Hey, y'all

[gatiger]

Just thought I'd drop by and see what y'all had goin' on. I've been busier than a one-armed girl at the massage parlor. Working, moving, working on a house, tryin' to keep up with my beautiful wife, God bless her. I still love y'all, did ya miss me? I see Doug is still Doug, nuff sed; saw the pic of Skeet and Beachy made me wanna head west. Patti, I'm still waitin for ya dollin.

[Pattipoo]

SO glad to see you, Gat!
Amazing how good these knees feel after some "time" huh. Most things that we "fretted" over just seem to work themselves out.
Have a great day SHUGA DAHLIN!!

[gatiger]

Not as good as a 'Shuga Dahlin' in the mornin does................just sayin.

[doug]

Yep, Doug is still Doug. You've been gone and I got all these women to my self.

[gatiger]

Well, I aint bout to get tween a man and his women. How's it crackin J'ville?

[doug]

I'm bout to load my son and head down to Wakulla Springs. They swim and I get to sit and look at all of the young girls in bikini's.

[gatiger]

Carefull, sounds to me like you're makin it hard on yourself.

[Josephine]

Interpeter! You're needed over here!

[gatiger]

Jose' this kinda stuff really doesn't 'interpret' well.................just sayin.

[Skeet]

Gat! I've been hungerin after your face, boy! How the dickens are you? So good to hear from you! Doug really needs some male companionship other than the teenage boys... just sayin'

[doug]

That's male companionship in a manly way. None of that Brokeback Mountain stuff!!

[Skeet]

Well, that should have gone without sayin'.... ya know?? You are a man's man! Well, you know what I mean... I am not helping this, am I?

[doug]

Just didn't want any of that "Deliverance" "You got purty lips" thing going on....

[JenniferG]

Hi Gatiger. Good to read ya.

[Nursepair]

Oh it's so good to "hear" the old banter going on again betweem y'all!!

[gatiger]

Well, that should have gone without sayin'.... ya know?? You are a man's man! Well, you know what I mean... I am not helping this, am I?

For something that "should have gone without sayin'" you sho sed it quick. I just dropped in to see what condition my condition was in...................wait that might not be the right song. Maybe it was "I just called to say I love you"............wait, maybe it was, "Hello Darlin...How ya doing, hope you're doin fine"..............wait, now I got it, "BACK IN BLACK". When does the kareoke bar open?

[doug]

At least it wasn't "Tip toe through the tulips".

[Skeet]

Oh, just thinkin about that creepy Tim guy gives me chills... and not the good kind!

[doug]

I wonder is that nut job still around? Remember he had some wedding ceramony on T.V.

[Skeet]

Here is the scoop on the nut job... (I could take that somewhere bad, but I won't):

In September 1996, he suffered a heart attack just as he began singing at a ukulele festival at the Montague Grange Hall (often confused in accounts of the incident with the nearby Montague Bookmill, at which he had recorded a video interview earlier that same day) in Montague, Massachusetts. He was hospitalized at the Franklin County Medical Center in Greenfield, Massachusetts for approximately three weeks before being discharged with strong admonitions to no longer perform due to his state of health and the difficulty of proper dietary needs for his diabetic and heart conditions.

He continued to play concerts despite the warnings that, due to the fragile state of his heart, he could die at any moment. While playing "Tiptoe Through the Tulips" at a Gala Benefit at The Woman's Club of Minneapolis on 30 November of that year, he suffered another heart attack on stage. He was led out by his third wife, Susan Marie Gardner (whom he had married on 18 August 1995), who asked him if he was okay. Tim responded, "No, I'm not!", his final words. He collapsed shortly thereafter and was rushed to Hennepin County Medical Center, where he died after doctors tried to resuscitate him for an hour and fifteen minutes.

And there you have it!

[beachcomber]

That is what happens to men his age who marry 17 year old girls! (Miss Vicky, his first wife....he was in his 40s at the time)

Speaking of entertainment.....

We have tickets to see Kellie Pickler at the Yamhill County Fair tomorrow night. Should be fun--- she is a hoot.

Blue Oyster Cult is playing tonight. I have heard of them but can't recall any of their hits by name..... do I want to go?



(It is soooooooo good to be actually making a decision on what to do without having to consult my level of knee pain first!)

