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.

LOOKING FORWARD

Back in the fall of 2010, I never would have thought I would still be alive!  

What with two stomach operations and surgery for kidney cancer, it seemed doubtful at times, especially those two weeks following my first Nissen fundoplication, when the doctor inadvertently stitched a nerve that controlled my diaphragm!  I could hardly walk across the room, and showering made it necessary for my wife to towel me off.  I would almost pass out from lack of oxygen.

With the help of God and a little retraining of my diaphragm muscle, I overcame that, and lived to have the same surgery again!

Just about the time I got over that, I discovered that I had a tumor on my left kidney.  Other than the pain drugs I was given, I made it through that pretty well.

So, yeah, honestly, when I look back I thought 2010 would be my last year on earth.  This September, it will only have been two years since the cancer scare, but it seems so much longer.

Now, I sit here, knowing that tomorrow morning I'll be again put to sleep for a "green laser" procedure on my prostate.  Not a real serious thing, but enough to give me pause to reflect.  I was once told that every time you are anesthetized, and put to sleep, you lose a little something!  Whether or not that true remains to be discovered, I just know I can't afford to drop off any brain power!  I guess that bothers me more than anything, but it has to be done.

So, this past week, knowing what I'm facing again, I tried to lose myself in the real life going on around me.  

Take last week's sixth birthday party for Lily!  What a day I had.  Again, I was on a t-ball field watching a granddaughter learning and playing the game.  How wonderful it is to be alive and having the privilege again of experiencing what I did with Katie Bug.  The best part, I still have Kinsley to go!

Lily will learn the game and teach her younger sister the ropes, and ol' Papaw will be on the sidelines grinning all over himself!

Lily also turned six on the same day.  To be with her, her sister, and my son and his wife, is pure love from above.  My heart gets so overjoyed that tears come to my eyes.

Right in the middle, came Mother's Day.  I love fixing the traditional hamburger for my mom, even if this year I had to stand in the rain to do it!  As you can see, I was successful, and it was all worth it to see that big smile!

I also got to be with Tracy, Katie, and Eddie to share a laugh or two.  Since Katie is off in school most days, it's always good to be with her every second I can.  She was the first, and we connected deeply in those early days.  We went on "ventures", finding out together where little overlooked roads led, and just talking about everything.  I miss that...so much, but now she's off, probably soon making a family of her own...more kids for me to spoil!

Lily also, it's been a good couple of weeks for her, graduated from kindergarten.  One Papaw, one Pop-pop, and one Baboo, along with one Gramby, one BeeBee, and one Momma Judy sat in the audience with huge grins and hearts, with eyes focused on her alone.  It probably was special for mom and dad too, but grandparents realize what is going on.  We are calling back all the days gone past when we really didn't pay close enough attention, and we don't want those moments to get away from us again.

It's like when we notice that the new puppy has grown up, we wish we could have kept it at that small and tender age when they had that beautiful puppy breath!  We know we can't keep them young forever, but grand children let us relive all those lost moments all over again.  Forgive us when we encourage you to have another child...that's all we're trying to do, to keep you young forever!

So, my prayer is that I'll again have more tomorrows and more Katie, Lily, and Kinsley to have "silly-time" with.  It's all I ever wanted...honestly!  

TWO GREAT FAMILY DAY'S IN A ROW

Yep, nothing like family, and Sunday dinner and picking up Lily from school on Monday were great blessings for me.

Even having my four-legged grand-dog give me her "Wha'chu Talkin' 'Bout?" look put a smile in my heart!

Saturday out with the Knights (Ron and Steve), watching radio controlled airplanes and helicopters circle above our heads, sipping brews with pizza, are so much fun, but there is nothing like close family time.

Judy out did herself by cooking a 4-hour pot roast with potatoes, carrots, slaw, mac'n cheese, green beans, cornbread, and pecan pie for desert.  She invited Tracy, Katie, and Eddie over and they brought Roxy to beg at the table for leftovers!

We had a good time in the sun-room, relaxing, rubbing our bellies, watching Judy and Katie trying to find enough room in one chair, and teasing Roxy.  It was a very relaxing day.  We need more of those family times over a good meal, and Judy has promised to do it more often.

Since Katie had to get back to school to study for finals, the party broke up early.  However, it was the second day Judy and I had her around.  She had actually spent Friday night with us, giving them alone time piled up in the bed talking about boys, TV shows, and what was for breakfast!

Saturday morning she left early to attend a ball game with her young cousin, and I left to join Ron and Steve at the Tennessee Eagles airfield.

