Life is a Highway in 2011 - what a ride!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As my last post (probably) of 2011, I decided to sit down with my laptop, a cup of coffee, and my basket o'pills (yes, I'm still out on medical leave) and join in this week's writing prompt from Mama Kat.

This week's prompt that I chose was to pick a post from my blog from each month of the year, and share about it.  Soooooooo, buckle up buttercups!

January 2011 - Life is a Highway had not quite been born yet, so we skip along to February and my blogging debut!

February 2011 - Soundtrack of my life: Childhood and Teenaged Karen  This was my 2nd post, I started out a 3 part series, soundtrack of my life.  I still laugh when I read this post and remember these songs and the memories they bring back.

March 2011 - Stand By Me 25 years Later  Man, I wrote A LOT in March!  Ultimately, I chose this post because it meant a lot to me personally. 

April 2011 - Anybody Else Got A Beaver Problem?  I wrote even more in April!  GEEZ!  This was a cute one....with a little double-entendre for some of you with dirty minds. :)

May 2011 - A New Career?  This one cracks me up, and annoys me at the same time.  About strangers approaching me in stores CONSTANTLY to ask me questions - like I work there.  Can anyone say "Annoying!"

June 2011 - There is Always Time for Kindness  An unusually serious post, but a good one nonetheless.

July 2011 - War of the Squirrels  This month's pic was a no-brainer.  This is probably one of my favorites that I've ever done.


October 2011 - Happy Birthday Laura Jo  The story of the death of a classsmate from High School.   Lessons I learned, and how I grew up because of it.

November 2011 - Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop - My Seven Wonders  I had to pick this one, it was a goodie!

December 2011 - Let's just go with this one I'm writing now since I have no other posts in December, really.  Let's just hope my medical crap doesn't get in the way of a great 2012 here at Life is a Highway and there are Potholes!!

Bloggus Interruptus

Hi guys!  I hope you haven't given up on me and the little blog that could!  I've had a little drama in my life lately and have been unable to post for awhile.  Wanted to fill you in as much as I can, and hopefully I am back on track now and will be able to get some posts rolling again!

I started getting sick a couple of weeks ago, just not feeling well and had to be out of work for about a week.  I finally went to the doctor to get checked out, turns out I had an abcess that was extremely infected and painful.  The doctor's office immediately made arrangements to send me across the street to the hospital and there I stayed for almost a week.

I received IV antibiotics, and thought I was going to have to have surgery but we tried some other therapies that worked well and kept me out of surgery.  I was released on Saturday and have been recovering and trying to adjust to being back home ever since. 

I got sick before I could do any christmas decorating, or do the rest of my christmas shopping.  It really sucks to not have my house decorated, I don't feel like it's Christmas right now.  I'm going to have to trust my hubby (yikes!) with the rest of the shopping.  I suppose a detailed list will be in order for him. 

I've had to apply for my short term disability for work so I'll still get paid, I'll be out a couple more weeks yet so I'll be stuck in the house recovering during that time.  Ugh....can u say cabin fever???

Anyway, just wanted to fill u guys in on where I've been hiding, I'll have some new posts coming soon.  Looking forward to it, I've missed u!  Take care!

Wordless Wednesday

 

Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop - 7 Wonders

This week I was particularly inspired by one of Mama Kat's writing prompts. The prompt is to list my life's Seven Wonders. Describe the most amazing 7 things I've seen with my own two eyes.

I've read one other person's blog post on this, and they were a big world traveller...having been to Paris and described wonderful beautiful things in Europe. Well, my Seven Wonders aren't quite as grand as all that. I haven't travelled quite as much as some folks, although I hope to one day. Most of my wonders actually are in my own backyard, believe it or not!


