Around these parts a good snow is, while not at all unusual, a sporadic treat that can skip years at a time. Usually we get sleet and ice which is no fun at all. We're right in the path of some serious lookin' white or frozen stuff which makes me downright giddy except for the fact that I'll have to dig my car out at 5AM to go to the day job tomorrow. Meh. There was a good chance for some icing last week and I did the plan ahead redneck thing and put a pizza box over my windshield to keep a clear spot for navigation down Pecan Lane. Hey...all that Girl Scout "be prepared" business was NOT wasted on Poops.

I take the same route to work and home everyday which carries me through the middle of town, passing court square and such. After taking a right at the Methodist Church I travel up Troy Avenue. There is this crazy chick who lives in an apartment somewhere in that area that I see at least once a day who seems to be practicing for American Idol. I can't guess her age, because she's always got on sunglasses...rain or shine. She wears spandex leggings, a heavy coat, sometimes boots or a miniskirt, and has a little dog on a leash. Let's call her Diva, just for simplicity's sake. Diva has a hot pink portable CD player that she carries in one hand, clutching the leash in the other. She struts up and down Troy Avenue from her apartment to the church and back with the dog and the CD player, singing at the top of her lungs. Sometimes when she's not feeling like a walk, she just stands on the sidewalk out front of her place doing her thing. But I tell you what buddy, when she walks she struts her stuff in that spandex. And it ain't a real pretty sight, if you know what I mean. I can only assume that she's getting a crazy check because she's always there and like...not at work. One of these days I'm gonna stop and take her picture. I just hope she's had her meds when I do.

In other news, no Sugardaddy sightings of late although I did run into a rather interesting long haired fellow at the kudzu bar the other night. Which is kind of unusual, ya know? Most of the time it's the same old guys lookin' the same old way playing dominos or talking about hunting and sports. Me and this dude talked politics. How refreshing!

Gotta go find another piece of cardboard for the windshield.

See ya!

Remind me to invest in some dressy black flats, umkay? It seems that putting on BG's big fat chunky heels for the funeral last week has wreaked havoc with my back. Of course it's been five years or more since I put ANYTHING on my feet except for tennis shoes, so that is to be expected I suppose. Live and learn.

I hope nobody was offended by my WW submission of Redneck Friend flipping me off. I figure that's one universally wordless symbol! That particular day she was trying to watch the VOLS play football and I was gettin' on her nerves with the camera as I am prone to do on occasion. Heh. Ain't friendship grand??

Yesterday's tornado threat turned into some of the baddest ass straight line winds we've seen in a loooooooong time around these parts. Two semis blew off the highway and a number of trees got snapped like twigs. The ones below are on Pecan Lane. As for everybody's lawn and patio furniture? Most of it is in Knoxville by now.

In typical Poopie fashion, I cast my premature primary ballot for the Democratic candidate who bowed out of the race today, John Edwards. I guess when you lose in your home state, it's a good sign that you need to re-group. Don't count him out just yet, though. Obama will need a running mate and choosing Hillary would be the kiss.of.death for a dude. Besides. They would fight all the time *snort*

Hump day for ya'll.....just the beginning of a weekend of work pour moi. I do get tomorrow off. If the weatherman is right about the ice and sleet, it will suit me just fine to stay in flannel and dogs all day.

I know. You so wish you were me.

Wordless Wednesday

The high temp today, as of 30 minutes ago was a balmy 66 degrees which can only mean one thing here in the 'burg.....tornado watch. It runs for another couple of hours with a fierce wind pushing in the next strong cold front. The forecast low for the evening is 21....45 degrees colder that it is right now. There's an old joke about the weather in Tennessee that if you don't like it, wait a few hours and you'll have something different. How.True. I reckon that's why we stay sick all the time. Well, that plus the pollen and bird poop.

Thanks to all of your for your good karma on BG's behalf. She did, indeed, receive the funds in question. And she is FINALLY considered an independent student on her FAFSA by our good friends, the federal government. Praise the Lord and pass the Pell Grant!

I'll be danged if it isn't time for my 35 year class reunion. Where the heck did the last five years go???? That was a whole lot of networking, finding folks that we had been out of touch with for ten years so we decided since we're so old *ahem* we need to get together more often. The locals will get together soon to pick a time and place and it will be up to the rest of them to get here from hither and yon. I can't wait to see all them redneck boys and girls again!

