Riley Corbitt - Heavens Newest Angel

I received some really sad news yesterday. My cousins little girl Riley passed away. The Lord had put her here on this earth for a while to touch the hearts of many but He was ready for her to come to Him now. She passed away around 1:30 yesterday afternoon. I did not get to see Riley as much as I would like to have living away from my hometown. You could always ask about her & everyone could give you updates.

Here is an article that was in my hometown newspaper about her explaining her disease.

The Daily Sentinel
Published March 25, 2006
Roy and Paula Corbitt of Woodville are living every parent’s worst nightmare. Instead of watching their beautiful 3-year-old daughter, Riley, grow and thrive each day, learning new skills and exploring the world around her, they are watching their child regress, slowly losing the milestones she had already reached.

Paula & Riley

Riley is in the grips of a degenerative disease that has ravaged her body for all of her young life and is expected to claim her life within the next few years.Riley has fought hard from the beginning of her life. Born at 35 weeks, she turned an ash gray color the day before she was supposed to come home from the hospital. Riley was moved to the neonatal unit for special medical attention. During this period, the baby would suddenly stop breathing. She was examined and found to have jaundice with an enlarged liver and spleen.

When the doctors were able to control her jaundice, Riley was sent home and followed up with a gastrologist in Huntsville. At the age of 2 months, Riley was sent to Children’s Hospital in Birmingham where doctors repaired three hernias and performed a liver biopsy. The doctor diagnosed Riley as having neonatal hepatitis. Her parents were told she would outgrow the condition within a year, and doctors prescribed medications.

She never outgrew her symptoms; in fact, they only grew worse.Shortly before Riley turned 2, doctors recommended that she receive a liver transplant because her condition had turned into cirrhosis. Paula researched her options and requested that Riley be sent to Emory for the transplant. Her parents met with the transplant team and were preparing for the operation when Dr. Romero decided to test her for Niemann-Pick’s disease since Riley had several symptoms.

The four main symptoms of Niemann-Pick’s disease are an enlarged lived, an enlarged spleen, jaundice and palsy of the eyes. The only symptom that Riley does not exhibit is the palsy.Riley underwent a liver biopsy and skin biopsy and was diagnosed with Niemann-Pick’s disease a little over a month later.

Paula explained that Niemann-Pick’s disease is a genetic disorder. The only way for a child to have the disease is for both parents to carry the gene for it, and even then there is only a 25 percent chance that the child will have the disease.

There are also different types of the disease, which are characterized from A to C, depending on life expectancy. For example, children with Type A will normally die before reaching age 2. Riley has Type C, which means she only has a life expectancy of 5 or 10 years.

The disease is characterized by the inability to metabolize cholesterol and other lipids properly within cells. Consequently, excessive amounts of cholesterol and other lipids accumulate in the liver, spleen and brain, causing the brain and other organs to deteriorate.

Paula said the disease is already progressing rapidly in Riley. At her MRI in October, the doctor told them that lesions have begun forming on her brain, signifying damage and loss of brain tissue.

Her parents have already begun to notice her decline. A year ago, she was able to walk unassisted, but now she needs support to be able to move around. Her speech is also deteriorating.“Riley won’t go forward anymore,” Paula said. “She is starting to go backward.”

At her March 7 appointment, there was no new loss of brain tissue but the muscles in her back and throat have begun to weaken. Her spleen is now enlarged to her navel.

The disease also causes Riley to have tremors which are helped by an experimental drug called Cevesca. Although the drug is not FDA approved, it is her only hope in slowing the storage of cholesterol on her brain. Paula said that although the side effects cause additional problems for Riley, the medication does help control the tremors.

The future does not hold much hope for Riley. Doctors say she will eventually be bed-ridden and need a feeding tube, unable to walk, talk, or even swallow. Niemann-Pick’s disease is incurable. The doctors have offered her parents no hope for a recovery. “It slowly kills everything,” Paula said. “We were told all there is (to help) is the Cevesca, but they don’t know if it will help.” A liver transplant is not even an option now. “They won’t giver her a liver transplant because they won’t give a healthy liver to a child who won’t get any better,” Paula said.

In the midst of this seemingly hopeless situation, there is joy and a great deal of love. Riley and her family recently lived out every child’s dream – going to Disney World – through the Make A Wish and Give Kids the World foundations. Paula said Riley had a wonderful time, and she especially enjoyed riding the carousel and train.

