A Portion of Southern Country Cookin...

http://iowagirleats.com/

Dad brought chicken and dumplings tonight and it was delicious. As usual, he is cooking for him and my mother on his day off.

"I put the cut dumplings in the freezer to get them cold before adding them," my father said. "That way they wouldn't fall apart when I was first cooking them."

"They taste like Memaw's biscuits recipe!" I exclaimed.

"That is my secret," my father said with a sly grin.

They certainly were good to me. Warm bellies and cold winter nights make for a good combination. Alls well that ends well as the old saying goes.

http://iowagirleats.com/

A Heart Warming Good Disposition...

I wish you all could see my Ms. Maggins tonight. She is really feeling her oats to the utmost. Seeing my father tonight really perked her up and I do think she is feeling much better as well. I think she now realizes those pills are a good thing. She didn't freak out when I gave them to her this morning. She just sat there and I am sure she was thinking, "Oh the indignity".

The Dreads of Society...

I really wish I wouldn't dread things like my Mother. I am fretting about getting my injection tomorrow morning. At least, I get my two regular Cokes as an added benefit on these occasions. Pray for a quick ingress and egress in the morning. I;ve already got the clothes to wear on the bed laid out for tomorrow. It is also a lot of work for an injection that takes 5 minutes.

Heal These Broken Wings So That I May Fly Again...

I just called my father without realizing how early it was. It was 8:30 AM in the morning.

"Don't forget my injection is in the morning tomorrow," I told him anxiously.

"I was thinking the same thing," my father replied. "Good for you to remember that! I will be at the pharmacy at 9 AM."

"How are you feeling?" my father asked.

When he asks those kinds of questions and quite often, I then often respond that I am fine. I told him today that I was feeling lots of anxiety and feeling very sorry for myself for the time being.".

"That's not like you. It's just your medications petering out," he told me. "You will feel far better tomorrow afternoon."

I told him that I hoped so.

Christmas Tree Etiquette...

What time do you normally put up your Christmas tree? I told my father I was getting mine right after Thanksgiving.

"It is going to dry out and become a fire hazard he told me in warning.

Ponder's Nursery will likely find me in their parking lot picking out a Christmas tree this weekend.

"I usually put my tree up two weeks before Christmas," my father replied.

We Welcome All, Felines and Canines...

I've tried everything. I hoped this new dog food would be Maggie's saving grace and salvation, but her episodes of illnesses persisted.  Dad had to get their new kitten, Samantha, spayed so Maggie and I tagged along to the small animal clinic last week. Maggie shook like a leaf on the short ride out to the clinic. I had a towel in case she released her bladder out of fear as she often does. It is so traumatic for her to visit the Veterinarian.

Maggie has a terrible yeast infection of the skin causing her skin to break out in rashes. That is why she scratched all the time and just looked pitifully miserable.. I have to give her 400 mg of amoxicillin every morning for a month, wash her ears out good, and then put some ointment in her ears and on her broken out chest. The ear wash smells like eucalyptus.

The way the pills are shaped do not work with the Greenies pill pockets. I have to manually thrust the pill down her gullet. I fear she is going to fear me as well when all is said and done..

A Winter's Morning Blessing...

Ah, Bless!

http://common-phobias.com/

Fear of Rain Phobia – Ombrophobia. Ombrophobia or Pluviophobia is the fear of rain- a fairly common anxiety disorder seen in kids and adults alike. The term Ombrophobia originates from Greek 'Ombros' meaning “storm of rain” and phobos meaning “fear or aversion”.

It is just pouring cats and dogs here at the moment. We're under an extreme or exceptional drought warning at the moment so we needed the rain very badly. I would hate to see how low our pond's water level is and all the fish that reside there are probably floating by now. Boy, that was negative about the fish, wasn't it?

The Magster has to go potty, but even worse, she will get wet doing it. Garlic to a vampire is like raindrops to Maggie. The dog hates to get wet. At first, I thought something bad was wrong with her the way she was whimpering. In a moment, I will walk out into the backyard with my umbrella hoping to coax Maggie into using the bathroom. My walking out my back door may elicit a certain amount of gumption within her and I will egg on Maggie's bravado by taking the trip as well.

Living the Wino Life!

http://northforker.com/

A boozy weekend is behind us and behind as is a losing football game as well. I still get aggravated about all I did to get sober under my father's urgent pleas and my father is drinking bags of cheap wine every night. It is coy and it is catching up to him. He's playing with fire and I am the red hat poker or John Barleycorn that is. I take it as a slap to my face. He was boozy tonight as well which put him in a weird spacecadet mood with a clumsy demeanor.

***End Of Rant***

"I am going to the convenience store across the river when we leave here to buy you some more smokes," my father interjected.

The "sin" taxes are much lenient and much cheaper in Georgia than they are in Alabama.

I thanked him as I should do. That is a lot of money spent on my nicotine habit. My father never, ever complains about that aspect of mine and his life.

I think I saw a few tumbleweeds blow through Kroger as the dust kicked up in eddies off a barren floor when we walked in. We were the only non-employees in the store tonight. I keep hoping Jermaine would stop and tell me about his next round in curing his toe and toenail fungus. He'll gladly show you if you inquire. (Gross! lol)

In more upbeat moods, my father cooked his signature pork chops and rice tonight. That will be a very nice treat and a good snack tonight before bed. I am also cooking a roast with potatoes and carrots in my crock pot overnight. I bet that smell wafting in from the kitchen around 4 or 5 hours will awaken me. To hell regarding sleep! We want to eat!

