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Anyone who really knows me knows that I like to end things on a positive note, thus the changing around of the movie title.

Cue the creepy whistling music.

The Bad

Nurse Elizabeth noticed that my grandmother (We’ll just call her gma, the Finn/Scout texting abbrev for grandmother) had turned an eerie shade of yellow this past Sunday. Gma came home from church early because she was “too tired and weak to stand it anymore,” and Elizabeth convinced her to go to the doctor the next day. Despite gma’s trying to talk Elizabeth out of it, she couldn’t put up enough of a fight and ended up being taken to the doctor anyway. At the hospital, they determined that she had hemolytic anemia and needed a blood transfusion pronto so my sister and dad took her up to a hospital in Paducah to have the transfusion done. Her doctor took one look at her and ushered my dad and sister out in the hall for a conference. He said that he believed that the lymphoma she’d had three years ago had come out of a dormant state and was very quickly taking over her blood because it had come back much stronger than before.

Arrangements are now being made for chemotherapy, but the doctor is not really giving us much hope at this point.

And as if that weren’t enough…..

The Ugly

It rained most of the day yesterday, but as I was coming home from work, it began to clear off. I hopped in the shower and before I’d spent one glorious minute in the hot water, Elizabeth burst inside the bathroom and claimed that there was a tornado going on outside. Not really believing her, I shut off the shower and listened for a few minutes. I heard the strong wind and the thunder and lightning, but I didn’t really pay it any more attention. After finishing the shower (I know. I shouldn’t have done it under the circumstances.) I got dressed and walked outside to find the worst sight I’ve seen in a very very long time. Tree branches were everywhere, everything that had been under the porch was now scattered way off in the yard, but most noticeably, a very large, very thick oak tree had snapped in half and fallen right on my sister’s brand new car. Trust me. There’s nothing more painful to see than your sister’s brand new, very expensive, fully loaded, stocked to the gills 2008 Honda Accord turned into a smashed tube of toothpaste right before your very eyes. Unless it’s your own car, of course. Naturally, she was inconsolable. And I cussed out the tree. But, luckily, there’s insurance.

And finally….

The Good

I am slowly starting to date a good friend of mine. Yes, it’s the person I was talking about in the comic strip I posted a few weeks ago and yes, I’m very happy about it and I’d love to tell you who it is, but for now, the person shall remain nameless (I hope at least a couple of people just got that). We’ve been friends for quite a while and have been hanging out enough that we now know a lot about each other and know that we’ve got quite a bit in common. The usual awkwardness of starting out is just not there and that’s what makes this so special. Honestly, if we don’t do anything more than just go to a ballgame, I’m just happy to be around him. In my very complicated and stressful world, he seems to be the comfort. He’s made me appreciate things I’ve taken for granted and things I haven’t thought about for years. He’s taken me back to a happier time. I hope he realizes how much he is helping me. I only hope I am able to be the person for him that he’s being for me right now.

Last Friday night, I was lucky enough to be the basketball game caravan for two shaggy-headed, guitar-playing, zitty teens. Yes, that’s right. And my brother was one of them. After picking up my brother’s friend who dotted each and every sentence with “dude” and “sweeeeet,” I headed to town to pick up a member of our party I didn’t mind picking up one bit — Bro. Finn. Bro. Finn and I, otherwise known as the two adults of the group, sat in the front and the young wannabes took the back seat.

As soon as Bro. Finn got in the car, I turned on the C.D. player and guess which C.D. was playing? Well, one of my favorites from last year, of course. The one and only Feist. 

I’ll just let the conversation speak for itself from here.

Jeffrey: “Ewwww! What’s this???” At this point, he releases the laugh of a person very much going through puberty which sounds like the combination of a dying cow and a sneezing chipmunk.

“Please put in Velvet Revolver! Now!”

So I did. But, as it’s my car, I insisted that in order to compromise, we’d play a game of bobbing for CD’s. In other words, I’d reach into my CD case and pick out one without looking and then play it.

While Bro. Finn continued his search for his seat belt which he declared had gone to China, I reached in and grabbed the first CD and held my breath as it slid into the player.

The first few notes of Corinne Bailey Rae started playing and both Jeffrey and his friend squirmed in the backseat.

Jeffrey: “Ewww! This is even worse! Is this all you got? Girl stuff?”

Try again.

Reached in and pulled out The Beatles’ Abbey Road.

Me: “There’s something wrong with you, Jeffrey, if you don’t like this one.”

Jeffrey: “Guess what? I don’t.”

Jeffrey’s friend interrupts.

JF: “Come on, Jeffrey, man. There is something wrong with you if you don’t like this.”

Try again.

By this time, we’re nearly at the game and Bro. Finn is getting a kick out of something…I don’t know if it’s my musical tastes or the terrible teens in the back, but I reach in and pull out……Nirvana.

