We made it through the first night of crate bound and Lilly trying to do Carla's job while she is confined. Lilly is going around trying to check on everyone.
Sean is trying to come down with something he was running a low fever last night (99.5), so hopefully he will be bounding back today.
I met up with Walter & Tim down towards Chester this morning, in order to look at the Volvo that Walter was thinking about purchasing. Well, around & around we went there we were right in front of the train tracks. The car is terrific. Walter decided that it was going to fit him just right. The price is terrific and it has plenty of room. He won't be able to pick it up until the end of next week since he will be working out of town. The car is a very nice dignified gray with black leather interior and a huge trunk. It appears that the "he is going to have plenty of leg room" and as an added bonus there are no air bags!!! We all know how much he dislikes those pesky things.
Sean had Tweat out of her cage for a bit this morning. It seems that a good portion of her flight feathers have grown back in. She was in all kinds of places. She even was sitting on top of the curtain in the family room for a short while.
Sean showed her the Christmas tree and she took to the tree quite well. We had a very animated ornament on the tree for a while. She looked so cute.
Then she decided to go into the inner portion of the tree to investigate it further. Ooops! If she had been given time she probably would have found her a nice place to set up housekeeping there. On the way to getting her back into her cage she took off in flight and landed safely on top. No problem getting her back into her "house".
Our patient is behaving nicely. She has had some nice low playing Christmas music going in her room. She has also decided that sleeping on her bed is the ideal thing to do. No trouble getting her out to go potty, except that she wants to bolt down the stairs instead of letting me carry her down.
Our birthday boy opened his presents before we headed out to lunch this afternoon. We went out to Red Lobster with Louise to celebrate Dean's birthday. Lunch was very nice. However, I do believe that everyone is now in the mood for a nice long nap. I've delivered Walter back home and taken care of the girls so I think I'm heading up to watch a movie in my room with Carla, and Lilly who will follow me.
After an afternoon of resting up from lunch the boys and I headed out to do some final Christmas shopping. I want to tell you WalMart was a mess as was the Target store. People every where. Long lines and short on cashiers. We hit the Office Max store also, now that's where to shop short lines and lots of folks to help you out with anything you need.
Having secured the last item on the list we finally made it back home to settle in for the evening. I've been working on the days' photos, and keeping Carla comfortable. Now, all I need to do is find out for sure what time church is in the morning and I will be all set to go for Christmas Eve.
Email & Newsletter Gleanings:
Thought for the Day: "A good dinner and feasting reconciles everybody" - Samuel Pepys
A church was preparing for Christmas services. The pastor decided he wanted a banner made for the entryway and had a parishioner call the banner company
The parishioner told the man on the phone the message he wanted and the dimensions needed for the entryway.
The sign came back a few days later: . . "Unto Mary Jesus was born, six feet long and two feet wide."
What do you say when you get a gift you *Really Don't Like*.
At a TD Club meeting many years before his death, Coach Bryant told the following story...typical of the way he operated.
I had just been named the new head coach at Alabama and was off in my old car down in South Alabama recruiting a prospect who was supposed to have been a pretty good player and I was havin' trouble finding the place. Getting hungry I spied an old cinder block building with a small sign out front that simply said "Restaurant." I pull up, go in and every head in the place turns to stare at me. Seems I'm the only white fella in the place. But the food smelled good so I skip a table and go up to a cement bar and sit.
A big ole man in a tee shirt and cap comes over and says, "What do you need?" I told him I needed lunch and what did they have today? He says, "You probably won't like it here, today we're having chitlins, collared greens and black eyed peas with cornbread. I'll bet you don't even know what chitlins are, do you?" I looked him square in the eye and said, "I'm from Arkansas, I've probly eaten a mile of them. Sounds like I'm in the right place." They all smiled as he left to serve me up a big plate.
When he comes back he says, "You ain't from around here then?" And I explain I'm the new football coach up in Tuscaloosa at the University and I'm here to find whatever that boy's name was and he says, yeah I've heard of him, he's supposed to be pretty good. And he gives me directions to the school so I can meet him and his coach.
As I'm paying up to leave, I remember my manners and leave a tip,not too big to be flashy, but a good one and he told me lunch was on him, but I told him for a lunch that good, I felt I should pay. The big man asked me if I had a photograph or something he could hang up to show I'd been there. I was so new that I didn't have any yet. It really wasn't that big a thing back then to be asked for, but I took a napkin and wrote his name and address on it and told him I'd get him one. I met the kid I was lookin' for later that afternoon and I don't remember his name, but do remember I didn't think much of him when I met him. I had wasted a day, or so I thought.
When I got back to Tuscaloosa late that night, I took that napkin from my shirt pocket and put it under my keys so I wouldn't forget it. Hell, back then I was excited that anybody would want a picture of me. And the next day we found a picture and I wrote on it, Thanks for the best lunch I've ever had, Paul Bear Bryant.
