‪your history lesson for today‬

Twenty-six year old Lane Frost was killed by a bull in Cheyenne during Frontier Days, after he finished riding a bull called "Taking Care of Business". His score was in the 90's and was enough to put him in third place even after his accident. After, he got up the bull gored him and Lane fell piercing his heart with broken ribs. He died in 1989. As a result of his injury, protective vests have been available for bull riders.  His story was featured in a movie called "8 seconds" featuring Luke Perry and this song is by Aaron Watson who is out touring with Alan Jackson (feel free to send me any spare tickets). His tombstone reads "Lane wasn't perfect, but he knew Jesus".

A special boy with a special bear

Can you handle the cuteness in this picture? Xander is adorable. I hope his parents don't get mad at me calling him a beautiful boy, but that's what he is. This yellow teddy bear has seen it's better days and lots of loving. Xander's daddy loved on it when he was that age. His grandma (Dwight's mom) had given it to him. Now Xander has it and loves it.

Carrie Underwood with Vince Gill How Great thou Art - 720P HD - Standing...

This has been facebook and utube for a long time now, but every time someone posts it-I listen to it again. I love Carrie's voice, but it's Vince Gill on the guitar that gets me every time. The standing ovation was richly deserved.

49? shut your mouth

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The Greatest Dog Ever

Last night, the very talented Lee Hovland published a story she had written long ago about a dog we had when we were growing up. That very same woman might tell you that the greatest dog to ever live was Georgia. Some people would say Rin-tin-tin, Lassie, or Old Yeller-and they'd all be wrong. The greatest to ever live was Charlie. I don't remember any special tricks, but she could work magic. She'd listen to me tell her how mean my brother could be or how awful green peas really are or maybe even listen to how unfairly I had to sit in the corner until Dad got home. She'd sit there and listen as I scratched her ears and somehow everything would get better. She never griped about not playing fetch or ball and she understood how important it was to keep rabbits out of the garden. She never got tired of following kids around and mom knew we were near because the dog was near. Every where we went, Charlie followed. The school principal was not a fan of Charlie's. Come to think of it, the people at the grocery store didn't like her too much either, but you'd be really hard pressed to find a kid that didn't like her. I remember being shocked when someone told me you shouldn't mess with puppies while they were very young because it might upset the mother and she might bite. Apparently, Charlie never got that memo. On one occasion, I handled the puppies as soon as she cleaned them to count how many girls versus boys. She never growled, never bit, and it took me a long time to discover that she did have a mean bone in her body. She hated possums and coons. Cats were tolerated, as long as Charlie got to eat first. I can't tell you how many hours I spent scratching behind her ears. She was short and maybe a little chunky. Often when she nursed the puppies, she had green teats.  She was lemon and white. I know when we got her, Daddy asked what did I want to name her and I told him Charlie. I think he was glad it wasn't something like princess or duchess which was so popular at that time. Mom was a little more curious and asked how I can up with that name. One of Dad's friends was a guy named "Charlie" and he was a little on the chunky side just like that puppy. Mom laughed and kept laughing every time she called the puppy. I don't remember which one of us really grew up faster-me or that puppy, but I know she was the first real love I had for someone that wasn't blood kin. I'm not foolish enough to believe that "All" dogs go to heaven, but I know that one did. Small comfort to a twelve year old kid. I think my heart broke into a million pieces when she left earth. For a long, long time I never let myself think about her or getting close to a dog again because the pain was just too great. Yeah, I know she was a dog and dogs don't live forever, but she was my first friend and the first loved one to ever leave so that first pain was deep. She's been gone 35 years now. I can still hear her bark and feel the scar in her side from a "coon" fight.  My hands remember the feel of her fur.
Wish me luck. I am in search of a picture of  Charlie. This may take a while.

Happy 22nd Birthday Lauren

On the night you were, the moon smiled with such wonder that the stars peeked in to see you and the night wind whispered "Life will never be the same again..."
I hope you know much you are loved and how proud I am of you.

Month of Mel with out the "l"

That's right it's not really the month of "Mel" but the month of "Me". Every day this month I will do something for me-which sounds really selfish, but if I become healthier and happier it only stands to reason that I will become a more pleasant person to be around, thus benefitting others. Since this is my first time, a learning curve is expected.
My first thing was to have pizza and beer. Dwight thinks this is because I like beer (I do) and pizza (I do). Some people have "Throw back Thursday" I have pizza and beer. Years ago, my great grandma lived with us. If she kept to her diet during the week, Mom would take her to Pizza Hut on Saturday night. My little bitty grandma loved sweets, but she loved pizza more. We didn't get to go every week. Probably three out four weeks of the month. I should mention that my great Grandma was four foot tall in heels and German. I never understood why my mom named me Katherine-when Grandma would never be able to pronounce that name. To her, I was Kaddie.
Back to the pizza. We'd be escorted to the very back of the restaurant-so far back, I remember moving boxes to put chairs around our table. Grandma had a discussion with the manager about sodas and pizza. Sodas are terrible for children, and no self respecting German has anything but beer with pizza. This kind of explains why we sat so far in the back. I thought we had tiny glasses of beer to go with our pizza. Much later I learned these were just shot glasses in the shape of beer mugs, but we were allowed to drink just one. Then, the manager would bring us a glass of milk-he remembered that sodas were bad for children. After the ride home, Grandma would help Mom get four sleepy kids out of the car and into bed.
Sometimes, she would rub my head and tell me what sounded like "Shotze, Ish libba dish" and if I could really spell you would know it translates to "Sweet heart, I love you". I hope Grandma knew that Kaddie loved her very much too.