1. Blowing Rock, NC
I don't mean the town itself with all the shops and touristy stuff, although that is a great place to visit and shop. They have a shop that makes the best homemade fudge in the whole wide world! I am talking about the actual rock itself. It is NC's oldest attraction since 1933. It is a HUGE cliff over 4,000 feet above sea level just above Johns River Gorge 3,000 feet below. Blowing Rock got its name because the wind actually blows UP there! You can throw something off the cliff and the wind will blow it back up to you. It is the craziest thing you've ever seen! The view from the cliff is absolutely spectacular, it will take your breath away.

2. Lake Junaluska, NC
I don't think many people know about Lake Junaluska outside of the United Methodist Church, but it is truly one of the most beautiful places I have ever been to. I posted pictures back in June in a post entitled On The Road Again  There is a walkway along the shoreline lined with rosebushes called the "Rose Walk" that is absolutely breathtaking when the roses are all blooming.  Ducks wander around the lake and come right up to you looking for food.  It is a serene, lovely place to visit, nestled in the NC mountains near Maggie Valley and Waynesville.

3. Cape Hattaras Lighthouse Outer Banks, NC
The Hattaras Lighthouse is legend.  Almost everyone knows about this lighthouse, and with good reason.  It is truly beautiful.  Climbing to the top is a chore, that's for damned sure, but once you get to the top it is SOOOO worth it!  The view from the top of that lighthouse is just absolutely gorgeous!  You can see for miles up and down the beach.  Several years ago, they had to move the lighthouse several  hundred feet back from the shoreline due to erosion, it was amazing how they did it and you can still see the path that it took and where it used to stand.  Had it stayed where it was, it would have ended up in the ocean.

4. Atlantis Resort Nassau Bahamas
I got to go here on an excursion when the Hubs and I went on our cruise in August.  It was our dolphin excursion, Atlantis has a dolphin sanctuary there and we got to swim with the dolphins.  We also had access to the rest of the resort and that place is HUGE!  There is so much to see and the resort is absolutely gorgeous.  The statues they have sprinkled all over are just breathtaking, not to mention the aquariums they have there - I believe there are about a dozen.  It is the most amazing place.

5. My wedding day to hubby
This was one of my Seven Wonders just because it was the most beautiful and perfect day of my life.  I wasn't nervous or stressed about the wedding at all, I was probably the calmest bride ever.  I guess it's because I just knew that I was marrying the right person for me.  I didn't care if the ceremony went perfectly or if the reception was perfect.  I wanted to enjoy my wedding day, marrying my best friend - and that is just what I did.

6. A standing ovation...just for me
I wrote about this last month when I wrote about the death of my classmate, Laura Jo who passed away my senior year of high school.  In order to deal with her death, I started writing and journaling and one night I wrote a song.  I was in a band at the time with some of her cousins, and played it for them one night.  They really liked it - we weren't sure if we would ever get the chance to share it with the community however.  In the spring, a Battle of the Bands was planned and we ended up playing a set for the event and I was able to share my song with the community that had lost this special person.  Everyone was so touched, I got my one and only standing ovation for this song - I was already emotional from singing the song for them, seeing them all standing up for me just sent me over the edge.  It was beautiful.

7.  The Biltmore Estate - Asheville, NC
I visited the Biltmore Estate several years ago with the Hubs while we were still dating.  We went up for the weekend one February for Valentine's.  It was one of our first overnight trips we took together, so it was super romantic and sweet.  Biltmore is the largest private residence in the United States, built in 1895 by George Vanderbilt.  It is absolutely breathtaking to walk through this home, with 250 rooms, 34 bedrooms, 43 bathrooms, and 65 fireplaces!  The basement has a swimming pool, bowling alley, gymnasium with changing rooms, servants quarters, and kitchens. 
Some of the items they have on display in the house are just amazing, the furniture, and to my recollection there was a chess set there that once belonged to Napoleon Bonaparte.
The topper, is the grounds and gardens that surround the estate, which in the spring is gorgeous and in full bloom.  They have a full winery which you can visit and sample all of the wine made right there on the grounds.  Hubs is not much into the wine, but we all know I am! 
Our trip back home was a little harried, an ice storm started as we drove down Black Mountain - which is a very steep drive.  White-knuckled the whole way, but we did finally make it down and home safely without loss of limb.