Grocery Day! Hooray!

My father keeps saying he is going to hand over the reigns to me as far as our trips to the grocery store are concerned. It is another week and he has reneged upon the matter once again. He is going with me tonight anyways despite my urges to be on the straight and narrow. I just don't have the gumption within me to pressure or sway my father on these regards. I do think my father feels out of control if he doesn't help me with these visits to Kroger.

"I told you I would only spend around $75 dollars," I said exasperated and to sway him last night.

I know some of you ponder about this, but I actually like and enjoy having the old feller along (I like independence even more). The conversations back to our cars from shopping are legendary. I feel safe with him and I would really miss our camaraderie and friendship during these ventures leaving laughing all the way. I alway say my father is like the cavalry and will come riding in on horseback to save me from a tough social situation or a dilemma.

Don't Make Ki-Ki the Gorilla Mad...

I do hope they aren't out of bananas this week. I guess I could go to the Piggly Wiggly, but I just don't want to go to two different grocery stores. I will gladly pay the organic price to have them. I also want to make my spaghetti and meat sauce.

Foremost on my mind is whether I can have two of the Edwards Hershey's chocolate cream pies. The pie from last week was just a trial basis and I then fell in love with the flavor of that delicious pie.

A Blog Post By Any Other Name...

http://www.azcentral.com/

The hours have passed us by until it is almost time for Charlie and one of his bountiful McDonald's breakfasts. My circadian rhythms are all out of sorts again these past few days. I looked at my alarm clock and it read 4 am. I was wide awake by then and I sat on the edge of the bed pulling on my favorite and ultra soft t-shirts. I couldn't do  this and work as well. I would lose my job for lack of sleep.

I daintily used the bathroom, and then I checked on Maggie. She slept on the couch last night and I missed her. She is still pouting with me about taking her to the Veterinarian earlier in the week and shoving those pills down her throat. I am public menace #one as far as Maggie goes as the moment. She was snoring softly with her new hairdo (she also got groomed the other day).  She looks almost like a completely different dog and doesn't look like Phil Spector any longer.

Yesterday, Charlie brought my medications to take since my father wanted more time with the grandkids. They all piled up in my father's car and went to see a local football team play. Dad asked me if it hurt my feelings not being able to go. I told him I had bigger fish to fry for the time being.

Last Man Standing?

That's how it can feel for me sometimes. I feel if I have chosen to live in a small vacuum while the rest of the world goes on and people go about their lives. I am looking down through a window of thick glass, but I can't reach out or touch. Mind the gap!  (not whining, though, as I have it better than most of this world for which I always evoke my ubiquitous Auschwitz Mantra).

Charlie brought me a wonderful care package of treats and proceeded to clean house for me. Scouts honor! I swear the kitchen was clean! But our Charlie found some stuff and hauled it up to my trashcan at the curb to throw away.

As far as our Thanksgiving meal went, we had turkey and dressing, a honey baked ham, the classic and quintessential green bean casserole, cheesy macaroni casserole (Yum!), deviled eggs, and angel biscuits. For dessert, Charlie brought me a slice each of buttermilk, chocolate and custard pies. He also brought me a big slice of buttery pound cake.

First and foremost on the list was to help Charlie administer and take my medications. Maggie was under foot as we performed this nightly ritual. Charlie had brought me 3 regular cokes and it just thrilled me to death. Those cokes didn't last long after Charlie left and I proceeded to guzzled them down.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Blog Comments...

glittermom said...

Are you doing anything for thanksgiving?

https://vandewalleviews.wordpress.com/

Andrew Replied...

Gittermom, dad is cooking for a mob of folks, but that is just not my style. The amount of people visiting my father on thanksgiving would make me a nervous wreck. Charlie is bringing me a plate of food after he cleans up my father's kitchen. I am really excited about the turkey sandwiches I will have for a few days after Thanksgiving. That's my favorite part of this time of the year.

What about you? Are you, Jen, and the family doing anything?

My 6 AM Wal-Mart Delight...

https://www.walmart.com

To Wal-Mart, Where the Insomniacs Go...

Firstly, those fajitas I ate for supper last night did a real number on me as far as my digestive tract, heartburn, and indigestion goes.

"That's why I can't eat all that Mexican food," my father told me last night when he arrived after work. "It will keep me up all night with indigestion."

I have never been so glad to see my father!

Secondly, I also needed some more medicine for my "man flu". I really don't know what I have, but I do know it is not very pleasant. I wouldn't want you to catch this even if it were running.

The only joint that opens this time of the morning with those kinds of items was Wal-Mart so I headed out of the house after getting a shower and getting dressed. I was wide awake anyway. I woke up wide awake if you can catch my drift. Just one of those moments my schizophrenic mind wasn't playing nice.

My only diversion was to get some buttery biscuits, strawberry preserves, and milky sweet coffee at McDonald's on the way home. I am hoping to get a few more hours of deep sleep once that medication kicks in.

