Today I have a Rant !

Ok, I don’t know about you guys but I am getting sick and tired of the press and so called press screwing up peoples lives. Case and point... Tiger Woods. Now Tiger apparently had a domestic squabble not unlike any other married couple from time to time. The difference is one of the scums of the earth tabloids (National Enquirer) decided to chase him down to the ends of the earth looking for a so called affair. I personally don’t thing he had one but even if he did... it's none of their business and we all know how reputable that fish wrapper is. So… instead of reporting on the fighting in Afghanistan or Iraq or hunger in Darfur we have to hear a play by play from Fox News where Tiger jumped in the ole SUV at two-ish in the morning and had a little fender bending on his property. The news anchor further stated his wife came out to rescue him with a golf club in her hand and had to smash the window to get him out. Now how odd that she should have a golf club in the garage at 2 am she says. Oh let me think…. HE’s A GOLF PRO MORON; he probably has a whole garage of golf clubs. So what… who cares... get a life media.

If the terrorist are bent on blowing something up in America, I would like to put a little suggestion in their suggestion box. Take a nice copy of the tabloids and draw a huge red target on them. Put them in an envelope and mail them to the Taliban. I seriously doubt their offices will be missed. Now here is where I start across that fine line. Next take a few ACLU business cards with addresses and paint a red target over them and mail them to the Taliban as well. Now they may not take the hint but I will certainly feel better. Have a great day.

Thanksgiving Triggers the Season

Yup, the turkey is in the fridge and game is on. I was watching the news this morning and they covered opening at Best Buy. I don’t think so. Lets see, you arrive at Best Buy Thanksgiving day at 2:00PM and wait patiently for 15 hours in line so that you can get a lap top computer for $200 which would have normally cost $400. You have now given up your family time, you have probably already filled your depends three times, you have lost your football time because your little battery operated TV doesn’t work on the new digital transmissions, you have the beginnings of a cold because it got down to 32 degrees last night and last but not least you fell asleep at 5:55AM and 154 people moved in front of you. Yeah this was worth that $200 savings now you fire up that Tim Taylor Ou ou ou.

Anyone notice the Salvation Army bell ringers out a little early this year? I thought it was kind of tacky myself... ringing that bell in the Easter Bunny suit. There will be new songs written this holiday season in honor of our new regime… I mean cabinet. It’s been a be CZAR year hasn’t it. Here are a few hits….
(Formerly God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen) God rest ye merry gentlemen in alleys in a box, you lost your jobs and families now all you have are socks…

(Formerly We Wish You a Merry Christmas)We wish you merry health care we wish you merry health care we wish you merry health care or we throw you in jail. A tax be to you, who ever you are... a tax for your health care or you will see bars.

(Formerly The Grinch) You’re a mean one Mr. Barack you are wishy washy and your slick. You can’t make a good decision, our debt is trillions thick…Mr. Barack you’ve fooled us with your trick.

(Formerly Winter Wonderland) Well the jobs outside are frightening, food lines are not enlightening. And most have no where to go, unemployment grows unemployment grows unemployment grows.

(Formerly Frosty the Snowman) Obama the Kenyan was a TV savvy guy, with a prompter in front and a quick word hunt you would believe his every lie. There must have been a shortage of good sense in peoples brains... cause when the votes were tallied up acorn had stolen the reigns. Oh Obama the Kenyan appointed many czars with government health care more debt everywhere and your cash for clunker cars.

Yup it will be a season to remember. Instead of Christmas gifts this year I’m giving everyone a nice little envelope. It will contain a pink slip that simply states "I’m sorry but due to the current recession, I am having to let you go as a gift recipient. I wish you the best of luck in finding your next gift." Have a great day guys.

A Proclamation

Happy Thanksgiving my friends. Isn't it a shame we no longer have the strong spiritual leaders in our government our ancestors had? Thanksgiving will pass for most as simply a day to spend around a table with family and friends and then football on TV, nothing more. We have long forgotten the GREATEST GENERATION and thier sacrifices to make us safe. We have long forgotten our Vietnam vets that spent many Thanksgivings in country eating rations out of a can so that communism would'nt come calling to our door. I might add many now are mentally a mess with little or no help from the country they defended. We have long since forgotten the men and women of Desert Storm.

