LOOK AT THAT TRACTOR!

You'll have to use your imagination. One day this tractor will be restored to its former glory. It was originally manufactured in 1959 by Massey Ferguson. Now, almost 50 years later, it is going to run again. Why? Because we can.......

It's going to need some work done to it (obviously). I just ordered a repair manual. What I'm hoping to be able to do is get it wired back up (after the fire that burnt off all of the wiring) and running. Then if that goes well......repaint it and sell it. Of course....I won't be going at it alone. The tractor belongs to my father-in-law. About the fire......I'll have to find out how a fire got started on the tractor......or why (might be a better question). I'll let you know. Today we got the tractor off the trailer and into the barn. I was suprised.....there are plenty of parts available online for this tractor. They're not that expensive.

Anyways..............

Life is going well for us. I'm still recovering from a bout with something ( the doctor didn't tell me what I had ). Denise is feeling under the weather. Carolina is doing well. I'm so looking forward to the weekend. It's supposed to rain........I'd love to go fishing.......we'll see.

WHERE DID SPRING GO?

I would blame it on the groundhog if I believed in that sorta stuff. We were really enjoying some nice warms days there for a while. I about froze yesterday and this morning. My wife reminds me that's how this month is.....so deceiving.......you never know what to expect.

I've been sick the last couple of days. I did go to the doctor yesterday. I got a shot. It seemed to have worked. I woke up this morning feeling pretty good. It was hard to get up this morning. Denise had a couple of days off in addition to the normal weekend. I guess we got used to sleeping in. It was nice. I console myself with thoughts of spring break and summer vacation coming up soon. I know it seems a way off now.....but with the way time is flying.....it'll be here in no time.

I'm off this morning to take a couple of dogs to the vet. Nothing serious....just a little prevention. Don't want anymore puppies. I'm going to leave it here with a photo of Carolina and the Easter basket my mother sent to her. You should have seen her face when she saw it. She knew it was for her.....but the suspense of us telling her (it was hers) was a bit too much for her to handle.

FEELS LIKE SPRING!

Indeed it does....chilly mornings....winds....rain.....warm sunshine....birds singing....nice! I've been enjoying the longer days. It seems like I can get more done in a day. Of course.....I'm waking up to darkness. But that's OK......after a few cups of coffee the sun comes up.

Yesterday Denise and I started talking about how things change. Her grandmother lived almost 97 years. Can you imaging all of the changes she saw in her life. I've lived 33 years.....things really haven't changed that much. From what I can tell.....only styles have changed. Hair styles......car styles......music styles.....politics (new faces with the same old story). No one has invented anything or had some sort of innovation that changed society since I've been alive. Well I take that back.......the INTERNET has changed this world. Can you think of anything else? I mean....if Al Gore hadn't invented the Internet.....where would we be? (hahahaha-joke!). Seriously.....the Internet is the only thing I can think of that's new in the 33 years. People still eat the same foods..... styles come and go....then come back again.

I've heard people say that the church should be the most creative bunch of people in the world. I can see that........we do have a God who created all that is......and is to come. He is the source of all creativity. But I can't imagine anything new......that hasn't already been invented. A cure for AIDS would change the world. Cars that fly would be cool....although I doubt it would be affordable. I liked the 'Back To The Future' movies...where the car ran on garbage (that would be nice).

Are there any new life changing inventions out there? I'd like to see them. I know I have to be careful what I wish for.....sometimes changes are not always good. Let's just see what happens!

I just wanted to add one comment to this blog. My mother called and gave me another invention........THE CELL PHONE! How could I have missed that! I mean.....HELLO!......I'll turn my car back around and go back home if I ever leave my cell phone at home. Our lives are definitely different because of them. I could throw in the personal computer as well. Back in the day.....the PC was the size of a house......now they fit in the palm of your hand. How about them apples!

AHHHH YES....LIFE IS GOOD!

Life is good. I know crappie stuff happens.....but overall...life is good. I love puppies. Puppies are just so happy....all of the time. Elvis (my puppy - see previous posts to see pics) is always up and full of energy. I could totally see him doing this same thing. Speaking of Elvis.....my wife noticed that he had pooped in the dust pan in the kitchen. Then she saw him do it. I don't know about you....but to me that's GREAT! I know that he should wait to go outside, but if you gotta go inside the house......the dust pan sounds good to me.
This has been a week to remember. My wife's Nannie died a week ago. She was almost 97 years old.......imagine living that long.......the things she must have seen! She's really missed a lot.
Work has been good this week. I'm looking forward to new ventures in my business. My wife is looking forward to summer vacation. I can't say that I blame her. She needs a good long rest. Her job (teaching) demands so much of her time and energy. She does love the children. You'd have to.......
Rosie is finally weaned! I put her and Champagne (mare) together earlier this week(the day of my wife's Nannie's funeral). So far they have adjusted well to one another. Every now and then I catch a glimpse of Rosie nosing around her mother....but she quickly moves on. I'd hate to have to separate them for another 3 months.
You know.....I've seen more snow this year than the last 10 combined. I just doesn't seem to lay. I don't really know that I would want it to lay. I love seeing it fall......I love seeing it on the cars and in the grass.....but I don't like it on the road. It's funny......when snow comes up in the conversation nowadays.....it's usually followed by 'the snow of 93'. That was quite an event. Where were you?
I remember sitting at home (my parent's house at the time) on the couch looking out the window into the back yard. I spent most of the time looking up into the light on the power pole.....watching the snow fall past the light. I remember thinking....'oh well...I guess I'd better get off to bed.....got school in the morning'. What a shocker the next morning gave! I grew up in north Georgia (Dalton)......I don't remember the numbers....but snow was up past the tires on my parent's cars. We (like many others) didn't have electricity for many days....but we did have a kerosene heater. We had plenty of food.....our plumbing worked......lots of blankets.......we made it OK. I do remember how much I enjoyed a long hot bath after the electricity came back on. That's one of the main reasons I don't mind having natural gas now......you just never know.

A FINE LADY GOES HOME

Yesterday we had a funeral. Denise's grandmother Naomi Birchfield passed away early Sunday morning. She was almost 97 years old (would have been in a couple of months). Can you image the things that she had witnessed in her lifetime? I sat and listened to stories of her as told by her family and I was amazed. She remembered troops heading off to fight in WWI. She was in a field (she came from a farming family) and would see troops on trains waving at her as they left home to go fight in the war. Someone mentioned that the train tracks went through their property. Others told about her ability to pick up any stringed instrument and play it. That's really cool. I never got to know her. As long as I have known her....she had always been in the nursing home. Just a shadow of her self. This lady lived a rich life. Experienced wondering things. Even able to experience great-great grandchildren (carolina).

I believe this photo to be from last summer (07) around the time of her birthday. Of course you know Carolina......and the other is Aaron.....Denise's father. Aaron really cared for Naomi as if she were his own mother.