As ya'll know, Valentine's Day is sneaking up on us once again. Old Poops has never been blessed with a lot of Valentine action except back in grade school. Remember when we covered shoe boxes with brown paper and doilies and cut a hole in top so everybody in the class could traipse around the room stuffing little cards through the slot to "share the love"? I always hoped above all hopes there would be something special in there for me from the cute boy two rows over who never even gave me the time of day.

Maybe this will be my year. Ya think?

Lord have mercy, ya'll. The feds just never cease to amaze me with their wisdom. They are in the hole to the tune of eight brazillion bucks which, obviously, makes consumers wary. We are all poor broke workin' fools who know when to stop on the credit thing and so the holiday shopping whorefest known as Christmas 07 was less than retailers expected. Boo freakin' hoo. Speaking from the former credit laden consumer that I am, it seems that we the people have begun to see the advantage of living within our means. Wall Street takes a nosedive, which is not at ALL an unusual thing to have happen and BOOM! Here come the troops.

Now I'm not a Greenspan wanna be or anything, but it just seems stupid as hell for a government that's up to its' ass in debt from financing a war that nobody wanted to give tax rebates to "stimulate" the economy. Don't get me wrong....I will definitely not send the check back! They owe me, big time and then some. I'm just saying. Who's in charge here? The two parties! Typical GOP handling of the bucks in an election year with the Dems too scared to play devil's advocate.

Me and another "independent" got to chattin' at work today about the trouble with healthcare these days. Universal doesn't seem to be the way to go federally : see Canada, et al. My opinion is that the responsibility might be shifted more toward the state level and become a bit more efficient. After a start filled with lots of graft and corruption, my state's program has morphed into something that might become a model for other states, thanks to Governor Bredesen. I know, I know. A lot of people got kicked off the rolls when the house cleaning started and some went without what they needed. But in the end, the ones who were working the system went by the wayside too. Here's the way it works with the feds and healthcare. Most of the ones involved in making the rules have never worked in the field or have a CLUE about the details or economics of the whole deal. The majority of states don't require licensure of laboratory personnel and other allied health professionals. That would be a huge victory for quality healthcare in any location. Tennessee, by the way, does. I can show you what I pay for the privilege of working for a living.

Gifts for politicians? Puleez. There is never an honorable reason for someone who is entrusted with our future to accept a dinner/trip/bribe/lobbyist donation. Most of them spend more having their suits cleaned than we ever spend on our families for entertainment or just plain fun. And I'm not talkin' one party or the other. Both are guilty.

Blogger is about to have a downtime so I must wait until later to finish this rant. Gotta go figure out how to spend my free money from Dubya.

^j^

The sun came out and warmed us up to a balmy 50 degrees today here on Pecan Lane. I must say that it was a welcome experience considering the past week of doom and gloom and downright coldness. Lily the cat has never been outside to play so I took her out on the porch for an adventure this afternoon and she loved it. The poor thing went into sensory overload trying to take in all of the new sights and sounds. Of course the canine population insisted on bothering the crap out of her, but that's okay. They'll watch her back when the time comes.

As I was coming home at dusk yesterday, six deer were cuttin' a path across the main road from the winter wheat field back to their home thicket. It never ceases to amaze me seeing nature up close and personal like that. Last week there were turkeys congregated at the end of the lane for a scratch session. I'm looking forward to warm enough temps and long enough daylight to get back into the daily walk routine. Something has been missing in my life, and I do believe that's what is responsible for "the undefined mood" that's been hanging around. Typical cabin fever.

Last weekend's stellar performances at the kudzu karaoke bar were followed by this weekend's total lack of talent. I mean, gah. Can't you people hear yourself screeching already???? I was just flat out embarrassed for the one chick who did "Black Velvet" to the point I didn't recognize it. She's one of the karaoke guy's girlfriends. Go figure. Babygirl and some of her friends came to join us and we left pretty soon after. When the twenty somethings say it's too loud, it's time to go elsewhere. I did manage to get a nice shot of she and Al looking all gorgeous before we left. I'd like to think that her natural beauty comes from me but I can't claim that. I reckon it was a gift from Big Ernie. Ya'll have a good week.

And keep the faith. ^j^

We bought some propane back in September and, due to the mild weather up until now, have managed on what we had by wrapping up real good with quilts and blankets. Knowing that the level was at less than 10% with frigid temps and payday coming, I called my friendly propane guy yesterday to ask for a new supply. Told him I'd be fine until today.

