Front Porch Stories

skating and martial arts stories. As I've told you my daughter dance skated and competed all over the place. We went to this one competition in South Carolina, which is about a four hour drive from our house. It rained, and rained! We got there and their parking lot was gravel with pot holes full of mud. Yeah, you know what's coming! As we were walking across the parking lot her skate box came open and in the middle of a puddle went her skates. What a way to start a day and it didn't get any better! Several of the girls in her division travel and wind up competing against each other at most of the competitions. This competition was no different. My daughter liked to skate last, she felt it gave her an edge. She would see the level of difficulty the other skaters had in their routines and she would know how hard she had to try. When it came her turn, she went to plant her toe stop to do a jump, and hit something on the floor, which caused her to loose footing and she fell ha

Music comes in all kinds of varieties these days. I think everyone goes through phases in there life and their taste in music changes with each phase. We often return to whatever was our favorite growing up. I used to try to sing my kids to sleep, when they got older they teased me and said they went to sleep to get me to stop. I still love them. The kids went through a streak where my oldest had a skating rink and was his own DJ. My daughter learned how to dance skate. Wow, the bumps and bruises that child got. Every time she started learning something new it was a new round of black and blue. Sometimes she looked like she had been beat! But she wouldn't give up until she got it right. On a good day she could have put a lot of ice skaters to shame. She skated to various music from classical to rock. Sometimes I can hear a song and think of how she would look skating to it. Now she is a mom, with four children and every time she takes them skating they have her showing off. My youn

I think that I am going to start a new blog. With all the things that are going on in this world I need a blog to voice my political opinion. I don't want to use this blog to voice my EVERY DAY grip with the things that are going on in our country. I know that the porch is often used to talk about all kind of stuff but I don't want to use this blog in that way. Hummm, guess I'll go set up debs soap box. When the kids were growing up and would do something that deserved a good lecture, I would tell them I was getting out my soap box. I can remember seeing people stand on old time soap boxes to give speeches. When I would finish my stern scolding I would tell them I was putting my soap box away. One of them once said if I really had a soap box they would bust it up. Can you believe that!

One of my first blogs was a story about my brother and his army buddies. I guess I've always had a special place in my heart for soldiers not because I was attracted to the uniform. Because they are special people! Our men and women leave their families to fight and give their lives for ours. They fight in foreign lands so that we don't have to fight in our land. When I was young I wrote to a young man stationed in Vietnam and he said he would rather fight the enemy from their rooftops than from ours. One of the young men who grew up with my son just came home from Iraq. I know it's hard for him to leave his family but he does it to keep us all safe. He says it's harder on the ones they leave here. In a way he's right, and shame on all of us for not taking better care of our soldiers and their families. I thank all the soldiers and their families for the sacrifices they make for the rest of us. They are in our thoughts and prayers daily and I pray that they are in y

You know teenage boys really haven't changed too much. I remember when I was a senior in school my best friend and I both had a crush on the same boy. We were the kind of friends that told each other everything. We shared home room and this one Monday morning we both get to school smiling from ear to ear. I said guess who I went out with Saturday night, she said guess who I went out with last night. We said "No Way"! We decided not to say anything to this young man and decide to spend the night together on Saturday night. Sure enough he call to see if I wanted to go to the movies, I said, sure. The look on his face when he saw us both was priceless! We all three had a good laugh and he took us both to the movies. Both of my boys have in the past been guilty of juggling more than one girlfriend at a time. In these days and times that can be dangerous.

My oldest son and I have been involved in the martial arts for years. We were talking about some of the stuff we used to do, the tournaments, clinics and places we used to go. When he got old enough to have a job and a family of his own I went to a lot of these things alone. At this one clinic in Montgomery there were a lot of high ranking members of our Association and after this clinic we went back to one of there houses to chill out by the pool. A number of us were out by the pool when one of the under ranking fellows is talking to a couple of the black belt guys about how his pet boa had been in his car all day and had gotten stuck under the dash. So the guys go out to help rescue the snake. This took a little while, in the meantime several beers were consumed by all and the snake was rescued as the guys came out to the pool with said snake the highest ranking black belt says to his next in command, "you tell that young man to stay over there with that snake if he want to live