Blow, You Winter Wind, For I Hear You!

It was cold for the South this morning with the temperature hovering around 35° degrees. We're getting a little taste of O' Canada this week. It is time for it though. I've been busy washing all my winter clothes and getting them fit to wear. It will be nice to wear some warm coats and sweaters once again. Ask me about my flannel lined blue jeans some other time.

(It is now 6:52 AM and you can see a beautiful dawn on the horizon-- all pink and full of glory.)

Someone Put Me Out to Pasture, Please?

I am dogged tired and that's no pun. Maggie would argue with me about that. My sleep was invaded by frantic moments of much activity then I would rest again. Much activity going on about Maggie's Vet visit -- phones ringing and consultations. My father would prod me along from work and tell me how good I am handling all of this.

I woke up at noon to the very shrill ring of my phone in the computer room, yet there was no rushing to the phone as Maggie normally does as Maggie was in the "hospital". I really missed her this morning.

"Maggie's ready to come home," said the sweet sounding receptionist with a giggle.

"Give me an hour and I will be out there to pick her up," I replied. "I need to make myself look more presentable."

The young lady laughed as I hung up the phone, found some clean smelling clothes, and took a shower. I found myself satting on the edge of my bed trying to gather myself for all I had to do today. I had a hands in my face moment for a moment there.

https://www.youtube.com

I couldn't sleep last night without Maggie in the bed with me. I finally just got up and played some retro video games until daybreak. I was really being old school last night playing Super Metroid. I can't believe I had passed over this fantastic game. I will play Metroid Fusion next for the Gameboy Advance to keep with the canon of the series.

I finally fell asleep early this morning until my eyes couldn't stay open any longer. I collapsed on the bed with my clothes still on and went fast asleep.

The Unveiling...

I had Maggie groomed and she looked so beautiful with her new haircut when I picked her up. She's no longer the shaggy beast she was and had the proper attire of a duchess upon her. She was so glad to see me and broke out in jubilant joy! The  bad news? She has tons of pills to take and many creams and salves to administer. I am going to need help from my father with this.

Give A Grand Standing Ovation to Papa!

Now, we are waiting for my father to arrive which will be any moment now. I want to see how Maggie reacts.

Ah, Bless!

It will melt your heart the great greeting Maggie just gave my father. She even tried to jump in his lap when he sat down on the couch.

Tally Ho to My Fellow and Familiar Kroger Denizens...

http://warnerrobinsgeorgia.blogspot.com/

I rounded the corner to the sandwich meat aisle after grabbing some hotdog buns and there was Jermaine in his hov-a-round sniffing a package (?!?!) of cotto salami for some reason. I quickly diverted down the other aisle -- the magazine aisle where there stood my father reading about the new lightning fast 911 Porsche Cabriolet.

"Thinking about my birthday or for Christmas?" I asked my father. "They are only $200,000 dollars each."

I wanted Hebrew National hot dog franks, but I had to come back later to get them. I then revisited the cold cuts aisle later and got two of what Jermaine was sniffing as well, cotto salami. They were on manager's special for a quick sale thus all the sniffing.

Did I tell you Kroger's was absolutely abandoned tonight except for employees, Jermaine, and my father and I? We go so late because my father doesn't want to get caught in a lengthy conversation with another customer or one of his former customers at the pharmacy. We're the rebels of the scene.

I bought a lot of substantial food as my father called it. I am going to try and do better about cooking wholesome meals despite my father's chagrin.  He keeps insisting on those frozen meals, but they are absolutely and totally terrible for you. I did get two sweet and sour chicken meals which are almost irresistible. Sugar? Maybe?

The tally was $81 dollars for which I winced as my father swiped his debit card and we were on our way.

*******************************************

They have never gotten in  my lemon meringue pies which I assume are selling out during the day. Night falls and they are gone. They had one left of this chocolate cream pie and as a gamble I bought it. It is going to be long time till it thaws overnight. I am eager to try it.

https://www.edwardsdesserts.com

Barkie Elimination Time...

Maggie started her "cough" bark routine and it woke me up this morning. I looked at my bedside alarm clock and it was showing 2:45 am and still very much in the dark and very, very cold outside -- a time to be under wonderfully warm and soft comforters and sheets. Old  man winter has finally made his way this far into the South. We will have our very first frost today before morning arrives.

"Let's not have any of this chasing phantoms in the night dearest Magster," I implored to my dog. "A true duchess doesn't bark at her peasants, but they may let them eat cake."

I listened keenly out the backdoor as all the neighborhood dogs were also barking in full effect. Something had them all quite stirred and riled up. Maggie's bravado and courage tripled at my looking out to see. She headed out the dog door to do her thing which is to guard the house and yard.

The way to get Maggie to mind is through her stomach I have learned.

"Mags? You hungry?" I asked out the backdoor.

She knows those words extremely well,

Maggie stuck her head inside the dog door seemingly asking if it is time to eat. Maggie came on in at the lure of batter fried fish and I quickly slammed shut  her dog door and locked it.

Flirting With Disaster...

Any time you take Maggie out to the car, she immediately knows she is going to the small animal clinic. She will try to get away from you. She starts shaking, whining, and will often release her bladder in my lap. Dad will drive as I try to make sure Maggie is comfortable as possible.