Too bad I didn't do the math a little better. When I got up this morning to get ready for my uncle's funeral the house was cold as a well digger's butt. Sifting through the racks of scrubs in my closet looking for something decent to wear, I shivered and shook under the fluffy pink robe. Daddy and Mama picked me up on the way to the Baptist church and she donated a warm coat to go over my selection. Sheesh! If I ever expect to find Sugardaddy, I'm gonna have to find some decent duds. The truth is....I hate to shop. Yeah, I know. Hard to believe that there's a woman in the world who feels that way, huh?

The service was a true celebration of Jere's life and a great opportunity for us to bond as a family. The church ladies fed us afterwards and I found a kindred soul in my cousin Mark's wife whom I had never met. She's a whole lot like me...minimal fru-fru and loves to get dirty outside. She raises chickens, pheasants and guineas but he won't let her have goats. Yet. I feel sure that we will become close friends over time.

When I got dropped back off at the house on Pecan Lane, the check to propane guy was gone and the house was warm. Gawwwwwddd....how I love me some Butch! I got tired of dealing with the mega-national-operation that kicked me off of the budget plan and found him about 20 miles south a few years ago. Family owned Mom and Pop type of business where they really care about the customer. The older I get, the more I appreciate that type of outfit and the spirit that drives them.

Later in the day I moseyed into town to do the early voting thing and got a sticker. Turnout has been light, prior to our February 5th primaries and I was in and out in 5 minutes flat. Who do you think I voted for? Winner gets something homemade to eat from Poopie's kitchen.

How about a Friday critter?

Wordless Wednesday

About six months ago, my sole surviving uncle was diagnosed with ALS, more commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease. Daddy's baby sister and he were married many years ago and lived a large part of their life in Minneapolis, raising a son and a daughter. Shortly after his retirement, they came home to Dyersburg to enjoy the warmer weather and proximity to family. Mom and Daddy and Kathy and Jere became constant companions for outings to eat and play rousing games of Rummikub with the other two already widowed sisters. They celebrated every.single.one of 'ems birthdays with a cake and a home cooked meal, rotating the host location at will according to who felt froggy enough to spend a day in the kitchen.

ALS is typically a long drawn out affair with degenerative muscle wasting to the point of near paralysis while the mind remains clear. In other words, it is hell on earth. Some patients live for several years after the initial diagnosis is made, slowly losing muscle control resulting in loss of speech, daily activities and ultimately the ability to breathe. This is what he was facing.

They went to bed the other night, he tossing and turning and she responding to his every little move. Eventually he got up to sit in the living room chair with an afghan over his lap and she settled on the couch at about 4AM. When daylight came she stumbled up and out from under her warm blanket and went to wake him but couldn't. There he sat...glasses perched on his face, legs crossed and with a covered lap. But he wasn't there at all.

Daddy was out in the pasture with Bubba checkin' on the cows when she called him on his cellphone. They went right over, but the paramedics were already there and said he was gone. We all knew it was coming, but didn't expect it so soon. That Big Ernie works in mysterious ways sometimes, don'tcha think? I sure do. What's really odd is that just two days before we had all been sitting around talking and telling stories about family and such and our conversation turned to Uncle Bud and how he yanked out his ventilator tube after some well meaning less than compassionate physician talked his wife into letting them put it in. Daddy sat with him the ICU listening to the whir and whine of the mechanical thing that kept Bud alive. Somehow old Bud managed to get the prayer request to Dad....to get him out of that place and that fix. Now, Daddy is a praying man and a faithful one. So it didn't surprise me one little bit when the tube got pulled by the patient himself and the next doc on call happened to be one who knew better than to torment the dying. I'm still in that undefined mood. If I ever figure out exactly what it is, I'll let you know.

Meanwhile, keep the faith. ^j^

I live about eighty miles north of Memphis where that redneck idiot shot Dr. Martin Luther King on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel. I remember it well, even though I was just a dumb teenager taking in all of the social unrest that was the hallmark of the sixties. I couldn't begin to tell you where I was when Elvis died, but I distinctly remember being in the girls' restroom at Alice Thurmond Elementary when I found out that President Kennedy had been shot. And I remember the somber mood of our country in the days that followed both his and brother Bobby's senseless killings.