[doug]

Well, I've had a great time crawling around under my house...Yes crawling on my new knee. I have a clogged drain in the down stairs shower and I was trying to locate a trap so I could empty it. If you've never seen it, you don't want to know what comes out of those. And me being the inexperienced plumber that I am, not happy with being on my knees, was looking up when the plug came loose. The only good thing about it was that Scotty wasn't around to learn entirely new phrases of words....I was standing in the back yard gagging and just hosing myself down.
Called my wife at work and told her I wasn't cooking a damn thing for supper!!

Oh, and I never was a Blue Oyster Cult fan either.

[Rowdy66]

Tell us how you really feel Doug. Sorry, but the description you gave gave me a laugh. I know there is nothing funny when it is happening but oh, the retelling. So, what is your wife cooking tonight? Rowdy

[doug]

I calmed down. It would have been great to have had that one on video.
I've got a pasta and smoked sausage dish simmering now.
I can still feel that glob of "whatever" on my head...and I don't have a weak stomach. ughhh!

[doug]

Whew, Speaking of concerts, I just found out Crosby, Stills and Nash are having a concert over in Gulf Shores while we're there next week....
I've been to a couple of their concerts when I was younger...It would be good to see them and be able to remember where I was.....not that I ever did pharmaceutical recreation prior to my distinguished career in law enforcement....just sayin'

[beachcomber]

If it was CS& N here I'd go for sure! I am not so sure about Blue Oyster Cult tho... Scott will probably want to go. I think it was more his style than mine. But then I have gone to a lot of rock concerts with him these past four years that I would never have gone to on my own--- so why not?

I know what clogged bathroom sink drain gunk looks like--- don't even want to think about the shower... eeuuww....

[Josephine]

Jeepers! Are they still going?

[Skeet]

CSNY is doing a tour that is aimed at anti-war rhetoric, so be sure you know what you're going to see first. Some folks went to see them and walked out they were so disgusted... mostly Neil Young is slanting things, but they've always been anti-war. Just a friendly warning.

I've never been much of a Blue Oyster Cult fan either. They are best know for Don't Fear the Reaper, Godzilla, and Burnin' for You. Don't know if that helps or not.

I'm excited that Three Dog Night is coming to our county fair. Remember Easy to be Hard, Momma Told Me Not to Come, Joy to the World, Black and White, One, and Celebrate??? That there is goooood music!

[beachcomber]

I have had a lot of fun going to "classic" rock concerts with Scott. The first one we went to together was at Chinook Winds Casino. I think it was Little River Band. I laughed the whole time. I couldn't decide which was funnier--- the 50-something "rockers" still acting just like they did in their 20s---- or the locals in the audience doing the same thing. It was such a hoot!

Since then we have seen the Rolling Stones, Styx, ZZTop, Kansas, Creedence Clearwater, and Sammie Hagar several times at Tahoe. I know there have been others, but I can't remember who right now. And no, I wasn't using any unauthorized pharmaceuticals. Just some prescribed ones!

We have laughed and said it used to be "sex, drugs, and rock and roll". Now we need the drugs to be able to enjoy the other two! LOL!

[doug]

Well I won't be going to their concert..They're $65 tickets. They didn't advertise Young being with them but I would figure he would be doing his anti war stuff.

Have you notices that older songs and their titles mean something to us now that we are "mature"?

[Skeet]

I have noticed that when we listen to the lyrics I finally "get" some of them. There was a lot of sex and drugs disguised in them and I totally missed it. Not sure our stuff was much better than today, except the F word wasn't so prolific.

Also recall the teenage angst I experienced when all the love songs were so true and applied directly to my latest flame or break up. So glad my kids have delayed dating.

And who you callin' mature???

[doug]

Mature as opposed to when we were listening to them and didn't know it....just sayin'

I used to hate Bob Dylan. He didn't make any sense to me at all. Probably 10 years ago, a friend and I were sharing a bottle of Bacardi and all of a sudden his songs had meaning....but only for that day!!

[beachcomber]

What I love is the way listening to music "takes me back" to the time I originally listened to it. Sort of a "musical time machine". Most of the time I am really glad not to be "there" anymore--- but sometimes it makes me wistful for times and friends long gone....

My son Kris (22) is in an "angst" state right now--- his girlfriend of the past 2+ years broke up with him recently. Really awkward since they just signed a lease to share a house with some roomies and have another 4 months left on the lease.... she is starting to date other guys and neither of them can afford to move out... Yikes! Wish I could make it "all better" like when he was just a little guy. Hurts me to see my son hurting....

