Who ate the candy?

It's been a hectic week and I haven't had time to work, let alone think about blogging. Was dealing with some health issues with my husband, and things are finally settling down just a bit. Hopefully, it will stay that way for a while.

Without wanting to bore readers with details of hospital visits, etc, I thought I would dust off one of my old columns. When our children were young, I wrote a humorous column for a suburban newspaper for a number of years and the following is one of those columns.....

On any number of occasions, mothers are faced with asking their kids a certain type of unanswerable question such as; who ate the last cookie and put the empty package back in the cabinet? Or who took the quarter off the counter? Or who wrote the dirty words on the wallpaper in the kitchen?

Getting a straight answer can prove to be more complicated and frustrating than trying to sort out the Whitewater mess. In fact, when my kids were young, I would have tackled Whitewater any day over "Who took the gum out of my purse?"

When I had to ask the "who did" question, my kids would react in one of two ways. Either they'd be stricken with some kind of mental dysfunction that rendered them speechless, or they'd cast about for someone they might possibly get away with blaming.

I think this is a talent that kids are born with that may hearken back to some instinct for survival and some are much better at it than others.

While I had a certain maternal pride in the abilities of my kids to find a 'scapegoat,' they had a long way to go to match the aplomb of a friend's three year-old. One day he'd been out playing with his older brother, and when he came back in my friend noticed a particular odor as he passed by.

As delicately as possible she asked, "Did you have an accident in your pants?"

"No. John did it."

Now that's quick thinking at its best.

In fact, this kid had such a reputation no one believed him. Not even when he insisted for an entire day that he had not eaten his older sister's candy bar. "It was Mommy. I swear."

"Sure," the sister said. "Like Mom would really do that."

Can you imagine how embarrassing it is to admit to your six year-old that you needed a sudden chocolate fix and hers was the only candy in the house?

Luckily, my daughter never asked what happened to the last piece of candy from her first-grade Valentine's party.

Guest Blog

Another guest blog from my friend, Tracy Farr. This guy needs to do stand-up comedy.

Why all the fuss?

Would somebody please tell me why it is necessary to wash off the dishes before you put them in the dishwasher to be washed? You save all your life for that wonderful house full of modern appliances that are supposed to make your life easier, but you still have to scrub the dishes before you put them in the dishwasher. At least, that’s how it is in my house. And frankly, I think it’s a bit insane.

When I ask my wife why we have to do something so redundant, she gives me that you're-just-a-guy look and points her finger in the “get out of my kitchen” direction. But I think it's a legitimate question.

Do people warm up their leftover casserole in the oven before they heat it up in the microwave? I think not! Do people put their ice trays in the refrigerator to cool the water off before they put it in the freezer to make ice? Hardly! Is there a person alive who holds a piece of bread over an open flame to pre-toast the bread before they put it in the toaster? You’ve got to be kidding! So why do we have to pre-wash the dishes before sticking them in a machine that’s supposed to wash them?

There is no reason why a dishwasher should not be able to do the job it was meant do, unless it's not a dishwasher problem, but instead – dare I say it – it’s a WOMAN problem.

WARNING: The following drivel is pure, 100 percent, male sexist propaganda that may cause my untimely death; but hey, you only live once!

Is it possible that we pre-wash dishes because women feel guilty about having a convenience that their mothers and grandmothers didn't have? Is it possible that women don't trust the dishwasher to get their dishes squeaky clean because it was invented by a man who probably never washed a dish in his life? Or is it possible that women just worry too much about little things like bits of dried food on a supposedly clean dish?

I think all you women folk out there should lighten up and wash the dishes the “I’m Just A Guy” way. Just throw those dishes in the machine, watch some NASCAR or change the oil in your car while you wait. Then when the dishes are done, toss those suckers into the cabinet. And if there is a bit of dried pork chops left on the plate, don't worry about it! Just cover it up with a big spoonful of casserole at your next meal. Nobody will know the difference.

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The Daily Spittoon -- Done completely by hand!

Dying Trees

I spent the morning today burning brush from several trees that were taken down because they were dead. A neighbor took the large pieces of trunk to be chipped for mulch, but I had to do something with all the brush left behind. Started to pile it up to haul to a big pile by my burn pit, then decided to just leave it where it was and have a bonfire.