Good News From the Captain! Captain Johnny Otis!

http://www.samicone.com/

"It was one of your mother's biggest requests this afternoon," my father told me tonight as he walked in from my front door. "She wanted a Captain D's jumbo fish platter."

When I ask for Captain D's or Arby's, my father will say it is too expensive. Harumph!

Maggie was just going bonkers that Beta dog and Gamma dog were both here! Zeta dog, as in me, was quite very glad to see the old geezers himself. I do love those two fellas.

Dad set my very, very hot meal on the back of the piano (For which I promptly moved to the entertainment center worried about my piano's finish) and my mouth started to salivate instantly. That batter fried fish smelled so good.

"Charlie got me a shitload of malt vinegar packets," I told my father very pleased and excitably.

Whe then sat down on my couch so my father could administer my crazy meds. Charlie had gotten started in the kitchen and it sounded like a construction crew had besieged my humble abode and started to work on my house.

Apprehensively, my father mentioned a vet visit. Tomorrow, we take dad's new cat, Samantha, out to get spayed. Next, Maggie gets a ride to the veterinarian about a pesky ear infection she keeps scratching. My father said he will call me and let it ring twice to signal that he is ready to go.

Charlie was being true to form and that is being the busybody he excels at. I thought I got all my trash up this afternoon, but Charlie found even more trash to bag up.

The Biscuit Bringer Cometh...

https://graduatemedicineapplicant.wordpress.com

It is 3:20 am in the morning here. I actually decided to quit laying in the bed suffering from misery (hyperbole). My nose keeps running and I have to go chase it. hehe

In just a few short hours, Charlie will bring me 3 bacon, egg, and cheese biscuits from McDonald's and quite possibly a large orange juice if I am lucky. He is my savior on such occasions. I so look forward to Sunday morning biscuits. I also just like to hang out with Charlie for a few moments.

Charlie will also definitely bring a jumbo Coca-Cola with no ice. (my stomach doth rumble and growl eagerly when I wrote the above sentences and paragraphs). The cupboards are definitely getting low on provisions. Yay for groceries on Monday nights!

Mom and I were talking on the phone last night. We were talking about how an illness like the flu can bring a man completely to his knees, Whereas a woman would suck it up, take the kids to school, go to work, and then get her families supper on the table that night. I laughed as I just had to agree.

Church Fundraising Barbecues...

http://www.dudleypoultry.com/BBQ.php

It is that time of the year again. Dad brought me a barbecue chicken plate from one of those church fundraisers. He was headed to the Auburn game. This barbecue meal was exceptionally good. I had to fight off the hordes (Maggie) to be able to eat it. I had some hamburger buns in the freezer and thawed them. They made for some really nice smoked barbecued chicken sandwiches for supper.

Kroger? Don't Let Me Down Now...

They never have the Edwards lemon meringue pies when I visit Kroger. I guess they must just sell out by the end of the day as they stock in the wee hours of the morning. I keenly want one of these pies tomorrow night despite the odds of actually getting one.

The Mucus Man...

https://www.amazon.com

Y'all, sorry for not writing in so many days. I have inherited a terrible case of the flu -- one who's antibody obviously was not included in my flu shot. Hopefully, I will be back up to speed in a few days.

Uneasy and Queasy...

http://www.bruscoskc.com/

In the morning, is my injection of crazy meds i.e. Risperdal Consta. I don't know why I am so nervous, but I am. We've done this routine for hundreds of times over these past eight years. I feel like a thousand butterflies bouncing around inside my lower abdomen. That's some of my mother's secretarial and social genes that I inherited -- fear of mishaps and the unknown. Social conflagrations and confrontations. Hopes for a smooth ingress and egress. Please don't make us wait.

"It just means you are due for your injection in the morning," my father said blithely. "You will feel much better after being home for a few hours.

My father was late, very late, with my medications tonight. I don't even let things like that worry me much anymore. Fish gotta swim and birds gotta fly. You all know the drill better than I do. I'd have an easier time changing the weather than changing my father's ways. I play second fiddle to a 50 inch Samsung LCD and cable television. He was transfixed by the TV the whole time he was here tonight as well.

Dad did bring me a leftover box of pizza -- much consolation was had for that. There were 5 huge slices of Johnny's New York Style pepperoni and Italian sausage pizza in the box. They will taste better in the morning after this rigmarole of my injection is over with. I am going to grab some Cokes at the pharmacy and get this guy home in record time. I pray that my nurse will be there tomorrow.

Storms May Come So Let Me Be Strong...

http://www.janssencns.com/

I was on the ball when I told my father that my injection is due this Thursday. He gave me a high five and a pat on the back. We then turned our attentions to more immediate matters which is taking my nightly crazy meds. With the full moon hidden away, I had nothing to blame my craziness and wild ways upon anymore.

"I'll meet you at the pharmacy at 9AM Thursday," my father told me of my injection. "Used to you would try to weasel your way out of such a duty. I am so proud of you! You've come such a long way, son."

"Well, it is certainly not pleasant to get stuck in the old derriere every two weeks," I replied in defense of myself.