Glass Dharma Giveaway Winner!!!!!

Noreen, please send me an email at karenappy@gmail.com so that I can let you know how to collect your gift certificate.  I'll need to hear from you soon, or choose another winner so I can get this awarded to someone.  Thanks a lot!!!



Sorry I'm a day late with announcing our winner, but the winner of the $25 Glass Dharma gift certificate is.....

Noreen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Congratulations!

Noreen, email mme at karenappy@gmail.com and I'll let you know how to collect your gift certificate.

Prefense Non-Alcohol Sanitizer - Product Review and Giveaway!!!

Sponsored by Tomoson.com

UPDATE!
So sorry I am late on this, but the winner of this giveaway is.....SOMER!!!!

Email me at karenappy@gmail.com and we'll get you hooked up!!!


How many different kinds of hand sanitizer do you think are out there?  Dozens?  Hundreds?  How many of them are alcohol based?  How many times a day do you have to reapply?  If you're like me, I have a bottle on my desk at work, some at each sink at home, and a bottle in my purse that I take everywhere.  All of the ones that I can find are alcohol based and all dry my skin out like crazy.

Well, it is time to throw out the Purell at work, the bottles at my house and the bottle in my purse. Prefense is really the way to go with hand sanitizers.  I was sent a 1.5 oz bottle to try, which is just a great size for my purse.  It dispenses in an easy, rapid foam application.

Prefense is water based, not alcohol based so it does not dry out your hands.  Most other sanitizers are very heavily scented, usually to cover up the alcohol smell.  Prefense has a very light scent, which is nice since I am sensitive to strong scents. 

The best part, Prefense lasts for 24 hours, or 10 hand washings!  You do not have to re-apply time after time.  The formula adheres to your skin and forms an antibacterial barrier that stays whether your skin is wet or dry.  It has even been tested against strains of Staph Aureus, including drug resistant MRSA. 

Prefense also has a Silica complex in its formula that actually moisturizes your hands, as opposed to the usual hand sanitizers that dry you out. 

Other hand sanitizers, because of the alcohol base are toxic and flammable.  Prefense is safe and non-toxic, so it is safe even for your kids to use. 

Now for the giveaway!






I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Wordless Wednesday

Enjoy!

Glass Dharma - Product Review and Giveaway

Hi guys!  Hope everyone is gearing up for a good week.
It's time for another product review and giveaway here at "Life is a Highway...and There are Potholes," so get ready to do some serious entering to win!

I've been interested in Glass Dharma company for awhile now.  I read about them a long time ago and really wanted to learn more.  Glass Dharma is a glass manufacturer that makes glass straws of all things!  I know....I thought the same thing, "Glass straws?  That is just strange!"  They are really AWESOME though you guys!

The company was started by a glass-blower who recognized our huge problem with overuse of plastics.  Plastic straws are a small portion of what we use, but he created this line of glass drinking straws in order to contribute at least one solution to our misuse of plastics. 

Why glass?  Well, plastics leach toxins as they are used.  Plus, being able to re-use these glass straws over and over again keeps us from using how many plastic ones?  I can't tell you how many soft drinks, or sweet tea I get at fast food places...there are no telling how many plastic straws I have used over the years.

I had the opportunity to try out 3 different types of glass straws, and I love them all!!  First are the sippers.  They are small, 7mm diameter and they are best used for tea, coffee, wine, and juices without much pulp.  I got to try the cute ones with decorative dots...they are adorable!

The next kind, and this one is my favorite...is the bended straw.  They are bent at just the right angle and are perfect for just basic all around use.  They are 9.5 mm in diameter.

Lastly is the big smoothie straw.  These are great for....you guessed it....shakes and smoothies.  I use it for regular drinks too.

