Post Reunion Blues and the "Egg in the Snake"

Wow! Somehow I survived the frontal assault on my stomach yesterday. We started out with Mom's biscuits (butter and apple butter with a dash of brown sugar for good luck) and coffee. That lead to hamburgers and hot dog snack for a late lunch. That was soon followed by the 2nd 7-churn round of homemade ice cream. The banana remained a top contender but I think the strawberry and peach made some serious ground on Saturday's round. I ate way too much ice cream; but, so did everyone else. Here's a picture from Friday to give some idea of the setup and the associated frenzy.

We then swam some more and hung with the family under the live oaks with the big industrial sized yard fans making a breeze keep the gnats at bay. It was warm and humid and the pool felt great even if there were 30 people in there at one time.

For the weekend, I was one of the monster adults who had to fight off 5 to 6 boys (and an occasional tough girl) under 10. It can be exhausting after about 15 minutes of swimming and throwing kids into the air. I remember sinking to the bottom of the shallow end and just listening to the sounds of so many kids in the pool having the times of their young lives. It was then I thought about all the boys in the pool and was so glad to know chlorine is a powerful chemical!

After trying to swim off some of the ice cream the hour we all waited for arrived! Time for the swine on which to dine. Once again, Uncle Marion McLeod came through with a fine feast of pork and sauce. We had all the fixin's possible including Tricia's great crunchy broccoli cole slaw. It was here that I made my first mistake of the weekend. I decided that since the first plate was so good, that the 2nd would have to be twice the reward. Well, I got twice the case of stuffed abdomen. It took a few laps around the farm, 2 Pepcid Completes and some cool air conditioner to get me straight. Boy, I hadn't done that in a while, maybe I will learn next time that the formula for that disaster was printed in the sky all weekend. I took a good nap and then we exploded (best term available) the remainder of the fireworks for the weekend.

We made it to Alice Drive for the 11am service this morning but not before a round of orange dannish and cinamon rolls at Mom's place. I had a brief spell on the way down the long drive way sipping coffee and retrieving the Sunday paper. If I didn't eat a bite for 2 days, I would be fine. But, of course, after a great visit to Alice Drive, we had a big spaghetti lunch and I had two plates and a little more BBQ. My scheduled Sunday afternoon nap was a great opportunity for Miles and Dylan to swim more with their cousins. Of course, this was also another opportunity for more homemade ice cream. Mom threw together a batch of chocolate and a batch of peach for the afternoon. It was the best of the weekend if you ask me (and I know you did).

As we were sitting around under the oaks saying our goodbyes and talking about the weekend, some of the boys playing over by chicken pen excitedly began to report they had found a snake in the egg nests of the coop. Of course, snakes are a favorite interest to boys of all ages, especially on the farm. Once we all got in there, we saw it wasn't a poisionous snake but a very large garter snake. But, the coolest thing was that it had an egg already swallowed. Robert Calcutt, my brother-in-law, got the snake out by the head and into the yard for all to see the snake with the egg in its stomach. By this time, all the boys were in a frenzy wanting to kill it. Tricia was doing a mighty fine version of the chicken dance due her high state of nervousness around snakes of any kind, much less one in the flesh with an egg bluging from the side. To our sheer delight, Robert moved position on the snake and the snake began to unhinge it's jaws and the egg made it's way out, completely intact. Miles and Dylan were enjoying the show along with the rest of us. Tricia, by this time, was on the verge of "falling out" and was running into anyone within 5 feet of her dance. It was a site to behold for all. Once the egg was out, that was the sign for "let's kill this snake now". Any boy with a stick or club or rock had free reign on this poor reptile's head. Within five minutes, he was headless squirming coil on the sandy floor of the big tractor barn.

Now, where else can you get that kind of fun for free? My only regret was not having a camera. It would have made a great video with the snake in the foreground and Tricia jumping around in circles in the background. Miles and Dylan got to see it up close, so it was something we will laugh about for many years to come. "Remember that snake with the egg in it's belly?"... "yeah, remember how much Mommy was dancin' around while it threw up the egg?"

We finally got the boys rounded up and calmed and then we got in the van and head home. We had a long band of storms for the drive but made it home around 9pm.

Keller was happy to receive his prize for the weekend, a leg from the hog (feet included). I also have another bone once he's done with that one. Shadow had another earful for us once we got home too. But, he was glad to see us. I'm glad to be home again and ready for a full week. A week that will take me to Tennessee for work and a week of VBS for Tricia and the boys. I hope you had the kind of fun we had this weekend in your own way, with good friends and family. I was proud of how my family got along so well this weekend. We might be rough around the edges on some branches of the family tree but its a mighty tall tree with lots of branches. Granny and Grandpa Charles would be proud of their children and their children's children... Remember to thank those who make the freedoms we enjoy, so easy to enjoy.

View Album

Get your own

See ya!

