WELL, IT'S FATHER'S DAY!

Yep, it's Father's Day and all I got was this dang Duck Dynasty t-shirt!  However, it does fit my personality!  Jack!

Judy gave it to me, along with a bring home sack of goodness from P. F. Chang!  Wow, I love their SICHUAN SHRIMP OR SCALLOPS.  

I have been cooped up since the last of April from back surgery.  I'm usually seen these days, wearing my cute little back brace.  I have four weeks left to wear the darn thing, but I have to admit, it has wrapped me in its protective custody until I count on it.  It gives me a little confidence and allows me to do some things without an ouch of pain!

My L4 was screwed to my L5, and my L5 was screwed to my tailbone!  There is a little metal plate reenforcing the whole thing, and the spacers he put in gave me immediate relief from leg pain.

I tossed and turned, carefully, for the first 4 weeks, but am now sleeping fairly comfortably through the night.  I can't wait to drop the fetal position for a more normal relaxed one leg stretched out position.  

I have been driving my Thunder Mule for the last 2 weeks, and it feels good to be back in the saddle.

I also spent one day on a movie set near here, doing stills for a friend who is the writer/director.  More on this when the veil of secrecy has been lifted!

Then there was an evening spent back at the Princess Theatre, taking historical shots for the Foundation.  The band was The Bellamy Brothers, and I had a good time seeing all my old friends, until my back said, "Go home...go now!"  I have paid for that the last couple of days, but would do it all over again.

There is another concert coming soon, and I hope to be in better shape then.

Well, that's a little update from Mushy...he's still kicking, and just had his 67th birthday.  Wow...where did all the time go?!            

MUSHY IS HAVING A SALE!

As most of you know, I have been maintaining a large number of photographic art pieces online since October of 2011.  I greatly enjoy photography, and often surprise myself! 

I am currently offering a 25% discount on all my photographic art “mark ups” through July 31, 2013. 

Click on this link, http://paul-mashburn.artistwebsites.com/, or click below, peruse my galleries for the perfect art for your home or office, and enter the Discount Code: DMKPMV at check out!

I hope you fine something you like!

Mushy

SUPPORT HARRIMAN'S PROSPECT 14 ON JUNE 22ND!

There have been a lot of questions about what will happen to the hospital buildings that are in downtown Harriman. For the past few years the City has been actively preparing for this time by reinstalling the Harriman Industrial Board that was originally formed in the 1960’s, hiring an employee to oversee the maintenance of the properties, contracting with the KCDC (same firm that worked with Knoxville with revitalization of Market Square) to establish an Urban Renewal and Revitalization District downtown and a lot of little things such as pole banners and grants for sidewalk and lighting just off of Roane Street.

We are in somewhat of a fortunate situation in that we own 14 buildings that are being vacated by the hospital. A lot of towns our size continue to struggle with property owners that are non-compliant to the local codes and ordinances and are unwilling to sell or use the buildings. By the city working with the Industrial Board they are able to control each piece of property and SELL rather than auction like a municipality would. The IDB may set the price for each building and be as aggressive as needed in order to entice developers to come back to our downtown, once again making our revitalization easier than other places we have visited.

Along with the big hospital building we also have some along Devonia Street as well as several on Roane Street that we will be making available for purchase on June 22nd. This will be a day hosted by the Harriman Industrial Board so that any interested parties can walk through each building, ask questions and talk with people from the Chamber of Commerce, the City, State and the KCDC. These people will be able to answer questions as to the history of our area, demographics, details about the Urban Renewal District and other things that we have been working on to make our downtown vibrant once again. This day will be the start of a two week process where the IDB will accept letters or requests for use/purchase for each building. Some things that the board will consider will be the proposed use as well as price. We want to be sure that we are attracting and getting quality buyers for these buildings that will add to and enhance our downtown.

Similar to 123 years ago when the East Tn Land Company marketed and invited buyers to come to Harriman to form our city we too are hoping to attract interested buyers to come and start the final phase of our downtown revitalization! These are exciting times, please come out and support us and be a part of the new Harriman!

THE BOTTOM LINE IS:

The City of Harriman has 14 properties located in the downtown district available for your business opportunities. The City of Harriman along with the Harriman Industrial Board will be hosting a Prospect 14 Tour on June 22, 2013 from 10 am - 5 pm. Plan to attend now and get a first hand glimpse during this historic event.