Third shift has certainly been promoted to night watch duty like tonight. Maggie is invigorated by this cool weather that we are receiving. We will probably get our first frost this weekend. It is very past due. Right now, Maggie is sitting at the front gate and soaking up the ambiance -- no post-midnight maniacal barking just yet. She looks so cute and calm. We have plan B ready to implement if Maggie gets a case of wild barking at things unseen.

Summer...

I hope you are healing from your surgery. Too bad that I can't send you hospital flowers.

Nice View From My Front Stoop...

It is so nice to see Mrs. Sandra driving mom's car when they go to eat Mexican at El Rio Grande. It takes a load off my mind and a much heavier load off my shoulders -- especially now since it is getting dark so early. It was dark by 6PM tonight.

Sandra will park mom's car in the garage and then head home in her own car. Mrs. Sandra has lived a tough life with much of it mired in poverty and strife, but she never quits smiling and laughing. That's the kind of person I want to be remembered as. "He never complained against all the odds he faced." That's why I keep my Auschwitz Mantra so near and dear.

"You did want chicken fajitas, didn't you?" mom asked breaking my train of thought.

"That's exactly what the doctor ordered," I replied with a smile.

Prelude...

I was sitting on the couch on lookout with the Magster when Mom's Civic came flying around the corner and pulled onto my street. Sandra rolled down the windows in preparation so mom could hand me my meal. Sandra was just laughing and laughing.

"Mom's car hasn't been driven that fast in years!" I told Mrs. Sandra kidding her. "You're going to blow the cobwebs out!"

"Oh hush!" Mrs. Sandra said and she laughed even more so.

Shut In with Some Shuteye (Denied)...

http://www.storynory.com/

It is just one of them days. Fish gotta swim and birds gotta fly. Mom is pissed at me for unplugging my phone. I wanted to sleep in and I knew if I left that phone plugged in then someone would call before 9 AM.  Mom had to drive over to my house and make sure I'm okay. That means I got awakened anyway. The best laid plans and all that jazz.

"You never fail to call me back," my mother told me as she gave Maggie loads of attention. "I've tried to call you several times."

"Don't talk to him and please scratch my back," Maggie seemingly said as if in ecstasy.

Of course, my mother can go a few days without answering her phone as well. I call it the Xanax haze. Have you ever lost track of whole days of your life? My mother has.

"What happened to your cell phone?" my mother then asked.

"The only thing I used my Samsung for was watching the weather and watching the weather radar," I replied back. "I never got any calls except from you and dad. It was a waste of money."

Mom has often been known to call me at 3 AM and ask me what day it is and what time it is in my defense. I always think that something bad has happened when a family member calls at 3 AM in the morning.

New Improved and Papa Sanctioned Choices...

https://www.walmart.com

I toodled around Kroger less organized that I usually am. I usually have a list and a mapped out plan of my items, but we were freelancing tonight. I did manage to keep the price at $68 dollars to my merit.

"You got a shit load of groceries for that price," my father said astonished of my shopping efforts tonight.

That made me feel so good and eager to please! I was beaming with pride.

It is now 10:22 PM and I have just unloaded all my groceries and had my first exquisite drink of that Mountain Dew lime Baja Blast sodas. Gosh, I love that stuff and I love to drink it when I am writing about this week's shopping trip on grocery day.

My big impulse buy tonight was an Edwards pumpkin creme pie at $5.99 a pie. Dad remarked upon it as it came down the conveyor belt to be checked out.

"That looks interesting," my father said intrigued about my pumpkin pie. "You will have to let me know how it tastes!"

"Oh, I just adore a good pumpkin creme pie," I replied.

Can you believe Krogers was out of bananas? I couldn't believe it myself until I saw it with my own eyes. The organic bananas were sold out as well. This also marks the fourth week of Kroger being out of their brand of frosted flakes.

I caught up with my father in the card and magazine aisle.

"That was real quick," he said. "And I see you got lots of Marie Callender's meals as well."

Well, the shopping was done and we were ready to checkout. We had about 40 items until our dear Paige motioned for us to come over to the 15 item or less cashier. My father and I looked at each other and jumped at the chance. Paige had us walking out of the store in a jiffy.

Freestyle Waffle House Burger Time...

http://beefandbuns.blogspot.com/

It was 9 AM this morning and I ordered the two cheeseburgers platter from the Waffle House.

"You're not getting your usual ham and cheese omelet?" my mother asked kind of perplexed. "I've never seen you order burgers so early.

"I want something more substantial for breakfast this morning."

"George, my neighbor, always gets the pork chop dinner at Waffle House very early in the morning," I then told my mother excusing myself and my odd food fixation for so early today.

Andrew's Everest...

I always make mountains out of molehills and this morning hit home that unpleasant fact.  I always expect the worse and a long wait in a lobby when it comes to health clinics and hospitals alike. Getting mom's blood work went smoothly without a fuss much to my surprise. We went to Kamath Medical and my nurse, Rebecca, took good care of us and extremely expedited the process.

"We'll fax the results to your doctor," The so kind Pat said as we stood in reception.

Fleas? Don't You Think of Getting On My Maggie...

On the way home, mom and I swung by my house to give Maggie her flea and heartworm medications. My mother is a godsend for these kinds situations. If Maggie is a good girl and eats her pills, then she gets one can of Vienna sausages which Maggie just relishes. Maggie went absolutely nuts after seeing us pull up in front of the house and walk to my frontdoor.

