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Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Ain't goin' down till the sun comes up

As you know, my brother and I went to a concert last week in the big, big city of Nashville.  No, I haven't forgotten about telling you about it. 

I left Mayberry promptly after work to head to his house to pick him up and begin our three hour journey.  After an hour or so we reached our only stop in between Points A and B to refuel our tummies.


We don't have a Zaxby's where we live, and their Big Zax Snak was calling both of our names.  MMMM!!  Boy, did that hit the spot.  And naturally, brother doesn't like the camera like he did back in the olden days.

But back to the concert.  Have I mentioned yet who it was?

Allow me to let him introduce himself....


Drum-roll, please....


It's GARTH!

Oh my goodness!  He put on a heck of a show and 100% of the proceeds from all of his concerts went to the Community Foundation Tennessee Flood Relief.  In six days, Garth did 9 concerts.  Unbelievable!   It was all well worth me not getting back home until after 3 am.  Don't ask me how the next day went, though. 

To kick things off, the show was supposed to start at 9 and didn't get started until around 9:45, which left my brother and I plenty of time to get drinks, point out people (like the guy rockin' the fu manchu mustache and the woman a couple rows down with the perfect hair.  I looked at my brother and said "Seriously?! Who has hair that perfect at 9:30 on a weeknight?"  "Uh, she does."  He hit the nail on the head.

Then it happened - the lights went out, the crowd cheered and the band began to play as the drum set rose through the stage floor as band members took their places.

And then he came up from the stage and went right into Rodeo.  What a song!  For the rest of the show 20,000 fans would be on their feet as Garth performed such favorites Papa Loved Mama, Beaches of Cheyenne, Two of a Kind, Workin' on a Full House, Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old), Shameless, Unanswered Prayers, If Tomorrow Never Comes, We Shall Be Free, and The River.

Then, special guest Steve Wariner made an appearance and sang with Garth on Longneck Bottle and Garth continued his string of hits with The Thunder Rolls, That Summer and Callin' Baton Rouge.  Another guest came out to sing a duet with Garth - none other than Mrs. Garth Brooks, aka Trisha Yearwood.  The happy couple did their famous In Another's Eyes before Yearwood sang She's In Love With the Boy and How Do I Live.  Garth was back with two of his signature songs: Friends in Low Places and The Dance before waving to the crowd and exiting the stage. 



What?  Done?  I think not.


Yay, the band came back!  You know what that means?

It means an encore with Ain't Goin' Down (Till the Sun Comes Up) and the place was rockin'!  Then Garth left again, but all of Bridgestone Arena was chanting in unison "We Want Garth! We Want Garth!"  And the man was back with a second encore and began singing songs people had written on posters and held up throughout the show: Learning to Live Again, Your Song, To Make You Feel My Love, Burning Bridges (for a girl celebrating her birthday), The Red Strokes (one of my favorites), That Girl is a Cowboy, Two Pina Coladas, Standing Outside the Fire and More Than a Memory.  Then Garth proclaimed that he absolutely couldn't do any more because we [the crowd] "whipped his ass."  I guess that's fair enough, we were over two and a half hours into his second concert of the night.  In fact, it was already half past midnight.

Earlier in the trip, my brother and I were discussing songs we'd hoped he would do and we both mentioned that we wanted to hear Ireland.  It was on his album Fresh Horses but never made it as a single for some reason.  But, nevertheless, we were hopeful.  However, we didn't even think to write it on a poster.  So, the next time my brother and I attend a concert that will be just what we do:  write "Ireland" on a humongous neon colored poster.  That should attract some attention. 

Upon leaving the arena, we knew we were in for a long drive home, but thanks to caffeine and country radio, we made it!  Besides, the night was too great to even be think about being angry about getting home late.  So I drove us back to Mayberry with the intoxicating sights and feel of downtown Nashville at Broadway fresh on my mind.

Friday, December 24, 2010

12-24

So it's Christmas Eve.