The family also plans to travel to Dallas in August for the National Niemann-Pick’s Disease Foundation Family Conference. There, they will be able to meet with doctors and researchers, as well as other families who are living with the disease. The community is also embracing Riley and trying to raise money to help the family deal with medical expenses. Just one bottle of Cevesca costs $3,000, and that does not even begin to take into account the medical expenses that have added up during Riley’s young life.

A benefit for Riley will be held April 8 at Woodville High School gymnasium from noon until 8 p.m. There will be a gospel and bluegrass concert, a raffle, chili supper, cake auction and silent auction. Many items have been donated for the auction, including an Alabama football, a Shaun Alexander football, grills, quilts, televisions and much more. A special fund has also been set up at Regions Bank for monetary donations for Riley. The money will be used to help pay for her medical expenses.

Riley has a way of touching everyone’s heart. Despite the gravity of the situation and her physical decline, Riley wakes up every morning with a smile on her face and is a delight in the lives of everyone who knows her – or just has the pleasure of meeting her.

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This is the statement I read that sticks to me each time I think of Riley.

"Riley has a way of touching everyone’s heart.

Despite the gravity of the situation and her physical decline, Riley wakes up every morning with a smile on her face and is a delight in the lives of everyone who knows her – or just has the pleasure of meeting her."

Click for larger view.

My Resimay

To hoom it mae cunsern,

I waunt to apply for the job what I saw in the paper.

I kin Type realee qwik wit one finggar and do sum a counting.

I think I am good on the fone and I no I am a pepole person,

Pepole realee seam to reespond too me well.. Certain men and all the ladies.

I no my spelling is not too good but find that I Offen can get a job wit my persinalety.

My salerery is open so we kin discus wat you want to pay me and wat

you think that I am werth, I kin start emeditely.

Thank yoo in advanse fore yore anser..

hopifuly Yore best aplicant so farr.

Sinseerly,

Bubba

PS: Because my resimay is a bit short - below is a pickture of me.

Employer's response:....

Dear Bubba,

It's OK, we've got spell check.

See you Monday.

I NEED TO START WRITING THESE THINGS DOWN.

Well I thought the day was starting out great. I had a one on one teacher conference at my youngest one's school. Conference was great. I left the school & ran over to the church to make copies for tonights kindergraten lesson. (More on that later). I got my copies done & made more coloring sheets for kids to put in their OCC boxes of "About Me". Well I went walking up the hallway & looked over at the side down toward my SSClass room. A sign hanging on the door frame. Bible Study on "Forgiveness" was in session. OOOOPPPS. I had signed up for that. My SSClass teacher (who was going to be leading it) had given me my book last Thursday & I had just talked to her this past Sunday that I would be there. I NEED TO START WRITING THESE THINGS DOWN. Sorry Kay!!! Do you forgive me?

Well no sooner I get home I have a card in my mailbox that I missed my dentist appointment! What appointment? Oh man I NEED TO START WRITING THESE THINGS DOWN. When I stopped working outside the home in 1997 I gave up my appointment book. I didn't need it any longer. WRONG. You need it more. Things come up & you have to write them down. "My sharp is not as mind as it once was." I heard that somewhere once.
Well you can be for certian I will make my apointments tomorrow. Matthew has a dentist appointment & I have to be at the church at noon for a group that is "Praying for America"

Click on either of the links (I hope both) to get involved.

Oh heavenly father, please give America and its leaders knowledge and wisdom to know and do your will and grant them protection from their enemies in Jesus' name we pray, Amen.



or



America has turned its back on its rich spiritual heritage that once encouraged a fear of God – respect and trust of Him – and a life of morality directed by the conviction that the Bible is the Word of God and should be honored as such in all matters of life.





Got to go get ready for M&M's tonight. (Music & Mission's)
We are going over Jeremiah 29:11. Here is what goes home to the parents at child pickup.

"Tonight we talked about sometimes in someone’s life they can get off track but the Lord has plans for them so he gets them back on track.
He has plans for you so he forgives you.
We crumple the paper up on the bad things that can happen & then we are reminded the Lord has plans for us so we straighten the paper out.
We tear the edges away for the sins in our lives.
It can then be matted & framed for their bedroom or bath.
I have one in my boy’s bathroom for them to see each morning."

The week so far

My week started out pretty good. The current thing at the moment is Facebook. So many of my friends & family now have this. It was kids & students but now mainly adults are there now. I used to hate things like this but you can keep your profile private & only friends you add can only view your info. I have a total of 85 friends. (87 now while tying this.) It is a great way to keep up with each other day to day. You add little lines back & forth to one another & can even add pictures to share with your contacts. All totally free. Come take a look. You can find my facebook link to the left side.

