It's been one of THOSE weeks

Need I say more?

Saltine crackers and juice?

I was stunned and appalled when I read the story about a South Carolina school district that is proposing serving a pack of saltine crackers and a box of juice to children whose parents have not paid their school lunch bills. How cold and heartless is that? Can you imagine the ridicule these children will be subjected to? What kind of people are running this place? I simply cannot fathom what kind of mind would come up with something as totally asinine as this. Turn the slackers in to the a collection agency or the credit bureau. Hell, file a civil suit. But don't punish the children for the sins of the parents.
According to the school district website they "are serious about providing an educational program of excellence. We are serious about preparing our students so that they will flourish in whatever they choose to do after they leave us. Simply put, we want our graduates- your children- to be wildly successful." They want children to flourish and be successful yet they are willing to hold them up to ridicule by their peers for something they can do nothing about?
These heartless cretins should hang their heads in shame.

Mom will KILL me...

but I just had to post these pictures of the Dynamic Duo that were taken about 40 years ago.
They are just the best EVER!!! That's me with them in the first one. Sure wish I looked like that now!

A few of my favorite things...

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens...nah, not THAT kind of favorite thing.

These are just a few things that I like. I don't expect anyone to agree/disagree with me. This is just me!

Bands:
Current band - Green Day (American Idiot was awesome)
Classic rock - The Eagles (of course)
Solo gigs - Don Henley (of course, again)
Newer Country - Garth Brooks
Classic Country - Johnny Cash
60's and beyond - The Beatles (greatest rock band of ALL time)

Songs:
Current band - Green Day - Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Classic rock - The Eagles - Hotel California
Solo gigs - Don Henley - Heart of the Matter
Newer Country - Garth Brooks - What She's Doing Now
Classic Country - Johnny Cash - I Still Miss Someone
60's and beyond - The Beatles - In My Life

Food:
Mexican - Chicken Fajitas (Yum)
Italian - Baked Spaghetti
Chinese - Sesame Chicken
"American" - Cheeseburgers
My son's homemade chicken quesadillas

Restaurants:
Mexican - Chicken Fajitas (Yum) - Monterrey Mexican Restauante
Italian - Baked Spaghetti - Olive Tree
Chinese - Sesame Chicken - Lieu's Chinese Bistro
"American" - Cheeseburgers - McDonald's (yes, I know I'm a freak!)
McAlister's Deli - Bacon spud (AWESOME)

Colors - purple and red

Beverages - Coffee and Diet Sprite

Clothes - Jeans all the way, baby! I'm not much of a dress up kind of gal. I like to be comfortable and, as those who know me well will attest, I've never been a slave to fashion.

Books - Don't care much for biographies and such. I prefer works of fiction.

Authors:
John Grisham - The Runaway Jury
James Patterson - Kiss the Girls
Stephen King - The Dark Tower Series (love them all but if I had to pick a favorite, I guess it would be The Gunslinger)
Stephen White - Private Practices
Anne Rice - Interview with the Vampire
David Baldacci - Simple Truth
Dean Koontz - Intensity
John Sandford - Rules of Prey

Flowers:

Roses - all colors
Snapdragons
Purple Iris
Fuchsia

Activities:

Spending time with my kids
Blog surfing
Listening to music
Reading

Yes, yes, I know I have such a FULL life - full of what...we won't discuss! But, you know, it is the simple things in life that mean so much. I may not have much financially but I am rich in other ways.

Sixties Music

I've been listening to some 60's music today. I had forgotten how much I loved some of those old songs. They bring back so many wonderful memories. The Beatles, The Byrds, The Turtles, The Dave Clark 5, Gerry and the Pacemakers. Good stuff. Oh, I still love The Eagles but there were some great songs in the 60's. Ah, memories. A simpler time when all I had to worry about was what I was going to wear on a date. There were no bills, no job hassles. If I could go back in time, I would go back to that time in my life.