This is normally the day people are running around frantically trying to get that last minute gift.

Here in Mayberry, we're expecting two inches of snow, thus giving us a white Christmas.

But in other news, I went to a concert Tuesday night that kept me out until 3 am and I was hoping to get some pictures of it up by now, but that hasn't worked out quite like I planned.  Maybe this weekend I can edit and upload all 70 of them.

But, until then, Here's wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas from all of Mayberry's 3,000 residents. 

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Weekend Insanity

Like I told you yesterday, it's been busy in Mayberry.

Friday was baked goods day around these parts, as Thursday night was spent "baking my feelings" as my little sister put it.  Sadly, no photos survived as that was the absolute, without a doubt, unanimously decided WORST batch of red velvet cupcakes that has ever come out of my kitchen.  After distributing it to a few different friends at various businesses around town, I was approached by someone who knows me well enough to insult me, asking if I tried anything with the recipe.

"No, why?" I asked, with a deer-in-the-headlight look coming over my pale, freckled face.

"Well," she began delicately, "they're just not very good."

*gulp*

My heart sank.  A cold sweat broke out over parts of my body I forgot I had and I immediately attempted to sample one, but if fell apart in my hands.  Seriously.  And I really handed that out with a smile on my face?  Are you kidding me?  I felt about one inch tall and wanted very badly to crawl under my truck and die.  Since this traumatic episode, I have apologized to everyone who had the misfortune of tasting those little buggers.  How humiliating!

With my tail between my legs, I tried with all my might to just make it to 5 o'clock Friday, then I'd meet up with some friends for dinner at the best Mexican restaurant (and only in a 25 mile radius) Mayberry has to offer.  After work, I made a quick phone call to my mother's best friend to spill my guts about the horrid baking incident before heading to town to meet my friends.  As I sat there joining in conversation about college days, bad dates, clueless boys and football, I received a random string of texts from one of the code names I hadn't heard from in a while - the baking incident eventually faded from my mind as I sat there sipping my Mt. Dew, glad that I didn't order anything stronger.


The weekend continued with the festivities of Saturday night.  My boss' son was tying the knot and they needed a bartender.  Hmmm.  I've never done anything like that before.  When it comes to mixed drinks and snazzy cocktails, I'm as lost as a lone cattle farmer in Times Square on New Years Eve.  This bar-tending gig would prove to be interesting, but completely entertaining.  I never had to mix a single drink, thanks to the beverages consisting of two huge coolers of beer and one of wine coolers for the ladies.  But the best part of the night, by far, was THIS:


I'm just glad I was able to captrue this moment.  Amen.  
Moving on, Sunday night was the much-anticipated children's Christmas musical at my church in which I played a role.  I dreaded it, because I was honestly scared about who would and would not have their lines memorized.  But, to add a "cute factor" to the big kid's show, the little kids got up and sang a couple of carols.


I love how none of them are looking in the same direction.  It's one of the many things that make me giggle out loud.  I would have pictures from our play Sunday night, but they all look funny due to the lighting in my church's Sanctuary.  All I have to say about that is that bless those kids' hearts, they tried.  Some had trouble with lines, others  had trouble with songs, and some couldn't get their microphones to work.  And to add to that, we had many technical difficulties, myself included.  

But there's always next Christmas.  But next Christmas, I plan on being in the audience.

Monday, December 20, 2010

Hustle bustle

No, I have not forgotten about you.

Promise.

Things around Mayberry this past weekend were A) busy, B) random and C) exhausting. With Christmas plays, a wedding, Mexican food and baked goods consuming me the past 90 hours, there was never the time or the Internet connection to stop and say hello. But, you can expect a detailed report tomorrow.

Until then, I'm gonna be trying decide who this strange number is calling me. Over and out!