A few of the buildings offer 2nd level housing opportunities and the street level would all be available to retail, restaurant, antique shops, office space, commercial use.

Staff will be available to meet with you to discuss your concept and review the opportunities downtown. We want to ensure that your goals are met.

To read and see more about this event, and the properties, CLICK HERE!

Out And About!

I'm having "posterior lumbar interbody fusion" (PLIF) surgery in late April, so today, while I was feeling like moving, I got out and went "manly-man" shopping with my son.  

We looked at everything from clothes at Men's Warehouse to golf clubs at Dick's!  Corey bought a #3 RZB fairway wood and picked up some super cool sunglasses to wear when driving the Mustang!  A man has to look his best!

We stopped at Silo Cigars to get a little something for Bailey's Sports Grille, and that's when I spotted it!  It looked like 20mm rounds in an ammo can...on the floor of the humidor room!

On closer inspection I saw that it was a special promotion Recon Cigar display.  The owner of the shop actually brought in the ammo can as an addition attractor!  It worked!

The "round", uh the cigar, cost be $20, but I just had to have this conversation piece.  I haven't tasted the product yet, but I plan on it Sunday at a family gathering.

At Bailey's we both enjoyed the "Black Forest" sandwich; he with fries and a gallon of tea, and me with onion rings and Fat Tire.  Man, it was tasty, and the rings are awesome!

We puffed our cigars and talked, and half-watched a couple guys play pool and I took a couple of shots to merge into this HDR renditions.  I love the effect of HDR.

I got to see my granddaughters as well today.  They are so precious, and of course, the prettiest and best grandchildren ever!

I just love good times with my son.  He is special and time with him is very rare and special.

See ya!

CURISIN' HARRIMAN 2013 BEGINS APRIL 13TH

This years Cruisin' Harriman begins on April 13th with new hours: 3:30 to 7PM!

CLICK HERE, see photos from past events!

See you in Downtown Harriman, TN - April through August, second Saturday of each month!

WE NEED YOUR HELP TO ERECT THE "THREE SOLDIERS" REPLICA IN HARRIMAN'S RIVERFRONT PARK

Back in August of 2011, I first posted about an event sponsored by the American Legion in Harriman, Tennessee.  This effort is coming to fruition on July 4, 2013, but much support is still needed.

The grand plan is to erect a full size replica of “The Three Soldiers” memorial in the “David Webb Riverfront Park”, as a tribute to Roane County Vietnam veterans.

The memorial, believed to be the only “full size” replica in the state, if not anywhere outside Washington D.C., will be placed in the park’s war memorial area near the present fountain. Long term plans are to place other memorials from America’s other wars in this area as money and support comes along.

The cost of the replica is thought to be between $12 and $14,000. The group did not ask the city for funding, but announced that funds for the monument would come from private donations and fund raising.

Anyone wanting to donate to the memorial can send a check to:

Riverfront Park
P.O. Box 1006
Harriman, TN. 37748

 

or to:

The American Legion

624 Morgan St.

Harriman ,Tn. 37748 

The planned date of July 4, 2013, is the goal for the erection of this fabulous monument in the Veteran Memorial section of the River Front Park.

 

There is still a lot of work to be done.

KUNG PAO SCALLOPS WITH A TOUCH OF GRANDDAUGHTER

My granddaughter, Kaitlyn (Katie Bug we call her), spent the night with us last night, and usually we have a big breakfast together, however, today was Judy's "girlfriend luncheon" day, so there was no breakfast.  Judy did not feel like breaking the date, since it had been planned for a month, so Katie and I decided to have an "adventure" day.

She and I used to have "ventures", as she called them (as I've written before), when she was a little thing, and I always cherished those times.  Today was no exception, except that it was more of a lunch date rather than a ride through the country side or a hike.

She decided she wanted to go to P. F. Chang's, so off we went through the rain to Knoxville.

The place was filled with the "sad" working lunch crowd, and it felt so good to know I was retired and didn't have to rush through a meal and get back to work.  We took our time, knowing the only thing we had to rush back to was maybe a nap!

We continued the conversations we had on the 40-mile ride over our "hot and sour" soup appetizer.  She is quite a conversationalists, and very knowledgeable about current events, and worries a lot about the struggles of people today.  We talked about gun and drug control, and various ways they could be controlled, a little politics, school classes, and, of course, boyfriends.