Well my week....Monday was my fun day. I would like to tell you what we talked about but then I would have to kill you. Just kidding. Working on different things around I make alot of friends. We have called ourselves the exclusive "Ka" club. (sound out the k) Me (Katrina), Connie H, Kathy O., Kelli K. & Connie's daughter meet for lunch Monday in an undisclosed location. Just kidding. A new place that opened here. Old Venice Pizza on McCullough. It was my first time there since it opened. It was really good. We are a group of ladies that get together & laugh & talk & have fun. Connie is a Regional Rep for LeBonheur & Kelli is a Radio Talk Show hostess for a radio station here in Tupelo for a morning radio talk show. They are both so funny. So fun to be around. We have other members of our group but they couldn't make it Monday. Maybe I will tell you about them next time.
After lunch Monday I had to get home. Tiger scouts was that night & I had not even gotten the plan together for them. I try to do at least 1 or 2 things from our scout book each meeting. I had gotten a book from the scout office of all about the US flag named "Your Flag - Everything You Want to Know About the Flag of the United States of America." So I thought I would go over that with them. It worked out great. We do/practice the Pledge of Allegiance each time we meet. This time I threw something else in. We went over what is disrespectful to the flag & flag code violations. Anywhere from laying it on the ground to tearing it in pieces & wearing it. 1st graders really understand this stuff & they actually listened. Each week I hope to add to it.

Where does time go

It seems I just did a post. Time is my enemy. I get so tied up with........stuff. I hoped to have did a blog with my everyday stuff but that gets busy. The boys take alot of time so I pick them over my blog. I am sure everyone can say that.

Celebration Village went great. I never heard the final total of how much was sold. I seen people shopping but I think maybe not as much as they normally would. This picture was made on the last day, Saturday. Pictured below are myself (white OCC tee, black slacks, no jacket) & 3 other volunteers for the booth to promote Operation Christmas Child. Our regional Coordinator did a great job getting enough volunteers to come all 4 days. I popped in & out managing to make sure all was going good, everyone showed up that should & snapping a few pictures of the people helping & the things going on around. Most people passing by the booth thought we were selling something until I finally made the yellow sign you see in the picture below. ByTheWay---Do you do a shoebox yourself?

We are starting to see OCC come to an end soon. Yesterday I met our Regional Coordinator at the TV station to go on the noon show. She did a great job. She needed support. She wanted me at her side on camera but she has worked so hard on this on a complete volunteer basis. She puts in alot of hours. She deserved that time. We load ALL the boxes at the warehouse Nov 17th-24th that comes from all the surrounding areas of Tupelo. Last year apx 16,000 shoeboxes went out of Tupelo's Collection Center. Pray for more boxes this year.

Aerial Photos

A photographer for a national magazine was assigned to take pictures of a great forest fire. He was advised that a small plane would be waiting to fly him over the fire.
The photographer arrived at the airstrip just an hour before sundown. Sure enough, a small Cessna airplane was waiting. He jumped in with his equipment and shouted, “Let’s go!” The tense man sitting in the pilot’s seat swung the plane into the wind and soon they were in the air, though flying erratically.
“Fly over the north side of the fire,” said the photographer, “and make several low-level passes.” “Why?” asked the nervous pilot. “Because I’m going to take pictures!” yelled the photographer. “I’m a photographer, and photographers take pictures.”
The pilot replied, “You mean you’re not the flight instructor?”

Understand Politics

Booth set-up

Well our booth at Celebration Village is finished. We hope to get some attention to Operation Christmas Child to get the word out how important this is.

Here is how Samaritians Purse describe's it.

"Sending a message of hope to children around the world"
"Operation Christmas Child brings joy and hope to children in different types of situations around the world through gift filled shoe boxes and the good news of God's love. This program provides an opportunity for people of all ages to be involved in a simple hands-on missions project while focusing on the true meaning of Christmas - Jesus Christ.
Operation Christmas Child is another way to reach out to local and global communities; just by filling a shoebox with age appropriate items, we can give hope to children in over 90 countries."

Jump back a day!

Well can I actually get two post in one night?

I posted about my day but now the weekend.

