Way back in the day - a Beagle named Penny

Christy Chavies Tripp posted something on Facebook tonight that made me think of this....  Waaay back in the day, maybe 1976ish(?), we had a female beagle named Penny.  I don't remember where she came from, probably a neighbor.  She was mostly white with black spots.  Well, as those "female dogs" will do, Penny got knocked up.  One night she went up under the shed behind the well house (which is right behind the house) and had eight puppies - eight!

With eight puppies running around, you couldn't hardly step out the door without stepping into a "pile".  I mean, it was like trying to cross the Korea DMZ without stepping on a land mine.  Mom even tried putting sandwich bags over our little shoes to keep us from getting poo ground into our shoe soles and tracking it into the house.

We had a real problem on our hands.  We had the only dog we needed.  We we certainly didn't need eight more beagles.  We gave every neighbor a puppy who would take one, but we still had a bunch that needed homes.

At that time, John Green still ran the little store up at the intersection of what is now Egypt Road and Hampton Mountain Road.  There were three or four boys who would walk by our house every couple of days, on their way to Green's store.  They lived somewhere on HWY 179, over a mile from the store, but back then, you could (and would) still walk that far to the store to buy a coke and some peanuts to put in it.  Every time they came by our house on their way home, they'd come up in our yard and pet the puppies, and they'd end up taking at least one home.  I think they ended up with at least five beagle pups.

When they took the last pup, Mom convinced them to take Penny too (because she was a walking time bomb of beagle puppies).  She even drove them home, because we had no use for leashes and didn't have one, and Penny was too heavy to carry all that way.

That didn't last.  A few days later, Penny came running up into the yard.  I still don't know if those boys' parents brought her back and dropped her off close to the house (It's like hot potato, the one that owns the bomb when it goes off owns the pups), or if she found her way home.

Christy's Facebook thing was about kids of the 50's - 80's and how our childhoods were decidedly different from the modern kids.  I think this story is a perfect example.  Here we have kids walking well over a mile, alone, just to go to the store (just to go); people giving dogs away (check out a pet store today and price a beagle pup), and without some kind of application, background check, and home visit; kids walking up into a strangers yard (and strangers letting them) without fear of a lawsuit for some reason; and kids getting into cars with strangers, and yet we all lived and are none the worse for wear.

I have no idea who those boys were, or what they are doing now, but I can only imagine that they are like me, trying to raise their own kids, the best we can, the realities of modern life not withstanding.

Why I LOVE Duck Dynasty

If you are reading this, you are probably a friend of mine.  If you're a friend of mine, you probably watch Duck Dynasty, or have at least seen it.  In case you haven't, it is a "reality" show on A&E about the Robertson family that started and still runs the Duck Commander company.  They specialize in making some (rather high end) duck calls.  Although they are stinkin' rich, they are still very "red neck".  Just like all "reality" shows, there is a lot of staging and scripting (if you don't believe me, watch the Clint Bowyer episode), but I must believe the heart of the show is really the heart of the Robertson family.

What I love:

First, the characters.  I think we all know someone like one of the Duck Commander family.  You can't script those personalities!  I can identify with them - even crazy Uncle Si.  Who doesn't have a mother, grandmother, or aunt like Miss Kay?

Second, they play with guns.  I don't mean "play" in a derogatory sense.  I mean they use guns for sport and have fun with them in line with their intended purpose - like when Phil and Si were shooting golf balls that Jase and Willie were hitting off tees, or when Phil had the little girls trying to shoot duck decoys with their BB Guns from their playhouse "duck blind".  Despite all that gun play, no one is hurt, or ever feels threatened by a gun.  Guns are useful and fun, and a perfectly normal feature in a family setting.

Third, they hunt and fish.  They kill things, and they clean them and eat them.  There is no shying away from killing or the messiness that comes from killing your own food.  On the other hand, they don't kill just to kill.  Everything has a purpose.

