Banjos

      There are so many things I could blog about.  I could put my two cents worth in about the war in Iraq, the devastation of Katrina, the earthquake in India/Pakistan as well as about a million and one-half other things that is happening all over the world.  

      However, today I feel the need to share with you my opinion about banjos.  Yes, I grew up in the South (Bama, did you guess it??) and have heard all kinds of music in my life.  When in high school about 29 years ago, my preference was rock and roll.... Various forms....   I hated country music!!  About three or four years ago, I volunteered to work at a food stand for an organization during the local popular Fiddler's Convention.  You just don't know how  much I knew I would hate it!!  Little did I realize, I had grown 'outside the box' when it comes to music.  Or was it because it was live?  I dunno....  Here's the killer part.... I fell in love with banjos and fiddles!!  The fiddle was the instrument of choice for my great-grandfather, but NO ONE has ever played the banjo!!  I love it!!  It is such a happy sound!  Who doesn't smile, just a little when you hear 'Dueling Banjos' or 'Rocky Top'??  That's my favorite instrument at this moment....

     Now, what's yours?? 

Human Pig Troughs

        What is it about buffets that make you want to eat?  I swear, it's like a human pig trough with plates!!  We went to a Chinese Buffett resturant last night.  They had 3 rows of food, plus, a free standing ice cream machine. 

          There was rice (several types),  lo mein, thinner lo mein, potatoes of every style, seafood such as shrimp, (both fresh and fried), salad bar, chicken made every way you can think of (including chicken on a stick), cheesy mussles (yum!), salad bar, pizza (can you believe that?), and of course, dessert! 

             I'm still full...   Just call me bloated!!

Reflecting on the road taken

 Question of the day:

     If you could change one thing about your life, what would it be AND would you?

     The question reminds me of Robert Frost's poem, "The Road Not Taken."  So many times I wonder what life would have been like if I had not gone down the other road.  Would I have been better off financially or emotionally?  Would I have more friends or better friendships than the ones I have now?  Would I have ever met the people I call friends? 

     It sounds as if I am dissatisfied with my life.  I'm not.  There are a couple of things I wish I could change about it.  Fortunately, I am extremely happy with my choices.  One of my professors once said, "The decisions you make between the ages of 15 and 25 will be with you for the rest of your life."  It is so true.  Not that I am happy with some of those decisions, but I feel I have turned the consequences into a better life for myself. 

     For all of you who are a part of my life, and to those who have passed from this world, I thank you.  I love you dearly.  You mean so much to me!

To much, to little....

 At what point is it to much?  You are asking, 'it' what?  Well.... anything...... 
     To much silence...
     To much noise....
     To many phone calls....
     To few phone calls...
     To many friends...
     To few friends...
     To much work...
     To little work...

I think you get the point....  Have you ever been to the point where to much or to little is annoying?? 

Whew.....

Fall

      Fall doesn't officially begin until next week, but yesterday I could see signs of it sneaking in.  Some of the trees are beginning to change... not much, but just enough that it is there.  If you are going about your daily life you may not notice as much.  In the next month, we will be able to see leaves of red, gold, brown and orange all over!  It is one of my favorite things in fall....
     The county fairs and fall festivals are in full swing, too.  Hartselle has decorated their downtown area with corn stalks and fall foliage.  One of the biggest in this area is in a small town of about 200, but will draw about a 1000 people before the day ends.  There will be a parade with people on horseback and on the backs of trucks! 
     I love fall!!  I can't wait to enjoy it all!

Bands, music and fried bread!

Last night my Mom, sister and I went to the high school where I teach for the 'Night of Bands'.  What a show!!  All the county high school bands come together and each band plays 2-5 songs.  It begins with the smallest band (36 band members, plus color guard), to the largest in the county (225+ band members, plus color guard) and it ended with a university band.  What an experience!! 

The music was mostly from the 60's and 70's (Radar Love, Desperado, Vehicle, School's Out, American Woman, Georgia on My Mind.....).  Those kids performed!  They played, they moved, they played their hearts out!!   I think when we go to the ball games and the band plays for about 10 minutes, we take it for granted.  Even though we enjoy the performance, I don't think we realize how much work and practice these kids put into these shows. 

And of course, the food.  There is always food at these things!!  As I sat there eating my funnel cake, it occurred to me there is nothing like sitting in the middle of a bunch of people that are talking, watching their kid playing AND THEN, to be able to eat fried bread with powdered sugar on top!!  Now, THAT is a real treat!!! 

P.S.: If you get an opportunity to hear your local kids perform, GO!!  It's worth the show!  And then, let them know how much you enjoyed it!  They are never told enough!!

My Dear, Wonderful Friend!!

 Have you ever gone for days without speaking to one of your favorite people?  I just have. 

Thursday: first class for the semester and it started at 5:00 that evening... drove my 36 miles over... I did speak to that person on the phone for about 10 minutes... YIPPEE!! 

Friday:  No friend waiting online that morning.  Sent e-mail.  I went to work, got home around 4:00.  No friend waiting, but did have e-mail.... Responded to that.  Waited, waited, waited.... have to go.... Went to football game in another county.  Got home.  E-mail, no friend.  Waited... no show..... went to bed.....

Saturday morning:  Slept until around 8:00.  E-mail waiting, but no friend.... responded to e-mail.  Showered, dressed, went into work, went to give blood, shopped,

Saturday afternoon: came home, had e-mails... responded to those.  Waited, no friend.  Phone rings, it is one of my lonely kids in the class... "What cha doing?".....  Took nap, woke late....

Saturday night:  had response to e-mails., but still no friend.... 

Sunday morning:  woke early!!  signed on, response to my e-mail, but no friend....  Sent e-mail, you will see me online, wait for me!!  I will be around and will respond as soon as I see you!!  I walked down to mailbox, got Sunday paper, read it, read ads, checked, still no friend.... I was so sleepy!!  I laid down and woke later and guess what??  There was my friend!!  HOw exciting!  How wonderful!!  We both spoke of how enduring it was to have the e-mails, but there is NOTHING like the real thing, the real person, the banter back and forth!! 

It is to my dear, wonderful friend who lives thousands of miles away, I say 'Thank you!'..... Thank you for being a part of my life, even with this distance!!