The tree had come down in a large area of our driveway that is all rock and iron ore. A great place to burn without setting the whole place on fire. Of course, that did make it tricky to back out from the car port. Had to maneuver around a couple of trees and run across the one little patch of grass we call a lawn. But we managed. And now there is nothing left, but a pile of ash.

We have quite a few trees dying and it makes me sad to see them come down. Probably have lost about 30 since we've been here. They have bugs and are also suffering from the years of drought we had.

I do organic gardening and have tried to save some of the trees around the house with some treatment and special care, but there is no way I can deal with all the trees on our property. There has to be a couple of hundred at least.

If any organic gardeners have suggestions, I'd be glad to get them.

The Day After

Just like the changing of the year from one to the next, the changing of a presidential name takes some time to get used to. Several times today as I was updating WinnsboroToday.com with news, I had to stop and remind myself to write "President Obama" as opposed to "President Bush".

I suppose in time I will get used to it. It only took me two weeks to stop writing 2008 and get with the current year.

But Obama is not having trouble getting used to being president. He really hit the floor running today, and it will be interesting to see where he takes us in the near future, as well as for the long haul.

Last night, a group of about 30 people gathered here in East Texas at a coffee shop, Art & Espresso, that is owned by The Winnsboro Gallery We were there to celebrate the inauguration and it was interesting that not everyone had voted for Obama. But everyone came to show their support, which I thought was particualarly nice.

I also thought it was particularly nice that despite the fact that millions of people were crowded into the Mall area in Washington on that freezing January day to watch the swearing in, there was not one outbreak of anger or violence. No protests. No hate. Nothing ugly.

Gosh, could this mean that we are finally learning how to get along?

If Obama accomplishes nothing else in his presidency, the fact that he has set a high standard of personal integrity will be a fitting legacy. Let's just hope we continue to strive to live up to it.

Making History

Tomorrow is an exciting day in history as we witness the swearing in of our new president, Barack Obama. It marks a great milestone for Americans, some of whom refused to let an African American into a school, let alone 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

That we have come this far is a great testament to the willingness of most people to expand their world view and let go of old prejudices and biases.

Not that everyone has done so. I still hear comments that make me stop and check the calendar to make sure we are not back in 1950. But, thankfully, the people who still hold so rigidly to the stereotypes and misconceptions about people different from them are becoming more and more of a minority themselves.

And because of that, America will have its first African American president. Not that everyone who voted for him did so because it was an opportunity to seat a black man. I know I certainly didn't. I voted for him because he was the best person for the job, in my opinion, and the fact that he was also on the threshold of making history was an added benefit.

I hope as we move forward that Obama receives the support he needs from Congress and the general public. And I hope that every American can mark the day, Tuesday, January 20, 2009, in some special way.

Here in my little corner of the Piney Woods of East Texas, we are going to have an Inaugural Bash, where we will gather to watch the festivities from Washington and celebrate.

Age is Just a Frame of Mind

Another guest blog from funny guy Tracy Farr. You gotta love a guy who can poke fun at himself like this......

Whoa, Baby! I just bought one of those iPod Touch things, and it's NICE! Fits in the pocket, it's easy to carry around, I can listen to a gazillion songs without ever having to flip over a tape or change CDs, and I should be over the moon, but I'm not, because I get the distinct impression that "some people around here" think I'm "too old" to have one just because I recently had a birthday.

And why would I say such a thing?

ROBERT (My youngest son): You got WHAT?
ME (guy with no hair and grey beard): An iPod Touch!
ROBERT: And you got it because...?
ME: I can, mister. Because I can!
ROBERT: And what kind of music do you plan to put on it?
ME: All my polka music. I'm going to call it "My iPolka."
I laughed, he didn't
ROBERT: I think an iPod Touch may be too advanced for you. Maybe I should look it over first, set it up for you, maybe even take it back with me to college to give it a thorough going-over! I wouldn't want you to get all discouraged because you paid a lot of money for something you might not be able to comprehend.

You see? I should be happy, but now I'm feeling just plain old. And he's not the only one giving me grief about my age. I recently received the following message from my cousin, Cynda, who lives in Colorado.

"Hey, old man. Isn't today the day you get another year older & (supposedly) another year wiser? How does it feel to be staring the big 5-0 in the eye? Don't worry, just remember I get there before you so I can guide you through. LOL. Happy Birthday TD. Make it a great one!"

