Fun on a crisp November day with cousins....

Knoxville Ice Bears

Tonight is the first game of the 2013-2014 Knoxville Ice Bears season.  We've got season tickets!!!

Chris couldn't come to the game. And everyone I know either had soccer or high high school football to go to.

So....I just came on to the game by myself.  Shucks. If I can go watch the New York Rangers by myself at Madison Square Garden I surely can drive to Knoxville to watch hockey alone.

Supper

Left early. .....Bears were losing. 5-1.  Maybe I shouldn't go to games alone. The Rangers were tied with the Capitals when I was at the New York game.  I had to leave early to get to airport.   Watched the end of the game there. Rangers lost.


Final score...5-2

Bridget's Day

Bridget has had quite a day at work.

This afternoon she was helping an elderly gentleman who had to see the property assessor before he left.  When he came back through the lobby he stopped at Bridget's window and said in a low, sweet, polite voice, "If I drive my antique car in the Christmas parade will you ride in it with me?"  Bridget was sitting at her desk away from her window and didn't hear him very well.  She stood up and walked to her window to ask him what he said.  The man said again very quietly, "If I drive my antique car in the Christmas parade will you ride in it with me?"

Bridget smiled and giggled and said, "You holler back at me."

About 15 minutes late Bridget is saying into the phone, "I only had it a week!  There is no way I could have driven the tires off.  Damage?  I don't think so."  .....and on this went for a minute or so.  Finally Bridget said, "Who is this?!"  Silence.  "Who is this?!"  They hung up.

Bridget was worried for a minute because whoever it was had her cell number and knew she had a rental car this week while her car was in the shop.  Then......she found out it was a joke.  I'm sure she will have revenge soon.


THEN, about ten minutes later Bridget and a friend from another office was walking through the courthouse lobby when a man walked by them and he said, "Ladies you need to spread out.  If they drop a bomb it will kill all the babes in town."  (Not sure who 'they is?)


Wonder what is going to happen in 15 more minutes.........

Halloween 2013

Ex's

Seems I've had a lot of husbands.....and therefore ex-husbands.

Today in my "Crazy Cat Lady" Halloween costume I heard lots of conments like "you look just like my wife" or "you look just like my ex wife".

One man walking through the front door of the court house as I walked by grabbed the door.  He exclaimed "Whew! I thought you was my wife!" And grabbed his chest.

I walked by a man and woman at the clerk's office and the man turned to his wife "you look just like her" to which he got a slap for.

Think the remarks were mostly meant to be insulting toward some wives and ex's.  Guess some guys don't like hair rollers or cats...

Bouncy Seat

Saw one of the cutest most humorous little sights around a couple of hours ago.  My great niece Mallie Belle who is one, jumping in some sort of bouncy seat.  Probably one of those things that maybe you have to see yourself to understand just how cute it was.

I tried to take a video but she would stop and cheese it up when I pulled my phone out.  Hmmmm....could that mean she is used to having a lot of pics taken?  Sweet lil Mallie Belle....



Side note:  Pretty certain I hit a pole cat tonight. Didn't see it but the evidence sure enough has followed me home from Jessie's.

A Long Line

Tonight was an especially hard night for many in our community and a special family.  One of my closest friend's stepson was killed in a car wreck Thursday night.  Tonight was receiving of friends and funeral.  He was only 21.

A long line.  What a showing of respect in our area.  During times like this I often wonder what funerals are like in other places.  Other than the South.  Deep bonds of family and friendship run around here.  I'm sure other places too.  Maybe death is mourned the same "here" and "there".  Here you don't even have to know the person who passed away.  But respect of someone you love and care for who did know the one who died?  That makes you go to the receiving of friends.  To show you're thinking of them in one of the worst points of their lives.  Wonder if it's that's so "there"......

Heartbreaking.  So heartbreaking looking around while in line.  Looking up to the end of the line where my friend and her husband, the boy's daddy, stood along with the mom.   Looking at them I was teary eyed before I was half way there.  Their faces were tired.  Tight at times.  Tight from exhaustion of tears but I feel also tight from smiling through the tears.  Pretending to be strong while everything falls apart around them.

Three little girls.  Tiny little girls.  Little girls who have lost their brother.  There is nothing that can be said about that.  No words......just sorrow for their little hearts.

Boys.  I see lots of boys.  They are probably 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 and so forth.  But boys none-the-less.  Their faces were....I don't even know the word I'm searching.....sullen?  That isn't quite right.  Sad.  Maybe just sad.  And a little frightened.  Frightened of the unknown, frightened about not knowing what to do or how to react or what to say.  Most have never been in this place in life before.

At funerals you hear so many different expressions.  You hear a lot of "too young" or "so young".  People who know our family still say my brother who died in 1979 was "too young" at age 27.  My mother died when she was 56.  Those who knew her say she was "so young".  My dad was 80 when he died.  His death was the most recent but I really don't remember what people said his dying.  Maybe they were just very saddened about his passing.  Or maybe people just don't know what to say when an old person dies.  I don't know.  All I know that watching a family struggle with loss, no matter what the age of the person who died.........sucks.

got milk?

Driving the back roads near our house there is a surprise around one corner. On the silo of one of our neighbors dairy are lights which spell out "got milk?".

The road with the silos is seldom traveled.  Which makes the sight of the sign even more special.  It's just out in the middle of nowhere so it seems as if it's meant just for you.  I'm always disappointed when driving that back road if the sign isn't glowing.  Tonight I wasn't disappointed.

Flashback

Flashback 2012

My first and only thus far breast cancer walk/fundraiser.

"Making Strides for Breast Cancer"

(I think that was the name?)

