Sunday Obsession: Cheerwine

As summer is inching closer (if we’re honest…it’s Florida…it’s felt like summer since about March 1st), all kinds of summery things are on my mind: the beach, the pool, cute bathing suits, sun hats, frozen margaritas…

And perhaps it is because I am daydreaming about being in the sunshine…but I wanted to share one of my summer obsessions…

See?  It's a "thing" up in North Carolina.  This was found in Mt. Airy.

Cheerwine. Have y’all heard of it? It is quite possibly my favorite beverage, although I try not to drink it too very often. It’s a very cherry soda. It originated in North Carolina, and is what I consider a Southern delicacy. In fact, up in North Carolina it can be found on tap. I was just about in hog heaven when I visited a few years ago. It is celebrating its centennial this year, having been bottled since 1917.

To me, nothing is quite as summery as sitting at the beach with an ice-cold bottle of Cheerwine.

Last Week's Adventure

I had talked about my little adventure last week.  And Lord, y'all, it was hot.  But I got this image back on Wednesday night, and I could not have been more pleased.  As always, Jenn has done an amazing job.  I cannot wait to see the final album, but I am positive that it will be incredible.

*Shameless plug*  Check Jenn out on www.brazenboudoir.com.

Meet Swayze

Swayze

So, we've had our third and final foal this year.  Meet Swayze, the beautiful filly off of Rhina.

Rhina is very protective, so I haven't ventured in the field with them yet.

She's a little long-legged ;)

100 DAYS!!!!!

(Thanks Pinterest)

I know that to some this doesn’t seem like a very big feat. But I have been consistently blogging daily for 100 straight days. 

For those of you who know me well, you know that I, Aleta Kaylee, have a mild aversion to commitment. I can get excited and plum passionate about something…but a lot of times, I lack the follow through. It’s hard for me to “stick it out.” 

For the past 100 days, I have been blogging consistently. Some days my writing is golden, some days my writing is “meh” or so-so. But, I suppose, that is a common thread among those who write. Some days you are on fire, some days not so much. 

The greatest thing about it is…for those of you who have been following me, or reading my posts, I have been a part of your lives for 100 days. Hopefully, in that time, you have found something that you have related to or one of the stories I have shared have inspired you in some way. 

My greatest hope in all of this is that you will understand that you have a story worth telling. If you would like to be interviewed, please let me know. 

Wordless Wednesday

A little post for those of you, living elsewhere, who may be a little homesick...

Sunrise over Watsonville

Zetti and Rhyna.  You can see the beginning of the phlox in the background.

The watermelon field across from Central Florida Electric

Sunset taken across from Aunt Susie's.

Thoughtful Tuesday

I don’t know if the rest of you struggle with this, but I have the hardest time saying “no.” I hate to feel as if I’ve let someone down in any way. I also hate saying goodbye or walking away from someone that I care about. I hate change…I hate being thrust into change.

I think, as women, it is engrained in us to put others ahead of ourselves and do our very best to make things work. I’ve put a lot of thought into this recently.

In speaking with a friend over a friendship that I’d recently had to walk away from, the comment was made, “Well, maybe one day you can talk it out and fix it.” At that very moment, I wanted to stomp my foot in a toddler-like fashion, with arms crossed over my chest, and loudly say “NO!” 

Y’all, sometimes it is OKAY to say NO. To walk away from something that no longer betters you. To separate yourself from that which drains you. It is OKAY!

Sometimes it is not simply about “giving up” on someone…sometimes it is about your well-being; knowing your worth; respecting yourself enough to know when it’s time to walk away.

That friend’s comment has left me unsettled. It didn’t bother me. It didn’t hurt me. But…I guess what I would like to say is this: I did not come to the decision to walk away from that person easily. It took every ounce of strength in me to walk away…Quite honestly, it broke my heart. Ultimately, I knew that it was the best decision for me.   

It’s okay to walk away from what is hurting you.

Mama Says Monday: Walmart Part 2

As a follow-up to last week, just a few more words.

If you have high blood pressure, and you don’t have a death wish (meaning you don’t really want to have a stroke), avoid a trip to Walmart.

If you really want to retain your sanity, avoid Walmart. If you don’t want to be a Baker Act candidate, just don’t go.

So…I needed to replace the dinosaur that was my phone. I know a lot of people that replace their phones every time a new version comes out. Not me! I have only ever owned two cell phones. My first was a Nokia that weighed about 5 pounds but worked wonderfully. I don’t really remember how long I had it, but I loved it. I finally had to replace it. I hate having to learn how a new phone works. I think I got my second phone in 2011. My phone still works, but the service at home isn’t good. I only get good service when I’m leaning over my washing machine in the laundry room. I have gotten tired of answering the phone and telling the other person to hold on and heading for the laundry room. It is especially bad if it turns into a longwinded conversation. Thus, the need for the new phone.

A friend with a similar problem recently got a Consumer Cellular phone and loved it. So I told her Wednesday that I was going the next day to get a new phone like hers. She then informed me that while the phone worked wonderfully, the billing was not. The bill has never been the minimum she signed up for, it has always been more. She is going back to Straight Talk, because it is a flat fee. So I decided to take her advice and get a phone similar to her husband’s, since he has Straight Talk and really likes his phone. So off to Wally World I go. 