The centerpiece of Dr. King's ministry was a simple non-violent approach to sweeping social change in a country that was home to millions of people dead set on equality for everyone and the end of a senseless war. Peace and love, ya'll. Live and let live. I might have been one of the youngest flower children around, but the philosophy became the part of my soul that will never leave. Equal rights and equal pay, despite race and gender. Protection of yourself and your family is cool...invading other countries is definitely not. Why go and piss another country off even more than they were to begin with in the name of national security. Sure, there are people being mistreated, kids and oldsters alike. But you know what? That is happening in our country at this very moment, and I don't see our government spending near as much to cure that ill as they do chasing faceless demons on the other side of the world seven years after the fact. Something's gotta give.

I don't know what the answers are, and I don't think anybody does really. All we know is that we believe in justice and the ideal of an efficiently run government. The money is there, it's just not being handled with care by the powers that be who clench the strings to that big fat purse. It's all on credit you know. The American dream of working hard and retiring early. Most of us will slave away until we drop dead in the hallway and they step over us on the way to the corporate coffee pot.

Years ago, my youngest brother grabbed a hold of this sort of "hunker down for the worst" mentality and we talked a lot about it. As a former law enforcement/EMT/TV reporter he was beginning to see that people are just gonna get mad and do stupid shit all because of their hatred about something done wrong to them. The trick to keeping sane in that kind of deal is to focus on what is good and right and true. Like family. And other people's quirks and eccentricities..what makes them unique as one of Big Ernie's kids. Paying it foward. Bartering for what you need and sharing what you have. Gettin' riled up enough to stand up and link hands when we believe in something. Simple concepts with a wealth of ancient wisdom to back them up. Dayum, I miss our talks.

Me...I'm just a Pollyanna sort of Poopie. I believe that if enough of us follow our convictions and do what's right, eventually harmony will shine through. I've been in enough crap to know that those times will be few and far between with deep vallies scattered judiciously along the path. Perhaps even IEDs and car bombs.

But we?

Will overcome.

I'm in one of those moods. Not sure what it is, but I'll deal with it. My guess is that it's the "I wanna go outside and play" blues that hit every winter and stick tight until the first warm teaser days of February.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

My gig as pro-bono photographer at the kudzu bar affords plenty of opportunity to people watch. My inner American Idol adores the surprise that comes with hearing a good amateur singer belt one out which happens quite frequently with the karaoke there. Last night there was an exceptionally good crop on hand. Maybe AI should bring their auditions there!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I was on my way home last night and as I pulled up to cross the four lane highway that leads to home, I spotted lots of blue lights flashing and a big ass mess strowed all OVER the place. Two crushed vehicles were pulled over the side. I rolled to a stop well behind where the cops were milling around, and one of them waved me through so I crept forward a little. That's when he started ranting at me for driving over his evidence. Gah. Excuse me for not knowing you meant to drive over into the grass at the left before proceeding. Point to the left next time dude. I'm just saying. This is, by the way, the exact same intersection where my mother totaled two vehicles.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Babygirl and I both received our W2s this week and I promptly filed online for both of us. And received a notice the next day that the IRS will not accept returns for individuals who are claiming the credit for tuition costs until February 11th. Meh. It's not like she needs the money or anything, all ya'll up there at the Infernal Revenue Service. I heard rumors in December that there would be delays. Guess they're true. Gotta fund that war, ya know?

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

My bed is a big old pile of quilts laundry to be folded. And, of course, dogs. God bless their furry little hearts.

Many of ya'll already visit Dew on the Kudzu to read about all things southern. Miss Idgie has done a mighty fine job of growing that place into something that we can all be proud of. Her newest addition to the site is a request for reader submitted SOUTHERN photos. And guess who's the first to submit? Um hmmm. That would be the Poopster.

Go take a look see.

^j^

Not to worry ya'll..no blood was shed in the making of this picture. Actually, these two have found a comfy place with each other after much hissing and jumpin' and carrying on during the cat adoption process. Faith and Butterbean learned fairly quickly that the kitty is not to be messed with. Sam loves a challenge, like most young males. I can't WAIT to send his Mama this shot of him all p**sy whooped :) She'll be so proud!

I know...I know. Back in July I promised ya'll I would not bitch one teensy little bit when it turned cold. So far I haven't broken that promise..cross my heart. The winter here on Pecan Lane has progressed gradually and is on average which means January is the cold one. Ditto for February, but I expect a few warm play days as a Valentine just for me. If it's gonna be wet and cold, it might as well snow and be pretty. Dont'cha think?

Back during the holidays I started pitching stuff into my basket by the front door. First there were envelopes containing seeds of my fav flowers from last year. Then BG gave me some work gloves for Christmas and they got used that very day planting the *something* trees. Now they are in the basket on top of the flowers-to-be with a bag of thistle bringing up the rear. Black oil sunflower is wildly popular around these parts at the moment. Thistle? Not so much. The next additions will be my dollar store digging tools and the spring rains.