Learn to be still

I've been very introspective the past couple of days. Maybe it was because I finally had the opportunity to talk to my "lost love" or it may be because my oldest son turned 35 today (Happy Birthday, Dan-o). I've been thinking a lot about where my life is going and where I've been. Let's face it, the years are winding down and my time on this planet will someday come to an end. I'd like to do something with my life that will be remembered. Some kind of legacy that could be handed down to future generations. I really don't see that happening but it would be nice to think I'd left my mark on this world. I look at myself now and see a grey-haired, dumpy old lady who doesn't recognize the face she sees in the mirror. Where did that young girl go? Why must she remain trapped inside this aging vessel? She wants so desperately to get out.

This "soul searching" led me to think of a song by The Eagles (of course). They seem to have written a song that fits most every stage of my life. This one is "Learn To Be Still" - maybe someday I'll "learn to be still" and find my place in this world before it's too late.

Learn To Be Still (Don Henley/Stan Lynch)
It’s just another day in paradise
As you stumble to your bed
You’d give anything to silence
Those voices ringing in your head
You thought you could find happiness
Just over that green hill
You thought you would be satisfied
But you never will-
Learn to be still

We are like sheep without a shepherd
We don’t know how to be alone
So we wander ’round this desert
And wind up following the wrong gods home
But the flock cries out for another
And they keep answering that bell
And one more starry-eyed messiah
Meets a violent farewell-
Learn to be still
Learn to be still

Now the flowers in your garden
They don’t smell, so sweet
Maybe you’ve forgotten
The heaven lying at your feet

There are so many contradictions
In all these messages we send
(we keep asking)
How do I get out of here?
Where do I fit in?
Though the world is torn and shaken
Even if your heart is breakin’
It’s waiting for you to awaken
And someday you will-
Learn to be still
Learn to be still

You just keep on runnin’
Keep on runnin’

Did you ever have one of those days...

when something finally went right?

If you've read my post about lost love (I know there's someone out there who has...helllloooo) you'll know that I had been searching for him for some time. Well, Saturday of last week he got in touch with me through Classmates.com (ya gotta love those folks!). Anyway, he came up from Florida and we went out to dinner last night (he's divorced..I'm not the kind to go out with a married man!!!). We talked a lot about what we've been doing for the past 38 years (he's led a very exciting life. I, on the other hand, have not!!!) and why we broke up all those years ago. All in all, it was a wonderful evening. He brought me roses (see below)! Good things do still happen!

Okay, this is weird.

It just gets weirder and weirder. A guy has been sent to prison for fathering a child with his 16-year-old daughter. He says he didn't think she was his daughter because she didn't look like his other children. WHAT????? I've heard some dumb things in my time but this takes the cake. Okay, let me get this straight. You've had this child in your home since she was born and have raised her like a daughter. But you think, "Hey, she doesn't favor my other children so I'll just have sex with her even though she's still just a child." WHAT????? That has to be the stupidest thing EVER! Fifteen years isn't long enough for this rube.
Okay, Einstein, out of the gene pool, you're polluting it!

The dynamic duo...

will celebrate their 58th wedding anniversary on March 20!

My hero

After the previous post extolling the virtues of my mom, I realized I needed to post about my dad also. Pop turned 78 years old in January. He too is beautiful inside and out. Pop had a hard life growing up. He had to quit school at 15 and go to work to help support his family after his father left. Even with just an 8th grade education he managed to gain the experience to become a Class A machinist with General Electric where he worked for nearly 20 years. After his retirement he set up his woodworking shop (part of which can be seen in the photo) where he built furniture and various other items. He has had both knees replaced with stainless steel joints, 2 quadruple coronary by-pass surgeries and most recently he had a defibrillator implanted. His health won't let him do a lot of things now that he used to do and it is hard for him to realize that he needs to slow down. He's a real go-getter! There'e never been a time when I couldn't go to him with a problem. He's always been there for me. Here's to you Pop! I love you!!!