I made a trip Friday night, found the phone and almost bought it, except the clerk said that the one person who could activate it was not there.. She didn’t come to work that day. So I decide to wait and go back on Saturday. When I got there at 5:20 pm, I was told that the lady had left 10 minutes ago to go to her dinner break. If I could come back at 6:05 she would be back. I went ahead and purchased the phone to save time when she got back. I went and picked up my few groceries and got back to the electronics department at 5:55. She doesn’t show back at 6:05. She’s not back at 6:30. I’ve now been at Walmart over an hour. The clerk in the electronics department knew I was getting impatient and offered to ring up my groceries to save time when the lady returned. Finally, a different clerk was asking me what I needed and she said she might could help and took the phone to begin the activation process. (I thought only one clerk could do this!) About 45 minutes after I was told she would return, the activator clerk returned. She doesn’t help with my activation, she stands around, finally helps one person, then disappears again. I wait, and wait, and wait. Finally, the clerk helping me tells me to take the phone home, everything has been done to it, and it should activate within 24 hours. It normally doesn’t take this long, she’s not sure why it is taking this long. But if it doesn’t activate within 24 hours, bring it back.

My question: Bring it back and what exactly? You will begin the activation process again, you will replace the phone, you just like me sitting on the bench in front of the register looking pretty (but very aggravated)? Once again, I have wasted two trips, and today two and a half hours of my life, trying to get a new phone, and all I have to show is a new, useless phone and an old one that I have to visit the laundry room to use, a terrific headache, really high blood pressure, and a murderous attitude! You have heard of “a day late and a dollar short”? I’m several dollars short, several hours wasted, and no better off. Does anyone else have this kind of luck or is it just me???

Sunday Obsession: Andy Griffith

Y'all, one of my great obsessions is the wonderful Andy Griffith.  I don't know what it is, but he just sooths my soul.  In the Sheffield girl household, we still religiously watch The Andy Griffith Show.  It was one of my dad's favorite shows, and even though he's been gone for 6 years this October, we still watch it. 

Possibly even more than my love of Mayberry, I have an addiction to Matlock.  When Hallmark Movies and Mysteries has a Matlock Marathon, I can hang up the towel, I know what I'll be doing all day.  However, for some unknown reason, about 10 minutes into every episode, I fall asleep.  I'm not sure why that is, but I think it might have something to do with Andy Griffith's voice.  It is the remedy when I can't fall asleep.  I always have a few episodes DVR'd.  It just puts me in a calm state and lulls me to sleep. 

Whether it be Andy Taylor or Ben Matlock, I do love me some Andy Griffith!

Meet Kapote

I would like to introduce y'all to our newest addition:  Kapote!  (Like the author, but with a "K," because my sister likes K names. lol).

Fall-Out Friday

Have you had those weeks where you are just plum tuckered out? That’s where I am right now, y’all. I am just exhausted this week. I have literally had something going on every single day since last Friday. I have been out every night this week. Even though I try to be in bed at a reasonable hour, I am just plain ol’ TIRED.

Why on earth did we ever complain as young teenagers? Or pass up all of those naps as five year olds? We were in such a rush to be grown. And y’all…being an adult is hard work. I work 40 hours a week; try to spend enough time with family on my off hours; try to maintain my social life; try to blog; try to keep up with laundry; amongst several other things that I have forgotten in my sleep-deprived state today…and it still feels like things just seem to fall through the cracks at times. I am in awe of parents with young children…I have no idea how y’all keep yourselves afloat. Running back and forth from school events to church events to the ball field. I have no idea how you do it. Kudos!

Perhaps that should be my mid-April (instead of New Years) Resolution: Better time management. *Shrugs* Something to work towards, I suppose. 

As for right now, I have those Matlock episodes that I DVR’ed faintly beckoning to me…tempting me to become a sluggish couch potato and sleep my Saturday away. It will be fruitless, but perhaps I can get some rest this weekend. 

To those of you with slam-packed schedules this weekend, I applaud you.

Chiefland FFA Alumni Rodeo

I love a rodeo. I know, I know…one might be surprised. I'm extremely girly…and I will gladly admit that I am in no way, shape, or form a cowgirl. My sister got all of that. I didn't get a drop.

However, when I was little, my dad would always take my mom and I to rodeos. Now, it's almost funny, my mama is much like me in the fact that she is not a cowgirl. But she will squirm and fidget and cringe through the bull riding…and that is my favorite part!

Now, going to a rodeo or hearing Garth Brooks' "Rodeo" on the radio will fill me with nostalgia. I love it. It takes me back to the days when my daddy was sitting right there with us, on the edge of his seat, enjoying every minute of it.

This weekend, Friday and Saturday night, the FFA Alumni is putting on their 6th Annual Rodeo. It begins at 8 both nights, and is being held at Lotoma Ranch. If you are looking for something to do, come out and support the FFA and FFA Alumni!

Mid-Week Adventure

So, I didn’t have much time to prepare for this post. But I wanted to tell you a little about my day yesterday…

I went to Dani’s house first to have my hair and makeup done. Dani curled and teased my hair. It was big to match my big eyelashes. You know, the oh-so-Southern “Jacked to Jesus” look. As always, Dani did a fantastic job. Then off we went to Silver Springs State Park.