Anywho..when life gives you cold gray and wet, I say make some soup. Mama gave me this recipe for our cookbook and it sure lives up to the name. Easy as pie. Makes a bunch and freezes well. My neighbor just got out of the hospital from gettin' two stents put in his heart and his wifey cooks for a living. I bet she needs a night off from fat free bagels and fruit.

WONDERFUL CHICKEN SOUP by Pat Turner

1-2 pounds cooked chicken, minced onion
1 package chicken noodle soup starter
10 oz Velveeta
10 oz angel hair pasta

Boil chicken and onion until done and keep broth warm. Cool and chop chicken and return to broth. Add soup mix and cheese and stir until melted. Add broken pasta and cook for 5-8 minutes on low, covered. Remove from heat and let it sit for about 20 minutes. Use a BIG pot. If you have any leftover veggies, throw 'em in.

^j^

I never was one to be the winner of the bible verse contest at church so I grabbed those short ones and held on for dear life. Like "Jesus wept." Hey..whatever works, ya know? BG was the same way, and promptly became a non-churchgoing gal at around 13. It was a long story, but I don't blame her a bit. If I wasn't such a masochist I wouldn't have gone the rest of the course with her little devil group teaching them Sunday school. The suckers sent quite a few packing in tears or anger but I just kept on showing up. Dumb.ass.

Ya'll know how proud I am of that kid, so I won't waste the words. I will tell you that she is burning the candle at both ends trying to manage a third shift job to make a car payment so that she can commute to school. She helps with the household expenses when she can and knows just when a couple of rode hard girls need a treat like pricey shampoo or a good meal. I'm just saying...she's cool like that.

Now I realize that some of ya'll aren't real keen on the spiritual stuff...but everybody looks up to SOMEBODY at some time in their life just to keep going. Let's call that somebody "Big Ernie." So here's the deal. Babygirl is in the process of applying for some funds that would lighten her load considerably. Student loans pay the tuition and books but nothing else. She has one more semester of classwork and two semesters of a full-time internship ahead of her. But you know what? This chick was born to be a social worker and I have no doubt it will happen.

How about we pray and be specific?

^j^

Wordless Wednesday

^j^ ^j^ ^j^ ^j^ ^j^

Yesterday's lost dog is today's miracle. First thing I did when I got up today was to call a local vet's office to see if there was a lead on his owner. Bingo..right off the bat the receptionist described the dog laying at my feet. Tri-color border collie. No collar. Answers to Petey. She gave me the contact number which I called right then and left a message. About an hour later a lady called me back and we exchanged info. It was indeed her dog that I had picked up about ten or so miles from his home in a local subdivision. I gave her directions and she showed up shortly, much to Petey's surprise!

After she loaded him up and offered me something for caring for him, she related to me the story of how he first came to HER. She and her husband are transplants from other states who moved here with local industry. There are two children, ages 12 and 10. Her husband picked the stray up about two miles south of my house and they went through the same drill trying to find his owner, but nobody claimed him. He became a member of their little family from that point on. Her husband became ill, and eventually died from cancer. Petey is such an important link between those kids and their late Dad, she said. They were hysterical when he went missing. I'd be willing to bet they were all smiles when she picked 'em up from school with Petey riding in the van.

We chatted, we hugged. We hypothesized that he was probably trying to find his way back to the original owner who obviously rode him around in the back of a pickup like a good border collie. I've seen those dogs ride on TOP of the cab and never even waver going down the road. Great cattle dogs, and smart as a whip. It sure does give me the warm fuzzies thinking about Petey being back with his family. I've been on the receiving end of that kind of deal too many times to count. Us animal lovers stick together. Always.

Dang..I love it when that happens.

^j^

Okay ya'll..it's a short story with long consequences if you know what I mean. If you know me just a little teensy bit you know that I adore animals. Hell, Pecan Lane is running over with 'em. There's pretty girl Faith and Butterbean the Bitch and Sammy D all running in a pack as fast as they can to the food bowl and Mama's bed. Throw a kitten named Lily into the mix and you've got a lot of interesting "talk to the animals" sort of shit goin' on with this brood plus the two horses and multitudes of critters just roaming the place for the fun of it.

