So long February

Storm Clouds over the Pascagoula beach this afternoon. The dot there is a Gull flying in to shore.

Here it is the last day of February... these two months have gone by so fast.

This pass week was packed with a lot of different feeling for me. Last Sunday I ordered the lens I've been wanting for so long. Wednesday or Thursday morning Chip came in and told me that they had to put their little dog, Shelby, to sleep. Chip said she was 16 years old and just a day or so before Chip and I had gone out at lunch and he went by to let them out. She made me think of my little Maggie so much. She was old and feeble and couldn't hear. Then Chip told me about it, it sent a wave over me.... things like this just upset me.

With all that being said Lauren and Lane bought another little dog and gave him to Mary. They named him Cody. Even thro I said I didn't want anymore dogs... well I just had to give in. So for Lucy doesn't not like him.. I guess after Lucy lost Maggie she just doesn't want to get close to anyone else. I can understand it... Sometimes I think our pets have more going for them than we do ourselves. Think about it.... they love us with no questions..

Well it's been one of those days.. rain and ugly skies... and I so wanted to get out and try out my new lens. Well tomorrow is another day..

I bought it today

After months of looking and reading about the lens I ordered it today. I like to shoot birds and landscapes and from what I've read I'll be happy with it. I'm going to be shooting some sporting events also this spring so I'm really hoping some of that will help me offset some of the expense of the lens.. The lens is the CANON 100-400L. The L lens are the best Canon makes.

The kids told me if I wanted it to buy it.. and I've been hired on by a local to help shoot a couple of weddings with her so I got it.

Tell me it's not true

Obama OKs about 17,000 more troops for Afghanistan..
By ANNE GEARAN, AP Military Writer

This can't be true.. the great, the almighty said we were going to bring our troops home. Tell me he's not going back on a campain promise. This just can't be.... he's the ONE that's going to save America... like I stated before.. hold on to you a$$... it's going to get bad... just where is this 700 billion dollars going to come from??? ... people like me and you... the working class...not the ones looking for a handout or the "yous owes me" group. I see bad times ahead...

I also saw today the rats running out of their holes... Ole Bill Clinton was crying don't blame this on me... it wasn't my fault....

Great Backyard Bird Count

The backyard bird count started yesterday and goes thru the 16th, but I think the only birds I can count today would be DUCKS. It's raining here this morning and from what I can see on the radar it's going to be around all day.

Gage and I spent last Sunday afternoon together and he and I were going to go down to the point to shoot pictures of the gulls. He had his camera and everything, but the little fellow went to sleep on the ride down to the beach. I just pulled up to the point and sat there and let him sleep. I enjoyed just sitting there watching the boats going and coming. It was peaceful. When Melissa asked him about his afternoon with PawPaw he told her about going to sleep and how I let him nap. Melissa told him something about how much PawPaw loved him and he responded by saying 'Yeap PawPaw loves me just like Jesus'... Wow... when Melissa told me this it just made me so thankful to have Gage to want to spend time with me. To know that you're loved for who you are... Gage and Noah are a pair now... and God knows how I love them.

Well this past week was a big one for me... Tues I added one more mark to age. I've made 53 trips around the sun now... looking back I can't believe the time has gone by so fast. I'm just glad I'm able to enjoy my new age.

I was hoping it was going to be pretty this weekend. I wanted to take Gage out Geocaching. Geocaching is kinda like looking for Easter eggs (that's the best way for me to describe it), it's a high tech game where people hides a log book then post the waypoints and you take your GPS and go out to find it. It's fun to get out and I've gotten some pretty good bird pictures while out.

Speaking of bird pictures... I've got fever for a new lens, the CANON 100-400L MM.. It would be great for my birds and sports shots. I'm still thinking about it... I've got to see how many weddings Debbie has coming up... I need her to have at least 8 so I can afford it... hahahha

I'm going to run for now... I need to call Melissa and check on Gage. She told me last night he was sick yesterday and so is Mary. I don't think she slept much last night either.

Feb 8, 2009

The fullness of the moon only multiplies
the emptiness of my soul.

Best Job in the World -- being Paw Paw

What a day I had yesterday... Once again I got to be a little boy and play with trucks and tractors as I had once done. This time was much different than before for this time I am the Paw Paw... and I've got to tell you there's no better feeling or job in the world.

Gage spent the afternoon with me yesterday and he wanted to dig and play in the flower bed I was breaking up. I bet you he moved a 1000 yards or dirt.. hahaha I could help but to think back to my days as a little boy and how I also liked to dig and play with my trucks and tractors in the dirt.

After he played in the dirt for a while we went up to the hospital to feed the ducks at the lake. Went by the dollar store and looked around, went to McDonalds and had ice-cream. For me it was almost like when I would stay with Paw Roberts. He and I would take trips like that. I just feel like somewhere he was watching Gage and me and smiling... thinking about the times we spent together.

Being a Paw Paw has got to be the greatest thing in the world. Having Gage look up at me and smiling means more than he will ever know in my life time. I just hope that some day when he becomes a Paw Paw, he will remember the times we spent together and say "I know now how Paw Paw felt".

I feel like I'm the luckist person on the earth knowing that Gage wants to spend time with me and go places with me.

South MS Weather

This past week I think we've had everything from 25 to 70 degrees, rain to sun shine. You've just got to love it down here... hahaha

I think spring isn't for off oh, because I've been getting a lot more birds coming to the feeder. Yesterday I saw Redwing Black birds and I haven't seen them since Fall and little Gold Finches... I've got a ton of them here now.

