On the Road Again, Going the Wrong Way!

My boss is sending me to Memphis in the morning. I have been designated the computer operations training manager, as if I do not have enough hats.

I won't express my true feelings at this time. I am going right after the Men's Fraternity training tomorrow morning.

The shortest way from Clarksville to Memphis? Hwy 79 south through Dover and then Paris TN, then Hwy 45 south to I-40 a total of 208 miles. I'm taking the bike cause it's gonna be a good ride through the countryside and the leaves are starting to change. Besides once I do get on I-40 at Jackson, I only have 70 miles of interstate before my exit in downtown Memphis.

Emma and Pop's Excellent Adventure

Today started out at my least favorite place, the dentist. I am told that I was always at the dentist as a child. I don't remember that. So maybe I need to see a shrink. I had routine cleaning appointment at the best Dentist in the whole world, Dr Bailey Allen. My hygienist, Paula, is the best. While Paula was working on me I could hear "oohs" and "ahhs" in the lobby area. Lisa had stopped by to drop Emma off for her excellent adventure with her Pop. So after my appointment we we're off to Walmart for some needed supplies.

Emma loves to eat with Pop, so when got back home it was time to get into the chair. I think she wore more than she actually ate, but you have got to enjoy what you eat. After breakfast, it was time to play, so we did. Then we went for a walk around the neighborhood in our stroller. We got back from our walk in time to get into the car and go pick up Stacy for lunch.

"Let's go Pop, we gotta get Nana for lunch." "No shoes will be our secret, mommy thinks babies with no shoes are hobo babies."

"I want the number 1 lunch combo,........ yes, ribs and sandwich...no fries, potato salad, got that?" The wait staff at Golden Rule was awesome.

"Nana, then Moses raised his staff and all crossed into the promised land. This is basic stuff, please keep up"

"OK, ribs, sandwich and potato salad, everything looks good.

"POP! Auntie Nichole is at it again!"

Practical Jokes

I am a joker at heart, I love a good, safe practical joke. I'm a good sport no matter what end of the joke I am on.

I have no favorites when it comes to my children, sometimes I think the Lord gave me three beautiful and talented daughters as payback.

My oldest daughter Nichole (almost 30!), left me a true self portrait of her inner beauty on my camera without my knowledge.

At least not until I downloaded it. I had no choice but to publish it here..............

Operation Serve-Old Firehouse Day Shelter

Operation Serve at the Old Firehouse was a huge success. We painted, put in a elevated garden, and planted some apple trees.

Started out the day having breakfast with David Graham at Shoney's on Wilma Rudolph Blvd. Then we both went off to Lowe's to pick up our supplies. Lowe's was out of fruit trees except for cherry trees, so it looks like we will have to scrub that task.

Kathy Dipriest met us at Lowe's' with her truck and John Deere mower. We loaded up our supplies and then David left us to help deliver supplies for Lori's project.

Kathy said we should try Home Depot for fruit trees, so we did and they had them, so we got a Granny Smith and Red Gala apple tree.

Inside painting of the main lobby

Kathy and Matt trimming up the shrubs outside the firehouse.
Donald securing the walls for the garden.

Jason and friends planting apple trees.

Jason, Zack and friend after painting.

Home Again-Safe

Got home from my business road trip around 6:30 pm today, and was informed I missed dinner, again. Stacy had nachos (the perfect food group), and half a bag of candy.

She loves the sweets, brownies are her favorite, but if it's sweet and a desert, it's for her.

I stopped at Perkins just outside Knoxville and had the BBQ bacon burger late in the afternoon. The waitress said it was fat free so I'm good.

I had the bike serviced last week at it's 8k mark.

I just went over 9k as I pulled into the garage.

Most of you who have followed this blog know of my good friend David Morey. Please lift up David and his family at the loss of his brother today after an extended illness. David has been up in Connecticut since Monday. Pray for his family there and here, I consider David my brother, as both Christian and friend.

Beautiful Day For a Ride

I left Clarksville this morning and headed southeast, it was a great ride! I rode to Chattanooga, then headed north to Cleveland and Loudon TN. I'm overnight in Sweetwater, not much here, Stacy would not approve. No WalMart, only a "Super K."

I really do not like this curve in Chattanooga, most don't look out for bikers, but it was a good ride anyway.
This is my view from my hotel window. I turned off my room A/C and opened up the window. The fresh country air was so fresh and real, I closed the window.

