This is a post about "What Could Have Been". Do you ever feel like you're just running a split second behind? Everything I've endeavored to do today....was just done or boogered up by someone else. And as usual...the same person is cutting in front....T-Bug.
I was gonna run a post today about Christy going into labor a week early....but Tilena's apparently already told the entire civilized world. As we were getting ready for work this morning Carlton called to say he was on the way to the hospital with Christy. She, we, and her doctor were all expecting her to deliver in 8-10 more days....everyone that is except Master Clayton Parker Giddens. He's decided there's no time like the present. So, instead of going to LaBelle, Tilena heads off to Savannah. I'll have to wait until later to go up there; work just won't allow it right now. I thought it may be fun to tell Ryan the news at lunch....too late, Mom called him at work. Then I thought, I'm sure Nick will call to check in from Washington DC and I'll get to tell him first. Well, he did call in this afternoon, but guess who had already called him? I don't even get to show Christy and Carlton my new car....guess who drove it up there instead of her own? As a matter of fact, she's a serial tattler. Every one of her family members and friends knew she was pregnant with Ryan before I did....see, this behavior has a pattern. I do worry about her traveling today though, I know she's tired. We were both up at 3 a.m. this morning to see Nick off to the airport. By then we were wired, and niether of us was able to go back to sleep before time to get up for work. You know, the hang nail of all this is....I've just realized, she's even gonna get to see Parker first...
Since I've been beaten to the punch on the baby news, I guess I'll have to settle myself with posting to my blog the photos of the FLW Tournament I've been compiling this week...wait a minute....where's my camera? One guess...Just little late I suppose, just a little late. I'm pretty sure my camera is on the way to Savannah with my bride.
The Tournament has been a lot of fun for me though. As of yesterday the "big fish" of the week was 10 lbs. The five fish leading total yesterday was 25 lbs. I think more than 50 teams were over 18 lbs for the day. Tomorrow will separate the sheep from the goats though. It will be windy and rainy all day with a cold front coming through in the afternoon. It was 85 degrees today and will only be 65 tomorrow. That's an enormous change for fishing conditions. I had some really good photos to show you....I really did....you'll just have to imagine them for now. Maybe we'll have a photo of a fat little boy to show soon instead. Hopefully, the merry "button pusher" won't erase them before she gets home with them.
Until then...love your family, give thanks to our God, and if you're thinking of doing something....go ahead and do it....before you turn up just a little late.
Don & Co.
Palm Trees and Sand........................
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Friday, January 23, 2009
Blood on Our Hands
Today is the second full day of the Obama presidency. "Change" some said we needed....."change" we got. That change will signal the premeditated murder of millions of infants worldwide. The new president has already approved the use of American Taxpayer money to pay for abortions not only in the United States, but worldwide.
A couple of the young men I endeavor to disciple have completely succomed to the popularity of this man. I understand how difficult it is to stand against peer pressure as a young person, and there is great pressure from every side to "follow the Obamarama party". Hollywood, the media and the liberal educational system of this country proved a formidable opponent as they painted any opposition as racist and bigoted. So many bought into the propaganda on "change" principle. Forget the fact that no one knew what they were changing from or changing to. This week, the price tag is becoming visible. Babies are paying the first bill. Blood will flow from every corner of the globe, because so many people were afraid to think for themselves. Blood on our hands. As bad as I feel for myself having to live through this, I feel worse, even grieve, for those who supported it and made it possible. Many are shocked already at what their vote has made possible in a county founded on Christian foundations.
If murder is not enough for you, look at the mess of the world economy. Not a word has been breathed from the media, but I challenge you to do a bit of research. The credit crisis and Wall Street's fall began the day after it became apparent Hillary Clinton would not win the Democratic Party's nomination. The corporate financial minds of the world have known all along what the rest of us are just beginning to understand about the Obama economic "plan" of giveaway and takeaway. Every week since he has been nominated, the markets have sustained a net loss. It has only worsened since he's been in Washington. He said "free" and all of the grazers of our country followed. We will suffer from this "reign" and we will suffer huge.
