Today is a Gift...That's Why it is called "The Present"

 Went to my cousin's "Circle of Friends" celebration today. There was a memorial service for him after he died suddenly but this was an event for all of his friends from the film industry he had worked with for years and years.

Of course my side kick, Massey went with me and after a harrowing drive of I-85 being shut down in both directions and taking back roads to get back on the interstate we got there...almost two hours late but WE GOT THERE.

 Massey was mesmerized by the film studio. This pic above is a huge jukebox painted on the wall. A door was in the middle of the mural and it killed Massey not to be able to see where the door led.

The next pic is of a huge vault that was built for a movie "The Real McCoy" and I begged Massey to act like she was trying to turn the handle to get in the vault. She dissed my begging but at least let me take her picture next to it.

The celebration was bitter sweet. Such a loss but what a tribute. I saw many friends I haven't seen in years, relatives that I don't see frequently enough and had some kick $%# barbeque. I even ran into people that somehow knew me from my blog.

OMG... (that's Massey/teenspeak)  I have never seen Massey roll her eyes so much in a five minute time frame. One guy came up to me and said he read my blog all the time. He was from Cordele...way down in south Georgia and when I went to introduce Massey, he immediately said he knew who she was. Guess I am reaching the masses with my "Massey" stories!

He said he loved my "John Deere" stories and asked Massey if I was making it all up? She replied "Nope...that's just the way our family is."

There are a lot worse things to be than to be "REAL." I put my family, my life and my feelings out there every time I post and have no regrets.

There was a wonderful display of pictures of my cousin...from early childhood to giving his daughter away at her wedding. There was one framed quote that caught my eye and summed up life totally:

"Yesterday is a memory

Tomorrow is a Promise

Today is a Gift

That is why it's called

The Present."

I feel honored to have been included ...Shad had so many friends that you almost felt like you needed a VIP pass to get in. Tears were shed...God added his own... all day as the rain fell. It hasn't rained in forever, but I think that God paid his own tribute to a wonderful man in his own way, giving us the much needed rain  and a sign from Him that another great human was coming upstairs to join HIS party.

I hope God has a fishing hole. 

Short video below from the slide show...

"Shad...you were one in a million, glad I can say I am related to you."

Till next time...COTTON