My Inspiration

Today is my mom's 77th birthday. I guess most people think their mom is special but, actually, my mom IS special. When she was 13 months old she was stricken with polio. The first 7 or 8 years of her life were spent in one of the Shriners' hospitals. Part of that time she was in an iron lung. As a result of the polio, one of her legs is about 2 inches shorter than the other. The polio also destroyed the joint in one of her hips and one of her ankles (the doctors were able to rebuild the ankle joint but it has now deteriorated and is no longer working) and caused her to have scoliosis. Because of the scoliosis, her lung capacity is decreasing, causing breathing problems. She is now suffering from post-polio syndrome which causes weakness in her muscles. Her other health problems would fill a small book. She is able to get around only with the aid of a walker and even that is difficult for her and she is in constant pain. But even with all of these problems, she has the most upbeat, positive outlook on life. She lives with her pain and doesn't dwell on it. I don't think I could live for one day with the problems she has lived with for the past 75 years. She constantly amazes me. To me she is the most beautiful person in the world - both inside and out. Here's to you Mom. I love you. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Heart of the Matter

My favorite song by Don Henley. I was reading a commentary on this song on the Don Henley Song Blog on L&M's Fastlane (the best place to go for all things Eagles). I guess this song means so much to me because of my own lost love. It's been 38 years since we broke up. We dated for 2 years and were engaged for 2 years. He was ready to get married and start a family but I was just not quite ready. I wanted to wait a while longer and he couldn't accept that. The last time I saw him was in February of 1991. He came to visit my parents and asked to see me. I was living next door with my husband and 3 boys. Seeing him again made me realize just how much I missed him and still care so deeply for him. He lives in Florida with his wife and 2 sons. I don't know what he does for a living but, knowing him, I believe he could be successful at anything he sets his mind to. I truly hope he is happy. There is rarely a day that goes by that I don't think of him and what a fool I was to let him go. To quote another Henley song, "If you find somebody to love in this world you'd better hang on tooth and nail..." (New York Minute - Don Henley, Danny Kortchmar, Jai Winding)

Heart of the Matter - Mike Campbell, Don Henley, JD Souther

I got the call today that I didn't wanna hear
But I knew that it would come
An old, true friend of ours was talkin' on the phone
She said you'd found someone
And I thought of all the bad luck and the struggles we went through
And how I lost me and you lost you
What are these voices outside love's open door
Make us throw off our contentment and beg for something more?

I'm learning to live without you now
But I miss you sometimes
The more I know, the less I understand
All the things I thought I knew, I'm learning again

I've been tryin' to get down
To the heart of the matter
But my will gets weak
And my thoughts seem to scatter
But I think it's about
Forgiveness, forgiveness
Even if, even if you don't love me anymore

Oh, these times are so uncertain; there's a yearning undefined
And people filled with rage
We all need a little tenderness; how can love survive
In such a graceless age?
The trust and self-assurance that lead to happiness
They're the very things we kill, I guess
Oh, pride and competition cannot fill these empty arms
And the work I put between us - you know, it doesn't keep me warm

I'm learning to live without you now
But I miss you, baby
And the more I know, the less I understand
All the things I thought I'd figured out
I have to learn again

I've been trying to get down
To the heart of the matter
But everything changes
And my friends seem to scatter
But I think it's about
Forgiveness, forgiveness
Even if, even if, you don't love me anymore

There are people in your life who've come and gone
They let you down; you know, they hurt your pride
You better put it all behind you, baby, 'cause life goes on
You keep carryin' that anger, it'll eat you up inside, baby

I've been trying to get down
To the heart of the matter
But my will gets weak
And my thoughts seem to scatter
But I think it's about
Forgiveness, forgiveness
Even if, even if you don't love me...

I've been tryin' to get down
To the heart of the matter
Because the flesh will get weak
And the ashes will scatter
So I'm thinkin' about
Forgiveness, forgiveness
Even if, even if, you don't love me...