Sorry for the rambling...it's been a very long weekend at the day job :) Anyways, back to our story. I stopped by the kudzu bar on my way home this afternoon and had a beer or five two with my buddies up who hang out there. Somebody spotted a dog on the parking lot and we all ran out to see who was the newest canine visitor was. Poor boy don't have a name yet but he's a beautiful border collie with very nice manners. Dude sat in the back of a pickup for two hours just because that's what he knows how to do. He's so patient that we knew he was somebody's love who just lost his way back to where they miss him, warts and all. Old Poops hatched a plan right quick that just might work out for a couple of guys I know.

I've gotta tell ya'll how much I appreciate my men friends. They come in all sizes, shapes and personality types and 9/10 of them are married or might as well be. That doesn't much bother me because they choose to be friends with me for who I am and there's none of the math that goes on in a legal marriage. Why don't we just put the homestead rights and the pre-nups aside to examine why I like men so dang much.

To begin with, I'm a simple kind of man gal who adores an intelligent conversation almost as much as drinkin' beer and cleaning house. If Casa Poopsie ever got finished with every nail in this place, I'd be lost. That would be a nice lost though...me snoozing on the couch under an afghan gazing at the beautifully restored hardwood floors while watching Seinfeld on the rerun channel with a dog or two for extra warmth. And the cat clawing me on the back.

There is a central theme that runs through the conversations I've had with many of my men friends, and it's all about money. Most of them see themselves as cash cows being milked by women who depend on them for the other half of the lifestyle fund. Very few of them ever mention that the little woman validates him in any way. They just hang around because it's easier than the drama of not doing so. I can totally understand...did it myself for a number of years. It's a very sad sort of life.

Anyhow...I have a pic of my new boyfriend for ya'll that I'm sure you will enjoy. We have sooooooo much in common and I do believe it's love at first sight. Back off hos..this one's all mine.

Ain't he cute?

I am a one or two hit wonder with the karaoke thing, never getting so much as a clap but loving every minute of knowing the twists and turns of how my songs change pace. Number Uno is "Get Over It" by The Eagles. It's a great stress relief to get into that one full tilt when frustrations are running high. It reminds me of my own days in therapy and the hard work involved. Once I got past the crying every day part, I began to make changes in my life one baby step at a time. Like not caring what other people think. And taking care of Poops instead of the whole freakin' world. I jumped head first into a period of years that turned into a big fat challenge for a middle aged gal with a kid in college. Like most lab folks my mind is wired to going by the book with quality control to tell me when things aren't working right. Like, uh. Duh Janie! Life don't work that way. It's a highway, remember?

Lawwwwwdddd...did we struggle, mostly with money. My decision to end a marriage sent all three people involved into a tailspin each of us finding different ways to deal with the end of our family as we knew it. It was a huge relief not to have the elephant in the room but it was scary all the same. For the sake of brevity, I'll give you the short version of a six year journey.

I took some chances and did some things that I'd never done before simply because I was too rigid to venture outside the box. Some were mistakes...most I learned from and often in the most painful way possible. Number one? Just because you love somebody doesn't mean they love you back. Not like that, anyway. Other people did though and that group hug got me through the first year or two relatively unscathed. BG and I got on the same page and plotted our escape from Misery 101. Even with spoons dug into the wall of dirt before us, we got out.

Hossie tells me to quit trying to make sense of things, puleeeeez. Poop happens and then you die, right? I can't help it ya'll. I'm enough of a dreamer to think that there's some kind of karmic force at work that is the basis of what Grandma always said " What goes around comes around." Yes, I do have a Ouija board but haven't consulted it lately. Faith took over some time ago and I pushed cruise.

Thanks for being a part of the wild ride that is growing up Poopie. I'm still kickin' and hopeful. That is a blessing in itself.

^j^

As predicted the band of bad weather moved through early this afternoon with a couple of tornado sightings but no major damage. I'm sure every workplace has these disaster codes like we do, and ours for bad weather is "code black" which is exactly what the skies were. Like midnight. But hey..we're used to this stuff so we carried on business as usual. It was time for me to leave so I ventured out to the lobby to clock out and there was a huge crowd there being held hostage by a very important person because the "code black" had NOT been lifted. Never mind that the storm was already about 15 miles east of us. Ahem.