Is that the kind of message that's supposed to make one happy about being a year older, but not a year richer? I think not, and neither do you! So, I sent her the following reply:

"Hey old man? What's with that? And did you say another year older...and wiser? Are you implying I was pert near dumber than a rock yesterday, but now that I'm a day older, I'm more intelligent? Doesn't that imply the only thing I have to look forward to in 2009 is that I'll be smarter in 2010? Is that what you're trying to say?

And for your information I am NOT staring the big 5-0 in the eye. I may be looking at its waist (and I must say something needs to be done about it before it crowds out everybody in the room), but I am NOT staring at it in the eye.

And what's with this LOL? Does that mean Lot's of Luck? Licking On Lollipops? Look Out Larry? (which is probably what Moe and Curly would scream). I just don't understand!"

Yessiree! That's what I wrote. But getting back to the iPod, I thought for a moment I was going to have to take it back because I was only hearing the music in mono. It was playing in one ear, but not the other. I was quite a bit upset because I paid all that money to buy a cheap thing that doesn't even work. Luckily, I found the solution to my problem - you've got to use BOTH earphones, and not just one.

Okay, maybe I AM too old to comprehend this thing.

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The Daily Spittoon -- Stooping to any level to bring you the news

Good Friends

Poppy, the dog, and John, having fun on the front deck. Didn't realize until just now looking at the picture, but the cat looks almost as big as the dog. And the dog is a border collie - Aussie mix. She is not a small dog. But then, John is not a small cat.

He is definitely bigger than our other dog, Misha, who is a mix of Pekingese and Dachshund. When we got John, we called him Little John. A variation of Little One, because he was such a cute little kitten.

Ha!

Now he is the king of the castle, intimidating all the other animals. Even Poppy stays clear of his claws, although John swears he is only playing.

Our son captioned this picture: "Aw, someone needs a hug."

Our son- in law captioned it: "Would you quit touching me."

Which caption do you like best?

No Resolutions

We were out of town for a few days bringing in the New Year with our children and grandchildren. Had a wonderful time visiting, playing cards, and eating waayyyy toooooo much.

Time to get serious again about exercising and dieting. Somehow that thought tends to hit a lot of us early in January when we think about how much we ate since Thanksgiving and consider losing the ten pounds we gained.

Too bad I can't be like my oldest granddaughter who loves to snack, yet is rail thin. No diets for her, but I will have to check out the latest tips on dieting.

I'm not going to make that a definitive write-it-down-on-paper resolution. I've learned over the years that resolutions and I do not get along well. But I know that I will be better off if I lose ten pounds and stick with an exercise program on a more regular basis than I have of late.

I'm also not going to write down my intent to this year finish the book I have been working on for a number of years. Reading some authors' blogs, I have picked up some advice on how to stay focused on a project, and I am going to put some of them to work for me.

The best tip was to make writing the book a priority in a working day, and that is a good suggestion for whatever project a person is working on. Don't check messages on the phone or e-mail. Don't give in to the impulse to take care of some other business first. Spend an hour working on the project, then start taking care of business.

Which means I've got to go. Didn't get my hour in with my book this morning.

Happy New Year

We are going on a short vacation for a few days, so I wanted to take a minute before we head out to wish everyone a Happy New Year.

As we cross over from one year to the next, it always seems to be a good time for taking stock and perhaps deciding to make some changes, but as far as resolutions go, I don't think I'm going to make any.

I never was good at keeping the ones I used to make, so why bother?

But I will try to be more mindful of the good things in life and savor the moments that make living so worthwhile. That way I might not mind the swift passage of time so much and might discover a little gift of nature that could have gone unnoticed.

I hope good things come to all of you in 2009.

Make My Day

We who write so often do so without a lot of personal feedback, and it is always exciting to get a note from someone who was touched by our words. Yesterday morning, I was pleased to find two wonderful messages in my guestbook on BooksWeLove.net

" I loved your book "One Small Victory" and am grateful to have this opportunity to thank you for your fine work! Continued success in 2009!" Denise DiFalco, Fort Gratiot MI

"One Small Victory touched just about every emotion I have. I loved the way you felt as if you truly knew the characters and could feel her anguish as much as her courage. This is one of those books which linger in your heart and mind longer after you have read the last page." Laura Emerson, Biloxi MS

It is always such a thrill to find a fan letter, and these came at a time when I really needed the boost. Thank you ladies!!

