IT'S BEEN A BIT OF AN ODD WEEK

This week has been a mishmash of events; none of which match up in any way, shape, or form.  A bit odd, one might say.

The week's lineup of events really began Saturday when Judy left for Florida with her daughter and granddaughter, leaving me to mope about the house, washing the left over dishes, doing some laundry (so that I would have plenty of "bloomers" this week), and working on a new router I bought.

I pulled my hair out over the Asus router for three, almost full days, when I suddenly decided it wasn't worth the sleeplessness!  Routers, not purchased directly from Comcast, routinely do not sync-up with the standard Arris modem.  The Comcast modem will just not forget anything it has learned, like a MAC address of the last router connected to it, and therefore will not recognize any new modem!

Comcast don't care...unless the router belongs to them, and Asus assures a caller that if you turn of the power, remove the battery (modems that also provide telephony services contain a battery), and leave it for just 60 seconds the modem will recognize the router and everything will be coming up roses again!

Wrong...even if you leave the battery out, and unplugged the power overnight, you will find that the Arris modem has written the MAC down in pencil somewhere within its plastic body!

So...it's currently speeding its way back to Amazon as I write.

Monday was the day my little momma had to go back to her dental surgeon and dentist for one last checkup after she had her upper teeth pulled and replaced.  So, I drive her to the appointments and play with my iPad in their waiting rooms.

Everything was fine, so we go to the Cracker Barrel to eat...which was the fun part.

The previous week found me spending the night with her to make sure she didn't pass out from blood loss, and playing with my iPad into the wee hours.

About midnight mom woke up with a mouth full of blood!  She was bleeding badly, looking pale, and getting weak.  She was under strict orders not to remove her upper plate, so I couldn't tell what was going on.  She gargled with saltwater several times, but continued to bleed.

This would not have worried me have as much had she not been hospitalized just a month earlier from blood loss caused by an ulcer.  That had been a quick fix, with a pint of blood reviving her, but this was a new issue!

Finally, I said screw it, take the dentures out and let's see if we can stop the bleeding.  I remembered mom telling me that my dad had uncontrolled bleeding when his teeth were extracted back in the 70's, and she had made him clamp down on a tea bag.

So, I boiled some strong tea, soaked gauze in it, and put it in a thin line under her upper plate.  In thirty minutes the bleeding had stopped and she was asleep...leaving me to my iPad!

So now she is eating well and feeling great again.

Sunday, I spent part of Father's Day with Corey.  I met him at home and visited with his wife, Tia, and the girls, taking a couple of snaps before we left to go eat.  

We ate Wild Wings and had Maggie Moo's ice cream for dessert!  I plan to eat the leftovers tonight, with a little watermelon for dessert.

Tia's granny died over the weekend, so Monday evening was when the services were scheduled.  It was only traumatic for me because I couldn't find a decent thing to wear!  I know, sound like a woman, huh?!

I finally did find a button-up long-sleeved shirt to wear, but I had no matching tie.  I tried on my sport coat, the one I bought in 2009, and it hung on me like a GI pup tent!  It was a size 52, and apparently I'm a 42-44 now!  I had no idea I had shed that much...seriously, and I'm not even trying.

So, since it was 95 yesterday, 90 at 6PM, people seem to let it pass that I wasn't wearing at least a tie.  Thankfully, I wasn't the only one there dressed as casually!  

Corey didn't even have on a tie, but he at least had on a sport coat.  The other thing about Corey is that he sang so beautifully that I almost cried.  He is, if I may brag, super talented, and he and the fellow accompanying him on the guitar killed "My Savior's Love", published by Charles H. Gabriel in 1905.

This came just after my friend Kenny Isham delivered a touching eulogy for old friend Grace Bass (Tia's granny).  People seeing me tear up would have thought it was a traditional Baptist invitational moment, but it was really just so much pride and love for my son that had me on the jagged edge.