Thursday, December 16, 2010

RIGHT NOW

1.  There is red food coloring on my face, hands and elbow.

2.  It's 26 degrees outside.

3.  It's also my mother's birthday - no, I can't disclose an age.

4.  Jackie the Dog is growling and barking at my kid sis.

5.  I miss a couple people.

6.  There are 24 cupcakes on the counter waiting for icing in the morning.

7.  My iTunes are on shuffle and the song that just came on is "Another Try" by Josh Turner.

8.  There is a rose sitting on the kitchen table.  For some reason, I don't like the baby's breath.

9.  I'm thirsty.  I think I'll pour some milk now.

10.  But first I'm going to look at this picture.  It always makes me smile when I'm blue.  Thank you Windows for putting it in those sample pics.



11.  Facebook just dinged at me on my phone.  Better check and see what it wants.

Goodnight from Mayberry y'all!

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Walking Contradiction

I posted this picture on Twitter yesterday afternoon.


Yes that is a bright turquoise argyle scarf with a camouflage jacket.  It's an oxymoron, I suppose.  At least that is what one of my best friends call me.

It all started when we met in 2006 in college.  She worked in the dorm I lived in and then became my RA the following two semesters - I could never have asked for a better friend than her.  And there is a chance she could kill me for posting this picture: circa 2007.


We remained close and when we both decided to move off campus, of course we waned to get an apartment together, but the ordeal that ensued with other roommates is another story for another day.

Anywho, she and I are "complimentary opposites" as she puts it.  She's the girly girl who has a closet full of cute clothes and adorable shoes (too bad we're not the same size) and I'm the tomboy in camouflage sweatpants running around barefoot with hot pink toenail polish.


See?  She can even rock a Halloween costume.  But I digress.  

I believe the "walking contradiction" name she gave me started one day when we went to make our own photo boards.  We'd seen a lot of them in stores and believe they were overpriced, so we went to the Wal-Mart in our college town where we each bought a canvas board, fabric and ribbon.  Then with a staple gun and a hot glue gun we were on a roll.

By the time we were done, her picture board was a vision in blue with a darker blue ribbon criss-crossing throughout with big buttons where the ribbon crossed each other.  It was very elegant and classy.  Then there was mine: a bright pink paisley pattern with intermittent green and yellow John Deere logos with green and yellow ribbon.

It was then the phrase was born and I have since been known as a walking contradiction.  I like pink and John Deere, I can wear four inch heels as I climb into my four wheel drive truck that is covered in mud.  I refuse to leave the house without wearing eyeliner and keep a pair of rubber boots in my backseat, because you never know when they'll come in handy.  And there could have been an instance when I might have gone hunting with rollers in my hair because I wouldn't have time to curl it later that day.  But that's another thing I can neither confirm nor deny.

But my friend, my absolutely wonderful friend is a classy kinda gal and, as a matter of fact, she will graduate Friday night with her master's degree.  Hang on, I need a minute....  Ok, I'm good.

Monday, December 13, 2010

Brrrrr....

I would have posted earlier in the evening, but my computer was kinda .....

Occupied.


Do you remember Jackie?

When I got home from work she jumped right up in my lap where she then proceeded to rest her pretty little head on the "Z" button.  Rather ironic, huh?

Anyway, the topic of conversation today has been the weather Mayberry is offering it's frozen citizens. 


The low temperature tonight is supposed to get down to 8 degrees with a wind chill of 5 below 0.

THAT'S COLD!!

And since the temperatures and winds have outside feeling like Alaska, the roads are still slicker than dog snot on a frozen cow pie.  In other words, there is no school in Mayberry again tomorrow. 


I'm still looking for my driveway.

Until next time, I'll be shoveling out and defrosting.

-Rach

Sunday, December 12, 2010

First Snow

Mayberry has received a gorgeous blanket of white stuff. 

See?! You can't see my kid sister's feet!


In a town that normally gets snow maybe four times a year, it's a pretty big deal. 



School is canceled tomorrow, as the roads are quite slick. 


The highway crews weren't able to salt the roads yesterday since there was a constant rain right before the snow moved in overnight. In other words: the kiddos are very happy.