Writing a Synopsis Doesn't Have to Kill You

I am guest blogging today, sharing some tips on how to write a synopsis here: http://murderby4.blogspot.com/ It's a technique I learned sort of by chance, but has really helped me.

Stop by if you have a chance.

Yuck, Germs!

Being sick on the holidays is no fun. I started with a cold early this past week and sniffled my way through Christmas Eve and Christmas. Then I wasn't getting any better so I went to the doctor yesterday to find out I have a severe sinus infection -- as opposed to an ordinary sinus infection, I guess.

Anyway, this has sure put a crimp in all my plans to do some projects with the new cordless drill I got for Christmas. Or maybe start working on one of the jigsaw puzzles.

No, what I do is maybe a little bit of work and then collapse on the couch for another nap. And the work isn't that productive. Not when my head feels like it is stuffed with cotton. Not much clarity of thought under those conditions.

My hope is that the doctor was right and I will be feeling a WHOLE lot better by tomorrow.

What Success Means

I had several recent signing events for One Small Victory, and I am pleased that I will be able to donate a nice sum to the two charities benefiting from sales this month. The Trails Country Centre for the Arts and Morgan's Mercy Mansion, a drug rehab center for women in East Texas are the charities I am supporting.

At the most recent signing, a nice young boy, about 12 or 13 stopped by my table for a piece of candy. He seemed genuinely impressed to meet a real live author, and we talked a bit about books, and reading, and writing.

He left, then came back and asked if he could take one of my books to see if his dad would help him buy it for Mom for Christmas. "I know she would love it," he said. "I just have to ask The Man for money."

This young man was such a delight to talk to, and he was so excited when he came back so I could sign the book to his mother. "This is the kind of book she reads all the time, and she will be thrilled to have one signed by the author."

Moment like these make all the hassle and work of signing events worthwhile. I know I should be more of a capitalist and be more focused on selling lots of books, but I can't help it. To see young people so excited about reading and writing, just does it for me.

Sock it To the Consumer

I heard on the news today that one of the large oil refineries is going to cut production because the cost of oil is more than the price of gasoline, so they cannot continue to produce until the price of gasoline goes back up.

Excuse me. This is the same oil refinery that six months ago had record profits. Why can't they suck this shortfall up like the rest of us do when we face hard times?

No, their response is to make sure they get more money and hold the consumer hostage.

Is anybody ever going to get the fact that we simply cannot survive if the economy continues to be driven the same way it has in recent history? We can't just be focused on our own bottom line without regard to the impact on other businesses and other people. And we can't continue to just keep throwing more money at the problem and inflating the paper economy even more.

We have to put money where it will do some good. Like into the marketplace and into individual pockets to stimulate retail sales.

Instead of corporations being bailed out or going into bankruptcy, why not ask the highest paid people to forgo their salary for a year. Certainly those who make millions every year have enough in the back to live for a year without the salary. And that money could go toward keeping the company afloat.

And instead of the government increasing the deficit to find money to help people through this crisis, why not a hold on all top-level government pay for a year? And streamline administration to save millions in man hours and redundancy.

Okay, rant over. I feel marginally better. That is until next week when the price of gas jumps for Holiday travel....

Better to Laugh Than Cry

Here's another bit of humor from my friend, Tracy Farr.....

It's more than just a haircut

Our country is going through some dire times. Banks are collapsing, the American auto industry is hitting speed bumps, and people are just not buying executive jets like they used to. So, it is up to us -- you and me -- to get this economy going again, and that's why I did my patriotic duty this weekend and got a haircut.

Tim is my barber. He's been cutting my hair for almost 15 years. He knows exactly how I like it cut without me having to tell him. And if Tim's barbershop goes under, so goes the country.

It's a known fact that my money ($10 plus a dollar tip) helps to keep Tim and many others in business. When I pay Tim for my haircut, he spends it on things like rent, shaving cream and magazine subscriptions. His landlord is happy to be able to keep landlording, the shaving cream company is happy to continue delivering Tim's favorite shaving cream, and the magazines are happy because they are assured they can print next month's edition.