We still have Cub Scout popcorn sell going on & had another 3 hour shift at Sam's Club to sell. The boys actually did pretty good which was my two & one of my Tigers from my den. They stalked errr...waited outside the exit door for customers leaving & ask if they would like to help support the cub scouts by buying popcorn. Some people ignored them but some nice people actually stepped over & bought. One guy actually said "he did not recognize the Scouts". Don't even get me started. That's another post in itself. Well we were tired & cold & finally got home about 9:30 that night & we were T-I-R-E-D. The boys want to know can we do it again Saturday............NO NO NO. All my two did was fight & punch each other the whole time & run everywhere not paying attention. One of my sisters has two boys & I ask her ALL the time "please tell me it gets better." I miss baby dolls & doing nails! Boys are not wired that way. Thank God.

Hubby was home all weekend. Before the weather turns to cold we hoped to get the 4 wheelers out & take to the land. Chris' had been acting up for a bit. Hubby got it out early Saturday to do a quick thing to it but nothing here is simple. He was stumped so it is off to the repair people. Here we go again! He gave up, we got the other one loaded & headed to a friends house to pick up his big 4 wheeler. Wait, we need to switch the little one to the back of the truck because both will not fit on the trailer, get gas in a can, air in the tire, the boys are hungry, We are never going to get there. We are trying to find a place in Pontotoc to pull the trailer in safely to get gas & guess what blue lights behind us. Yes, a city cop. We must have attracted attention looking for a station. No my husband was speeding. He didn't argue. He was. Proof of insurance. Guess what not in the truck. It was our leased vehicle we were turning back in so all of it was removed from the glove box. We decided to buy it instead but none of the papers were put back in. I guess the officer thought we looked honest enough & let that part slip. I now have it at my side ready to go back in the truck tomorrow. Well we try to proceed onto the land. We get there & are met by some wild turkey crossing the driveway in. Pic attached. We are now at the spot we will call home hopefully soon. All is well in the Pa'tty World. All three guys got muddy. Chris even had muddy underwear from riding. That is some serious mud riding. I weed eated around some trees, cleaned off my cats grave who I still miss something fierce, played with my toy (Nikon camera), road a 4 wheeler through the woods & back out & took a deep breath because by that time the sun was going down. Turned out to be a good Saturday ticket & all.

At church the next morning with Operation Christmas Child in full swing I have had things I have had to do. We picked that day to give out the empty boxes that Samaritans Purse provides. Only about 250 were passed out. We had a really great time doing it. Pic attached. Hopefully they come back all full to send over seas.

Shelley Farmer (Director of Childhood Education)

(me) Katrina Potter Patty (OCC coordinator for HBC)

Dale Taylor (volunteer for OCC)

Kathryn Walden (volunteer for OCC)

Rev. David Langerfeld (Associate Pastor)

Rev. Tim Alexander (Minister of Education & Single Adults)

Our 2 boys both have b'days this month & their grandparents sent them some money that was burning a hole in their pockets. Sunday after church we went to Wally World to spend that hot money. The boys both got toys since you know they don't have any. The pitiful things. S-P-O-I-L-E-D to the bone. Man time is passing quick. The boys are 7 & 11 this month. Our daughter turned 22 this past summer. Different seasons of our lives. Changes come. We deal. Me not as much. I do deal with it but in some ways I look back & wish for the old times. People are what I miss the most. Father, mothers, sisters & nephews that have passed. Time heals wounds. A blogger friend is having to bury a nephew soon. What I read of him all says he was a great guy & you wonder why was it his time. But it is God's time not ours. God has plans for him & he needed him now. My heart breaks for the family having to say their goodbye's. Patty I will be thinking of you. Please keep this sweet family in your prayers.

Well it is getting late. I have bible study tomorrow. I still need to finish the booth tomorrow. My husband comes back from a quick business trip that he left early this morning on. My oldest son has a b'day & I need to get a fire lit under me to get some painting finished around here. Got to get this house sold. Now I will try to download some pics for you to view. Click on them for a larger view.