Jenn had said that it was a little bit of a hike. What I had failed to think about was the weight of my Mr. Pretty Skirt. Lugging what seemed to be 50 lbs through the woods, in April, in Florida, was a bit of a chore. Now, having done it, I would know to pack lighter…a lot lighter. Lol.

Taking photos outdoors was really neat. Jenn and Dani ended up stumbling into a snake. We saw two gators.  It's an outdoor Florida shoot, what would you expect?  And as I had just gotten in the water and shucked my top for a photo of my back (I had a scarf draped over me), a boat rounded the bend…Given my life...I would expect no less.  The lady on board was rather inebriated and started dancing (or posing) and blowing kisses.

To say the day was interesting would be putting it mildly. But then again, a day with Jenn and Dani is never boring. I cannot wait to see how the photos turned out.

Oh for the love of pretty underpinnings!

I am nothing if not a girly girl. I love dressing up. I love wearing dresses, accessories, having cute painted toes... I love all things pretty.

One of my other obsessions is lingerie. While some people might chalk that up to "TMI," I have a point here…Every woman has their item that they obsess over…shoes…handbags…what have you. For me, pretty lingerie or underpinnings make me feel beautiful and confident. While that may seem silly to some, it is just simply an "Aleta fact."

As a laughable side note here, I will say…I buy it when I'm happy, I buy it when I'm sad. I buy it when there is a new boy in the picture. I buy it when a boy has made me angry. Needless to say, I have acquired quite an extensive collection over the years. I will never disclose how much I spend on it every year. 

So, I wanted to tell y'all what I'm doing today…Today, I am "playing hooky." I am meeting up with my dear friends Jenn and Dani to do another boudoir shoot. And this time it's an outdoor boudoir shoot. So this will be interesting to say the least.

I have planned for months on what I was going to take. I bought a big skirt from China to pair with a corset…I had several other ideas about what I wanted…And as it has drawn close, I am just at a loss, y'all. Friday night, I wound up just throwing stuff into a bag. I have every ounce of faith that Jenn can help me figure that all out. 

It is so incredibly nice to be able to visit and catch up with Jenn and Dani. Jenn now lives in North Carolina, so we don't get to see her as frequently. It is so much fun getting all gussied up, and having beautiful images to mark the occasion. 

It's going to be a blast! I can't wait!!

Mama Says Monday: High Blood Pressure at the Walmart

I needed a couple of items from Walmart before I started my week. I avoided Walmart all weekend because I didn’t want to face the crowds shopping for their Easter dinner or last minute Easter basket goodies.

So, when I announced that I needed a couple of things, my girls immediately started their lists. That’s okay, I didn’t mind. There were the usual grocery items. Rheba gave me $20 to buy 4 gallons of oil. Aleta gave me her debit card because she needed a few items. Ok, so there will be 3 transactions.

Now even when my knee is killing me, I can zip around Walmart, grabbing everything I need in 15-20 minutes. I know where most everything is that we normally need (until they decide to move things around). Gathering items is the easy part. Now for decision time. Do I choose self-checkout or one of the registers? That’s easy, I hate self-checkout. For some reason, there is always a problem at the self-checkout. I always need help from the clerk overseeing that area. So with three separate transactions, I chose the register lines. Actually, I chose the ONLY register line open. It wouldn’t matter, I always get in the wrong line. It didn’t seem too bad tonight. Only one person ahead of me. Woo hoo!

Of course, as soon as I had unloaded all my items on the belt, I noticed lane 4 had just opened. I was on lane 5. I then noticed that it was taking a long time ringing up the other lady’s items. The clerk was not using his scanner, he was using his little gun on each and every item. Oh dear. Then, they got into an argument about whether he had run up her water. She told him he had scanned with the gun twice, but he said it didn’t take the first time because he had paused his register. He kept pausing his register to stop and bag the groceries. She finally told him that if he would just keep ringing them up, she would bag them. Finally, only two items to go, bananas and bread. He went to weigh the bananas and guess what? The scales don’t work! He calls over one of the managers. The manager checks things out, determines that he can’t fix it. So, they call over another manager. Meanwhile, another lady had partially unloaded her groceries behind me. They finally determine that the scales can’t be fixed, scanner isn’t working anyways…The second manager has another clerk open up line 6. 

She tells me and the lady behind me that if we have any produce that needs to be weighed, we will need to have it weighed at the other lane. Of course, I have bananas and jalapenos. I look at all the items I had picked up. I am not going to reload and move. The manager looks at me. I say “I’ll just not purchase the bananas and jalapenos.” She knew I was aggravated so she said, just hand your bananas and jalapenos to the clerk behind you.” I did. 

In the meantime, my clerk rang up Rheba’s 4 gallons of oil. I handed him $20 and stepped over to register 6 and used my debit card to pay $280. Came back to lane 5, got my change and handed the clerk Aleta’s items and told him that was a separate transaction. He rang up her items and my first grocery item. I say, “Wait, wait! Only those were on a separate transaction!” He asks, “Oh, just this then?” I say “Yes, I told you just these were on a transaction!” He asks “Do you want me to take off the other item?” I say “No,” because at this point, I made the executive decision that Aleta could stand to pay the extra $1.88. 

