367 Days Ago . . . A Day To Remember . . . I Mean, To Forget!

I was driving back from Publix this morning when I heard a song by Miley Cyrus. I'm not at all familiar with Miley except that her daddy has an Achy Breaky Heart. I listened to the words of her song . . . .

There's always gonna be another mountain;
I'm always gonna wanna make it move.
Always gonna be an uphill battle;
Sometimes I'm gonna lose.

Ain't about how fast I get there.
Ain't about what's waiting on the other side.
It's the climb.

I like that message. But I must admit that my mind began to wonder and I thought about my last great climb - in the physically sense. Exactly a year ago, Tom and I made our second trip up a mountain named Mount LeConte. Here are a few facts about this mountain and the lodge accommodations at the top:

• Mt. LeConte is the 3rd highest peak in the Great Smokey Mts. National Park
• The temperature has never reached 80 degrees (I LOVE that)
• The only way to get to the top is by foot - no roads.
• Supplies for the lodge are delivered either by helicopter or by llama.
• There are 7 cabins at the lodge.
• Reservations are very difficult to obtain - booked well in advance.
• There are several different trails to reach the top, some shorter and steeper, others longer but still steep.
• In the cabins, there is no electricity and no running water.
• There are flushing toilets in an outhouse-type building near the lodge
• Hot water for sponge baths is available at the lodge.
  
  

You ask, "Why in the world would you go once, must less twice?" Good question, matey. The first year I suppose it was a crazy challenge for me to think I could do something like this. "Athletic" is never an adjective that anyone has ever used to describe me. Starting in January 2007, Tom & I started training for our June hike. We walked many, many miles around Simpleville. One day we walked 8 miles because the trail we took that year was 8 miles. Of course, we walked on mostly flat land, not climbing up a mountain. To say that I was ill prepared for that hike was an understatement. However, once we finally reached the top, I was geared to tackle this physical feat again in 2008.

Fast forward to January 2008. I should have started training for the June hike. That is about the time my knee started giving me trouble. We had already made our reservations. I was sure by June, I'd be fine. But it didn't happen. My doctor had told me that I was facing knee surgery, but that he'd give me a cortisone shot a week before my hike so I could climb pain-free. So, on June 27, 2008, Tom & I and others began our trek . . . . the nightmare trek.

We took a different trail in 2008 - the Trillium Gap Trail going up and the Alum Cave Trail down. Trillium Gap was a shorter trail than our ascent trail the previous year, but steeper. After the 2007 hike when we hiked almost 9 miles up, I was ready to tackle a shorter trail even if it meant I had to climb more. Taking two different trails up & down required us to park one vehicle at the starting point and one vehicle at the ending point. We began our hike by parking not far from downtown Gatlinburg. We had hiked almost 2 miles when we came upon this sign:


Wait just a minute. The entire hike was supposed to be 6.6 miles. We had just hiked 2 miles and we still had 6.6 miles to go!!!!!!! What the hay??? Apparently, we had parked in the wrong parking lot. There was another parking lot further up the road where our trail actually began. Of course, at this point I was already getting winded and sweaty. I immediately began to think that this hike was not going to be any fun at all.

Later, we met the llama "train". How very cool. They were coming down the mountain after leaving supplies at the lodge.

This was so interesting.

I had done this hike just last year so I thought I could do this again. Wishful thinking on my part. Each hour became more grueling. My knee really didn't give me any trouble. My trouble was that I had not physically prepared for the hike. I was out of shape and it became a huge effort to continue to lift my feet rock after rock.

During hour five or six, it began to rain. The people in our group began to pull out their rain gear. Not me. I welcomed the rain. And believe me it was a very cool rain because we had climbed in elevation considerably. Then it began to really pour down rain. Buckles of rain fell. The ruts in the trail became streams of rushing water. I was so exhausted at this point that I don't think I realized how dangerous it was to walk on slippery rocks and slicky mud. I was clearly just trying to put one foot in front of the other. Then it began to hail. Yes, hail! I literally walked in hail and through hell. It was terrible. At one point I became very light headed. Tom asked me if I was okay. Thinking back, I'm sure I was pale. I muttered to Tom that I was fine. I just wanted this hike OVER WITH! I should have listened to my body. It was screaming, "Sit down and rest, you stupid idiot." During the last and 8th hour, I stumbled on a root and fell on a huge boulder. I'm not sure how I did this, but the entire weight of me fell on my ring finger. (After returning home, I found that I had broken the finger.) But thankfully there was a boulder. Had that boulder not been there, I'd have fallen down a VERY steep cliff. There would have been the end of Joy as we know her.