Another day another dollar

Well another day but not another dollar from a paycheck. Several weeks ago our fridge was dying a slow death. It kept getting warmer & warmer inside. Well a fridge guy came, replaced a part, we paid, he left & guess what.... it didn't work. It hobbled along for a bit but it was screaming to be put out of its misery. We called a different repair guy & he stayed here about 3 hours looking & tinkering. Boy if it was by the hour I was going to have a MAJOR bill. He gave us the bad news. The fridge was only 7 years old but the brand just did not stand the test of time. He told to look for another. Now why couldn't the other guy tell us that? Now for the bill......"No charge" he says......"I didn't do anything to help you". Now that's a repair guy. I still could not let him leave. I offered him to stay for dinner with us. In the time he was here we talked & laughed. He had lost his wife over a year ago & I was already told he was a talker. Boy did he come to the right house. He had a daughter expecting him for dinner so he had to hit the road. I couldn't just let him leave so....I paid him his service call fee. I do think it fair. He at least told us the truth. Now how does another dollar come into play. The other company refunded me back half the the amount I paid them to fix my fridge. A whole half. It came in today's mail. That may just fill my gas tank 3 times. The gas prices have dropped quite a bit here. Enough of the bad stuff. Now something good.
Today was one of my get-to-be-home days after dropping the boys at school. I got a call this morning from a friend & she was sitting up a booth for Operation Christmas Child for "Celebration Village" here in Tupelo. Here is the description of it. Browse through rows of vendors from across the nation, who will gather to see gifts, clothing, home decor, art and gourmet foods. Presented by the Sanctuary Hospice House, this event is a holiday hit.

She ask if I had some free time to come help set up. Don't have to ask me twice to come look at other absolutely gorgeous booths. I am talking about some really great looking professional booths. I do have to say ours will look really nice after the finishing touches go on tomorrow. We are not selling...just promoting OCC to get more people involved.

Lesson to be learned....Moral of the story

I read this joke off a blog that mentioned my hometown. It came up in a search result that I am sent each time my hometown is mentioned anywhere on a Google link. Her blog is really good. Lots of cool ideas. Even has a section about making your own envelopes. She used a page from a calendar. It was really pretty.

A bus carrying only ugly people crashes into an oncoming truck, and everyone inside dies. As they stand at the Pearly Gates waiting to enter Paradise and meet their maker, God decides to grant each person one wish because of the grief they have experienced.

They're all lined up, and God asks the first one what the wish is. "I want to be gorgeous," and so God snaps His fingers, and it is done.

The second one in line hears this and says "I want to be gorgeous too" Another snap of His fingers and the wish is granted.

This goes on for a while with each one asking to be gorgeous, but when God is halfway down the line, the last guy in the line starts laughing.

When there are only ten people left, this guy is rolling on the floor, laughing his head off.

Finally, God reaches this last guy and asks him what his wish will be. The guy eventually calms down and says:

"Make 'em all ugly again."

Moral of the story..........NEXT TIME YOU'RE LAST IN LINE. BE HAPPY

What do you see?

I ran across this while hitting the "Next Blog" button.

I have had the image saved for quite some time & have always loved it.

I hope you can see it.

I close my eyes after staring at the image & tilt my head back.

Ha Ha Ha

I changed the title from this.....Why Dogs Are Better Than Kids
Sorry but not really better, just better points.

* Why its good to have a dog *
It doesn't take 45 minutes to get a dog ready to go outside in the winter.
Dogs cannot lie.
Dogs never resist nap time.
You don't need to get extra phone lines for a dog.
Dogs don't pester you about getting a kid.
Dogs don't care if the peas have been touched by the mashed potatoes.
Dogs are housebroken by the time they are 12 weeks old.
Your dog is not embarrassed if you sing in public.
Average cost of sending a dog to school: $42
Average cost of sending a kid: $103,000

* Barbecue? *
As the coals from our barbecue burned down, our hosts passed out marshmallows and long roasting forks. Just then, two fire trucks roared by, sirens blaring, lights flashing.
They stopped at a house right down the block. All twelve of us raced out of the back yard,
down the street, where we found the owners of the blazing house standing by helplessly.
They glared at us with looks of disgust.
Suddenly, we realized why.........
we were all still holding our roasting forks with marshmallows on them...


* Class Pictures *
The children had all been photographed, and the teacher was trying to persuade them each to buy a copy of the group picture. "Just think how nice it will be to look at it when you are all grown up and say, 'There's Jennifer, she's a lawyer,' or 'That's Michael, He's a doctor.'
A small voice at the back of the room rang out, "And there's the teacher, She's dead."

* Frog Noise, Please *
A sister and brother are talking to each other when the little boy gets up and
walks over to his Grandpa and says, "Grandpa, please make a frog noise."
The Grandpa says, "No." The little boy goes on, "Please...please make a frog noise."
The Grandpa says, "No, now go play."
The little boy then says to his sister, "Go tell Grandpa to make a frog noise."
So the little girl goes to her Grandpa and says, "Please make a frog noise."
The Grandpa says, "I just told your brother 'no' and I'm telling you 'no'."
The little girl says, "Please...please Grandpa make a frog noise."
The Grandpa says, "Why do you want me to make a frog noise?"
The little girl replied, "Because mommy said when you croak we can go to Disney World!"

