A.G.E's Joint

Wouldn’t you like to ride in my beautiful balloooooon? Emily sang the song again as she got ready for bed. Grandma always played it when she was her house. They would dance around the fireplace and sing along with the record. She kept dancing in the car when Mommy picked her up and now as she put on her pajamas. They had pictures of balloons on them, too. It seemed like such fun, climbing into a big basket and floating over the ground. Tomorrow was Christmas. Daddy had asked her what she wanted and she said she wanted live at Grandma’s house. Why? So she could sing the balloon song over and over again. It was better than listening to Mommy trying to get Charlie quiet. He would grab at her necklace or hair and pull. That wasn’t all. Every time Emily wanted to cuddle with them on the sofa, he would poop or do something else gross. One time they were at the doctor’s office and he peed right in the lady’s face. Laughing, the doctor told Emilyall boys do that. She wondered when the pi...

So, what are we having for dinner next week?” She asked giggling from the chair. I roll my eyes. Here we go again. If I had one power , I’d write a program to automatically answer this question. Beginning with the Wednesday ads, I’be been asked this every week for the last 35 years. And there is no getting around it, the pen and pad is waiting. It doesn’t matter whether it is spring flowers , summer heat, or autumn leaves ; the grocery list has to be done. Of course, my answer is” “Let’s starve.” The whole process makes her giddy . It’s like preparing for battle. Gathering coupons feels so righ t to her. The list is constructed counterclockwise around the store, Produce, Meat, Dairy, Frozen. As she strolls the aisles, the sight of a spectacular markdown leaves her moaning in delight. “Ooh, barbecue sauce for fifty cents. That’s mine.” I may be going broke by saving money. I can’t complain. I still get fed. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~...

A random post. Did a trip in the Lullwater Preserve. Wonderful.

"Am I Beautiful ?" He snored in the bed behind her, his scent permeating the room. The image in the mirror stared back. Nobody had watched me before. Now, I am watched. The hair was increasingly flecked with gray, but still long and shiny. She'd become thicker, no doubt about that. Belly like a bag of potatoes, butt like one of those rivet strips to let blind people know they've come to a curb. But the shape that drove men crazy was still there. The breasts were the most surprising. Soft and a little wrinkled, they still held their shape. She smiled and thought of last night. He'd come up behind her last night on the dock. She had been smoking, thinking of Julie Andrew's character in 10 who had been dumped for the Bathsheba on the beach. And here they were in Isle of Palms , away from the city that was so distracting. Was he thinking about doing the same? There was only so much she could do to keep her looks. As the chubby arms surrounded her, he ...

Come talk to me Theory makes no sense Doors of perception Of deception Come talk to me Distract me from vanity From everyday life Fretless, neckless electronics Flash before my eyes Come talk to me Mirror Negative White from black Woman from man Short from tall It’s all the same Come talk to me Rewind the tape My grip is surely slipping Under the blue winter sky ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Topic- David Schrader Peter Gabriel Lyrics Used: Come Talk to Me, My grip is surely slipping Pic- Tyler Myrth Pic Guesses-Doors of Perception (in blog), Mirror negative (in blog), Fractal, Shards, Rearview, Blue winter sky (in blog), Cloudy, Wormhole

Quiet night Whiskey on the table Did she know of the crush? The one in the wings wishing to be Chevalier blanc contre le nuit noir ? No. Lighted match The image turns to ash. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Topic- Rebecca Grusendorf Pic- Tyler Myrth Pic guesses- Walk in the woods, boardwalk, Destiny, Rain, Damp, Mossy

The sky was milky with streaks of silver. The weather said the storm risk at 60% with high humidity and temps in the low 90’s. The bacon is frying and coffee is made. Yeah, I still want to do this. My idea of summertime fun and play involves sweat and sights. I quickly eat breakfast and head out. It’s not every day I go to the southside without the wife. Cochran Mill Park is an 800 acre plot of creeks and waterfalls 20 miles southwest of Atlanta. It has been praised for it’s beauty by the Atlanta hiking community. This past weekend, I got the chance to enjoy it. Inside the park is a forest that is fairly old, consisting of 75 to 100 year old beech and sweet-gum trees, with a few larger oaks scattered here and there. The understory is mostly wild azaleas, and fast growing vines, with lots of poison ivy. So going off-trail is not recommended. Main Falls There are 18 miles of well maintained trails scattered over four loops. For my first trip, I chose the two shorter...

Sun low on the moss covered bank. Line drifting in the wind. Spirit subdued Fire burns Toes slap cool water Change in the air. Catch sizzling Translucent smoke Ups and down s Light fades. Her partner gone. Vespers, finishing grace Sense of calm surrounds Fields fallow Epiphany of life Winter coming The hope of the grave. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Topic- Kim Herndon Pic- Tyler Myrth Pic Guesses-Waterfall, Double Rainbow, colors, victory, home, supplication, Rolling pond,

Late night, busy day. Five miles- paved trail never walked. It was disappointing. Warehouses, not trees. Very commercial. Ancient spirits guiding me. Not the political stuff No texting, virtual signaling No covers for hiding behind the reality Of the powerful abusing the powerless. Cabernet in front of me easing sore muscles Tomorrow hopes we’ve learned Something from yesterday But on review... We haven’t. Bottoms up. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Topic- Colleen Keller Breuning Pic- Michael Todd Pic guesses: Head over heels, Flip out, jump for joy, boardwalk,

I have always been a camper and hiker. It is my preferred way to get out of the city and see parts of the country that I otherwise wouldn't. Back before I was married, I used to go to a state park in Beaufort SC, called Hunting Island. It lies about half way between Savannah and Charleston, making access to either place a snap. On trick I had learned in my trips down there is if I waited until the day after Labor Day I could get a campsite next to the beach and this year was no exception. I was with my buddy Karl and our site was next to the access boardwalk. We set the tent up and slipped the beer cooler discreetly under the picnic table for our week of fun and sun. And since we are pale people, we spend the time looking like Larry the Lobster. Late in the afternoon on our second day, we were sitting at the table figuring out where to eat. Our favorite fish shack was closed for a private event and we weren't thrilled about having to go all the way into town. We ha...