[doug]

Oh boy do I remember those many broken hearts....Then lo and behold I would find another.
That is going to be a hard one with them both in the same house and her dating. Of course, he could sneak out and flatten her dates tires......oooops I didn't say that.

[sewell44@bellsouth.net]

I know the feeling about not being able to protect them. My 22 year old joined the army 2 1/2 years ago.
One of the letters I sent him in basic training, I forgot to put some number on it. I think it was in the 200's So to get the letter he had to do that number of push ups. I felt terrible and told him no letter of mine will ever be worth that, next time tell the Sargent he doesn't want it!!!

Judy

The day the recruiter came to pick him up , I actually threatened the guy!!!

[1jt@atime]

My husband used to be a Marine Drill Instructor in San Diego. One time he stood duty on Christamas Eve and he had each recruit hang a sock at the end of their bunk. While they were sleeping he slipped a piece of paper in each sock with something written like, Do 100 bends and thrusts. In the morning, he told them to wake up and see what Santa brought! Okay, maybe you don't think that's funny but that's part of being in boot camp. That was one of many Christmas mornings he's missed with our kids.

[sewell44@bellsouth.net]

Sorry he missed Christmas mornings with the family, but that was cruel from the mom's standpoint.

At the graduation ceremony from basic training, I was asking these guys what the significance of their hats was, they told me they were drill sargents. I said Oh, you are the mean guys. Of course they asked me my son's name.. of course I did not tell them as they still had them for a few more days. One of the sargents who had not spoken comes up to me offers his hand and tells me his name in an introduction and asks mine.
Well, I was still on the ball and said nothing.

Then over comes my daughter and husband. I am telling him not to say his name. But, the guy offering the hand got him!! Proving again that my husband does not listen to me!!!

Judy

[doug]

No, no , it wasn't cruel...It is part of the "rights of passage" and he will enjoy telling people those story's for years.
I did similar "fun things" at the police academy. I've had former recruits come up to me and remind me of me spraying pepper spray in a couple of gas masks then yelling for the whole class to don their masks....Then we would see who had the mystery masks with gas.

[sewell44@bellsouth.net]

That is way cruel too.
I'll have to make sure Randy does not go into law inforcement when he gets out of the army!!!
Judy

[doug]

By the way, one of them got me back.
One day I was in my office and the phone rang. When I picked it up, my eyes immediately started burning and my sinuses erupted. I had been payed back. A few minutes later, an officer stuck his head around the corner. Yep, one of my former recruits. We had a good laugh from it.
Practical jokes are a constant in police work.

[sewell44@bellsouth.net]

I have heard of some in the military as well. When RAndy got to Alaska 2 years ago the whole unit was in IRAQ. As a few new guys arrived they were sent to join the troops. Of course mom was freaking out.
Well Randy's first morning the sargent's came to the new guys and asked if anyone knew how to do a microsoft spread sheet, Randy replied and later called me to say what a dumb bunch he was up there with as he was the only one who was computer literate.
Mom told him after pt to go to the sargent's each and every morning and volunteer to help. He did.
The next week the new guys including my son got their orders to ship out. The sargents looked at my son and said Sewell you are not going anywhere.

So, he waas in with his superiors. He got out of a lot of rotten torture after that. The group came back in a few months minus a good friend of my sons.

So the sargent tells all of the guys to line up outside barracks at a very early hour. Randy is riding in a vehicle with the sargent's, in the vehicle they all have paint ball guns. They did a drive by shooting of all the poor guys lined up.

That is really cruel!
Judy

[doug]

Thank goodness we didn't have paintball guns when I was a younger officer. We would have been indited.
It was bad enough that on New Years Eve or July 4th, we would confiscate illegal fireworks.
Then we would spend the remainder of the night ambushing each others patrol car with bottle rockets and roman candles.
Then we had to meet at a car wash before we went in to check off duty.

[beachcomber]

We went to see Kellie Pickler's concert at the fair last night. I could have walked right past her anywhere there at the fair and not even recognized her. She was not at all "glammed" up like she always in on tv--- just looked like any other wholesome young woman wearing jeans and a short sleeved t-shirt with a little understated sparkle on it.

We enjoyed the show--- she is a better "entertainer" than singer--- but fun in a "small town girl" kind of way. Nice and wholesome--- no swear words, very polite and grateful to the crowd and the fans who have gotten her to where she is today. I was impressed. She also came off as smarter than the dumb, blond, country girl image they marketed on American Idol. Thank goodness for that!