* Patience *
A young woman really thought she'd been very patient,
through a long period of dating with no talk of marriage.
One night her steady boyfriend took her out to a Chinese restaurant.
As he looked over the menu, he casually asked her,
"So... how do you want your rice? plain or fried?"
Without missing a beat, she looked over her menu
at him and replied....
"Thrown."

Mac

Our Prince Blackey Mackey

Mac for short

Mac was one of the 9 foster babies we

took care of from the litter from

Tupelo-Lee Humane Society

Click on the picture for a larger view.

Read the poem & look at his tag on his collar.

Boo Hoo

I am home today. I have updated my blog on my land site & my SSClass site. I need to finish getting my e-mail list for SSClass finished. I have a couple of new people to add & need to send it out. I had two of my scout parents give me their e-mail adresses last night & need to get their updates to them about the Cub Scout popcorn sell going on. (If you are on my e-mail list you will probably be getting an e-mail asking you to buy popcorn over an internet site if I can figure out how to get the website to work. Chris & Matthew get the credit.) Other than that I have not done much. The same stuffed animal is still laying in the same spot in the family room as it was this morning. It hurts to bend over. All the blood rushes to my jaw. The doc said it would be sore. Man he was right. I know BOO HOO. Tomorrow will be better. Take a pill get over it. Life goes on. Got alot to do tomorrow.

Now for a chuckle.

Spaghetti Sauce
Jack prepared a pasta dish for a dinner party he was giving. In his haste, however, he forgot to refrigerate the spaghetti sauce, and it sat on the counter all day. He was worried about spoilage, but it was too late to cook up another batch. He called the local Poison Control Center and voiced his concern. They advised Jack to boil the sauce again.

That night, the phone rang during dinner, and a guest volunteered to answer it. Jack's face dropped as the guest called out, "It's the Poison Control Center. They want to know how the spaghetti sauce turned out."

I wonder should I cook dinner tonight!

Wow, What a day

What is better than having a root canal done? I could & would personally say......anything. My day started out having one done this morning. I have never had to have one. It was not as bad as I first thought. It was about like a tooth filled....then the pain hit & boy.....it hurt like the dickens. I had to make a run to Wally World after to pick up a few things then headed home to unload my groceries & get some paper work to go make copies at the church. We had Cub Scouts at church tonight. I had not even gotten my lesson together. I can't believe it but I was actually ready by 6:30 for the meeting. Now back at home waiting on my neighbor to come over & tell me goodbye. She & her family have packed up lock, stock & barrel. They are now officially Washington state residents. They will be missed by a ton of people.
Well just another day & it starts all over again tomorrow.

I needed a laugh...

* Jeweled Portrait *

There was this woman who had an artist paint a portrait of her covered

with the most amazingly beautiful and expensive jewels.

Her explanation - "If I die and my husband re-marries,

I want his next wife to go crazy looking for the jewels."

Sorry but this would be me!

******

* Redneck Eulogy *
What's the last thing you usually hear before a redneck dies?

"Hey, y'all ... Watch this!"

How To Give Your Pet A Pill

Here is I what I would say is about one of the funniest blogs I follow. I always get a chuckle at the jokes she will post. I had not seen this one in awhile but anyone who has a pet fully understands this. Be sure & visit her blog.
Old Lady Lincoln---- Yes! Her husband is a descendant of the man himself.



