Sunday, December 23, 2007
I went to Nashville, really Nolensville, on Friday and had a wonderful time visiting the Ruckers.
Ken was at home. He had taken the afternoon off and will not be going back to work until after New Year's. Anne is unhappy that he will lose some untaken vacation days on the first. She is more unhappy that he wants to go in one day "for a couple of hours" to see that nothing has changed.
They were visited by some contractors who checked the crawl space under their house. They have had standing water under there for some time, even during the drought last summer. They are going to have some work done to alleviate it. Ken is undecided to go with a crawl space plastic liner guaranteed for 10 years or spend more money and get one guaranteed for 25 years.
I hope it doesn't turn out the way one did for George Rodney. At the time this happened, George Rodney was probably the world's expert on plastic liners for waste water ponds. He had a consulting contract to design a plastic liner for several acre waste pond for a plant being built on the bank of the Tigris River in Baghdad, Iraq.
He tested liners, designed the pond, and then quaranteed it for 50 years. He was a little wary of this as waste pond liners were not that old so none had ever been around for 50 years.
Then came the Iran-Iraq war. He came home grinning. Guess what had been bombed to smithereens on the first day! He was off the hook.
On Friday night we went out shopping for an air hockey table, the purpose for my trip. We went to Watson's first. They had two tables, one expensive and one very expensive. I was ready to buy but Ken wanted to look elsewhere.
He also looked at the jacuzzis. He especially liked one set up with a plasma TV. The kids wandered around trying to find one that would hold all 5 in their family. They picked out one that cost $15,000. I don't expect to see the Ruckers in it anytime soon.
Next we went to a new mall in Murfreesboro. It was very nice. At Dick's Sporting Goods, we found a few tables. They decided on one that could be converted to a pool table or table tennis table. Unfortunately they were out of stock.
Back home Anne and Ken decided to go shopping while I stayed home watching the Memphis-Florida Atlantic game at the New Orleans Bowl.
Sadly, sadly Memphis lost. Howard Snellenberg,Jay's enemy for years, won as coach of FAU. I am positive he has had a face lift. Jay says that is the rumor but that Howard denies it.
After the game Jay called. He was mad rather than disappointed. He felt that FAU played dirty. Memphis did have, I think, three knee or ankle injuries.
He loved what Emma said. After the game when Snellenberg was on the field with his wife behind him, Emma said "That woman looks awful. She has on way too much makeup."
The kids stayed up way too late but I did have them in bed when Anne and Ken returned. I read them from The Book of Virtues before they went to sleep. I am enjoying that book.
On Saturday morning Ken made a wonderful breakfast. That is one of the bonuses of going to stay with the Ruckers.
We were all upstairs watching Adam and George play a video game, when Adam said a word he should not have said. He had a puzzled look on his face when something was said about it. Obviously he had no idea what it meant or that he shouldn't say it. Anne says this has happened more this year than she cares to think about. Ken took Adam off to have a talk. Anne told George to go with him so he could learn something, too.
We all played a game, Dance Connection, maybe. Anyway you have to step on the blocks of this mat as the tv screen tells you. I think this would make a good workout.
Emma had basketball practice. Her parents think she is in too many activities and now she wants in the Drama Club also.
I left to go home and listened to the PapaJohn.com bowl on the radio. I wanted Southern Mississippi to win since it was Jeff Bower's last game as coach. One site gave this game as the one that would have the most lopsided score with Southern the loser. Southern did lose but it wasn't bad.
At home I refreshed myself and went to John's for their family Christmas. The food was wonderful as usual. Charlotte is such a good cook. Jennifer had made a finger food with brown sugar on green beans wrapped in bacon. So so good.
Then they opened all their gifts. Pandemonium and fun. John gave Charlotte a new bedroom set.
June is coming to stay with me Christmas Eve. We all got to Janice's to eat at 6. I am taking macaroni and cheese, broccoli casserole, and, since Julia is not here, stuffed eggs.
Ken was at home. He had taken the afternoon off and will not be going back to work until after New Year's. Anne is unhappy that he will lose some untaken vacation days on the first. She is more unhappy that he wants to go in one day "for a couple of hours" to see that nothing has changed.