Now let's go a whole buncha years down the road. Now we have black players at Alabama and I'm back down in that part of the country scouting an offensive lineman we sure needed. Y'all remember, (and I forget the name, but it's not important to the story), well anyway, he's got two friends going to Auburn and he tells me he's got his heart set on Auburn too, so I leave empty handed and go on see some others while I'm down there.
Two days later, I'm in my office in Tuscaloosa and the phone rings and it's this kid who just turned me down, and he says, "Coach, do you still want me at Alabama?" And I said, "Yes I sure do." And he says OK, he'll come. And I say, "Well son, what changed your mind?" And he said, "When my grandpa found out that I had a chance to play for you and said no, he pitched a fit and told me I wasn't going nowhere but Alabama, and wasn't playing for nobody but you. He thinks a lot of you and has ever since y'all met."
Well, I didn't know his granddad from Adam's housecat so I asked him who his granddaddy was and he said, "You probly don't remember him, but you ate in his restaurant your first year at Alabama and you sent him a picture that he's had hung in that place ever since. That picture's his pride and joy and he still tells everybody about the day that Bear Bryant came in and had chitlins with him. My grandpa said that when you left there, he never expected you to remember him or to send him that picture, but you kept your word to him and to Grandpa, that's everything. He said you could teach me more than football and I had to play for a man like you, so I guess I'm going to."
I was floored. But I learned that the lessons my mama taught me were always right. It don't cost nuthin' to be nice. It don't cost nuthin' to do the right thing most of the time, and it costs a lot to lose your good name by breakin' your word to someone. When I went back to sign that boy, I looked up his Grandpa and he's still running that place, but it looks a lot better now; and he didn't have chitlins that day, but he had some ribs that woulda made Dreamland proud and I made sure I posed for a lot of pictures; and don't think I didn't leave some new ones for him, too, along with a signed football. I made it clear to all my assistants to keep this story and these lessons in mind when they're out on the road. And if you remember anything else from me, remember this. +++ It really doesn't cost anything to be nice, and the rewards can be unimaginable. "Have A Blessed Day"
Sean is trying to come down with something he was running a low fever last night (99.5), so hopefully he will be bounding back today.
I met up with Walter & Tim down towards Chester this morning, in order to look at the Volvo that Walter was thinking about purchasing. Well, around & around we went there we were right in front of the train tracks. The car is terrific. Walter decided that it was going to fit him just right. The price is terrific and it has plenty of room. He won't be able to pick it up until the end of next week since he will be working out of town. The car is a very nice dignified gray with black leather interior and a huge trunk. It appears that the "he is going to have plenty of leg room" and as an added bonus there are no air bags!!! We all know how much he dislikes those pesky things.
Sean had Tweat out of her cage for a bit this morning. It seems that a good portion of her flight feathers have grown back in. She was in all kinds of places. She even was sitting on top of the curtain in the family room for a short while.
Sean showed her the Christmas tree and she took to the tree quite well. We had a very animated ornament on the tree for a while. She looked so cute.Then she decided to go into the inner portion of the tree to investigate it further. Ooops! If she had been given time she probably would have found her a nice place to set up housekeeping there. On the way to getting her back into her cage she took off in flight and landed safely on top. No problem getting her back into her "house".
Our patient is behaving nicely. She has had some nice low playing Christmas music going in her room. She has also decided that sleeping on her bed is the ideal thing to do. No trouble getting her out to go potty, except that she wants to bolt down the stairs instead of letting me carry her down.
Our birthday boy opened his presents before we headed out to lunch this afternoon. We went out to Red Lobster with Louise to celebrate Dean's birthday. Lunch was very nice. However, I do believe that everyone is now in the mood for a nice long nap. I've delivered Walter back home and taken care of the girls so I think I'm heading up to watch a movie in my room with Carla, and Lilly who will follow me.After an afternoon of resting up from lunch the boys and I headed out to do some final Christmas shopping. I want to tell you WalMart was a mess as was the Target store. People every where. Long lines and short on cashiers. We hit the Office Max store also, now that's where to shop short lines and lots of folks to help you out with anything you need.
Having secured the last item on the list we finally made it back home to settle in for the evening. I've been working on the days' photos, and keeping Carla comfortable. Now, all I need to do is find out for sure what time church is in the morning and I will be all set to go for Christmas Eve.
Email & Newsletter Gleanings:
Thought for the Day: "A good dinner and feasting reconciles everybody" - Samuel Pepys
Christmas Sign
A church was preparing for Christmas services. The pastor decided he wanted a banner made for the entryway and had a parishioner call the banner company
The parishioner told the man on the phone the message he wanted and the dimensions needed for the entryway.
The sign came back a few days later: . . "Unto Mary Jesus was born, six feet long and two feet wide."
Top Ten Gift Comments
What do you say when you get a gift you *Really Don't Like*.
- 10. "Well, well, well, now, there's a gift!"
