employees?  What actions can be put in place to boost moral.   A formidable task.  One that I sincerely hope management is prepared to accept and able to accomplish.  Again, a truly formidable and daunting undertaking!  To be charged with the responsibility and vision of a new mission will require inspired leadership - good luck with your pursuits and aspirations.  We are all counting on you!

Tia Wind Photography and then there is the rest of the Week

I am so excited!!  Tomorrow is Linda and Jonas' appointment to have their photographs taken by Tia Wind.  Tia did Jonas' photos last Fall and they were absolutely gorgeous!!  This year, I want her to photograph the both of them together.  I'm hoping she can capture that very special bond Momma and her baby Jonas share together.  Tia's website describes her as a Natural Light, on Location Photographer.  She shoots outdoors, and utilizes any surrounding to make special memories!  She has "fun" with her photographs and it shows.  Tia will also be shooting Alex and Lindsay's engagement photos next Sunday.  I'm so excited for them and can hardly wait to see the results!!! 

Next on this weeks agenda is taking Andrew to see Dr Loop on Tuesday.  Never has there been a more perfect match between patient and doctor.  I believe Dr Loop has walked a mile in Andrew's moccasins at some time in his life.  He seems to be able to relate and communicate with him on a very intimate level.  He has displayed a vested interest in Andrews' progress and well-being.  I'm very thankful that we "found" him and Andrew likes and puts his trust in him.  With all that Andrew has been through recently - particularly the breakup of his relationship with Tracey, he is needing this appointment desperately.  I would like to see him get in to therapy, but a good therapist is even harder to find than a good psychiatrist!  I really think it is time to try and find one.  There is no substitute for good old-fashioned talk therapy!!  We will talk about it Tuesday and see what he thinks. 
Wednesday, I will be working overtime in ANGELs.  Weekdays is ssssooooooo different than weekends.  There is so much second level triage going on with appointment requests being made.  It almost feels like the "nurse" has been taken out of the equation.  The occasional call from a woman who might be in labor or her membranes have ruptured (which is actually rare) do I get to triage all by myself.  Don't get me wrong, I like having a doctor to call and give me a verbal order to call in a med rather than having a standing order.  I applaud most changes that have been made.  I am thankful that there is a clinic liaison nurse now.  But I miss being able to utilize my brain!  Maybe things will evolve yet again and the ANGEL nurse will be needed for more than she is being utilized for these days. 
Thursday is ........ laundry day.  If it is nothing else, it is nearly always laundry day!!   LOL   A day for routine, for creating in the kitchen, for not getting out of my PJs, for watching old movies while I work, for putting away the summer clothes and organizing the fall and winter clothes, okay, okay........that plenty enough for one Thursday!!! 
I'm back around to my work week - Friday, Saturday & Sunday.  Today we tried something new.  I worked the PCC calls and was the ARSAVES nurse while Stacy and Becky worked the ANGELs calls.  It was a refreshing change for us all.  I think we all liked it.  I helped them out when they got busy and in making f/u calls because my day was light.  I hope we do it again.  We really didn't discuss it at the end of the day to see how everyone felt about our experiment.  We got a little side tracked with discussion about our Employee Surveys............. a subject that needs to be continued!!!!

A Love Story - Part Deux

Mom and Dad, the younger years. 
Growing up, I always was aware of a display of affection between my parents.  They kissed quite often and openly.  Dad would ALWAYS hug Mom around the waist as she was cooking supper and he would sneaked a taste of her delectable dish with his free hand.   They took walks together on the beach, holding hands like teenagers.   They worked side by side in the garden, or landscaping the yard, or on the construction of the house.  They danced to slow music in the living room when no one was watching.  They went on an adventure to New York City and saw plays and explored Greenwich Village.  They had a fight at least once every family vacation!  (Passion)  And they made love often, I know, because the bedroom door stayed shut quite a bit!  (Otherwise, it was open.) 
Dad and Mom were high school sweethearts.  When Mom moved to Tennessee, And Dad still lived in West Virginia, he would make the trip as often as he could to see his true love.  They married when they were 20 and 16 respectively, she with her reluctant parents blessings, I am sure.  They were married June 13th and went to Virginia for a "Honeymoon".  They dined on pizza and swam in the frigid ocean when it was 50*, ah, young love.  Mom has told me that when they first married, they lived in a tiny, tiny trailer.  I can just see them,  making their first home together, complete with fresh wild flowers on the table.  I don't know how soon they started trying to have babies, but it was a 4 year complicated ordeal.  Finally, a star was born. (hehehe)
They shared a passion for living fully as they still do today.  They still kiss often, hold hands, and make love.  They have a tender, sweet love, the kind that very few people experience.  Everyone they meet are blessed to share in the glow of their love - and all know they have experienced something extraordinarily spectacular.

