Sweet, Sweet Chick

Found out the kitty my sister and I have both, at one time or another, cared for, has died.

Chick was a sweet puss. She had an amazing knack for knowing when there was something wrong... and an uncanny talent for disappearing when there was the imminent threat of a visit to the vet or a dunk in the tub! She had the most wonderful, velvety soft fur. She had the loudest purr. Chick had such a cute way of jumping up to rest on our shoulders so that we could more effectively pet her. She absolutely refused to eat anything but Nine Lives dry food... unless it came in a can and smelled like tuna.

I will probably never have another cat. I don't know about my sister, but that kitty was a good friend... and no other cat could possibly compete with that.

Chick (whose real name was Sadie Marmalade) died August 12th, 2004. She was 15.

You May Say I'm Dreamer

I had the most bizarre dream last night.

Two of my internet buddies - people I've never met in person, mind you - were there.

In the dream, one of them was a co-worker here at the radio station. I say again, this is not true in real life, because the internet buddy in question lives in Canada. We were attending a ratings party at work when I got an e-mail from the other buddy that said her spouse had drowned and that she was feeling suicidal.

So of course I called MY spouse and told him I had to go see my friend right away, even though she lives at least six hours away and I've never been to her house.

I dunno. I guess the part that struck me as bizarre was that I'd had a dream about people I've never seen before. Does that happen to other people? In this internet age people are more connected than ever, but... my son was at least six months old if not older before he started creeping into my dream consciousness. And I see him everyday, you know?

No more ice cream at bedtime, that's for sure.

Praise the Lord and Pass the Tater Salad

Sang with the girls this morning at one of those out-of-the-way, country church Saturday summer festivals that features a display of souped up classic cars, dead animal carcasses tacked to a wall, a dunking booth and all the tater salad your heart can stand before you collapse with a coronary.

The singing part was fun. As for the rest of it... I guess you just had to be there to appreciate it. The grown man dressed as Tweety Bird was probably the highlight for me.

God bless America.

Only in the Capital of the Backwoods...

*sigh*

I shouldn't start off a blog with a sigh, but there it is. There's no escaping it.

Only in the capital of the backwoods (where I live, oddly enough)... would someone ask me if kids in my hometown skip school the first day of hunting season.

I know I'm in an oasis of civilization floating in a sea of -- well, the backwoods --but just because I'm from a state that has a similar reputation means I grew up in a cabin, barefoot and with missing teeth... or that I dropped out of school after third grade to "git hitched"... or any of a number of other stereotypes.

No, kids in my hometown did not skip school the first day of hunting season. But in case you were curious... yes, there was a serious dip in attendance here in the capital of the backwoods on the first day of hunting season.

Don't get me started on how y'all mess up the spelling of my favorite contraction. Spelling it "ya'll" is an abomination.

I'm proud of my heritage, dagnabit. But I'm tired of defending myself against those who are clearly too ignorant to know better.

Music Fuels the Soul

Have you ever found that music is the balm that soothes over even the roughest patches of your life?

No matter what hard time I'm in, if I look back, almost always there's some song I associate with my passing through that time.

After my first real "break-up," it was Lisa Loeb's "I Do," kind of a break-up song in itself, now that I think of it, that got me through the first little bit and empowered me that I could be successful just being ME. Later... the song that re-defined my newfound independence was also Lisa Loeb, "Wishing Heart" from the same album. I guess in retrospect my heart was wishing for something more because that segued right into my re-discovery of Jesus. (I had fallen pretty far from him in college. I was definitely not a party girl... it is amazing to me, looking back, how far I strayed even though nothing I did was so completely outrageous. It crept up on me.)

In this newest journey of my life, I'm learning to live without my mom. I find these days it's a new song getting me through, a newversion of an old hymn, "I Need Thee Every Hour" by Selah. It's true, I do need Him every hour. He is my most precious Lord. It helps to remember that now more than ever.

I could give you at least a hundred other important life moments that I associate, almost instantly, with some piece of music.

Blessed be the musicmakers... for God is using them in such a mighty way.

Anybody Seen My Flippers?

It's a good day to be a duck out there.

Virginia's pretty far removed from the Florida Panhandle, but it seems Bonnie and Charley are still bringing loads of the wet stuff here. It's been crazy wet, dumping an inch of rain an hour at times this afternoon... making me wish I'd had the good common sense to wear flippers instead of these flimsy dress shoes.

It makes me want to build an ark.

Isn't it nice, though, to remember God's promise through Noah at times like these? Never again, He said. I believe it. This storm, too, will have a rainbow... and I already see the silver lining in the clouds.

I still have the urge to go hunting up a stockpile of ark-building wood, though.

Counting My Blessings

I just re-read my last post and realized how silly I am. I am so blessed in so many ways. I have a job that I love, the most wonderful husband on the face of the planet, the world's cutest little boy - no, really! - and a great support system in my church.

Take time to count your blessings. I'm glad I did today.

Guilt and the Southern Woman

What is it about Southern women that we like to wallow in guilt?

Is it nature or nurture?

I went back to work because I was depressed and unpleasant to be around when I stayed home exclusively with my son, but of course I feel guilty over the decision.

Southern women tend to be champions at harboring - and serving - guilt. It's not enough to put together a big meal for the family unless you manage to make everyone else feel guilty for failing to help... but then you feel guilty for sharing and spreading the guilt.

Tell me it's not just me. Tell me I'm not nuts.

Of course, I do feel guilty for dumping on you like this... ;)

So Much for Dog Days!

It's unseasonably cool in my neck of the woods for early August.

Am I the only person who believes the weather isn't what it used to be?

Seems like recently, the only pattern to the weather has been how little it resembles the weather patterns of the past. You could always bank on steamy weather for early August... crisp, cool days in early October... snow for sure on Christmas Day... flowers blooming like clockwork in March and April.

Maybe it's all in my head.

Where Is Your Faith?

I see so many people who put their faith in all the wrong things anymore.

I can't say I'm innocent, either. It's easy to fall into that trap.

If I can just make it to pay day... If I could only win the lottery... I wonder what my horoscope says today... If, If If.

The problem with that line of thinking is that it's too fallible.

God is infallible and never fails us. How easy it is to forget! But when we do fall because our trust and faith are misplaced, he's always there to catch us, too.

Thank you, Lord.

Whatever Happened To...

Call me sentimental, but I miss the OLD superheroes.

Who needs the laser-spouting, razor-edged, flame web-throwing antics of these new guys? Give me a down-to-earth, mild-mannered Superman or Batman any day.

For that matter, whatever happened to the toys that required you to be creative? It's actually difficult to find a toy that doesn't buzz, shake, play music, dance or otherwise annoy.

I miss the good old days.