LOOK WHAT THEY'VE DONE TO MY SONG

I've been madder than a dwarf with a long stringed yo~yo! Folks, this has been one tough week on this Ozark Farm Chick. I've sadly been greavin' deeply for a loss I never thought I'd have to face. Farm Boy tried to break it to me gently for he knows my passions but I have to tell ya it went down 'bout as well as the iron tonic Mama used to force me to swallow. Few things will rile me up like this and make me madder than a welfare mom runnin' outta food stamps mid~month.

Hubs said, "your not gonna like this" and I didn't. He knows me too well. Sunday mornin' when the radio clicked on I was not awaken by my beloved oldies that have nudged me from sleep for eons. Nooooo0, I heard Scrugg's banjo blarin' which was 'bout as welcomed as deviled egg gas passed in a telephone booth. My oldies station has gone country and turned my world upside down!!!

I fed piles of quarters into the jukeboxes at Stockton's Castle Drive~In and El Dorado's Cooper Drug store durin' my teen years to saturate my soul with this music. Ya just can't beat the sound of The Beetles, Elton John, The Beach Boys and Connie Frances while sippin' a chocolate ice cream soda or playin' the pinball machines. My first party, dance, kiss and pretty near everything else left to the imagination involved this music. Why, life without these grand tunes would be kinda like goin' to the goat house for wool!

My first clock radio was purchased at a little hardware store just off the square in Stockton. I had saved my money and thought I had gathered just enough to own it. I'd been droolin' over it for months. As I very carefully unfolded my bills to complete this transaction, I discovered I had not saved enough to cover my dream radio and the tax. The kind owner smiled and sold me the radio anyway. Woohoo, my tween self couldn't get the boxed tunes home fast enough to set the alarm to awaken me with the best songs ever. Elvis sang me awake that mornin' with ample time to ready myself and catch the school bus. This vintage boombox stirred my sleep through high school and was my early mornin' companion in college as well as the lyrics which shaped my life.

When my hunka~hunka~burnin' love and I married and moved to the Ponderosa there was one and only one oldie station we could get down here in these hills and hollers. We live so far back in the country folks think a Volvo is a woman's body part. I've faithfully listened to this 'Oldies Station' over thirty nine years. I raised Geek Son and Social Butterfly on these nostalgic melodies. My grandkiddos know 'em well. Heck, my posts carry the names of the songs I adore.

While the dishwashers sloshin', washer's agitatin', dryer's tumblin' on Deep Clean Friday, ya can find this caped crusader super cleanin' freak dancin' and dustin', singin' and scrubbin' or rockin' and rubbin' to the oldies as I get the Ponderosa's abode cleaner than a freshly showered priest on Sunday mornin'. Ya'll know how twisted this chick is when it comes to clean but it makes my heart sing and when ya add some rockin' tunes, life just doesn't get any better!

I can be workin' outside sweetin' like a gal writtin' her fist love letter while workin' in one of my many flower gardens yet be happier than a hungry bird with a french fry as long as I have my oldies to listen to. (Pictures from my rose garden last summer) My afternoon swims will never be the same void of Kool & The Gang, The Temptations or The Carpenters. I fear without my oldies I'm gonna sink lower than a moles belly on diggin' day.



I called the radio station and they acted like I was a half a bubble off plum 'cause I wasn't thrilled with their changes. They scoffed at me when I explained there's a country station on every corner 'round these parts and without oldies, they were simply just another station. I felt like I was talkin' to a rock. My emails have gone unanswered. Colder than a polar bears toenails~ they don't care. Oh Mama, look what they've done with my songs!!!

Don't get me wrong. I love music...varieties of music and will listen to more than only the oldies. I love soft jazz, contemporary christian, praise and worship and most anything playin' in my head but I thrive on the oldies. Miss Safka expressed my current feelins on her 1970 hit album 'Candles in the Rain' as she sang, "Well they tied it up in a plastic bag and turned it upside down." This little radio station is now as useless to me as a screen door on a submarine as I cry out "Look What They've Done to My Song!!!"