Here's how to put this whole "free money" thing this clown is offering into perspective...Years ago, I was a School Resource Officer. One afternoon I was invited into a 3rd grade classroom to serve as an impartial observer for a mock election. The kids drew straws to determine which two would actually "run" for the office of classroom president. Willie and Ann Marie were the lucky two and set about getting themselves elected. Ann Marie was extremely articulate for a 9 year old and gave a compelling speech which pointed out her interests, good grades and many school activities. Her parents were often around and involved in school functions. Willie on the other hand was a marginal student who was involved in no extra curricular activities at all. No one could remember ever seeing him at a school function let alone a parent or guardian. He stammered for a few seconds and then said..."If you vote for me, I'll give everybody free ice cream". Well, of course, when he said that to a room full of 3rd graders....school's out. Nevertheless, the teacher insisted the students ask the candidates questions and some did. One kid even asked Willie how he would pay for the ice cream and who was going to bring it. Of course, Willie couldn't answer either question, but assured the group they would get the ice cream. Well, of course Willie won by a landslide...and nobody yet has seen that ice cream. That's where we are today...a slick snake oil salesman has promised the whole country free ice cream if we vote for him and 52% of the voters reacted like 9 year olds foolishly buying into a slick lie. 48% were wise enough to realize that we're the ones who will have to feed that cow, and we're the same ones who will later have to clean up the mess. Money money money, everybody gets money, but the idiot doesn't have any idea who will pay for it. Ice cream ain't free boys and girls...and welfare always creats a big mess.
See, Obama's ice cream comes in the form of "socialized healthcare", "stimulus checks", and unlimited foodstamp and welfare programs. He showed up on the scene like Willie...seemingly out of nowhere. Never paid his way, never earned a thing. Never worked, never sweated. He was admitted to law school with grades that would have gotten me or you expelled from school. He's had a free ride to everywhere and never earned anything. Got by on pity. Hung out with people who were murdering police officers. Married a woman who has professed "shame and hatred of America". Neither one has offered a single word of regret. Ice cream for everybody....don't worry about the mess. The hardworking people of America will clean it up...we always have...
Murder and pillage....and only day two. What will tomorrow bring?
A couple of the young men I endeavor to disciple have completely succomed to the popularity of this man. I understand how difficult it is to stand against peer pressure as a young person, and there is great pressure from every side to "follow the Obamarama party". Hollywood, the media and the liberal educational system of this country proved a formidable opponent as they painted any opposition as racist and bigoted. So many bought into the propaganda on "change" principle. Forget the fact that no one knew what they were changing from or changing to. This week, the price tag is becoming visible. Babies are paying the first bill. Blood will flow from every corner of the globe, because so many people were afraid to think for themselves. Blood on our hands. As bad as I feel for myself having to live through this, I feel worse, even grieve, for those who supported it and made it possible. Many are shocked already at what their vote has made possible in a county founded on Christian foundations.
If murder is not enough for you, look at the mess of the world economy. Not a word has been breathed from the media, but I challenge you to do a bit of research. The credit crisis and Wall Street's fall began the day after it became apparent Hillary Clinton would not win the Democratic Party's nomination. The corporate financial minds of the world have known all along what the rest of us are just beginning to understand about the Obama economic "plan" of giveaway and takeaway. Every week since he has been nominated, the markets have sustained a net loss. It has only worsened since he's been in Washington. He said "free" and all of the grazers of our country followed. We will suffer from this "reign" and we will suffer huge.
Here's how to put this whole "free money" thing this clown is offering into perspective...Years ago, I was a School Resource Officer. One afternoon I was invited into a 3rd grade classroom to serve as an impartial observer for a mock election. The kids drew straws to determine which two would actually "run" for the office of classroom president. Willie and Ann Marie were the lucky two and set about getting themselves elected. Ann Marie was extremely articulate for a 9 year old and gave a compelling speech which pointed out her interests, good grades and many school activities. Her parents were often around and involved in school functions. Willie on the other hand was a marginal student who was involved in no extra curricular activities at all. No one could remember ever seeing him at a school function let alone a parent or guardian. He stammered for a few seconds and then said..."If you vote for me, I'll give everybody free ice cream". Well, of course, when he said that to a room full of 3rd graders....school's out. Nevertheless, the teacher insisted the students ask the candidates questions and some did. One kid even asked Willie how he would pay for the ice cream and who was going to bring it. Of course, Willie couldn't answer either question, but assured the group they would get the ice cream. Well, of course Willie won by a landslide...and nobody yet has seen that ice cream. That's where we are today...a slick snake oil salesman has promised the whole country free ice cream if we vote for him and 52% of the voters reacted like 9 year olds foolishly buying into a slick lie. 48% were wise enough to realize that we're the ones who will have to feed that cow, and we're the same ones who will later have to clean up the mess. Money money money, everybody gets money, but the idiot doesn't have any idea who will pay for it. Ice cream ain't free boys and girls...and welfare always creats a big mess.