Survival tip 1 : If you're lost navigate by cows in a pasture. 90% of cows will stand facing north.

Survival tip 2: Many parts of a cow are edible.

Tomorrow it's Lenior City, Rockford, Knoxville and then on to Johnson City Tn.

Mandy had an car accident this morning, she is ok. Please pray and lift her up. Things happen for a reason and we are looking for the silver lining in this. The Lord is good and we trust in him.

Operation Serve-Rally at the River

Grace Community Church had it's "Rally at the River" festivities Sunday afternoon down on the Cumberland at McGregor Park. This kicked off Operation Serve, Grace's way to give back to the community. Building 429 opened the event with a concert, then Pastor Ron Edmondson gave those in attendance a reminder of why we do this event, "It's all about sharing the love of Jesus Christ."

My project is the Old Firehouse Day Shelter on Golf Club Lane. This shelter offers a facility for job searching, a place for families to do laundry, shower, a playground, kids play room and a meal.

A sea of blue shirt servants moving towards their rally points.
Grace volunteers meeting, planning and taking time to have some fellowship with each other.

Lori our resident photo taker, getting her photo taken. Lori takes some great photos, check out her blog at http://davidandloriplus8.blogspot.com/

You will be both delighted and enlightened by her blog.

Another Long Day

We started the day with Emma being dropped off by the baby momma and daddy. Lisa and Scott are going out to a friends home someplace out on highway 13. So we get to keep Emma, she is just a joy. We went to the commissary today and she rode in the basket and just played with her Pop and he was just throwing all kinds of stuff into the basket for her to play with.

Emma and Nana outside this evening yukkin it up.

Setting priorities as young as we can.
This one is for Ms. Lori, since we can't sleep, we are bloggin'.

We have Emma until after church tomorrow, then after service the baby momma will take her home.

Last One Standing

The little germ carying Emma, got her auntie Nichole bad, both ends, nuff' said. I am the only one so far this little bio-terrorist has not got, so dub me, The Last One Standing.

We are going to be watching Emma this weekend as baby momma and baby daddy get some time alone. Let see, candy, drum set, more sugar, spoon fed of course. Then on Sunday after church, we give wired up Emma back to mommy and daddy.

We have a busy two weeks coming up. The rally for Operation Serve at McGregor Park this Sunday, the 21st at 5pm, and then the big awesome event the 27th!

I have a road trip to Knoxville and Johnson City, near Bristol next week, but the weather looks good and the bike just got serviced....so..........woo hoo I'm taking the bike.



(key up Willie Nelson's "On the Road Again.")

Typhoid Emma

Typhoid Emma has struck! Emma has been under the weather for the last week, although according to all her smiles and babbling you would never know it.

First she infected her mommy and daddy, then she passed on to Stacy last week. Now it seems Mandy has become the latest victim of this little germ carrying sweetheart.

Auntie Nichole watched her today as Lisa was in school until Stacy got home from work at noon. Nichole would rather get poked in the eye than deal with little ones, let alone little ones who have runny noses, who sneeze and leave atomic waste in their diapers. Hats off to Nichole for stepping up and helping out.

Stacy is sleeping in the recliner, drugged, Mandy is in bed, drugged, and I wonder how Nichole feels right now.

I on the other hand feel great and have been watching and playing with her on and off for the last week. In fact, we fought over the remote all last Friday. I wanted to watch Cops and she wanted the food network.

We compromised and watched food detectives. (do you know what hot dogs are made of?)

I am working from home tomorrow, really, someone has to take care of all my sick babies.

Never Dump Coffee On Your Spouse

Saturday it was golf with Stacy. We went early to avoid the heat of the day.

In a way, Golf is all about how you live your life , be straight, go for it, get a grip, and honesty counts.

After golf, I took the bike to Midsouth for it's 8k service. Since this service includes a valve adjustment and the bike has to be "cold," I had to leave it. I miss it. But I can pick it up Monday afternoon.

On the way to church today, we we're driving out of our subdivision, I was placing my coffee cup in the Camry's center console. When due to a slight miscalculation spilled black coffee on Stacy's white pants, I was also fortunate enough to fill her purse, in doing so I also spilled all over the car's carpet.