The larger straws come with cleaning brushes so you can clean the insides of them.  There is a lifetime guarantee against breakage.  Any straw that gets broken because of defect will be replaced for free!
They are all dishwasher and microwave safe, they even recommend that you sanitize the straws in the dishwasher before use. 

So.....ready to win?  I have a $25 gift certificate from Glass Dharma to give away.  I have several ways for you to enter, so let's get to it!

1.  Go to Glass Dharma to learn more and check out their products.  Share a comment on this post with one of the items you would get with your gift certificate if you win.

2.  Follow @GlassDharma on Twitter, come back and comment here to let me know.

3.  Follow me on Twitter at @Karenappy, come back and comment here to let me know.

4.  Follow Glass Dharma on Facebook, comment here to let me know.

5.  Most important one....follow my blog!  Join the crazy posse here at LIAH!

You MUST leave your comment here letting me know about the Twitter and FB follows or the entry will not count.

This giveaway will run for 2 weeks, I will select a winner on Sunday, 11/13.  Good luck to all!  Can't wait to see who wins!

The South is Not Dead Series - Southern Women

I haven't forgotten about my "The South is not Dead" series!  Sorry it's taken so long to get to the second installment.  Our topic this time is Southern Women.

I'm definitely a southern woman. Southern women are brought up a certain way by their families.  From the time I was tall enough to reach the stove, I learned how to cook.  When I got big enough, I learned how to clean house, fold laundry, you name it.  Me and my mother did the inside chores, and my Dad and brother did the outside stuff. 

Some might think that's pretty old fashioned, even anti-feministic that I was brought up learning these things from an early age (feministic?  is that a word?).  I definitely don't think of it that way at all.  We are brought up this way so we know how to take care of our families.  I for one am grateful I knew how to cook when I first was married!  God knows we would have eaten some burned up crap for sure for awhile, but that wasn't the case.  I was already a decent cook by then and it was easier to get into that role than it would have been had I not been prepared in my childhood.

I remember summers at home, and at my grandma's snapping string beans, picking and shucking corn,  de-shelling beans so we could freeze and/or can vegetables for the summer.  My Dad and Grandaddy took care of the garden itself, so they had plenty of work to do too!

My grandma especially was the epitome of a southern woman.  She went and had her hair done every week at the beauty parlor, usually on Friday so it would be pretty for church on Sunday.  Even now, older ladies are still going to the beauty parlor every week to get their hair set.  Grandmama would set her own hair at home sometimes and had one of those old big dryers with the cone-thing you put on the side table and then put the cone thing around your head to dry your hair. (see below for a picture)  When she got sick years later and couldn't make it to the beauty parlor, I would set her hair for her and put her under the dryer.  No, I'm not a hairdresser, but I knew how important it was to her to look her best, so I learned!

My grandparents never missed a week at church unless they were on a trip and they always dressed to the nines!  Appearances are still important in some areas here, and church is one of them. 

Southern women are strong.  We not only have careers and our own dreams we follow, but also fulfill that sense of duty to our families - making sure they are taken care of.  We are definitely caretakers 100%.  Sometimes that means we go without, and that kinda sucks but that's life in the South at times.

Again, sorry it took me awhile to get to part 2, hoping I can come up with a part 3 for ya!

Have a good week!

Hey, It's Okay Thursday!

I decided to link up this week with Neely at "A Complete Waste of Makeup" for "Hey, It's Okay Thursday!"

It's really my Friday (haha suckers!!!!), I'm off work at noon and don't have to come back till Monday!!!!  Hootie Hoo!!!

Anyhow, let's move on to the "It's OK's!"

It's okay.....

.......that I am waaaayyyyyy too excited that I'm getting off early.  I'm so easily entertained.

........that I don't have a working flashlight and I'm going camping in the woods with a bunch of girls this weekend.  Can anybody say, "horror flick in the making?"

.......that I REALLY miss my BFF Alicia and can't wait to have our girl's night next week for our Belated Birthday Extravaganza!!!!!