The picture for today was shot yesterday as part of a 'misdirection'. Some how last week I was looking on the internet for something to do with my GPS system and came across some info for Geocaching. I was tell Chip about it at work the next day and he and I have become hooked on it. Geocaching is just a high tech game of hide and seek where people hide little objects and then post the Latitude and Longitude. Once you find it you sign the log book that they provide and log it on the website. For me it's something to try to get me out of the house on weekends. Ok back to the bird 'misdirection' picture... Well I hid my first cache yesterday morning. So I took my camera as thro I were out shooting bird pictures... this let me get into the brush to hide my treasure ... hahaha This was my first hide I've added it so you'll kinda see what I'm talking about...

Bullfrog Hangout
This is my first cache so it will more than likely be an easy find… OH YEAH… be careful when you do find the cache… I’ve got a GUARD to protect the log sheet… hahaha … and PLEASE bring a pen or pencil… Thanks and have fun…
Park at the NORTH WEST part of Scranton Nature Center...
Additional Hints [If you’re in the water—you’ve gone to far]


It was found yestday afternoon...
January 24 by Shagswell82x (184 found)
17:00 This was the second FTF of the day this one even had a First to Find certificate in it.
Left a $100.00 Casino Chip.

I've got this expensive GPS that I have to use very little so why not find something fun to do with it.


Well that's about all I've got to for now. Oh yeah I see the president hasn't let me down yet.. he's in the process of giving money away... and just read this.. "Obama ordered Guantanamo Bay prison in Cuba to be closed within a year, CIA secret prisons shuttered and abusive interrogations ended." ANNE FLAHERTY, Associated Press Writer Anne Flaherty, Associated Press Writer HELLO.. IS ANYONE HOME????? these are terrorists not little old ladies that were jaywalking. I've got a feeling that all these people that think obama is Jesus Chirst coming back to save them is in for an eye opening... and I'm afraid it's not going to be long. I just wonder how they will blame it on President Bush? Now that I've got my blood pressure up I think I better go... hahahhaah

Sunset January 19, 2009

Well here we are the last full day of President's Bush term in office. I know a lot of people have accused President Bush of many things and a lot of people even hate him, but as for me I think he has done the job very well.

I've always felt safe at night knowing he was on watch... in one of his last speaches he talked about 9/11 and how people had half way gotten on with thier lives, but every morning he was breifed on world events and that for him 9/11 will never go away. After that speach some very smart AP news men made the comment that they hadn't forgotten 9/11... it just kills my very soul how these people can get up and make statements like that... non of us will ever forget 9/11, but they like to put the spin on it where to sound like 'oh he thinks he's the only one that hasn't forgotten' ... Oh how stupid some people can be and how stupid are the people that believe this spin.

I hate to see President Bush go.... did he make mistakes.. well yes.. will Barack Obama ... OH NO... he's the chosen one.. I keep waiting for the same smart AP news people to tell us how Barack Obama saved the people on US Airways Flight 1549.

Obama keeps telling everyone how he's going to bail everyone out... how everyone is going to get a stimulus check... where do you think this money is going to come from??? Well I can tell you it want the the rich that put him in the White House that's for sure... it's going to be the people that are working and living from paycheck to paycheck.

I'm afraid... I'm afraid for my children and grandchildren. I'm afraid they will never know the America I knew. Like today... all you heard about was Martin Luther King... one would have thought he was Jesus Christ come back to take us home... What about the heroes.... Oh that's right I can't have a person with honor be a hero... Well today was Robert E. Lee's birthday. I don't think there was ever a finer person.. Why wasn't he honored today? Why indeed???

Well, you'll go out tomorrow-- party, have fun, live it up... but just remember.. there's a payday coming and someone is going to have to pay up. Again I ask you who do you think will pay the tab???

President Bush... for what it's worth I think you did what you felt was right for the country and I thank you for your hard work over these past 8 years.

Remembering Robert E. Lee’s 202nd Birthday

January 19, 1807 – October 12, 1870

"Do your duty in all things. You cannot do more, you should never wish to do less" Robert E. Lee

Memories

I'm reminded of the old church song "Precious Memories how they linger" and they do. This past week or so I've gotten back in touch with some dear old friends. We went to school together and pretty much every weekend we would hang out together.

Now, via FACEBOOK, we talk about our familes, our kids, and in my case my grandsons. It's been great hearing from them once again.

In one of Angels post to Sundra and me she talked about true friends will always be friends. Maybe it's because we were friends for the right reason. Non of us were what they called "town people" meaning we lived out in the country and our parents had to work hard for what we had. We weren't friends because our parents were members of the country club kind of thing.


The thing that I remember is that no matter what Sundra was always there when I needed her. I only have a younger brother, but to me Sundra was my little sister I never had. Sundra was in my wedding and through the years she has always one of my dearest friends.

The stories we could tell, Sundra and myself.... stories of seeing just how many people we could take to the drive-in show in Magee, her Dad fussing about all of us eating everything at her house... but you know what I always felt welcome there.

Times have changed and for all of us... but as long as we keep the memories -- those precious memories... we can step back and once again smile and be young for a brief second.

To my two dear friends, Sundra and Angel, we may have moved away, but not apart and above all like the song Bob Hope would end his show with.. THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES...