Memories

I draw on my East Texas roots to tell a lot of stories. Some are poignant, and some are silly. You'll find them here. Thanks for visiting.

Only The Caretaker

November 28, 2009

I clutched the tiny leather case close to my heart yesterday for more than an hour, my fingers tracing the cracks in the aged red leather. Placing it on my lap, I gently pulled the snap to open the case, careful not to tear the leather. The contents fairly glowed in the morning sun [...]

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She Knew She Couldn’t Beat ALS

July 30, 2009

But, she gave it one hell of a fight.
Giggling until almost the end, Aunt Cleo passed today. There’s gonna be a lot of cackling and giggling in Heaven tonight, because Aunt Cleo was a veritable fountain of jokes that were a bit off-color. I figure those angels need some of [...]

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Uncle Walt’s Band. I Thought They Would Always Be There.

July 22, 2009

My high school friend suggested that we go to hear a concert. It must have been about 1975 or 1976. She said, “I want you to hear Uncle Walt’s Band.” I had no idea her uncle was a musician, but I had grown up hearing my Daddy and his friend E.W. picking [...]

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Chicken’s Good Enough For Me

June 23, 2009

Everyone conceded that my Mamaw, Estelle Cumbie, was the best cook in Wood County. That’s how she caught my Papaw, Guy. Well, maybe she caught him because she was darned good looking, but her cooking helped. Hers wasn’t fancy gourmet cooking; it was just down-home Southern style, flavored with a [...]

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Another Requiem, Too Soon.

April 27, 2009

In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.~ Abraham Lincoln
My brother has that quotation framed on the wall of his dining room. I wanted to smash it to bits today as it mocked the friends and family who gathered to mourn the loss of [...]

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Death & Taxes

March 18, 2009

[ Please note that my emotions are raw at the moment. The post below is not my usual silly, snarky self -- it's just something I had to say. It's not necessary for you to try to say anything ... it will all be OK.]
Certainty? In this world nothing is certain but death [...]

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I Can Do This

February 16, 2009

I sat on the front porch step with my chin in my hands and an enormous scowl on my face, as I watched the other children gleefully riding their bicycles down the street. My heart was positively green with envy.
Granddaddy carefully eased himself down on the step beside me, using his hands to [...]

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Requiem

December 24, 2008

Happy Birthday, Momma. I miss your laughter every single day. I know you hated your Christmas Eve birthday, because it meant fewer presents. But, you were the gift.
If I could go back in time, I’d remember to tell you that. Thank you for teaching me how to laugh, how to love, [...]

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Getting “Hitched”

December 20, 2008

I’ve got to run to Walgreen’s this morning and get me some waterproof mascara! We are going to a wedding tonight. People, I don’t even know the bride and groom — the fella is one of my husband’s co-workers. But, I know I’ll turn on the waterworks. I always cry at [...]

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The Dance Recital

October 29, 2008

Did you see Michael Flatley on Dancing With The Stars? He did some serious tap dancing and literally “lit up the stage!” For me, it wasn’t as wonderful as watching him in Riverdance, but it was pretty darned good!
That was understatement, y’all. It was hot!
I always wanted to learn to tap [...]

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Circus Figurines Bring Back Memories

August 13, 2008

When I was a little girl, every now and then my Mamaw made a birthday cake for me. It was always topped with tiny ceramic figurines of circus critters and characters, which in those days were considered quite delightful decorations. I wonder what these looked like when they were brand spankin’ new and [...]

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Soup or Salad?

June 29, 2008

I’ve been speechless on this blog for a couple of days, as I struggled with a story that wouldn’t tumble out. It is what I have wanted to tell, but it didn’t want to be told.
I’ve been busy lately. It has been a whirlwind of sorting through the flotsam and jetsam of our [...]

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VaVoom-Chicky-Chicky

April 15, 2008

His disembodied voice rang eerily from the speakers of my computer. Even my cats were mesmerized by the sound, and stared at the speakers as if they could see a story unfolding. I listened to my old friend’s voice as he told a story, one of his “signature” stories called “The Star Stealer.” [...]

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How Quickly They Change

April 2, 2008

Have any of y’all gone through “those days” in parenthood?
You know the days I mean.
The house is a mess, the dog is barking, the food is bubbling over on the stove, and the kids look like this?

Maybe you sit down and cry. Maybe you laugh about it and [...]

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The “x 365″ begins

April 1, 2008

I sat down to write this morning at about 9 am and just as I put a title on the page, I decided to check my statistics. I showed 365 unique visitors at that point for this morning. It seemed like an omen. Y’all hear that eerie music, or is it just me? [...]

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Manic Monday. My Mind Is Off Track.

October 7, 2007

Y’all, I would like to think that I’m a smart woman. I am a smart woman in my own way, but my Daddy was right. He said that words go in one ear and out the other for me. My little pea brain only processes the information that I need right now. [...]

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Manic Monday. “Orange” Means It’s Halloween.

October 1, 2007

“Orange” is the word on this [tag]Manic Monday[/tag]. Mo gives us a word, and we are supposed to be inspired to write. It doesn’t always work! My first thought is of some orange trucks that we have around Denton, Texas, I’ve already told you about Frenchy’s Brand.
That leaves me with [...]

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Wishful Thinking

September 7, 2007

In Japan, I’m told, it is believed that if one folds 1,000 origami paper cranes then one’s greatest wish will be granted.

I don’t know if that is true. I believe it’s just wishful thinking.
However, a person with an aching heart will grasp and claw and cling to any hope.
A hundred apologies, for [...]

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Thursday Thirteen Number 24. If My Life Was On Videotape

August 23, 2007

When my oldest son was a toddler, I took him to a playground in the local park. There was a “merry-go-round” there; but not the kind with horses on it. It was a large flat circular disc with handles spaced around the edges. Children grabbed the handles and ran in a circle [...]

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Bloggers Are Like Fireflies

August 10, 2007

A few nights ago, my husband and I sat on the porch enjoying the cool breeze. As we talked, the thought registered in my head that the welding shop behind us was working late, because I saw the flash of a spark. Then my husband murmured, “Firefly.”
A firefly! Yes, it was and [...]

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