Surmounting the Healthcare System...

http://www.haverhill-ps.org/

Papa has just called and awakened the Magster and I from a very, very deep sleep. I am still yawing as I write this. It was time for me to get a healthy bout of responsibility for a change. Maggie was at the phone in the computer room faster than I could get there. The contraption get's her excited and intrigues her for some reason. I guess she can hear who's talking on the other end with her extremely keen hearing.

"You know you have to take your mother this morning to get some bloodwork done today," my father told me.

Once again, I was blissfully unaware -- something I had forgotten as well. I muttered a "Well shit!" as I buried my face in my palm.

"Mom has more damn medical stuff to do to her than any person I have ever seen!" I retorted frustratingly.  "Appointments galore! It would drive me crazy."

"You know what you always say," my father replied choking back a laugh.

"What?" I asked my father in return clueless as to the answer.

"You always say your mother is a health insurance company's worst nightmare."

We both got to laughing.

"Well, it is the truth," I said chuckling and reassuring.

"I am going to give you $20 so you two can go eat breakfast at the Waffle House," my father replied. "Your mother is already talking about what she is going to eat."

Full Moon and the Streakers Are Out...

Old Wives Tale? You Decide...

https://www.nasa.gov

Dad swears the gravitational pull of a full moon can get us crazy folks riled up. He said my mother has been acting odd all day as well.

"It does something to your brain chemistry just like it moves the oceans and causes the tides," he told me adamantly. "I am not going to bail you out if you get caught running through the neighborhood naked with police in full pursuit." (Jest)

Charlie and my father have just left after another busy and whirlwind visit. It was Sunday night fried chicken again. I got my usual 3pc KFC meal with two side orders of well done and crispy potato wedges.

I Get Tired of Watching it and I am Sure Charlie is Tired as Well.

Charlie furiously cleaned my kitchen again. It took him about 15 minutes. I didn't know it needed it. I guess it did need a little tidying up. I took the trash out a few hours ago and I guess I didn't get it all. I still had a few empty food boxes and packages that needed to be throw away and I also had a growing collection of empty plastic milk jugs mingling over the fridge. Things I didn't notice earlier in the day.

I Love Me Some Maggins...

Maggie's Regal Pose

I was laying in the bed in the computer room a moment ago. Maggie stirred and when I opened my eyes, the business end of Maggie greeted me. I smiled! As I was getting up, Maggie was like, "Please don't go!" I've heard that line from a girlfriend or two over the years.

"I've got to head home to get some sleep before work," I would say as I would get dressed with yesterday's clothes and head back to Montevallo.

I always say that Maggie was the best thing my father has ever done for me. My father likes to hear me say that. I couldn't live in this lonely old house without her.

Dad was standing at my apartment's back door holding Maggie in the palm of his hand when I first saw her. I fell in love with her after that. My father had been on his daily walk out at the interstate rest area when he heard loud whimperings coming from a trash can. Dad pulled out a puppy amidst the trash and brought her home to me.

"How can someone be so cruel by just throwing a puppy in the trash?" I remember my father asking me.

Maggie was in need of serious veterinary health care if she were to get better. She was so full of fleas that she was anemic. She also needed to be spayed, dewormed, and administered all her shots.

Mom is our chief names giver and deemed her Maggie upon seeing the Maggins for the first time.

May We Receive and May We Be Blessed By a Bonus Round...

Breaking News: Steak at Ten...

http://www.bhg.com/

Dad must've of gotten home from Athens, Georgia much earlier than I thought since he had time to cook a late supper for us all. I had my fish platter earlier in the evening so this was double delish and a bonus round. Like always, the bottomless pits that are Maggie and I were hungry again.

"Your daddy is bringing you a filet mignon and a baked potato," my mother said over the phone. "He will be there in a few moments,"

"Did he grill them?" I asked my mother inquisitively.

"He seared them with olive oil in a pan on the stove and finished cooking them covered in the oven."

I always thank the Secretary for keeping me appraised of all that is going on with my father and these kinds of encounters.

My father finally arrived as Maggie squealed with joy and ran to the door to greet him.

"If I am acting funny, then it is because Auburn lost," my father told me solemnly of Auburn's loss to unranked Georgia today. "It just destroys my Saturdays in football season when we lose like that."

As Right As Rain...

"I got you a Captain D's jumbo fish platter for supper," Charlie told me as he entered my house. "That's one thing I know you love."

I thanked Charlie profusely for the good eats. We about couldn't hear each other over Maggie's raucous and jubilant barking.

Charlie was pretty much on time at 4 PM. Maggie and I were very glad to see him. This little house can induce the lonely's as far as Maggie and I are concerned some days.   As socially phobic as I can be, I still relish company from time to time -- safe. friendly, and kind company like Charlie. Maggie was just overjoyed to see her Beta dog return to the fold.

Charlie made me count my crazy meds as he normally does. I counted 12 pills which were the right amount. I took a big swig out of my Captain's D's cola as Charlie watched upon the proceedings approvingly.

"Let's get Maggie fed and watered and then Horsefly and I are off to see a movie."

Let's Break the Fast...

