Still a Night Owl...But a Wise One

Had to close at  work tonight, didn't get off til  after eleven and made my daily run to the grocery store on the way home. I've been finding a lot of great looking recipes on Facebook lately and have expanded my dinner options. Today I made a yummy pasta shrimp salad for lunch before I went into work and made a pot of Turnip Green soup when I got home tonight for tomorrow.

 The shrimp salad was good but next  time will add a few of my own ingredients to it. I think sun dried tomatoes would be a good addition or roasted red peppers.

 It was pretty slow tonight at work...stupid college football games killed us but I hung in there til the end and walked out with a decent paycheck. I was hanging out at  the bar with the owner and the bartender waiting on my last table to leave. I was telling them about visiting Frances yesterday in the hospice and thought about something that made me chuckle and told my boss and the bartender about it.

Yesterday when my sister and I went to pick  up  the dry erase boards for Frances, we stopped at a drive in a friend of mine from high school told me about. They have awesome burgers and hot dogs. Griffin is a little country town about twenty five minutes away from where I live. It's biggest claim to fame is that Atlanta Motor Speedway is right up the road but it's still small town America.

Cindy had never eaten there so I suggested we go. Every person besides us who came in they all knew by name. Cindy asked what she should order and I suggested a slaw dog but told her the burgers were good too. We decided to each get a burger, share a slaw dog and get one order of fries and one order of rings. Number one we sounded like idiots when we ordered,  we had the entire "What should we order" talk right in front of the woman taking our order. She was a really friendly black woman...we liked her immediately. When we stepped up  to the counter my sister asked how she was doing and the woman replied "I'm doing marvelous, and yourself?"

She wasn't  "Okay" or "I'm alright" she was "I'm doing marvelous." We bungled our way through the ordering process wearing her out but she smiled through the entire order and we went to find a place to sit. Being a server I didn't want to take up a big table for the two of us but ALL the tables were big so we settled on one way off to the side. We sat across from each other and chatted while they cooked our food. When the food came out my sister said if we were sharing we should sit by each other so I moved around to her side of the table.  We were sitting there in small town America when I looked over at my sister, who's hair is just as short as mine and said I bet they are all commenting to each other "Look at those two old lesbians having them some lunch." That's all it took...I grabbed the ball and ran with Cindy close behind me.

She was out of tea and since I was on the outside of the table in the now getting crowded diner told her I would get it. She said she would get it but I said "I'll get it for you, baby, I'll be right back" Not to be one upped, when I returned, put her tea on the table and sat back down , she turned to me...gave me a kiss on the lips  and said "Thanks sweetie."

Okay, so we're bad...real bad.

Let me state here and now if you are reading my blog for the first time; my sister and I are of the same mind set. We have many gay friends, relatives and realize what a difficult plight they endure, but think it is totally ridiculous.  To bash gays is like bashing someone with freckles...it's simply who you  are and how God made you and if He thought it was okay, who are we to challenge or question it?

So us two ole fake lesbians held hands as we walked out of the burger joint. What makes this really crazy is that I kiss my sister on  the lips all the time anyway. I hold her hand (even though when Zach  was little said "You look so young Aunt Cin, but your hands look really old") and I am not gay.

People need to get  off their high horse. People need to live and let live. People need to concentrate on the important stuff and besides all that... who someone else loves is none of your business.

Til next  time...COTTON

It Ain't Good But She's Hanging Tough

Woke up this morning...a good thing. My last day off was August 22 and who knows when the next  one will be. It's not so bad splitting it between two jobs. I look at  it this way, I have four days off a week from the mattress store and three days off from the restaurant.

I met my sister and left my (her borrowed) car in a parking lot and she drove us to Griffin to visit Frances in the hospice.  We  were cruising along down Highway 16 chatting and laughing when we saw the entrance for the hospice a little too late. Cin took a hard fast left and screamed into the parking lot right in front of an oncoming eighteen wheeler headed in the other direction. As I stomped my foot on the passenger side floor board like it would brake the car, asked her if she was trying to reserve us a room at the hospice?  We both laughed, survived the turn and as we pulled in the parking noticed the flag out front was at half mast. My sister wondered why it was half mast and I said "Well it IS a hospice, maybe they just want to be ready.

I'll have to  say it is a really beautiful, brand new facility. It's still a hospice though. I knew Frances room number from her niece sending me a text yesterday. Franny was in B4. As we walked down the hall it was okay  til we hit the room B3. The door was open and a very old man  flat on his back, head up, eyes and mouth wide open seemed to gasp for breath, life or maybe either. Hospice is a sad place no matter who you are.

We got to B4 and the door was open. Franny was asleep on her back, little U shaped pillow around her neck with TV blaring. (she's deaf as a post)

It broke our hearts to see her like this. She has weathered so many illnesses and overcome many obstacles but as everyone knows, hospice is the last stop.

It took us a minute to wake her but when we did,  she  smiled  and perked  right up. Frances has always been an upbeat and positive person, even when down. Open heart surgery...a walk in the park. Botched catheter and six weeks in rehab, no problem. Kidney failure, no thanks Dialysis I'll just let this old body be and see how much longer God wants me around. I admire her attitude and outlook. She was showing us the bizarre bruising on her legs when I used  the erasable white board to write a note, "Your toenails look pretty, who painted them?" Frances read the message, nodding her head as she read, looked up at me, squinted and said in her hilariously scratchy voice "WAL MART!"

She's lost a tremendous amount of weight and that worried me. She could wear MY clothes. She told Cin and me she wanted to change pajamas and immediately started  unbuttoning her PJ top. Her boobs were out there for all of us to see but had the humor to say "Now watch my preacher come a knocking at the door." Not two seconds later a man knocked on the door and tried to come in. We told him to give us a second while we buttoned her back up and then said the peep  show was over, come on in!

It was a man from her church...Floyd. Super nice guy, never met him but know him now.

 We would write on the white board to Frances but then have to give it back to another person in the room to write another response. I know Frances feels funny when we are all talking about her and she can't hear us. Cin and I decided to go to and buy three or four white boards. That way we could all chat at once.

We stopped for lunch at a burger joint one of my high school friends turned me onto. If you are ever in Griffin, Ga go to Griffith's Drive In on Hwy 16. Excellent slaw dogs and pretty  good burgers too.

We bought the dry erase boards on the way back. When we had left, the aid was helping to change Frances' PJ's when Floyd said "Guess I'll leave now." Frances hollered (she always hollers) "It'll only take a minute, don't go!"

When we pulled back into  the parking lot I said to my sister, "I wonder if she is still holding Floyd hostage?"

We wheeled back in (this time without an eighteen wheeler oncoming)  my sister said "I think that is Floyd just now pulling out in his truck out of that parking space." Jeez, her eyes are worse than mine. Floyd was a nice trim man, the dude driving the truck  was a big ole fatty. I told her "That might the man who ate Floyd, but it isn't Floyd."

We took Frances four dry erase boards back, put one in each chair in her room chatted a bit more but had to go. Cin had a UMW retreat to attend, I had to cut the front yard before working at  five and felt terrible  about leaving but felt good about having gone to see Franny.