So, the weekend went fine and ended too soon.  It used to be sad because we knew we had to go to work Monday morning, but now it's sad because family has to leave to get ready for work and college.

However, for us, the family time continues on Mondays.  That's the day we pick Lily up after school.  

This Monday was to be a special day, a short visit with my mom.  We always stop and get something for a picnic out in her sun room.  Mom loves the time with Lily, 'cause she don't get to see Lily, or her sister, very often.  She watched every move Lily made, and she was in rare form today.

Lily laughed, poked fun at us, danced, flipped her hair band at us, and, in general, thoroughly entertained us.  These days she is quite different from her shy beginnings.  She rubs against us and hugs us, lets us hug and kiss on her, which used to be a "no no".  She was once quite independent and didn't like people touching her, but, boy, has that changed!  It's a change I've waited for for almost six years now!

We laughed at her blue tongue, from the "Blue Coconut" slush she wanted from Sonic, and simply adored every little thing she did and said.

So, tomorrow is Tuesday, and we're back to being by ourselves, which we also enjoy, but not like the times when family is around.  

Those are the "family days"!

Graduation And Back At School

My daughter graduated from LPN training last week and we're very proud of her.  She's in her forties and just decided it was time to go back to school and start a new page in her life.  

Tracy has been busy over the years since high school, mostly raising her daughter Katie, but she also became a beautician, and managed the family auto accessory and window tint business while doing so.  She learned to do the actual tinting from Eddie, her husband, who is, by all accounts, one of the best "tinters" in the area.

We celebrated her latest accomplishment by gathering at Wild Wings with family and friends.  It was a great evening with lots of laughter, libations, and, of course, wings!

 

Then on the weekend, Tracy and Eddie, along with Judy, went to Cookeville to see Katie's apartment.

                                                           

I told Judy to take pictures of the new place so I could see what it looked like.  Well, she brought back photos of Katie, which I expected, but the only part of the apartment I got to see was her bed (not the room), her toilet, and a table in the corner of one room where she keeps her laptop.  Was it not for Photoshop, which I used to lighten the shots, I would not have even gotten to see those areas!  It could have been in any apartment or house in America!

It's true, good photography skills don't just rub off...you actually have to develop them!

Anyway, a few days have passed, and Katie has been to two actual class days of school, and here it is Labor Day weekend.  She is in town for the holiday break and spent the night with us last night, and insisted I make pancakes this morning!  Of course, that don't take much arm twisting, but I try to avoid them until she visits.

She is presently sitting, as usual, in the same chair with her Granny, who is faithfully rubbing her on the arm, out on the screened porch, probably talking about boys and what she intends on having someday in the future.

Judy loves these times and would not trade places with anyone in the entire world!

KATIE BUG IS GOING BACK TO SCHOOL

Katie's Granny and I have enjoyed the last two days with her spending two days and one night with us.  It's been a favorite blessing for us for over 19 years now, and we hope our good luck holds!

She is sitting in the same rocker with Judy right now on the screened porch...the chair barely holds them both, but the closer she can get to her Granny the better she likes it.  And, of course, as uncomfortable as Judy is right now, I know she'd have it no other way!

Summer Break is coming to an end and Katie is packing to go back to school Tuesday, but she made one last special supper request from Judy - cornbread, fried squash and okra, and the new food she recently discovered at our table, hominy!  Yep, the girl is pure country.  She loves her some hominy and grits!

Of course, ol' Papaw benefits from her special food requests, and I lap it up almost as fast!

We got off our usual TV routine to watch a marathon of "Final Destination" flicks with her, and I kind of enjoyed them...to my surprise!  It was better than the usual TV diet of "Intervention" episodes that she normally subjects us to.  I may have to go see the 5th release that's in theaters now!

It is so much fun having Kaitlyn here, listening to her go on about her latest boyfriend contacts, and which of her friends is into what and why she thinks it's so!  She analyzes everything and has an opinion on it all!

Anyway, I just wanted to bore you with the latest about my oldest granddaughter.  I can't help it, I love her so much!

A QUICK TRIP TO SAVANNAH, GEORGIA

We traditionally take Katie Bug (our oldest granddaughter) on a special vacation, just the three of us, each summer.  She always decides the destination, and likes places "old people", like us, enjoy.  We have such a great time, mostly watching her excitement as she learns about the bigger world around her, clowns around, or as she chows down on some crab legs!

This year's trip was just a four-day tour of Savannah and Tybee Island, Georgia.  It was about 7 and a half hours from Harriman, straight down Interstates all the way.  Judy did all the driving there and back, while I was saddled with the 'round-town driving.  I think I would have much preferred the Interstate!