My Day in a Nutshell

Life could not be any simpler or full of pleasure than it currently is these days.  As I stumble out of bed, I reach for my two essentials, my PigCig and my glasses.  I make my first glass of iced tea and make my way to my oh-so-comfy recliner.  Turn the tube onto Turner Classic Movies or Fox Movie Channel for the perfect B&W movie of the morning.  This is where my busy day begins. 
First, I wade through the days emails, placing them in order of importance, what gets trashed, what needs read right now and what can be leisurely savored throughout the day.  Usually Dad's Daily is first priority, then I scan the subjects to see if I have somehow won any of the many sweepstakes I have entered.  (Hasn't happened yet)  Recipe of the day and Better Homes and Garden are for later viewing.  Next, I catch up on what has been happening in the Facebook world.  I take a spin at winning a pair of T3 jeans from Lane Bryant. (Hasn't happened yet)  Then, on to Ebay to check out if my favorite saved items are still there.  Or maybe over to QVC to check out the Today's Special Value and a short cruise around the site.  By now 2 hours or so have flown by and I can call Mom.
We chat for a while, sometimes an hour later and I couldn't tell you what we talked about but it was loads of fun!  Back to the computer and some exploring to do .... I have run across something new that needs further investigation or at the very least, a sweepstakes or two need entering. 
At least a text or call have come in by now from Chuck or one of the kids, that has made the day even sweeter.  Somewhere in all this excitement, I have savored my 2 cups of coffee.  Before I know it, lunchtime has come and gone and I realize I need to eat.  My usual is cottage cheese and peaches, some times I break it up with eggs or garlic cheese grits.  Today, It's 2:45 and I haven't eaten yet!  Too busy, have too many important things to do (LOL). 
Actually thought about supper early today and put a chicken on to boil and sit for chicken and dumplings tonight.  YUMMY!  Martha's rolls from Harps and we have a scrumptious hearty meal.  Thursday is usually wash day, but I got it done early this week.    :-) 
Sometimes about this time of afternoon I sneak in a nap.  (Tough life, I know)
The late afternoon will be filled with the hubbub of little Jonas and his activity.  Supper, get ready for work tomorrow and watch a little Frasier or Everybody Loves Raymond and off to bed early for me!  Those last few hours of the day seem to fly by.
It is Thursday, so I begin my "work week" tomorrow.  Seriously, three 12 hour days can take the stuffing right out of you.  Sometimes it is smooth and easy; others, it starts at a frenetic pace and works its' way up from there!!  Saturday especially seem to be the day of craziness- we need 2 more nurses working at times!!  And when it is just 2 of us, it is near  impossible!  We do our best, but by late afternoon, my brain has begun to turn to mush after working at a feverish pace hour after hour.   I fall into bed on arriving home and wake for one last day.  Sunday is not quite as feverish with a steady stream  of calls and the occasional stroke call thrown in for good measure. 
Monday is made for resting.  No chores, just taking it easy, doing the daily routine, with a little less vigor.  A nap for sure.  And to bed early too.  Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, well, you've already got the picture.  How sweet it is!! 
Of course I do laundry, and dishes, and run errands, and take kids to appointments, and help with Jonas, and listen to the latest crisis in life, but that's all just part of living. 
To most, this may seem a terribly boring life.  For me, I feel as though I have reached the pinnacle of my life for now, semi-retirement.  I have slowed down- I no longer desire to manage 100 people and be response for $3 million dollar a years as I once did.  I no longer need to be "doing and going" all the time as I did in my younger years.  I enjoy the much simplier things now, the sweet voice of my Jonas as he chatters about all the time.  The joy of sharing a quiet evening with Chuck watching old moives.  The feeling I get when all the kids come over and we share a meal and good-times.  Some would say I'm not engaged,  I'm not driven.......... well, they're right.  I have disengaged from this psychotic world, and am able to witness and appreciate the wonders of the Lord every single day.  I've got it pretty sweet!!