Finally, this is one of the few (possibly only) "reality" shows that has values.  I say the show has values because every episode is permeated with family values.  The family participated in a Christmas program at their church, Phil is constantly working to teach the next generation his values, and in the end of every conflict, family wins out.  Put on top of that, every show ends with the extended family gathered around the table together for supper, and they always join in prayer.  No other show on TV would be so bold (and its a shame that I consider that bold).

If you've never seen it, re-runs are on every Wednesday and new episodes are on Fridays on A&E.

*Disclaimer - none of the pictures belong to me.  They were on the internet and assumed to be public domain for non-profit use.

Comedy Gold

The kids were on fire at the supper table tonight, giving quote after quote that made me hide my face behind my napkin, almost crying from laughter.

We had Digiorno's "freezer pizza" for supper tonight.  We had a left over Papa John's dipping sauce, which Joseph will literally drink, so Jeni warmed it up in a microwave proof sauce cup and let Joseph have it.  I asked him if I could have some and he said yes and then kept telling me to "dip your pizza Daddy" while I tried to explain that I only dip the crust and I hadn't eaten all the way up there yet.  When I did start dipping, he only let me have about 3 or 4 dips and I guess he thought I'd had enough.  He, very demonstratively, picked up the cup and moved it to the other side of his plate (away from me) and said, "That's enough Daddy!"

I'm currently taking a class I need in order to be certified for my next job, at the Defense Acquisition University (DAU) (a high falutin' name for an institution that issues no degrees).  Making kid friendly conversation, Jeni said, "Daddy, what did you do at school today?"  Janelle piped right in and said, "Daddy, what did you have for snack?!", echoing what I often ask her about her day at "school".

They will probably go to Tyson's Galleria to see Santa tomorrow, because there is no line on weekdays, so I asked Joseph what he was going to ask Santa for.  He said, "an Army truck!".  I haven't heard that before, so I asked, "an Army truck?"  Joseph gave me a perfect Pentagon salute, you know, shoulder shrug, elbows bent, and palms up, "I don't have an ARMY truck Daddy.  I'm going to ask for an Army truck."

Then Janelle asked Jeni what she wanted.  Jeni told her she wanted a vegetable peeler (something simple the kids could "get" her).  Janelle asked what else.  Jeni said maybe a rubber whisk.  Janelle asked what else and Jeni said, "I'll make you a little list", to which Janelle replied, "but Mommy, I can't read!"

Finally, Joseph announced, "I need to go potty."  Jeni said, OK, go potty.  Janelle, never one to be left out, announced, "I need to go potty too", and took off for the bathroom.  Joseph said, "I'll go upstairs to potty".  Janelle announced from the bathroom, "You can go here when I get done!"  Joseph said, "OK, I'll wait right here, on my truck."  (sitting on his ride-on fire truck)

You can't make this stuff up.  I can't express their vocalizations in type, so maybe you had to be there, but I could have sold tickets to dinner at the Ford house tonight. 

Boys Afternoon

Mommy and Janelle went to a "Princess" birthday party this afternoon, so I cross loaded Joseph's car seat into my truck and we set out to have a boy's afternoon out.  Joseph loves to ride in my truck, he says he want's one like it when he's big, but he doesn't get to do it much.  Our first mission was to get me a haircut.  Joseph loves to go to the barber shop and he wanted a cut, too, but he really didn't need one.

The barber shop was really crowded but we found two seats and sat down.  As an irrelevant aside, I go to a Vietnamese barbershop (every soldier knows the Korean barbershops outside the gate).  It is a really modern shop and they have a fish tank and a little area with some kids chairs and a little table and a bin of toys for the kids.  The barbers have names like Qui, Luke, Andy, Hung, and Jennifer. 

When we got there, Joseph and I sat down and looked at some car magazines until it was my turn.  When I got called, I told Joseph he could go sit in the little chairs and look at the fish or play with toys.  He was such a little man.  He went over and got a little chair and turned it around and looked at the fish tank.  At some point, Jennifer (the barber), was sweeping up hair, and Joseph turned his chair square around, so he was facing the barber chairs and Jennifer.  This caught her a bit off guard and she said, "Hello there".  He didn't throw the toys about or cause any kind of fuss.  He just sat there and waited for me to get through.  When I got done, my barber (the young lady who is a George Mason Pharmacy grad who cuts hair on Sunday) asked me if she could give him a sucker.  Needless to say, I was very proud of him.

After the barber shop, we went to CostCo.  I told Joseph that he would have to stay very close to me, because CostCo is crazy crowded, and he did the best he could.  After a while in CostCo, I put Joseph on my shoulders and was playing a little game with him... lean this way, "don't fall"... lean that way, " don't fall".  After a while, my shoulders were getting tired, so I asked him if he'd like to get down.... silence.... "Joseph, do you want to get down?".... silence.  "Joseph, I can't see you nodding your head, you need to talk".  He leaned over, right next to my head and nodded, so I let him down. 

After CostCo, we went to the Giant grocery store to get some juice for the kids.  We got two each one quart bottles of juice and Joseph wanted to carry one.  It was a handful for him and he hugged it up against his body, "holding it with two hands, daddy".  We went by the floral section and Joseph wanted to smell the flowers.  They had some really expensive Orchids and Joseph went over and smelled and asked all kinds of questions.  "What is this?"  "That's a bud, son, a little flower that hasn't opened up yet."  "Daddy, what's that yellow thing in the flower?"  "I don't know, son, it's just part of the flower.  Don't touch it, that's a very expensive flower if you break it"  Then he carried his bottle up to the self check and we paid out and went to the truck.

There was a moped one park over and in front of us.  A guy got on it and rode off.  Joseph said, "Look daddy, he's on a motorcycle."  I said, "Well that's not really a motorcycle, that's more like a scooter."  Joseph said, matter-of-factually, "Scooters are pink, that's a motorcycle".

While we were out driving, Joseph was asking questions and learned all kind of things.  He learned what blinkers are and what hazard flashers are.  I tried to explain what that "big lever" in the floor does, and what the "little lever" (4 WD shifter) does and why the "clocks" on the dash (the speedo and tach) go up when we leave a red light.  I told him about engines and when we got home, I had to pop the hood and show him the truck's engine.  He told me he wants a "motor like that when I get big".

After we got home, he wanted to ride his bike.  He has a little-bitty Diego bike with training wheels that he rides like a little demon.  His only problem is that he tends to turn it too sharply and tips it over, but he usually gets up and dusts his hands off and gets back on.  When he's sitting still, and is trying to get it going, he kind of hops on it to get some momentum going forward, but also spins the rear wheel.  Once, this afternoon, he hopped, his petals spun really fast, and he banged his knee on the handle bars.  He really wanted to cry, but I told him "If you're going to ride a bike, its going to happen.  Keep riding.  Pedal it off.  It will quit hurting.  Go".  After he got going, it was all forgotten.

I really enjoy the one on one time with the kids.  Together, they are hell on wheels, and can be unbearable at times, but when there is only one, we make serious quality time together.  I love that.

Look at yourself

This is an amazing story.  On one hand I just want to post this and say, "look at yourself", and remind us all about the blessings we have, just to be "normal", and what an inspiration this guy is.

http://www.wimp.com/watchingthis/

But then I thought, we have soldiers like this.  I've seen them, up close and personal, and it's simultaneously heartbreaking and inspirational.  They aren't hopping around on stumps like this.  See this young man here: http://youtu.be/dwO0_uWTR8k I'm not trying to take anything away from anyone.  I'm just trying to say that our Warriors are the greatest in the world, and our military medicine is making leaps and bounds progress over the civilian world in this area, because we have to, to keep our covenant with our Warriors and our never quit Warriors will not settle for anything less.

I'm not disparaging anyone.  Both men mentioned here are truly inspirational, both are making the most out of the cards they've been dealt, they just have different ways of going about it.  Neither is more right, or more inspirational than the other.  My point is, we take care of our own, and we're doing it extraordinarily well and our Warriors will accept nothing else.  We owe it to them.