See, Obama's ice cream comes in the form of "socialized healthcare", "stimulus checks", and unlimited foodstamp and welfare programs. He showed up on the scene like Willie...seemingly out of nowhere. Never paid his way, never earned a thing. Never worked, never sweated. He was admitted to law school with grades that would have gotten me or you expelled from school. He's had a free ride to everywhere and never earned anything. Got by on pity. Hung out with people who were murdering police officers. Married a woman who has professed "shame and hatred of America". Neither one has offered a single word of regret. Ice cream for everybody....don't worry about the mess. The hardworking people of America will clean it up...we always have...
Murder and pillage....and only day two. What will tomorrow bring?
Monday, January 19, 2009
Pains and Gains
I'll do my best with this today; I've got one finger bandaged up and several others festering with thorns. That makes for an awfully clumsy effort on the keyboard. We're in the final day of a three day weekend and I've taken advantage of it to get my yard in some semblence of gardened order. I've been away the balance of three weeks now and the natural order of things is beginning to show. Earlier in the Summer one of the tropical storms had blown down a couple of trees, and I had to replant those after cutting up and removing the old ones. In other places, things were simply getting out of hand. During the course of my labors, I have decided that nearly all created things in South Florida, whether human, plant or animal; will bite you, scratch you, or stick a thorn in you. Caution is a word of health at this latitude.
I used a cane blade Saturday to whack my index finger. It's becoming evident that I will lose the inside portion of that finger alongside the nail bed. You know. it's amazing what all you use your index finger for that you never think about until you need it and can't use it. I haven't been able to pick my nose in three days now. Most of my other fingers have various thorns imbedded from sundry vines and trees. There are four plants down here you must handle with extreme care. 1.)Robellini Palm 2.) Bouganvilla Vine (Thought by some to be a close relative of the vine used to make Jesus' Crown of Thorns) 3.)Chinese Fan Palm and lastly number 4.)Ric-Rac (Zipper Plant) Number 4 is the primary one I'm suffering with today. It is so sharp, you don't realize you've been had for a day or two when the festering begins. The spines are so sharp that they go in too deeply to remove and so easily you don't know it at the time. You have to wait 2-3 days on the pressure of festering pus to push them back into reach of a sharp knife or tweezers. By day two or three, a fella truly becomes aware of his trespasses. Just for the record, I have all four of these plants in the yard. The upside is it really discourages anyone from wanting to browse around under our windows after dark. And all are unimaginably gorgeous in natural beauty.
Anyway I didn't start out to tell you all that. I wanted to share the thoughts that wandered into my mind as I worked at cutting back the overgrown vines and plants. The area I cleared back is really rather raw and ugly after the buzz cut, but it is such a necessary thing. Those areas are so rough and ragged now but, all of the scars and gaps left in those plant beds will heal and be restored more glorifully than ever. Like a bad haircut, it will grow back. Christ himself said in John Chapter 15 that God will cut every branch in us that bears no fruit. Being cut down to size is a a part of reaching greater potential whether in shrubbery or man. Sometimes it is necessary to trim back the shrubbery or cut down a tree in order to get the most fruitful and productive lawn. Sometimes we must bear a painful trimming ourselves. That may come in the form of a frustrated and angry spouse, sometimes through the straying of our children. It could even come in the form of a lost job or punishment. The important thing to remember is we don't always know why God is trimming our own branches anymore than those dumb mute bushes knew why I was trimming them. Isaiah 55 is a wonderful Chapter extolling God's ways and thoughts as being so much higher than our ways. Sometimes we just have to accept on blind trusting faith the reasons for our Creator's actions. When we were six months old, we couldn't fathom the mystery of bipedal locomotion. When we were two, we couldn't fathom the mystery of speech. When we were ten, we couldn't fathom the mystery of the laws of physics...some of us still can't. The point is...just imagine what all we still can't fathom in the mind of the one who set those very laws of physics and natural order into motion. Sometimes, things just are, but rest assurred in this one promise. "All things work together for good to those who love Him." We may not understand the depth or purpose of his algebra...but we can be assurred it is a purposeful and productive pruning. We will benefit of more and sweeter fruit. Our wounds will heal, and anything that does not kill us, makes us stronger. Even death itself only transports us to Glory.