I dare say the Thanksgiving of 2001 was quite different in the households of America than today. Isn't it a shame it takes a national disaster to draw us back to God, if only for a few fleeing moments. We have a president who left behind his Christianity claims with his campaign, we have a congress bickering and fighting over personal financial gains like two boys in a marble fight. We have a senate that nearly daily floats to the top of the news with corruption like curdled milk. We are working on thowing teachers and mentors in prison for even mentioning God in thier classrooms. How can the ACLU even sleep at night with the damage they have done. Today we have a lot to be thankful for but what we have the most to be thankful for is that God almighty has not judged and sentenced this great nation for turning its back on Him. May God continue to have mercy on us. Happy Thanksgiving to all and GOD BLESS YOU.

Terry

A Proclamation.
The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consiousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom. No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed.
Done at the City of Washington, this Third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the Unites States the Eighty-eighth.

By the President: Abraham Lincoln
William H. Seward,Secretary of State

Ghosts of Christmas Pasts... part 2

Needless to say grandma lived in a very old house. The glasses we used where pear shaped and deep ruby red or dark green. She also had a set of red, blue, green and yellow metal cups with a matching silver pitcher she used for serving lemonade. I later found one glass and a set of metal cups very similar to hers and from time to time drink from them just for the memories. Her daily silverware was stainless steel with wooden handles. She had a set of fine silver in a wooden box but that was just for special occasion, like Christmas. I have tried to find some like the wooden handle set but with no luck.

The smells from that kitchen were incredible. She would bake for us and cook for us incredible meals and desserts. From time to time I get out her old recipe for a Japanese Fruit cake and make it, just to revert back in time if only for a little while. There was usually a large bowl of her Ambrosia in the refrigerator (that’s a fruit salad with shredded pineapple).
I can also remember her old pipes whining and clunking when you turned the water on in the kitchen. You could even hear those groans when you turned on the water facets in her old claw foot bath tub in the bathroom.

Of course Christmas being her favorite time of the year when her family was coming. grandma broke out the decorations for the occasion from the attic. She had a wood burning fireplace in the living room that had been converted to gas logs. Of course in Miami it was not very often she ever had to fire them up. She painted the whole fireplace white to match the walls. Her decorations adorned the fireplace and its surrounding areas like a Macys storefront display (did I mention that was one of her favorite stores in Miami?). She had a snow white Christmas tree with a snowy texture with red, green and blue ball ornaments neatly and methodically placed on the tree with a cozy little tree skirt comforting the many packages beneath it. There were two foot tall toy soldiers guarding each side of the fireplace with Santa and his reindeer keep watch over the entire display. A string of bright red, green, blue, orange and white flame like lights twinkled around the fireplace with Christmas cards on the mantle and mirror above the mantle. The ceilings were mahogany color was tongue and groove lumber with large wood beam rafters crossing every 5 feet or so. When someone was upstairs you could look up and tell to within a foot or two exactly where they were walking.

During WWII my grandmother took in borders to survive and she still had an old gentleman who we only knew as Mr. Temple (later we found out he was John Temple, a chef) living in a small room on the bottom floor. He was a quiet old gentleman tall and slightly bent over with thinning dyed light brown hair. He wore a pair of terminator looking sunglasses everyday as he and his cane shuffled out the door to the bus stop down the road. We never really knew where he went but you could set your clock by him. When my mother was a little girl he would bring her little gifts from time to time and was just a nice man.