So, now I’m 3 transactions down and still have my groceries to go. I tell him that the 32 pack of water is still in my cart, but that needs to be scanned. “Okay,” he says. So, he starts scanning my other grocery items. He puts one item in the bag, picks up another, item, puts it in another bag. He starts 3 bags and keeps swinging the bag holder back and forth adding items to separate bags. Now, I am particular about my bananas and bread. I don’t want either squashed. But cans and boxes don’t much matter to me, and his system for filling the bags wasn’t making sense. I now understand why the lady in front of me had offered to bag her groceries herself. All the while, he is chatting and apologizing for the scanner not working. I’m just patiently holding my tongue. And he stops to pause the register and loads my groceries.

Finally, he rings up my last item, I pull out my debit card and make my 4th transaction. He hands me my receipt and says “Oh wait! I don’t think I rang up the water!” Are you kidding me?? He loaded the bags on top of the water and he forgot to charge me? Just shoot me now! 

So, I made my fifth transaction of the night and headed for the door. I had held my tongue, but my blood pressure was rising. I’m getting old and forgetful, but if I can remember when I return to Walmart, I think I will choose to get in the longest line possible and see if I get out any faster!

Until next week...

Cynthia Kay

Sunday Obsession: Fried Green Tomatoes

Now, I hate a red tomato. I don’t like them. I don’t like their texture. Can’t stand them. However, I love ketchup. However, this blog is not about ketchup.

But, y’all…I could purely write a sonnet to the greatness that is the Fried Green Tomato.

I have been to the Mecca of Fried Green Tomatoes: The Whistle Stop Café in Juliette, Georgia. They are fabulous there. The Ivy House is another FGT favorite. Although it has since closed down, Boo Radley’s Café in Monroeville, AL had a Fried Green Tomato BLT that would knock your socks off!

I think I have found my one true love…

And really, is there anything more Southern??

The Oh-So-Fabulous Brandy Bonanno

While these pictures might look like I'm a smidge in love with a selfie, please note the common thread. 

I. Love. Accessories.

Whether it be hair bows (the bigger the better); or cute sunglasses; or Alex and Ani bracelets; or chunky bead necklaces...I love them all.  And they can really just MAKE an outfit. 

I get asked pretty frequently where I get my chunky bead necklaces.  And sometimes people are amazed that it matches my outfit perfectly.  Here's the thing...I have them made to match the colors I'm wanting. 

The Oh-So-Fabulous Brandy Bonanno is not only a bead enthusiast...but also my necklace guru.  She is the maker of all of my pretties! She has also made custom headbands to match specific outfits for me.  And what I feel best about is...She's a local.  I'm having something beautiful made, and I'm also supporting a local lady. 

She has become a dear friend of mine, and today I just wanted to give her and her business a little plug.  Brandy does wonderful work! Y'all check her out!  https://www.facebook.com/mooboostutus

Mama Says Monday: Easter

Easter is upon us. I love Easter. As a Christian, Easter represents my Lord's resurrection, a time to celibrate, a time of renewal. A few years ago, I saw someone post about the new growth on pine trees-- a cross at the top of a pine.  Since then, I always start looking for the crosses a week or so before Easter.

Back when dinosaurs roamed the earth, and I was in elementary school, we had egg hunts at school.  I never have been an observant person, which probably contributed to me being one of those kids that never found any eggs. I couldn't find them. I was the kid that got the prize for not finding any eggs. And no, I wasn't smart enough to figure out that you got a prize for not finding any. Oh well, enough about the dinosaur days.

I love to sew, and the special thing about having daughters, was that I got to sew their clothes. And especially at Easter I got to make them special dresses. At least, I did for a while. Now Aleta is a girly girl, and she always loved her new dresses. She still likes for me to sew for her. Now in reality, she sews as well as I do, but I don't think she enjoys it as much as I do. She loves dresses, and I make a lot of the ones that she wears. Sometimes I just surprise her with one, sometimes she plans the ones that I make, or she buys the fabric that she likes, or the pattern. It's fun I guess because I love sewing and being creative.

However, my daughter Rheba is a different child, and yes this is not a new discovery. I found this out a long time ago. She preferred jeans. No dresses, no skirts, no ruffles, no frills etc. A big blow to this mama's creative heart. The last Easter outfit that I made Rheba was when she was in the fifth grade. I tried to make something that would appeal to Rheba, not something I really liked. I took a pair of her jeans, Cut the bottom off below the pockets and added a ruffled skirt of western material, and made a vest. Then, because I knew she still wouldn't really want to wear it, I ordered a pair of western boots, to match the outfit. I also decorated a western hat to match. She only wore the outfit because I told her she couldn't have the boots unless she wore the outfit to church on Easter. She reluctantly wore it, becuse she really wanted that pair of boots. But she never wore it again. In fact, she never wore another dress until she graduated from high school. She had to wear a dress under her graduation gown. And very few times since then has she donned a dress. AND following that last Easter outfit, Rheba complained that I had cut off her favorite pair of jeans. I had to hear this complaint every time she got dressed for about 6 months. And even now, every now and again, she will bring up that I cut off her favorite pair of jeans. 