Of course I can't produce a post without observing (and commenting) on something contrary that my wife is sure to prune a branch or two on me about. But anyway, I've spent three days laboring away, in total joy lest you think I complain, in my yard. As I finished up today and held my own body in growing discomfort, I see a lawn service truck pull up to the neighbor's house. Now this man and woman who live there are 20 years younger than me and appear in perfect health. I, on the other hand, have been cautioned by various doctors to not only stay indoors out of the sunlight, but to avoid as much physical labor as possible. But regardless of the cautions and the sometimes agonizing results of laboring at my landscape efforts...sitting inside all the time is a greater pain than my illness. One of my greatest joys in life is being a part of one of God's greatest displays (the natural world as he intended it to be). As painful as the physical toil is on my body, the dirt under my fingernails provides a greater salve to my spirit. Sometimes I think this one desire of mine helps me to sympathize with folks suffering with drug or alcohol dependency. I know what I'm doing to my body, but I just can't help myself. I firmly believe that God assigned us constant gardening duties at the fall of man. Of course he could keep a more beautiful garden if he chose to (and as he once did), but we now have been assigned that task. Don't believe it?...Just leave your lawn to him for about a month in Summer and see what happens. If you don't know what I'm talking about, just go back and read the 3rd chapter of Genesis and ponder on it for a while. And with all that in mind, these two neighbors of mine (neither of which have a job but have enormous disposable incomes) have a lawn service come cut the grass for them. Both of these people live off of a huge monthly stipend of tax money paid to them just because they are of a certain cultral background. My money and your money. Just bugs me I guess that two able bodied people can be so lazy. I do sometimes have Nick cut the grass, but it is more of a lesson for him than a desire for me to not do it. I know all along I'm going to have to go out and do it again behind him anyway...but it keeps him from being a loaf. I'm somewhat ashamed I continue to let this get to me. I understand it is not my business and I'm already suffering conviction over it. It shows judgment, and is not a Christian thing to say for sure. Judging others is a sin in my life I struggle with and I have no doubt Tilena and my two Pastors will bring it to my attention. That's just a weed that must be pulled from my mind. Not to mention I just taught a lesson at church a few weeks back about letting anger control us. So anyway, forget the whole thing...I promise to try to do that myself.
I pray your New Year is prosperous and full of God's Glory. Mine certainly is. I still await the promised photos of Christy, Carlton and Emma Grace and I will post them as soon as I have them in my hands. About three weeks now until Clayton Parker Giddens shows himself to the world....I am eagerly awaiting the day.
May God's Grace abound.
Don & Company
Friday, January 16, 2009
A New Year
How's that for a coincidence? Just looking back at my last post and the theme was about time slipping away....that was on 27 December 2008. Today is 16 January 2009.
The last couple of weeks have been a whirlwind. We all took off to Savannah for a few days and then rushed home for school and work. I did a load of laundry, worked a day or two and then took off back to Jacksonville and just rolled back in about midnight Wednesday...do you know what a feeling it is to creep in late at night when you've been away for so long. Everyone is asleep (except Bowden of course). Just walking silently through the house looking at each face, soaking up those polaroids in my mind. Those are the precious moments of life. You can't buy them, can't reproduce them...you just have reach out and grab hold of those treasures as they come by. Then there's the issue of Bowden. How does he know I'm coming home? There he was lying next to the laundry room door where I come in from the garage. He didn't say a whole lot, but he stood straight up and wrapped those huge paws around me and squeezed for dear life. It was like he had been waiting there since I left. I hope one day to be even half the man Bowden thinks I am.
I talked to my Aunt Herthel this morning. She's in Verona Virginia (suburb of Staunton). It was seven (7) degrees there. It is not as warm today as usual here, but it is about 70 outside right now. It's hard to imagine a 63 degree temperature variance. I'll pray for them, but I wouldn't want to be there with them.