What I want

These two little angels that God, himself, blessed me with are my whole world.  These two mean more to me than life itself.  It is really hard to explain, but every thing I do, I do for these two little monsters.  I'm sure all the parents out there know what I mean, but no course of action that hurts these guys is a suitable course of action.

That established, what do I want?  I want them to be able to grow up in the same America I grew up in.  I want them to know that hard work is the way to get what you want, but when neighbors need help, you help, no matter what.  I want them to understand that a wage is a wage, and the only way to earn it is hard work.  The way I worked hard for a neighbor, picking produce for a meager wage  (but I was darn proud to get it) when I wasn't old enough to legally earn the minimum wage, but at the same time, if he needed help with something, we'd be down there helping out.  Just neighbors helping neighbors.

I want them to understand that there is nothing they can't do if they are willing to put themselves out there and work hard for it.  That they can be a starter on the sports team, even if they aren't the most physically talented, because they are willing to work harder with what they have.  That they can be an A+ student and captain of the scholars bowl team because they are willing to study harder than the other kids.  That they can go to the university they want to go to, and not the second best choice, because they can find a way to reach their dream, and if that university is Auburn, that's OK too if their dream is to be an architect or a chicken farmer (sorry, couldn't resist that).

I also want them to understand the simple things in life.  I want them to be able to go into the woods on their own land and listen, and watch, and find a squirrel or rabbit, and shoot it with their own .22 rifle, bring it home, skin it out, and eat it.  I want them to know that death is part of life and that death supports life and that's why God gave humans providence over the animals.  I want them to bait their own hook and clean their own fish.

I want them to understand that people are what matter.  The IPhone may connect you and make things much more convenient, but it connects you to people and the people are what matter.  The old lady that lives down the road, and still dials the phone, also matters because she is a person and a child of God.

I want them to be self sufficient, not relying on any other man, or the government, for their own well being.  I want them to be able to plant their own food, harvest their own game, make their own living, and make their own way in life without taking from others, but always willing to give to others who truly need their help.  

Most importantly, I want them to know God.  God, who gave us all life and has blessed us with all our gifts.  I want them to know and serve him, because that is the only way to eternal life.

Cookie Monsters

Here's a little short tale about my little monsters and what they get into.

Today was my second unscheduled day off.  At lunch, the kids didn't eat much.  They were more interested in playing and goofing off.  We told them, "If you don't eat lunch, no snacks.  You'll be hungry but nothing to eat until supper."  They just deserted lunch and went off to play anyway.

This afternoon, Jeni went out to get some groceries.  The kids kept asking for some oranges, some cheese, a cookie, etc.  but I just kept saying no and explaining that they didn't eat lunch, so they would just have to wait until supper.

At some point, I went to the latrine (or potty, for you civilians).  When I came out, one of their little blue chairs was pushed up against the kitchen island that holds the stove and the cookie jars.  I didn't notice (emphasis on notice) anything amiss (because I'm almost like a visitor here.  I don't notice all the details), so I took the chair and put it under their little table and carried on.

At supper, Joseph ate lots of baked chicken and most of the rest of his plate.  After supper, Jeni said, "Joseph, you ate very good.  Would you like a cookie?"  Joseph said, "Yes, are the cookies under the TV?"  Jeni, "?No, the cookies aren't under the TV."  Joseph, "I think the cookies are in the cabinet under the TV."  Jeni, "??I don't know what you're talking about.  The cookies aren't under the TV.  I'll get you a cookie in a minute."  We were both thoroughly confused about what he might be talking about, so we went on our way, clearing the table and cleaning the dishes.

Well, moments later, Joseph crawled up into our TV stand cabinet, under the TV, and came out carrying the tupperware box that all their homemade Halloween cookies are stored in.  The little stinker had stolen away with it when I was indisposed and he knew exactly where it was, even if he wasn't able to keep the secret.