Amber, Bridget, Me and Linda
I got some prizes for being a survivor.  Who
knew there were perks?  Well, there were at
times.  Like when I was bald and went
through the drive thru at Krystals.  I got
all the ketchup and salt I wanted. No questions.

Bridget came up with "Stridin' for Marna"
For our shirts

Some of the walking. I could NOT keep
up with Amber and Bridget.  Esp Amber.
She finished a mile ahead of us.  At one
point I did try to speed up.  Problem?
They sped up too! 

Farmer Charlie!!! (Who is that anyway?)

Bridget, Me and Amber

Amber and Bridget signing us in.

Loved the face painting!

Work. Everyone working at the courthouse
has been so supportive of me.  They all
bought shirts for the fundraiser.  Some
even walked. 



Ring

Lost ring.....

Diesel and Ada Monroe trying to help Chris

and the magnet find it.

Two days later.....I found it.

Tomorrow

Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Wear pink tomorrow in memory of a loved one who is gone, in gratitude for a loved one who has won the battle, for strength for a loved one going through the battle, in honor of all those who have suffered and as a reminder. ....get your mammogram ladies!

Different Faces

I've often posted that I'm happiest when those I love are happy.  Well, I'm most sad when those I love are sad.   The past week has been a roller coaster of events for friends.   I've experienced joy with some and sadness with others.

One friend found out some devastating news early this week.  Another is starting a new life with the man she loves.  Another is experiencing the agony of the death of a loved one.

I think about their faces and what is seen there. The high of emotions of excitement in showing the diamond on her finger last night for one.  I don't think I've ever seen anyone that thrilled.  Her face glowed with happiness!  The grief of another this morning over death etched upon her face.  Exhaustion, confusion, sadness and so much more in her eyes.

The third?  I haven't seen yet.  She doesn't live nearby and I don't think she is ready for a visit.  I'm not sure what I will or can say to convey empathy for what she is going though.  I hope I can. I hope I can for all.  Good or bad.

Sentences

I revel in run on, comma spliced sentences.......written in southern talking style, not written style.

I was the flu.......

Probably the best part of my job is the elderly.  So many come in or call the office and tell me they knew my mom and dad.  And stories.  I love the stories!!!   When mom died I was only 18 and hadn't really gotten to the age of stories.  Though I loved family reunions listening to my aunts and uncles about the olden days.  What days those were!

It's especially nice to hear the stories because mom and dad are both gone.  It just brings a smile to my face for someone to come by the office and say "I knew your momma and daddy.  They was good people."  And then proceed to tell me how they had known my family and how my parents would be so proud of me and how I turned out.

Last tax year a man told me, "I was there the day your daddy could have signed with the majors".   (Baseball. Daddy was a pitcher.)  I've never seen photos of daddy playing baseball.  We have lots of photos from the Navy in WWII but no baseball.  I asked the man if he had any old photos of baseball.  He said he didn't know if he had any but would look.  I never heard anything back so am assuming not.

(My family would LOVE to see photos of daddy pitching so if you have any please let me know. Would have been sometime in 40's?)

Yesterday a lady called about her appraisal and the fact it had gone down this year.  She was worried about that.  We talked for a while and she said, "Is your daddy still alive?"  I told her no, he had died in 2008.  She said she had thought so.  Then she told me they had rode the same bus in elementary school.  She talked a minute more and then said "Glen lived at the end of Dawson Street."  Down from her and her family.  She told me about daddy trading with somebody (I can't remember the name) for a blue convertible.  She said she couldn't believe Glen Maynard traded for a convertible!


Today was the greatest, funniest story I've heard..........in my life.


Larry walked an elderly lady to my counter window who had been visiting with him in his office.  She had questions about her tax relief.  We talked for a while and she asked if I was a Maynard.  She told me about working with my aunts at the sewing mill years ago.  I said, "Really?  Charlsie, Bobby, Phoebe and Lucille?"  She said yes and talked some about them.  I told her that Charlsie was 91 and doing well.  The last of those Maynards.  She asked about my aunt Bobby and what she had died of.  I told her breast cancer when I was a little girl.

The lady looked at me, dropped her voice and kinda bent in toward me over the counter.  She whispered like it was scandalous, "There was one of the Maynard girls who had a baby when she was old."

I thought to myself I was fixing to hear some big family secret because only one of the Maynard girls had married out of the four.  And the one who did didn't have any children!

Then I immediately thought, realized and said......."I'M that baby!!!"  She giggled and giggled and giggled to learn that and I told her I was Glen Maynard and Clara Belle's daughter and that momma did have me late.  That I was the "oops baby."  (Women in 1971 did not have babies at mom's age.)

The sweet lady said, "I worked with your momma at Cherokee" (Cherokee was a sewing mill.) I gave her the hardest time about you!"

"You're momma told us she had the flu.  She was out a few days and when she came back she told us about you.  I gave your momma hard time for a long time.  I kept telling her 'that was some flu!!"



In a few more years I'll hear no more stories like this.  That generation will have all passed.  That is something I do not forward to........

Two of my Rocks

2012

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

I had many rocks during my breast cancer

diagnosis and treatment.  These were two of the

biggest.  Kelley and Brittany saw me at some

of the worst times. And kept me smiling

and looking forward.

Coolest thing ever? God brought them 

into my life about six months before cancer.

Second coolest thing? They have had almost

as many hairstyles as I!

2010 before cancer-Kelley

2010 before cancer-Brittany

2010 before cancer

2010 Surprise trip to Comedy Barn the

night before my first chemo

2010 Surprise trip to Comedy Barn the

night before my first chemo

2010

2010 Kelley sharing her hair

2011

Playing with the wigs 2010

2010

2012

2012 UFC night GSP vs Nick Diaz with 

Hank and Brittany's new baby.

midnight-we were tired!