A $50 tooth

Two of my children have no carried on the tradition of losing their first tooth to the hands of a dentist. 

The same thing happened to me. My mother was too chicken to pull it. So was I. We let Dr. Hillis do it with a pair of pliers. He did it with speed and precision. 

Mama referred to it as a $50 tooth after that. 

I had an idea then what she meant. After Riley Mae and Robb sitting in the dentist chair, I have more than an idea. 

Branching out

I looked at some of the technical stuff on the back end of this blog and according to the numbers in the analytics, this blog has been viewed more than 1,000 times.  That impressed me at first, until I realized I keep silent for around 10 months at a time.

Someone else I know started up a blog on this platform.  She's writing it in support of a new series at work called "New Family Tree."

Here's a link to her dispatches:  http://britneyoffscript.blogspot.com/2014/05/the-new-family-tree.html

Unlike the confinement of time and space on a television news broadcast, Britney Glaser spends a lot of time sharing her personal feelings.  I like that side of her.  I wish more people would open up like she does.  She's one of those members of my staff that keeps me honest, motivated, and on my toes.

Enjoy the reading.

Will and me

The marching band refused to yield...

Every weekday morning, I wake up to he very distant and faint sounds of drums being played and horns being blown. 

It's become a pleasant ritual for me because it brings back some faint memories of long ago. 

What I've been listening to is the Barbe Buccaneer Band in south Lake Charles. My house is about a mile from where they practice in the mornings. My bedroom window faces that direction. Unlike the boom boom bass blaring sound systems I often hear pass down Country Club Rd, the Barbe kids make good music. 

The first time I heard them play from up here took me back to my West Street bedroom in the hometown. We didn't have air conditioning, so the window was open 8 or 9 months out of the year. I could hear conversations from the 7-11 up town. I could hear the kids on the playground at the elementary school. This was especially attractive because I wasn't yet in school and wanted to go. The playground noise from 3 blocks away made me want to go even more. 

Then, there was the sounds of the marching band practicing. The horns, the drums, the woodwinds. All in perfect harmony. 

I couldn't see any of this. I could only hear it. It left the rest up to my imagination.  Who was playing? How were they dressed? I imagined the band was wearing the trademark black and orange military uniform, complete with the bandmaster hat and quill. 

Of course, they weren't. Not for practice anyway. Not at 7:15 a.m. 

But that's how remembered it anyway. 

Spiders & Snakes

Jim Stafford once had a hit song with "I don't like spiders and snakes... And that's not what it takes to love me.. Like I want to be loved by you."

I never paid much attention to spiders or snakes unless they crossed my path. Even then, I didn't give them a second thought. 

Then, the other morning, I woke up with what may be evidence of a spider encounter. Maybe it was trying to find a nice place to sleep. Whatever it was doing, it took a stab at my right elbow, and I haven't been right since. 

So far, I've missed 8 hours of work, made 3 visits to the doctor, got a shot in the hip, 2 prescriptions, and an IV drip. 

Thanks, spider... or whatever the hell you were. 

Sparta, Mississippi

A while back, I bought this little device that plugs into the back of the TV that's yet another technological wonder. 

It costs around $35 and takes the video I show on my phone or computer and puts it on the big screen. 

The concept is that we can watch anything online. As far as the laptop goes, it's not that fast. It does work... Most of the time. 

On the iPhone, it works fabulously. I can even update this space while watching. 

Speaking of watching, I don't watch much of anything unless it's old re-runs of In the Heat of the Night. Remember that show?  

It's set in Sparta, Mississippi around a small town police dept. Someone who has a YouTube account was kind enough to upload several hours of this show. 

If I could find them and offer money for more episodes, I would. I never did see all of the last season on TV. 

Mind control doesn't really work on dishes

Ever stare at the pile of dirty dishes in the kitchen and feel defeated before you even start to clean?

Me too. 

No, they won't clean themselves. 

But I can wish they would. 

They won't though.