I will say that the snow does make my picture-snapping finger itch.  Too bad I'm still under this snowy weather and can't go outside.  Oh well, I'll manage to think of something ....


Boy, I picked a great day to sneak out of the house!

This just proves you never know the things you will see in a Wal-Mart parking lot during the first snow of the season.

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Sitting Still

It's something I have never done very well.

For example, as a grade school student I once got in trouble for being out of my seat in math while the rest of the class was attempting to learn the 9 multiplication table.  Why was I out of my seat?  I believe my words to the teacher was something along the lines of "I learn better when I don't sit down."  I also believe that she didn't buy it.  And, since I live in Mayberry, my parents knew about it before supper time and my days of "standing to learn" were over before they could begin.

Then in my senior year of high school I was an office aid finally was able to walk around my high school halls aimlessly for an hour a day instead of being stuck at a desk staring at bland concrete walls like my comrades.  And, as I found out, office aids learned very valuable lessons, like which teachers used their planning periods to play oldies music as loud as their speakers could play, what the principal's favorite dessert was and how to successfully forge any permission slip headed my way.

Wait, I never actually did that last part.

But my point remains this: I always have to be doing something.  Call it OCD or being a busy body or whatever else you might like, but it's just how I am.

This incessant need to always be doing something has not come in handy these last two weeks, as I've been struck ill with bronchitis that I can't seem to shake.  I'm sick and tired of laying in bed with nothing to do and nobody to talk to.

Thankfully, my little sister joined me for a movie earlier this afternoon - I can't believe that was her first time seeing "Bambi."  Ya gotta love Thumper!  Hey, he come to think of it, he couldn't sit still either.

Thursday, December 9, 2010

A year in pictures

The room is dark right now, and I'm medicated, so if something I should say doesn't make sense, it'd be great if you'd just flatter me and go with it.  Now that that's settled, I'll get down to business.

Ok, really there's no business to get down to.

I'm still sick and very bored since I've been sentenced to stay in bed.  For crying out loud, there's only so much solitaire a gal can take until she loses what's left of her mind.  I'd take pictures to show you, but who wants to see my messy room and all the kleenex, prescription drug bottles and pillows all piled up on my bed?

Wouldn't you rather see something fun and exciting?

Thought so, so here's what we'll do.  Let's replay this past year in pictures.

Would you like that?

Good.


Mayberry was blanketed with beautiful snow at the end of January.  This picture turned out to be one of my favorites and was actually taken while driving highway speed.


Here's a new country music artist, Josh Thompson in February at an old stomping ground of mine down in the city I went to college.  He had just signed with Columbia Records six months prior to this performance.  I'll say this, he puts on a great show!


We finally had a gorgeous day in March.  I took this opportunity to lay on my truck's hood and snap pictures of anything and everything.   Spring weather is some of the best weather, that's for sure!


April always means Easter, and what is Easter without photo ops with my sisters?  Exactly.

May was such a busy month it was hard to pick just one, but here is my 90 year old grandfather with his only great-grandson.  Who knows what the occasion was, the important thing is that this picture got snapped.


June - my favorite month!  This year, my mom, sisters and a family friend took a girls' trip to the East coast.  Charleston, South Carolina to be specific.  Here's a pretty cool view of the Arthur Ravenel, Jr. Bridge.  It's the longest cable-stayed bridge in the Western Hemisphere.


For some reason, I didn't take many pictures in July, but there was one milestone - my truck rolled over 200,000 miles.  I'm so proud!


This is my college best friend and roommate.  She's from a small town like me and came to visit Mayberry in August.  As you can see, I took her on a scenic tour across the river.


September means family reunion, where all of my grandfather's siblings and their families get together for a Sunday afternoon of sweet potato chips, dozens of cookies, barbecue, horse shoes, pictures and a lot of laughs.


Here's that picture of my best good friend and myself that I told you I'd put up back in October.  See, I told you I'd get to it.