Reunion

So far, so good. A very big crowd yesterday for the 4th. We had hamburgers and hotdogs (what else could you possibly serve for the 4th in South?). We then had 7 churns of homemade ice cream for dessert. The banana was the best for me. Then for the night finale before the huge thunderstorms rolled in, we set off a very large amount of fireworks. My Mom rents the house I grew up in to a woman who works for a fireworks distributor/factory. She pays her rent in the months of July and December with fireworks, sometimes partially and sometimes, like last night, in full. Needless to say, we had a ton of fireworks! It was a blast (pun intended).

Today is round 2 which will include a full hog BBQ (with an extra special spicey pineapple sauce that my uncle has PERFECTED) and more ice cream (of course). The boys will get a few more hours logged in the pool. I think I counted no less than 25 in the pool at one time yesterday afternoon. That included many with floaties on their arms and some who didn't need to be wearing that bathing suit in public.

We spent the night in Sumter with my cousin, Sally. She is a nurse manager at Tuomey, where I worked from 2000 to 2007. She is actually my cousin on both sides of my family as my Dad and his first cousin married two sisters (my Mom and her sister, who is the mother of Julie Ann, Michael, and Sally). I thought I would share that since it best illustrates what a redneck family reunion in south Sumter county is all about! Praise Jesus and pass the BBQ!

See ya!

IMG00011.jpg

My updated office wall part 1
on BlackBerry
978-805-3137

Summer Holidaze

Well, Keller survived and even went for a long walk with me this morning without any attitude. I think he slept under the deck and not in the dogloo but he'll figure it out (maybe). Hey, I'm not sure if you noticed or not but I posted that last post yesterday from my Blackberry. It's cool to be able to do that and now I have to figure out how to send pictures and postings at the same time to the blog from my Blackberry.
We are heading to Sumter tomorrow for the big reunion and the neighbors are watching after Keller again. He is looking forward to his play time with their 4 dogs. I'm sure he will tell them about how we have kicked him out of the garage.

Couple of quick random music thoughts:
1. The new Drive By Truckers' CD Brighter Than Creation's Dark could be some of the best music I have heard in a long,long time. I have had it in constant rotation for a few weeks and it's in my blood and in my head all the time now. It's got Neil Young gone to Georgia written all over it!
2. I downloaded another cool tune (heard it on WNCW first- of course) from Kathleen Edwards called "Run". Of course it's not my mother-in-law but it is great music. It was free thanks to Pepsi Points too!
3. Also, downloaded some free (Amazon Pepsi Points again) Otis Taylor this week. Recapturing the Banjo takes the banjo back to Africa and then to Neptune and back! Wow! Great stuff!
4. Nothing beats "Jessica" by the Allman Brothers when walking with the dog in the woods on an early July morning in South Carolina.
5. I still get a kick out of Van Halen. Downloaded some of Diver Down last week and have found myself cranking it up!
6. Lynyrd Skynyrd remains great music, despite the fact that I have never seen the world in the same view as some of their fans. I should clarify and say "classic" LS, not the WWF version that runs around today playing the same old tunes and waving the Confederate flag in your face. It's funny, we tuned into the classic rock station the other night and they had a twofer Tuesday going from LS. I was singing at the top of my lungs and Tricia made the comment "I'm surprised you don't listen to them more often". She didn't hear me playing them just that same afternoon in my office. Not sure if she knows all of their tunes either. Miles told me "The Ballad of Curtis Loew" sounded like Jerry Garcia Band and the Allman Brothers. He's a smart little fella!
7. Speaking of Miles, I got out my 1987 (I can hardly believe that) Rush tshirt from my first Rush tour. I actually tye dyed it as a freshman at Clemson back in 1989. I am going to let him wear it to the show coming up on July 20th. He doesn't know that yet and it's going to be such a treat. He is talking to anyone who will listen about that upcoming Rush show. The shirt was up in the attic storage. Tricia won't let me wear it as it looks a little tight (well, a lot). Can't wait for that show.
8. More music posters make my office look even cooler than before! Thanks Tricia for making me take them out of the hang out room. You rock!

Ok, back to work. Breaks over. I wish you a Happy and Safe 4th of July!

See ya!

The Garage

Well, Keller has a new dogloo from Pet Smart. It's big enough for me
to crawl in there; so you know it's good for Keller. We think we have
a good spot by the back deck that should work good. Tonight will be a
good test for him (and us). I think he has figured out that is his
new home and that the garage is closed. The head butt to the closed
doggie door is a BIG clue.

More tomorrow! See ya!