I'm still on the clock, so what the heck. I sat down on the steps to watch all the activity. Cute guy to my left. Grumbling folks scattered behind me. Then the damn fire alarm went off! "Code red! Code red!" Hoo boy...this was gettin' better by the minute. We've got two disasters going on at the same time! Up marches the CEO and several other "very important people" with fire extinguishers only..uh. Nobody could figure out where it was. Somebody had pulled the alarm somewhere, which ended up being the ER, but of course the fire department always responds just.in.case. Here come the firefighters marching in looking all tickled to be there and I spotted my friend Randy in uniform. "Psstt...hey Randy!" He just grinned and kept on moving toward the scene of the non-disaster. Code Red got cleared pretty quickly but Ms. Person-in-Charge refused to lift the Code Black because nobody had told her to. Hmm.

Now, by this time the natives were getting restless and the storm had moved about another 20 miles east. My boss's hub just happens to be the director of the Emergency Operations and 911 Center, so I went back to her office and asked her to call him and please get us released! *snort* Gotta love small towns.

At least this time my parents didn't have to get in the bathtub.

^j^

Politics, that is. With fired up candidates storming Iowa and New Hampshire like it's the state basketball championship or something, the mud slinging begins. McCain says Romney changes positions. Hillary gets righteous about Obama's lack of experience and preaches about change. What kind of change? This is where what they say doesn't matter near as much as how they have proven themselves as people and not candidates of a political party with gazillions of dollars at stake.

I found this article kind of ironic when I read it today because it's about two years too late, though very well written. Where were ya'll back when the rest of us were raising hell about this stuff, George? Oh..excuse me. It wasn't an election year, of course. The truth of the matter is that the president of the United States is not actually our leader per se, just a figurehead for his or her party. Congress controls the law and with the exception of that rare use of veto power like Dubya has pulled with the war stuff, he or she has no say in things. The parties do. And all of the special interests that exist therein. And all of their personal baggage. "We the people" who believe in this country get lost in all that poop.

If the teevee newsfolks have their numbers straight, the state of New Hampshire is home to a whopping 45% of independent voters. The other 49 states should be so fortunate. My feeling about the whole thing is this....shut the eff up about vague references to change and race and gender and lay out a plan that we can understand. Call off the dogs that are sniffin' out dirt on the other guy and concentrate on ways to really MAKE changes instead of talking about them. Like healthcare reform. And immigration policies. And some way to make every country in the freakin' world besides England not hate us for what we stand for in regard to the military.

*end of rant* Thanks for your concern for Lily cat. She survived my dumbass move with the poison and is sleeping peacefully as the wind howls in advance of another front here on tornado alley. It's the strangest thing about living close to the Mighty Mississippi. It can be freezing cold one day and the next it's close to 70 like back in that January when the tornados ripped through Halls and Jackson. I have wind chimes made from the stained glass remnants of the church windows that got smashed. If I end up not in Kansas Tennessee anymore, I'll be calling ya'll to help me fight the wicked witch of the west.

^j^

Lord ya'll! It's been a touch and go kind of day around here at Casa Poops. Exactly six weeks after we buried old Bernie here came a full blown crisis with Lily. BG woke me up this morning scared out of her mind because her new kitty was having what seemed like seizures. That was AFTER she did some research online about the flea product that I had put on her yesterday, from the dollar store of course. Said right there on the label in bold print DO NOT USE ON CATS. My bad.

I gave her a bath with Dawn to get the residue off, her shaking and spittin' the whole time. The shaking was horrendous, and she cried a bunch and I was really scared we were gonna lose her and it was all.my.fault. Called the vet's office emergency number and was told that we might have to bring her in for some Valium if the shaking didn't stop, but in the meantime do sugarwater from a dropper or syringe to correct the electrolyte imbalance. Hey..I'm almost a nurse. We can do this without hundred dollar Valium.

We sat on the couch and watched LA Ink while we force fed fluids with a dropper and fed her Dairy Queen bits on the side. It had been a late night with girlfriends sleeping over so none of us got much sleep, especially Lily. We all took long naps this afternoon, BG and Lily together and me and the dogs in our usual spot....my bed.

Lily came creeping out a while ago and isn't shaking anymore but sitting on my leg as I type. The vet said 24-48 hours so maybe it'll all be good soon.

She still has fleas, by the way. But I think we'll keep her. Maybe she won't remember how I used up her first life.