9. "No, with all the hostile takeovers this year, I missed the big Ronco/K-Tel/Ginsu merger. Would you just look at that! What will they think of next?!"
8. "Hey, as long as I don't have to feed it, or clean up after it, or put batteries in it, I'm happy!"
7. "No, really, I didn't know that there was a Chia Pet tie! Oh, wow! It's a clip-on too!"
6. "You know, I always wanted one of these! Jog my memory -- what's it called again?"
5. "You know what? -- I'm going to find a special place to put this!"
4. "Boy, you don't see craftsmanship like that every day!"
3. "And it's such an interesting color too!!
2. "You say that was the last one? Am I ever glad that you snapped that baby up!"
- "You shouldn't have! I mean it -- you really shouldn't have!"
Bear Bryant Story
At a TD Club meeting many years before his death, Coach Bryant told the following story...typical of the way he operated.
I had just been named the new head coach at Alabama and was off in my old car down in South Alabama recruiting a prospect who was supposed to have been a pretty good player and I was havin' trouble finding the place. Getting hungry I spied an old cinder block building with a small sign out front that simply said "Restaurant." I pull up, go in and every head in the place turns to stare at me. Seems I'm the only white fella in the place. But the food smelled good so I skip a table and go up to a cement bar and sit.
A big ole man in a tee shirt and cap comes over and says, "What do you need?" I told him I needed lunch and what did they have today? He says, "You probably won't like it here, today we're having chitlins, collared greens and black eyed peas with cornbread. I'll bet you don't even know what chitlins are, do you?" I looked him square in the eye and said, "I'm from Arkansas, I've probly eaten a mile of them. Sounds like I'm in the right place." They all smiled as he left to serve me up a big plate.
When he comes back he says, "You ain't from around here then?" And I explain I'm the new football coach up in Tuscaloosa at the University and I'm here to find whatever that boy's name was and he says, yeah I've heard of him, he's supposed to be pretty good. And he gives me directions to the school so I can meet him and his coach.
As I'm paying up to leave, I remember my manners and leave a tip,not too big to be flashy, but a good one and he told me lunch was on him, but I told him for a lunch that good, I felt I should pay. The big man asked me if I had a photograph or something he could hang up to show I'd been there. I was so new that I didn't have any yet. It really wasn't that big a thing back then to be asked for, but I took a napkin and wrote his name and address on it and told him I'd get him one. I met the kid I was lookin' for later that afternoon and I don't remember his name, but do remember I didn't think much of him when I met him. I had wasted a day, or so I thought.
When I got back to Tuscaloosa late that night, I took that napkin from my shirt pocket and put it under my keys so I wouldn't forget it. Hell, back then I was excited that anybody would want a picture of me. And the next day we found a picture and I wrote on it, Thanks for the best lunch I've ever had, Paul Bear Bryant.
Now let's go a whole buncha years down the road. Now we have black players at Alabama and I'm back down in that part of the country scouting an offensive lineman we sure needed. Y'all remember, (and I forget the name, but it's not important to the story), well anyway, he's got two friends going to Auburn and he tells me he's got his heart set on Auburn too, so I leave empty handed and go on see some others while I'm down there.
Two days later, I'm in my office in Tuscaloosa and the phone rings and it's this kid who just turned me down, and he says, "Coach, do you still want me at Alabama?" And I said, "Yes I sure do." And he says OK, he'll come. And I say, "Well son, what changed your mind?" And he said, "When my grandpa found out that I had a chance to play for you and said no, he pitched a fit and told me I wasn't going nowhere but Alabama, and wasn't playing for nobody but you. He thinks a lot of you and has ever since y'all met."
Well, I didn't know his granddad from Adam's housecat so I asked him who his granddaddy was and he said, "You probly don't remember him, but you ate in his restaurant your first year at Alabama and you sent him a picture that he's had hung in that place ever since. That picture's his pride and joy and he still tells everybody about the day that Bear Bryant came in and had chitlins with him. My grandpa said that when you left there, he never expected you to remember him or to send him that picture, but you kept your word to him and to Grandpa, that's everything. He said you could teach me more than football and I had to play for a man like you, so I guess I'm going to."
I was floored. But I learned that the lessons my mama taught me were always right. It don't cost nuthin' to be nice. It don't cost nuthin' to do the right thing most of the time, and it costs a lot to lose your good name by breakin' your word to someone. When I went back to sign that boy, I looked up his Grandpa and he's still running that place, but it looks a lot better now; and he didn't have chitlins that day, but he had some ribs that woulda made Dreamland proud and I made sure I posed for a lot of pictures; and don't think I didn't leave some new ones for him, too, along with a signed football. I made it clear to all my assistants to keep this story and these lessons in mind when they're out on the road. And if you remember anything else from me, remember this. +++ It really doesn't cost anything to be nice, and the rewards can be unimaginable. "Have A Blessed Day"
No comments:
Post a Comment