.......that I am obsessed with nail polish and lip gloss.....keep me away from ULTA for goodness sakes!!

.........that I am sooooo sad to have to retire my new Coach bag from Nassau for the winter.  It's a      spring/summer bag and I have to put it away until warm weather rolls around again.  *sniff sniff*

..........that I hit the snooze at least 3 times every morning, guaranteeing that I irritate Hubby (sorry babe!)

.........that I am behind in my product review blog posts...I have 2 that I need to do and a 3rd coming once I get the product to try out.  (procrastinate much?)

........that for the last 2 friend requests I've gotten on Facebook, I've had to message the person to ask how I know them (how embarrassing!).  That's Fibro Fog for ya though....my memory is so terrible. Even worse, I used to be really close to both of these people!  (Bad bad Karen!!)

That's all I got!  If you want to link up your blog, go to Chronicles of Neely and link away!

A List for Cheesy Bloggers

This week's topic on Cheesy Bloggers is making a list.  I am all about lists!  To do lists, grocery lists, wish lists, and on and on. 

I thought I would make a list of things that make me feel good and happy when I'm not feeling well.  We all have our little comforts, thought I would update mine.  I posted a list about this very topic back in February on a Fibro Friday post. 

So here's my new list of those warm fuzzies that make me feel all better, in no particular order:

1. My Nook e reader - I love my Nook!  I can use it in bed which is great.  I can read on it or get on the internet and mess around since I have the Nook Color.  It's wonderful!
2. My husband - Hubby is great when I don't feel well.  He lets me rest but also looks after me.  Just him taking care of making dinner is such a help.
3. Sunshine, my dog. Pet therapy is so helpful, and most of the time she senses when I don't feel well and she snuggles with me to make me feel better. So sweet!
4. Fuzzy socks - 'nuff said!
5. Glee - Yes, I love this show...deal with it! If it's not on TV, I pop in my season 1 or season 2 dvd's and watch those. They always cheer me up, music is a great mood lifter for me.
6. This blog - Yes this blog is a warm fuzzy for me!  Writing is a great distraction and is so theraputic.  I sometimes don't have much to say but sometimes it helps so much to just get things out.
7. My TENS unit - This thing is a godsend for pain relief...my doctor is a genius for getting me one of these!
8. Heating pads - Totally essential for anybody with fibro or chronic pain, I have these all over the house and one at work just in case. 
9. Heated throw blanket - I sleep with this most winter nights, keeps me from waking up with stiff muscles. Best money I ever spent. If you don't have one, get one!
10. Naps - getting extra rest always makes me feel better.  I don't sleep well most nights so nappies are great!

Wordless Wednesday

Update from Friday's Post: A Few Steps "Behind"

Just wanted to let you guys know that everything went fine yesterday and that I am okay. No abnormalities were found during my colonoscopy, which is great!

I'm recovering just fine and we're treating my belly with some meds that I hope will calm things down and keep the IBS at bay (since we now know that's what I have.)

I don't remember much about what the doctor said afterwards, but she told my Mom that my belly tensing up and spasming like it does is a direct result of the fibromyalgia! I never thought the fibro could actually CAUSE bowel distress, but apparently it does.

I do plan to research this a little and when I see my doc in a couple of months, I'm going to ask her some questions about it since my inquiring mind always wants to know everything! LOL!

Anyhoo, Thanks for the encouraging comments and tweets guys. I really appreciate it more than you know.

Look out for a new post tomorrow!

Do you guys use those pick flossy things you get in the grocery/drugstore? You know the ones I mean, the white ones with the sharp stick on one end and the string of floss on the other? I have those things everywhere - my office drawer, in my bathroom, bedroom, purse, and car. I hate getting stuff stuck in my teeth and then I have to search around looking for one of those pick things or something to get the food out!

When I first opened the Bryton Pick, I wasn't too keen on trying it out. The ends are made of stainless steel and do resemble razor blades. I was really afraid of cutting my gums up, especially since I do have trouble with my gums already.

