A good day

It has been a good day here in West Central Georgia.The day started off early for me because I slept extra good last night going to sleep right after supper.Around 3ish I guess thunder,lighting and heavy rain woke me up.By sun up it was gone but a cloudy day.A hot day also only 78 degrees now but humidity must be up.The big window next to my bed is open and it feels nice.Still not ready for the AC to be on.For the past few nights I have slept like a baby.No pain in my hip or knee.It’s not bad pain just enough to aggravate you when trying to sleep.Maybe those pain patches have finally started to work.What ever the reason I’m sure thankful for the good sleep.I played it lazy today which is not hard for me to do.I’m sorta an expert at that.

Sharp pointed brick to the head

The story of the sharp pointed brick to my head.As a kid I had made a tent out of an old blanket of Momma's.I was bad about swiping her sheets to make tents but this time it was an old patch quilt if my memory is right.I don't know how many times I was almost killed in our own backyard on Juniper Street.Caves where dug in the alley behind the house and it's a wonder a cave in didn't happen.Riding my bike in the the back yard I did not see the clothes line and it caught me at neck level knocking me off the bike along with my breath.Thought I was dieing.Another time I slid off a barn on my belly hitting the ground hard again knocking the breath out of me.On Murphy Avenue riding a friend's bike wearing a football helmet,don't ask why,the chain came off the bike at full speed,being 7 years old and not very bright I had time enough to think I had 2 choices,hit the car stopped in the road or go through a barb wire fence.I chose the car.The bike as destroyed and I landed on the trunk of the car against the rear window.People inside the car,high school kids where screaming he's dead,he's dead!No I'm not I manged to say.The football helmet saved my life most likely.I came through that ordeal with just a chipped front tooth.Now back to the sharp pointed brick to my head.I had made the tent and for some reason a brick was placed on top of one of the tent poles.Inside the tent on a Sunday morn before leaving for Church at Bethel, Alabama or as some folks know it as Graham, Alabama for 3rd Sunday in May,Decoration day,the brick,the sharp pointed brick fell and hit me in the head.Like the old saying I was bleeding like a stuck pig.No doctor was needed least I wasn't taken to the ER,just some old timey home doctoring.Momma reach into the fireplace and got some sut,black sut and doctored my bleeding head.Being a tow head with a flattop haircut,in my Sunday best off to Church we went,bleeding with black sut all over my head.So that is the story of the sharp pointed brick to my head.Now when I do foolish things I have a genuine excuse to blame it on.A sharp pointed brick to my head.

Click

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Before and after

My Smith side 1st cousins before and after.A few years sure makes a lot of difference but they are still a fine looking bunch of cousins.

Aunts and Uncles

My Smith side Aunts and Uncles and their spouses in this 1963 photo.Only 3 in this photo are alive today.

Hit in the head with a brick

I like watching clouds. Day or night they are an amusement for me.See when you are simple like me it doesn't take much to entertain yourself.Making out faces or animals in the clouds is a way to pass time.Then again that being hit in the head with a brick thing as a boy might be kicking in.One day I will write about that incident.

Amazing sight in the sky

Last night laying in bed I noticed a large bright light in the western sky.My first thought was it might be an aircraft of some type.But it was not moving.Leaning back a little more in the bed I seen the crescent moon.What I was seeing is what they call a conjunction.The Moon,Jupiter and Venus.It was a very interesting sight and another amazing creation of God.

Good news!

Yea!Some good news,news that I like.Seems one of my favorite snack foods is really good for you. Good for you as fruits and vegetables.And that snack food is........POPCORN.Don't add the butter but shoot I can live without that.Also seems chocolate is good for you so bring on the Hershey bars.Now if I could just find a study that agrees with me that those fried to a perfection crispy delicious golden brown crinkle cut french fries are really good for you!

Deleted

Dear John letters have been replaced.They are old fashion so 1990's.Now there is Facebook,My Space and all of those other things called social mediums.They have replaced those awkward moments of telling someone in person how you really feel about them.Now with just the push of a button you can delete someone from your life.I think it's kinda like the CB radio craze of the 70's.You can create who ever you want to be on Facebook etc,just like on the CB everyone was a truck driver or some other alter ego person.Someone who wasn't really you at all.I have been deleted a few times and I have deleted some.The deleter and the deletee.It did hurt a bit to be deleted and sometimes it was a shock.So these days I still have a Facebook page but it's mainly to stay in touch with family members.So for all of you who have been deleted relax it does get better with time.You will survive.

Carolina Liar - Show Me What I'm Looking For (+ lyrics)

I had a vistor

I had a visitor yesterday.My cousin stopped by and brought her friend along.Her friend I haven't seen in over 50 years.I did not recognize him but me and him have a bit of a history.We all lived on Juniper Street in LaGrange.I was 8 years old he was 14 at the time.He always bullied me.Always chasing me and by luck I was always faster.I grew tired of being bullied.This is what my Daddy told me to do.Get a big stick,go sit on the hood of the car,wait for him,and knock him off his bike.I did,got me a big stick,sat on the hood of the car,waited for him.Sure enough here he came riding down the street on his bike just a cussing me.When he rode by without stopping I took a big swing and down he went.You know what?Daddy was right he never gave me anymore problems after that.Now here is the other part of the story.Yesterday we talked and laughed about that incident.We both could not remember what we where always fighting about.As he was leaving I shook his hand then we hugged each other's neck.I think we will be good friends from now on.