Tim takes a portion of that $10 as his salary and spends it at Wal-Mart, thus guaranteeing job security for the Associates. The Associates use their 10 percent discount to buy T-shirts and Jessica Simpson posters, thus guaranteeing that the T-shirt companies and Jessica Simpson stay in business. The T-shirt companies and Jessica Simpson are so happy to be making money that they decide to work together and make a Jessica Simpson T-shirt, which the Wal-Mart Associates buy in bulk and wear on their days off.

Since Jessica reaps the benefits of being worn all over the place, she takes her cut of the profits and produces a Christmas special, thus employing a bunch of Hollywood types who know just how to make a cheesy TV program but wouldn't be caught dead wearing a Jessica Simpson T-shirt. These Hollywood types produce "The Jessica Simpson Wish You Were Here Holiday Christmas Sing-A-Long Special" and make millions on advertising by airing it on prime time TV, thus causing simple folk like you and me to say, “How can they get away with putting this goat poop on television?” at which time we turn off the TV and get down on the floor to play games with our kids.

Because of my little $10 haircut, hundreds of people are employed, millions of dollars exchange hands, thousands of bottles of hand sanitizer are emptied trying to keep all those germs at bay, families all over this great nation are doing something family-ish, and I feel like I've done my part in bringing this country back from the brink of disaster.

So what are you waiting for? Our country needs us! Go get a haircut, and together we shall save the world!

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The Daily Spittoon -- Almost worth a shave and a haircut!

Excerpt Contest

One Touch, One Glance Anthology -- A collection of "sweet " romances

I am so pleased that my story "New Love" is part of this wonderful book and I am sharing space with such terrific writers. The book will release officially on December 9 -- It can be purchased HERE

As part of our release celebration we are having a contest. If you come here as part of the contest, the excerpt you are looking for is below. Have fun and good luck.



BLURB:

Love can be just as sweet the second time around. And there are no age limits.

EXCERPT:

“What am I doing? Acting like a love-sick teenager, that’s what.”

He made the personal indictment aloud while driving slowly down the tree-lined street checking addresses. Ten hours of driving had left him with burning eyes, and the shadows of near dusk were hard to penetrate. It didn’t help that he hadn’t been here in ten years. What if she’d moved since they had last seen each other? What if she didn’t want an eighty-year-old man showing up on her doorstep with courting in mind?

Then he saw it. Her house. A little yellow frame structure nestled between two sprawling brick ranches. It was so unique, he should have remembered the distinction and not bothered with trying to read addresses. He started to stop in front of her home, but panic struck and jangled his nerves. What if she’s married again? Accelerating, he drove past to the end of the street. There, he pulled to the curb and took a couple of deep breaths. Leaves of gold and red scuttled down the sidewalk driven by the evening breeze. God, Patrick, why didn’t you think of this sooner? A simple phone call would have answered that question.

He pulled out his cell phone and looked at it. It was a present from his kids. They had all agreed they would feel better if he had one while he was traveling. His son had programmed all the important numbers into the phone to make it easier for Patrick to call them. But he didn’t need numbers programmed for him. He might forget a lot of things. But not numbers. Even after all these years he still remembered Jean’s number. He could call now, and if a man answered, he’d hang up.

That thought elicited a chuckle. Was his life now a cliché?

Directing "Scrooge"

This has been a busy week as we draw closer to opening night of the play, Scrooge, at a community theatre here in East Texas. Tonight is dress rehearsal and we open tomorrow. I am directing, as well as playing a small role, and the nerves are going into over-drive.

We are a small theatre, so there is no real depth of tech support, etc. People step up to help, which is great, but we never seem to have a designated stage manager or producer who take care of all those responsibilities for the show that shouldn't fall to the director. And no matter how hard we all try to plan and organize, it seems like there is always a new problem to deal with every day. Actors who can't continue so we have to find replacements. Props that we forgot we needed until almost the last minute. Who is going to do sound and lights? Who can do make-up?

There is always a lot of pressure to get a show mounted, especially one with a large cast and lots of set changes, sound and light cues. But when it all comes together and the magic happens on stage, it is all worth it.

So I am going to go to rehearsal tonight, take a deep breath, and let the magic begin.

Who's Responsible?

I just read an update on the tragic incident Friday in New York where a Wal-Mart employee was trampled in the "Black Friday" stampede of 2000 shoppers. According to the following statement by a union leader, the store is at fault, not the people who were so crazed with greed and "me first" that they became an unruly mob.