From that point on, Tom walked behind me. (I always like to walk near the rear of the pack - goes back to my phobia of someone following me.) Tom, at times, literally pushed me up that mountain. I remember several times when we approached a big step up, he would push my rear end until I was on the next level. I was so totally exhausted that I was praying for God to give me the strength to put one foot in front of the other. Tom Rucker is my hero. I could not have made it up that mountain without Tom's physical help and without his encouraging words. He was worried about me, he told me later.

When we finally reached the top, we went straight to the lodge where the meals are served. If you arrive prior to 5 p.m., free hot cocoa is served. (If we had missed that 5 p.m. time, I'd have gone ballistic on the kitchen staff.) Sweet Ellie, who was about 11 years old, met me outside the lodge. I swear I think she had pompoms b/c she was cheering us for making it to the summit and for enduring the storm. She greeted me with a hot cup of cocoa. The cocoa tasted like liquid gold to me. I had guzzled plenty of water throughout the hike. To be honest, I drank all my water and half of Tom's water. I sweat, thus I thirst! But that cocoa was the best thing I'd ever had.

This is a picture taken just outside the lodge.

It has the date published on the building just for picture taking.

(This was AFTER I bathed and cleaned up!)

Then we checked in to our cabin. It's very, very rustic. But after such a difficult climb, I'd have gladly stayed in a sleeping bag outside with the bears. Here is a picture of our cabin.

The King's shared a cabin with us and their daughter and family stayed across from us in another cabin.

Tom soon brought me the nicest bucket of hot water. I had a luxurious sponge bath and I was immediately revived. Dinner that night in the lodge was scrumptious. We joked that the meat was probably llama, but we didn't really care.

Every single stitch of clothing we wore was soaking wet. We looked like a family from "Deliverance".

There is another building where people sit around a wood stove. There are lots of board games. I chose to sit in the rocking chair and just talk to others and relax. Going to sleep was no problem. Getting up the next morning was. I ached all over. Breakfast was another tremendous meal. Then we filled out water bottles and headed down the Alum Cave Trail which was 5.5 miles of very steep hiking but downhill! Just as we began down the trail, we met a guy running up from the other direction. He joyfully greeted us. We all decided that he had really just gone ahead of us and turned around running back to make us think that he had jogged the entire trail. Show off.

We'd hiked less than an hour when I was maneuvering on a large, sloped boulder. The next thing I knew I was kissing the rock because I fell down quickly, this time on my left knee - my only good knee. I pulled up my pants and saw a bloody cut, not bad, but I had a "goose egg" that was more the size of a giganotosaurus egg. Holy Cow! Now I had a very swollen (and broken) finger, a right knee that was awaiting surgery and a left knee that was black & blue and HUGE. I seriously began to wonder if my hiking group thought I was . . . well, "special". I felt completely UNathletic. But I laughed it off and continued down the steep mountain trail.

As we continued to hike, that Jogging Jim came up from behind us and spoke to us again . . . very friendly. We were amazed that he had caught up with us. Little did we know that we'd see him time and again . . . jogging up then jogging down - a total of three times! Finally, when we were getting closer to our finish line, we stopped him and questioned his sanity. Not really, but we wanted to know about his continuous run up and down this 5.5 very steep trek. He said it the joy of his life to jog that trail. He had jogged it many, many times over the years. When he jogs, he jogs it several times in one day. Maybe we should have questioned his sanity.

When we reached the Alum Cave Bluff, well, you just have to see it for yourself.

Absolutely awesome!

The guy in front is one of our group. He gives you an idea of how humongous the bluff is.

After hiking down the mountain, we reached the parking lot and were very tired but nothing like the climb up. Would I climb Mt. LeConte ever again? Not just, NO, but ............I'd better not say that. Let's just keep it at NO WAY DURING MY LIFE TIME. I hiked it twice. I'm very proud of that fact. The view from the mountain top was breathtaking. (I never enjoyed the view going up b/c I could hardly breathe.) The view descending the mountain was incredible. There is no way that anyone can see that beauty and not know for a fact that God is alive. Such wonder! Such splendor! I now have that on my digital camera and I shall marvel at that beauty from afar.