My knees were spooky leaving the concert. After sitting outside for 2 1/2 hours in the cool evening air wearing shorts we had to walk across the bumpy, poorly lit fairground in a mass of people. My balance wasn't great. I read somewhere that the "balance mechanisms" in our new knees are the last thing to return to normal--- up to 2 years----. Felt reasonable to me last night!

[gatiger]

My balance wasn't great. I read somewhere that the "balance mechanisms" in our new knees are the last thing to return to normal--- up to 2 years----. Felt reasonable to me last night!

Man, I'm glad to hear that about the 'balance' thing. I was beginning to think that my TKR had somehow affected my drinking ability. That really takes a load off.

[beachcomber]

'morning Gat! Glad I could set your mind at ease!

[gatiger]

Oh no. Thank you, one less worry now.

[Josephine]

Mornin' all! (though it's early evening here!)

Hope you're all well and happy today?

[beachcomber]

Hi Jo

Yup, all well and happy here--- but when you talk to southerners like Gat you have to say Y'all. Unless you are talking to more than one southerner--- then you say "all y'all". I don't understand it. I'm a mid-westerner transplanted to the north.....I rarely eat grits---- but have a lot of zucchini in my garden. And yellow zucchini. And sunburst patti pan squash. And yellow crookneck squash. What were we thinking planting 5 different kinds of summer squash? Wish I could send you some!

[Skeet]

Hey, you can drop off squash at our house on your way to Eugene!!

[beachcomber]

Sure, Skeet---

How 'bout Saturday? I think I will be in Halsey at the auction..... wanna met up with me there? (unless they postpone it/cancel it. I got a little mouthy with the auctioneer via e-mail --- well HE thought I was mouthy-- I thought I was reasonable--- and he has threatened to cancel the contract. But his contract is not with me so I am not sure he can do that....) Anyway--- can you imagine that? ME get mouthy? Hah!

[1jt@atime]

Sure, Skeet---

Anyway--- can you imagine that? ME get mouthy? Hah!

She said as she posted #899!!!! Can she make it to 1,000?
No, really, I can't imagine you being mouthy but then, I've never talked to you! HA! I luv you Beach!

[Skeet]

There is a big difference between being MOUTHY and being assertive. I believe you are a strong, assertive woman. Men (no offense intended, Doug, Gat, Jim, Ref, and others) often see that as mouthy/b*tchy, etc. You done good, gal.

I'll be home on Saturday... except for when we go pick up our plants!! Finally! Then I'll be busy planting 60 some odd trees and plants around our house! Give me a call and I'll give you directions to our house.

[Jamie]

Boy, this thread was so fun to read....a real blast from the past!!! I didn't realize how much I had missed all y'all until I got involved in all the banter! Maybe when the weather is colder this winter and we can't do as much outside we can all get together again for some fun. Hope so!!! In the meantime, I'll try to check in more often. I've missed hearing from Gat (good to know you're doing well) and Doug....well, nuff said...that "trap plug" story was priceless.

I don't have any really good stories. Well, maybe one. Our 13-year-old grandson asked if he could mow the lawn for us this summer. He really wanted some extra spending money, so we negotiated a deal where he would mow each Saturday at 10:00 a.m. and we would pay him $20. It was quite a deal, because there was no trimming required and the mowing only took 45 minutes to an hour....and he used our mower. We wanted him to walk the 3/4 mile to our house, but his Mom (our daughter) thought it was "too dangerous" so she ended up driving him to and from his mowing job. He made it three times and then this week announced that he didn't think he was ready to commit to a job that required him to get up so early and be there each week. Grandpa was mighty surly over that one and even called his precious grandson LAZY. I'm thinkin' reality is gonna hit that kid really hard in the coming years. Maybe next year he'll be a little more receptive to the idea of a job.

[Josephine]

Don't forget our grand reunion on New Year's!

[Skeet]

Jo, I wouldn't dare! It's on my calendar and only 9 pm here, so I should still be totally coherent. At least way more so than last year when I was only a few days PO and totally drugged out... don't even remember it! or Christmas!

[Jamie]

Don't forget our grand reunion on New Year's!


Who can forget it!!! I think it will be the MOST fun!!! Can't wait and I'm certain all the craziness will come out big time.