(Forgiveness)
Yeah (Forgiveness
Baby(Forgiveness)
Oh (Forgiveness)
Ah, yeah (Forgiveness)
Ooh (Forgiveness)
Even if you don't love me anymore

Yet another senseless death

A troubled 14-year-old child was beaten and died at the hands of "officers" at a Florida boot camp. Yes, the boy had been in trouble and broken the law. But is this any way to treat a child? And that is exactly what he was, a child only 14 years old. Anyone else would be in jail right now for child abuse. Surely there is some other way to handle children who break the law. Must they die at the hands of people who are supposed to be there to help them? Trying to say the young man died because of a genetic blood disease is laughable. It is my firm belief that the he died as a result of the beating. It will be interesting to watch this case and see what the final outcome is. To let these people off would be a travesty. These "officers" should be punished to the fullest extent of the law.

Another senseless death

This is a very disturbing story of an innocent wife and mother cut down in the prime of her life due to a senseless act of violence. Apparently her only transgression was firing someone. My heart goes out to her family. Their lives are in shambles because of the rage of this obviously disturbed individual.
Family mourns 'a good mother'

Okay, it's time to bring back public hangings (update)

I've found a bit more information on this sleaze bag William Edward Ronca. Seems he was the child's stepfather. Here's his ugly mug:







Photo from WISTV.com

Did ya ever just have one of those milleniums?

I don't just have bad days, weeks, months like normal folks. Mine seem to come in larger numbers. If you've read The Christmas Eve Incident... and/or Happy New Year???!!! then you'll know my year didn't end or start on a high note! Also, not posted here, we had to take my Mom to the ER one week after Pop went. Fortunately she is fine. But, the hits just keep on acomin'! Now my faithful chariot is in the transmission shop. I talked to them on Friday...$580.00 PLUS tax. I'm hoping to have it back on Monday (please,please,please,please,please,please). Pop is going to have surgery on Tuesday the 31st to have a defibrillator implanted. I REALLLLLY need that car back. My youngest and I will need to go over to Pop and Mom's every day for a week or so to feed their dogs (outdoor dogs) since Pop won't be able to do it. Le sigh. In the mean time I guess I'll just take deep breaths and think happy thoughts. Yeah right!!!

Okay, it's time to bring back public hangings

When I saw this headline, (Man Facing Charges Of Impregnating 10-Year-Old) I had to do a double take. This is absolutely unbelieveable. Why on earth would someone do something like this? First should come a public lashing with a cat o' nine-tails, then the hanging. There is no excuse for this type of behavior. I can just hear the defense attorney now, "Oh, we're gonna go with a mentally ill defense. Make 'em feel sorry for ya." Well, horse crap on that! Flog him, then hang the no good, low down, worthless bastard.

I don't like Windows!

Due to the post office not having enough stamps to go around (you'd think they would have printed a butt load, it's not like they're not going to sell)I was forced to seek postage elsewhere. There are several sites listed on the post office site that are supposed to allow you to print your own postage. So, I check them all out and decide on the one that will print the postage directly on to the envelope. I was feeling pretty good about the situation until I came across the following:
"Apple Macintosh users: Our software currently does not natively support the Apple Macintosh platform. However, many of our Macintosh customers use a Windows emulator software to run the xxxxxx.com software."
Okay, I can handle that. We have Windows emulator software. My eldest son graciously installed the software and I was off and running - or so I thought. I've never seen anything so slow in my life. I could have taken a nap while each envelope was printing. And, now I have to worry about those nasty little viruses Windows is vulnerable to. Do I really need stamps that bad? I'm beginning to wonder. A lot of folks seem to think that Mac users are a lower life form.











That includes my two youngest sons who think Windows is the best thing since sliced bread! I beg to disagree! I'm just not lovin' it!!!

The Christmas Eve Incident...or, Attack of the Moron

For those of you who have read my previous posts regarding my "quest" for a divorce, following is an account of the infamous Christmas Eve incident. This is from my son's blog. I have edited out some of the more "adult" language. Don't want to offend anyone! Doesn't bother me. But some may not appreciate his brutal honesty. I personally think my son is the BEST!! This makes for interesting reading though it wasn't fun at the time. Read on!!

My Redneck Christmas Eve…

So I almost ended up murdering someone on Christmas Eve.