Angels sent from Heaven

Angels sent from Heaven.I have a few that I know of.All my life I've had this feeling someone was watching over me taking care of me when I got foolish.Here at Twin Fountains I have a whole bunch of Angels sent from Heaven.They are there to help when needed most.I always take time to let them know how much I appreciate them and to thank them for all they do.Kinda like the movie It's A wonderful Life,Angels are here to help and guide us.Maybe it just a simple kind word or understanding your feelings at the moment that is being like an Angel.So my friend I bet you are an Angel to someone and in a million zillion years you would never have guessed.To all my Angels,those seen and those just felt,thank you for watching over me.

Emails from the dead

I read with interest about some people getting emails from their dead friend.

Seems the emails where about things only they would know about.

Was it really emails from beyond or a cruel joke?

Who knows but it's something to think about.Death it seems is now gone high tech.Just a simple haunting wont do in the year 2012.

Wonder what the internet is like on the other side.Bet it's more dependable than some of us get that are alive and earth bound.

So they are passing out puters when we enter the Pearly Gates.

But in all fairness the article did go on to say that there is a service that you can use that will send emails after your death to your friends.Seems if the company doesn't hear from you in a certain length of time they will presume you have passed on and will send out emails that you wrote before your demise to those you choose.

Kinda gives that old AOL message you got mail a whole different meaning.

A Southern thing

Krystals.It's a Southern thing.If you know what Whitecastle is about you know what a Krystal is.Small hamburger,thin slice of meat,mustard, onions and a pickle.My first encounter with a Krystal was in the early 60's.I was spending a week in Macon,Georgia with Aunt Gladys and Uncle Leon.It was 1963 I was 10 years old.Aunt Gladys and me where downtown.We went into this cafe and she asked how many hamburgers I wanted.1will be fine I answered.I remembered she said only 1 is not enough for a growing boy.Again I said 1 will be fine.Well to my surprise it was a Krystal.And nope 1 was not enough.So that was the start of a love affair with those little burgers that till this very day I often crave.Some can eat a sack full but me after 3 or 4 with those wonderful fries is enough.LaGrange finally got a Krystal in the 1990's.I was there opening day.It was so crowded you could not find a parking spot.I read in the paper the LaGrange Krystal had one of the biggest opening days in Krystal history.I am not alone it seems.Again,Krystal,it's a Southern thing.

Hulu

Hulu do you Hulu?If you don't know about Hulu check it out sometime.It's an online TV, movies sight where you can watch new and old TV programs and movies.Lately I have been enjoying programs from my childhood.Adam 12,Dragnet,Sea Hunt and Highway Patrol and more old timey but great TV series from my youth.I have been accused of living in the past.Maybe that is so but you know what that is ok with me.Maybe the 50's and 60's where a simpler time.More innocent.That doesn't hurt anyone at all and maybe that is whats needed today.There is so much bad in the world at times and maybe a break from it all is a good thing.

Bucket list

There is a movie named Bucket List.Bucket list is things you want to do before you die.In the movie these two guys with cancer draw up a list their bucket list and do it.I guess maybe we all have a bucket list of things to be done before the end of our life.This is something we all could give serious thought about.Two things on mine I will share are slow dancing and learning to ride a motorcycle.Simple things but for some reason I never tried them before.So time might be short so get started on your bucket list.

Leprechauun

I was just visited by a leprechaun.Today is going to be a good day I think.

Watching nature

Yesterday was a good day.I spent a few hours outside in the warm sun.Sitting under the gazebo by one of the water fountains here it was a quiet time for reflection and deep thoughts.Not really no deep thoughts on my part.I just enjoyed the sunshine and the smells of early spring.Out of the corner of my eye I thought something was seen moving.It was a bluetailed lizard.I did a web search on them and they will bite and can be toxic to your pet and they can grow back their tails if cut or bitten off.They where darting in and out of the rocks on the water fountain.They look like little snakes with feet but for some reason I'm not afraid of them like snakes.They where sunning their self on the rocks and I thought to myself they had everything they needed.Rocks for shelter water to drink and flying insects for food.I kept noticing a little bird was hanging around on the rafters of the gazebo.A friend I thought then it came to me.Birdie was watching the lizards.Yes it was a good day.Spring,warm weather and nature to keep me company.

Walk in the light

Lord you know my heart.I'm trying so hard but at times it's a struggle.I was at a church service awhile back.The preacher opened up his Bible to John.Walk in the light he talked about.That means so much to me.I opened my Bible the next day and that scripture was staring me in the face.Walk in the light.That is what I will do.God give me the strength and faith to do your will.

