Sweet Sixteen

She used to follow me around the farm like a loyal dog. Clean the stall, fix the tractor, cultivate the crops, she knew her Dad needed the guidance that only she could provide. As time passed changes came. Barn boots have been replaced by RocketDogs and where Jinn's brush could be found now a cell phone resides. Dad? well... Dad can handle things on his own thanks to the years of Mentoring from his little girl.
Changes... what a plethora of emotions attached to that word. My oldest looking at colleges, my youngest doubling in size every month and my girl... my sweet sixteen, lets go there.
It was like yesterday (actually seems like 6 to 8 years at the most) we were at St. Francis. It was early morning. I was frustrated as I watched a rotund nurse trying to attach cardiac monitor clips to my new born girl with the gingerliness of a blacksmith. Unable to get the job done, She turned to get help and I swiftly slid my hand under the incubator and clicked the electrode to the pad. As the monitor picked up the signal... Flash! I'm in her bedroom on Irving St tucking her in... Flash! A new puppy named Jack and sledding in the backyard... Flash! An amazing essay and a horse named Jinn... Flash! Boobs! Oh my God! Flash! Cell phone... Flash! High school... Flash! Instant messaging... Flash! Boys!... (I hate boys) Flash! "Dad I want a car" Flash! $$$$$
Flash... of my camera as I snap shots of a beautiful young woman with her friends on the Tennessee River boat during her sweet sixteen celebration.
And now, as tears roll down my cheeks, I tap away trying to collect thoughts. It's very hard with all this flashing and spinning going on around me. I wish I could play a less static role in her life. She is so dynamic and complex, and at the same time simple and natural. I want to be one of her best friends. Dads don't have the privilege of that roll I guess, and my efforts to do so have left me looking like a dork or something really odd to her. I don't mean to come across like that, Sorry.
Kenny Chesney sings it in the song "Don't Blink", The words to this song written from the view from the eyes of a 100 year old man. At 42, I feel a lot of these sentiments already.
Baby, I'm so excited for all the great things you have yet to experience, and for all the experiences that have brought you to this moment. Wow how exciting to be so young with so much life ahead of you. Just one more thing, a simple request...If you could grant me one wish before I turn 100... It would be to take one more walk across a pasture somewhere... both of us wearing barn boots.

Grapevine wrath

A co-worker, and non-smoker at COK, we'll call him "tomato" was peddling raffle tickets one morning. He purchased some magazines from me earlier in the year so I reciprocacted the gesture and bought some of his tickets. Never expecting to win anything. Just a couple bucks toward a good cause.
Two weeks later now and the ticket stubs snuggled into their new home at the landfill, I get a call late one night.... "Is this John?..." Puzzled I replied "Who's asking?" Pause... " have something fer you" Now I'm sure this is a prank call, and the Yankee in me came out. Rudely I replied " I don't want it!!". This guy with the phone skills of a 6 year old, proceeded to inform me of the results of the raffle drawing. Our conversation continued filled with solecism and that union county slang I will never understand. I was informed that I was the lucky winner and proud owner of the cherished Grape Vine Wreath

The next morning I waited with baited breath (I don't know exactly what that means, but I heard someone say that once.) for tomato to arrive with my Grape Vine Wreath, did I mention it was valued at over $100. As it emerged from the back seat of his car, I noticed the goofy smirk on his face on the verge of belly laugh. He was able to ward off the belly laugh and handed me the prize. Trying not to stare at the hideous creature, I quickly moved it to the back seat of my truck and covered it with a rain coat.
It rode back there with the doors unlocked for 2 days, with hopes someone would steal it. no such luck, I had to bring it inside. I set it on the hearth.
As each member of my unit saw it, the responses were all the same... What is that??
We discussed options as to the future of the prize... Strip it and put Christmas light on it or donate it to a nursing home, preferably the wing with the most vision impaired guests, were the top choices. It most likely would sit on the hearth and after a dozen hits from book filled backpacks, just vacuum up the remnants and presto! gone forever.
You didn't think it would end there would you? Nooooooo! Another call from junior samples grandmarshall and fund raiser virtuoso. "I need a picture of you with the wreath for the local newspaper...ASAP." (You know one of the things I have learned as I have progressed into my 40's is to hold my tongue and keep comments to myself.) resisting the urge to say all sorts of egregious things, I responded with a shaky OK.

I wouldn't be pictured dead with this thing so I sacrificed my oldest son to the ignoble god of the Grapevine Wrath.

Arrivederci al Luciano grande

I'm not much of a classic music aficionado, but I can recognize a decent tenor when I hear one, dag gummit!!! I was mousing thru the kids I-tunes collection when I came across a Celine Dion tune. It caught my eye because it was a duet with the late Luciano Pavarotti. I clicked on the selection and slipped my head phones on.
I Hate You Then I Love You; (Open in a new tab and the song will play... eventually.) A soothing duet with some modern touches of pop genre, It is the first time I heard Luciano sing a song in English. I couldn't stop the song, I just wanted to hear every word, every note. I didn't sing along, I sat quietly until the next track cued. Simply amazed.
The Italian Tenor died 9-6-07... I would have to hope that a tenor seat in God's Angelic choir has been filled.
Goodbye to the great Luciano.

Ocooweeeeeeeeee!!

(sung to Gilligan's Island theme song)
Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale, a tale of a fateful trip. That started from a concrete spill,
aboard this tiny ship. The mate was a skinny dude named Chase, the skipper didn't show, Five passengers paid $30 that day, for a two hour tour. a two hour tour.
The water started getting rough, the tiny ship was swamped. If not for the 800mg. of Naproxen in my blood, My back would claim comp, my back would claim comp....
The raft hit ground several times as we pasted thru rapids with names... like...Double Suck...
and Grumpy too...The Tablesaw and Hell hole...The doldrums... Flipper and Witches Hole...
Here on the Oooocoooeeeeee!

The Ocoee runs on weekends until the end of October. It was well worth the $$. I recommend it to adventurers of all ages. Contact the Ocoee Inn for times and river schedules. See more pictures of Fashionchicka (5th from left) and Basegasket (3rd from left) and Ocoee Photos.