My thoughts and prayers go out to the people who have been in Sandy's path.  The videos on the Weather Channel are upsetting.  Hope all is well with family and friends in the North East.

Hope everyone is getting ready for a fun Halloween.  Nothing says Halloween quite like Michael Jackson's "Thriller".  I know he's fallen from grace with a lot of people but after a day of hunting outfits for the grands in Albany, I can't think of a better post.  Happy Halloween!

Franz Marc - German Artist 1880-1916

Animusic - Aqua Harp

Plains, Georgia

Plains is about a 10 minute drive from here, so I went to see what Plains and the Jimmy Carter Boyhood Home Park was all about.  Didn't do the walking tour today but fell in love with main street which is mainly antique shops.  Also saw the famous (infamous?) filling station where Jimmy's brother Billy worked.  It's beautiful land with plenty of Georgia red clay.  I understand there's a train trip you can take for an afternoon ride to Plains, a leasurely walk around the town and the homestead, then a leasurely ride back.  I may do that.  Enjoying finding things in my new area!

Sweet Charlie, Long Gone The sea… The foam kissed my bare feet as I ran… In my memory, I play always at the edge And laugh as I hold my sundress down in the wind And laugh as I hold wet cloth away from bare skin… Once as the sound of a melancholy violin drifted from a bungalow at dusk it nailed me in place; So sad, it seemed to bleed onto the sunset colored sand, riding atop the steady tumble of waves. and yes, the music was in the foam that licked my toes and yes, I thought the man morose to play such a sad song when the world of the ocean was at his feet as well as mine… I found out later he was as handsome close As he was mesmerizing from afar and quite charming. I had a weakness for black hair and dark eyes even then. I thought I would never find anyone else so worldly Never anyone so refined… as he gracefully played his aged violin, As he carefully played me. I played the innocent, played the piano, played him. I remember thinking we played well together; our music, our games… He said we came together well, smiling as he said it. So shameless and debonair, sweet Charlie, long gone. © 2008 C. Harter Amos

Ten Thoughts Sunday

1. I've been so busy trying to get settled into the new town that I've forgotten to rest enough so the fatigue has caught up with me.  Monday should be a day of rest for me!  Rest is such a necessary part of my life.  Everyone's, I suppose. The fatigue I'm feeling is to the bone and is as much emotional as physical.  Odd that even good things cause you to need some time out.

 

2. Speaking of time outs, my University of South Carolina Gamecocks had their second bad week and both away from home games.  Very upsetting Saturday when they lost to the Florida Gators 44 to 11.  If you saw the game, Spurier looked like he was going to blow a gasket right there on the sidelines!  When those boys play good they're great, but when they play bad like they did yesterday and last Saturday they just plain stink.  The amazing statistic to me was that the first 3 touchdowns that came from Carolina fumbles gave Florida only 29 yards, but gave them 21 points.  I think Carolina may have set some kind of backwards record there...

 

3. I enjoyed going out with my youngest daughter and her family this weekend and seeing them so much this last week.  I know the "newness" of me being in the same town will wear off making me fall lower on their list of things to do and people to see, but I'll enjoy it while I can.  It was one of the best weeks of my life.  It makes me feel lucky to have been alive to enjoy it and reminds me of just how precious time with loved ones is.  There are so many family members I miss and that's also been a reoccuring thought through the week.  But mainly life is good and the stress of life here is good stress rather than bad.  The remote is back in my hand and I can sing or play music as loud as I please! YAYAY!!  Reasons to celebrate!

 

4. School seems a bit odd for someone about to turn sixty, but the plan is for me to teach online English for as long as I'm able.  This allows for any amount of downhill slide physically and allows me the freedom of not having to get ready and drive in to work everyday, which can be a task by itself.  Also, it can be as much one-on-one teaching as I want it to be or as hands off as I like.  All-in-all, it suits someone who wants to work until they're totally senile or dead!  Don't you think? If I hadn't had reasons to be off the last three semesters I would be through with my BA by now.  Discouraging thought, but not much left to go to get that piece of sheep skin!  I should be back in school in January.

 

5.  I'm writing again.  First draft once again of the novels I had finished and lost the copies of through no fault of my own except that I didn't have copies in more than one place.  It's a long way from finished to have started the first drafts, but at least I can say I'm starting what took me five years to finish last time.  It's a positive and having a BA in English should give the writing a little bit of a seal of approval from the starting gate.

 

6.  My dog, Tai, spent the day Friday at my daughter's house "safely" tucked away in a crate.  He's a little devil dog and will get into trouble spitefully when I leave him, but we were sure he couldn't get out or get to anything to harm it.  I underestimated his determination to get me back for leaving him alone.  My soon to be son-in-law is into martial arts and has a bag he's carried his gear in since he started years ago.  So guess what Tai decided was fair game?  You got it!  He chewed holes in the bag and chewed through one of the handles.  He evidently bumped the crate until it was close enough for him to reach the bag and had a chewing party.  Now, take note here that he had a chew toy in the cage with him that he left untouched... So how do you make up for something like that? Offering to buy a new bag doesn't cut it and apologizing is lame, but that's all I knew to do.  I never said my dog wasn't spoiled silly.  He is.

 

7.  I've spent a lot of time thinking about the fact that my daughter's two children are eight and nine and just how fast they'll be grown enough that visiting Grammy won't be as much fun as it is now.  Trips through the country to the nearest Waffle House won't compete with a day with a best friend.  My oldest sister offered me advice by telling me to enjoy it while I can and I suppose that's all I can do.  I know when Robin wanted me to play Yatzee with her and I was already down and ready for bed, I thought of this fact and got back up to play.  It was one of the best games of Yatzee I've ever played.  Robin rolled a natural Yatzee with sixes and rolled a natural large straight!  She was thrilled and so was I.  Nothing like making memories!

 

8.  I've lost touch with the presidential election.  With less than a month to go, I guess it won't be long before we know who is actually favored.  I missed the 2nd presidential debate and have no idea how well either man did.  I don't think Obama could do as badly as he did last time so at least there was an improvement for him.  But I don't think a strong approach would have come across well for him and lack of a strong approach would have been equally as crippling.  So Romney had the clear advantage.  This isn't a bad thing when you happen to think Obama has failed miserably as president the last four years and that anyone with common sense would be better.  So much for not discussing politics.

 

I'm going to bed early so am skipping 9 and 10.  So the title is misleading.  It's actually Eight Thoughts this Sunday.

Lake Blackshear, Cordele, Ga.

 

 

The grands and I discovered Lake Blackshear today, though they had been there before it was a first for me.  It's a beauty plus has cypress swamps in inlets that are absolutely georgeous.  Found several things that caught my eye for a camera trip and several things that will have me acting like a tourist.  There's a Jimmy Carter Veterans Park...?...not sure if I have the name right, but it's classic Southern beauty from what I saw and would make a great day with the grands. 

Grammy Heaven

I get to have two of my grands overnight tonight so my daughter and beau can go out on the town.  She tells me they haven't been out on a date since last Christmas... So I think I'll be "forced" to do a good bit of babysitting! YAYAY!!!  Throw ME in the briarpatch!  The pictures are of Robin who is 9 and Eric who is 8.

 

 

 

     This is a stock photo of part of the small town I've moved to in Georgia. It's an amazing little town.  Because Sherman didn't come through here there are a lot of old buildings and old homes.  It still has a lot of small farms as part of its economy. There's a lot of wildlife and beautiful hardwood forests nearby, the small college where my daughter will graduate this next semester, a lake and a theater, a supposedly haunted hotel, and a host of interesting festivals that take place during the year.  I hope to be taking pictures and posting about Americus in the coming months as I discover its treasures!. 