November - my sisters and I can't seem to take a good picture over Thanksgiving break.

And now we're in December.  What a year it has been!


Now, if you'll excuse me it's time for a nap.  Cough syrup with codeine has that impact on me.

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Doctor, Doctor!

Raise your left elbow if you'd rather do cartwheels down the highway than go to the doctor.

* Raising my right, oops, left elbow *

Ok, now that we have that out in the open I guess I can tell you:  going to the doctor is NOT my favorite thing.  Growing up, I was always the "sick" child in my family.  You know, the one who always got a cold twice in a school year, the clumsy one who had at trip to the ER at least a couple times a year for various injuries where blood was shed or concussions had.

Now the dentist has never bothered me, nor has going to the hospital.  I watched my dad battle cancer for 5 years, so PET scans, life support ventilators, chemo and radiation machines don't scare me like they do most people.  CAT scans, MRIs, ultrasounds, IV's, going under the knife for whatever surgeries - you name it, I've probably done it.  And hey, specialists always have cool looking diagrams and 3-D replicas of different parts of the body to play with in their exam rooms.  So why is it that just going to see my general physician  bothers the heck out of me?

That's a darn good question!  And this morning, I had an hour and a half to think if over as I sat, squirming in the waiting room of one of the two doctors offices Mayberry has to offer.

I was just there a week ago, but one shot and a round of antibiotics and breathing treatments later and what was an upper respiratory infection, a sinus infection and an inner ear infection has now turned into full blown asthmatic bronchitis, plus sinus and inner ear infections.  Yay me.  My doctor wanted to put me in the hospital, but I think I can manage just fine with yet a shot in the rump of something stronger and a bigger dose of a much more expensive antibiotic.

Thankfully, she did inform me that if I would have waited a couple of days it would be pneumonia, which means a hospital stay, which means I couldn't go to work, which means I'd lose my mind.  And we just flat out can't have that.  Besides, I don't make a good patient.  You can ask every nurse who has ever had to take care of me, including my mom.  They'd set you straight very quickly.

But, after all this thinking I think I finally put my finger on what it is I dislike about being at a regular doctor's office: there are sick people there.  Some kids are just looking for a way to skip school, others elderly men wear their WWII hats with pride as they drag their oxygen tanks behind them.  Then there's the mother with her sick infant all covered up in the carrier, worry written all over her face as to what could possibly be wrong with her child.

Then there's me.  A seemingly "healthy" and "normal" mid-twenties chick at first, but once I coughed... oh boy did that baby wake up! 

Here's hoping the latest shot will do the trick and the prescription cough syrup hasn't gone all to my head too quickly.

I must not be held responsible for anything I might post later tonight.  That is all.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

About Mayberry

I believe I've told you some about my small hometown before.  The demographics, the homey feel, the weird things we celebrate and the back roads.


Last night I took it upon myself to take a drive and reflect on just what this thing is in me that longs to live out my days in such a place where there is no Starbucks, no strip mall, no movie theater and not really much of anything of great excitement to do.  Sure, we have a Wal-Mart, a couple gas stations, restaurants and a place to rent movies, but other than that this place is just acres and acres of fields, woods, country roads and coal belts. But I've never seen this as a bad thing, just another thing that seems to separate my hometown from the rest of the world.


My drive last night took me down winding roads through thick woods, through small communities with maybe one stop sign, much less a stoplight, across the river on a ferry (which is pretty cool when it's dark outside, you should try it), past road signs that make you laugh out loud while you're driving by yourself and somewhere along the way there were random barns so old a decrepit looking they appeared to sway with the wind as you wonder how they haven't fallen yet.



Almost two hours and a few county lines later, my I drove back into the Mayberry city limits.  With a renewed spirit and a clear mind, my headlights hit the grain bins (yes, the grain bins are just inside the city limits) and I couldn't help but notice flashing red and blue lights up the hill towards the city park.