Do I have your attention yet?

So here’s the deal…I’ll start at the beginning, which is always an excellent place to start. Unless your life is like the movie Memento which is a simple and straightforward little tale when compared to the serenity which is my family life.

Every year my grandparents invite all of us over to their house for a Christmas Eve party. The attendees also include my aunt from Atlanta and her family but also the family of close friends of my Grandparents. Even though they’re not technically “related” to us, I and the rest of us consider them to be part of our family.

Around noon, Mom, Brian and Andrew decide to head over to the Grandparents in order to help them get everything ready for the upcoming festivities. Grandma and Papa were hit especially hard by the ice storm a couple of weeks back and at one point I was pressing hard to have the party moved to my house in order to make it a little easier on everyone involved. The Grandparents said no and the rest was soon to become history.

About 4:30 (2 full hours before any of the guests would start to arrive) my father pulls into the shared driveway between my Grandparents house and my former childhood home. No one really notices anything unusual until they begin to hear the horn of his car blaring loudly and proudly throughout the neighborhood.

It’s assumed, and logically so, that his girlfriend/punching bag/cash cow is down at the old Kilpatrick homestead and Daddy dearest is simply impatient for her to get a move on so he can continue to sample the very best Milwaukee has to offer.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. He was alone, drunk and filled with the vigor that only alcohol and the knowledge that no one is around who’s capable or willing to stand up to him can bring.

Soon he’s screaming “Where is she?” and “Why won’t she come out here and see me?” These questions are of course all directed towards my Mother as she is in the process of divorcing his hairy little troll ass. All during his little tirade he’s laying on the car horn, revving the engine to the point of distress, spinning the tires in the driveway and basically making an obnoxious ass out of himself.

Wisely, no one answers his laughable summons and while they are shaken, they remain filled with the Christmas spirit and continue preparing for their yuletide gathering.

Dad leaves, but only after becoming so entangled in the complexities of “backing out of the driveway” that it takes him several attempts to get out into the road. During his escape from the devilry that is my Grandparents simple straight in and out driveway, he backs into their mailbox reducing it to splinters and hopefully causing severe damage to his piece of s**t car.

A few minutes pass and then the horn is heard again. He’s back ladies and gentlemen!

This time, He’s pulled in directly behind my Grandparents car, laying on the horn, gunning the engine, spinning the tires and shouting obscenities.

While my father does his best drunken Jeff Gordon impersonation, my grandfather calls the police. Once they get there and while he’s talking to the patrolman he thinks he sees Dad driving down the road…apparently attempting to pull off the trifecta of assholiness.

Cut to my house, some 20 minutes away…the calm before the storm as it were.

Carla and I aren’t feeling especially chipper and have just decided that we’re not going to be able to attend the Christmas Eve party. It’ll be the first one I’ve ever missed and while I’m kinda bummed I’ll be missing it I just don’t feel like going and I especially don’t want to go without Carla. I call with my sincerest apologies and deliver the news that we won’t be attending but I will be seeing my Grandparents on Christmas day for dinner at my house.

There’s a strange tension on the other end of the phone. My mother says she needs to talk to me…there’s a pause, and when she returns to the line she’s crying.

The story of harassment is relayed and I am MOST displeased. Mom wasn’t going to say anything about it to me but finally did so at the urging of my Grandmother who felt I needed to know what was going on. Mom said she was also very much looking forward to my being there because she simply felt safer if I was in close proximity. That was all I needed to hear.

I’m so angry I literally cannot stop shaking. I’m prepared to do things…violent and brutal things.

I get dressed, tell Carla to go to her mother’s house in order to make sure she’s taken care of and set off on a leisurely jaunt to Easley and my date with aggression, anger and patricide.

When I arrive I don’t really get out of my car…I launch out ready to f*****g throw down. I’m here for one reason and one reason only…to f*****g hurt someone. I didn’t come for the cocktail weenies, deviled egg sandwiches, sausage balls or chex mix. In the immortal words of “Rowdy” Roddy Piper from the movie They Live, “I came here to chew bubblegum and kick ass…and I’m all out of bubblegum.” You’re damn right…out of bubblegum indeed.