THE BEST

As sure as this Ozark Farm Chick knows a 'possum is a flat animal that sleeps in the middle of the road, it's clear that this man was one remarkable fella. Ya'll might say he was "Simply the Best!" That fact is always confirmed by the glimmer in my Mama's eyes and the joy in her voice as she speaks of him.

Born in 1904, Fred Augustus Dow grew up in Iowa where this industrious young lad ran a paper route. He later moved to Emporia, Kansas before settlin' in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He loved to gather his family for Sunday drives which consistently included a melody of his favorite songs like "My Blue Heaven." Seemed he always had a great tune to belt out, imagine that!!! Fred delivered groceries, was a railroad fireman, ran yet another paper route and was for a very short time, my Grandfather.

'Pa' was feelin' higher than an Ozark pine holdin' a six week old Nezzy Chicklett. Would ya'll look at those toothpick squirrel legs? Dang, I was so skinny it looked like I swapped legs with a wasp and got cheated a stinger!!! This was my first trip to see my maternal grandparents who lived in Albuquerque and the last time they both would both be there. My grandpa had suffered with heart problems as did two of his four children. Booger, I'd love to of known this man.

He did get the chance to visit the Stockton farm and was nuttier over me than a port~a~potty at a Peanut Festival. It was durin' this visit I called him 'Pa'. Me?? Well, accordin' to my daddy I was born a farmer skilled at milkin' and spreadin' manure from the get~go but ya can tell my 'Pa' was a true city slicker. Who wears penny loafers and white socks 'round cow patties???

'Pa' didn't come to visit me empty handed. No, he brought me a beautiful gold locket~bracelet set which I still cherish today and a skillfully hand made potty chair.

Upon arriving' 'Pa' brought the potty chair into the house where I was nappin'. A gals gotta get her beauty rest ya know? Mom woke me and was gonna put a clean hippen on me when she noticed my diaper wasn't wet. (Even then I was kinda a control freak) She sat me on my new princess commode and slicker than grease off a BBQ biscuit I tinkled! Knowin' I was the most intelligent exceptional ten month old on Earth , 'Pa' bowed up like a Banty Rooster with pride! He had a gifted prodigy tot on his hands but ya'll know even a blind hog finds and acorn every now and again! Or....maybe... just maybe, my grandpa hit the nail on the head and I am a true genius!!! A girl can dream can't she?

That was the last time I would see my grandfather. He passed shortly after makin' his one and only trip to these Ozark hills. After runnin' an early dawn paper route Pa sat down on the sofa to count his mornin' collections as my Grandmother (Ma) rustled up some breakfast. Ma heard a thump and discovered that my grandfather had collapsed from a heart attack. He could not be revived. All I have today are the pictures, a beautiful gold locket set, an old potty chair and the assurance of a grandpa's love. I'm saddened that he never got the chance to visit the Ponderosa, he would'a loved it! I know these things.

In 1974 I discovered I had my own little bun brewin' in the oven. Well, I got busier than a kitty tryin' to cover it's business on a marble floor to prepare the little loo for my own brood. I sanded my little heart out and refinished the beautiful wood grain in that old potty chair. I burnt lines in it for a distressed look and painted a Winnie the Pooh theme on the 'wee' john. Only the best for my youngens!

Over the past 59 years this potty chair has traveled almost as much as this old gal. I'm almost ashamed of how long I used this marvelous privy. Raised without indoor plumbin', it was a welcomed warm friend to my tush when it was cold enough outside to freeze the balls off a pool table. My tiny throne traveled from New Mexico to Missouri. It's visited the Gulf of Mexico in Brownsville, Texas and returned back to the Ozarks. Pooh Chair has caressed the bottoms of my kiddos (Geek Son and Social Butterfly), nieces, nephews and grandkiddos alike.