Well on Christmas Eve we made merry like the rest of the world with good food and eggnog and at the end of the evening we were all ushered out to our rooms in preparation of the arrival of Santa Clause. My older brother and I knew the truth but we kept the allusion for the younger siblings. We slept in the upstairs bedroom on a large queen bed next to the Florida windows. Of course it was Miami so the windows were opened. It wasn’t like the smaller cities like Panama City where I grew up, where the streets were rolled up at dusk in those days. Miami was alive 24/7 and you could hear the heart beat of the city through those windows. Often that heart beat was Hispanic, both the music and the language of some of the surrounding neighbors. I still remember one particular song on grandma’s old AM radio we played up there. What’s New Pussy Cat, that song always brings back Miami memories. Grandma was a smoker and a collector of cigarette lighters. We found a whole box of them and ran through them until we found a couple that worked. We used those little lighters to east down the stair case into the living room. Of course there on the couch was grandma sound asleep. While this presented a challenge, it was not a deterrent. We very carefully unwrapped most of our gifts one by one and checked out our new found treasures. WOW… we done good. It’s still to this day hard to believe my parents were able to get all those toys to Miami on the top of that station wagon for five kids. I remember grandma waking up and of course like every good grandmother, she would shhhhhhh us so mom and dad didn’t know we were up and close her eyes back. As far as I know, she never spilled the beans. Yeah she did make us give up the lighters but that was ok... we knew where the stock pile was and no we never started any fires (by the grace of God only).

It was always hard to head back to the panhandle after a visit to grandmas. Isn’t it strange we never caught on that the bundle on the roof going home with all our toys was the same size as the bundle on the roof coming up with just our luggage? Well as you can imagine at the time to come back home mom cried, grandma cried, we cried, dad remembered the bills for Christmas and he cried. Like most kids, the only thing that made the trip back home worthwhile was the fact we were going to get to go home and play with our new toys with our friends. I just can’t imagine kids today having these kinds of stories to tell their grandchildren. It most definitely is a different world we are living but I am so grateful for my ghosts of Christmas past.

The Ghosts of Christmas Past....part 1

As we begin to mature toward the winter of our life (you like that? Sounds better than getting old doesn’t it?) we start to cherish our memories more. Today I have such a time as that. Two days ago my grandfather of 91 yrs passed away. He was the last of that generation in my family. The reality is my generation is getting closer and closer to being the old white haired lady and man sitting on the porch in a woven seat high back rocker sipping coffee.

Thinking about my grandfather brought memories back about another grandparent who lived in Miami. My mother’s mother, she was a grand lady. More of a sophisticated woman with fiery red hair living in a two story home in what now is known as little Havana. I can still remember the Christmas of 1968 when we all piled into our 1960 Chevrolet Impala station wagon ( four boys, one girl and the parents was quite a large group in that wagon) with a HUGE pile of luggage on the roof with a tarp over it. In that time it never occurred to me why we took so much luggage but Christmas from mom and dad took a lot of space. Fighting, kicking and yelling we sailed down Hwy 98 toward grandmas. Not exactly over the river and through the woods, it was a long ride in that wagon because it was not cold that particular Christmas and there was no air conditioning in that day. In fact the further south we traveled the warmer it got and the more active we boys got. If I heard it once I heard it a hundred times. “Don’t make me stop this car and come back there”. We weren’t making him do anything; if he came back there it was on his head…and our BUTTS. Yup spare the rod and spoil the child was tattooed on his favorite belt.

Now you guys of AARP era remember back in those days there were no MP3 player, CD players or even cassette players. Nope, we had little reel to reel players. I had a bunch of tapes I recorded music from my record player on and laid down in the back floor board of that Chevy listening to it passing the time. We would stop on the way for little picnics of sandwiches and soft drinks mom had packed. It was great fun actually; there were many parks on Hwy 98 in that day and actually some pretty nice scenery. Of course we have lost that with high speed interstate travel. Of course who hasn’t crossed the Suwannee River without singing “♫ Way down ♫ upon the Suwannee River,♫ far far away ♫”. My wife and I still do that.

And do you guys still remember Hwy 41 and the Tamiami Trail? It was a long ride through the swamps of the Everglades with very deep ditches on both sides. Many times we came upon a tow truck pulling a car out of one of those deep ditches. Not a pretty sight but to kids, exciting to watch. I remember going through there during wild fires (which happened a lot even back then) and the smoke being so thick traffic was slow and all you could see was tail lights for miles and miles.