She's in hospice...not a good thing, usually a not so long good bye but at least she's still kicking and can still make us laugh.

She is a wonderful woman and have been blessed to have her in our lives.

Tim's going to visit and pick Massey up tomorrow... bring her home for an overnight stay, then I can take her to visit Franny on Sunday before taking her back to the university.

God can perform miracles. I just need for Him to swing one Frances' way.

Til next  time...COTTON

P.S. I have the most terrific sister ever. Always there for me and  always hurt from laughing so much after we've been together. Never met a person who doesn't love Cindy. She's my rock!

It's Me Friday!

Finished up about an hour ago at  the mattress store for the week. It wasn't  as busy  as yesterday but made a few sales and made a few contacts who I think will be back.  My last sale was to a tiny lady who walked with a cane. She bought a twin mattress for a day bed she bought on Overstock.com. She was all worried about how to get  it home and wanted to know who was there to load it? I told her she was looking at  the Loader! She said she drove a SUV and asked if it would fit inside? "Heck yeah!" was my instant enthusiastic reply.

So she drove home with her driver's seat pulled up so far she could have steered with her boobs and the mattress was smack up next to her so she had to lean towards the door while she drove but off she went!

My sister and I are going to visit my Diddy's cousin, Frances tomorrow who is in a hospice in Griffin about twenty miles away.

She's a firecracker... at least she was before her kidney failure which landed her in hospice. We didn't meet her until my Diddy  met her about fifteen years ago and she came to a family reunion at my sister's house. She was mentally sharp as a tack. Very computer savvy, paid all her bills online and always contributed to our family website. She was deaf as a post and you had to holler at her to be heard but she had a great sense of humor and we all fell in love with her. After my Diddy died we stayed in touch with her. She lived by herself in a tidy  tiny house off a state highway right down the road from  the cemetery where my parents and grandparents are buried.

A few years ago some idiot doctor botched a catheter and she had to go to rehab for an open wound the size of a postcard on her leg . All her immediate family lives out of state so my sister, Massey, Zach and I went to visit her several times a week during her six week stay. She was always upbeat and never, ever complained. The rehab facility was also a nursing home so it was pretty  depressing to walk in and see people on gurneys in the hallways looking lonely. The more mobile old peeps shuffled about the place on their walkers with  tennis balls attached to  the front legs or in  wheelchairs propelling themselves along with their socked feet. Franny owned a cell phone but you  couldn't call her on it because she couldn't hear you. Massey left for band camp and offered to let Franny use her lap top so she could communicate with family via email, check her bank statements, read the family website and read my "Blob."  You could tell her ten times it was a BLOG but every time she said it, it came out "Blob."

I took the lap top to her on a visit and showed her how to use it. The place boasted  "WiFi" friendly areas but they weren't. The only place we could connect was in the front lobby so we would wheel Franny up to the front lobby and let her do her thing while we watched the other old peeps gaze at her in wonder as they either wheeled or shuffled by  on their walkers.

The next time I went to visit was with Zach in tow. It was a Sunday and we had to wait for her to get out of the church service. It was a glass enclosed room and as we waited outside noticed most all their chins were on their chests. I looked over at  Zach and said "I don't think  they're ALL praying." While we waited a woman beside us mentioned she was waiting on a patient. She was a physical therapist at  the facility. I mentioned that we needed another roll across the bed  table like they had their food served on for my aunt to put her lap top.

The woman looked around her on both sides and said "Well I tell my patients when they come in here, not to bring  their valuables, don't bring  your rings, watches or don't even bring your teeth. Things have a way of walking off. I 'm not saying it's employees but maybe some random visitor walking down the hall seeing something valuable unattended in a room and simply walking off with it."
Well  that freaked me out. Massey's lap top wasn't even totally paid for yet.

The next  day I visited, came in with a hard plastic tool box large enough  to hold the computer with  the shelving taken out,  a bicycle chain to chain the tool box to the bed and a padlock to lock the box. I had the forethought to type up a letter for Frances to read explaining why we needed to lock up Massey's computer when she wasn't in her room. It seemed better than going into her room and having to scream at her "There are thieves around here!"

She looked at me funny when I walked in with all my gear but two of her friends from church were there to visit so I explained it all to them. Then handed Frances the letter to read I had written. She read  the letter with her mouth silently moving as she read the words.  She got to one part of the letter, looked up at her friends with squinty eyes and hollered to them "THEY SAY DON'T EVEN BRING YOUR TEETH TO THIS PLACE!" I held both my hands out palm side down waving frantically up and down to keep her quiet. It didn't work.

Classic Frances moment.

Frances' outlook doesn't look good. She's refused Dialysis. She also had open heart surgery a couple of years back and think she's just tired of being cut open, poked at, worked on and having to be in the hospital.

I told my sister tonight on the phone after firming up plans for tomorrow's visit that if Frances does pass, I am asking her nieces and nephew (all out of state) if Cindy and I can speak at her funeral.  I don't want her funeral to be a sad depressing affair and they better not play Amazing Grace. Don't depress us, lift us up! The Battle Hymn of the Republic would be a much better choice. My sister says she wants that at her funeral and after listening once again to the words I totally agree. I want it to be filled with fantastic funny Franny moments! I want it to be a tribute to what a feisty, gutsy and determined woman she was.

My sister has the most hysterical story  about picking Frances up from the Atlanta airport when she came home from an out of town family reunion. I reminded my sister of it tonight and we both started laughing just talking about it.

That's the way Frances should be remembered when her time comes, with a smile.

Til next  time...COTTON

Another Day Done

My nice hubby cooked me breakfast and wrapped it to go this morning. I leave for work with zero time to spare but have plenty of time to eat once I clock in. Yesterday at work I finally found the thermostat for the A/C. There was a poster taped up over it. I turned it on around noon and set it for 83 degrees. Eighty three I can take, especially when I'm not doing anything but sitting in front of a fan reading a book. When I have to load mattresses,  that's another story.

A cute couple came in around noon and after about fifteen minutes of showing them around settled on a nice mattress set for $649. They got a great deal, it had been marked down from $899. They paid for it, said  they were going to borrow a truck and come back to pick it up.

I don't make commission til it's out the door so "Out the door" is my mantra. It's just me there so as soon as they left I got busy. They bought the floor model which meant I had to pull  the mattress off the frame, wrap it up and do  the same with the box springs. It was, as we say in the south "Like wraslin' a bar."

I had to maneuver the mattress back into it's original yet now ripped open bag and do the same with the box springs. I sweated for over an hour like a ninety five pound Archie Bunker at The Apollo Theater trying to get  the queen size mattress back into the bag and finally called Tim at  the house and asked him to come help me. Lucky for me we only live eight minutes away and by  the time he got there I weighed ninety three pounds. It took us a while but we got it done. I would have never gotten it done alone, it was a huge thick pillow top mattress. He helped me roll them both to the back door for pick up and I fainted back into my chair in front of my fans. I had several more people come in browsing and asking questions.

I was very apprehensive about this move to the mattress store but seem to really connect with peeps.  I find out their needs  then I find out their story.  Divorced, bitter, broke, moving to town, starting a new job or moving into a new house. I like talking so it works out well for me.