Suddenly, it’s become apparent that I’ve hit the jackpot. Jeffrey, Jeffrey’s friend and Bro. Finn begin singing along and I begin to feel all warm and fuzzy as if I’ve just united all of us with the magic of music. My wonderful feeling is short-lived, however, when the CD begins skipping and Jeffrey stops his dying cow voice to tell me that I “suck” and need to buy some new CDs.

Can I listen to music with you sometime, Holly?

A big ole birthday shoutout goes to Cousin Jennifer in Gnashville today. Cuz Jen is turning the big 2-6. Now that she’s the same age as me and referred to me as “ancient” on my birthday, I’ll return the favor.

Welcome to the land of the antiques, cousin. Watch out for periods of arthritis, muscle spasms and Ensure fits.

Seriously, though, of all the squabillion cousins I have, Cuz Jen is the closest in age to me and probably the closest in personality, likes and dislikes, etc. She moved to Nastyville last year from Mississippi and it’s been awesome having her closer to me.

In honor of her birthday, I’ll share a very short story that happened when we were probably three-ish, four-ish, something like that. Our parents took us to the Pink Palace in Memphis to see the exhibits. Well, the place had this certain robotronic triceratops in the dinosaur exhibit and guess who was so afraid of it that she screamed bloody murder and had to be taken away with her eyes covered?

Happy birthday, cousin!!!! Hope you have a great one!

Dear B,

This post is overdue, I admit, but I also have to admit that live blogging last night at the Stewman’s benefit helped get me into the idea of regular blogging again. Don’t worry. It probably won’t last long. But I simply must tell the tale of the Terrible Tornadic Adventure that occured last Tuesday.

Bro. Finn and I headed to Union City AKA Onion City this past Tuesday to visit the pet store, check out a local pizza joint and get some coffee at a terrific new place called Higher Ground. While we were eating pizza, well, Bro. Finn was eating pizza and I was performing an operation on my pizza to de-cheesify it, the rain started. One drop, two drops, and soon mist and then soon after that, the rain came in sheets. In the drive-thru line at Higher Ground, a bulletin came over the radio that a tornado was making its way through Lauderdale County and onto Dyersburg. My thoughts immediately went to Holly and her safety. A little bit later on, another bulletin came over the radio announcing that the tornado was expected to hit Obion and southwestern Weakley County including the towns of Greenfield and Sharon. Bro. Finn’s thoughts immediately went to his grandparents and their safety.

After getting the coffee, we headed back towards Weakley County and that’s when the storm hit. With the radio blaring, as if some sort of sick and twisted ironic joke were being played on us, the Doobie Brothers’ song “Jesus is Just Alright” came on and with the car rocking and flying all over the road, Bro. Finn and I joined in and began belting the song while laughing at the fact that we seemed to be right in the dead center of the path of the storm.

Our conversation went something like this.

Me: “Hee, hee….Are these the only words to this song? Is this it?”

Bro. Finn: “Yeah, I think so. Here comes another overpass. That means we’ll have one second of calm before we get back out into the rain.”

Me: ”Here it comes. Wow. I think that was a lot less than one second.”

Bro. Finn: “I really like that movie ’Twister.’ I have that one at home.”

Me: “Yeah, I like it too. Especially the part when that F5 tornado blows those cows all over the place.”

Bro. Finn: “I like those tornadoes in the water…the waterspouts.”

Me: “Wow. This is getting strong. I think we’re actually in the tornado. I think I can actually feel the wind trying to blow the car off the road. This is tough. Hee, hee!”

Bro. Finn: “Yeah.”

Maybe we should have been singing “Nearer My God to Thee” the way we were going. You think? 

There really are no words that will come close to doing last night’s event any justice at all, but I’ll make a feeble attempt anyway.

Holly and I had our t-shirt stand set up in one little corner of the Opera House perfectly placed to be able to see everyone who walked in the door. We sold the heck out of some t-shirts and CD’s, heard some wonderful and terrible karaoke and recorded it all on the cyber page of a blog.

While we tried to make most each and every detail known to the blogosphere, Newscoma ran around the venue like the perfect organizer that she is, trying to make sure everything was in place while greeting each and every person who walked through the doors, changing the toilet paper in the bathroom and juggling flaming fireballs to the amazement of the audience.

The people who didn’t buy t-shirts or CD’s made donations and geez, most of them were downright eye-opening donations. As Holly and I collected the money and tried our darndest to keep a count of everything collected, we were greeted by friends Badger and Squirrel Queen who kept us in stitches with their antics, but refused to sing karaoke.

I’ve never been involved in a benefit like this before and though time and time again, when I’d ask SQ about it she’d express having a few doubts because of it’s being a first attempt for her and NC, it was truly a far cry from a rookie effort. As I’m told, money counted so far totals over $10,000 and that’s without the Internet portion added in. We’re talking about a great deal of money here.

I’ve only met the Stewman one time, but I later found out that he once lived in the neighborhood I grew up in. I really look forward to getting to know him better.

Stew, the benefit was wonderful. You have many many friends and hopefully, these donations will help tremendously in your day to day battle. We’re fighting with you.

