Where have I been for the last two months

I am not sure why I have not been posting on my Blog. I will try to tell you what I have been doing during the past couple of months. This will not be in any order so try to keep up. I may not make much sense for a few minutes I am watching the news and which is showing the Auto Industry go down the tubes. Can you believe this economy. I don't know anyone that it has not been hit. I had butter milk and corn bread for supper tonight. This has shown me how we can cut out things that were not really necessary. Getting sleepy more in the morning.

Fall is here

Good morning Bloggers, it has been a while since we talked. Betsy and I are doing fine. We had a short visit from Jeff, Dawn and Jake. Jeff ran in an annual race on Signal Mountain (32 mles) Saturday morning so they came over Friday evening so that he could make the 8:00am start time. We didn't see much of them but enjoyed the short visit. They went back home after the race because Jeff is taking Dawn to Memphis this morning. She is riding in "A journey Home" this is a Bike Ride from Memphis to Knoxville. This will be a (5) day event about 100 miles each day. This is an event to support Adoptions. You can get more information at adoptiontour.org.

Sorry that I have not been Blogging these past few weeks but I just have not felt like it. You have to be in the right frame of mine to Blog.

I don't know where to start. The ELECTION is coming up next month and all I am going to say about it is that I hope you will all VOTE.

I love these cool mornings. I enjoy having my coffee out on the patio and wake up with the birds. Which reminds me I need to fill the feeders today.

Not being able to get out and do much work in the yard or much of anything with the word 'work' in it i have taken some time to paint. I can't remember what I have told you and I don't want to read past postings so I might repeat my self. Just account it as the old boy is getting old.

I know I told you that I finished the Barn paintings. Well I have just this past week finished painting "The Tree House". This is the tree house at Aunt Bobbie and Uncle Murdoc's house. I will try to attach a picture that I made of the original Painting. One of the reasons I had so fun painting the tree house is all the history that goes along with it. I guess all of the kids in our family has played in that house amd many of us have at sometime in our life done some maintenance on the structure.

I don't know if you have heard how the tree house started. Uncle Murdoc and I (after Wednesday night Prayer Meeting ) decided it was not in the best interest of the young people in the community to be exposed to a Billboard (Miller Beer) that had been built over on Highway 52 not far from the Church. We took the sign down ad rather than destroying good lumber and tin we decided to use it to start a tree house. That is how it started and as Steve got a bit older he took over and completed the second phase. Later eletricity was added for lighting. Over the years it just evolved. I don't know who found the paint that was used on the outside but I had a hard time mixing paint to match. I think with Betsy's help we came close.

I am now now working on a painting of the "Forrester Farm Hunting Lodge". My interesst in this has several reasons. If and when my all of family can come down home for the reunion or other events Glenn always makes the Lodge available for us to use. This building was orginally the home place for Mr. John and Miss Susie Ward. They were Brother and Sister I always remember them from Church. I never knew of any other family just the two of them.

I have to go for now Mitsy just got out of bed and I need to take her for a walk.

A few Pictures

These next four are some of the Giant American Begonias. Enjoy.

This is one of the one of our 'Sumatra Lilies'. This is our first year to have this beautiful flower. We planted 8 bulbs and had flowers on each. This is a 'Giant American Begonia'. We planted bulbs at both ends of the Island. We were not sure about these but they still have new buds. There is a mix as far as the blooms. I will try to include each variety. Some of the blooms are 6 inches across.

My Back

I told you I would update you on the progress with my back. I had the Procedure yesterday as scheduled. There was one thing different this time. The gave me some if that I can't remember drug so I didn't go through the pain as I had in the past. I feel very good today. I have been active most of the day. I laid down for my usual NAP but I couldn't go to sleep. I am getting tired now and will go to bed early. Sorry, I am just not in the mood to Blog tonight.

J

To Mark

I have no idea what you must be going thru right now. It has been a long hard road you have been following in the past. I am sorry to say that I didn't really know Tammy very well, other than seeing her at a family gathering. I know you have a real network of Family and Friends there with you. I talked to your Mom for a long time this afternoon. You are very fortunate to have the love and support of Aunt Bobbie. Mark I miss Mother so much, in times like this she had a way of putting her arms around you and make you feel that all would be OK. Your Mom has thoes same arms. Don't forget they are there.

My Thoughts and Prayerrs are with you tonight.

John

Surgery Today.

I will update you tomorrow. I wanted to update you tonight but I am just too tired.

I can't sleep

Charles is taking Jeff & Reilly down the Ocoee. This is Jeff and Reilly in the front of the raft.

I couldn't sleep (HURTING) so I got out of bed and came to the kitched where I keep my laptop. I have my laptop and a printer on the Bar/Island in the kitchen. It is not in the way and I like having it set-up all the time. I can readE-Mail or other things while I cook. I multi-Task all the time. A made some additions to "As I remember It" tonight.

Dawn and Jeff were here this this past week and weekend. They stayed at the cabin with some friends. Charles took Jeff and Reilly down the River. I will try to insert a picture of them.

I don't know why but it always put the picture at the front of the days posting rather in the middle of the comments. Anyway that is a picture of Reilly and Jeff. They had a great time. I am sure this was a highlight of Reilly's summer. Charles tried to get Dawn and Jeff to let Jake go down but Dawn said not NO but HELL NO. Her little for year old is not getting on a raft. All in all they ha a good stay. Dawn had used my van while the were here so they dropped it off on their home. I went out to the car to tell the boys but both were sleeping hard. They were worn out.

I just got news that a friend's wife died suddenly this past month. Tom and Sue had shared the Rock House at the Fold school. She and Tom had a room next to me. I am planning on calling Tom but i hae delayed it because it is so hard for me to do something like that. I am not good around deaths. I guess it is because I have lost so many family members.

I am having a procedure on my back to try and relieve me of some of my pain. The Procedure is called a "Denerveation Procedure" The Doctor uses a special needle with an electrical point on the end. He inserts the needle (HUGE) and touches the nerves along my spine until I can identify one that efffects a pain point. Remember I am awake (must be to talk to him while Identifying the correct area) when he touches the nerve. It really hurts, it is like a sudden sharp pain down your leg, back, arm. This goes on until he finds ONE OF the correct nerrves. Once he finds the correct nerrve he applies RF energy for 15 seconds while burning the nerve ending. Now it is like a sharp pain for 15 seconds. Oh, how it hurts. This is done until he has burnded several nerve endings thus cutting off the signal the brain identifying pain. It is very painful while the nerve ending heals and then I will be pain free in that area of my back for a few months we hope. He will do the right side of my spine thursday and I go back sometime in August and he will do the left side. Insurance Companies some time give the Doctor a hard time approving the procedure. They call it expermental. I have it done before but he says he will put me almost under for the 15 seconds but I still feel the pain.

So think about me Thursday morning around 9:00am. Pray, Burn a Candle do something I need the help.

I am still working on "The Tree House". Its't comming along fairly good but I look forward to Pebbie coming down on the 21st and giving me some advise. It is a real challenge with some of the colors such as the bark of the Pecan Tree. It changes colors as the light shines on part of it, part is in shadow and part is just in the shade. Getting the names on the side will be interesting also. I am going to need help from someone to identify some of the printing, it is very faint but it is there.

Holly cow it is 6:00am I hve been up for three hours. No wonder I am about to go to sleep. Well what should I do make some coffee or go back to bed? I will spell check this later.

Good Night.