These days the galvanized pot is rustier than an old sheriff's badge and so ugly maggots would have to be blindfolded to use it. Yep, your eyes aren't deceivin' ya folks, that sure enough is Pooh Bear waitin' for incomin' poo. I'm twisted like that!!!

This positive rare gem of a song confirms the way my 'Pa' thought of me, "Your simply the best, better than all the rest, better than anyone, anyone I've ever met." Miss Tina Turner sang this encouragin' anthem from 1966 to present day. Knowin' how very blessed I am, I too can sing... "I'm stuck on your heart", 'cause I know my 'Pa' had the biggest heart of hearts and that he was " (Simply)The Best !!!"

The old potty chair is goin' into storage but not so far that it can't be pulled out to be used another day or another generation.

Runaway

To say my best friend and I were naive or a bit green would be a vast understatement to say the least. We Teeny Town gals were honesty greener than frog snot the first few months of college life. Why, we had to scoop up our jaws when we heard our female coeds cussin' and ya could'a knocked the both of us over with a single feather when we saw our worldly peers light up. Don't get me wrong, we'd traveled and seen the bright lights in big cities of the world but we were still greener than green gourds through a goose!!!

We'd settled into our dorm room unpackin' all the absolute necessities of life. Things like jumbo hot rollers, our favorite record albums, Smith Corona typewriter and of course our mandatory high school gym suits. We'd been required to squat, run tires and climb that rope to the moon and back in these one piece beauties over the past four years. Yep, we were most prepared to be sophisticated college Freshmen.

Not only would this be the first day of our college physical education class, it was our first coed Phys Ed. class. This meant testosterone oozin' hunks would be involved. Filled with the hand sweatin' heart palpitatin' anticipations of any red blooded seventeen year old chicks, we suited up for the most important class of our freshman year. The two of us exited the dorm more excited than a couple of grasshoppers in a chicken coop.

We trotted 'cross the SMS Campus like we had arrived and knew what we were doin' directly into the McDonald Arena to meet our fellow classmates. Faster than a hunted deer can leap a fence our excitement turned to pure ghastly humiliation as we saw the others dressed in 'regular' tees, cut~offs and the like. Even our coach said, "girls you don't have to wear uniforms here." 'Just melt me in a puddle and let me evaporate right here. We had to walk all the way back to the dorm in those Jolly Green Giant gym suits. In public no less!!!!

After class we dashed behind bushes, clung to buildings hidin' like 007 himself. We stuck out worse than a pure white Charolais heifer in a field of black Angus cattle. Our hearts sank when we saw no matter which way we slithered, we could not avoid the OK Corral. Oh, just kill me now....I knew I was gonna die!!!!

The OK Corral was a wooden fence that ran down both sides behind the Student Union Building. The Corral was 'the place' studly fellas gathered to 'girl watch'. It was here the Teeny Town Green Girls were gonna have to parade by the hormonal males like models down a runway close enough to feel the gents breath and hear their most colorful (mostly concernin' green) comments.

Upon returnin' to our dorm room I vowed to burn my Jolly Green Giant suit to never be worn again. That's exactly what I did first trip back to the farm. My BFF obviously did not do the same. She kept it. Not only had she kept it, she sent me these pictures last year. To this day just lookin' at these PE uniform pics makes my blood rush turnin' my face hot brilliant red once again.


Del Shannon's number one song hit the top Billboard Hot 100 back in 1961 where it remained number one for four weeks. He sings in the Pop and R&B song of wonderin' why she ran away but this is one gal who will never forget why that day she and her friend tried to "Runaway!!!"

FALLING

Here on the Ponderosa I've fallen when it's been colder than a nuns toes on a ice packed ski slope and slicker than wet okra in a soapy sink. When my friends worry 'bout me fallin' out here in the middle of nowhere I just laugh 'cause in the cold months I'm padded better then the Michelin Man and simply bounce back up. Warm weather is a whole different story.