Yikes! I just realized that the only time I bother with this blog anymore is when I have either been on a trip or on a visit or on a trip that was a visit. Guess that makes me the most boring, unfaithful blogger ever. Oh well….

I am looking forward to this upcoming Monday night when I will be selling shirts with Holly at the Benefit for the Stewman. Newscoma, Squirrel Queen and many others have been working hard to make this event a success and if I know anything about NC and SQ, this benefit should be an extravaganza not to be forgotten. If you will be near the Martin area, please stop in for some gigantic fun all for a wonderful cause. 

Now onto something else I’m really thinking about.

Only one single solitary reader will know exactly what this means.

I have the paper copy of this as well. Thanks to Maw Finn for cutting it out for me and thanks also to this web site.

Sigh. 

First of all, if any of you recognized that the title was a variation on a song line from the Broadway musical (and movie) “Annie,” then go collect your Scooby Snack. Kudos to you.

On to the story.

You know it’s going to be a good day when you make two new canine friends and laugh so loudly that you cry and disturb nearly everyone in a restaurant, but not both simultaneously, mind you.

Yesterday, sis Eli and I started on the road bright and early to go pick up Henrietta in Clarksville and then go on to Nashville to meet up with Cousin Jennifer. We met Henrietta at the Starbucks in Clarksville (I stand corrected. A Starbucks in CVille. Apparently, the town has more than one now.) and then went her house which is near Dunbar Cave.

And I got to meet this little guy.

Here’s the one, the only….Chewy! Dark picture, I know, but I didn’t take it so don’t blame me.

After meeting up and catching up with Henrietta, we headed over to eat and then to meet up with Cuz Jen. Of course, I couldn’t resist the urge to send a text to Holly to taunt her about being at Fido. After all, she sent me one a few weeks ago and I am a very giving friend.

While at the restaurant, Henrietta and I started spouting off crazy stories of things that had happened to us in the past in our college days and scared not only Eli but everyone around us with our laughter leading to tears that seemed to practically draw in an audience. We agreed that we should probably start on some sort of book if for no other reason than to just get down all the crazy instances so we would never forget them.

Meeting up with Cousin was the next big thing on the agenda and this brings in my new second cousin…..Buckley Pierre Mignon….named for a character on “The Royal Tennenbaums.”

Here’s Henrietta holding him.

Isn’t he adorable???? He’s a Chi-Poo.

The day ended with our heading back over to Henrietta’s, reminiscing a bit more and then making the trip back to Weakley County.

Now, if the Titans can pull off the upset today, I’ll be able to call this a plain awesome weekend.

Pshaw and I have been hanging out lately since he’s on school break from Ole Miss. As I’ve so oft kidded and jabbed Mr. Pshaw for his hatred of cell phones, we’ve been communicating mostly through email and each time we’ve made plans, apparently I’ve given the same opening response of “Sounds great.” In the last response from Pshaw  back to me after (I’ve been told) I gave the response once again of “Sounds great,” Pshaw asked me what exactly greatness sounds like.

Okay. And being reminded that I’d used the phrase three times, I felt horrible because for some odd reason I’ve never liked repeating a phrase that sounds like some teen made it up for text talk. Yeah, I do text, but occasionally I like to sound as if I have some sense as well. So……I’ve actually been trying to think of what greatness would sound like if you could possibly bottle it. Which brings me to the new year. I think the word “resolutions” is a bit intimidating. Maybe that’s why resolutions are so difficult to keep. It’s because the word just sort of stumbles out of your mouth and while it sounds important, walking the walk after you’ve just had so much trouble talking the talk is another story.

That’s why, instead of making a list of resolutions which I’ll never keep, I’m going to refer to this list as “Sounds of Greatness.” These aren’t difficult. They’re basic, simple and should be easy to keep and if I stick to them, I think 2008 may just be a great year not only for me, but others.

No numbers because they’re all equally important and as this is definitely a work in progress, I’m sure I’ll add more in later posts.

* Over the past two or three years, I’ve tried very hard to shed this super-thick shell of shyness that has enveloped me since my exit from the womb and I think I’ve managed to make some progress. Granted, I’m no big mouth now, but I’m also not afraid anymore to attempt to take the reins of a conversation in a crowded room and steer it. That being said, I still need to plan a mass excavation to dig up a backbone. I’m still lacking in that all too important part of the skeletal system and it really comes back to bite me most of the time.

* I need to keep in better touch with old and new friends. My motto has never been “Out of sight, out of mind” and I hope to do a better job this year of living that.

* Absolutely NO orange salamander hunting. When that becomes part of the agenda, I need to rip up the page, burn it and start all over again. I’d really love to tell you exactly what it is, but I’d much rather explain it in person. Come to Weakley and I’ll share.

If everyone knew what exactly this secret little item is, it would probably make the number one spot on anyone’s list.

For now, I’m loving that only a very few people do know know what it is.

* Last one on the list for today.

I need to think of much hipper, cooler, sophisticated, intelligent-sounding, stupendous euphemisms for “Sounds great.”

Happy 2008!

To be continued…..