Sometimes I worry that people think that I always sew for Aleta and hardly ever for Rheba, but it is not my intention to favor one child over the other. But in this case, I don't think Rheba harbors any bad feelings since she never wanted to wear dresses. She did let me make her some cute scrub tops, but now she is required to wear scrubs in only one color, no cute tops. Oh well, maybe one day.

I haven't made any Easter dresses this year, but I have been sewing. I have made a few costumes for our Easter Drama. So let me put in a plug for it....

Pine Grove Baptist will be presenting "OVERCOME, Destined to Die," a live Easter Drama, on April 13th, 14th, and 15th at 7:00 pm. Admission is free and a nursery is available. A lot of hard work has been put into the program, and you will git a blessing if you can come.

I hope to see you there!

Until next week!

Cynthia Kay

We Were Soldiers Once...And Young

I know that anyone reading this will understand this: There are times where a song will just move you to tears; or you will find a passage in a book particularly moving. 

I may have previously mentioned that in interviewing two Vietnam Veterans as of recently, I found that I am woefully ill-informed about the Vietnam War. We either didn’t touch on it as much in my History classes, or maybe I just wasn’t paying as much attention as I should have been.

Upon interviewing my last Vietnam Veteran, he suggested that I read “We Were Soldiers Once…And Young.” Which speaks about the Battle of Ia Drang. As mentioned previously, this was the battle that officially entered us into the Vietnam War.  

I picked up this book a few weeks back, and while I am still reading it, I would like to mention here how incredibly well-written I am finding it to be. Not only that, but the Prologue, itself, moved me to tears. There are a few excerpts I would like to share with y’all…So, even if you never pick this book up, you may have heard these words.   

“Another war story, you say? Not exactly, for on the more important levels this is a love story, told in our own words and by our own actions. We were the children of the 1950s and we went where we were sent because we loved our country. We were draftees, most of us, but we were proud of the opportunity to serve that country just as our fathers had served in World War II and our older brothers in Korea. We were members of an elite experimental combat division trained in the new art of airmobile warfare at the behest of President John F. Kennedy."

“…We went to war because our country asked us to go, because our new president, Lyndon B. Johnson, ordered us to go, but more importantly because we saw it as our duty to go. That is one kind of love."

“Another and far more transcendent love came to us unbidden on the battlefields, as it does on every battlefield in every war man has ever fought. We discovered in that depressing, hellish place, where death was our constant companion, that we loved each other. We killed for each other, we died for each other, and we wept for each other. And in time we came to love each other as brothers. In battle our world shrank to the man on our left and the man on our right and the enemy all around. We held each other’s lives in our hands and we learned to share our fears, our hopes, our dreams as readily as we shared what little else good came our way."

“We were the children of the 1950s and John F. Kennedy’s young stalwarts of the early 1960s. He told the world that Americans would ‘pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship’ in the defense of freedom. We were the down payment on that costly contract, but the man who signed it was not there when we fulfilled his promise. John F. Kennedy waited for us on a hill in Arlington National Cemetery, and in time we came by the thousands to fill those slopes with our white marble markers and to ask on the murmur of the wind if that was truly the future he had envisioned for us."

“…The class of 1965 came out of the old America, a nation that disappeared forever in the smoke that billowed off the jungle battlegrounds where we fought and bled. The country that sent us off to war was not there to welcome us home. It no longer existed. We answered the call of one president who was now dead; we followed the orders of another who would be hounded from office, and haunted, by the war he mismanaged so badly."

“Many of our countrymen came to hate the war we fought. Those who hated it the most—the professionally sensitive—were not, in the end, sensitive enough to differentiate between the war and the soldiers who had been ordered to fight it. They hated us as well, and we went to the ground in the cross fire, as we had learned in the jungles."

“In time our battles were forgotten, our sacrifices were discounted, and both our sanity and our suitability for life in polite American society were publicly questioned. Our young-old faces, chiseled and gaunt from the fever and the heat and the sleepless nights, now stare back at us, lost and damned strangers, frozen in yellowing snapshots packed away in cardboard boxes with our medals and ribbons."

“We rebuilt our lives, found jobs or professions, married, raised families, and waited patiently for America to come to its senses. As the years passed we searched each other out and found that the half-remembered pride of service was shared by those who had shared everything else with us. With them, and only with them, could we talk about what had really happened over there—what we had seen, what we had done, what we had survived.”

As an ending to this post, I will leave you with a thought: May we always remember that a soldier’s job is never easy. They are doing what they are called to do. We all have differing opinions, different views, and that is what our freedoms allow us. But we were allowed that freedom by the men and women who have fought for it. May we never let views on politics or wars lessen our respect for our military.  

All excerpts were taken from the prologue in “We Were Soldiers Once…And Young” by Lt. Gen. Harold G. Moore and Joseph L. Galloway.  

Reference

Moore, Harold G. & Galloway, Joseph L. (1992). We Were Soldiers Once…And Young. New York:

        Random House.

December 2015 trip: Montgomery

One would probably not be surprised to know that of all the things that I enjoy most about our travels, is when I get to take in some history.

It was late afternoon when we made it to Montgomery from Clarksville. We had just enough time to make it to the place that I had been wanting to visit for years. See, one of my favorite books (and movies) is The Great Gatsby. And by being enticed by both history and literature, the F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald Museum had long been calling my name. We made it just in time to peruse the museum before it closed.