I love these talks.  It helps me get into her mind, and possibly instill some guidance or direction from my life's experience.  Bottom line...I thoroughly enjoyed our day!  I love her so much, and these times help me worry less about her while she's away at school, and her future.

She ordered the CRISPY HONEY SHRIMP, and, as usual, I went for the spicy KUNG PAO SCALLOPS, stir-fried with peanuts, chili peppers and scallion!  I love the "hot bite" of this dish, and the crunch of the peanuts. Both dishes were suburb! I can say that because I tasted of her's too! 

Thank you sweetheart, for the lovely day!  I hope you and Papaw get to enjoy many more days like this in the future.  You are special to me and I'll never forget our time together.

And Yet, I'm Still here!

When I think back to all the times I could have missed all this, I wonder why I'm still here?  Why did I survive; when so many passed on?

The times I rode with my dad, sleeping peacefully without a seat-belt, in the backseat, while he passed on the crooked two-lane roads of the 50's and 60's; when so many others died in similar ways.

Yet, I'm still here.

The time when I fell from my bike, and knocked myself cold; when so many other youngsters die in similar ways.

Yet, I'm still here.

The time my snow sled rammed a hidden log, almost breaking my neck; when so many others died in similar ways.

Yet, I'm still here.

All the times I drove fast, in a time before seat-belts, even hitting a tree once; when so many others died in similar ways.

Yet, I'm still here.

The year I spent in Vietnam, enduring several rocket attacks; when so many others died.

Yet, I'm still here.

All the times I drove home buzzed; when so many others died in similar ways.

Yet, I'm still here.

The time I jumped from Caney Ford bridge; when so many others died in similar ways.

The time the houseboat ran aground and threw me head first over the bow into a rocky bank, littered with driftwood spikes; when so many others died in similar ways.

Yet, I'm still here.

The angry year of 2009/2010 when I fell from a short drop on Buzzard's Bluff and cracked four ribs, and then found out I had kidney cancer; when so many others have died and are dying the similar ways.

Yet, I'm still here.

Why are so many of us still here, when others our age have passed on?  

Maybe it's just to be here to say, I love you to someone, and to tell them that Jesus loves them regardless of their wicked ways!

Further, I may not be able to forgive you of your sins, He can, and will unconditionally through his Grace.

Life will get me one of these days, probably through "dumb luck and pneumonia", as Jack Bondurant said of his uncle Forrest in the movie "Lawless"!  

Yet, He will still be here.

HERE'S GUN CONTROL THAT WOULD WORK!

I often encounter these signs...I ignore them!  I'd rather be judged by 12 than carried by 6!

These signs and notices only let a deranged person know that a business is a "Free/Safe Killing Zone"!

If businesses put up signs that said, "Legal Carry Permit Firearms Allowed", they and the public would be better served!

GOT MY SLEEP NUMBER TODAY!

Okay, it's probably a ruse, but thanks to a cute 23 year-old sales girl, some razzle-dazzle, and several minutes spent trying everything out, my "sleep number" is 35!

I think that's the norm for air bed users, since that number, or 70 is on all the promos.

Being over 200 lbs., I wallow out a mattress in 3 to 5 years. Then I spend several years trying to get my money's worth out of it; all the while suffering with aches and pains.

The photos below are a real time pressure point photos.  The first one shows how heavy my ass is!  That number is at setting 100, which is the full inflated bed.  It felt so good, even there, especially being compared to the sway-back mule I'm now trying to use.  I would have bought it if it didn't adjust!  I'm averaging 5 to 6 hours in the hole, and my hips are killing me!

At that point the long-dark-haired gal asked me to start pressing the down button.  I could feel my legs and arms start touching the bed...sinking down into the caressing arms of the mattress.  I have never felt my body completely against a mattress.  Some parts always seem to float above the bed with no support.  Others are pressed hard into the mattress supporting the part of the iceberg floating above!

Down, down I went until the photo scan looked like the second one...at 35.  I then noticed, after turning on my side, the way I sleep, that my hip pain had almost dissolved away!  My ass wasn't so heavy anymore!

So, I bought the damn thing!  Now, if I can get 7 hours out of it, it will be money well spent.