My second mistake of the morning? Saying, "We will just turn around and you can change your pants, throw a roll of paper towels into your purse and dry the contents on the way back to church."

Third mistake of the morning? After being married almost 32 years, I suppose to know she was wearing an "outfit," and "unlike men who wear jeans and khakis, and would only have to change their pants we we're going to miss church now."

I was informed she would have to completely change. While she was changing I had to clean the console and carpet. Somehow, after cleaning the carpet, she had cleaned the stain from the pants she was wearing, her purse and contents dry we we're on our way back to church.

We made it in time, as we sat down the countdown clock for the service to start was counting down from 00:42.

I had another question as to how she got all that done and we still made it on time. But decided against it.

We sat down for a family dinner, Stacy made lasagna, garlic bread and a great salad. We even had an Olive Garden girl over to do the dishes.

A Moment of Silence

I hope all Americans took the time to remember the events that took place 7 years ago today. Lives were changed forever, all our lives changed that day.

Please pray for those responsible for keeping us safe since then, those serving in our Armed Forces, and the untold intelligence efforts we don't see.

Above all pray for the families of those who paid the ultimate price.

Freedom is not free, all gave some, some gave all.

Operation Serve-Grace Community Church

Last year was the first time Stacy and I participated in "Operation Serve," with Grace Community Church. She and I worked at the Old Firehouse Day Shelter on Golf Club Lane.

During Operation Serve, Grace does just that, serve, giving back to the community. This year we are leading a team at the Old Firehouse Day Shelter. The shelter offers laundry facilities, showers and job hunting resourses just to name a few offerings.

Some of the projects that we want to accomplish is to add a raised garden plot in the back, so next spring vegetables can be planted to be used by those visiting the shelter. We want to plant two dwarf apple trees one red, one yellow.

Fix up the childs play area, tighten bolts on the jungle gym and file down any sharp edges so the children visiting have a safe place to play.

We are also planning on a major paint job in the main lobby, two toned. A light color on top and a darker color to cover wear on the bottom.

Please step up and join Grace Community Church for this event that will benefit the community and those who live in it.

New Girl at Work

Nichole sometimes is asked by my admin, Marsha to come to the office and help her out. This usually happens once a month, when she gets behind (not Marsha's fault, she is awsome.) She may be asked a lot more soon because besides losing our recruiter, our operations manager in Memphis just quit this week.


Nichole is an excellent worker and because of her attention to detail she fits right in with Marsha. Here she is calling and checking on our accounts receivables, this time they actually gave her an office.

Get To, or Have To

I got the blessing of keeping track of Emma again today. Being a Pop has been one of the most fun and exciting times in my life. Who would think that one could love someone so much that you don't care if they throw up in your lap or they leave you a toxic/biological surprise in their diaper. I have "had to" change a few diapers in my life, but now I "get to" change them.

After my staff meeting in Nashville, I rode home to find Emma sleeping and our neighbor Bonnie keeping an expert eye on her. As you know, we have been trading "Emma" time while Lisa attends classes as APSU. I got the opportunity to look after her last Friday and again today.

Life is all about how you approach things, a wise man once told me, it's all about the way you look at a situation.

It's a "get to"' or "have to" lifestyle.

For example, I hope your walk with The Lord is more like you "get to" worship him, not you "have to" to worship him.

When I get to watch Emma, it's not that I "have to", but I "get to".

Today, I got to spend time with her and I am so glad to be able to shrink down to her level and play. Besides we never had toys like kids do today.

My life is all about being young at heart, life is too short to grow up, some of you will agree, some of you won't. It's not that I want to stay young, it's not how you look, but rather how you feel inside. It's all about attidute.

My grown children tell me it's time to grow up, I think not.

We both love Oreo's and kicking back with our feet up.

Traveling-Again

I was out of town this week, again. I said, I would not bring up the work situation, so I won't, just keep on praying. That was our sermon today, prayer.

I did get to spend time with Emma on Friday. Since Lisa is attending classes at APSU, we are all helping out with baby watching while she is in class.

It's only a matter of time before she is golfing, fishing and kayaking with Pop.

A Nice Long Labor Day Weekend

Labor Day started out on a great note, Stacy and I had dinner with David and Lori Graham at the Hong Kong Wok on Madison. The food was excellent, as was the company. It was nice to get to spend some time with David and I want to thank Lori for sharing him with us.

