Gettin' Down & Dirty

Here lately I have been morphing into a form of Suzy Homemaker. And honestly, I don't know what to make of it. Nor does BB. I find myself sitting down every Sunday with cook books searching for different recipes so that I can create my weekly menu for supper. I have also coined Sunday as my official baking day.

So far I have made Pretzel Salad. Which I'm not really sure why it's called a pretzel salad. Having the word salad in the title would give you the indication that it was some type of salad with lettuce, carrots and stuff a normal salad has. Right? Nope, not at all. But it was really, really good. I have also made a Banana Split cake which was scrumdillicious as well as chocolate turtle ooeey gooeey brownies which were simply divine. I also attempted a chess cake. The chess cake didn't turn out as well as I had hoped. It was good but it wasn't like Grandmom's (step-mom). She makes the bomb of a chess cake. Or, as Bb & Lou would say "It's beast"

As part of my transformation I made the decision to put out a garden. That's right. A garden. A garden with real live growing food. The determined location has been plowed, disced, tilled and ready to grow some grub. Therefore, a visit to Anderson County Farm Service to buy our garden grocery list was a necessity.

I love, simply love Anderson County Farm Service. They house and sell feed to farmers and it has a distinct smell that could never be duplicated. When you walk inside the wooden-floor store you literally step back in time.

Picture this.......3 old men in their bibbed overalls accessorized with farmer caps, sitting around a permanent wood burning stove using their pocket knives to peel a slice from the centrally located block of cheese discussing the hopeful outcome of this years crops.

I couldn't help but stare and marvel over them and their surroundings. So, I'm sure I was tagged as "weirdo-of-the-day".

Once we made our selection of enough silver queen corn to produce 3 rows, enough peas for a single row, the same for the green beans, and a variety of other vegetables we then went home and placed them in the ground. Fashioned with my gardening gloves of course.

GOAL - Get everything to grow and keep everything alive until harvest season approaches. By the way, did I mention I plan on canning?

CHALLENGE - Deer and rabbits. Be forewarned Bambi and Thumper. Game on and gloves off if I catch you in my garden.

Until next time - Rose Baggs

And 253 Days Later.......

Ok....I had a few things to do and now I'm back.

In a nutshell this is what has been happening with the Boggs' bunch.

BB completed his military training and has since come home after being away just days shy of six months. I have missed him so much but I have to tell you........me and the kids had developed routines so having BB back in the mix took some getting use to.

After everything settled down and we got back to life as normal he accepted a position as Deputy Sheriff at the Anderson County Sheriff's Office. Have I ever mentioned I love me a man in uniform?? If I didn't I would like to say "I love me a man in uniform". Especially when he's my man!

Just when we thought our lives would be normal (or normal for us) he had to complete MORE training for the S.O. This training consists of four-a-half months. Really?!....Seriously?! Gone again?

Weeeelllll, at least this training is in Richmond, KY and he gets to come home on the weekends. Instead of a nine-hour (one-way might I add) commute it's only one hour.

Had you told my 17-25 year old self I would some day be married to the PoPo I would have never believed it since most of those years were spent avoiding the PoPo.

Ahhhh, life is grand and I would trade it for anything.

Until next time-
Rose Baggs

The Final Countdown

Just reading the title makes you sing the song The Final Countdown performed by the group Europe doesn't it? Don't lie, yes it does. And, if by some strange chance you don't know what song I refer to I suggest you look it up and listen to it.

Ok....discussing the real final countdown there are only 10 days between now and the time I make my final 9 hour trip taking me by the Dog Track, Marshall Univeristy, around the West Virginia turnpike and through 2 toll booths to Fort Lee, Virginia.


As many times before I will pull in to the Lee Gate at 12:30 am where I will provide photo ID, vehicle registration, insurance and state my business. I will then receive suspicious and awkward looks by at least 2 MP's. They will then make their way slowly around the vehicle peering in the windows making me feel I have done something wrong or have someting to hide. I feel so uncomfortable and don't know why. The only thing I feel guilty about or have to hide is the occasional snicker bar wrapper.


Once they give you a look over they walk back to the window with the biggest smiles on their faces, hand you your ID and paperwork and say "Enjoy your stay at Fort Lee Ms. Boggs". I'm like - WTH? A few moments ago you were looking at me like I was a terroist and now your gonna be nice. Whatever!


By the way. Those toll booths cost $2 to get through. For real, $2! I remember when the toll booth was on the BG parkway it was only cents to get through. I think. Or maybe that's all I ever had to through in the direction of the bucket as I sped through the turnstile to see if I could run the light and make the buzzer go off. Those toll booth attendants really, really didn't like it when you did that. But oh well, I had an excuse. I was a teenager and didn't know any better.


BB finally comes home after being gone for 5.7 months. Or, 24 weeks, 171 days, 4,104 hours, 246,240 minutes. How ever you want to say it. It's not like I have been counting down the time or anything. I CANNOT wait!!!

Until next time - Rose Baggs

A Lifes Lesson

I discovered this unposted blog entry in my drafts. I wrote it back in September 2009. Ooops!

Bb & Lou are 11 and 12 (7 months apart) and have really never suffered a loss of anything or anyone too close to them. Nothing or no one until a few days ago.

Trying not to go into a huge long story; one of the Kennel Club members, Rodney, my favorite to be exact, apparently had an accident. We are thinking he got bumped by a car. Now, I know every one is thinking - "Car? Out where you live? no way" but, believe it or not we have a few Mario Andriette wanna be's that feel our one lane gravel road is there personal version of the Pondarosa Speedway.