Today I was talking to a life long friend and we were reminiscing about days gone by. When we were kids, her dad worked for Coca Cola and my dad was a farmer. Most of the time he was a share cropper. They lived in a nice house and most of the time we lived in some pretty rough places. Mama always said, "as soon as we got the place fit to live in daddy would move us somewhere else." She was right. We usually moved during Christmas break from school. This one time we move to this place where there was a fireplace in three of the rooms and a flu in the kitchen for the cook stove. There was cracks in the floor, and in the ceiling. Mama put newspaper over the bed and then put another quilt over the top of us to keep the snow from wetting the bed. That's where my sister and I slept that winter. We didn't have a Christmas tree that year. Mama put the one strand of lights we had around the window. Even though we didn't have much, the cracks and the cold were kept at bay

I've already told you the story about pop and him carrying rocks for his Maw. My mom was much the same. If she saw a rock that was different or she thought was pretty it had to go home with us. She put them around the flowers. They served two purposes, one was because she liked them and the other was to save the flowers from the weed eater. I have noticed that pop and I seem to have acquired a love for rocks. We have them around lots of our shrubs and we have a few that we just find unique. We also have the same love of flowers that the women who raised us had. Every time we see some we like we dig them up or buy them. Our latest is a Lady Banks Rose. We are going to build a trellis out by the carport for it to climb. Thanks for dropping by my blog.

In today's world there aren't as many front porches as there used to be. Not to many people even take the time to sit and talk anymore. Life is so fast paced if you aren't on the cell phone, you're texting, or on the computer. Lots of folks don't even get the time to sit down and have a meal together. I understand all that. Many parents work two jobs or mom works one shift, dad works another, kids go to school, play sports, homework and somewhere in there you try to squeeze in a little sleep. We need to try to slow down just a bit. Every family needs one or two meals together and to talk about the things that are going on in their lives. Kids, and spouses need to feel loved. We need to take the time to tell a few stories, laugh, and share our thoughts and feelings with each other. Thanks for stopping by have a great evening and share a bedtime story with someone you love.

We live so far away from the grandchildren that when we see them it is very special to us. We get to see our son and his family the most. Our granddaughter's favorite thing is for us to tell her stories. She loves to here about when her dad was little. I think those are some of her favorites. We have spent this weekend telling stories. Her dad even told some stories that he and his granny neglected to tell me about when he was growing up. I'm sure there are a lot of things she forgot to tell me. I loved my mom, she was not just my mom she was my best friend. She helped me raise my children and blessed our lives by sharing her life and her stories with us.

I was blessed with great parents! Neither of them had much of an education, my dad could barely write his name and my mom went to the third grade. They were both determined that their children would get an education. They were smarter than most college graduates. They had honor! They were loyal to each other and family came first. My dad said that a man was only as good as his word, and that a persons word was his bond. How many folks can say that now. They didn't take hand outs, they worked for everything they had, and they got it all honestly. They didn't steal or cheat, they had honor. I tried to teach my children to have honor. If you respect yourself and others and always do what's right, there would be fewer problems in this world. Honor you Mother and Father, Honor your country. Be an honest, hard working,productive member of society. Remember that life is about choices, sometimes you make good ones, sometimes you make bad ones, and how you deal with the consequences

I am a firm believer in the line from Arron Tippon's song You've got to stand for something or you'll fall for anything. One of the things that are talked about on front porches, around kitchen tables all over this nation is doing what is right. We in this country are blessed. We need to teach our children that they are blessed to live in this country. They need to know that not everywhere has the freedom that we do. We all each and everyone of us have to stand up and teach our children that they have the freedom to speak out, go to school, watch tv, listen to the radio and all the other things they enjoy because some soldier died for them. Good men and women have died to give us the right to be a republic not socialist. It is every parents duty to teach their children to stand up for what is right.

You know it's strange one of the first pictures I can recall seeing of my mom was of her leaned up against an old car. It belonged to the mail man. You see back in the early days one of the few people who had a car was the mail man. It was such a big deal that my mom and her sisters had their pictures made in front of it. A lot last days were spent sitting under a maple tree in my front yard waiting and hoping for a letter or card from one of her other children or grandchildren. But to no avail the only time she got cards or letters was at holidays or birthday. How sad!