A woman walked in a little while later who was in yesterday. (a good sign)  She looked familiar for some reason  but then again as Massey says "You know everybody momma." She wanted a king size mattress and box springs, said they were down to the wire and would bring her husband back in after he  got off work.

My buddy  came back to pick up the mattress Tim had helped me wrasle into a bag. He borrowed a truck from a friend of his and the tailgate didn't open so we had to lift it over the back. Not easy!

Down to ninety two pounds, I heated up some left over frozen pizza in the microwave and popped a cold Co-Cola.

Had several other peeps drop in  and think that two out of the three will come back tomorrow.

Then five minutes before closing, the woman came back with her husband and within the matter of five minutes decided on a $900 mattress set.  The husband said  "Ring us up, we're taking it." They wanted to pay with two different cards, splitting the cost. Never done that before but willing to try! I'm not really tech savvy, at best I am a hunt and peck girl by  trial and error. I was worried about it because the first transaction seemed to not go  through and was scared to  run the card again. If someone ran my card twice for a twenty dollar purchase I would be in the red. To be sure I called my buddy  at  corporate, at  eight 'clock. I bet his wife was thrilled!

We figured it out, after he logged into my computer and watched me process both cards. Huge shout out to Robert!

Then we loaded a giant mattress into the back of a pickup with one of those lift top covers. We wedged, we shifted and we moved but we got it in there! I was talking with them after we hoisted, shoved and crammed  the set into  their truck. I was telling them about the woman who came in yesterday wanting to borrow gas money and telling them about my boss from  my other job who asked if I gave the woman money? The customer looked at me and asked if I worked at the Italian restaurant across  the street? She perked up and said "You waited on us when we went there!"

Networking is the way to go!

So  the first week I did pretty much nothing but had a couple of sales. The second week I doubled my sales, and this third week I have already doubled my sales again and have one more day to go.

I'm thinking I may be good at this! I'm not techno savvy but know how to connect with people and for  some strange reason they seem to like me. I don't buy a lot of things but when I do it's always from someone I trust.

If tomorrow proves as good  as today, I may have found my niche.

Keeping my fingers crossed and putting on extra deodorant in the morning. I'm a tiny person but think I may be able to accomplish grand things.

Til next time...COTTON

Til next  time COTTON

Crazy Day...Again

Started another week at  the mattress gig today. I've taken the advice of one of my FB friends and just quit looking at  the calendar. It got off to a slow start so I wandered around the store taking pics to upload, this being one of them. I know it's going to take a while for peeps to realize we are now open seven days instead of four. Out of all the people who came in I feel like only one of them has no intention of coming back, the others I think I have a shot with. Buying a mattress is a major purchase especially if you get a really nice one and don't blame them for shopping around first.

Here's the kicker...
I was in  the store today ringing up a customer while they loaded their mattress onto their truck when a woman from last week came in. She came in last Tuesday and picked out a mattress, king size bed, dresser and mirror, chest of drawers plus a night stand. I worked her up a quote and she said she would come back next week. When I saw her walk in today thought to myself "BINGO!"

I finished my transaction and asked how she was doing today? She smiled, said she was doing okay but needed ten dollars for gas money and  thought she'd stop by to see if her new friend Kelly might lend it to her? Are you kidding me? (I felt like saying that  but didn't)  Here's the even worse part. When she walked in a man was paying cash for a mattress and had to make change out of my pocket because we were short on ones in the cash box, so she saw me pull bills out of my back pocket.  Yes I had some cash in my pocket; the tips I made last night which have to run us til Friday but simply couldn't turn this woman down. I split the difference and told her I had six dollars I could give her and did.

She smiled and hugged me telling me she would be back Friday to repay me. I told I didn't work there on Friday so she said she'd be back Saturday. Told I didn't work Saturday either but would be there again on Tuesday. She said she would be back then and still wanted that furniture!

After I closed the store I drove across the street to my restaurant job to pick up my pay check. It was only twenty seven dollars and  still owed Barb twenty  from the money she loaned me last week. Heck, at least I still got seven after paying her. I told her about the random woman asking for money  and she looked at me and said "Let me guess, you gave her some money."

Here's the  thing. It's not like six bucks will straighten out our financial situation but maybe it helped this woman's immediate situation. I choose to believe she was in desperate need and my meager contribution helped.

On the other hand, if she DOES come back and buy the $1800.00 worth of furniture and bedding from me, I'll let the six bucks slide. If I never see her again, at least I helped someone out.

On a completely different note, while sitting at  work during a  lull noticed on my FB page that a young girl who went to high school with Massey died after a tough  year long battle with brain cancer.

My worst nightmare is losing one of my kids. To lose one at  the tender age of sixteen almost seems like a crime. This brave young girl fought a year long battle and I choose to think of her not losing her battle today  but earning her just reward. As I  type, she is whole again and cancer free. She isn't in pain and suffers no more. She is an angel now and a lesson to us all. Life has no guarantee or warranty. Life is the instant you draw a breath, being able to exhale is a blessing.

My heart breaks for her family who are the one's who have to live with the grief of losing her.

Their hurt will never go away. They will feel it painfully and sharply for months and months and months if not years. They  will think and dwell on it day after day after day. They will NEVER get over the loss, but just one day somehow learn to live with it.

This girl is gone from their life forever and nothing can change that. I pray they concentrate on the fact that their daughter has changed many lives, struck a chord and made us all aware of how precious the gift of life is. I feel like writing them and saying "Thank you  for the gift of your daughter, she not only inspired us, she brought us together."

Now that's a pretty  great gift! Oh Madeline, you've touched  thousands and thousands, you  truly ARE an angel and  we all thank you for your gift...what an awesome way to be remembered!

Til next  time, COTTON

Pacing Myself

Worked  the day shift at  the restaurant yesterday. I wanted to go visit Massey at the university but still having car issues. I am borrowing a twenty five year old car from my sister and her husband. It's a Mercedes and still runs great albeit with a few intricacies. It takes a while to wiggle the key into the ignition but after Harvey told me you had to treat it like a feather, I've got that part worked out. Then when starting it first thing in the morning  have to pat furiously on the accelerator while turning the key (after feathering it into position) to get it started. Once you  let it warm up (that's when I finish my makeup in  the rear view mirror) it's good to go! The body is in great shape and even has a working stereo and A/C unlike my last ride! The tires aren't so great but am planning on buying two used tires in lieu of rental fees as soon as I can. It's great for what I need, getting back and forth to work, five miles away.

One of the girls I work with offered to drive us up in her car to  take Massey for a burger at The Vortex  and told her I'd chip in for gas. The girl is a HOOT! Naturally she is young enough to be my daughter , every female server but one is. She's super smart, going to school to be a Veterinarian and believe it or not even louder and crazier than me.  We'll call her a bawdy sort. Curses like a sailor, and has a laugh even louder than mine...I love her to death!

We picked up Massey and her new friend from  the dorm parking lot and after five minutes of throwing crap in the back, moving back packs, lunch boxes, empty drink bottles an open box of Hot Tamales and clothing; the kids finally had room to sit in the back seat. I shook hands with Massey's new friend and introduced him to Catie.  I told him she was a neat freak so don't mess up her car. He smiled and climbed in back with Massey. About one mile and twenty swear words from Catie later I told him Catie was a delicate flower and even he AND Catie laughed.