Then there was today, Tuesday!  I was told by my "husband-in-law" Gary yesterday that my Vietnam boots were on display at Riverfront Park.  I had given them to the American Legion here locally for a veteran's display, and they had loaned them out to a memorial artists to cast as the boots of a new memorial at the park.  The display was ready, so I went down to see what everything was all about.

I was totally taken aback by what I found (see photos)!  There were my 45 year-old jungle boots sitting on each side of an M-16, topped by a helmet in jungle cammo.  Wow, it is really nice, but the best part is that for as long as this lasts, my boots will be in public view!

I'm honored that they were used to commemorate fallen veterans, but especially our local fallen heroes.  I'm no hero, but at least I have provided a small token that will call attention to those that were/are!  Rest in peace my brothers in arms! 

Yeah, it's been a bit of an odd week, but I just spoke with Judy and everything is back in its place.  She has always been able to settle me down and help me to make some sense of this crazy world.  I can hardly wait for Saturday and her return.

THE SOUTH WILL RISE IN HEAT AGAIN

Yes, it has been a very cold winter thus far. After nine straight days of near record cold temperatures, rain is predicted by tomorrow evening. There was never much snow, but the temps dropped and stayed below freezing for longer than it has in several years, so what little fell stuck around and is still around in places. Oh, it's been as cold over the past winters, but it has been some time since it stayed that cold during the day for this long.

I really don't remember, at least in recent memory, seeing the Emory River freeze over. It wasn't thick enough to walk out on, but there was at least an inch of ice covering the lake areas from shore to shore. The rocks and debris, including one garage can I saw, that kids threw out onto the ice still await a warm enough day to allow them to settle to the bottom.

Even the water inside plants and at their roots was forced up and out into beautiful little ice flowers known as "Frost Flowers"! I thought the little white things along the roadside were pieces of paper, but after stopping and taking a closer look I saw their beauty frozen in time.

There is one fountain in our local Riverfront Park that completely froze up, while another in the little pond by "Wild Wings Cafe" in Knoxville still struggled to put out its spray.

As I wrote in my last post, the ice covering the river made weird noises, sounds I called "singing" as the wind above and the water moving below pushed at the surface causing strains that made audible sounds. I've heard the Indians talk about the singing waters, but I always assumed it was babbling springs, but it could have also been the friction of the ice as it gently moved on the waters. Follow this link to hear the "Chants of Frozen Lakes" by Marc Namblard! Click the audio start button to hear the recordings.

Nonetheless, spring shall be back in sixty days or so, and all will be forgotten, save these photos. I suppose that's true about everything though...it's here...then gone...unless we have a photograph to remind us.

More frozen photos HERE.

IT STARTED GOOD...ENDED GOOD!

Katie spent the night with us Monday night, but she did have a date. As she prepared, her Granny sat in the bathroom on the pot (wearing her "Simply the Best Grandma" t-shirt) watching and talking to her. It's always the same thing, boys and college! She has a new boy friend now, but she still discusses the old one with her Granny.

I told her that I was planning to meet Corey Tuesday morning for a little shopping and then a Wild Wings lunch. Her ears perked up and her eyes got big as saucers when I said "Wild Wings", so yes, she was down for it!

Katie got up when I did and went home to get ready and to leave her mom her car. After eating a quick breakfast bar, I dropped by my doctor's office and got my H1N1. Judy told me her shot hurt like the devil, so I was expecting the worst...nothing! It was as if the nurse hadn't stuck me at all!

I picked Katie up and we were off to Knoxville. We met Corey at Gander Mountain and shopped around there a while, about long enough for them to find the barrel of "pop guns" and begin firing at me!

We then made a trip further east so Corey could pick up a Christmas gift for his wife, and then headed back toward Wild Wings. However, it was still early, so we decided to peruse Best Buy for a few minutes.

Well, it turned into about an hour visit, especially after Katie and Corey decided to outdo each other on Guitar Hero! Turns out Katie was much more experienced and racked up the most points.

