4th of July...

A disappointing turnout to say the least. However the people that did come I believe had fun inspite of our little rain shower....I don't get that...it doesn't rain here for 5 weeks and then the day it's gonna be fireworks...RAIN. I don't get that at all. But we needed the rain so I'm okay with it I guess.

People in attendance:
1. Alfred
2. Bessima
3. Dani

Of course there were numerous others of my parent's friends and Brian's crew...whatever. Alfred and Bessima arrived shortly before 6:30 and we commenced the eating of foods. Twas round two for me. I thought I was gonna die grilling all those hotdogs yesterday. Turned out we didn't need quite as many as we thought. It was so dang hot by that grill. I only dropped one the whole time. Rascal got it and then I felt bad because Snickers didn't get one so I gave her one. ...and Rascal promptly stole it from her. Rascal is a little too big for his britches I think. He's got this thing about jumping on people. He needs to cut it out. He jumped on me this morning and I didn't mean to knock him down only to put him down...but he hit the porch with a thud. Anyway, we ate and then a little while later Dani showed up. It was a little after the rain shower. Dani ate while I played the Bessima some songs (it was the only opportunity I got because some showboat was on my guitar all day and evening). Then we drove the jeep out there by the garden and watched some fireworks. Dani and I sat on the hood while Alfred and Bessima sat in the cockpit (yes, the jeep is actually a jet). I ate popcorn...and we all stunk of REPEL whipes. During the fireworks Bessima found some crazy cheesy station playing the strangest patriotic music. So we started listening to that. It was loads of fun. When the fireworks were done, we drove down the hill on some 4x4 action...to John Wayne speaking truths about America: "Our loggers clearing our natural forrests, Ella Fitzgerald singing GOD BLESS AMERICA."...etc....it was the most American tribute ever. And John Wayne...what a man's man speaking on America.

I have to say it's better than sitting at Goosepond with the rednecks goin "Ah luv 'mairca...dese colars ain't run"--yeah...anyway, I had better go I'm gonna have lunch with Andrew and Sarah Hodges.

Sidenotes:
1. Alfred: Oh man check out that catfish, it's huge.
Bessima: Looks like it's dead.
Me: nah man, it's just playin, poke it with the stick there.
Alfred: I don't man, looks like it's been there a while.
Bessima: Well it don't smell like it.
Me: Shoot, that things big, it probably got hit by a boat or something.
Bessima: It ain't been dead long. Pull it out of there and I'll take a picture like you caught it Nick.
Alfred: Man, no. It's been there a while...first thing to go is it's eyes...
Bessima: It's eyes are there Nick.
Me: I don't know...I bet that storm will blow around us.
Alfred: nope that right eye is gone...look Bessima.
Bessima: Oh yeah, you're right. Hey Matt, reckon we oughta head back to the house...that storm is kinda scary.
Me: Nah, it'll blow around us.
Alfred: That golf cart gonna make it up the hill?
Me: Shoot. yeah.
Alfred & Bessima together: Yeah, shoot.
Bessima: It ain't blowin around us.
Me: Yeah, let's get back to the house.
*And the E-Z Go departed*
2. man, where's the D-tread?
3. Dang that Malissa McDaniel, she did this on purpose.
4. John Wayne's tribute to America
5. danielle's paper towel note to my parents.
6. Dancin by the garden to no music.
7. "Is that goat supposed to be out?"
8. I can't find my cell phone.
9. "I want the bunny rabbit"
10. So does Rascal.
11. Lookout Weed...I know the name.



America, Why I Love Her
by John Wayne

You ask me why I love her? Well, give me time, and I'll explain...
Have you seen a Kansas sunset or an Arizona rain?
Have you drifted on a bayou down Louisiana way?
Have you watched the cold fog drifting over San Francisco Bay?
Have you heard a Bobwhite calling in the Carolina pines?
Or heard the bellow of a diesel in the Appalachia mines?
Does the call of Niagara thrill you when you hear her waters roar?
Do you look with awe and wonder at a Massachusetts shore...
Where men who braved a hard new world, first stepped on Plymouth Rock?
And do you think of them when you stroll along a New York City dock ?
Have you seen a snowflake drifting in the Rockies...way up high?
Have you seen the sun come blazing down from a bright Nevada sky?
Do you hail to the Columbia as she rushes to the sea...
Or bow your head at Gettysburg...in our struggle to be free?
Have you seen the mighty Tetons? ...Have you watched an eagle soar?
Have you seen the Mississippi roll along Missouri's shore?
Have you felt a chill at Michigan, when on a winters day,
Her waters rage along the shore in a thunderous display?
Does the word "Aloha"... make you warm?
Do you stare in disbelief When you see the surf come roaring in at Waimea reef?
From Alaska's gold to the Everglades...
from the Rio Grande to Maine...My heart cries out...
my pulse runs fast at the might of her domain.
You ask me why I love her?... I've a million reasons why.
My beautiful America... beneath Gods' wide, wide sky.

Oh man this is my 100th post...

I would like to take this moment to thank all of you loyal "Your Face Gives Me the Diarrhea" readers, without your motivation I would not continue to ocassionally write such prolific pieces of garbage at random times for your reading enjoyment.

Seriously, I can't believe the shit that comes out of my mouth sometimes.

I think that the wonderment of the world can be summed up in the swirl of water left behind a paddle stroke. At home in Scottsboro, I am so at ease paddling through the water, enjoying nature. Nature that I don't get to enjoy when I'm at UAH. Don't get me wrong the campus is "lovely" but sometimes I just need some sky, water, trees...and little less pavement. Today has been a good day I guess. I mean I'm alive aren't I? I think so. I might have died yesterday at that doctor's office with that dude clippin his toenails. I don't have to worry about people clipping toenails on the goat farm.

I woke up this morning to the most awesome sound ever in the history of the world....unlike Danielle, who woke up to the sound of the carpeters carpeting the room above hers. HA. No that really sucks for her, I mean it's her birthday and all and she can't even sleep in. All our hard work for a day off and she doesn't get to sleep in. Well, I didn't sleep in either. In fact, I woke up at 8am. Anyway, I packed it up and came to Scottsboro. Planning on spending the night, but now since I'm meeting Bradley at his home in Decatur in the morning, I probably won't. I've spent a good part of the day playing outside. Not really doing much of anything. I helped mom unload the feed for the goats (since the grass is dead). Then I went and saw my Uncle Shawn at the Money Tree (his loan business). It's also a nice putt-putt place. If you're ever in Scottsboro and traveling down Broad Street (AL HWY 279), you should check it out...it's right beside the Pizza Hut and ABC store *wink*. So I hung out with my uncle for a while. We played putt-putt and he told me about his friend that died this morning. ....loss of words....

after I left the Money Tree, I came back home, and I've just been piddling around. I went out in the pasture and picked up golf balls. Then I watered the little trees and started the sprinklers on the yard. Right now I'm sitting on the back porch using wireless internet, and listening to them click...Rascal is rolling around on the porch and Thom the cat is cleaning himself. I should take a shower too. I smell. I didn't get to take the kayak out today. There were too many people on the river because of the holiday weekend. God Bless America.