Holiday Dinnerware

Every year on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day, I have always had a tradition of serving the meal on festive paper plates.  Now that may sound pretty tacky to most.  But it comes from a place of having the WHOLE family get together and having some 20+ people eating multiple times throughout the day, you see?  When the whole Snider clan got together, there was the simple logistics of having enough dishes, and there was also the inevitable cleaning up of ssoooo many dishes.  The remedy to such a situation was to purchase the most attractive paper products known to man.  Turkeys or cornucopias for Thanksgiving and santas or snowmen for Christmas were always favorites.  We also made a kind of game out of it, to see who could get the "plates" first each year. 
This year I am going to break with my tradition!!!  Finally, I am purchasing festive winter dishes that can be used for both holidays!  And as I have been eye-balling this 40 piece, 8 place-setting dinnerware for some 2 weeks now, I kept thinking they looked familiar, nostalgic, reminiscent of my Mother's table not so long ago.  I just got off the phone with her and yes! she had them some 15 years ago.  It's so nice to carry-on with something from within your past.  They have a red barn, with families playing in the snow, a snowman, many pine trees glistening with snow, skaters down on the old mill pond, and horse drawn carriage, all set within rolling hills.  Perfect to carry us through the entire Winter season.   Say good-bye to the paper plates and hello to Holiday dinnerware!!  We can no longer be misconstrued for the Clampett clan at our Holiday table.   I'm so excited!!
P.S.  At 0320 on 10/7/11 I purchased my holday dinnerware!!!  Yippee!!!

Best Banana Nana Bread Ever!

I know, there are 1 million recipes at least for Banana Bread, but, my Mom called and asked me for MY recipe over her GRANMOTHER'S recipe.  So you see, it must be pretty dog-gone-good!!

Banana Bread
1 cup Sugar
1 stick soft butter
2 large eggs
3 ripe bananas
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy, add eggs one at a time and beat.  In a seperate bowl, mash the bananas with a fork.  Then add to creamed mixture.  Add the milk and mix.  In a seperate bowl combine the dry ingredients and stir, then slowly pour and mix into the creamed mixture. 
Bake in a buttered loaf pan at 325 degrees for 1 hour.  It make take less or longer, depending on your bananas.  Cool out of the loaf pan on its side on a wire rack.  Eat while warm with cold butter on top for best taste!  UMM-YUMMY!

Dad's Story- "Frank took a drink......."

Frank took a drink of liquor as he stepped away.  "I'll be damned if I ever speak to that sons-a-bitch again" he mumbled under his breath.  He was hurting deep inside.  Never in his 78 years had Frank been betrayed by his life-long friend.  Charlie had always been there, going back as far as the Korean war. Never had he felt so alone.  With Doris now gone a little over a year, he had so little left, he felt so empty.  The children so were busy with their own lives.  He only saw them briefly a couple of times of year as they passed through on their way to Disney or the Coast.  If it hadn't been for Charlie, Frank knew he wouldn't have made it.
Charlie was there for him when everyone went home.  He came over midmorning and they read the paper together on the veranda in silence.  Afterwards, they would go to the Diner and have lunch.  You used to get a meat and three vegetables and a piece of cake for $4.55.  Now you only get an "entree" and two sides for $5.95. 
Sometimes they would play a round of golf in the late afternoon when it wasn't so hot.  Sometimes they would load up and go fishing off the pier.  Charlie just knew when Frank needed him to be around.  And likewise, Charlie knew when companionship would do Frank no good.  Charlie had lost his wife to cancer four years prior.  Charlie just knew what Frank needed, most of the time.  But not this time.
Charlie and Frank had a tee time of 4:20.  On Tuesday afternoon you can ride and play 18 holes after 4 for $25.  It was Charlie's turn to drive. Frank gathered his bag and shoes and headed out the door towards the car.  As he neared the car, he could see that Charlie was not alone.  Wanda, Charlie's girlfriend was with him.  And a blond woman with too much lipstick on was in the backseat.  Frank was appalled, Charlie had gone too far.  He didn't even ask.  No way was he going for this load of horse shit!  He wasn't about to be pressured in to spending the afternoon with some dame that is one of Wanda's hen-clucking  friends.  "Doris means way too much to me" Frank thought "to be spending time shacked up with some flousy".  Frank looked Charlie square in the eye and said quietly "Fuck You" and then walked back into the house. 
Frank reached for the Jack Daniels and poured himself a tall one. 