Well there was never a time of more excitement than when we came to the first signs of mass civilization….Miami. My grandmother lived on North West 2nd Street in what at that time was a very comfortable southern style coconut tree filled neighborhood. Her home had a small white cinder block wall in front with an elevated yard. Her home was a solid white wood off grade building with green trim and Florida windows (remember those with the multiple pains of glass?) and green awnings over every window. She had a small one bedroom apartment in the back she rented out. I can see her now as we piled out of that station wagon; she stepped out of the door and started down those green painted concrete steps to see her babies.

Inside her home was a vision from the past and present. Her Florida room was the first room you arrived in. Wicker furniture place elegantly around with bright multi colored topped tables. Her living room had a Victorian flare with sofa, chairs and lamps (of which I have in my living room right now). She had glass beads dangling down between the living room and hallway next to the stair case to the bedroom/storage area upstairs. Next to that stairway was an old curved phone table with a lamp and an old rotary dial phone. Through that hall was her elegant little dining room with mahogany and cherry table, chairs, china cabinet and server. There were wide blade wooden blinds throughout the home and a gentle breeze seemed to always pushing through them.

My favorite room was her kitchen. It was locked into the 50’s in style and so comfortable. You could smell the large bowl of fruit on the little white iron kitchen dinette. Next to it on the wall was black clock that looked like a cat with its tail wagging marking time. Her stove was a large double oven gas stove that required matches to light its top burners. On one of those burners was a tea kettle. Many many mornings my brothers and I got up before dawn to come to that kitchen and find grandma sitting at her little dinette with a cup of Folgers instant coffee in her hand dressed in her robe with what looked like a paper towel wrapped around her permanent with bobbie pins to protect it during sleep. That was her favorite and when we were in Miami... it was our favorite as well. She had those dainty china cups with dark green around the rim and gold on the top of the rim with very small handles. We always spooned in plenty of sugar and crème in our coffee (ok I still do...live with it). I would give anything to find a set of that china today just for the memories.
End of part 1

There are Truely Angels Walking Among Us

This past week was a tough week as usual trying to drum up some business but I got a treat I never expected. I met a lady who brightened up my day and week in one visit. Her name is Annie and she lives here in Pensacola in a modest home in an average neighborhood. She moved here from the cold northern country some years ago and had a son in the US Navy who has long since retired. When I approached her she was in her garage packing what appeared to be garage sale items. We struck up a conversation which quickly leaned toward her hearts mission. She told me the items left in her little garage where items left from a garage sale for our troops. I of course was curious and inquired a little more but not too much to make her uncomfortable. This sweet heart of a grandmother lit up like a neon sign when she talked about our boys and girls in the military as she called them.

Annie was only about 4 1/2 feet in height with snow white short hair. She had long lost her girlish figure and was no longer a queen of the latest fashions. Her home was decorated with furnishings from the 1970’s and 1980’s era. What some would call clutter she would call merchandise in waiting and there seem to be an abundance of it. Even her aging automobile had long lost its luster but was still in good operating condition as was its owner.

Annie asked me to follow her into her little home and only stopped for a moment, turned and with a slightly suspicious grinned asked “Now your not going to come back later and rob me are you?” I assured her I was on her side, told her about the Patriot Guard, Christian Motorcyclist Association and ABATE of Florida all of which I was a member of and how we fully supported our military. She turned back quickly and said “ok, come on then to my war room”. This war room as she called it was a bedroom about 12 ft by 12 ft. The walls were lined with shelving units full of her supplies. One has boxes of small soaps, small shampoo’s, razors and assorted toiletries. Others contained candies, gum, magazines and so forth. She even had a small purse that contained dollar bills which she placed a few into every box she completed.

There were postal boxes everywhere and one nearly complete package was on a small card table in the middle of the room. She opened the box and told me how she filled it with everything she possibly could that would aid in the comfort of our soldiers so far away. She also volunteered at a local blood bank and they gave her small bags used for blood pressure kits She used those as small shaving kits. She said that when she closed the zipper on that kit, if she could poke her frail little finger into it, there was room for one more piece of candy or gum. She does get some donations but more times than not she pays the price for the shipping and many items in the cherished boxes from home. I told her I would be making some calls and doing my part in contributing to this most worthy cause.