The Climb

by Smiley Bye-Bye-rus

There ain't never gonna be another mountain.

I ain't never gonna wanna make it move.

There may be some uphill battles,

But Mt. LeConte ain't one I'd choose.

Ain't about if or when I take the hike

Ain't about what others choose to do

I ain't gonna climb.

Another Birthday Party!

Yesterday was my friend Joyce's birthday. She's a member of the Christmas Lunch Bunch (a small group that's had lunch together during December for the last 20 years of so). I had a simple birthday lunch for her yesterday. It was good to see all the girls in June. Just another 6 months and we'll be dressed in red for Christmas!

I made Joyce a balloon dog

How do you like my anatomically-incorrect yellow jacket?
You'd think that a Georgia Tech fan could get the stinger in the right place!

I made balloon hats for everyone. We kept those hats on til about 3:00!

Nancy, Sandra & Cathy

We're just as goofy as we all looked. It's so good to be able to be stupid and act stupid with good friends.

DELIVERY Me This Day . . . .

Tom has only a few rituals he sticks to. One ritual is only done on Saturday and Sunday mornings. He listens to Bluegrass music. There is a radio station around here that plays bluegrass on Saturday and Tom often listens to it as he travels back & forth to Elberton when visiting Mamu or he listens to it as he works out in the yard. On Sunday mornings he listens to bluegrass before he goes to church. He plays it softly in the kitchen while I'm at the other end of the house because he knows I don't like bluegrass music at all. I love most music except for rap (which really isn't music), bluegrass (too twangy) and jazz (just don't like it).

This morning Tom came in the bedroom as I was getting ready and said, very sadly, "I'm not getting good reception on the radio in the kitchen and I can't listen to my music." Sorry, Tom, and there are such few things that you really, really enjoy.


Several minutes later I entered the den and this is what I found:

Perfect reception!

I think I'll ask him to use the headphones every Sunday so I don't have to listen to the bluegrass.

I said to Tom, "Listening to your bluegrass music?" He sat up and said, "Gospel bluegrass". Oops, excuse me!

I know this is wrong of me, but when I hear bluegrass music, all I can think of is the 1972 movie, "Deliverance". If you've seen this movie, then you know why I get queasy just thinking about the it." (Poor original Mimi thought this was a religious movie.)

Remember him? Poor fellow. But he sure could play that banjo!

Bluegrass music conjures up images in my mind of hillbillies, in general. Especially, hillbillies with toothless grins.

And moonshine

I'm gonna try to be better about my mental images. All rock music isn't "drug" music like my parents thought, so all bluegrass music isn't hillbilly music. I get it. But it's just hard to get that out of my mind. Tom sure isn't a hillbilly and he loves the music. Sorry if I've offended anybody. I'm trying to change. Really I am.

So, here's to Bluegrass Music, Gospel and otherwise. May your twangy music rock my world one day.

Roadtrip To Stone Mountain

At 8:15 this morning Tom & I left for a roadtrip to Stone Mountain, Georgia. Tom's sister Joan and her husband Carey live there. Joan's daughter Mary is visiting from Nashville, Tenn. with her husband and baby Charlie. We had not met Charlie so we were very excited about visiting with them.

Chris, holding Charlie, and Mary

Joan is famous for dancing and singing to babies. She's entertained both Cady and Brie this way. Here she is dancing & singing with Charlie. He loved it.

Great Uncle Tom holding Charlie

Charlie is going to be a blond. He's adorable. He'll be 6 months old next week. He was 5-6 weeks premature, but he's healthy and got some "juicyness" about him. Wish my little grandgirls could have gone with us. What a good time they would have had with Charlie.

Joan fed us some delicious food for lunch. Joan once had a TV cooking show. Both she and her husband are great chefs. She also gave me a new cookbook and I'm excited about getting new recipes. I'll let ya know if I find some good ones.

It's almost 7 pm and I haven't a clue what's for supper. Tom's asleep on the sofa. Apparently, hunger has not hit him. If he doesn't wake up soon, I'll be out of the mood to eat. JUST KIDDING.

Tomorrow we are eating lunch with Mark & Brie at a restaurant nearby, then we get to play with Brie while Mark shows some houses (while Andrea sleeps). Looking forward to Sunday . . .