We checked in at The Vortex , put our name on the waiting list and meandered next door to  The Junkman's Daughter.

Massey's friend grew up in small town Valdosta and had never wandered off the GSU campus. The minute we walked into  the Junkman's Daughter he fell in love with the place. It's like stepping back in time while at the same time walking into some bizarre future. It's just a cool place. Where else  can  you buy a pair of squirrel underpants...whitey tighties none the less ? Actually a friend of mine gave me a pair last year for Christmas, they are tiny and even have the front flap! It's a crazy eclectic place you could spend hours in.

We walked back next  door and sat down in another really eclectic place. You  could spend hours just looking at  the walls, decorations, ceiling and the other people.

Here's Massey and her new friend with my sailor of a friend, Capt.Catie. Oh she looks innocent but looks are deceiving!

It was the best burger I have ever eaten. The tater tots were awesome,  the fried pickles were off the chain and it took us forever to choose a burger because there are so many to choose from.

Not over priced but really affordable. Our very tattooed waitress was really nice, the guy who worked there with  his keys attached to an actual tow chain hanging out of his pocket, pulling his already sagging pants down seemed friendly yet we all coexisted!

There is nothing like a trip to Little Five! (small pun)

Massey's roomie couldn't go with us and am still kicking myself in the butt for not ordering her a burger to go. You know, I'm old and stupid. I was worried about getting back home so Catie could study for school. Next  time I head up to see  the girls  will stop at The Vortex first and get Alison a burger to go or better yet take her there.

Went to bed early. woke up exhausted.

I'm pacing myself. I'm back to working seven days a week but grateful to have the opportunity. I woke up early, watched the news and thought about cutting the grass since I won't be til off again during the day til Friday. Then I thought about my work week, rolled over and patted the tummy of the pup next  to me and remained horizontal til two. It hasn't rained here in a while and can always cut the grass on Friday before I go into work at the restaurant.

Went into work tonight and even though it was slow (huge NOT shout out to Monday night football)  left with enough money  to run us til Friday.

One thing I DID learn while remaining horizontal today and too lazy to find the remote  is that the Maury Povich show almost makes the Jerry  Springer show seem like it should be on PBS. These guys are clowns and the people on their shows are puppets of clowns, at best. Do people really watch  these shows on purpose?

Heading to the Mattress store tomorrow and starting over yet again.

I waited on an older lady yesterday at the restaurant who is a regular but a delight to wait on. (if she likes you) I asked where she has been, haven't seen her in a while and she replied she had been in the hospital. I asked if she was okay now?

Classic moment.

She said  "Well it's good to be here and like people of my age say, it's better to be seen  than viewed."

Ain't  THAT the truth!

Doing it all again tomorrow and glad for the chance.

Til next  time...COTTON

Well That Shift Wore Me Slap Out!

Just got home from work at  the restaurant. We were down one server so of course we were busy...Murphy's Law. I didn't have a very big section but had a table coming in who requested me and is a forty percent tipper. My little section filled up when then they asked me to pick up another table. Heck yeah! Then they came up and asked me to pick up another table, done! Then one of my tables left and they cleaned it off, immediately resetting it and plopping three more people down. Then they simply said "And go pick up the four top at 604." At one point I had seven tables at once. Did I mention that I am fifty three?

I felt like I was in the Lucy episode where she and Ethyl worked on the candy  assembly line except I didn't have Ethyl to help me. I forgot to put one order in but caught it soon enough to go back and beg the cooks to make it on the fly. (restaurant term for "hurry the hell up")

Working in a restaurant is like working in a divided country. In my opinion servers are South Korea and cooks are North Korea. Of course ask them and they would say the reverse. In down times we all get along, unless you are a crappy server. If you're a crappy server  they are on your butt every minute of every shift and for that I don't blame them. I'm not the best server in the world but I'm no slacker and unlike a lot of the younger servers, know all the Latinos names. The cooks pushed ahead my late ticket and got the food out before the customers walked. They were a really nice couple and it's not like they didn't see me running around like I was in cartoon. I had another couple who while boxing up  their leftovers spilled a tiny drop of sauce on the man's pant leg. He said not to worry but I did. I came back  to the table with a cloth wet with fresh squeezed lemon and soda water on it. Yes I am old but yes I used to read 'Hints From Heloise' in the Sunday paper. I leaned down to dab the spot on his  pant leg around his calf but the minute I touched his pants knew they weren't "Dickies." Crap, they felt like linen pants or maybe even silk. I looked up and said "I'm guessing you didn't get these at  Wal Mart."

Then to top it off when I ran his credit card I  ran it for the table behind them, over charging him by  thirteen dollars. The owner credited back  the thirteen dollars to their card but in my flustered state didn't leave a copy for them to tip on. I saw the wife up front talking to Barb (One of the owners) and just knew she was complaining about my service. Gods be good, she was simply telling Barb I didn't give a slip for  them to leave a tip on so they would just bring back cash. I thought to myself, "I'll never see them again and my husband will never have a pair of pants as fancy  as that guy was wearing."

Whadda ya know? Thirty minutes later the dude walked back in and handed me thirteen bucks. I saw him come in  the  front door talking to the hostess and could tell he was describing me when he made hand gestures like he had short spiky hair.

I goofed up. I am only human. The thing is some people are nice about it and some people act like you  ruined not only their night but their life.

I bounce between my jobs.  At one I sit and wait for people to come to sell to, hoping they will buy. The other job they come in and have already decided to buy and simply want me to make it a pleasant experience.

It's been slow at  the new mattress gig but only the second week we've been open seven days. It wasn't a big week but I doubled my sales from last week. If I can do that every week I'll have something going on  in no time.

Waited on one table tonight who I bonded with and told me she would forward Tim's resume to KIA where she works.

Yee Haw!

It's  gonna happen for us, I have no doubts. (well maybe a few)

Going up Sunday afternoon to visit the little Miss Massey at Georgia State. A dear  friend of mine from work, Crazy Catie is going with me (actually driving  me) and we are taking the girls and their new friend to Lil Five in Atlanta, tooling around and then having a burger at The Vortex.

I've been taking Massey  to Little Five Points since she was fifteen.  We would walk by  The Vortex every  time we went but you  can't get in til you are eighteen and they are firm on it.

My girl is eighteen now, so is her roomie and so is their friend. Neither of them have been to Little Five and can't wait to introduce them to the most eclectic, exciting and unusual part of Atlanta.

Two more shifts  then I'm headed to downtown Atlanta. When I was a teen we spent almost every weekend there. That was when Underground Atlanta was REALLY underground. That was when the legal age was eighteen, and before they  realized  that was a stupid mistake.

Mid town Atlanta is  the most  amazing, growing, eclectic and accepting  part of  the city. It's a place where you  can be who you want to be and not be judged...and if you  are judged, we call those judgers tourists!

Looking forward to The Vortex!

Til next time...COTTON

So He Was Funny AND Smart

SOMETHING TO PONDER: George Carlin

George Carlin's wife died early in 2008 and George followed her, dying in July 2008. It is ironic George Carlin - comedian of the 70's and 80's - could write something so very eloquent and so very appropriate. An observation by George Carlin:

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things.