I did fall hard several summers ago when Farm Boy was outta state. It was hotter that a tire fire when I was haulin' mulch for my flower beds as I hung my Croc flippy on a rock and went down. I laid there rollin' in the dirt sweatin' like Richard Simmons to the oldies thinkin' I could lay there for days roast bakin' 'till tender in the sun and nobody would ever know. My kiddos have often joked about gettin' Mom one of those "I've fallen and can't get up thingies"....gee, 'could'a used one. I finally sucked it up and literally crawled to the house lickin' my wounds.

'Seems if there are grandkiddos involved, I'll fall to the floor faster than a speedin' ticket. Yep, give this Ozark Farm Chick a kid and I'll go down faster than a pregnant pole vaulter in lead tennis shoes. I'm usually the photographer but I've noticed most of the pictures taken of this chick, I'm crashed on the floor. It's just the way I fly!!!

When I'm with the grandkiddos I want to be present, right there in the middle where the action is and I'll fall harder than my sister's first attempt at Triple Chocolate Souffle' to get there. Bein' Grandma Muzzie makes my heart sing and my spirit soar. See me grinnin' like a mule eatin' cockeburs???

I'm well aware how abundantly blessed I am. Shoot, if I were any luckier I could sit on a fence and the birds could feed me. Isn't it wonderful to know as humans we don't have to be perfect. In life there are times we're gonna fall like a giant boulder off an overpass where the Father is immediately present with outstretched arms 'just waitin' to catch us with His unconditional amazin' love! Without Him in my life I'd be so helpless I couldn't pour the rain outta my camouflaged manure stompin' boots with a hole in the toe and directions stamped on the heel! I'm sayin'....

Well shut my mouth, God has blessed this rockin' Grandma with eight perfect grandkiddos and a heart to love each and every one like the first. I've fallen and fallen hard~ again and again. In 1977 LeBlanc and Carr sang these lyrics in their hit single, "I'm falling, woah, I'm falling , I'm falling in love with you." Just when I thought my heart was stuffed full as it could get, I found myself singin' these lyrics as each grandkiddo was added to the brood. Heck, there's even room in this overflowin' heart of mine to love God more and more each day. The heart's a miraculous organ that way.

It wasn't 'till 1980 when LeBlanc came to know Jesus that he realized the real power of love. It was then he began recordin' Christian themed music like "Say a Prayer" and "Person to Person." It's glorious when the love of grandkiddos washes over me like a warm shower and even better to feel the Heavenly Father's love saturate my very soul. This chick feels fine as creamed country gravy to know I'm loved so intensely that He will always be there for me when I'm "Falling!!!"


God bless ya'll!!!

THE GOOD LIFE

Farm livin' makes this Ozark Farm Chick happier than a gopher in a fresh plowed field! The directions to the Ponderosa may include words like miles, county lines, last or gravel road. We might of used the Big Blue tractor's loader as scaffolding a time or two. I've hosed the kids and myself off many a time before goin' in the house and Lacey or Frilly are the names of farm critters, not the latest Victoria Secret fashions. Early mornin' prayer often covers rain, cattle and crops but it's our life and I love it!!!!

Not to say farm life isn't hard and cash runs low before the next crop or calves are ready to move but if I won the Publishers Clearing House Sweeps tomorrow, you'd find Farm Boy and me still farmin' these Missouri hills and hollers.

Every once in a while somethin' truly special happens, somethin' unexpected....prizes of generous giveaways that thrill me more than a midget with nine inch stilettos. Something to make me shove the furniture back, do my happy dance and shout, "I won!!!"

Back in November I won this spectacular Holiday book by Matthew Mead over at Blue Bird Notes. Koralee is just sweeter than a warm bath filled with decant Belgian chocolate. I referred to this book time and again durin' the holidays. Koralee's charmin' blog is as beautiful as it is soothin'. I just love visitin' this special lady and know you will too.

Then when I thought life couldn't get any better, I won a $30.00 Kroger gift card over at Terra's place Sitting on an Oak. Oh, this girl's a precious treasure. Her blog is filled with informative ways to get the most bang outta your buck. Ya'll will find everything from couponin' tips to money savin' recipes there. Ya sure want to pop over and gab a great pointer or two.