Katie then discovered the Mac computers and started messing with the video/still camera application. She managed to freeze these three shots of us goofing off in the store. It wasn't the first time, and I sure hope it isn't the last!

We finally made it to Wild Wings and dug into the "wing bar", which included some boneless selections this trip. They were might good, but they failed to keep the wing bins full and selection was poor. Of course, I'll give them another chance to straighten up!

Corey received a call from Tia telling him that Kinsley was wheezing badly and she was taking her to the doctor. Since Lily just got out a day earlier, we were all concerned about the little one.

We all expected Kinsley to be admitted to the hospital but as it turned out she was sent home. The doctor said she was getting plenty of oxygen and the breathing treatments they were continuing at home was all she needed at this time.

So, it all ended up "good"...same as it started, but I'm still concerned about the kids and whether or not they will be well enough for Christmas morning.

WINGS, CREAM HORNS, AND BASEBALL CAPS

Judy and I did a little shopping today after my dentist visit. I bought a warm looking black twill shirt-jacket and a pull-over, both half-price at Kohl’s. Judy also found some jeans that were also on sale and a little Christmas nightlight for Katie Bug.

Afterwards, we stopped at Wild Wings and ate a late lunch, and the leftovers turned out to be our evening meal.

Of course, we had to have dessert, so we stopped at Harriman’s new Pattycake Pastries, and bought a couple of “cream horns”! Supposedly, these babies are made from the very same recipe used when Merri Mac Bakery was open years ago in the same location. After eating them…later by the fireplace, they are as I remember! Good things are starting to happen in Harriman, and this is one of them. Please patronize Mike Borman’s shop frequently. We need to keep our money invested in our community. (More about the new bakery on the Princess Blog soon.)

Anyway, because of the buying spree, we decided to make room in our closets by bagging up some things for the “Clothes Closet”. Someone needing a couple of warm coats this year is going to be wearing some good ones! We filled two garbage bags, and made more than enough room for the new stuff!

I dumped in half my old collection of baseball caps, most hardly ever worn, so someone might like those. Anyway, I pulled a bunch of old hat/lapel pins off the hats before putting them in the bag. I made this montage of the pins, so you can enjoy them. You can probably deduct from them a lot of who and what I am. I really hated to put them way in a drawer, but I just don’t wear hats much anymore unless it’s below 32.

Some of you will probably enjoy this photo, ‘cause back in August and September of ’06 I posted two “cleaning out my drawers” posts that some of you got a kick out of…CLICK HERE OR HERE to go back in time!

All the time I was pinning them to the cushion I used as a holder and background, Judy sat there watching adorningly, talking to Tracy on the phone, and feeling all good inside from the wings and cream horn she had just eaten! Look at her…she’s beautiful and very happy!

HANGIN’ WITH MY PARTNER

Corey and I hit Wild Wings in Knoxville today to watch Tennessee play Georgia…great game! We finally put a balanced attack together and came up with 45 big points!

Our team is young with a new coach, but as the games tick by the experience comes. Everyone had better get what they can of us this season, because the VOLS are coming on strong. Corey predicts a championship in 2011! Let’s hope he is right.

The Wild Wings Café was packed, with extra tables set up everywhere there was space. There were plenty of TV screens to watch, at almost any angle, but we sat on the front row at a “high-top” looking directly at the big projected screen on stage. Terrific seats, great food (a 25 piece sampler platter), good tea and Fat Tire, and an enthusiastic crowd of folks dressed in “Big Orange”.

Check out the huge draft of beer, complete with tap, that some tables ordered! With a plastic bag of ice floating on top, there was plenty of cold beer for the entire game.

I was on a high when I got home, but my mom had called telling us that my Uncle Tom is not expected to leave the Florence, AL hospital. He has cancer on one kidney and on his liver, and the prognosis is not good. Mom is very upset because she is 83 years old and about to lose another sibling. Since Tom is 10 years younger than mom makes it especially hard too. Her age makes it difficult to travel and stay away from home for long periods, so I’m not sure what she will decide to do.

