Bloom Where You’re Planted.com

I’ve been quite busy doing a myriad of things over the past months.  I hope you’ve been doing well.  Things have been quite busy with me but I’m making plans to regroup and hope to get in a little writing each day.

Most recently, I sold my little black truck and bought a bigger white truck.  The little black truck has been good for me over these years.  I sold the domain name “grademyteacher” and with that money bought a Mazda truck.  I drove it for a couple of years, put about 35,000 miles on it and sold it last week for $2,000 less than I bought it!  That means, for those with finance challenges, that I drove the truck for a mere 2,000 over the 3 years.  How good is that!

It still was a good job for the person who bought it though because it still had low mileage and was in top shape.  Over the years, I had taken good care of it and had the oil changed regularly, etc.

Good for him. Good for me.

‘Love good things. Don’t you?

Barney Fife does not belong on Matlock, and nor does Billy Lewis, the goofey dad of the young lawyer apprentice but other than that.. I really love Matlock!

While a lot of the shows are a little hokey, most of them really have a great twist and its fun to watch.  Today it must have been a bonanza day for Matlock because it came on in  chain-link fashion.

Going to the Atlanta zoo this week was grand.  Although it was so hot I could hardly breathe, it did cause the animals to go into the water and seek the cool thus, it was a fun photography day.

I had opportunity to meet the nicest of people from Texas; a mother and daughter who befriended me and we had a fine day together off and on.  Since I was there by myself, this was especially nice. ‘Even ate with them at lunch time.

People of kindred spirit are nice.

This afternoon, Josh Scobee, the kicker for the Jacksonville Jaguars won the game for the team against the Colts.  Jacksonville effectively beat the Peyton Manning team but the thing that was most enjoyable was seeing Josh Scobee, the kicker run all around that field after he kicked a 59 foot field goal.  I know his mama was proud!

My father’s health is good however, he’s 89 and his memory is slipping.  From time to time he gets confused but we ( my sister, brother and I ) rally ’round him to encourage him. Within minutes of the discussion (whatever it may be), he seems okay and we continue on  with our conversation.  There are 5 things I know:

1.  I’m so thankful to know this man.

2.  He’s a wonderful person; kind and dear.

3.  I look into his weak eyes in awe.

4.  I We have been so blessed.

5.  It is my pleasure to do what I can for him.

It was a proud moment for our family.  My brother performed at Carnegie Hall in NYC.  My sister and I traveled to NY to see it take place.  Proud. Proud. Proud.

“The Life of Riley…” That’s what I thought while sitting in front of my fireplace tonight. But as I thought about this, I wondered.. “Who is Riley?” If anyone knows, I’d like to hear from you. But I think Riley must have had a good life.

Well, because I did not know who Riley was, I looked it up and here is what I found…

Early in the morning as the fog was lifting, I left home and received a text from Renee my friend. She said that the police had “shot em’ one” on L Road. I turned left as I did every day but the police made me turn back and go a different way. Later in the week, I saw a cross where someone had made a memorial for the guy. I always wonder if people like that know God. It’s just a wondering when things like that happen.

The big Gator Bowl game parking lot is empty but on January 1 it will be filled to capacity to see the two teams, West Virgina and FSU play.

This morning there was a breakfast at the FBC of Jacksonville. One thing that really stood out at the FCA breakfast this morning was that Bobby Bowden, Florida State’s Head coach brought his Bible to the Fellowship of Athlete’s event. In my view, that was really significant. With all of the goings from here to there and so forth, he could have so easily just thought, “I’ll speak from a piece of paper” or I’ll just talk off of the top of my head but no, he brought his Bible, read from it and spoke about it. I liked him all the better for it too.

Schooners in St. Augustine, Florida has THE best shrimp that you have ever put in your mouth. Now, I must say, rumor has it that the cook from another great Shrimp-feeding restaurant in the area, both Barnacle Bills and Osteen’s was “supposed” to have begun Schooners. I don’t know. And, all three of those places are fabulous for shrimp but I prefer Schooners because of the total package….meaning amount of food and price.

Today when I went, I texted my brother-in-law, Wayne and said… “I’m thinkin’ of ya!” He loves Schooners too and lives in Georgia, 5 hours away. “Awe, too bad he couldn’t be here…!”. I even had a tall stack of onion rings. Yum!