"This incident was avoidable," said Bruce Both, president of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 1500, the state of New York's largest grocery worker's union.

"Where were the safety barriers? Where was security? How did store management not see dangerous numbers of customers barreling down on the store in such an unsafe manner?"

This is not the first commentary I have read that is deflecting the blame from the people to the store, and I can't beleive that good thinking people can go in this direction. It is almost as big a disgrace as the behavior of people who make shopping turn into a battle for survival.

On that tragic day, where was common sense? Where was concern for fellow shoppers and store personnel? Where was patience? Ethics? Acceptance? All the elements that are part of what we used to see as "strong character". It was a lack of all that that caused the death and injuries, not an oversight by the store management. How were they to know that they didn't have a crowd of regular shoppers, but had a crowd of crazed animals?

Next up, I'm sure, will be an announcement of a lawsuit by the families of the man who was killed and the people who were injured. The media and the union are helping to provide plenty of arguments in favor of making Wal-Mart dip into their deep pockets.

Shame, shame on them.

If a lawsuit is to be filed, how about rounding up all those people who stormed the store and holding them responsible?

Missed Opportunity

I fully intended to write a blog yesterday to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving, but got sidetracked with a killer headache. What a way to start the day. I managed to get the turkey stuffed and in the roaster, then told my husband I was going to lie down for a while before our company arrived. I fell asleep and kind soul that he is, he let me sleep. Right up until the company pulled up.

Yikes, I was out of bed in a flash, ran a comb through my hair, splashed water on my face, and went out to greet them. Luckily, we were dining casually, so my sweats and t-shirt didn't raise an eyebrow.

Our company, which consisted of our daughter, her husband and her youngest son, and our youngest son, all brought the side dishes. I was responsible for the turkey, dressing, rolls, and pie. All in all it was a great feast and by mid afternoon we were all pleasantly full and ready to watch the Cowboys beat Seattle.

Later that afternoon, I realized my headache was gone. Not sure if it was the third dose of sinus pills, the good company, or the pumpkin pie. Or maybe a combination of all three.

There's nobody in here but us chickens...

Here is another guest blog from Tracy Farr who has a particularly warped sense of humor. Thought you all would appreciate a bit of levity.

As most of you may know, I'm a quiet, unassuming kind of guy who is basically shy, never wants to stand out from the crowd, never speaks out on "the issues," who always does what he's told, and prefers to let rude people run all over me rather than to stand up for myself.

Yep! That's who I am! But today's going to be different. Today I'm going to stand tall and talk about a potential disaster that, if we don't do anything about it, will affect our local economy for now and for ever more. I'm talking about the possible demise of Pilgrim's Pride and the removal of Bo's Head.

(FYI: For those of you who don't know, there's a massive Bo Pilgrim bust standing alongside Hwy 271 just north of Pittsburg, Texas. It's a huge tourist attraction. People come from miles around just to see Bo's Head. So when I say "the removal of Bo's Head," I don't actually mean Bo's REAL head, I mean the tourist attraction head. Okay, now that we have that clear, let's move on.)

Since we live in a capitalistic society, and we all firmly believe that competition is good for the consumer -- that survival of the fittest dictates only the "strong" companies will survive -- there isn't very much we can do about helping Pilgrim's Pride. But if we lose Bo's Head, we might as well cash in our chips and head to the house.

I don't know about you, but when my friends and family come to visit from out of town, I always tell them to go see Bo's Head. And if they go home to THEIR communities and tell others about it, then a steady stream of tourists come through this area and that means they're eating in our restaurants, sleeping in our hotels, shopping in our Wal-Mart, and that's good for our local economy. In other words, it would devastate our community if Bo were to lose his Head.

Besides, Michelle Barganski is a loyal subscriber to this newsletter and Gil Newman is a founding member of The Stinky Creek Jazz Band -- and they both work for Pilgrim's. I sure would hate for anything to happen to their jobs, 'cause I like having them around, too.

In conclusion, it may already be too late to keep Bo's Head from the chopping block. Nobody knows what tomorrow will bring. But just in case, let's all go out this afternoon and buy a couple of Pilgrim's Pride whole chickens, and maybe even some thighs and chicken wings, just so we can say we did our part in trying to save Bo's Head.

May God be with us all, and may God Bless America.

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The Daily Spittoon -- You can't say we don't care about the issues