"Charlie's bringing your medications this afternoon," my father told me after I called my father back on his cellphone.

We communicated by him letting my phone ring twice and then I called my father back. This arrangement is working out quite well for us -- especially for me. When it is one call, then I know it is my mother.

"I'm headed to the Auburn game in Athens, Georgia. I told Charlie to get you something to eat and that I would pay him back. He is also bringing your medications and I hope it is not too early for you to take them."

"Around 4 PM will be fine," I reassured my father.

I looked at the clock on my computer and it read 7:00 AM so my father was off to a very, very early start this morning.

Saturdays are movie days for horsefly. Charlie gets Saturday's newspaper and Horsefly picks which movie he would like to see from the listings. Horsefly has a knack for picking the most god awfullest movies playing at the cinema.

"He really doesn't watch the movies," Charlie told me several weeks ago. "He just enjoys the ambiance."

They then go to get fried chicken tenders at the KFC in Auburn. Charlie usually shows up around 4 PM on movie Saturdays so I don't have to wait long. I expect Charlie, the flash, to come calling around his usual time for medications on a Saturday.

Charlie, old buddy, don't let me down now...

Breakfast was a toss up. I decided on two Little Debbie honey buns warmed in the microwave. The smells of those warm honey buns about drove Maggie craze so I gave her just a few bites which fueled a frenzy.

We Call It Supper in the South...

http://allrecipes.com/

What a busy afternoon and evening! I feel like a cat on catnip or cloud 9 as they often say. Elation! My taste buds and digestive tract needed a little TLC and the kind and welcoming socialization that was good for my soul and good for my heart as well.

"You're coming over for supper tonight Mr. Hermit," my father told me over the phone. "And I am not taking no for an answer, you hear?"

"Sir! Yes, Sir!" I replied loudly with a military cadence.

This caused my father to chuckle.

Charlie and his wife also joined us for supper tonight. Janice got busy in the kitchen with my father making a pan of her delicious cornbread. It is a toss up as to whether Janice or my father are the best soul food cooks.

"I can outcook Helen any day!" my father braggartly and boisterously said at one point tonight.

Yes, he had imbibed in a few glasses of wine tonight and the bravado was palpable. I always called alcohol liquid courage.

My sister was in town tonight and the Grand Kids had gone to Bay Minette, Alabama with their father.  Dad left about 4 PM to go to the grocery store before my sister arrived. My father cooked his deliciously signature pork chops and rice, steamed cabbage, boiled okra, and butter beans. I needed a good and delicious soul food meal like Helen would cook for all those years when she worked for my father.

Wake Up Sleepyhead!

No Rest For the Weary...

Maggie woke me up this afternoon making little mewling noises as we both lay in the bed. I had slept far longer than I had intended to do. I looked at my alarm clock above the bed and it was displaying 2 PM. This usually means Maggie is lonely, hungry, or the dog door is locked and she needed to go potty. Every time I would close my eyes as if I were going back to sleep, Maggie had a fit letting me know she disapproved.

It was time to get up anyways. It turned out to be that she was just hungry. I ambled into the laundry room to find an empty dog bowl and I poured her a big heaping bowl of dog food. I also poured some fresh water in her water bowl. Sometimes she will pull that routine on me when I have slept too long in her opinion and she gets lonely.

What is a Tesla?

"What is a Tesla?" my father asked curiously.

I was very happy to oblige!

That is what my father asked me being my usual car buff self a few months back. He knew I would know.  I told him it was a completely electric car that must be recharged about every 250 to 265 miles. It is not a hybrid.

"They didn't spare any expense for amenities designing and building those cars," I said. "They are also fully self-driving."

"What does it cost?" my father asked.

"It costs $65,000 for the base model," I told him looking at Tesla's website.

"Well, your brother bought a Tesla today," my father told me all those months ago. "Do they have recharging stations around here?"

"They've got recharging stations all over the country now," I replied. "There is even one in Auburn, Montgomery, and all over Atlanta."

*****************************

Flash forwards to tonight and my brother is having trouble with his new car. Dad asked me to drive over with him to give my brother my opinion. I am usually just the chief tire changer.

"It looks like one of the battery banks has failed or is not charging fully," I told my little brother. "That is what is cutting your range in half."

My brother made arrangements to have it towed from my father's driveway and to the nearest service center which is in Atlanta. He was quite outdone with it all and not a happy camper.

The Downside of a Dog Door...

https://www.pinterest.com

We had another visitor last night. I was abruptly awakened by Maggie's vicious barking in the wee hours of the morning. Quite a ruckus was going on in the laundry room.

"Just what in the hell is going on in there?" I mumbled to myself as I groggily and hurriedly walked to the offending noise.

My greatest fears had come to fruition as an animal had crawled through the dog door.

 I turned on the lights in the laundry room and found that Maggie had a possum cornered next to the washing machine. The possum must've been having an after midnight snack.

Well, I picked up the possum by his prehensile tail and took him to the edge of the back fence. The possum was surprisingly heavy as I put him over the fence and onto the ground. Isn't the possum the only marsupial in North America?

Rod Stewart takes in Franklin's A-Train...