Savannah is an easy place to get around, once you discover that the town was beautifully laid out in perfect squares with straight streets that lead to an from the Savannah Historic District.  Of course, the first thing you have to get used to are the squares, or little parks that are placed at every intersection in the historic district.  This squares are America's equivalent of Europe's "round-abouts".  You must slow down and follow around to your right in order to continue on your straight journey downtown.

Most of the "squares" contain a fountain, a statue, or monument dedicated to someone or some past historical event.  These squares broke up our straight trip up and down Abercorn Street each day as we traveled from our hotel to the downtown sites.

Judy picked out our hotel blindly on the Internet, so it was quite a distance from downtown, but the place was nice so we decided to stay put and just enjoy the trips to and from our planned destinations.

We loved walking on Bay and River Streets, watching vacationers and following them into various shops and restaurants.  River Street is like a little Gatlinburg with lots of unique shops and candy kitchens, and great places to get in out of the 90+ degree heat, cool off, and eat.

The Cotton Exchange Tavern Restaurant and Fiddler's Crab House were two of our favorite places.

The walking isn't hard, after all your are at sea level, but during the hot summer months you want to be sure to carry water with you, and you need to find a place to cool off frequently.  The heat is a "wet heat", very humid, so your body will know when it's time to take a break!

Katie loved the old buildings and cemeteries, and often said, while following me, "Papaw, do you have a duck in your pants!"  I told her no, but she would reply, "I don't know...I can hear it quacking!"  Sorry...I had to add that, she has a unique sense of humor!

We toured Bonaventure and Colonial Cemeteries and took loads of photos, but we never let our car get too far out of sight.  The heat was oppressive and we enjoyed the cool while relocating within the 600 acres!

Tybee Island was another great place to visit and shop, or to take a tour of the Tybee Island Lighthouse, or the beautiful grounds of Fort Pulaski.  Katie asked lots of questions and I answered or made up answers to every one!  It was quite interesting to see this bit of history.

We also toured the Sorrel-Weed House.  This house has a lot of history and even boast of having been a frequent lodging for Gen. Robert E. Lee when he was in Savannah.  The house is also reported haunted, which fascinated Katie.  She talked about seeing the house on TV and about the "orbs" that had been photographed there.

I tried to explain that "orbs" are nothing more than specs of dust that are captured by the reflecting flash on cameras.  However, she preferred to believe, and I did capture some "orbs/dust reflections" while in the basement!  You can see those and my other photos on my Flickr page. 

Katie was also impressed by the old deep south "pineapple" tradition.  Home owners would show off their wealth by going out and buying a very rare pineapple when ever visitors came to stay.  They displayed them on their mantels to show how welcome their guests were.

The pineapple stayed there during the entire visit.  However, if the guests overstayed their welcome the owner would simply take the pineapple down from the mantel and serve it at the next meal.  That was a signal for the guests to make an excuse for them having to leave.  Nothing had to be said, just put up or take away the pineapple!

Robert E. Lee, however, often carried extra pineapples with him.  So, if he got up one morning and the owner's pineapple was missing, he would simple place one of his own there!  Who knew he had a sense of humor!?

TAKING OUR KATIE BUG ON NEW 'VENTURES

Judy and I still count ourselves blessed that Katie Bug, soon to be 19, still likes to come and spend the night with us.  As usual, she and Judy stay up late jabbering about boys, school, and watching "intervention" shows on TV.

Me, well, I'm in my room trying to go to sleep, knowing that breakfast is all on me...usually pancakes when she comes!

This past week she spent two nights and days with us, but on Thursday, the last day, she got bored and needed for us to come up with something to do.  So, I suggested a hike...and food out!

The idea was an immediate success, so off we went to Black Mountain.  They wanted to see the big rocks and cliffs in the fresh green foliage, and I wanted to see the Pink Lady Slippers.

Unfortunate for me, the Slippers had all finished blooming about a week ago, while we were on vacation!  However, I found one lonely little lady that was just about to deflate for another season.  It was kind of sad, but I counted my self lucky to have at least seen one in bloom this spring. 

There were lots of Fire Pink, Golden Ragwort, and a thick crop of Hawkweed blooms to satisfy my "wildflower" craving, so the day wasn't a total loss.  I noticed that the Mountain Laural is almost ready to reach full peak, so I'll probably go back in another week...if I get back from Savannah in time.