We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete.

Remember to spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.

Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.

Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.

Remember, to say, 'I love you' to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.

Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

And always remember, life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by those moments that take our breath away.

George Carlin

Simply...Wow!
Sometimes you see some real junk on Facebook and sometimes downright stupid things. Every once in a while you see something someone posted and makes you wonder if they even have a brain? Then every so often someone will post something that simply makes you stop for a minute and think of the grand scale of things and what's truly important. This observation by the late George Carlin did just that for me today.

I guess old folks way back when, summed it up pretty much with eight words: Take time to stop and smell the roses.

Life was definitely simpler when I was young and even more so when my own parents were. When we were little all our bedrooms were on the first floor of our house and each  had three windows in our rooms. In the summer we slept with  them wide open  and the front door rarely locked. We would wake our Diddy up and tell him someone or  something was outside. He would get up in his boxer shorts  and grab his flashlight, not a shot gun and go out to investigate. Lucky for us he never had to beat someone or something to death with his flashlight. He simply knew it was our crazy dreams, imaginations or nightmares or  more often than not some horror movie we had watched at  the East Point Theater earlier that day. They would run a triple horror movie special on Saturdays, just the words 'House of Wax' still makes me shudder.

We had one phone, in the kitchen. We had one TV, in the living room with four channels. The closest  thing we had to a computer was the Atari we won off  Channel Seventeen during a 'Dagwood and Blondie' marathon. We played 'Pong' with wide eyed amazement. Channel Seventeen went on to become WTCG which turned into WTBS and then Ted Turner launched CNN Headline News. I'll have to hand it to Ted, he was a mover and shaker in the TV industry. I remember when he had WTBS. He would have Bill Tush doing late night weather forecasts. Bill would come on and say "Darkness continuing til dawn" and leave it at  that.

We're a texting nation. We are too busy to stop and smell the roses. We are too busy  to look someone in the face or wrap our arms around a friend. We worry  too much about the little things and battle too much about the big things to get anywhere or get anything done.

In politics, it's all "Us against Them." Where did the "We" go? Unfortunately it turned into Wii.

I can't see us going back but have a hard time seeing us move ahead with all the accusations, infighting , finger pointing and blame game.

Does it really matter at  this point how we got here? You can't change the past, you can only change the future.

I feel like it matters more to come together, unite and find a resolution.

Hands down we live in the greatest  nation on the earth, let's live up to the title , come together and make some REAL change. Just imagine what we could accomplish if we all worked together.

Although I don't agree with  John on some of his thoughts on religion, that's okay, it's his song and his belief . What I do agree with is this world is deep need of putting down a device, looking someone in the face or maybe even holding their face. We need to  hold a hand more than we need to hold a cell phone. We need to go visit a friend instead of sending them a text. Smiley face symbols are nice and cute but a really tight hug  around the neck speaks volumes. You look someone in the eye and tell them how you feel and it changes their day or sometimes maybe even their life.

People do something good for you, take time to take out a pen and send them actual words of thanks written on paper. When's the last time you got something in your mail box besides a bill or junk mail?

We are all different. We all have different views, values and beliefs but are ALL human; Can we not agree on that and support each other regardless? Different strokes for different folks. To Each his own. Live and let live.

"Live for yourself and you will live in vain; Live for others, and you will live again."

Bob Marley was a very wise man.

Our country is struggling, the world is in turmoil. My life's a wreck  but feel lucky compared  to what's going on outside the parameters of my tiny existence on this earth.

Once again, take time to stop and smell the roses. Some people may  like one rose and some another. Does it really matter which rose you like or does it matter more that you took the time to stop and breathe in the beauty?

You tell me.

Til next time...COTTON

Yep, It's LABOR Day Weekend

What a weekend so far. I went into work this morning at eleven for a brunch shift and clocked out around six tonight. I'm not complaining, I mean it in a good way. Came home changed clothes, went to the front of the subdivision and finished the weed eating. Came back home changed clothes again and took Massey to get  a rain jacket. She walks to class every day at Georgia State and the last one I bought her was in elementary school. Swung by Kroger for my daily visit and came home and cooked dinner, if  you  call frying hot dogs in a pan dinner. At least we had chips too.

Between loading mattresses, slinging plates and running a weed eater, this little body is just about worn out. It beats the alternative though, sitting at  home with nothing to do or no job.

Massey leaves tomorrow to go back to school but between yard work and real work got to spend some nice quality time together. She is loving university life and I am loving HER loving university life. Working at  the restaurant again tomorrow and praying for rain. Cancelled cookouts mean going out to eat instead.

Took Ziggy on a walk a few minutes ago. I walked into  two different spider webs and they freaked me out. I hate that feeling...is the spider on me?  Ziggy didn't answer me but at least he  took a dump.

Tim and Massey  got all the laundry caught up this weekend, all the yards are cut and I'm tumbling into bed after eating one more hot dog.

Tuesday I start my second week at the mattress store. Last Thursday was hotter than blue blazes in there and pretty slow...  first  time they had been open on a Thursday. At  the furniture store I had all kind of recliners, sofas and loveseats  to choose from  to sit and read when business was slow.  Now I have a desk chair and a room full of  beds. I helped load up a queen size mattress and two box springs out the door and came back into  the sauna.  My back was killing me so marched my little self over to a thousand dollar memory  foam mattress by  the open front door, put a box fan on the dresser beside the bed and opened my book. It felt wonderful and  highly recommend the "Opulence" memory  foam king size mattress. It felt so wonderful  and I was so stinking tired. My last day off had been when we moved Massey into her fifth floor dorm room on a hot sweltering Atlanta day, so it wasn't  really even a day off. Closed my eyes and promised myself I would just rest my eyes for one minute. I jolted awake when I heard a man cough. He was just walking past me when patting on  the bed next  to me  said "Try this one out, it's awesome!"

Note to self: Never lay down on the Opulence mattress again with a book.

He ended up spending thirty minutes in the store with me and even worked him up a quote for a queen size mattress and box springs.

Crisis diverted and lesson learned.

I went in the back room and found  small pillow to put under my butt while I sat upright in my office chair.

I have the best of both worlds. I love working at  the restaurant and the peeps I work for. I love having three days of down time and utilizing my selling skills in a different way. It's made my life much more bearable  and feel much more rested.

So if you  ever want the best food south of Atlanta or a good deal on a mattress or bedroom suit, come see me...I promise not to be snoozing!

Til next  time...COTTON

Amazing Story Of Engineer Richi Parker! (Being Born Without Arms)

Productive But Hot Day

My little bestie came home for the weekend. It was nice to wake up this morning and hear her chattering away. I've missed my little talker.

 We drove over to the Fayette furniture store to buy her and her roomie a "Klick Klack." It's like a futon without arms and takes up a lot less space. They needed something to sit on besides their hard back desk chairs. The beds are lofted and not exactly easy to climb on and off. Her roomate's parents said they would split the cost with me so with my employee discount we each only had to shell out sixty bucks for a two hundred dollar sofa. Now they will have a place to sit together and study, watch TV or have a bed for visiting friends.