Yep folks, I've been gratefully feelin' the good life. If I felt any happier, I'd drop my harp plumb through the clouds! Originally "La Belle Vie" this 1963 Tony Bennett song hit number eighteen on the U.S. Pop Singles Chart. This chick is richly blessed to live nestled smack in the middle of nowhere, lovin' Matthew Mead's Christmas book and enjoyin' the harvest of wild salmon, chicken breast and tilapia fillets I purchased with the Kroger gift card. I can sing that God has granted me to truly live " The Good Life !!!"

ENEMY'S CAMP (Guest Post)

Uglier than an August outhouse struck by lightin' and meaner than a sizzlin' skillet full of rattlesnakes, the demonic monster can rear it's satanic head when ya least expect it. The joy of a new life and the hope of a perfect family is every gal's dream . At least it was for this precious new mama 'till the wicked beast rocked her world like Teen Town on a Saturday night. This courageous woman geared up for battle armin' herself to fight the diabolical cancer of Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma.

Folks, I'd like to introduce ya'll to my guest poster. She's fought Satan himself and is here to tell her remarkable story. I'm pleased as punch for ya'll to meet Heather Von St. James, Mesothelioma survivor. Welcome sweetie...............


I've always viewed the world through rose colored glasses. This became an important aspect of my personality when I was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 36. Nothing in my life had prepared me for that moment and I had an important decision to make: to choose between despair or to choose life.

I was diagnosed with malignant pleural mesothelioma 3 1/2 months after giving birth to my first and only child. It was November 21, 2005. I was unprepared to hear the words "you got cancer" during such a joyous time. Instead of wallowing in self pity and blaming the stars for my fate, I decided to keep my head up and continue viewing the world through rose colored glasses. I couldn't let down my baby. She had the right to be raised by her mother.
One thing that may surprise many people is the positive aspect of cancer. Naturally, it is one of the worst diagnoses you can receive but it really helped to change my life for the better. I wasn't going to allow myself to be a victim so I tried to treat the situation lightly. This would help to remove a lot of the fear of the diagnosis and give me a chance to help others by giving them hope. The world's best mesothelioma doctor was also there to give me the hope I needed to go on.

I actually gave my tumor a nickname: Punxsutawney Phil. My surgery was to occur on Groundhogs Day, 2006. Groundhogs Day became "Lungleavin Day" as this was the day I lost my lung. We still celebrate "Lungleavin Day" on the first weekend of every February. This is not a celebration of the loss of my lung but a celebration of my survival and a celebration of life and of defeating fear. It is a hopeful celebration and I look forward to it every year.

Another great positive of my cancer diagnosis is all the wonderful people I have met after my diagnosis and during my treatment. These people are some of the strongest, most hopeful and passion filled people in my life. They inspire me daily and keep me happy and hopeful. I have met other survivors of mesothelioma, people going through their treatments, people trying to inform the public of the dangers of this disease and many others. These people who I hadn't known before are now my friends.

As incredible as it may seem, my cancer diagnosis and survival has enriched my life by introducing me to these amazing people and giving my life more purpose. I hope to continue inspiring others and giving hope to other mesothelioma patients for years to come.

I have to confess, This Ozark Farm Chick is cookin' on the front burner today after readin' the the positive attitude of this beautiful strong woman. The odds were not in her favor and I know that Heather had to be scared as a sinner in a Ozark twister but this little lady has earned alotta stars in her crown. She's turned her bowl of lemons 'round and put Satan under her feet by dedicatin' her life to helpin' others with this horrific cancer. Please take time to visit this extraordinary gal at "The Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance Blog. "



Thank you Heather for sharin' your miraculous story which has tugged at the heartstrings of others as it has mine. Just like Praise Workout who sang this amazin' worship song from the 1995 Brownsville Revival era, she knows ya don't have to be in Pensacola, Florida to stomp out the old devil. Heather can now truly sing that she's been to the "Enemy's Camp!!!"