Anyway, whatever she decides about going or waiting, I’m here for her.

All in all, a good day with my son is what I’ll remember. Knowing that time takes us all too soon, there is just too much time between the good times, but my partner makes them memorable when they do come around. It’s days like today that I will remember when my time comes.

A WINGS RUN WITH THE BOYS!

My son called me Monday and invited me out to Wild Wings with him and his two college buddies from Middle (Doug) and West (Justin…wearing cap) Tennessee. It seems Doug, especially; always insist Corey’s “old man” come along.

We have all spent time on the golf course and in a mountain cabin for a “boy’s weekend” several times before, and for some reason they seem to get a kick out of me!

They don’t realize how honored I am being with them and hearing them talk about the good times they’ve shared over the years – most of which I will not share with you publicly! I love those guys!

Anyway, Wild Wings served up much better wings this time, and the Yuengling Doug and I shared (an iced 6-pack bucket) was extremely cold and delicious. Those were actually the first beers I’ve had in several weeks. Corey was relieved to see me having a beer again. We’ve been there twice before and I drank tea with him, and he was afraid I was sick or something!

Anyhow, we left a pile of “carnage” and had great fun playing with our “nerdy” equipment; flashing cameras and camera phones, and talking or texting to other parts of the country.

There’s nothing quite like a “boys night out!”

A WILD WINGS RUN

School is out, but Corey is still tying up loose ends, but he decided to relax a bit and called me Friday to see if I wanted to hit Wild Wings for lunch...the question goes without asking...YEAH!

On the way, I got a text message from Jeff, who seems to be enjoying his fishing trip. In the attached photo, he was holding some weird brew, but they're all good.

At Wings the waitress asked us what we wanted to drink. Corey responded with his usual un-sweet tea, and I followed with the same answer. Corey looked shocked and said, "Dad...that ain't right! What's wrong?"

I'm currently taking an antibiotic so I thought better of mixing alcohol with it. Anyway, I continued my non-alcohol day into the evening at my Class Reunion's warm-up party (more on that later). Probably the first party I've attended in some time without a beer or a drink in my hand. It actually turned out well...may do that more often.

After eating, Corey wanted to go to Dick's Sporting Goods, with his usual, "You like Dick's don't you dad," running joke.

I got very tickled at him trying to convince his wife that he needed a new pair of golf shoes, but Tia would have no part of it. So, he bought a box of balls, and I ended up with two golf shirts.

Being with Corey is one of the great pleasures of my life!

MAKING CHRISTMAS SHOPPING FUN!

Corey had a lot of Christmas Shopping to do Saturday, so he called me and asked me to go with him. As I’ll explain in my next post, I don’t shop for anyone but the grandkids, but I don’t ever miss an opportunity to be with me son. I’ll even cancel doctor’s appointments if necessary, because my time with him has always been short and scheduled. “Corey time” is special and I live for it, no matter how short it is!

We hit the road and headed for Oak Ridge for a very important stop. I can’t reveal to you the details of this stop, because Tia reads my blog! Suffice it to say that she will be totally surprised and very pleased. ‘Nuff said!

From there we drove on to West Town Mall in Knoxville. There was a little “Tinker Bell” house at the Disney Store just waiting for Santa, and Papaw Elf, to pick up! Check out Corey on the phone to his wife, Tia, making sure this was the correct item! It takes concentration and coordination to get all the shopping done correctly and on time!

Eventually, as we wandered the mall, we came upon the traditional Santa Claus photo opportunity. This little girl was very frightened of the bearded old man, and it took her “papaw” to calm her down long enough for a photo, and for Santa to ask her questions.

Out in the parking lot, as you will see in the red circle of the attached photo, I spotted one of the new Police mobile watch towers! I don’t know if they are there year-round, but I suspect so. There are always break-ins, muggings, and even rapes in and around most mall parking lots. This is the city’s way of reducing that possibility, and ensuring its residents and visitors have a safe shopping experience.