I did find that it was very easy to use, and worked great! It does a great job of getting those tiny pieces that really get stuck in there that floss just can't always get. The stainless steel is actually pretty soft, although you do want to be careful during use and not force it in-between teeth.

The great thing about these is that they are re-usable up to 30 days since they are made of germ-resistant stainless steel. Just wash them off between uses. Each one comes in its own little package (pictured above) that you can keep in your pocket or purse.



Here's a better picture of what they look like, since it's hard to tell from the pictures

They are very reasonably priced and the re-usable aspect of the product is definitely great! No more looking around for those white picky things, or toothpick to get your teeth clean.


They can be bought at several major drugstores including Walgreens, CVS, and Rite Aid, and can also be ordered through Amazon.com


I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Just a few steps "behind"

Thought I'd digress this week from the IC Awareness Month posts due to the week I've had, and I wanted to share it with you guys.

First off, it has rained here just about all week and I swear if my fibro doesn't stop flaring I'm going to go INSANE!  God, I am tired of hurting, plus rain makes me extremely tired so I'm just draggin my ass everywhere.

The main event of this week is that I finally had my first appointment with a Gastroenterologist about my stomach issues.  I first wrote about this in the post Fibro Friday: Related Conditions - Irritable Bowel Syndrome and shared with you that I have had my issues since I was a teenager.  They have worsened in the last year and I shared with you in this post in July Fibro Friday that I had scheduled my appointment but had to wait until September to get in. 

Well my appointment day finally arrived on Wednesday, thankfully so I was off to see my new doctor.  I chose a female doctor and I like her a lot so far.  She did her exam (OW!) and after prescribing me a few meds for an immediate issue I won't get into here, she came in and told me she wants me to have a colonoscopy.  She wants to rule out Colitis, see what is going on that is causing my symptoms to be so bad. (I have lots of severe cramping). 

I'm only 38 years old, so this is definitely not a routine test for me at all.  I've never had one and I'm a little freaked out to be honest.  I know, people have them every day, yadda yadda.  I get scared anytime I have a procedure where I get knocked out. 

What I'm dreading most is the prep on Sunday.  I can't eat after 7am, can only drink clear fluids, then I have to drink that nasty stuff and stay in the bathroom all evening.  Great, right?  I am going to be one evil fucking bitch since I can't eat....I am a mean-ass thing when I'm hungry. 

On the bright side, I have to take off work Monday and I'll get to sleep all day long! You guys that follow me on Twitter might even get some drunk tweets that day!  You've never gotten drunk Karen tweets before....what a treat! 

Anyway, planning on doing a few things today and tomorrow, hoping my hubby will perhaps take me out for a "last supper" on Saturday night so I can get a really good meal in before the starvation begins. 

Say some prayers for me on Monday morning...around 9am eastern standard time.  That's the time they, um....."go in."  LOL!  I'll definitely follow this up with a post afterwards and let you know how it turned out and what they found or didn't find. 

Thanks for letting me vent, guys and as always, thanks for reading!

Karen

Wordless Wednesday

Funny pics below!

Bondi Bands Review/Giveaway

We have a winner!!!!  The winner of the giveaway is Suzanne of Suz and Allen!
Suzanne, I'm sending you an email with instructions on how to claim your prize!


Hello there boys and girls!  Welcome to my very first product review and giveaway!!! 

How many of you are exercise freaks, love outdoor activities, or have kids that have you running 24/7?  All of us have things we like to do or have to do that have us running around from time to time, and we all break a sweat.  Some of us do a little spritzing, but some (like me) sweat buckets! 

That's where Bondi Bands come in!  I was sent a great pink headband to try out!

These headbands are wonderful!  They can hold your hair back while you're at your activity, all the while absorbing and evaporating sweat. 