God bless and keep you Heather and never let go of those 'rose colored glasses'!!!

THE TWIST

Other than bein' stickier than a three year old's cotton candy fingers at a three ring circus, the day began just like any ordinary summer Sunday. This chick get's up to put on her Bare Minerals face while Farm Boy fixes his weekly Big Top Breakfast. Hub's goes to check cattle while I clean the kitchen, make the bed and do my hair before walkin' out the door for church. Hubs teaches the Adult Sunday School Class while I teach a Pre~Teen Class then Kid's Church.

We often laughingly chant, "day of rest, day of rest, day of rest" while dartin' out to the car. Seems like our Sundays are busier than a one armed cab driver eatin' a meatball sub. The weatherman on the radio confirmed our day was gonna be hotter than an honeymoon hotel makin' the humidity stickier than a prickly cockebur. Just another day in the Ozarks. So we thought!

That Sunday evenin' we drove into Tiny Town to attend evenin' services we call 'Share and Prayer'. The meetin' was amazin' but we couldn't see the greenish~yellow tinted sky through the blue stained glass windows. 'Wasn't 'till Pastor George said, "it's lookin' really strange out here," we recognized that all too familiar eerie hew and decided to beat the storm home instead of stayin' in the safe confinement of the churches basement. We hoofed it to our car while the sky colored like a sea sick yellow Lab closed in on us.

We no sooner left the churches parkin' lot 'till the wind started blown like perfume through a High School Prom. Farm Boy turned into a skilled demolition driver as the hail and large debris began poundin' the car. Determined Hubby swerved this way and that down Main Street dodging large tree limbs and lawn furniture landin' in our path.

We turned down Wall Street and if anything, the violence worsened. Suddenly, I morphed into Jamie Gertz who played Dr. Mellisa Reeves in that 1996 Twister movie 'cause I vaguely remember turnin' to Hubs and sayin', "I gotta go Julia, we got cows!!!" This Ozark Farm Chick went through a tornado when I was five and they are my biggest fear. I gotta tell ya, between the hail, the limbs and the stuff in the road all I wanted was my Mama!

I realized the unrelentless storm was followin' us like a starvin' dog chases a meat wagon when we hit the highway headed toward the Ponderosa. We met a car flashin' lights warnin' us of limbs on the highway. Then a pick~up flashed us. Oh this can't be good...a tree!!! My panic didn't lessen as we swerved this way and that avoiding downed trees and giant limbs. The storm hung over our head like a three day hangover on a drunk no matter how fast we traveled.

I was scared baby, and desperate measures were in order. I've been known to remind God Himself that He can calm the storms. Shakin' harder than the Parmesan Cheese shaker at Pizza Hut, I prayed and prayed hard as we came to the end of the blacktop and entered our dirt road. Oh, Lord...please let us have a house!

Oh my goodness glory, what a mess things were. My cottage garden, birdhouses or bistro set will never be the same. Ya'll can only imagine what this did to my OCFD (obsessive compulsive flower disorder). I'd removed some of the large limbs before I snapped the pictures but we had a house. Praise God! One limb came right down the corner of the house with enough force to plant it deeply in the ground. God had answered my prayers...again!!!

Our lives may become tangled more than a ball of knittin' wool attacked by a litter of frisky kittens or twisted like a crown of thorns yet the Maker can pull us apart and put us all back together stronger than ever. He does it with ease and compassion no matter how violent the storms may come. All we have to do is ask, call his name or just simply whisper the name of Jesus. Yep folks, He loves us that much. How awesome is that???

Born in Spring Gulley, South Carolina, Ernest Evans was raised in the projects of South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with his parents and two brothers. Facin' the twist and snares of life he formed a street~corner harmony group at the ripe old age of eight. Life was not easy for this fella but God took his tangled life and molded him into a great performer of his time. It was his boss, Henry Colt, owner of Fresh Farm Poultry who tagged Evans with the nickname, 'Chubby'.