When I get my promised photos from Christy, I'll post them....she's been telling me she would send them since we got back from up there. No photos yet...
Till then, God Bless you all.
Don & Company
The last couple of weeks have been a whirlwind. We all took off to Savannah for a few days and then rushed home for school and work. I did a load of laundry, worked a day or two and then took off back to Jacksonville and just rolled back in about midnight Wednesday...do you know what a feeling it is to creep in late at night when you've been away for so long. Everyone is asleep (except Bowden of course). Just walking silently through the house looking at each face, soaking up those polaroids in my mind. Those are the precious moments of life. You can't buy them, can't reproduce them...you just have reach out and grab hold of those treasures as they come by. Then there's the issue of Bowden. How does he know I'm coming home? There he was lying next to the laundry room door where I come in from the garage. He didn't say a whole lot, but he stood straight up and wrapped those huge paws around me and squeezed for dear life. It was like he had been waiting there since I left. I hope one day to be even half the man Bowden thinks I am.
I talked to my Aunt Herthel this morning. She's in Verona Virginia (suburb of Staunton). It was seven (7) degrees there. It is not as warm today as usual here, but it is about 70 outside right now. It's hard to imagine a 63 degree temperature variance. I'll pray for them, but I wouldn't want to be there with them.
When I get my promised photos from Christy, I'll post them....she's been telling me she would send them since we got back from up there. No photos yet...
Till then, God Bless you all.
Don & Company
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Christmas in these Latitudes
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Saturday 27 December...and we're racing through the last couple days of 2008. This post is particularly for my friends and readers of a more Northern Clime(ie..Scotland, England, Colorado, Carolinas and Virginia) I thought I would give you a glimpse into our deep winter at 26 degrees latitude South. Some of us replace sleet and snow with coconuts and sand. It will be 85 degrees here today. There is a downside to this...I still have to cut the grass every week.
Tilena and I were on the patio having coffee at 8 this morning and yes, we were wearings shorts, t-shirts, and no shoes at all. The birds were crowded around the feeder making a general ruckus. I had to smile to myself as I watched a common scene of nature. Birds (as humans) are generally dignified in appearance and behavior. But introduce them to welfare and watch the brawl begin. My birdfeeder is the mainstage for the WWF of the bird world. We've seen some great smackdowns develop on the ground just under the dispenser. Somehow, those big tropical blackbirds are always the first to discover the freebees. They have a great squabble among themselves until the heavyweights drop by drawn in by all the commotion. The pigeons just come shoving through and push everybody back. The mocking birds and scrub jays dart in and out fearlessly amidst the tumult snatching up seeds in mid air. The whole scene just reeks of Wal-Mart shoppers on the day after Thanksgiving. Pepper and Bowden just delight in bowling up into this free for all and watching feathers fly.
The feathers floating on the breeze in turn reminded me again of the days of the year drifting away. Time is getting away and there's no way to hold it back. I'm learning more and more to relish every moment...to squeeze every drop of joy from every tick of the clock. I've spent so much of my life complaining about Tilena being slow and making us late for everything we go to. It has occurred to me lately though, I'd rather be late with her than be on time without her. As a matter of fact, I'd rather be in jail with her than free with anybody else in the world. The kids will all drift away. Christy is long on her own, Ryan in college and slowly spreading his wings. Nick is a senior and spends more time away than at home. It will soon be down to just me and Tilena. I'm sure she dreads that more than me. She taught me patience among so much else. She just made me a better man. I hope I live long enough to make her effort worth her time, because it took so long for me to learn how to be a husband and father. I don't think I would have put up with me this long. And all the time spent learning the curve glided on past. Learning is the most expensive lesson because it spends time. There are days I want to put my foot out and stop the time from spinning away. It seems like this old ball we're riding on just keeps spinning faster and faster and sometimes I want to get off...you know, just catch my breath and think things through. Maybe cling to some of these moments a bit longer. I dove underneath the tree on Christmas Morning in 1966 and when I looked up I was a grandpa.