Happy Birthday, Matt . . . . Part Deux

Birthday Boy at Anita's

Mark is surrounded by two lovely ladies

Brie's hat cracked me up!

Cady loved the swing we put up;
This is Cady swinging away from me.

This is Cady coming right up to the camera.

Tom's outside right now painting the swingset. I can see that we'll get lots of good use out of our two baby swings and also the large swingset. Now we just have to replace those rusty swing chains. We need to buy eight 16-ft. chains. Told ya it was a high swingset!

Happy Birthday, Mr. Matt Ivester

Happy 26th Birthday, Matt

Now you and Abby are the same age, again.

In November 2004, while seniors at Clemson, you and Abby began to talk over the phone after sweet Lisa Stokes thought you and Abby would make a good match for each other. Such wisdom, Lisa; way to go! On Nov. 11, 2004, you and Abby met each other in person and went out to dinner in Anderson. Tom & I just happened to be in Anderson that same night. Do you know how Tom had to literally drag me away from the restaurant where you and Abby were eating? I tried to beg him to just park and let me snoop around to see if I could see you. My Abby had been burned by guys before and I was very protective of her feelings. I thought that if Matthew Ivester was a "player" and out to hurt Abby, he'd have to deal with me. But Tom made me keep my distance from you and Abby that night.

Two days later on Nov. 13, 2004, we were having a birthday party at the nursing home for Pappy. Abby asked if you could come. Wow. Meeting the family already? And the entire family, at that! Abby also informed me that she thought she had just met her future husband. That scared me. Really scared me. I remember Jane & I pressing our noses on the window of NHC to get a view of this guy Abby was bringing to the birthday party. Here was my first impression of you: kind, gentle and a bit shy. NOT a player. You had innocence written all over your face and I LOVED IT!

You two had a whirlwind romance. I think you talked marriage in the first two weeks of meeting. Your sparks flew so rapidly that it was almost spontaneous combustion!

Two months later in Jan. 2005, you knocked on my door at home and wanted to show me something. It was a diamond ring. By this time, I knew without a shadow of a doubt that God had put you and Abby together. I was very happy and at complete peace with you as my future son-in-law.

What I learned about you as the months went by and in the last 4 years is that you can do just about anything. Here's just a bit of what I know about you:

• You love the Lord and are a student of His Word

(You have many talents such as . . .)

• Putting in a sprinkler system in your yard
• Laying down hardwood floors
• Building a new staircase
• Laying ceramic tile
• Rebuilding engines for jet skis
• Building cabinets
• Building cornice boards
• Painting
• You play several instruments

I'm sure I've forgotten some things you have done. I know you learned many of your talents from your father and your grandfather. You are amazing.

You are also a tremendous husband and father. You cook chocolate-chip pancakes for Ab's birthday every year. You give of your time to Cadence and are such a caring father. You've probably changed almost as many diapers as Abby. You love to give Cadence baths. Like I've said before, you're a natural at fatherhood.

In many ways, you are more like Tom than his own sons. You think like he thinks. I'm glad there's finally someone in the family who completely understands him.

I hope that today is a wonderful for you, Matthew James. Love ya bunches!

Playing drums on a Wii game


Matt, Ab & Cady at the lake

Matt loves his two girls

P.S. to the house projects:

Tom & I finished painting the shutters this morning. Something happened though. I was painting a shutter on the porch and Tom was painting the shutter beside me. He was on the ladder painting the upper part of the shutter. Suddenly, I heard him and saw his paint bucket fall onto the porch. Black paint splattered all about. I was looking all around and said, "Oh, look, there's paint all over my fern stand." I heard Tom said, very casually and calmly, "That's not my main concern right now." I looked and Tom was hanging onto the ladder for dear life. One leg of the ladder had fallen in a hole in the ground and was teetering toward the porch. I grabbed Tom and steadied him while he climbed onto the porch. Then, true to my usual behavior, I busted out laughing. That was AFTER I was sure Tom was okay. We did have a bit of a mess to clean up, but we were soon back to painting.

Tom has moved on to his next project: painting the huge, steel swingset in our backyard.

Apparently, the former owners of this property once worked in the steel business.

This is the highest swingset I've ever seen and it will probably be here for my great grandchildren to enjoy!