Inside, my Mother is trying to convince me that there’s no way Dad will come back…not when all the folks are there. He’s simply too big a coward to mess with people who are not only fully capable of putting his fat ass in traction but highly f*****g motivated to do it as well.

I know differently…I KNOW he’ll be back. Even if it’s just to ride down the road and blow the horn like a big p***y.

My brother Andrew casually mentions that he’s probably at the VFW (Veteran’s of Fine Wine) across the highway and only about half a mile from my Grandparents house. I ask “You really think so?” as I’m grabbing my coat and heading out the door…only to be tackled by my Grandfather and Mother who beg me not to go.

“He’s not worth getting in trouble for” they tell me…”You’ll end up in jail and it’s not worth it”…B******t, it’s totally f*****g worth it I tell them…take your hands off me.

“I just want to ride by and see if he’s there, I’ll come right back”…which was an absolute and total lie. If you had been driving a white GMC Jimmy and had happened to have been at that particular VFW then you would’ve come out only to find your car had no windows, four flat tires and the my phone number spray painted on your f*****g hood. Sorry about that…it would’ve been an honest mistake. No hard feelings right?

After being forced to promise I wouldn’t go decimate the VFW, I assumed my place in a shadowy spot outside. I met every car as it pulled up…

As people began to arrive, I made them aware of the situation, told them politely that I’m not here for the party and that I’m only here to break someone’s f*****g jaw if given the chance.

Please…pretty please with sugar on top.

About 7:45 as I’m standing in the shadows of my Grandparents house when I see a strangely familiar set of headlights. The 1999 white GMC Jimmy slowly comes around the corner towards…me.

As it continues to slow I take off after them…it’s him. Dear God…what a wonderful Christmas present.

He sees me and speeds up.

“Hey, come here…I thought you wanted to talk to someone? Get the fuck back here and talk to me m**********r! Are you gonna sit in the road and blow the horn like a f*****g p***y or are you going to come back up here so we can f*****g talk?”

“Where you goin’? I thought you were billy f*****g bad-ass tonight? You’ll come f**k with two 75 year old people, a woman and two children but you won’t come talk that s**t to one man?”

Alas, he was gone. My grandfather was pleading with me to come inside. I was having none of it…I was standing dead center in the middle of the road where anyone who wanted to could see me quite easily…and see me he did.

This is my home and my family. I will not stand for threats or intimidation towards my family…ever.

So on the off-chance this should be seen by a certain pair of eyes…know this. My f*****g address hasn’t changed, I still work at the same place and my phone numbers are all the f*****g same.

Come talk that s**t to me and see what it gets your ass.

You and I are done…from that day until time untold I have no father. You’re no relation to me. I’ll not be associated with anyone who conducts themselves in such a base and cowardly manner.

Eventually, you and I will cross paths again…it’s inevitable.

And on that day you’d best be ready, because I sure as hell will be.

Happy New Year???!!!

The day was going fairly well yesterday. I cooked a pretty big dinner for the boys and myself. We were all stuffed and planning to just hang around the house and digest until bedtime! Not to be!! Around 6pm my Mom called and said Pop was having severe pain in his right lung area and needed to go to the ER. Since neither of them can see well enough to drive after dark, Dan and I headed over there. We got to the ER at St. Francis (Bon Secours) Hospital around 7pm. After 5 1/2 hours, blood tests, lung x-rays and CT scans we got the great news that it was just some inflamation in his lungs (no blood clots - thank God!!!). To the staff at St. Francis I just want to say you are first rate. We were well-treated. The nurses were friendly, kind and caring (my Dad is a real comic and they played along with him which made his day). The doctor was thorough and continuously reassured us that they would find out what was wrong. All of our questions were answered completely and without a hint of annoyance (we can be annoying on occasion, especially where Mom and Pop are concerned!). A toast to the staff at St. Francis! You guys rock!!!!!