Build a Door

   The next four days will be hectic trying to get ready for the big move to Georgia this coming Saturday.  My list of things to get done is longer than the time allows, but all in all it should be an exciting, positive move.  I'll have two of my grandchildren close by and my youngest daughter with her fiance within a few minutes drive.  They'll be getting married before the end of the year maybe so I'll be there for that if they decide for the wedding to be this December or in the spring either way.  The holidays should see me well settled in, which suits me fine.

I'm giving the majority of my furniture and things to Goodwill and starting over.  I think with age comes a natural "paring down" of what you keep.  My Dad used to say you should keep your memories in your heart rather than in your hand and I'm learning that lesson.  At first it was hard to do, but it gets easier as you go along.  A simpler life appeals to me. It actually feels like I'm taking physical weight off my shoulders.

I was telling a friend of mine about my day's work, throwing things away and taking things to Goodwill.  She suddenly screamed, "But how will you vote!"  And for some reason this struck my funny bone.  Out of all my concerns about moving, I never once worried about where I would vote in November.  We'll see, I guess.  I'm mostly concerned about moving and settling in and ask that you keep me in your prayers for this next week.  I will appreciate that.

I'm a dyed in the wool Carolina fan so am celebrating #6 South Carolina's sound beating of #5 Georgia yesterday evening.  What a game for the Gamecocks!  Will moving to Georgia mean I'm duty bound to pull for the Bulldogs?  Only when they're NOT playing South Carolina!

Sgt. 1st Class Riley Stephens

     Sgt. Stephens, 39, from Tolar, Texas was the 2000th American killed in the war in Afghanistan and leaves behind a wife and three children.  Please take a minute to remember these 2000.

Animusic 3D Musicbox - Just amazing!

I had to watch this three times to take in all the animation.  Imagine the amount of work that went into making this work right! It's best if it's viewed on an enlarged screen.

Magritte

The first Presidential debate was tonight.  I dreaded watching it.  I'm not sure what I thought could happen...maybe that Obama would overshadow everything with his charismatic orations, or that Romney would come off poorly.  All in all I enjoyed hearing the two of them.  All the experts I heard talk about it afterward were saying that Romney definitely did the better job.  That Obama seemed defensive and didn't seem to want to be there.  I have to agree.

As for moving, I fell down on the job today and did nothing.  I have only 9 days left before the big move so shouldn't be dragging my feet.  I think procratinate is my middle name.

What History Repeats

A Poem by C. Harter Amos

The river is still, deep black water,

Running through caverns of Mayan hell,

Stories made here too horrible and ancient to tell.

Surrounded by a forest tunnel

She dreams of going beyond her mountain world,

She dreams of things to come that are beautiful, beyond the human race

Beyond the sun’s godlike face

Beyond the moon whose shadows show

the magic of the mountains and jungles below.

the jaguar god once gave his laws

with lethal silver claws,

unsheathed blades for teeth

metallic shell with skin beneath

People from somewhere, a foreign word she learned to hate

she knows it’s her condemned people’s fate

to realize nothing.

In her city

The men have fought each other and died

The lowlands in over harvested forest have dried,

The children once hungry now disappeared,

The voices of old women silenced by what they feared

Until only she is left, fertile and full of broken anticipation,

Her lover, her brothers and sisters, her father and mother, all Mayan.

Gone, one by one, until bereft like a shell, she stands silhouetted one last time

In what should have been her most splendid prime.

Raising her arms to Hunab Ku, the god of gods,

Raising her arms to greet the sun,

From the tallest building on the tallest mountain,

Bursting forth, like a black jaguar wishing for wings,

She sings to Quatzelcoatl, god of wind, as she falls,

disappearing into the jungle far below,

joining legends of shadowy beings and naked bone

from a civilization once great, now gone.

© 2009 C. Harter Amos

My oldest sister introduced me to Celtic Thunder.  They're fun to listen to.  The music is Irish folksongs and some modern songs adapted to their style, but you can surely tell where country music has its roots!  Hope you enjoy these young men as much as I do.