I was talking to a dear friend of mine today and we were reminiscing about when we were kids. She actually started out being my sister's friend. Back then I was the little sister, who was a brat that wouldn't let them alone. On this particular night many years ago she had come and spent the night with my sister. I got kicked out of our bedroom, where they could listen to Elvis and talk about boys. I even got a really kool pallet on the floor in my Mom and Dad's room. Daddy went fox hunting and was out all night. Daddy wouldn't let me go fox hunting he said, it was just men sitting around a fire drinking coffee or shine arguing over who's dog was in the lead. Anyway when daddy came home the next morning, he went to sleep on my pallet. We were in the kitchen eating breakfast when we heard the most awful noise. It sounded like a couple of the dogs under the house fighting so mama sent me to wake up daddy. As I got closer to the the bedroom the noise got louder and lou

I think that respect is one of the key ingredients that is missing from almost every home in this country. Children no longer respect their parents, teachers, authorities or themselves. If we as parents don't respect ourselves enough to demand respect from our children how will they learn to respect others. Respect is earned not given. We have to teach our children how to respect themselves and those around them. Discipline is something else that is missing in most homes. We as parents have to teach our children that there are consequences for their actions. These things are taught by example. Through our own actions our children will learn. We have to also teach our children how lucky they are to live in this great country. God, Family and Country was once the three greatest priorities in this country. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought that I would see someone burn the American flag in this country! I would punish my grown children if I ever saw them do such a thing.

I am really glad that we put this porch on our house. Not only is it a focus place for all kinds of activities it helps to keep the house cool. It was 90 degrees here today and it was cool inside the house. We sit on the porch and just talk and rock or swing. Pop likes to take the computer outside and play chess. We have our first humming birds back. I put one of the feeders out and really enjoy the pair that are already here. Last year you would not believe how many hummers that were here. Everyday I notice more and more things that are starting to green up or bloom. The Japanese Magnolias and tulip trees were beautiful. I love the spring and watching everything coming back to life.

Last year my son and granddaughter came down for Easter. Her Papa and I were so excited we colored eggs and laughed. Her papa fixed up one egg real special and told her it was the prize egg and if she found it she would get a brand new bicycle. Of course she had to search and search and found it in a garbage can! So the papa had to hold up his end of the deal. She being six at the time got to sit in his lap and drive to the local Walmart. They picked out a pink bike and she got to ride it to the check out counter where her papa paid for it. When they got back she rode it til she was give completely out. Then to our surprise the following week was spring break at her school and she got to stay with us a whole week. She and her papa are ruined!! They are both spoiled and they love each other dearly. Sometimes it's really hard to live so far away from them. I know that a lot of parents live thousands of miles from the children they love, but they are always in your heart and on your m

My Mama didn't like snakes! The only good snake is a dead snake. We were share croppers so we didn't live in the best of houses. We always had the mouse or rat traps set depending on the size of the 'dumplings' they left behind. We hadn't caught any in a while but yet we kept hearing something in the rafters at night. Mama said it had to be a big gopher, WRONG! We didn't have inside plumbing and had a fireplace for heat and a flu in the kitchen for cooking with a wood stove. So this one great morning my sister and I were getting washed up by the stove in the kitchen when a snake came through a hole beside the chimney! Everybody screams! Scares the snake and he tries to make a u-turn. Mama can't stand the thought of him getting away, so she takes my pajamas and grabs him! Tells my sister to go get the hoe, she gets the gun. Mama says I can't hold him much longer GET THE HOE! Sis gets the hoe, mama says, now I'm gonna pull him out and I want you to hit

My dad had really wanted another boy, but he got stuck with another girl. He really made the most of it, not only was I his baby girl, I was his fishing buddy and sometimes his hunting partner. I couldn't tell you how many times he took me fishing but one of my favorite stories is the first time that I can remember him taking me. He had a special place on the Tennessee River he liked to go. They call it the South Salty. To get there we went down the mountain, and just about half way down there was a market that sold bait and fish and camping stuff. We stopped and got bait and they had a lot of good looking fresh fish and daddy said if we didn't have any luck we'd just buy us a stringer. He thought he was joking. On that particular day neither of us caught even a tiny fish! So on the way home we bought us a stringer of fish but he made me promise to tell Mama we caught 'em. Which I did, but I'm sure that he told her different later on. I loved my dad and I sometimes