Took us a while to find the store, I've never been there  but finally found it, Massey parked her car and went inside. We stayed and chatted a while. I really like the manager, he trained with us when I was at  the old furniture store and have really missed the stock guy who moved there from my old store. He's an eighteen year old kid who is one of the nicest guys I've ever met. He lost his dad a few months back and can totally relate to that. We had quite a few laughs when we worked together and was good to see him again. We got a nice fabric covered couch, paid our half and told the manager Massey's room mate's dad would pick it up in his truck later.

We walked back out into the sweltering heat and Massey had a "Kelly moment." I went to the passenger side of the car waiting for her to unlock my side and she walked around to hers. She looked down at  the front driver's side and said "Somebody hit my car!" I walked around and sure enough, somebody obviously driving a white vehicle had smashed into her car right above the front tire. My  first reaction was "At least we can still drive it." The car parked next to us WAS a white SUV but didn't have any dents or scraps indicating it was was the guilty vehicle. Massey  asked if we had hit anything with her car while she has been gone and I assured her we hadn't. She took out her cell and called her daddy. She told him her car had been hit and he told her to call the police. I was fixing to go back inside the store to  ask if maybe any of them had seen anything when Massey said into her cell phone...wait a minute, this isn't my car." Her car was two spaces over. Granted the car we were trying to get into was the same color make and model, her little car sat dent free two spaces down! I told her, "You just had a Kelly moment!"

She's her momma's girl.

Went home, she and Tim made BLT's for lunch while I trudged up to the front of the subdivision to cut the jungle growing. They pay me sixty bucks a month and needed the money to help get me through the week. I'm not ashamed of needing money and never mind working for it, plus I love cutting grass. It takes me about a hour and a half to finish the cutting part and then another hour to weed eat. There are two deep ditches on either side and Johnny Dear has broken two blades hitting hidden rocks trying to cut them so I use my handy buddy, Mr. Weed Eater to do the ditches. Almost got hit by  two cars while riding Johnny...don't ask me why. Can they not see I am riding a mower with my back to traffic? My fave is when rednecks like to honk at me when then pass, scaring the poop out of me when cutting by  the street. Idiots! It was hotter than hot outside. I finished the mower part and trucked back down to the house on Johnny to rehydrate , drop off the bag of trash collected with my handy little 'picker upper thingy stick' Barb bought me. Ten minutes later I headed back up with a big cup of ice water between my legs and Mr. weed eater across my lap.  It hasn't rained in days but after all the rain we have gotten the grass has been growing like cray cray. (as Massey would say)

Took me a short while to finish the easy side with the small ditch, moved over to the side which has at least  fifty feet of ditch and hill. I cut til the line ran out then threw in the towel and putted back to the house. As Scarlett said, "There's always tomorrow."

Went home and took a shower for work and the mud and grass in  the floor of my shower bordered on the ridiculous.  My hair is only one inch long but had to wash it twice before grass clippings  quit falling out.

Little Massey made dinner for the boys while I went to (real) work.  It wasn't super busy but felt good to be in A/C  and did okay. Labor Day weekend isn't the greatest in the restaurant world but when you are a decent sever you can make it happen or at least worth your while.

Just feel grateful Massey's car wasn't really hit  or me either, cutting the front of the subdivision by  the road.  Got home at a decent hour, headed to bed and heading back to work again in the morning.

We are far from rich yet truly blessed. Click on this link for an eye opening, it was for me.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69pZbheL8BQ&feature=player_embedded



If this guy can be upbeat, happy and successful it would be a crime for me to complain about anything.

Til next  time...a lucky, lucky COTTON!

I don't  think the link worked so I am just posting it, hoping you take the  time to watch.

Sweating Like an Oldie (old woman that is)

The new mattress store I work at doesn't run the A/C either. It's just to keep overhead down hence prices too, which is a good thing for customers....for hot flashing female employees, not so much. At least it's a much  smaller store and I have two huge double doors I keep propped open in the front and two huge cargo doors directly across from them in the back. It's no where near as hot as the furniture store was and  mattresses are a lot easier to load than couches, especially when you  weigh 99 pounds. It's started off slow being the first week  they've been open seven days as opposed to just Friday  through Monday. I sold a queen size mattress and two queen size box springs today so at least I'm on the boards.

Last night when I went to leave and lock the front door, my key the other manager had given me didn't fit the lock.  I guess I should have tried the key  the day he gave it to me but I'm not much of a thinker. I called him at  home and he told me to use a spare key he had made for the owner in the lock box.

Tonight after we closed I wiped the greasy film of oil off my face with  a paper towel, clocked out and went to lock the door. I noticed I had TWO extra keys on my key ring. My sweet sis and her hubs have loaned us their spare car to use and when they gave me the key on a ring I guess their house key was on it too. Last night I was trying to lock the store with their house key, not the store key. Am I a dope or what?

Came home to a whole other issue. Suddenly and out of nowhere, the last couple of weeks Ziggy has decided he wants to go after Ham every time he sees him. The problem (well the main one) is that Ham can't see and instinctively goes in to defense mode...which added together equals a dog fight. Ham and Zig used to curl up every night together and seemingly out of nowhere there seems to be a dominance struggle. The last dog fight happened when I was home alone and absolutely terrified me. I got two busted knees just pulling them apart. Charlie has opted out of the last few fights, he used to get in fights with Ham when Ham could see and got his butt whipped so much we used to call him Scarface. I want to get all  three neutered and think it will help. Zach is all opposed to it, but of course his vote doesn't really count unless he wants to start paying for dog food , shots and heart worm preventative.

My  sister used to have two male boxers who started doing the same thing and they bought an electric  prod. They would just zap  them quickly on the hip and it broke the dogs up.  They haven't used it in a few years but loaned it to me. I bought new batteries for it but how do I know it's still working unless I zap somebody (it doesn't make any noise)? Tim very strongly  declined to be the test dummy and Zach looked at me like I was crazy when I asked him. It's gotten to the point that if Ziggy even sees Ham in the house he goes after him, therefore we have to leave Ziggy out back in the yard most of the day. Ziggy and Charlie still get along great, they can be out back together or in the house together but for some unknown canine reason, Ziggy just wants to go after Ham. Ham weighs almost as much  as me and Ziggy's getting close.

Tim said we needed to get rid of one of them but that's not an option to me. I love all three of the goofs and when I ended up with three dogs, vowed to take care of three dogs. I've read all Caesar Milan's articles on stopping dog fights but unless he comes to my house to show me how...it ain't working.

I'm thinking chopping nuts is the best route. I wouldn't mind leaving Ziggy out back  all day but he is an escaper and we have to keep him on a cable run. Granted it runs from the top of one fence to the other but doesn't let him have full range of the entire back yard.

Here's what I'm gonna do since I'm the momma. I'm taking one dog a week to the mobile vet,  getting them neutered, and once all three have healed keeping the prod handy but electrifying the back fence where if the neutering doesn't work at least Ziggy can run and enjoy a half acre fenced in yard.

