Father's Day at the Ballpark - Part II

Second Year, Two kids, more fun!

So glad this plant isn't in my neighbor's garden

Here come the Zombies....everybody freak out.

Massive "Corpse Flower" Set for Rare Blooming in U.S.

My first 5k for Hope

I'm a little too emotional to write now, but know that this was an amazing event. Moving, truly.

to some of you

you
believe the drama because you want to
you
exaggerate the truth because it’s in your nature
you
need someone to fall a step behind
you
can’t help it
you
were raised that way
you
aren’t considering the source
you
are exclusive
you
always have a story
you
make me laugh
you
know all about the life that comes with comfortable shoes
you
make words sing
you
melt my heart
you
have always been in my thoughts
you
suck
you
let me get away with anything
you
have beautifully painted toenails
you
were a bitch in elementary school
you
were my friend
you
took me to the bathroom after I puked in your bed
you
danced with me all night long
you
are nosy
you
are not black
you
don’t know
you
need so much attention
you
want me
you
make me happy
you
need help
you
put my hand out when it caught on fire
you
carried me up three flights of stairs in Chicago
you
said I had a big forehead
you
died
you
are transparent
you
will understand one day
you
are a liar
you
are so focused
you
have a bad tattoo
you
have an unfortunate name
you
hurt me on purpose
you
didn’t know I could spell
you
should not have touched me there
you
are privileged
you
never apologized
you
always help
you
are jealous
you
are not my friend
you
spit milk out your nose
you
didn’t tell when I stuffed my bra
you
were a good kisser
you
are a phony
you
were cute
you
have ugly feet
you
must not know what it feels like
you
should be more honest with yourself
you
need a job
you
are neglectful
you
don’t respect your parents
you
have a nasty home
you
should not have children
you
smoke too much weed
you
are an idiot
you
are absentee
you
will miss me
you
have great taste
you
wore too much spandex
you
have tits that look like empty socks
you
are fortunate
you
are so honorable
you
should try harder
you
are always unhappy
you
will never get what you want
you
know all my favorite movies
you
are a weird dude
you
are a loud talker
you
won’t get out of the garage
you
won’t take me on an adventure
you
played Ratt on the stereo
you
wore jean cutoff shorts, too short
you
look very different
you
need to buy an rv
you
don’t act like a professional
you
are bitter and old
you
need another drink
you
got me on a plane
you
pretended not to notice me in the bar
you
broke my heart
you
are a horrible teacher
you
don’t know twat
you
love happy hour
you
will hate me one day
you
will never really know me
you
had a giant bush
you
tracked mud through the house
you
liked crystals
you
look like her
you
should be my friend
you
i loathe
you
are so short you fit in my armpit
you
aren't worth my tactics
you
let me shoot the gun
you
had a sinker in your toilet
you
always have stuff in your teeth
you
have a big voice
you
say butter and it's weird
you
stepped on my cat's tail
you
are not allowed to say, "wow"
you
didn't save me
you
hit me at the bus stop
you
made me feel special at your home
you
got a second chance
you
don't understand me

NC Zoo

So we decided to make a trek over to the NC Zoo in Asheboro. We saw a couple of animals, but on the whole had more fun walking around and hanging out. The kids are out of school now and I'm sure our days will be very interesting. Enjoy the pictures.

I have now been to the Grit

For a few years A has been yammering on about the grit...Elizabeth City, NC. Well, this weekend we traveled through a lack of cell reception and public toilets to attend her wedding in Elizabeth City. Beautiful! The town is cute (oh so tiny, but cute), the wedding was beautiful, and the bride was beautiful. It was great, except when I ran into the glass door, but still great. Our camera ran out of batteries (YET AGAIN). Here's what we collected.

Cute?! Baby ducks are cute!

Our first Bulls game of the season. We had tickets when Tina was here, but alas, we were rained out. It was the Blue Monster's birthday and Scarlett LOVED the hot dog canon! Tina, it shoots t-shirts, not hot dogs :( ...

I hated the multiplication tables

but I loved those damn loafers!


Yep, front row...big hair (of course)...bigger smile.

Death and rebirth

In Palm Beach, FL, an older woman, somewhere around 70 years, passed away last week. She had a life, a family, and friends. She was an organ donor.

Drive a few hours south and you hit Ft. Lauderdale, FL. My Uncle Tim waits for a new lease on life. He has been battling liver disease for almost a year. It was shortly after Mason was born last June that the doctors diagnosed Timmy. Giving him months to live, they suggested hospice. Fail! Timmy started hospice so he could get medication and time to get government assistance for his medical care.

Backstory...Timmy sold his home and left his job to begin anew in Florida after a messy divorce. He hadn't been on his new job long enough for his insurance to start up and he had let his past insurance lapse distracted by the home sale and move. Unable to return to work and now diagnosed with terminal liver failure, he had no option for care but hospice. The government's failed health care system suggested that he just go and die in hospice.

My grandmother didn't give up. She wrote to state official's...spoke with doctors...pushed social security and medicaid...tossed the morphine and canceled the hospice care. They came and took his hospital bed from the house...because he wanted to live.

Last week, the woman in Palm Beach passed away and doctors transferred her liver to Ft. Lauderdale. My grandmother answered the call from the doctor and took Timmy to the hospital to accept his new liver.

He called us two days ago. We had visited him during the holidays and I had talked with him on the phone a few times. The heartbreak of seeing someone I cared for so sick and so helpless was terrifying...made worse by Hope's cancer recurrence and subsequent death.

He called to say thanks for visiting him and thinking of him and that he loved me. I saw him wasting away and now he's calling me. He sounds vibrant and aware and alive. I'm so happy that he has been given a second chance.

He has hope.

organ donation, consider it

Book Chapter

The book came in the mail yesterday. I opened up to my chapter and on the random page that I picked...glaring mistakes. ARGH! Proofread...I hate to do it...I don't do it...I am embarassed. A revision now would see me chucking half of the writing and opting for a more planned and precise critique. There are some nice sections, then shit, then something nice.

Also, why the fuck did I use real names? Geesh, what was I thinking? I feel the fool, but that goes along with the whole idea. It wouldn't be such a big deal if I didn't see some of these elmentary school chums on facebook. Weird.