caveat-  Dad gave each of an assignment- He gave us the first line.... and asked us to build a story around it.  Everyone's stories were quite enjoyable.

So Much Has Happened!!

I'm not even sure where to begin... it is October and I have thought about my blog quite a bit lately.  It has been so lonely sitting off to the side without a hand to touch it in months.  With the coming of fall I hope to turn over a new leaf as I feel the stirring of creativity welling up within me.  It is definitely my time of year. 
I am already gearing up for Thanksgiving and Christmas in my mind.  I've even snuck in listening to a Christmas CD here and there :-)   I have begun planning the little gifts I will share with my co-workers and friends.  I have started buying gifts for the family and making gift lists.  I am even going to do something fun I haven't done in AGES, and that is to go shopping on BLACK FRIDAY with all the other crazy bargain hunting people out there!  I have also begun planning our Thanksgiving day feast, which will, of course, require many revisions as I aquire new recipes and re-add old favorites that just can't be left aside.  YEP, it is my time of the year!  
Fall has always been my favorite season.  It's coolness and crisp air are like a new beginning.  I know Spring is suppose to be the start of something new, but for me, that title belongs to Autumn.  Actually, this isn't so much a time of new beginning as it a time of renewal.  This is the time to celebrate family and friends.  Whether we are able to gather together in physical presence or are seperated by many miles, our hearts are closer this time of the year.  We share pictures of pepperoni rolls as this is a family tradition we carry on whether together or seperate.  We all make them and smile as if we are eating them together under the same roof, sharing the spicey meat tucked inside the yeasty hot buttered roll. 
This year, we will have to our traditional turkey day table Linda's new boyfriend.  Yeah, you heard right!!  Linda is no longer with Nader.  She has been "single" now for some two months and has met a new man, Jim.  We have not met Jim yet, but from all we have heard,  he sounds like a decent, hard-working man.  He is going to UALR for his Electrical Engineering degree and works for UPS full-time.  He owns his own home and is a fanatical football fan.  He obviously has something going on for himself!  And, he has good taste in women!
New to our table this year also will be Lindsay!  She and Alex were dating last year, and this year, she is my future daughter-in-law.  I wonder what family creation she will bring and share that will weave and become part of the fabric of our traditions as they will surely change throughout the years.  New husbands and wives introduce aspects of their family as we intergrate them into ours, making the Woodruff Family Turkey Day a shared day that welcomes all traditions. Awesomeness!  Thanksgiving Day is a day that is even more special to me than Christmas day.  On Thanksgiving, there are no gifts or presents, there is good food and FAMILY time.  It doesn't get any better than that.
We also share another reward and renewal at our Thanksgiving table this year  ....... we have our son back ........ Andrew.  He is the best reward of all!  Andy has been drug free for some time now.  He has a hold on life instead of life controlling him.  He also is living outside of the halfway house and has awesome roommates, none other than Alex and Lindsay!  He has grown tremendously and I am so proud of him!!!!
Now, I think it is time to search Ebay for more Christmas ornaments!!  Consider youself up to speed.  Did I forget somebody?  Why yes, the two loves of my life, my rock and my smile, my Chuck and my Jonas.  Chuck is currently at the kitchen table studying for his next nursing exam, just as he has been doing nearly everyday this semester!  And Jonas, well, he is learning to cast and reel in a fish on his new fishing pole.  I love him so dearly!!!
Now!  Here I come ornaments, and I take what I want ..... my passion, SHOPPING!!!