GVS turned us down for Ham's eye surgery saying it wasn't necessary surgery. They have given me four other organizations who help fund surgery for dogs and contacting all of them. If Ham could see, I truly believe it would be a different ball game. He gets so nervous now when anything out of the ordinary happens and I can't blame him...being blind is a tough nut to swallow. (small pun intended)

Here's my question, why don't vets do any "Pro Bono" surgery? If they read Ham's story and the situation we are in, shouldn't they WANT to help? Isn't there some kind of canine Hippocratic oath they take? Thanks to so many friends all  three of my pups are up to date on their shots, all heart worm free and all on preventative.

We need a miracle here because I have no intention of  getting rid of any of my precious pups, I simply need some help. They are part of my family and my family sticks together.

This is the way I want to see  them all together again...copacetic.Maybe the world can't get along, but these three pups surely and somehow can, or should  I have named them Iran, Syria and Afghanistan?

Til next  time...COTTON

Day One Done

Just got home from my first day at  the new job. I moved from the furniture store to the mattress store.  It's the first day they've been open seven days so I  knew it wouldn't be terribly busy. The main difference is  that at the furniture store a lot of people just came in to pass time. When you go to a mattress store, you pretty much are looking for something specific to purchase. I had a few people come in and all seemed interested in buying. Granted they didn't but I think at least  three of them were serious and may come back later on this week and buy.

It was much easier than when I started at  the furniture store. At least I am familiar with the computer system and they have a lot of the mattresses we had. They also have some bedroom furniture I've sold before and got in a new shipment of mattresses today that are really top of the line. I'm not banking on the young woman who came in wearing a tube top, booty shorts and bedroom slippers but all the other customers seemed genuinely interested.

I never met the guy who worked there before me but talked with him on the phone a couple of times when we didn't have a specific mattress at the furniture store a customer wanted. Just like him, I work alone. I got tickled today when by  the front door and noticed a sign he had made to hang on the glass door of the store.

 Well, at least it gets the point across, but don't think I'll be using it. Then I flipped it over and laughed out loud.

Underneath the post it note he had written thirty minutes, then scratched that out and added another message. Then I guess he needed to be gone longer and a whole new sign seemed unnecessary so he just edited with a post it note... only a man.

Not meaning to diss the guy but these look like "will work for food" signs guys stand on downtown street corners with.

On another note, talked to Massey a couple of  times today and she seems to be loving university life. It hasn't been as painful as I  thought it would be, thanks to cell phones and social media. She seems to be making friends and settling right in.

It's been a long day. Started another new job, broke two nails and my lower back is aching like crazy thanks to my much unwanted visitor, Aunt Flow.

Staying positive, hoping my peeps come back tomorrow to buy and packing a big lunch. Ten hours at work even make a skinny girl hungry. The other manager came by  this morning to help unload the truck and while he was there I walked next door to the Dollar Tree to buy a clipboard for my inventory list. They didn't have a clipboard but  bought a huge bag of Whoppers, some advil for my back and a bag of  FunYuns. I took yogurt, fruit, two sandwiches and chips to work with me but the whoppers and fake onion rings got me through. I have terrible eating habits, or do I really even need to say that?

Waking up early and taking ONLY good things to eat with me. If you live near me and need a mattress or bedroom furniture, stop by and see me,  they have some really good prices. Just be sure to come by on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday!

Til next  time...COTTON

First Visit

Worked the day shift at  the restaurant today. My sister and her husband came in to eat brunch with her former flight attendant buddy, her husband and one of their daughters. It wasn't balls to  the walls busy  so I got to chat while I waited on  them. It was my sister's friends  anniversary so Cin had me get my boss Len  to make them  his yummy cannoli cake for dessert.  I've told my sister about how when parties order one we take it out and show them the cake, let them take pictures then take it back to the kitchen to cut and serve it. That way, us servers are sure to get a nice fat slice too!

After they finished brunch my sister said "We'll be wanting you  to cut our cake at  the table please." She so funny!! There was plenty left over for us servers, Barb (the owner's wife) and the guests of honor. Len bakes a mean cake.

Massey's roomie's mom brought some blackout curtains and a curtain rod by for the girl's dorm room which gets full sun through a huge window so after work I went for a short visit. The bartender at  work wanted to go with me, got off when I did  and actually HAS a car, unlike me so it worked out great! We zipped up there in no time in her cute little Scion. We parked in the lot next  to  the dorm. It said $6.00 on  the sign and said to put  the money into  a slot on one of  those big self pay boxes. We were in space number 41. I went to put the money in but the numbers started at  101 and went up  to 180. I told her what the heck, we weren't staying long, lets just go get  the girls and take them to dinner.

If I was worried  about  Massey's safety (which I am) fears were quickly put to rest when we stepped into  the lobby of her dorm. I told them I was there to see Massey  Cotton. They told me she had to  come downstairs  to check me in. When Massey  got  there, I had to surrender my drivers license, give them my cell phone number and after scrutinizing my ID had a bracelet taped around my wrist. When you get in the elevator to go up to her floor, Massey has to scan her card before the elevator will work. So I had to wait in line for a minute or two, I'm  down with that...just keep my girl safe. Even when students  come into  the lobby,  they have to stop and show their ID before going to the elevators. I like it!

We went up  to their room and hung the curtains for them. We had the door propped open and  I bet at  least four people stopped by and said hello to the girls, one of them even said "You must be Mrs. Cotton, nice to meet you!"

I'm thinking I like this place!

I was worried about  my friend's car and would hate to drive back  to Newnan with her car booted. I remember a Simpsons episode when Homer's car got booted and he drove home anyway with  the car kerplunking over the boot. Click on the video.

Her car wasn't booted so we all piled in and went to the Varsity for a lube job. We ordered our  food when my friend decided to add a F.O. to her order. That  would be a Frosted Orange, a frozen specialty at  the Varsity. She told the girl  behind the counter "That's $2.39 extra." The girl said "How'd you know that?" My friend  said it was on the menu board behind the  girl's  head, but I chirped right in, pointed at my friend and said "She used to work here." The girl said "For real?" I almost said "Fo shizzle!"

Let me just state here that I have been eating at  the Varsity  since  the sixties and have NEVER seen a white person behind the counter at  the Varsity taking orders. Giving them, maybe. It's mostly African Americans and Indians ( dot not the feather).

We  ate our deliciously disgusting food and had  a great  chat. We  took the girls back  to their dorm taking the scenic route.  Downtown Atlanta is an amazing and beautiful city. I'm elated that Massey has  this opportunity and know she will make the most of it. We illegally parked again in the lot and walked  the girls back  to the front door of the dorm.

Hugs all around, kisses and hugs again.

It's crazy, but I'm okay with this so far. I thought I would be a wreck but feel really good about the security. If they are ever anywhere on campus and feel uneasy they can make a call and be escorted home by  campus police. Buses for  the school run every ten minutes and you can't get on one without scanning  your card.

It takes a little time to get into her dorm to see her but I appreciate the extra effort.

She starts classes tomorrow. I have a good feeling about this. It's not been easy getting her this far but know in my heart she will take and appreciate this opportunity, make us all proud and go far in life.

HUGE shout out to my brother who helped make it all happen. Huge shout out to my sister and bro in law who loaned me a car tonight so I can start my new job  this week. Just a general shout  to everyone who loves and cares for me, I am one extremely stinking lucky person.