My Shirt Of Many Colors

I think Dolly Parton is a hoot. She always seems to be so upbeat and smiling. I love how she comes up with phrases and sayings that crack my funny bone. Just last night I saw an interview where she was asked her feelings about plastic surgery. Here's what she said,
"If I see somethin' baggin', saggin' or draggin',
I get 'um nipped, tucked and sucked"

How funny is that? She and I have the love of music and the love of laughter in common. But there are two things that we do NOT have in common.

No explanation needed

One of her songs that I like is "The Coat of Many Colors" about the coat her mom made her from scraps of fabric because they were so poor. It's a sad song, yet such a sweet message. While I don't have a coat of many colors, I do have a t-shirt of many colors.

Poor ole Mickey is under all that paint

I have been painting with this t-shirt and a pair of black pants even before I painted Abby's bedroom when she was very little. Her room was painted such a vibrant pink that it looked like someone had spilled a whole case of Pepto Bismol all over the walls.

I counted at least 16 different colors on my Mickey Mouse shirt today. I thought about Dolly's song. Then I came up with my own poem. Here goes:

MY SHIRT OF MANY COLORS

By Jolly Parton

I have a favorite t-shirt
I've had it for 30 years.
It's a very special t-shirt
Made of blood, sweat & tears

I only wear it when I paint.
I'm happy as I can be
In my shirt of many colors
My projects made for me.

When I look, I see the colors
Of rooms painted years ago.
My mind goes back in time
To each room I painted just so.

I'd gather brush, paint & tarp
And get ready, a painter to be
In my shirt of many colors
My projects made for me.

Each color represents a room;
But, more, a person comes to mind.
A loved one in whose room I labor.
It was labor & love combined.

If you drop by when I'm working,
Please don't give me sympathy
In my shirt of many colors
My projects made for me.


So, why was I wearing my shirt of many colors today? We decided that we were tired of white shutters. We've had white shutters since we moved in this house over 30 years ago. It was time for a change. Now they are black. I love the look. See for yourself.

One white & one black


Doesn't the black look better?
(I particularly like the look of the blue painters tape. We still have one coat to go.)

Hopefully, by lunchtime on Friday, Tom & I will be finished with painting the shutters. Next on the agenda . . . . . painting the huge, steel swingset in our backyard. We're gearing up for the little G.G.'s to enjoy our yard. Yesterday we put up their small swings. Now we need to make the large swingset look good. More on this project later.

"The Weather Outside Is Frightful . . . . ."

. . . . . and the song goes on to say "Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow." For your information, this week it's been a winter wonderland in the Rucker household. All week I've been listening to . . . . . .


and . . . . . .

. . .and a host of other great Christmas cds. I do this every summer. Somehow it makes me feel cooler and very happy. I absolutely love the Christmas season. And why not celebrate the birth of Jesus during the summer months? It's still the Good News no matter when we celebrate.

Speaking of "Let It Snow", do you remember March 1-2, 2009?

Ahhhhhhhhh, snow!

Beautiful snow!

Close your eyes and you'll feel 10 degrees cooler just thinking about that soft, beautiful snow falling in Simpleville, S.C. Ummmmmmmmm, isn't that great? This is how I endure long, hot summers (even though summer just began 4 days ago).

Guess what I received in the mail yesterday?

(I added an ornament for a special touch)

It's coming . . . . . I just know it is . . . . . cooler weather is around the corner . . . . . just looking through my Christmas cookbook makes me want to cook a coconut cake or peppermint mocha brownies. And I don't even have a recipe for peppermint mocha brownies - I just made that up!HAHAHA

But before Christmas comes, I get to enjoy the fall. Just wait . . . . when August gets here, I'll be singing the praises of the college football season - my favorite! There's just something about the smell of the beginning of fall and the sound of the drum beats of the Hillcrest Marching Band practicing down the road at the football stadium. Love that.

But for now, let me go back to the den and listen to some more great Christmas music. "We'll frolic and play the Eskimo way, walking in a winter wonderland."

Momma Bird Has Her Feathered Ruffled!

Andrea & Brie have been in Canada for a week visiting her parents. Originally her mom's surgery was scheduled for June 15 so Andrea asked off for seven days to help her mom out at home. Turns out her mom's surgery was bumped up to the week of Memorial Day. Even though Mark, Andrea & Brie went for a very short visit during surgery, Andrea decided to go ahead and use her time off to visit her mom and dad. Worked out well since Brenda is feeling great. She is not allowed to pick up Brie at this point in her recuperation, but I'm sure she's had plenty of lovin' time with her. Andrea and Brie are coming back to S.C. today.