How do I ingrain into my kids that they are living away their lives? They expend so much time and energy looking forward to and eagerly running for the future. The song of our lives is playing away and there is no replay button. The artist only gave us so many notes to sing. I've learned not to say "I can't wait until"...to do that is to wish my life away. I do look forward to a lot of things, but the older I get, the more time I spend looking back. At my age, there is really only one more great event to attend, and my Creator alone knows when that will be.
The boys are out doing their own thing today. Ryan is off fishing. He and his friends camped out on the river last night. I guess they will stay again tonight. Nick just headed off to Palm beach with a couple of his friends.....gotta go spend those gift cards. I've been out taking down the Christmas Lights...another sign of the time creeping by. Tilena is cleaning house. I try to stay out of her line of sight. If she sees me, she will give me a chore to do. Looks like I got too much sun this morning too. Thats not too hard for me to do. We're just getting everything in order. We'll be going up to visit Emma Grace in Savannah next week and it's good to come home to an orderly house. Pepper will be going with us, but a baby sitter will be staying here with Bowden.
Well my friends. I pray God has richly blessed you this year and this season. 2009 stands at the door.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Feliz Navidad from South Florida
Saturday 27 December...and we're racing through the last couple days of 2008. This post is particularly for my friends and readers of a more Northern Clime(ie..Scotland, England, Colorado, Carolinas and Virginia) I thought I would give you a glimpse into our deep winter at 26 degrees latitude South. Some of us replace sleet and snow with coconuts and sand. It will be 85 degrees here today. There is a downside to this...I still have to cut the grass every week.
Tilena and I were on the patio having coffee at 8 this morning and yes, we were wearings shorts, t-shirts, and no shoes at all. The birds were crowded around the feeder making a general ruckus. I had to smile to myself as I watched a common scene of nature. Birds (as humans) are generally dignified in appearance and behavior. But introduce them to welfare and watch the brawl begin. My birdfeeder is the mainstage for the WWF of the bird world. We've seen some great smackdowns develop on the ground just under the dispenser. Somehow, those big tropical blackbirds are always the first to discover the freebees. They have a great squabble among themselves until the heavyweights drop by drawn in by all the commotion. The pigeons just come shoving through and push everybody back. The mocking birds and scrub jays dart in and out fearlessly amidst the tumult snatching up seeds in mid air. The whole scene just reeks of Wal-Mart shoppers on the day after Thanksgiving. Pepper and Bowden just delight in bowling up into this free for all and watching feathers fly.
The feathers floating on the breeze in turn reminded me again of the days of the year drifting away. Time is getting away and there's no way to hold it back. I'm learning more and more to relish every moment...to squeeze every drop of joy from every tick of the clock. I've spent so much of my life complaining about Tilena being slow and making us late for everything we go to. It has occurred to me lately though, I'd rather be late with her than be on time without her. As a matter of fact, I'd rather be in jail with her than free with anybody else in the world. The kids will all drift away. Christy is long on her own, Ryan in college and slowly spreading his wings. Nick is a senior and spends more time away than at home. It will soon be down to just me and Tilena. I'm sure she dreads that more than me. She taught me patience among so much else. She just made me a better man. I hope I live long enough to make her effort worth her time, because it took so long for me to learn how to be a husband and father. I don't think I would have put up with me this long. And all the time spent learning the curve glided on past. Learning is the most expensive lesson because it spends time. There are days I want to put my foot out and stop the time from spinning away. It seems like this old ball we're riding on just keeps spinning faster and faster and sometimes I want to get off...you know, just catch my breath and think things through. Maybe cling to some of these moments a bit longer. I dove underneath the tree on Christmas Morning in 1966 and when I looked up I was a grandpa.
How do I ingrain into my kids that they are living away their lives? They expend so much time and energy looking forward to and eagerly running for the future. The song of our lives is playing away and there is no replay button. The artist only gave us so many notes to sing. I've learned not to say "I can't wait until"...to do that is to wish my life away. I do look forward to a lot of things, but the older I get, the more time I spend looking back. At my age, there is really only one more great event to attend, and my Creator alone knows when that will be.
The boys are out doing their own thing today. Ryan is off fishing. He and his friends camped out on the river last night. I guess they will stay again tonight. Nick just headed off to Palm beach with a couple of his friends.....gotta go spend those gift cards. I've been out taking down the Christmas Lights...another sign of the time creeping by. Tilena is cleaning house. I try to stay out of her line of sight. If she sees me, she will give me a chore to do. Looks like I got too much sun this morning too. Thats not too hard for me to do. We're just getting everything in order. We'll be going up to visit Emma Grace in Savannah next week and it's good to come home to an orderly house. Pepper will be going with us, but a baby sitter will be staying here with Bowden.