Rockstar and model railroader Rod Stewart took a tour of George Sellios' HO scale Franklin & South Manchester model train layout

Both Rod Stewart and George Sellios' have had their model train layouts featured in Model Railroader magazine. The two model railroaders finally got to meet when the rock start visited Sellios' HO scale Franklin & South Manchester in Peabody, Mass. Read this article about the visit from The Salem News.

A local television station in Peabody also interviewed Sellios about the visit. Watch the video.

Arrival Trailer (2016) - Paramount Pictures

Sometimes, I Think I Am Real Smart With Computers! Yeah, Right!

http://www.ebay.com/

I couldn't figure out why all my music was being doubled and tripled in all my WinAmp, Groove, and iTunes music players. I tried everything in the book such as reinstalling the players and on two different networked computers to fix this. I even rebuilt my libraries in those players which took forever.

I finally figured it out. I had a whole separate copy of my music library hiding inside a folder in my main music file library. Whew...My players were finding both copies of my music folders and showing them in all the libraries. It saved a bunch of space on my music, videos and movies hard drive.

Never Give Up and Never Surrender!

Pizza Night?

http://www.businesswire.com/

"What do you consider the best pizza in the Valley?" my father asked this evening after he rang twice and I called him back. "Your mother wants to order a pizza tonight for supper."

"Papa John's has the best delivery pizza in my opinion but it is also the most expensive," I told my father. "I really like the option of ordering over the internet. It's great if you have phone phobias like me."

My only real beef with Papa John's is that the pizza sauce can be rather sweet for my tastes.

"Order over the internet?" my father asked incredulously.

"Call me when you are ready to order and I will quickly drive over and show you how to create an account and order on your computer," I told my father.

"Can I pay for the tip and the pizza with my debit or credit card?" dad then asked.

"I am pretty sure you can," I replied. "Get some of the cheese bread with the marinara dipping sauce as an appetizer. I bet you will find it delicious."

A Cavity Fulfilled...

http://www.naturallivingideas.com/

Mom changed the time for her dentist's appointment to 2 PM. That afforded me and her a few extra hours of sleep. I forewent a shower, pulled on some clean clothes, and then I heard the familiar and unmistakable horn that is on my mother's Honda. That was my cue to get in the driver's seat and head to the dentist.

"I really hate you have to do this," my mother told me. "It is going to be a long wait in the car."

I sat in the car for about an hour smoking pungent cigars and trying to listen to some of the pop music that is so popular these days. I was surprised at quite a few catchy tunes. I bet if I would listen to it a few tunes every day then I would grow to like it.

Let's Raid the Waffle House!

We could be like the Mongol hordes going after bacon...

https://choosetherightwords.wordpress.com

"I am fixing to ask your daddy if he will take me to the dentist in the morning," my mother told me.

My father has forbade my mother from driving on busy Hwy. 29 until further notice. The dentist is on Hwy. 29.

"Dad will be tired and I doubt he will want to do that on his day off," I replied to my mother. "I will take you instead."

I can't believe I said that -- getting involved in one of my mother's many, many appointments. I owe my father a big time favor, though.

"I will make it worth your while," mom replied. "We will get ham and cheese omelettes at the Waffle House if I can eat after the procedure."

It sounded like a perfectly good arrangement to me.

"What are you going to do while waiting for me to finish?" mom asked.

"I am going to sit in the car, smoke cigars, and listen to the radio," I told her.

¿Es hambre de México?

Viva La Mexico

Like clockwork on a Tuesday evening,  my mother just called me and told me she was bringing me my usual Mexican meal this evening.

"Thank you!" I replied sincerely and heartfelt as I always do.

The Magster and I were just laying in the bed "chilling" as I call it. Maggie was grooming herself diligently as I lay on my side and read this month's edition of Model Railroader magazine. I've gotten bitten by the model railroading bug really badly once again and I am catching up on all my past issues of my magazines I haven't read. Why did I have to pick two of the most expensive hobbies to get involved with such as model railroading and computers?

"Is Mrs. Sandra coming to pick you up?" I asked my mother warily.

"Your daddy just called and asked me the same thing," my mother said huffily. "I think I can drive fine to the Mexican restaurant. It only just a few miles from the house. Your daddy told me that if I had another accident driving then I am not going to be able to drive anymore."

"Remember, it is going to be very dark tonight when you eat as the time has changed," I told my mother.

"Hell, mom, I can barely drive at night and you are double my age," I then said to my mother worriedly.

She blew loudly out of frustration just like a petulant child and told me that maybe I was right.

If mom's memory would serve her correctly, then she would remember falling into the bushes at the restaurant when she drove there a few months ago. Her ending drive to the restaurant to be exact.

Hilary vs.Trumped Up...

glittermom said...

Do you vote? Just curious....

Andrew Replies...

As a general rule, I usually don't talk about politics and/or religion on the blog.

That said, yes, Gittermom, I do always try to vote although I wonder how much good it does.We are an oligarchy and not a democracy in my opinion. I don't like to talk politics as it can get people unraveled it is such a polarizing subject -- a subject primed for people to bicker about. Today, I will have to vote for the lesser of two evils and that is Hilary. It will be neat to see what a woman can do in the White House. I hope Charlie gets his funding for many years to come in his community outreach program.

It will probably be the closest race we've had since Bush and Gore and the "dangling chads" debacle and the numerous vote recounts.