Star gazing

Grass cutting season is here in west Georgia.The smell of fresh cut grass is one of my favorite things.It means warm weather is on it's way.I'm lucky I have a large picture window next to my bed.It's facing busy highway 29.I raise the blind up and there is a great view of the traffic,trees and the sky.At night I can see the stars.Star gazing has always been a fun thing for me.Camping out when I was a kid just laying out in the open watching the night sky.When I worked the afternoon shift at the water plant often on warm summer evenings I would spend most of my time outside just enjoying the sky that God had made for us.Often at home one of the things I enjoyed was laying out on the sundeck in a hammock at night watching the sky.I always told people I was watching for the Mother ship to come by and pick me up.Thinking back I hope they didn't take that comment to serious.It is a joke people.Anyway star gazing is free and you need no special tools just eyesight and maybe sometimes an imagination.

Two more

Two more photos of Momma that Doris sent me.Again I never seen these before.Momma is the girl on the left.I use to get into trouble when playing in the ditch behind Aunt Lema's house and there is Momma at a ditch or something!If anyone knows who the girl with Momma is let me know.

Oh my gosh!

Oh my gosh!These are photos of my Momma that my Dear cousin Doris just sent me.I have never seen them before.Yes she was a country girl!Look at those overalls.

Lishe Martha Whitley Smith

This is Grandma Smith.Lishe Martha Whitley Smith.A lot of people called her Lishe.To me she was just Grandma.She had 13 kids.11 lived and 2 twin boys died at birth.Grandpa died young,38 or 40 years old,which is right I don't know.Grandma never remarried and raised those kids herself.Her hair was always worn in a bun.Once she was combing her hair and I had never seen it before but her hair touched the floor.It was never cut till she was older and was bed ridden.At times it was just me and her at home and she made sure all the doors where locked day and night but let the sun go down and she would check all the closets and have me look under the bed.Just in case.I remember her wearing long dresses always an apron on and sweater summer or winter.For some reason she always had this sad look to her like she was worried about something.She was the wife of a Baptist preacher and story is there where always a house full of preachers.Sad but true she and the kids would wait till company had ate before they did.That is the way it was done back in those days.Story is that right after Grandpa had died she said he came back to see her.He was standing at the fireplace smiling.After that she never worried.If that was a dream or she really saw him who knows.

Old man Joe

This is a photo of my Grandpa and Grandma Smith,back row standing.

Think at the time they had no children.

Sitting in front is Joseph Smith and his wife Lonie,my Great Grandparents.

Joseph was called old man Joe I have heard and was obsessed with money.For the times I think it was said he was well off if not wealthy.He did give each of his children land for a farm.

Way story goes old man Joe had problems,what exactly I don't know.

He had made a statement while sitting at the supper table that one day he would be burnt like the piece of meat he was eating.Not long after he had said that it has been told he had a bad cold or flu and had rubbed some type of ointment all over his body and was last seen standing in front of the blazing fireplace wrapped in a blanket.The house caught fire.

My Grandpa John raced from the fields when he noticed the house burning.Jumping over something laying outside that he could not identify at the time to enter the house.As you might have guessed it was old man Joe.

Because of the statement he had made about being burnt like the meat he had been eating people thought maybe he had committed suicide.For years I have thought about this and what happened.There is no way to prove really what happened my opinion is that it was an accident.

Often I have thought if old man Joe wanted to end his life there are ways of doing it that would be more peaceful.

I should know better

I should know better.A grown man nearly 60 years old.At times I tend to overdo things.Like enjoying a certain food and not having good enough sense or foresight to stop.That was the case yesterday.Here at Twin Fountains it was chili day.A party.I had 3 bowls with crackers and it was delicious.I'm going to regret this talking to myself as I ate.But in the long run a little discomfort was worth that great chili.Now next week is National Pound Cake day.Yep there will be a party.I like pound cake.Maybe I will use a little self control this time.But chances are that I will overdo it again.

Siren blasting

Late Friday night early Saturday morning we where waken by the sound of the tornado siren blasting.The wind was howling with vivid flashes of lighting and booming thunder.One by one the staff woke us up and into our wheelchairs those of us that don't walk went.Into a hall that separates wings here at Twin Fountains we waited for the all clear phone call.People where lined up against the walls in chairs and wheelchairs.Amazing Grace and Jesus loves me where sung.Some where praying and I said a silent prayer myself.A little after 1am came the all clear call and off we went back to bed.Myself had a little trouble falling back to sleep.The howling wind pacified me into a deep sleep.

Nice looking people if I may say

My Smith side cousins.This is not all of them.Thanks to Gail for this photo.It was taken at her Mom's my aunt Pauline's 80 birthday party.left to right they are Doris,Janice,Judy,Lynn,Belinda,Gail,Kay and Cecil.

Like a lamb

March came in like a lamb here.It's to warm for this early.In the 70's here in Georgia today.Tornado weather that what it is.