News from Meridian

Hello world, It is Wednesday in Meridian. I am filling in for the local guy here while he is away on vacation. I hope to be back Thursday night, but it may be Friday before I get to return. We had a nice weekend at Tannehill with Alissa and Emily. Gayla and her bunch were there also. We couldn't get next to each other but it worked out ok. Friday night we grilled hamburgers and ate together. Saturday was the Civil war reinactment. I went to it around 1pm to look around and the battle started at 2. I watched from behind the cannon battery. It was great when they started firing the cannons. You could feel the shock wave even standing behind them. Before the battle started, the Union forces marched across the field to thier position, they were naturally booed. Then the Confederates marched across, they were cheered. I noticed that the Union had better uniforms that matched, and looked in better shape. The South was a little ragtag, but still put up a good fight. This is really like the War was, the South just wasn't quite ready for it to start. It was interesting to see the campsites that were set up. Most were just like they were then. Large cotten tents, campfires with pots to cook on and uncomfortable matteress. not at all like the air conditioned soft set-up that we use. I went back before the battle was over so I don't know who won. I keep hoping that the South would eventually win this war. Later on Saturday, we fixed some chicken. Tim and Myra and some of Gayla's cousins and April and Jason came up. April was suppoosed to get Alissa, but she didn't. We had a pretty good crowd. Sunday we got up and went to Church then stayed home to get ready to go off for the week. Phyllis decided to stay with April and play with Alissa while I was out of town. We went back to the camp after Church and found ourselves all alone. Emily went home with Alissa and we had the camper all to ourselves. I believe this is the only second time we have spent the night alone since we started camping. It was different. Monday we were going to fix hamburgers and eat with Gayla, but when we started packing we all decided to leave early. We got home around 12 and I met Jerry in the drive way. He told me that Peggy Snider had just passed away. Peggy and James had been our neighbors for about 40 years. She had been fighting cancer in one form or another for about as long as I have known her. The past few months, it got the best of her and she is now gone. Before we left, they were not expecting her to survive the weekend. I will not be able to go to the funeral because I am here in Meridian, but I will remember her. When I saw Jerry, I knew what had happened. It reminded me of Daddy, we had gone to Florida and I was backing the camper in the yard when James came over to tell me that Daddy was in the hospital. We got there just before he passed away. I think next time I come home and see someone in the driveway I will just keep on going. Enough of that. Back to Meridian. this hospital is a little smaller and only has one person here. I had 2 phone calls yesterday and both were from people in Birmingham. Not much going on here. I am going to find the Northside Church this evening and visit them. Hope to see everyone on Sunday.

I paid $65.00 for a gallon of milk

Sometime back, while Phyllis and I had gone out to eat with some friends, Phyllis said that we needed a gallon of milk. On the way home she wanted to stop at Walgreens, but we had already past it. On down the road was Walmart. I decided to stop there and run in and get the milk, but Phyllis wanted to go in with me. I went to the back of the store where the milk was and she went elsewhere. I figured a long time ago that they put the milk in the back where you have to go past everything else in the store hoping to tempt you to buy more than you need. Anyway, after a few minutes I found her whth a shopping cart with stuff in it. I mentioned that we only came in for milk, but she said she needed a few more things. As we checked the total came to $65.00. I was talking with a guy I work with and he told me that was the difference between men and women. Men go to purchase, and women go to shop. I believe this to be true. I take great pride in going to Walmart to purchase one item that I need and sometimes spending less than a dollar. Another think to think about. What ever happened to the days when a man could tell his wife that he was going to Home Depot or Lowes and she didn't want to go? I used to be nice and ask if she wanted to go knowing that she didn't. Now I can't go without her. They have so many things for women. She even got gift cards for Lowes and Home Depot for Mothers Day! Who ever thought that this would happen? Its no wonder that Home Depot could afford to build that Aquarium in Atlanta. They make a ton of money off our wives. I know when Phyllis reads this I will be in trouble. So I will now say that I love you and don't mean any of this.

Mother's poetry

All of you know by now that mother has passed away. She has had a bad time the past few years, she has been sick for a very long time, and unable to do the many things that she always wanted to do. She is finally at home now with her two loves, Jesus and Daddy. Mother has missed daddy terribly since he left us 14 years ago. Nothing we could do would erase the pain and empty spot she had in her heart. We were looking through some papers that she left, and found some poems that she wrote. Mother used to enjoy writing poetry, and she would write one about the things and people that she loved. I think now that the weight loss craze has struck Sylvan Springs you may enjoy reading this.

Fat For the Kill
by Betty Garrison

Woke up one morning,
Jump out of bed, went to the mirror,
to make sure I wasn't dead
When I looked, I wish I had died,
That fat person made me want to cry.

I said, "now Lord what can I do?
I blame you for blessing me with all this rich food.
I have tried every thing, even keeping off the scales,
But to stop eating, I don't have tht will."

"Look here lady" He seemed to say, "Don't blame me
I didn't make you that way.
You can deeping eating, getting fat for the kill,
Or join weight-watchers and make the fat dissappear."

I hope you enjoyed this, ther may be more to come.