Saturday we we're up to run errands, this turned out to be an all day event. Stacy needed new shoes for work. Not just any shoes, special shoes, so special it took an hour at Sears to find them. New Balance with the pink logo, then it was off to find a special watch band, again for work. We we're headed to the watch kiosk at the center of the Mall, when Lisa called to ask where we're. We said "the mall", and she was like, "so am I", we hijacked the grand baby, the stroller and the diaper bag. After finding out the watch kiosk did not have what she wanted, "the special" watchband, it was off to, yea, WalMart.

Stacy's Camry has become the "Nana Mobile", complete with baby seat in the back and an umbrella stroller in the trunk. So we loaded up Emma and went to WalMart to check on watchbands. While there, of course we "needed" more than just the band, so we started loading up the baby carriage with what we "needed" when our phone ran, it was Lisa. "Where are you and when do I get my baby back?" So we checked out and met Lisa at the mall entrance and exchanged Emma and all the c--p, ah, stuff and kissed them good bye. (more admiration to Lori, she does this with two!)

Now, it was my turn, off to LOWES! As a project leader for Grace Community Church's Operation Serve, I needed to price items for our project at the Old Firehouse Day Shelter. After the master painter, Stacy schooled me on the types of masking tapes, I had my list.

We decided to have dinner out, so after all the choices on Wilma Rudolph Blvd., we ended up at DQ. I stuck to my diet and got the foot long chili cheese dog with onion rings. On the way home we stopped at the McDonald's Redbox at exit 11 and rented two movies.

WARNING! Do not rent, "Black Ops." It was suppose to be about special operations during the current war. I should have known it was going to be bad when the opening credits showed the carrier Midway sitting in San Diego Bay, with the Coronado Bay bridge in the back ground with a subtitle that read,

"Present Day Saudi Arabia, Persian Gulf."

It was so bad, I asked that Stacy turn it off three seperate times. The bad guy in this movie turned out to be a Nazi officer from WW II who was still living on this "ship" and some ghost hunters who we're working with the special ops folks to "capture" the Nazi with a special "gun." I lost an hour and a half I will never see again. We also got "What happens in Vegas," that was good and funny, I needed good and funny.

Sunday it was off to church and what a good message Ron presented, it was at that point I decided to turn over my work situation over to the Lord and not worry about what happens. I will continue to do the best job I can, start working my job to please my Lord and that's what it's all about anyway. I felt 3 inches taller as I left the service.

After church it was off to the Italian Bistro, fancy new name for Pizza Hut. We all got personal pan pizzas, except for Dave who got a sandwich. Except for the service, and getting Dave's order wrong, it was nice.

We all came back to the house where both Mandy and Lisa wanted to get in some study time.
Dave and Emma helping Mandy study, Emma's new toy, Pop's old cell phone. Dave removed the battery after she turned it on. We don't need any 911 hang up calls. While everyone was inside chillin', I was out weed eating the yard then cutting the grass. After that it was time to wipe down the bike and shine up the chrome. After all that, Dave asked if I wanted to hit the links, not today Dave, but we did make a tee time at Cherry Grove in Trenton for Labor Day at 10:00am.

After everyone went home, Stacy and I rode the bike back to the Redbox to return the two movies from the night before and she got another to watch while I preformed some much needed maintenace on my car. After all ,my car has 220,210 miles on it, I changed the oil, checked and filled all fluids and cleaned it out. The entire rear floor boards we're full of soft drink cans and drive through bags. During a resent stop by our local police, when asked if he could look through my car, I said sure. He did not look long and I was just a little bit embarrassed. You have to remember, I travel a lot and I hate to litter. After a long day it was time to check my fantasy sports leagues, all of them.

After a relaxing morning of the newspaper and coffee, I met Dave at Cherry Grove in Trenton KY. If you have not driven down Trenton's Main Street, you're missing a trip down memory lane. The homes lining Main Street are of the old south and well maintained.

This is the layout for Cherry Grove, make no mistake, what is not shown are all the trees that line the fairways. If your ball goes into the tree line, just drop another. The woods are thick and over grown, this is Tick City and you do not want to go in there.I scored my lowest score ever, so I had to show the world, and no I did not keep my own score, Dave did.

After golf it was back to the house we're I fired up the grill and threw some nice thick pork chops on. We had a nice relaxing evening, not even worried about tomorrow.

And how was your holiday?