Mark called this morning and said that Andrea was detained at the border. Will this ever go away??!! Seems the Border Patrol randomly selects cars to stop and do a more thorough investigation on their entrance into the U.S. Andrea was only stopped because her car was randomly selected. She had to pull over and get out of the car and go inside a building. She tried to explain her plight to the Border Patrol - she didn't want to miss her flight out of Buffalo and she also has a baby traveling with her. Andrea told Mark that when she mentioned her urgency for this guy to rush it up a bit, he actually (and it seemed deliberately) slowed down. He gave her no sympathy and he was not nice to her. This is a very common occurrence. Well, Andrea & Brie did miss their flights! After working with the airlines personnel, she got a connecting flight that gets them home an hour later than originally planned. And thankfully because she had documentation that she was delayed at the border, she does not have to pay any additional money.

If you know Mark well, you know that he will at times question authority. A similar situation happened to him once and he sorta threatened to report this patrol person to his congressman or someone in the government. This patrol guy told Mark that it wouldn't do any good b/c they are not a part of the Department of Homeland Security. They are their own entity. Sorta make up their own rules, is the way Mark took it.

After what happened again today, I did an internet search. From what I can find, Mark is right.

This is NOT the agency that is insensitive and difficult to work with.

This is the bad boy!

The U. S. Border Control is a non-profit, tax-exempted citizen's lobby headquartered in Washington, D. C. It is not funded by our tax dollars. So the question is, who do you complain to if you are sick and tired of their unfair treatment to Andrea and others? I haven't a clue. Wish I knew.

Now, I need to un-ruffle my feathers because my blood pressure is rising.

Tuesday Night Supper/Matt's Birthday Celebration

Yesterday Abby & Cady came over after Cady woke from her nap.

I love to hear the sweet giggles of Cady.

Birthday boy with his Clemson-orange balloon hat.

I snapped this just a second before Cady put her hand in the pie.
She made a perfect hand print in the corner.

Here's the family, full as ticks. By the way, my Key Lime Pie was a hit!

(Andrea & Brie, we can't wait for you to return today!)

Chad & Michelle are playing with Cady. Darby dog loves his dad.

Darby dog also is very jealous. He always gets in between Chad and whoever is receiving Chad's attention at the time. Last night it is was Cady.

I could just eat her up.

"A Pie In The Sky"????

I looked up what "A Pie In The Sky" means, which is a ludicrous concept. Random.

Today I made a pie. It didn't end up in the sky; it ended up in the trashcan. Let me explain.

Tonight the family is coming over for Tuesday night supper. Since Matt's birthday is Friday, we're celebrating tonight.

Sidenote: FYI, my children. . . . you might consider using planned parenthood by avoiding June and December. (December includes Mark's birthday, Michelle's birthday, Chad & Michelle's anniversary, Matt & Abby's anniversary, Christmas and New Year's Eve. June includes Tom's birthday, Abby's birthday, Matt's birthday and Father's Day). It's just a random thought for future reference.

Okay, back to tonight's supper. I love to cook and it's a good thing. I always ask the honoree what he/she would like on the menu for their celebration. Matt was easy - he likes my crockpot barbecue and key lime pie. No problem. I decided yesterday that I'd get up early this morning and get things going. The pie needed to chill for 8 hours and the barbecue needed to cook for 8 hours. Plus Abby wanted me to watch Cady while she finished painting her master bath. The pie came out of the oven at 8 a.m. I was on a roll. However, during the 12 minutes the pie's meringue was browning, I began to clean up my dirty dishes. I licked the spatula of the key lime filling. Hmmmmmmmmmm. It was rather potent. It was so tart and sour that my mouth turned inside out and cried out for help. I rechecked my recipe card. I doubled the recipe because we have lots coming tonight. "Well", I thought, "it calls for 2 cans of Eagle Brand and that's what I put." DOINK! Arrrrrrggg! Stupid Joy was supposed to double those cans making it 4 cans of Eagle Brand. No wonder it was so tart. The pie died a slow death in the bottom of my trashcan.

I wasn't quite this mad. My hair remains dark brown not red.