Now, I’m going to be real honest here. I was a smidge disappointed. Was the museum chock-full of the Fitzgerald’s artifacts? Yes. But truthfully, the curator was not in. So we had a fill-in, that day, that couldn’t tell us a whole lot. He did his best, but it was still a bit of a let-down. Also, finding out that the Fitzgeralds only really lived in that home for about 8 months, was also another thing that busted my bubble. It was a neat experience. I just wish it could have been a bit different, is all.

At dusk, we put in the address for a local cemetery. Again, the Sheffield girls aren’t opposed to visiting a cemetery. Off we went, to find this cemetery. Well, I should probably mention that the cemetery that we were looking for was directly across from where the Camilla Bowl was being held that night. Yes, Lord, the stadium was all aglow, and there we were searching for a gravestone. We circled the cemetery, and found a cop sitting idly in it, who directed us towards the grave we were searching for. See, my sister has always wanted to visit Hank Williams’ Grave.

The ghosts liked me there :)

His grave was so very neat. We did learn one thing about Cynthia Kay that night: While she may not balk at the idea of visiting a cemetery while on vacation, there was no way she was getting out to visit a grave at night. She sat in the car while Rheba and I took it in, promising she would come back the next day…during the daylight…and see it. Because the stadium across the street was lit up, the sky had almost taken on a reddish tone. All of the pictures that night had orbs in the background, probably due to the lighting. But the pictures Rheba took of me, they circled my head in every picture. Now, I am positive it was a light trick, but I like to think the ghosts just liked me.

Now, leaving there, the Sheffield girls were starving. So, we did a search on Pegi for local restaurants, we found one that sounded good, plugged it in, and took off. Pegi took us straight into what we deem “Rape Row” or the really sketchy side of town. As my sister is driving, she yells at me “Aleta, don’t look to the right, it’s a drug deal. Don’t look.” We quickly find a place to turn around, drive back past the drug deal, Rheba again yells “Don’t look.” One of the cars turn out behind us. A few blocks down, as we’re freaking out because the druggy car is following us, we get stopped by a train. Y’all, if I’m lyin’ I’m dyin’…I thought we were going to be “offed” that night. The minutes seemed like days as we waited for that train to pass. We finally found a suitable restaurant that night, and were able to slow our racing heartbeats.

The next day, after breakfast at The Egg and I, and a trip back to the cemetery (So CK could enjoy), we were homeward bound.

Probability

Probability: the extent to which an event is likely to occur, measured by the ratio of the favorable cases to the whole number of cases possible.

Have you ever pondered why it always seems when you look your absolute worst, and you are forced to wander into town for something, you will run into EVERYONE you know? I mean, really!

Think of it…you’ve got a bad case of the epizootie, your eyes are all gooped up, your nose is running non-stop, and you venture into the Walmart for some meds…and BOOM…suddenly it’s a High School and/or family reunion. You will run into 4 old classmates, 2 first cousins, your grandma, and your weird uncle.

You’ve made the important decision that leggings ARE, in fact, pants…you’re wearing your Class of 2004 hoodie…have no makeup on, and your hair is in what MIGHT pass as a loose bun, and you’re wearing Jesus sandals…although you JUST needed a gallon of milk…prepare yourselves, ladies…you’re going to run into your pastor, several deacons, and the leader of Ladies Bible Study.

I don’t know why it is this way, but the worse you look, the higher the chance that you will run into everyone.

That, dear friends, is probability. As well as just another facet in Small Town Life.

Not-So-Wordless Wednesday: Cousins

My partner-in-crime growing up was J.  He is my first cousin; although growing up, we were always asked if we were brother/sister or twins (even though J was 2 years older than me).  Rarely did you see one of us without the other.  If one of us was in trouble, it was likely both of us were in trouble.  If granny was threatening to pop one of us with a peach limb, chances were good we were both gonna get it….because if one was involved in the “crime,” the other was guilty by association.  We were inseparable.

I’ve mentioned before that my Hannie, J’s mama, watched me when I was little.  So, J and his brother, D were my first best friends. 

We were raised almost like siblings, and because I was the baby of the group, I sometimes fell victim to the “brotherly love.”  Like the time I was dared to drink fish food in my root beer.  Or the time they convinced me that I, too, with my itty bitty legs (I was like 4) could take the church steps 2 at a time (one chipped tooth and a dentist visit later…).  Or the time one of us said “shut up” (oh the obscenities!) and we all three got our mouths washed out with soap at church. 

But those two were the best, really.  When I got stuck in a canoe at 2, J was there to hold my hand.  Or when D has fixed several of my flat tires or has helped us with our animals. Or the time J flew in twice in a week when my dad was sick and passed away. 

I love those boys more than they’ll ever know.  They still look out for us, to this day.  And I wouldn’t trade my childhood for anything in this world. 

Wedding Registries...I hate them

I’m fixin’ to delve into something that I know probably a lot of folks won’t agree with me on.  But, I hope you’ll hear me out….

I loathe a wedding registry.  In fact, chances are, if you send me an invitation to your bridal shower and/or wedding, I will not have spent one hot minute pouring over your registry. 