Well my friends. I pray God has richly blessed you this year and this season. 2009 stands at the door.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Feliz Navidad from South Florida
Monday, December 22, 2008
Almost Here
Tuesday 23 December 2008.....Christmas is almost here. There just seems to be such a rush this week, things have really gotten away from me. Three nights in a row Nick has played in a basketball tournament over in Cape Coral. It's a long way to go and twice as long to get back. Nick don't get to play as much as me or he wishes he could. But at least he gets some play time. I remember going to Christy's basketball games. The only time she got off the bench was for the National Anthem. She was always lonely too...there were only six girls on the team, so it was a long game sitting there by herself. There were some long road trips back then too. I've been traveling so much lately, I'm thinking about taking the night off and just staying at home. Then the "wishes" creep into my mind....
I wish I could still go help my Dad all those time he would call, not because he REALLY needed me, but because it was his way of just getting me to come visit him.
I wish I could still pick up the phone and call my Mama. You know, I picked it up to call her many many times in the months after she had died before I would remember there was no one to call.
I wish I could still look in my mirror and see a smooth face framed by "down the back" platinum hair. I have to look in Tilena's mirror to see it now.
I wish I could still help my Grand Pa weed his garden.
I wish I could still crowd around that ole gas heater with my sisters.
I wish I could go hunting again with Uncle Clyde.
I wish I could still talk to JoJo.
I wish I could see Christy hug her Papa again.
I wish I could still hear little boys footsteps running up and down that ole doublewide.
I already wish I could stand on the Tigers sidelines next to #52 again.
.....on second thought, I think I will go to that game tonight....one day, I'll wish I still could.
Merry Christmas all.
Don and Company.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Tis the Season
Thanksgiving has come and gone. The Barrett's came up from Naples and my Uncle Hunter came down from Perry. So good to have Hunter here in particular. He's in his 80's now and I just never know when my last time with him will be my last time with him. He's the only Gutshall left not living in my household. I had some really, really great photos to post here from our gathering of family and friends....but the Tilena Monster struck. Do you know anyone who just HAS to push buttons? Whether on a camera "or on me" no one is more inclined to push buttons than my wife. She picked up the camera last week and just had to find out "what all those little gadgets do". Well she found out and all my photos are gone. Oh well, on to Christmas...I'll take the photos and hide the camera afterward.
Emma Grace enjoyed her 3rd birthday Saturday the 6th of December. I was able to talk with her briefly...no one talks with Gracie any longer than briefly. She has an attention span like Pappy's. Sure hope I get to go visit with her soon. Christy is now at the end of her 7th month of carrying Gracie's brother. Should have that boy by mid February.
We're all decorated and enjoying the season around here. As the boys have aged, it has become a more relaxing time for us. These days it is easier to focus more on the miracle of our Savior's birth and less on packages and gifts. Most every day is like Christmas to me anyway. The more I contemplate my life and circumstances, the more convinced I become that I'm the richest and most blessed man on the face of God's earth.
This season "as most" has me thinking a lot about my own childhood. I've mentioned a couple of my friends here before. Both happen to be lifelong friends. Winter time always brings to mind the many camping trips the three of us shared during Christmas Vacations. Now mind you, North Florida can be a chilly place in late December. I recall once in particular when we all camped up near the bank of Cow Creek. Donnie had fallen asleep early "as was his custom" curled up tightly in his sleeping bag. He "Donnie" had been pushing us all evening to go skinny dipping in the creek. Now I'm no prude mind you, but it's 35 degrees and windy. No way I'ma gonna git myself in that crik water. So anyway, Donnie's asleep and Roy and I slip down the trail about 20 yards where its good and dark. There was no moon out that night and it was black as the inside of a cow. Then we started shouting out loud and screaming at each other. Roy had a tree limb and was smacking the water splashing around just making a general racket. I rolled a large half rotten tree trunk down the bank into the creek and yelled out "how's the water?" Roy yelled back "It's freezing!, come on in". So I threw a limerock in that was about the size of my head. Of course that made quite a splash too. Well, by now, ole Water Head "Donnie" is wide awake and realizes me and Roy are down there swimming without him. We heard him call out to us and we both then ducked in the bushes. Here he comes running down the trail on that cold dark Winter night and he's a tearing clothes off as he runs. Now he wasn't hard to spot cause he's as lilly white as I am. When he pulled off all those clothes he just glowed in the dark. That silly clown sprinted right on by us without a stitch of clothes on yelling his fool head off "wait on me!, wait on me!".. SPLOOOSH! right into the creek he goes....SCREECH, HOWL, AAARRRGH!...then....HELP! HELP! HELP! I'M DYING, I'm FREEZING! HELLLLLLLP! That boy went from glowing white to electric blue in five seconds flat. He was cold as a frogs belly. I think I laughed till I threw up the scrambled eggs we had for supper. That's the night we started calling Donnie "waterhead".