By 8:30 a.m. I had headed back to Bi-Lo to buy new ingredients. By 10 a.m. I had both the pie chilling and the barbecue slow-cooking. If the pie doesn't taste good tonight, I may begin a new tradition of throwing a pie in someone's face . . . but it won't be Matt.

P.S. on the Father's Day blog:
I forgot to mention that apparently Chad is seriously pursuing the "Rucker Child Of The Year" award. Sunday morning he was sitting in my den before 8:30 a.m. so he could go to church and sit with his Dad. Impressive, especially since he now lives in Powdersville, a good 30 minute drive. After church, he went back home. The other family was coming over in the afternoon to hang out, watch golf and eat supper with us. Surprisingly, Chad was back at 2 p.m. and no other sibling had come yet. Me thinks that Chad might have a big lead going into the second half of 2009. How about it, you other 5 kids? Are ya gonna let Chad jump ahead like that? FYI, I love to have my hair brushed and my head scratched . . . . .

Father's Day 2009

Happy Father's Day to Dads of the Past, Present and Future

PAST My dad was affectionately known as Pappy, or at least that's what we've called him since my Chad was a small child. Being the first grandchild, Chad had the awesome task of naming the grandparents. Of course, I do remember that my mother drilled "Mimi" and "Pappy" into Chad's head from the time he could barely hold up his head. We did indeed have nicknames for Pappy, including Smear, Paps (say those two in reverse and you'll see how we came up with Smear), Chuckles, Bullet and Speed Racer.

Pappy was a booger; he was a mess. God broke the mold when he was born. Prior to his second stroke that took away his ability to talk, Pappy could tell very funny jokes. He had the most infectious laughter. When he got tickled, he'd almost fall over laughing and I'd laugh at him laughing. (Sounds a lot like my Mimi, huh?) Yes, we did lots of laughing in the Moore household. That's not to say that Pappy was always cheerful. Pappy definitely had a short fuse. Being the "Golden Girl" that I was (according to Sister Jane), I never received the brunt of his short fuse. (Can't say that about some of my three siblings.) I pretty much did what I was supposed to do and I never sassed my father. For some reason my nickname was Pergitis. Sounds like a dread disease, doesn't it? I was "Perge" for short.

Pappy was the Chief of Police when I was born. He kept that title until I was about 5. That year Pappy was elected Sheriff of Elbert County. That meant that we moved from our house in the country to the Sheriff's quarters on the square in Elberton, right next to the Court House. (I remember buying Coca Cola in a glass bottle at the Court House machine for 5 cents. I also remember picking up the phone and talking to a live operator and giving her a 3-digit number. She immediately hooked me up to my friend. And, of course, the telephone didn't have push-buttons or rotary dials. None of that was needed when you talked with a live operator. Ok, I'm old!) I digress . . . . . .

Pappy worked long hours. I'm sure on his salary that the Moore clan was not rolling in dough, but I never lacked for anything. Mom & Dad loved me and I knew it. Every single Sunday, I (and my siblings) walked to church. Ya know, I suppose Mom and Dad drove to church . . . I simply don't remember. They went every Sunday, too. Maybe Mom needed to get the four of us out of the house so they could get ready in peace. I don't remember. Anyway, Pappy sang in the choir. Many a Sunday I saw Pappy in the bass section of the choir. He loved, loved to sing. But after the choir sang their special number, it wasn't long before Pappy began to nod off because he'd been up most of the night patroling. Thank goodness his bass section neighbor elbowed him before Pappy hit the floor of the choir loft.

The Singing Convention in Elberton. Dad had to literally drag me to that piano because I didn't like to play in public. I think it was the only time I played at the yearly convention, only because Jane, the regular, lived out of town.

Pappy had decided to run for Sheriff one more time in 1976. After this 4-year term, he planned to retire. Well, he and every other incumbent lost that year. He was out of work for many months. As devastating as it was at the time for Pappy to lose an election, God had another plan for him in South Carolina. He finally got a job as Chief of Police at the Greenville/Spartanburg "Jetport". He loved that job. Plus he & Mimi moved to Mauldin and were near their grandchildren. He and mom joined Mauldin First Baptist and he sang in the choir.