From the mall, we headed for Dick’s…I love Dick’s – don’t you?!

At Dicks, Corey found a nice jogging suit for his brother-in-law, and I had a great time searching through the sale items. However, I came away empty handed, having talked myself out of a couple of nice shirt purchases. I often do that, and then end up regretting having passed up the deal.

It was then on to Best Buy, where Corey again looked for something another special gift for his wife. He found it too, but I’ll not tell!

I purchased a Bejeweled 2 game for Judy, having lost her Jewel Quest game during the conversion to her new laptop! She still wants her old game back, so I’ll have to shop some more!

Finally, we made it to Wild Wings! I know, I was just there a couple of days ago, but I love Wild Wings!

I did not have wings, I had one of their yummy wraps instead, and Corey had the “buffalo wings” and lots of tea! I couldn’t resist having a couple of Yuenglings…they just tasted so good Saturday!

On the way home we played WIMZ very loud and played “Guess that band”! We always have a great time, and I’m already looking forward to next time!

DAY 3 AND 4 – DENISE AND JEFF IN TENNESSEE

By popular demand, I’m posting one more shot of the kayaking trip, with Jeff firmly planted into the hull of Ron’s kayak! It was a little wobbly at first, but he finally got his balance and enjoyed the short trip back to terra firma!

Jeff’s experiment reassured me that I’m not down to my kayaking weight yet!

After refreshing from the float trip, we headed for Gatlinburg, as posted previously.

Thursday began with a feast at the Wild Wings Café noon buffet, where we did ourselves proud, leaving a large basket of “carnage” to prove our worthiness!

The waitress was so intrigued by our capacity and the “Shandy’s” Judy and Denise kept ordering that she asked if she could document the occasion, but we refused to allow them to post either shot over the bar!

Later, we dropped the girls off at Khol’s and headed for the Leaf & Ale to peruse the cigars! We both have plenty, but true to male form, we bought a few more!

Next Jeff and I drove over to Bailey’s Sports Grill for a quick Yuengling draft. I haven’t been there in some time, but we enjoyed the short visit. The place seems to have been spruced up since my last visit, and I’ve kind of been missing the place. We didn’t get anything to eat, of course, because we were saving ourselves for Los Primos in Harriman!

At around 6:30 we met up with Terri and Steve and Charlotte and Gary for another feast…this time Mexican! You couldn’t tell we were still full from Wild Wings, and the large Dos Equis drafts and margaritas went down easy!

Later Jeff and I relaxed on the porch and listened to my MP3 “party tunes” while Denise and Judy watched the Olympics. Jeff and I always enjoy the porch time the best. This is where we do our deep thinking and male bonding!

Early Friday morning Judy and I met them at the Cracker Barrel for a send off breakfast. True to form, Jeff, Judy, and I stuffed ourselves while Denise nibbled on sour dough toast.

How do those cherry topped pancakes look?!

Jeff and Denise left at 9:30, on their way to Graceland. There plan was to leave Saturday morning on the last 7 or 8 hour leg of their vacation.

I’ll have to admit, they wore me out, ‘cause I’m not used to getting up at 7 each morning and staying awake all day! However, it was a grand time and I loved their visit immensely and especially getting to meet Denise. These two kids are good for each other and enjoy life to the fullest. We need folks to get us off our dead asses occasionally and these two fit the bill.

I told them as they left that I would get into shape about two weeks early next trip! Naw, it wasn’t all that rough on me, it was great fun.

We love you guys…and we are looking forward to next year’s visit. We already know what one or two days will involve…the outlet malls in Pigeon Forge and Sevierville!

Yep, you should have seen Denise’s eyes light up when we pointed out the Red and Green Roof Malls in Pigeon Forge, and the Tanger Outlets in Sevierville, Tennessee! I guess Jeff and I will pass the time at the Smoky Mountain Knife Works and the Brewery!

Ya’ll come!