How To Give Your Cat A Pill...
1. Pick up cat and cradle it in the crook of your left arm as if holding a baby. Position right forefinger and thumb on either side of cat's mouth and gently apply pressure to cheeks while holding pill in right hand. As cat opens mouth, pop pill into mouth. Allow cat to close mouth and swallow.
2. Retrieve pill from floor and cat from behind sofa. Cradle cat in left arm and repeat process.
3. Retrieve cat from bedroom, and throw soggy pill away.
4. Take new pill from foil wrap, cradle cat in left arm, holding rear paws tightly with left hand. Force jaws open and push pill to back of mouth with right forefinger. Hold mouth shut for a count of ten.
5. Retrieve pill from goldfish bowl and cat from top of wardrobe. Call spouse from garden.
6. Kneel on floor with cat wedged firmly between knees, hold front and rear paws. Ignore low growls emitted by cat. Get spouse to hold head firmly with one hand while forcing wooden ruler into mouth. Drop pill down ruler and rub cat's throat vigorously.
7. Retrieve cat from curtain rail, get another pill from foil wrap. Make note to buy new ruler and repair curtains. Carefully sweep shattered figurines and vases from hearth and set to one side for gluing later.
8. Wrap cat in large towel and get spouse to lie on cat with head just visible from below armpit. Put pill in end of drinking straw, force mouth open with pencil and blow down drinking straw.
9. Check label to make sure pill not harmful to humans, drink 1 beer to take taste away. Apply Band-Aid to spouse's forearm and remove blood from carpet with cold water and soap.
10. Retrieve cat from neighbor's shed. Get another pill. Open another beer. Place cat in cupboard, and close door onto neck, to leave head showing. Force mouth open with dessert spoon. Flick pill down throat with elastic band.
11. Fetch screwdriver from garage and put cupboard door back on hinges. Drink beer. Fetch bottle of scotch. Pour shot, drink. Apply cold compress to cheek and check records for date of last tetanus shot. Apply whiskey compress to cheek to disinfect. Toss back another shot. Throw Tee shirt away and fetch new one from bedroom.
12. Call fire department to retrieve the darn cat from across the road. Apologize to neighbor who crashed into fence while swerving to avoid cat. Take last pill from foil wrap.
13. Tie the little b******d's front paws to rear paws with garden twine and bind tightly to leg of dining table, find heavy-duty pruning gloves from shed. Push pill into mouth followed by large piece of filet steak. Be rough about it. Hold head vertically and pour 2 pints of water down throat to wash pill down.
14. Consume remainder of scotch. Get spouse to drive you to the emergency room, sit quietly while doctor stitches fingers and forearm and removes pill remnants from right eye. Call furniture shop on way home to order new table.
15. Arrange for ASPCA to collect mutant cat from hell and call local pet shop to see if they have any hamsters.

How To Give Your Dog A Pill
1. Wrap it in bacon.
2. Toss it in the air.

Tupelo Ethics

"People have known this for quite some time. The City Council & Planning & other groups of people are nothing but a joke. My opinion is get rid (kick them off their seats they hold) of everyone of them & start new. Everyone knows it is nothing but just the big boys club & if you don't play their game then nothing gets done the right ethical way.
Just my opinion that I am entitled to. Anyone who knows what my situation was with my fence knows why I feel this way & want to move from this crooked town!

Tupelo Ethics report released, and it is apparently scathing
October 9th, 2008 @ 12:33 am by NMC · No Comments

Lotus posted a couple of times about a controversy in Tupelo over an ethics report the city had commissioned. The city was having some trouble getting their hands on it, and there was even a move by the mayor to cancel it when another deadline for sending it failed.

Well it’s available now, and according to the Daily Journal, does not look good for the city:

The city’s just-released ethics report paints a portrait of a once-celebrated city that has lost its progressive spirit amid an internal culture of fear and favoritism in its government.

And unless “immediate and forceful action is … taken, the undercurrent of fear, resentment and anger may wholly overwhelm efforts to provide service to Tupelo citizens,” according to the report, which was released to the public Tuesday night after the City Council meeting.

On a more positive note, the document says there does not appear to be any intentional racism in city government - except in the Police Department - and that “all indications are that the vast majority of individuals working for the city of Tupelo perform their daily tasks with a high degree of professionalism and camaraderie, working well together for the benefit of the entire community.”

Recall that the mayor thought it would be good to cancel the report in September. Well, now that he’s got it, he tells the Daily Journal “he has not read the report and couldn’t comment.”

You can read it for yourself.

Rain Rain Go Away

Storms moving through Tupelo.
What comes with October?
Tornado weather!
Passed us over. Saved again.

Old Pictures

Click on picture for larger view

While walking around during "First Sunday" I got a picture of my hometown square from a vendor by the name of Garry Morgan. I love pictures of my hometown. Mostly older ones.

The Scottsboro Boys Trial occured on First Monday April 1931.

Another type I love is to go back & get "after" pictures when I find an old one. My hometown square is still quite active.

This is the old Bynum's grocery on Broad Street when it was a 2 lane. I lived across the street. Then change comes along & a Sherwin Williams is built. It is still there today.

The city has a project that you can buy a brick for the gazebo project on the square. My husband & BIL's bought one for their mother. I have to say I was a bit disappointed that it was dirty & not laid very well. I hope after the next batch is put down they redo some.

My mother was in desperate need of cleaning out her outside shed & ran across a few of these old postcards of my dad's. We spent a great deal of time out somewhere or another with my dad making pictures. He ran Boots' Photo Service off "The Square". I sure did spend alot of my time there it seems.