Well, childhood is a special time. I just grin to myself thinking about some of those days...I laugh out loud thinking of Donnie's naked butt tearing down the trail that night. Boy oh boy...those were the days.
Well troops, that's it for today. Call your friends, hug your kids, kiss your spouse. But most important of all. Talk to God. Thank him for the greatest gift of all.
Merry Christmas.
Don and Company
Emma Grace enjoyed her 3rd birthday Saturday the 6th of December. I was able to talk with her briefly...no one talks with Gracie any longer than briefly. She has an attention span like Pappy's. Sure hope I get to go visit with her soon. Christy is now at the end of her 7th month of carrying Gracie's brother. Should have that boy by mid February.
We're all decorated and enjoying the season around here. As the boys have aged, it has become a more relaxing time for us. These days it is easier to focus more on the miracle of our Savior's birth and less on packages and gifts. Most every day is like Christmas to me anyway. The more I contemplate my life and circumstances, the more convinced I become that I'm the richest and most blessed man on the face of God's earth.
This season "as most" has me thinking a lot about my own childhood. I've mentioned a couple of my friends here before. Both happen to be lifelong friends. Winter time always brings to mind the many camping trips the three of us shared during Christmas Vacations. Now mind you, North Florida can be a chilly place in late December. I recall once in particular when we all camped up near the bank of Cow Creek. Donnie had fallen asleep early "as was his custom" curled up tightly in his sleeping bag. He "Donnie" had been pushing us all evening to go skinny dipping in the creek. Now I'm no prude mind you, but it's 35 degrees and windy. No way I'ma gonna git myself in that crik water. So anyway, Donnie's asleep and Roy and I slip down the trail about 20 yards where its good and dark. There was no moon out that night and it was black as the inside of a cow. Then we started shouting out loud and screaming at each other. Roy had a tree limb and was smacking the water splashing around just making a general racket. I rolled a large half rotten tree trunk down the bank into the creek and yelled out "how's the water?" Roy yelled back "It's freezing!, come on in". So I threw a limerock in that was about the size of my head. Of course that made quite a splash too. Well, by now, ole Water Head "Donnie" is wide awake and realizes me and Roy are down there swimming without him. We heard him call out to us and we both then ducked in the bushes. Here he comes running down the trail on that cold dark Winter night and he's a tearing clothes off as he runs. Now he wasn't hard to spot cause he's as lilly white as I am. When he pulled off all those clothes he just glowed in the dark. That silly clown sprinted right on by us without a stitch of clothes on yelling his fool head off "wait on me!, wait on me!".. SPLOOOSH! right into the creek he goes....SCREECH, HOWL, AAARRRGH!...then....HELP! HELP! HELP! I'M DYING, I'm FREEZING! HELLLLLLLP! That boy went from glowing white to electric blue in five seconds flat. He was cold as a frogs belly. I think I laughed till I threw up the scrambled eggs we had for supper. That's the night we started calling Donnie "waterhead".
Well, childhood is a special time. I just grin to myself thinking about some of those days...I laugh out loud thinking of Donnie's naked butt tearing down the trail that night. Boy oh boy...those were the days.
Well troops, that's it for today. Call your friends, hug your kids, kiss your spouse. But most important of all. Talk to God. Thank him for the greatest gift of all.
Merry Christmas.
Don and Company
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