I’m of the old-school mindset, I suppose.  Where, if a person was having a problem figuring out what to get you, they would ask your mama.

Why do I have such disdain for a wedding registry?  Well, my hatred is really centered around the frivolity that I see on many registries.  You’re doing your guest bathroom in lavender?  That’s fine…that lets me know what color towels to buy.  Your kitchen theme is roosters?  That’s great, I know that I can get you a great kitchen item.  However, when a couple (probably laughably) puts a bathroom waste basket on their registry.  I don’t see the humor.  Frankly, if you’re asking guests to buy you a trash can, perhaps more time should have been put into preparing financially to join two lives.  You thought it was funny to put fly swatter on your registry?  I feel compelled to buy you that flyswatter…that and ONLY that.  Who’s laughing now? 

While I realize it might be fun to go around a store with one of those little gun things, selecting random items…it grates my nerves.

Also, is it necessary to put 5 bedding sets on your registry?  Are 5 bedding sets absolute necessity?  Really?

To me, it’s in very poor taste when you list the specific tv…or something specific or extravagant on your registry.  Take the TV for instance, if someone was willing to buy a TV for me, I wouldn’t so much care what brand it was…I would think “Hey, wow, that person bought me a TV.  How nice!”

The point of wedding gifts is to help set you up for your new life together, not to set you up for life.  The wedding registry has an air of expectation, moreso than appreciation. 

And sweet baby Jesus, even if a person doesn’t get you the exact brand/specific model/etc, let them know how much you appreciate it.  Don’t tell people what they can and can’t buy.  That’s 50 shades of tacky. 

I’ll end this with…just be tactful, y’all.  And make sure it’s in good taste if you should have one. 

Mama Says Monday: Retirement

Me and Aleta at my retirement party.

So....I'm retired, and you know what that means. You get to sleep till noon, you can decide if you are going to get dressed or stay in your pjs, watch your soaps all afternoon, then sit on in your rocking chair on the porch and enjoy the sunset you never got to view when your were a part of the working world. Day after day, I get to fill up my day with mindless activity. Not!!!!!! Oh, and by the way, if someone asks you to do something, there is no reason you should refuse, because after all, you are retired and have all the time in the world. This remark was made to me recently, and the more I have thought about it, the more aggravated I have become.

So, let me tell you about my retirement days. I have a job to go to on Mondays and Tuesdays. It is not a hard job by any means, but it is a job. I proofread for a local newspaper. 

Tuesday nights, I spend digging through my cookbooks, or go online to look for recipes that I can use for my Wednesday job. After deciding on generally three recipes, I make my shopping list. On Wednesdays, I get up late (around 8:00 instead of 7:00), shop for the items that I need, and head to church, to begin my afternoon. I generally prepare desserts to feed around 150 people.  I try to make at least three choices plus jello. Someone else prepares the main dish and sides. But mostly, there is three of us, until later. We serve the meal, then help with cleanup. I generally get home around 7:00 p.m. This day is much more physical than Mondays and Tuesdays, and I can barely move by the time I get home. 

Me and My Sister-In-Law, Angie, at the retirement party.

I try to reserve Thursday mornings for rest, but that doesn't always happen. This week, I took water samples for my brother, then delivered his samples and another farmer's to Gainesville. Last year I drove the samples to Homosassa. So this year's samples don't have to travel so far. I stopped on the way back at Publix, and then came home. I had planned to stop at the nursing home, but didn't because I had purchased yogurt. And I felt guilty about not stopping. I forgot to mention that I had gone to the nursing home after work on Monday and Tuesday. I went to visit my aunt on Friday, and we went out to lunch.

I got home at 5:00 and my girls and I went to Gainesville to pick up an item and went to dinner. Saturday was the first day in about 4 weeks that I didn't have somewhere to go. But I still had a busy day working on costumes for our Easter play at church. I sewed until 9:30 p.m. Got up and went to church this morning, went upstairs to sew until time to go to church this afternoon, to check fitting of the costumes and take measurements for another one. Then, I finally got back to the nursing home to visit with my mother-in-law.And tomorrow begins a new week. Now can you see why I'm just a little offended when someone says "After all, you're retired. You have plenty of time!"

Until next week, I'll just be over here takin' it easy!

Cynthia Kay

When Reality Crushes the Vision You Had In Your Head

So, I’ve recently become obsessed with the Facebook and Youtube sensation, “Mr. Cian Twomey.” Now, iffin’ you decide to look him up, and you have children, I would HIGHLY recommend not watching his videos while your children are within earshot. You will laugh, but they will quickly learn some new four-letter words. 

In real life, he has a girlfriend named Emily. But in many of his videos he plays Emily AND himself. One of his recent videos struck a chord with me…it was about ordering clothes online. 

How many times have we ordered something online and it not been what we thought? We have this glorious image in our heads of how we will look in something…and we get it…and we’re a little awestruck on how awful it really is. 

My friend Jenn is coming down next month, and I’m having more photos done. This time, we are going to do something different, and have an outdoor shoot. I’m pretty excited! So, I had this image in my head of wearing a corset and a big flowy skirt. In mentioning it to Jenn, she asked me “Have you seen the Mr. Pretty Skirts?” Well, I had to take a look…

Photo taken from Ebay.  Isn't this beautiful?  This isn't either of the skirts that I ordered, but the skirts were beautiful.