They were visited by some contractors who checked the crawl space under their house. They have had standing water under there for some time, even during the drought last summer. They are going to have some work done to alleviate it. Ken is undecided to go with a crawl space plastic liner guaranteed for 10 years or spend more money and get one guaranteed for 25 years.
I hope it doesn't turn out the way one did for George Rodney. At the time this happened, George Rodney was probably the world's expert on plastic liners for waste water ponds. He had a consulting contract to design a plastic liner for several acre waste pond for a plant being built on the bank of the Tigris River in Baghdad, Iraq.
He tested liners, designed the pond, and then quaranteed it for 50 years. He was a little wary of this as waste pond liners were not that old so none had ever been around for 50 years.
Then came the Iran-Iraq war. He came home grinning. Guess what had been bombed to smithereens on the first day! He was off the hook.
On Friday night we went out shopping for an air hockey table, the purpose for my trip. We went to Watson's first. They had two tables, one expensive and one very expensive. I was ready to buy but Ken wanted to look elsewhere.
He also looked at the jacuzzis. He especially liked one set up with a plasma TV. The kids wandered around trying to find one that would hold all 5 in their family. They picked out one that cost $15,000. I don't expect to see the Ruckers in it anytime soon.
Next we went to a new mall in Murfreesboro. It was very nice. At Dick's Sporting Goods, we found a few tables. They decided on one that could be converted to a pool table or table tennis table. Unfortunately they were out of stock.
Back home Anne and Ken decided to go shopping while I stayed home watching the Memphis-Florida Atlantic game at the New Orleans Bowl.
Sadly, sadly Memphis lost. Howard Snellenberg,Jay's enemy for years, won as coach of FAU. I am positive he has had a face lift. Jay says that is the rumor but that Howard denies it.
After the game Jay called. He was mad rather than disappointed. He felt that FAU played dirty. Memphis did have, I think, three knee or ankle injuries.
He loved what Emma said. After the game when Snellenberg was on the field with his wife behind him, Emma said "That woman looks awful. She has on way too much makeup."
The kids stayed up way too late but I did have them in bed when Anne and Ken returned. I read them from The Book of Virtues before they went to sleep. I am enjoying that book.
On Saturday morning Ken made a wonderful breakfast. That is one of the bonuses of going to stay with the Ruckers.
We were all upstairs watching Adam and George play a video game, when Adam said a word he should not have said. He had a puzzled look on his face when something was said about it. Obviously he had no idea what it meant or that he shouldn't say it. Anne says this has happened more this year than she cares to think about. Ken took Adam off to have a talk. Anne told George to go with him so he could learn something, too.
We all played a game, Dance Connection, maybe. Anyway you have to step on the blocks of this mat as the tv screen tells you. I think this would make a good workout.
Emma had basketball practice. Her parents think she is in too many activities and now she wants in the Drama Club also.
I left to go home and listened to the PapaJohn.com bowl on the radio. I wanted Southern Mississippi to win since it was Jeff Bower's last game as coach. One site gave this game as the one that would have the most lopsided score with Southern the loser. Southern did lose but it wasn't bad.
At home I refreshed myself and went to John's for their family Christmas. The food was wonderful as usual. Charlotte is such a good cook. Jennifer had made a finger food with brown sugar on green beans wrapped in bacon. So so good.
Then they opened all their gifts. Pandemonium and fun. John gave Charlotte a new bedroom set.
June is coming to stay with me Christmas Eve. We all got to Janice's to eat at 6. I am taking macaroni and cheese, broccoli casserole, and, since Julia is not here, stuffed eggs.
Monday, December 17, 2007
Really not much has happened to me lately that I should post.
I am in the midst of another period of mourning. My uncle F.L. Seaton died Saturday night. He was one of a family of eleven children, one of whom was my mother. We lost three of them this year, Mother, Aunt Maurine, and Uncle F.L., and there are only three left now, Uncle George, Aunt Velma, and Aunt Allene.