As I was turning to leave she handed me a business card and I learned of another duty of this angel. Annie also volunteered at the Navy Air Museum here in Pensacola at one of the exhibits. She stands on the replica street of the early 1940’s and tells of life during World War II. This dear lady does more for our country than 80 percent of it’s younger citizens. What an example she is, what a patriot this white haired granny has become. There truly are angels walking among us.

LEST WE FORGET THEM

LEST WE FORGET THEM

Remember me for I have remembered you.
When I layed behind the fence at Gettysburg
And the mini ball found its target true.

Remember me for I have remembered you.
As I bled in the ditches of France.
And the bi-planes over me flew.

Remember me for I have remembered you.
While I crawled along the beaches of Normandy
The enemy I did wearily pursue.

Remember me for I have remembered you.
Through the jungles of Korea I moved silently.
Doing what my country had asked me to do.

Remember me for I have remembered you.
In country I gave all for my nation.
The nam claimed my body and mind too.

Remember me for I have remembered you.
The deserts I stormed without question.
While the threat of scud missiles grew.

Remember me for I have remembered you.
Road bombs ripped my humvee beneath me
My duty to God and country I pursue.

Remember me for I will remember you.
Your freedom I secured with my blood.
Remember I went so you wouldn’t have to.

Written by Terry L. Richardson
Copyright November 11, 2009
Dedicated to all the veterans of the United States Armed Forces
“We remember you and Thank you”

“Doctor’s Visits..I’m certainly not here for a Visit”

Sitting in a doctor’s office waiting on someone can make time stop dead. You read everything around you and it’s usually Women’s Day (I now know what to do about that bloating problem I mean besides stop eating). You get to hear all about everyone’s problems whether you want to or not. I have to admit I seriously doubt the little old granny killed her husband of his tabacky spittin but you never know. I moved down four chairs just in case. Then there is the coughing and hacking person who says “Man this flu is killing me” yup you guessed it, moved another five seats down. I am getting rather close to the door and thinking of waiting in the car. Did you ever notice how uncomfortable the chairs are in doctors offices? I have that one figured out as well. That is so the men can’t sleep and snore. You could put those puppies in your living room and be sure company will not overstay their welcome.

Don’t you love how you can get a 9:00am appointment and the doctor doesn’t even get into his office until 10:30am? They always have that back door to come in through so you can’t see their golf clothes when they come in. Next time you wonder if his mind is on his work, when he turns his back yell FOUR and see if he ducks. If he does, politely excuse yourself as a bogie and leave.Thats the real reason that doctors wear the scrubs with shoe covers. They cover up there Ping golf polo shirts and golf slack along with spiked golfing shoes. Anytime now I expect to visit a hospital that is adjacent to an eighteen hole country club golf course.

I supposed I should have gotten a pack of surgical face mask to come to this office. “How you are doing today ma am?” she replies “Hack cough sneeze gag…fine thank you”. Well you know they aren’t fine by the accompanying sound effects. There needs to be a receptionist at the door like coming into an auto garage. “ Sir please wait for the electronic door seal to depressurize and step into the chamber… I mean room”. That way those of us who are only there as the ride can escape unscathed. Now I am going to make you worry… here it is. All these sick coughing gagging and sneezing patients just came in grabbing the same door knob you grabbed and sat in the same chair you sat in. Ok….feel free to express paranoia. I once worked for a company in Panama City that had potential customers come by and shop. I had the pleasure of meeting a gentleman who shook my hand wearing surgical gloves. He browsed our merchandise and upon entering his automobile three his gloves in the parking lot. I was soooo tempted to run up to him grab his hand one last time, thank him for coming by and slamming his door and watching him scream.

As you can tell I am getting really bored in my wait here. Can you believe it, at these medical care prices and no coffee? What kind of doctor would not have coffee in his office to help his clientel’s drivers to stay awake? I’m sure Obama will make sure a coffee pot will be in every office after his health bill passes. It will make administering the morphine easier for your cost efficient self termination procedure.

Uh oh, someone accidentally let the room get to cool and I feel a nap coming on with a full arsenal of snoring and mumbling. Silly mortals, don’t they know who they are fooling with *YAWN*.? Its too late, save the women and children….I…cant….stop ….it ….knowwww zzzzzzzzzzZZZZZZZZZZ