I. Fell. In. Love. They were beautiful. Very bridal or formal, but so beautiful. I quickly ordered two, with only a moment’s hesitation because they were made in China (only because of the length of shipping time). One full red tulle skirt, that I would pair with a denim shirt. And one mint colored with an ivory chiffon overlay to pair with my rose gold corset. I had a vision. 

I compulsively tracked my shipments. And when the first arrived in a small package…I thought, “Hmmmm….” I opened the package and found they must have vacuum sealed that sucker. One rip through the plastic container and that thing was bustin’ out of there like the Hulk. Now, I will mention here that I ordered RED. It came in a champagne color. The color was nowhere near what I had ordered. And while it wasn’t what I’d ordered, it was doable. I wasn’t about to ship it back because of the color. I could work with it. 

It wasn’t made how I had envisioned either, really. Having a knowledge of sewing, and from the picture of my order…I thought that while the skirt had an elastic waist, it would have had multiple skirt layers of tulle. It wound up being strips, hand knotted to the elastic piece. You know, like on many a’ four-year-old girl Halloween costumes. 

I ran into the living room, eager to try it on…I jacked the dress I had been wearing up to my armpits, and pulled that skirt on….

Y’all, never have I ever heard my mama laugh that hard. She had tears rolling down her face. That skirt seemed to grow the longer I was wearing it. I tried to fluff the tulle to make it better, but it seemed to just keep growing. I felt like…had I kept it on much longer, the thing would have swallowed me whole.  

This skirt is taking up 3/4 of a King Size Bed.  Fluffy?  This skirt wrote the book on "fluffy." 

I know…I know…it was $50+ down the drain, but that day, all I could do was laugh. It was the wrong color, not made how I thought, and I surely didn’t look like the model on the website. All I could do was laugh until my belly hurt. 

One of my dear friends had been wanting a tulle skirt, so I gave it to her. And Lord knows, if anyone can pull it off, it’s her. She loved it. 

**I will say, my second skirt came in, and it’s just fabulous. I love it. The color was right, and it is perfect. Y’all will see it soon :) I’m thinking the tulle skirt might have just been a fluke.**

December 2015 Trip: Clarksville

Back to my December 2015 trip…

So, in 2015, one of my best friends was living off-base in Clarksville. She had been telling us how beautiful it was up there, and we really wanted to see it.

Justice, Lanie, Laila, and Aaron

We headed from Louisville to Clarksville…and again, my aversion to Nashville traffic played a key role in our navigation that day. But we did see some beautiful little towns in Kentucky. We had just missed some snow, too! I remember one of the quaint little towns we passed through, all of the houses had snow on the the rooftops. That is probably one of my regrets from that trip…we were pressed for time, and losing daylight, so I didn’t get to take pictures of that little town.

Before I forget, and I should most definitely mention…because it was one of our GPS, Pegi’s, funnier stunts. As we were leaving Louisville, and thinking that we were on the interstate that would take us a majority of our trip that day, Pegi said to turn off on exit 12. We followed suit, thinking she knew better than we did. We hadn’t even gotten down the exit ramp when Pegi tells us to do a U-turn. We get turned around (not by u-turn, mind you), and get back on the interstate. She says “Take exit 14.” Again, we listen. Again, we don’t make it down the ramp before she directs us to make a U-turn. Thank God the Sheffield girls can laugh and aren’t opposed to turning around.

Laila, Aaron, and Justice

Eventually, we made it to Clarksville, at nightfall. We got checked into our hotel, grabbed a pizza, and headed to Lanie’s. Justice, who was two at the time, was calling everyone with white/grey hair “Papa” at the time. He and Cynthia Kay quickly became buddies that night, and she, too, was deemed “Papa.”

"Papa" and Justice

The next day, we explored the town a bit. It was very busy, because of the holidays being so close. As Lanie had told us, though, the town was beautiful. While there, Mom and Rheba found the neatest little beef jerky store…that had about a million flavors to choose from. While they were busy stocking up on beef jerky, I was busy stocking up on bourbon….you know, for recipes and such.

Rheba and the giant cow in Guthrie

We even ventured to Guthrie, Kentucky, another Lanie suggestion, which was only a few miles outside of Clarksville. They have an Amish store there called the Country Pantry. We took our time there, buying peanut brittle, popcorn, cookbooks, and old fashioned candies. It was so neat, and well worth the side trip. We got a lot of treats to give to our extended family for Christmas.

Lanie and I

That night, we had dinner with Lanie and her family. We had even went to the grocery store and got the ingredients to make Christmas cookies with the kids. It was such a sweet memory, and Cynthia Kay sure loved it.

Later, we went to a nearby park that had dozens of Christmas light displays by the water. Seeing the kids faces light up as we walked through the park, warmed our hearts. After strolling through the park, we said our goodbyes to Lanie and the kids, because we were planning to leave early the next morning.

Rheba, Cynthia Kay and I

Next week, I will share the last leg of our trip…Montgomery. Which involves a little bit of Literary History, a few ghosts, a little bit of Country Gold, and a terrifying experience by the train tracks.