With curiosity getting the best of me, I drove east and headed towards these lights because I knew something had to be up.  Upon further investigation, I realized that a house was fully engulfed in a raging fire just a block from my house.  My younger sister and I trekked up the hill in 15 degree drizzle to see what we could do for the family.  We knew whose house that was and that family in particular has had a rough time as we've been told.  Plus, can you imagine losing EVERYTHING less than three weeks before Christmas?

But we weren't alone.

As it turns out, the fire started in the attic and everyone made it out of the home safely.  Then comes one of my favorite things about this community.... Friends, neighbors and loved ones lined the sidewalk on the other side of the street to lend their support for the family.  To offer them shelter, food, clothing and a shoulder to cry on. 

Walking back home last night I couldn't help but thank God that He has let me grow up in such a caring community, where if you need something, some one is there to lend a helping hand.

And that is one of the best things you need to know about Mayberry.

Monday, December 6, 2010

23⁰

It's cold here in Mayberry.

Being cold and being sick is never a good combination.   So, here I am all bundled up with a parka, a couple pairs of gloves, 4 pairs of long johns and my Carhartts on.  Ok, I'm joking about the parka, gloves and long johns.  And the Carhartts, too, although I wish I could wear them to work.

What I'm trying to say is.....


My toes are frozen.

And maybe I shoulda thought about pulling my parka out of the hall closet this morning but my stupid brain had other things on its mind, though thanks to a suck-tastic weekend.

Yes, "suck-tastic" is a word.  And I just said it.

This is not how I'd hoped to kick off the week.

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Oh, Brother!


This is Brother.

He's gonna kill me.

Because he hates his picture being displayed for the world to see.

But, I must say, that of all the pictures of us I have at my disposal, this one keeps me coming back as my top pick.

Why is this my favorite?

He's smiling - that never happens to such a serious person.  (Plus I'm kind of adorable with the clueless look on my face. Nothing has changed in that department.)

My big brother always meant the world to me when as we grew up.  How I wanted to be just like him!  He had all the answers to the problems of the world and he was just an all around fun guy.  Don't get me wrong, he still is, but growing up and becoming adults gets the best of every one of us.

When my kid sister was learning to talk, my older sister and I began calling him "Brother" to show this young, impressionable bundle of joy that he was "Brother" and we were "Sisters."  We've never called him Bubba, Bubby or any other names associated with the title.  It has always been "Brother."

People used to call him the "Station Wagon Farmer" in high school, because there was a period of time when he didn't a a truck and he actually hauled hay in and on top of the family station wagon.  True Story.

Now I'm really gonna die for bringing that subject up.

But Brother doesn't live in Mayberry anymore and he no longer drives the station wagon around, thank goodness.

He does however, have a big boy life, with a wife, two kids and a desk job.  And recently with his big boy job, he received a promotion. 

* APPLAUSE *

And that is what all this is about, because yesterday that promotion went into effect.

Way to go, Brother! I'm very proud of you and the wonderful man you've become.

And by the way, you have two adorable babies - they get it from their aunt.

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

F-F-F-Fog

Deer season is officially over.

* Please pause for a moment of silence *

I was unsuccessful in my attempts to kill Bambi's Daddy

* Another moment of silence, if you don't care. *

But, just like every year, I was able to enjoy the hours I spent up a tree (literally) with my Sony in hand.


The last morning I was able to hunt, it was very, very foggy.


Visibility was about 30 yards.  Maybe.  Fog was so thick I couldn't even see the field from my stand.


As the morning moved on, I was finally able to see across the slough.

  
 Yes, it was foggy.  You could barley even see the sun!


Do you get the idea? 

Good, then I'll talk about something else now.


This is part of my brother's truck.  He got it dirty this same foggy morning and now doesn't know what to do. Oh my!

I'm sure he promptly washed it after seeing this little bit of mud. 

We don't have the same approach when it comes to our trucks being dirty.


See what I mean?