Many of us are just flat out confused about who's the best person to vote for as our next president. Poor old Dubya has taken about as many jokes as a middle aged man can stand, but then hey...he signed up for it and even begged borrowed and stole to get there. Let us remind ourselves that the White House is no place for someone with unfinished bizness. Those folks never listen or even begin to believe in wethepeople.
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I kind of think that I feel the pulse of most Americans through my daily life here and most of us are just damned sick and tired of all the bad news and the wars on shit. There is soooooo much good about our country and who we are as a nation. Heck, where else can you go and enjoy freedom of whatever-you-feel-like at the moment. It's a good deal, but we pay out the ass for the American dream of the white picket fence gated community. Back in the day, me and my brothers got paid to paint the fence across the front of our homestead. They were little so they just ran around and played while I slaved away earnin' money to blow at Vaughn's Music Store. Started early on the groupie thang.
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I hear a lot of talk at the dayjob from folks that mosey in to be sick and expect to be treated with respect. Many of them are in the end stages of congestive heart failure, renal disease or cancer. A few babies get born, but more often than not their parents aren't even in love with each other, much less in a committed relationship. That is the biggest reason that I am prochoice. Roe v Wade happened for a reason and thankfully I've never had to deal with that personally. Always a tough decision.
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DNA technology has come a long way in the past few years. My long time stance against capital punishment is based on the belief that the evidence presented in court against an accused individual is nothing if it's based on hearsay and phone records. If you dare to play Big Ernie and sentence someone to death, at least get the facts straight and set 'em free if their body fluids don't match the crime scene. We'll call that chapter CSI Poopie :)
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There is a reason that people from poor countries want to live here with us. There is plenty of money to go around but most of us don't share so they come in illegally and work on green cards so they can send their earnings back to mama'n'them. That doesn't give someone who is not a US citizen the right to free stuff. If you want to be one of us, at least pretend that you believe in our heritage as a blended nation. Missionaries from all over the globe travel to where ya'll are just to spread the love that is the journey. When you blow yourself up for the cause nobody wins. Think about what Big Ernie would do, without all the virgins as a promise. I can honestly say I don't know a one over the age of 12. Except for me!
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WE the people want less big government and more family picnics. We are worried about our rivers and lakes and the wildlife that live there. The extemes of weather lately disturb us enough to make little changes in our lifestyles to accomodate mother earth's gradual changes through little sacrifices like high priced lightbulbs and natural energy sources.
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It's all good...what we do and who we are. Until someone else who is really REALLY trying to do better suffers because we are greedy and judgemental. Then, it becomes a sin of epic proportions. I think I read that somewhere in a good book.

^j^

All three dogs and the baby cat got a bath tonight and not a one of 'em appreciated my efforts a bit. I snuck one in there for myself amongst the flea shampoo. That was step one. Step two will be Sevin dust when they dry off sometime this weekend. We are so tired of scratching animals. One would think that temps in the teens would take care of that little detail. Not so when they live all up in the house as warm hosts in their mama's beds.

*sigh* Such is life on Pecan Lane.

MommaK and her partners in crime started the Perfect Post Awards some time ago as a way for us to say YAY when someone especially moves us with their blogging skills. I think I've nominated two since it began.

I knew the minute that I read this post that it was a "perfect" one. Why? Because the lady writes like she's been doing it since birth and reflects much of my own soul in her words. We face many of the same issues in life like aging parents and trying-to-be-adult kids and day jobs that are sometimes more aggravating that we would like. And we both keep the faith in spite of the idiots of the world *snort*

Ya'll go see her, if you haven't already met. You'll be glad you did.

Wordless Wednesday

Happy 2008 ya'll! Did anybody sit home and amuse themselves to avoid "amateur night" yesterday evening? Didn't even watch the ball drop...somehow it's not the same with Seacrest and company in charge. I was tempted to run on up to the kudzu bar just so I could snag a New Year's kiss from one of the usuals, but I showed some self discipline and cooked peas and cabbage instead of partyin' like a rock star. Besides, I'm broke :)

Winter has arrived about two weeks late here on Pecan Lane with lows forecast in the teens for the first time. The wind..she is a howling right about now and from the north. Feels like Alaska. I'm not complaining though. It beats sweating, for an old gal like me. Saw a few flakes of snow today, but nothing to write home about.

The reason I chose such a HUGE rabbit!rabbit! is that I need some very large luck on this first day of the first month of a new year so I figure it can't hurt to biggify. The UT vols won their (tiny) bowl game so I reckon Phil still has a job. It looked sort of doubtful back during the regular season. Don't you wish we could just buy out a president's contract like they do with coaches when they have a bad season or two. Hey, as broke as I am I'd contribute a lot toward that cause, bless his heart.....

Ya'll be careful out there. And keep the faith. ^j^