On the back of the postcard reads......."The late Calvin McGee, Chief of the Creek Indians East of the Miss. River with Long White eagle at TA-CO-BET (Aug. 1969). This was Chief McGee's last visit to "God's Mountain". Located six miles east of Scottsboro, on Highway 40.

Scout Day at Huntsville Space & Rocket

Chris (Webelo 2 rank), Me, & Matthew (Tiger rank)

Pack 85 Tupelo, MS

Alot of our pack went to the Space & Rocket Center this past Saturday. The church vans transported alot of the group & several took their own cars. They left that morning & came back later that afternoon. I took my own vehicle & stayed the weekend back home. I am SOOO tired. I stay busy the whole time I am there. Since Jeff did not get to go my mom & sister went & spent Saturday with us at the Space & Rocket Center.

Later the boys & I ran by & spent some time with Jeff's dad (my in-laws). My baby sister called when I was about to leave from there & wanted to know if I wanted to run to Wally World with her. We went & did the Southern thing of shopping & running into people & talking & catching up. We left there & drove around & waited on my niece to get off work at the pizza place. We made her & her friends take us cruising around "The Square". We lead very pathetic lives to hang out with 19 year olds. We just had to see if it had changed any since we were that age. It has not just to let you know. By the way the only reason they let us go was because I let her drive my vehicle & it was my gas that made the many trips around "The Square" & town. The reason we finally went home.....the old people in the back seat was about to fall asleep (my sister & I). Boy were we tired & it was not even midnight.

Pastor appreciation was the next day at my sister's church & they were honoring their pastor that performed my wedding years & many years ago.

In my hometown they have a Trade Day the "First Sunday" & "First Monday" of each month around "The Square". Not much was going on but it was still fun walking around & remembering a place I walked for as long as I remember. If you go & don't run into someone you know you must not be looking. I seen my husbands neice & her little family I rarely get a chance to see while back home. We tired of walking & went after lunch. Then back to my sisters to pack up & leave town finally around 5:00. Engine light came on so that threw my time off a bit. (My neice did not tighten the gas cap after she put gas in for me)

Got back here to MS finally around 9:00pm.

Now back to real life back here & got to get busy with Operation Christmas Child at church.

Off to cook dinner now.

More later.

THINGS I HAVE LEARNED FROM LIVING IN ALABAMA

Possums sleep in the middle of the road with their feet in the air.
There are 5,000 types of snakes on earth and 4,998 live in Alabama .
There are 10,000 types of spiders.
All 10,000 live in Alabama, plus a couple no one's seen before.
If it grows, it sticks; if it crawls, it bites.
Onced and Twiced are words.
It is not a shopping cart; it is a buggy.
People actually grow and eat okra.
'Fixinto' is one word.
There is no such thing as 'lunch.' There is only dinner and then supper.
Iced tea is appropriate for all meals and you start drinking it when you're two.
We do like a little tea with our sugar!
Backwards and forwards means 'I know everything about you.
'DJeet is actually a phrase meaning 'Did you eat?
'You don't have to wear a watch because it doesn't matter what time it is.
You work until you're done or it's too dark to see.
You don't PUSH buttons, you MASH them.
You measure distance in minutes.
You'll probably have to switch from 'heat' to 'A/C' in the same day.
'Fix' is a verb. Example: 'I'm fixing to go to the store.
'All the festivals across the state are named after a fruit, vegetable, grain, insect or animal.
You install security lights on your house and garage and leave both unlocked.
You carry jumper cables in your car . . . for your OWN car.
There are only own four spices: salt, pepper, Tabasco and ketchup.
The local papers cover national and international news on one page,
but require 6 pages for local gossip and sports.
The first day of deer season is a state holiday.
100 degrees Fahrenheit is 'a little warm.'
We have four seasons: Almost Summer, Summer, still Summer and Christmas.
Going to Wal-mart is a favorite past time known as 'goin' Wal-martin' or off to 'Wally World.
'A cool snap (below 70 degrees) is good pinto-bean weather.
A carbonated soft drink isn't a soda, cola or pop. . . it's a Coke, regardless of brand or flavor. Example: 'What kinda coke you want?
'Fried catfish is the other white meat.
We don't need no stinking driver's ed . . . if our mama says we can drive, we can drive.
If you understand these jokes please forward them to your friends
from Alabama (and those who just wish they were).
EVERYONE can't be an Alabamian; it takes talent.
You might say it's an art form or a gift from God!