Back when I was a relatively skinny blonde tom-boy in high school, a gentleman from Pennsylvania bought the long deserted farm down the road from us and had a big pond dug in preparation for raising a few cattle there after he retired from the airforce. We were given permission to go swimming there that summer (and raid his pear tree) while there were no cows around and we had a ball. Then he retired. He and his wife moved down and built a big brick house and started "farming" from scratch after decades in the military.

He hung all his medals up on the wall and traded the uniform for over-alls and a tractor. He spent a lot of time hanging around with us "locals" asking questions about farming and being neighborly. He was so friendly and ordinary. It took me years to realize how important a man the guy really was.

Col. B was one very interesting man. Talking to him was better than a history lesson. He started out as an aircraft mechanic during WWII--lived through Iwo Jima, flew bomber missions during the Korean war, and served as a base commander in Viet Nam. He spent I don't know how many years at the pentagon and after he retired, he still kept busy serving his community, his country, and his fellow veterans.

The Col. and Mrs. B were very active in the community. He helped get a "city" water system in the area, helped get roads paved, helped organize the neighborhood watch, worked as a poll official, visited schools to talk about veterans and patriotism. These were the most active retired folks I ever met.

When that 19 year old tomboy got married, Col. B blew her mind at the reception when he bowed over her hand and kissed it like it belonged to some important lady. When her children were born, Col. B and his wife were like an extra set of great-grandparents. Every Halloween the kids had to go inside for a visit and get home-made pop-corn ball s. (The ONLY place they were ever allowed to do anything like that on Halloween.)

I cannot remember voting in a single election when Col. B was not there working. (His wife, too, until she passed away.) My little boy grew up "voting for the Col." on the little demonstration voting machine there.

A couple of years ago, Mrs. B lost her battle with lung cancer. The Col. was lonely, but kept going strong--until this past Sunday, when he left us, too.

Now and then you meet someone who really makes a difference--and who really leaves a hole in your life when you have to say good-bye.

Good-bye, Col. B.

I have no idea if anyone ever reads this stuff, but since all the "band" people in Alabama who have any interest in posting in this forum have evidently perished, I suppose I might as well talk to myself some more.

I lost 36 pounds since I have been dieting. That is the good news. The bad news is that I have been dieting for over a year and now I seem to be stuck.

That always happens. I am going to have to build myself a gym, I guess. Walking just isn't sufficient excercise to get the pounds going away again. I went online and filled out all the info to devise a work-out program for myself. Right.

I will be glad when it is warm enough to go to the lake. Swimming is one form of exercise that is also something I genuinely love to do.

I'm not trying to depress anyone who might read this, but the last few days have been incredibly sad ones for me. One of my favorite cousins died unexpectedly Wednesday morning and the funeral was today. He was only 52, which to some might seem old, but to me seems awfully young to die. I spent much of the afternoon with his brother, who came in from Michigan for the funeral and has to fly back tomorrow.

Saying goodbye is the hardest thing in the world.

There I was, trying to post the District 3 scores for everybody--all of them except the ones for Good Hope and West Point had been posted at the site already, but the event was over and the folks responsible for posting the results had left already. I was able to confirm West Point's results because I'm FROM West Point, but it turned out that the individual who told me Good Hope made all ones was mistaken! They actually made 1,2,2, and were NOT recommended to State! How awful to face that disappointment and then see the incorrect report on al.com, too--because I can't go back and edit there the way I can here! I posted a correction and an apology, but I still feel awful about it! I would never have deliberately done anything to cause any members of any band additional pain and disappointment. I'm so sorry! I hope none of them reads the al.com band forum anymore!

Got my rear kicked, verbally, by a certain pirate (on another site, thank goodness) a couple of days ago. Guess it wasn't too smart getting into a debate with someone who thinks he is a pirate anyway.

After a while, I just started reminding myself that "A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger." Proverbs 15:1
Hard to swallow those grievous words sometimes, and harder still to answer softly. You'd think a person would learn after a while, no? Why is it that I never think of that verse BEFORE I open my mouth?