We have lost six people from the Seaton family this year. In addition to the ones listed above, we also lost Mother, Uncle Joe Talley, cousin Larry Wright, and my brother-in-law Harry.
Of course, most people would think we have plenty left, but the loss of each one really hurts as much as it would if they were the only one.
I go to Nashville Friday to help with my Christmas present to the grandchildren. They are getting an air hockey table for the TV room. They always enjoy the one at the resort in North Carolina. This will help them exercise something beside their fingers. And I think it will give them something to do at home during their teenage years.
I am in the midst of another period of mourning. My uncle F.L. Seaton died Saturday night. He was one of a family of eleven children, one of whom was my mother. We lost three of them this year, Mother, Aunt Maurine, and Uncle F.L., and there are only three left now, Uncle George, Aunt Velma, and Aunt Allene.
We have lost six people from the Seaton family this year. In addition to the ones listed above, we also lost Mother, Uncle Joe Talley, cousin Larry Wright, and my brother-in-law Harry.
Of course, most people would think we have plenty left, but the loss of each one really hurts as much as it would if they were the only one.
I go to Nashville Friday to help with my Christmas present to the grandchildren. They are getting an air hockey table for the TV room. They always enjoy the one at the resort in North Carolina. This will help them exercise something beside their fingers. And I think it will give them something to do at home during their teenage years.
Saturday, December 01, 2007
I am watching the Virginia Tech-Boston College game for the ACC title. Whenever I watch a game on TV, I usually have someone that I am hoping to win. In this case, it is Virginia Tech. My friend Doris Carroll's daughter Teresa graduated from VT in engineering and Doris is a big supporter of VT so naturally I am, too.
Similarly, I cheer for other schools for various reasons.
My top two schools:
1. Mississippi State. Is anyone surprised? I have a fierce loyalty to this school, more than all other schools put together. My going off to this school in 1961, where I knew no one, made all the difference in my life. So many things have worked out for me because of that decision. A lot of it was meeting George Rodney. So I try to pay back MSU with my unwavering loyalty and support.
2. LSU. George Rodney and I spent 4 happy years there when he was working on his Ph. D. He worked hard and we are grateful what a degree from there did for us. And Beth is there now working on her Ph.D.
The others I cannot rank but here they are and why:
Virginia Tech (noted above)
Tennessee Because I live here and because this is James's school. When I first moved to Tennessee, all I saw was orange. All the shirts in WalMart seemed to be orange. It really bothered me at first but I realized the other day that I no longer pay any attention to it.
Memphis- This is the school of my nephew Jay Parchman. I have had good times going to bowl games in New Orleans and Mobile that Memphis played in.
Arkansas State- Nephew Alvin Stewart and niece April Stewart both graduated from here.
Vanderbilt- My niece Sonja, her husband Fred, and her daughter Adrienne all graduated from Vanderbilt.
It makes for a full plate of great games on fall Saturdays for me.
Similarly, I cheer for other schools for various reasons.
My top two schools:
1. Mississippi State. Is anyone surprised? I have a fierce loyalty to this school, more than all other schools put together. My going off to this school in 1961, where I knew no one, made all the difference in my life. So many things have worked out for me because of that decision. A lot of it was meeting George Rodney. So I try to pay back MSU with my unwavering loyalty and support.
2. LSU. George Rodney and I spent 4 happy years there when he was working on his Ph. D. He worked hard and we are grateful what a degree from there did for us. And Beth is there now working on her Ph.D.
The others I cannot rank but here they are and why:
Virginia Tech (noted above)
Tennessee Because I live here and because this is James's school. When I first moved to Tennessee, all I saw was orange. All the shirts in WalMart seemed to be orange. It really bothered me at first but I realized the other day that I no longer pay any attention to it.
Memphis- This is the school of my nephew Jay Parchman. I have had good times going to bowl games in New Orleans and Mobile that Memphis played in.
Arkansas State- Nephew Alvin Stewart and niece April Stewart both graduated from here.
Vanderbilt- My niece Sonja, her husband Fred, and her daughter Adrienne all graduated from Vanderbilt.
It makes for a full plate of great games on fall Saturdays for me.