For you that are unfortunate and don't know what the Ponderosa Speedway is let me enlighten you. The Ponderosa Speedway is a dirt race track in the middle of no where in Junction City. Only the best of the best rednecks hang out there. Believe me it is nothing short of a grand time if you ever attend a heap at the good ole Ponderosa. I have been a time or two and even have my very own shirt! Oh, yeah. I'm that cool!



Back to my story - One minute Rodney was acting fine and the next he wasn't so we took him to the vet and the diagnoses was a diaphragmatic hernia (a hole in his diaphragm) which allowed his intestine to go through the hole and fill a lung cavity collapsing a lung. I think I got that right. Needless to say the kids and I were an absolute blubbering mess in the vets office. My options were to put him to sleep or surgery. Of course the kids are screaming "surgery, surgery" and honestly, that's what I was screaming on the inside. So, the vet kept him overnight with surgery scheduled mid-morning the next day. The vet assured us this is not uncommon and after he heals from surgery he will be normal ole Rodney. So, we leave feeling good about our decision. They did surgery and the vet calls me at work to tell me the little fella didn't make it. Omitting a lot of details, we buried Rodney out back and the whole event was the most gut wrenching thing I believe I have ever experienced.



Knock on wood - I am in my 30's (early, early 30's) and have never experienced the death of anyone close to me. Only animals. I believe God has spared me because I can't handle it.



I have had very, very sad times but nothing is worse than seeing your children experience an emotional hurt that you can't fix. It was awful!



BB feels I put myself and the kids through too much and thinks I made the wrong decision in bringing him home to bury him. But, sad times and death are unfortunately a part of life and they need to learn how to deal and grieve with situations like this. Plus, I couldn't stand the thought of the vets office disposing of him the way they do. No thank you! I'll bring him home where he belongs.

Until next time - Rose Baggs

THINGS I KNOW

I’m not a genius by any means. But, I do have a few degrees under my belt so by that standard I would be considered a decently intelligent (how do you spell intelligent?) person. But, that all depends on who you talk to. Anyway, I know a few things and they are basically things I have discovered merely by accident or through trial and error. For instance I know:

*When the male hamster, I was just suckered into buying 7 days ago, has babies they are called pups. As if I didn’t have enough pups.

*Getting caught by the PoPo in Virginia doing 80 (amended down to 75) in a 65 will cost you $111.

* Not paying a speeding ticket you received in North Carolina, on the simple premise of “they won’t catch me, I just won’t drive through North Carolina again” is a very, very stupid way to think. And, when they catch you (and they will) they not only pile on extra fees, interest and penalties they will suspend your license. The state of North Carolina has absolutely NO sense of humor.

*When you put the water hose in the swimming pool at 6:30pm and don’t turn it off until 10:30am the following morning the pool WILL overflow.

*Fancy dancy liquid chlorine you buy at pool supply places is nothing but bleach. For real. Check out the active ingredients on the label. Shame on you pool places!

*When the fancy dancy liquid chlorine splashes on your clothes it will create bleach spots. Hence the whole compare the active ingredients label to a bleach bottle. Damn, I’m smart.

*A competition bow for middles school kid’s costs right at 200 bones. Are you SERIOUS?

*I totally know how to turn water in the swimming pool from lime green to crystal clear.

*The term “Jew them down” is frowned upon. Especially by Jews. Who knew?!?!

*My brother-n-law is a GIANT turd. Or is it terd. Heck, I thought I was smart. I don’t even know how to spell turd/terd. Oh well, you get my point.

*I also know it is 43 days before the love of my life BB comes home. Woo Hoo :~)

Until next time – Rose Baggs

AN AMERICAN SOLDER

I am an American Soldier.

I am a Warrior and member of a team. I serve the
people of the United States and live the Army Values.

I will always place the mission first.

I will never accept defeat.

I will never quit.

I will never leave a fallen comrade.

I am disciplined, physically and mentally tough, trained and proficient in my warrior tasks and drills. I always maintain my arms, my equipment and myself.

I am an expert and I am a professional.

I stand ready to deploy, engage, and destroy the enemies of the
United States of America in close combat.

I am a guardian of freedom and the American way of life.

I am and American Soldier.

THE SIMPLE THINGS

I need to mow the yard
I need to wash clothes
I need to figure out what I’m cooking for supper? Nothing, because…
I need to go to the grocery
I need to clean house
I need to pay bills
I need to balance the check book
Wait a minute. Back up. Balance the check book and then pay bills

It’s never ending. There is always something that needs to be done. And, in my case it needed to be done yesterday. One thing you didn’t see in my list of “Must Do’s” is spend time with Bb and Lou. In the hustle and bustle of our busy lives we seem to push aside the most important things. Family.

I didn’t realize I did it as much as I did until last night. Bb and Lou were sitting down to play a board game and asked if I wanted to play. I responded with “no I have to…… (fill in the blank). Lou said “mom, you always have to do…..and never do anything with us anymore.”

When she made that comment I looked up from my top-priority task and watched her walk out of the room. I felt my stomach sink. She was right. I never have time for them anymore. I spend more time with my dirty duds and Wal-Mart co-workers than I do my own kids.

That comment really hit home. I immediately stopped what I was doing and joined the Plant Earth Trivia game. I will keep the outcome to myself. But, we had so much fun. I didn’t realize how smart they were. They get it from me ya know. Really, they do!

Guess what is here with me tonight? Dirty clothes, a dirty house, a yard that needs a hair cut, an unbalanced check book, unpaid bills and an empty cupboard. Guess what is NOT here with me tonight? Bb and Lou. The point I’m trying to make is: the other stuff will be there the next day but time with your family may not. Don’t take it for granted.

Until next time-Rose Baggs