A great twist of fate is that Dick Clark invited 'Chubby' to do a private recording for American Bandstand. After completin' an excellent impersonation of Fats Domino, Clark's wife asked the young singer's name. Evans replied, "well my friends call me 'Chubby'. Clark's wife then substituted 'Checkers' for Domino. Hence the name...'Chubby Checkers'.

This hit song was released in 1960 from Checkers very unlikely twisted fate. Whether life becomes as twisted as big old elm tree's roots or it's the physical storms that scare the bajabbers outta ya, I'm so thankful we can call on the One who stills the waters when we tangle ourselves into "The Twist!!!"

God bless Ya'll!!!

HAPPY TOGETHER

Washer's spinnin, dishwasher's hummin, dryer's tumblin', all surfaces are dustless and even the Tidy Bowl man would be proud to float his boat 'round in the toilet. Yep folks, it's Deep Clean Friday where everything on the Ponderosa is spit shined, vacuumed and buffed to a shinny glow. I didn't want ya'll to think I'd fallen plumb off the hay-wagon and neglected the cleanin' over here. Ya'll know how cleanin' makes my heart sing and rocks my world but this Ozark gal wasn't deep cleanin' thirty nine years ago. Nope, I was gettin' all gussied up to marry the man of my dreams. Hey looky there...Farm Chick's got gams!!! Anybody remember Betty Grable?

January 6, 1973 was one horrifically ice covered day in the Ozarks. Funny how the day before we were all runnin' around in our shirtsleeves like it was summertime. The weather can sure change on a dime 'round these parts. Nothin' but nothin' was gonna stop these two moon~eyed soul mates from sayin' "I do!" We were swoonin' over each other worse than a boxer too darn dizzy to duck.

Our poor best man, Farm Boys big bro, ended up drivin' all night though the dreaded Ozark ice storm. My lovely flowers were delivered to the wrong weddin' and I received theirs. It was too treacherous for the professional photographer to travel from Springfield to Stockton so after askin' the guests to share we ended up with a few Kodak Brownie pictures to document our wedded bliss. Kinda like us our pictures are showin' a bit of wear and tear. Thirty nine years will do that to ya...ya know?

We toasted the big day with glasses filled with purple passion punch right after the mischievously handsome little ring barer stepped on my train rippin' it plumb off. Thank heavens for big old diaper pins!!! I would walk over hot coals in a heatwave for this fella. He fills my heart and makes my toes curl. For 39 years Hubs has been the tiptoe to my tulips, the icin' on my cake. Whew~fan me now, I'm still swoonin'! This Ozark Farm Chick has uncovered the secret to a long and happy marriage. Are ya ready? Grab a pen, ya might wanna take notes. It's double sinks and separate closets all the way baby!!!

Our marriage may have literally started out on a road more slippery than a freshly buttered ice-rink but I wouldn't trade the past thirty nine years for all the gold in Midas' treasure chests. Oops...my bad, I left out the most important secret to a successfully jubilant union. More important than a dog to a flea is the third person, God. He's hung in there like a hair in a biscuit through thick and thin blessin' us every step along our life's journey.

I can't control my love for this hunk of a Farm Boy any more than a cross eyed teacher can control her pupils. In fact we're both known to still be a bit moon~eyed. Studies show we have seven completely compatible soul mates out there in the universe. I don't buy it 'cause we sing, "me and you and you and me , no matter how ya tossed the dice it had to be." "The only one for me is you and you for me....So happy together!!!"



This Chick can shove the furniture back and do my famous happy dance while beltin' out the 1967 song 'The Turtles' recorded knockin' 'The Beatles' "Penny Lane" outta of the top slot of the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks. This fabulous tune was rejected over a dozen times before 'The Turtles' jumped on it. Imagine that! Looks like persistence not only pays off in a extraordinary marriage but in great songs too, for now I can bound joyfully and sing, "we are so HAPPY TOGETHER!!!"

Love ya and happy anniversary Farm Boy!!!