Life is good, God is good and I am blessed beyond belief! It's a wonderful  thing to be loved.

Til next  time...COTTON

Are You Kidding Me?

Haven't heard from her in  three months, no visits or any indication she had any plan to ever surface in  my life again,  yet she shows up at midnight knocking at my menopausal door...Aunt Flow.

I'm pretty ticked. She didn't even send her most obvious calling card, a zit. I'm just about ready to sue somebody. I'm definitely cutting THIS aunt out of my will. Here's the thing, I can deal with the night sweats, all it takes is kicking off the covers. Now she wants me to go buy more tampons for her unexpected visit, the selfish little bee-otch. What about men? What do THEY have to deal with in their fifties, besides crazy menopausal women? Case closed.

Guess I don't have much choice but to let her visit, but I'm still ticked. I got off from work after ten and went to the store before heading home dog tired from a huge butt whooping. Could she not let me know she was coming before I checked out at the store? Aunt Flow is totally insensitive and last time I checked wasn't even on our family tree. She's simply a rude intruder.

On a brighter note, Massey's all moved into her dorm room and beginning her college life. I'm going up to visit her tomorrow after work to take her  few more things and treat her and her roomie to a lube job at The Varsity. The Varsity is definitely an Atlanta experience not to be missed.

The best onion rings in the world. Hot dogs are incredible too but my favorite is the chili steak. A little burger with chili. I eat mine with lots of mustard, a little ketchup and tons of raw chopped onion. The fries are pretty stinking good too. It's a greasy dinner but wonderful!

Starting my new job at  the mattress store on Tuesday. With Massey gone it will take my mind off losing yet another kid to the world.

These past few weeks have been nice only having one job but realistically I need the two. My new/old car isn't ready yet so my sister and bro in law are loaning me a car for a week. (Go Family!)

Life keeps rolling along whether you are ready or not.

Going to bed in a tee and undies, feet sticking out for cool air and waiting for Aunt Flow to wreak havoc. Some relatives are just  a pain in the butt.

Til next  time...a hot flashing COTTON. 

That Wasn't So Bad

We moved Massey into her dorm room today. She's going to Georgia State University located smack dab in the middle of downtown Atlanta. It's a huge school surrounded by an even huger city. She's one block up from the Municipal Market and as we passed it, brought back many memories of going there as a little kid with my grandparents. It was Atlanta's original farmer's market and you  can still buy just about anything there. We got there right on  time following in our car behind her room mate's parents. Free parking right next door to the dorm for move in day. I haven't seen free parking on an Atlanta downtown street since...never and I grew up here.

Still didn't make it easy. These two girls brought enough stuff to move to another planet. To top it off their dorm room is on the fifth floor and it was boiling hot outside. At least it wasn't raining and at least they weren't on the top sixth floor.

Massey's room mate's parents (who I could never say enough nice things about) brought a handy little collapsible wagon and we loaded it up and all carried armloads as well. You had to wait in  line for the elevator  and the line was out the door. I'll have to say they handled the crush of kids moving in really well and tried to load the elevators according to what floor all the peeps were going to to save time. I was sweating like an overweight man in thermal underwear and a snow suit.

Tim went back downstairs and rented us a huge push container large enough to move a small pony in and that helped.  Every time we went back to the parking lot we loaded the container and the wagon. Ten loads later we had everything up  to the fifth floor and were  all sweating like Mel Gibson at a temple.

Tim and Allen moved  the beds to make more room for the girls and we started unpacking. Pretty much all we took were Massey's clothes and bedding. She had some nice graduation presents, towels, coffee maker, mugs, and cool things my friends  gave her, rolling cart, desk top accessories, rugs, mattress pad, spare linens, cool Indian looking throw, desk lamp and a few other things. My biggest donation was a new tunnel fan I bought when our A/C was out.

Massey's  room mate brought a cool retro fridge and microwave, flat screen TV, brand new printer/fax/copier and  a wireless router. Her dad sat it all up and programed everything. (you  gotta love a Ga. Tech grad)

Here's the thing that touched me the most. He went on and on about how GREAT it was to have a tunnel fan in  their room and seemed totally sincere. Let me also say he's a pretty massive guy, we wore him out and he stood in front of it multiple times to cool off after helping to lug enough clothing to cover every  naked child in Ethiopia up to the fifth floor of a dorm room.

It's not like this family is rich (although compared to us they are.) They don't flaunt it, they  share it. They don't look down on us, they lift us up. They love my girl and my girl loves them.

Today we were all equals. Today we were parents dropping our girls off at  college and I was blown away by  their generosity, sincerity and humility.

Massey knows how to pick a room mate.

Massey did bring some really cool  circle stickers, some made of chalk board and some made of dry erase to leave notes for each other and looked awesome on their closet doors.

Here's our "Tech" man hooking up the printer, TV and wireless router. Massey did paint the hanging over her room mate's bed with her initials.

We all went downstairs to eat with the girls  to see what  the meal plan offered.

 All kind of vegetables, baked ziti, tofu for the vegans, wild rice and scalloped potatoes.

 Flounder stuffed with crab meat, rolls, cabbage.

 Chicken Marsala.

 A huge salad bar with everything you could ever possibly want on a salad and then some.

 They even had pizza. Four different soups to choose from, rotisserie chicken and even fried green beans.

They had at least twenty different kinds of breakfast cereal to choose from and an omelet bar.

They had frozen yogurt, ice cream, all kind of desserts, smoothies and cappuccinos.

Tim ate like he was at  the Golden Coral after a two month fast  and I can't much blame him.

My fave was the mac& cheese bar...four different types to choose from.

Talk about a dorm room with a view. They are in the nerve center of one of the biggest cities in the United States.

And this is just looking out the window of their dorm room.

The school mascot, Pounce even  came by  to meet them!

It was such a long hot day , had so much  to do that it all just became "Blurred Lines"as Robin Thicke sings.

Tim had to leave on the job search front so I bummed a ride home (getting good at it) with Massey's roomie's parents.

Massey was so happy and I was so happy for her I forgot to get emotional. I simply hugged her and told her I'd see her soon.

The only time I teared up was on my bummed ride home. I told them I wanted them to know how much we appreciated  all they have done for my girl.

And like the wonderful people they are  said they felt blessed Massey had come into their daughter's life.

Icing on the cake, my brother got Massey tickets in a private suite tonight for the Bruno Mars concert at Phillips Arena. I called Massey and said "There will probably be lots of food in the suite so take some zip loc baggies with you."  She totally shot my idea down.

We all told the girls before we left today to take a cab to the arena, a five minute ride from their dorm and take one back home. I'm a little nervous about it but you  know what? They are both eighteen and living in the ATL now.

You  gotta let them grow up sometime.

My back is killing me from the move but am a happy mom. My girl is moving on , spreading her wings and taking flight.

That's why they call them high school GRADUATES.  Graduate is defined by  Webster's as  "To advance to a  new level of skill, achievement, or  activity."

I think she's hit all three today. Can't wait to see what else she can do.

Once again reminded how absolutely lucky we are.

Til next  time...COTTON