--
Sent from Gmail for mobile | mobile.google.com

Dead Squirrel Meat

Tricia and I went for a walk this morning with Keller. As we were coming back home off the trail, I spied a dead squirrel that had just been hit by a car. It wasn't there on the way to the trail, so it was fresh. I said out loud "that looks like a dead squirrel". I could have testified that Tricia heard me and made some motion or sound of acknowledgement. Of course, Keller didn't see the squirrel until we were right on top of it. At that point, he pounced forward and grabbed the squirrel in his mouth. At the same time, Tricia shreaks "Oh My gosh!" and jumps back in complete surprise. It was as if I had never said a word and she accuses me of ignoring her!
Well, Keller was just too proud of himself as he strutted home with the dead squirrel in his mouth like some mighty hunting dog. He was so proud and also a little weary of us looking at his prize and not willing to let us get close. He has been in the back yard running up and down the hill, tossing the poor dead squirrel into the air and trying to practice his hunting and killing skills. I don't have the heart to tell him that the squirrel is dead.
Speaking of hunting dogs that live in the yard...Keller secured a new dog house in the yard last night by continuing to scratch at the garage door (it's styrofoam and can't withstand dog claws for long). Tricia and I decided that was the final impetus we needed to make the move we had discussed about moving Keller to the yard now that he is no longer a pup. Given he has plenty of shade under the back deck and the trees on the hills, we are going to close the doggie door for Keller. He will be allowed to come in for bad weather and cold nights but the free pass to take over the garage is over. The new van needs the garage more than he does at this point. Don't feel bad for him, he will still be allowed to come inside the garage and house as needed. He will still get treats and walks with us. He's a dog and a part of the family but he is also a dog with big paws, large teeth and a full fur coat. We will be shopping for a dog house today. Just think, he can chase squirrels in the back yard all day now!

See ya!

P.S. Oh yeah, I got a new wireless printer for Tricia's new upstairs office last night. It just amazes me that I can use that thing from downstairs via the wireless network. Once the settings are made, you just need a place to plug in the power cord. Very cool and it's the HP All-In-One type. Very cool! Just a neat gadget toy for me (and Tricia). Hey, we also had some nice chilly temps last night, we set records for low temps and it was very nice and cool to sit outside and eat ice cream at the Village on Woodruff Road and watch the sunset. It's the little things that make this life so amazing!

Home Again

Well, we made it home on Saturday night around 9pm after an all day journey South. I think we left around 8am but we had a 2 hour stop in Beckley, WV for lunch and then stopped in Gaffney at Zaxby's for supper under the shadow of the Peachoid. We also picked up some more Peach cider at Abbott's while we were there (just to make us feel more at home too!)

It was so good just to sit on the porch and relax with a cold beer after that long ride. The breeze was blowing in the trees across the street by the creek and the neighborhood was so quiet. It reminded me how much I really love the comforts of home and how much we have been blessed here in the Upstate.

I also feel so blessed to have been able to work all week from Ohio without taking any vacation. It required just a small amount of coordination on my part for the job. I had broadband and the cellphone and was able to easily handle working all week which was good since I was also covering the Left Coast while another consultant is in Mexico on vacation. Tricia got to spend some good down time with her sister and boys, just hanging out and enjoying the summer. I think this will be a trend for us since she will have summers off as a teacher.

July is going to be very busy. We have a BIG family reunion in Sumter this 4th of July weekend (BBQ and homemade ice cream, my 2 favorite food groups) and I have to train 2 new sites in July. One of the new sites is near Knoxville and I will be gone there while Tricia and the boys do Vacation Bible School at Lake Robinson park around the corner from home. Then, I have another new site near North Myrtle Beach. Tricia is going to stay with me at the hotel while I am there. The boys will be in Sumter or Columbia with my Mom. We are also going to schedule a fun day at Carowinds Park with the boys and family in July and a few trips to Sliding Rock are on the agenda too. I know the month will fly by.

Keller is actually sitting here next to me in the office today. He lost his mind last night and scratched a fist-sized hole in the garage door. Not sure if there was something outside the door as he has never even bothered the door. Of course, it's nothing more than styrofoam but he's treading on thin ice. So, I'm keeping an eye on him today :-) He got an ear full, I can promise you that! He's been pretty good with the garage, not sure what that was all about, hoping he got the message too. Shadow doesn't know Keller is inside yet (I won't tell him).

We have been down to the creek by the trail with Keller every afternoon since we got home. He just jumps right in and lays in the water with a big smile on his face. That cool sand and water hits the spot. Of course, he waits until he is right next to you, regardless of where you are, before he shakes off the water (starting at the head and working back to the tail like a funky dance). He wants to share the cool water, I'm sure!

Tricia has been busy rearranging the hang out room upstairs this week. She is making it so she can do her crafts and school work in there. That will help us all once school starts. We have a huge multiple purpose desk that she is getting arranged just right. It also meant I had to take down some posters from the hang out room; but, it also meant I could decorate the office with a little more rock and roll flair. It's still in progress and looking good (the hang out room and the office). Ok, I'll stop there. I missed posting on my blog and my full-sized keyboard too!

Just know we LOVE you and God does too!