YOU CAN TAKE THE GIRL OUT OF THE SOUTH AND OUT OF THE CITY; BUT YA CAN'T TAKE THE SOUTH AND THE CITY OUT OF THE GIRL

 

I have just finished reading a most inspiring and entertainingly written book.  For Mother's Day, my husband purchased the book "Losing It...And Gaining My Life Back One Pound at a Time" by Valerie Bertinelli for me . This book was written with the utmost honesty that I have ever read.  Valerie was so open about her own issues in her life that it made me take a long look at mine.

Now the ironic thing is, as I started the book and was into the first chapter, I did so with a Big Mac in front of me, supersized fries to the side and a Coke (chock full of sugar) in my left hand as I turned the pages with my right hand.  Now, I am not sure what this says about me exactly other than I have issues with food as well.  Obviously, as I have just finished a double pepperoni and cheese sandwhich (on a very thick, soft, Italian bun) right before I began typing this at 9:30pm (which quite frankly is the last thing I needed).

Now to be quite honest myself, and to try to be as honest as Ms. Bertinelli, I feel as though I also have thunder thighs and a fat a--.  I weigh in at 122 pounds but strongly feel that I should be no more than 110 pounds.  Valerie goes on to talk about her feelings of food, her childhood, her marriage with the infamous Eddie Van Halen, motherhood, and her career.  It really startled me at how much Valerie is  like myself and so many other women I know.

It is tremendously inspiring to go on to read of how Valerie went from 160 plus pounds down to a size 4.  I myself at one time was tipping the scale at 160 pounds and am in a constant battle with my self image much like Ms. Bertinelli. 

Reading this book showed me that even the most beautiful people (which I have always been an admirer of Valerie's) and the most famous of people are really just down to earth and normal....Just like the rest of us. 

 

Right before this past Thanksgiving, I bought a turkey.  Why I bought this turkey, I do not know.  I wasn't planning on being at home for Thanksgiving to cook it as I had already planned  on spending the holiday  with my daughter in Norfolk.  So, after buying the turkey, I threw it in the freezer and forgot about it.

Fast forward to 8 months later.  I pulled the turkey out of the freezer this past Monday and had planned on cooking it on Thursday as i had the day off of work.  Thursday comes along and wouldn't you know, Mr Gobbles was not cooperating with me and was still frozen.  So, back in the fridge he went until today. 

After church service, I rushed home to get the Butterball in the oven.  I pulled it out of the fridge and rinsed it off and read the directions.  Now some of you are wondering why I would have to read directions to cook a turkey.  1. I had not cooked one in a very looooonnnng time and 2. I am no wiz in the kitchen.  In fact, it is quite the joke in my house that everytime "mom" cooks, the smoke alarm goes off. 

After reading the directions, I proceed to pull the plastic bag containing what looks to be a neck bone from out of one end.  Now, the directions said to pull out the plastic bag containing the giblets.  So, as I am pulling this nasty bag out from inside of the turkey, I am thinking to myself, "this does not look like giblets (but then again, I am kitchen challenged and do not remember what giblets look like) but the directions said to pull out "the" plastic bag".  So, this seems to me that it is speaking of "one" bag. 

I get the bird slathered in oil and decide to pour some garlic vinergarette on it as well for good measure and slid that roaster in my oven.  2 1/2 hours later, I check the turkey to see if it was time to put foil over top of it to keep it from getting burnt on top.  I pull the roaster out and and start poking at it after I had cut a piece of foil to fit the top and realized I could see something poking out from the "other" end of the turkey.  "Now what the heck is that?" I thought to myself and took my fork and poked at it a little more and finally was able to pull the "something" out.  Lo and Behold, another plastic bag...very well cooked I might add.  Now I am thinking, "great", I have roasted what is more than likely the giblets in the plastic bag inside of the turkey and we will all die from eating melted plastic.  However, the more I poked at the bag, I realized the bag did not appear to be melted so I threw it in the trash...slid the roaster once again into the oven and decided a little plastic never hurt anyone. 

 

OK...the question on my mind today is this:  "WHY THE HELL CAN PEOPLE NOT MIND THEIR OWN BUSINESS?"...and "WHEN YOU CUT SOMEONE OUT OF YOUR LIFE, WHY CAN'T THEY STAY JUST THAT; AWAY?".  OK...that was 2 questions.

 

It never ceases to amaze me how people think they need to be in everyone's business.  Or how about this...People who want to control your business and go out of their way to try to do just that.  Or people who think that EVERYTHING they think and feel is the GOSPEL and everything else and everyone else is full of crap.  Or how about the people who think they know it all (yea, that's kind of what I just said above but I am repeating it again because that is my choice)...or how about....

 

Some of you reading this may think this is a rant/rave fest.  You are right. 

 

Now I will close with some words of advice and wisdom.

 

1.  If you are not wanted in someone's life....stay out of it!

2.  If someone you know has someone they want kept out of their life...Keep your damn nose out of their business and don't make it your mission to bring that other loser back into a life that is perfectly happy without them!

3.  And last but not only...If you are one of those people that think that your opinion is the ONLY opinion...GET A LIFE AND A REALITY CHECK!

What does Memorial Day mean to you?  For me, Memorial Day is a time I can honor our service men and woman.  It is also a time for me to remember those who have given their lives for the freedom so many of us take for granted.

 

As a wife of a retired Sailor and the mother-n-law of a newly enlisted Sailor, I feel much pride in our military and our country.  I know first hand the sacrifices our servicemen and women make to keep our country free and the sacrifices military families make as well.  Long separations, the worry and stress of not knowing if your loved one will come home, having to keep the family and home going while your loved one is away, the sleepless nights (for the active duty member as well as the family), and the not so pleasant living conditions for those who are deployed on the ground, or the long periods of time on the ship not seeing land for sometimes over a month at a time.  The list goes on. 

 

Each year in my town, the streets are lined with flags along what will be the Memorial Day Parade route.  These flags are donated by persons who had loved ones lose their lives while serving our country.  Each flag has a dog tag draped on it, bearing the name of the service member.  It is

 a moving experience to walk along the street and read those names on the dog tags. 

 

This Memorial Day, as you gather with your family for a cook out, take a moment to remember those who gave you the freedom to enjoy the life we are so used to.  Take a moment to say a prayer for the families who will be without their loved one this Memorial Day due to deployment or loss of life.  Take a moment….