They have two different types of headbands.  The one I'm wearing is the Heavy Sweat Wicking Band  These are made of a dry-tech coolmax material that take all the sweat you can give!  You can take it off, wring it out, and put it back on.  I found that it was easier to wrap in a hand towel and wring it out - the moisture came right out and I put the wrap right back on!

The Heavy Sweat band comes in all types of solid colors as well as bands with different sayings on them. 

The other type of headband they offer are Lycra Light Sweat Wicking Bands  These dry fast also but aren't made of the same wicking material as the Heavy Sweat Wicking Bands.  These headbands are all about fun colors and fashion!  They come in tons of awesome patterns and colors....I want all of them, they are so cute!

Bondi Bands also have hats, sweat towels, bands for kids, and dog bands!  They have something for everyone and their products are so affordable! 

So, on to the giveaway!  I'm making it real simple to enter - you have 4 ways to enter:

Mandatory Entry: Go to Bondiband.com and check out their wicking bands, leave me a comment as to which one you would want to win!  +1 entry

Additional Entries: 
Follow me on Twitter at @Karenappy  Leave me a comment below that you've done it!    +1 entry
                               
Follow Bondi Bands on Twitter at @Bondiband  Leave me a comment below that you've done it!  +1 entry
Tweet the entry on Twitter, leave a comment with a link to the tweet below +1 entry

The winner will be announced on next Monday, September 19th.  Good luck!

Wordless Wednesday

The South is not Dead Series - Where Have all the Cowboys Gone? They're Still Around!

As many of you know, I grew up and still live in the South – more specifically, North Carolina.  Where I grew up is not exactly out in the country, but not in the middle of the city either. It was just outside of a middle-sized city and there is a rural area there that was full of farmland that grew tobacco mostly. These days much of that farmland is gone and has been built up into subdivisions. It is much more populated than when I grew up there and everything is much more modernized – not just here but in the South in general. Our rural areas are shrinking, and we have many transplants that have moved down here from the north (and no I am not dissin the Yankees).  Things have really changed down here and sometimes it is hard to find traces of the Old South that I remember and was raised with.  So, I decided to search out a little bit of that old southern living that is still around, perhaps just write about some things I remember about growing up and share it with you.

The first installment starts with a cowboy.....

I was at Food Lion one day and was reminded that the Old South is not dead after all. I saw a man that I swear to God is a modern day cowboy. Now he's probably a farmer working a farm nearby, we do have several farms out near where I live but this guy just fascinated me. My mind instantly said, “Cowboy!”

The first thing I saw was the plaid shirt. Now it was hot as hell that day, so it was short sleeved but it still counts. The second was the Wrangler jeans – who else wears tight dark washed Wranglers but a cowboy? I didn't think to look for a big belt buckle, I could just kick myself for that....but I would bet money that he had some sort of decorative belt buckle on.

I got in line later and he was across from me in another line. I looked down and I'll be damned if he didn't have dusty old cowboy boots on.....WITH SPURS ON THE BACK! Now how fuckin cool is that? Spurs........on the cowboy boots! Spurs! I just had to smile to myself when I saw that and that's when I got the idea for this whole blog.

I haven't gotten to the face yet. His face was weather-worn, and he had one of those thick cowboy mustaches. I call them the Magnum PI mustache. He had a hunting cap on, it was so old and dusty it looked like it might have once been camo.

As I left the store, I halfway expected him to be leaving on a horse but that's just silly. He got into a Ford F-150. That's the next best thing down here for a cowboy to ride off in.  Of course it was white, a cowboy would ride off on a white horse so why wouldn't this guy drive off in a white truck?

Next installment...Southern women. What are they like now?  Come back to find out!

Wordless Wednesday!

Always wondered about those exercise balls......

 Bad bunny!

Look REALLY closely to this fish....



 Love this one!  Join the Darkside and get a free cookie

Ummm...I won't comment on this one



Look REALLY closely at the hair wrapped around the dude.

Subliminal messaging much Disney??????

Hope you enjoyed this week's edition!