The girls played and posed around the rocks and under the bluffs for awhile, until the itch to move on spread among us, so we moved on down the mountain and back to HWY 70.  Judy had never been to the fire-tower on Roosevelt Mountain above Rockwood, so that was the new heading.

It was about then that I discovered that Katie had never been to Ozone Falls.  Wow, how did that happen?!

I thought I had taken her to just about all my favorite places back when she was under 10 and we on "ventures", as she called them, a lot.  Oh well, there was no time like the present and we were just about there by the time all the "yesterdays" had played through my mind.

She was quite nervous approaching the ledge that is some 1 to 150 feet above the fall pool below.  I can't blame her though...I have a strong respect for heights myself!

We took a few shots there and headed back down the mountain to Roosevelt and up to the fire-tower.

On top, I was relieved to see that the old tower was still standing, although a little worst for wear and tear!  The steps have almost all rotted off, but somehow graffiti still gets painted on the sides of the observation deck.  Who are those crazy kids?!

We later made our way down to the railroad tunnel, where neither girls had ever been.  Just as we walked up to the opening I suddenly stopped and said, "Listen!"

The tunnel cuts beneath Roosevelt Mountain between Westel and Rockwood, Tennessee.  The old Tennessee Central Railroad Tunnel still allows trains through the mountain, off the Cumberland Plateau, and into the East Tennessee River Valley.

They thought I had heard a train, which I hadn't, but just the thought made them nervous.  So, it was now time to eat.

We were all starving by the time we made Los Primos, and the chips and margarita tasted so good!

Back home, I decided to let her do something else she had never done...cut my hair!  The picture included here isn't the best, of me anyway, but you get the point.  She started out reluctantly, being afraid she would cut me, but as the learning curve topped out, she began to apply the appropriate pressure and made all the right moves.  After all, how hard is it to shear an old man nearly bald!?

It was a great day, and it was hard to see her leave for home. 

However, we are right now enjoying her company on a little trip to Savannah, GA.  There will be lots to talk about and more photos to share when we get back.

See you then...

DON'T KNOW WHAT I DID TO DESERVE IT, BUT...

Yep, I don't know what I ever did to deserve it, but I've certainly been blessed!  I think about that fact every time I see Katie Bug, or pick up Lily at Prewee School, see her sister Kinsley, or get a hug from my son Corey, and daughter Tracy.

If I think back on all the things I did that I'd rather stay out of the light of day, I certainly don't think I deserve what I've been given.  However, Grace is free and forgiveness only requires a little faith!  I have asked for and received both, so I suppose I'm covered, and it's a good thing!

I so look forward to the weekends when I get to see Katie Bug, home from school, and to every Monday during the normal school year when we get to pick Lily up from her prewee school, and to seeing her dad when he comes by after work to pick her up.  Those are the most special moments of my week!

Nope, I don't know why I deserve these blessings, but I sure am taking advantage of them!

There's nothing like a big tight hug from a little girl that loves and trust you.  This precious photo can't capture the true emotion filling every part of my being, but it reminds me of what I was feeling at that precise moment in time.

Hopefully they will know someday, when they pause to reflect on these photos, and will probably have children of their own by then, what this old man was feeling and how special they all were to me.

TOO SPECIAL TO THROW AWAY

Judy and I are donating an old dresser, and a couple of end tables, to the local community college theater group, so I spent the day going through the drawers, and trying to find other places for the junk stored in them.  I threw a lot of things away, but down near the bottom of a couple of dusty drawers were a few snap shots that I had completely forgotten about.

Here are a few of the most special ones I came across...

Ranking them, I'd have to say me feeding Katie Bug is number 1!  What a special moment that lucky Papaw's get to share with their grand-kids.  Look at those trusting little eyes...how in the world can some people mistreat children...especially little babies?  

This sure makes me miss her today, but she's off at college, preparing for her own life and future family.  We'll never share such a close moment again, so that's what makes this photo of that moment in '92 so special.

Then there were two I found of my dog Lacy...my candidate for "best dog ever"!  

She was very protective of her human family and even looked the part of a vicious guard dog!  However, to us, she was very loving.  I miss her terribly.  I think these two shots from '92 were the best I ever captured of her.  Note the "half-white" left eye...part of what made her so fearsome looking to strangers!

I couldn't help but laugh when I cam across "the nose picker" shot of Mickey Jones and me!  This was from a 1984 gathering to plan our 20th class reunion.  The Class of '64 has always been close and this just proves it.  Here we are clowning just like be did in class some twenty years earlier!

There are going to be some other dusty drawers in our house that will become overly stuffed from cleaning out this old dresser, but some things are just too special to throw away!