Pappy at the "Jetport"

Dad had his second stroke when he was 65. It was a debilitating stroke that left him paralyzed in his right arm (and he was right-handed), partially paralyzed in his right leg and he could not say a word that was understandable. For many years Mimi lovingly tended to Pappy's every need. Then her health began to deteriorate. When Mimi & Pappy could not care for themselves any more, they moved in with Tom & I. When Pappy lived at my house, we had lots of times when we were alone - just he and I because I made sure Mimi had some time alone while I helped care for Pappy. (I was not alone in this caregiving. My siblings helped a ton as did Tom and a half-day paid helper.)

Ab and her soul-mate ("K8tie" from Minnesota) kissing on Pappy

Although Pappy could not utter a single word that made sense, he had a way of letting people know what he wanted and needed. Abby was always the champion at deciphering his "language". He still liked a good joke. He still would get tickled and let out a good ole belly laugh. And he still had a short fuse. But now I was the parent and at times I felt like I was disciplining him for his temper. Then all of a sudden, he'd break out into a grin from ear to ear and try to melt my heart. It usually worked, too.

I miss ya, Paps. Thanks for teaching me the values of life and for being sure I went to church regularly. Thank you for giving me the gift of music and the love of music. I never sang at the Singing Conventions or as a solo at funerals like you, but I do enjoy singing in a choir. I still have your old song books from your solo days. Just the other day I played one on Mimi's old piano. I'll never forget how you loved to sing. Tears well up in my eyes when I remember how you "sang" How Great Thou Art by using your own words and singing right on key while Mimi played on the piano. Those memories will never fade. I always knew you loved me even when you could not tell me. I'll see ya in Heaven some day. Can't wait for you to tell me that you love me in audible language!

PRESENT Tom became a father on May 19, 1975 . . . and on December 3, 1977 . . . . and on June 17, 1983. From the first day until now, you have been a very good father. You always teach by example. You are a quiet man, most of the time, but when you speak it's either very profound or actually funny HA. You are much like your father in that way. Granted you are more talkative than Papa, but you don't hold a candle to my yapper! That is a very good thing. This household couldn't handle two parents like me. Thanks for teaching our children many things. You are the one who led our three children to the Lord. How special is that! They adore you to this day. All three are very different from you, but they totally respect you and love you very much. And I do, too.

Chad, Tom, Mark & Ab

The annual silly faces photo

(We miss Andrea & Brie who are visiting in Canada)

Mark became a father on August 11, 2008. You quickly became a wonderful, hands-on father. Because of Andrea's work schedule 3 nights a week, you have taken over bottles, baths and all nighttime rituals like a champ. You play with Brie and have such a good time with her. You've already taken her on several hikes. Your daughter probably already has frequent-flyer miles! Mark, I am so very proud of you as a father. Brie loves you dearly. . . it shows on her little precious face. You are doing a great job. Love you!

Matt became a father on October 28, 2008. Between you and Abby, it was quite clear from the beginning that you were the one who initially would be more comfortable with a small baby. (When Matt was 12, his mom gave birth to his sister Kaitlyn.) At an early age, you learned how to hold a baby and to take care of her. So when Cadence was born, you immediately held her like she was your fifth child. You are a natural, Matt. Thanks for loving Cady and for being such a great father. Love you!

FUTURE Chad, if God chooses to bless you & Michelle with children, you will be one terrific father. You (and Michelle) are so wonderful with the little girls. You light up when you are around them. You have always had such a connection with children. I remember when you taught Sunday School in a toddler class. Those kids ate you up! You are the best uncle in the world. Love you!

To all Dads and all future Dads:

• Love your children. You can hug and kiss girls and boys. Don't hesitate to show your affection.
• Play with your children. Turn off the TV and give them your time. You cannot recapture these moments in the future. Take advantage of your time with them right now.
• Remember that your children absorb your every move and your every word. They are a human sponge. Be sure they absorb proper vocabulary and good values.
• Pray for your children every day. It'll keep you connected to them and to God.

This a book from my childhood that sits in my nursery.

• Take them to church. Your children need to know about the Bible. They need to learn about God and about Jesus when they are young. If you take them to church when they are young, they will likely have friends who have the same beliefs and values that you should have.
• When you need to discipline your child, wait until you cool off. If you plan to use spanking as a method of discipline, don't ever spank a child when you are mad. Give yourself a set time to pull yourself together before administering a spanking. And after the discipline, always, always tell your child that you love him/her and end the time with a hug.
• And last, but not least, be nice to your children because they most likely will be the ones to choose your nursing home.