When I'm Gone

I'm struggling with this one but it's heavy on my heart.  I think it's because I have lost three friends in two weeks.  Two of them I went to school with and the other was a neighbor for many years.  So where do I begin?  I really don't know, so I'm hoping as I type, the right words will come to mind.  You see it's hard to see these families in so much pain and there's nothing I can say or do that will ease that pain.

I know there aren't any answers, but that doesn't stop me from asking why.  I understand that sickness can ravish a person's body and there aren't anything doctors can do.  But I wonder what makes it that one person with the same disease can be healed and the other isn't.  I know everything I've been taught is God has a plan.  Again I just wonder what could the plan be that a person is taken from us here on earth.  Surely there is more to be done here for a person my age.  How does God determine who and when a person's time here is done.  Again, let me stress to y'all reading this, I'm not questioning God's will, I know it's his time and I know there are reasons, it's just sometimes I don't understand.

I think about these three friends and I know they lived their lives their way and I don't see anything wrong with that because I'm the same way.  There are certain things I want my way and I don't care what anyone thinks about it.  This brings me to my friend Conley White, which is why I'm writing this.  Conley was a singer/songwriter who lived his life "his way" and that's the way he wanted his last days..."his way."

Ya'll that have been following me for a while know I love the trusty Google.  So I reached out to the Google to see what I can find about my friend Conley.  I found so much more interesting stuff than I knew but one thing I found that ya'll might want to hear is this interview with KHLT Recovery Radio Station.   During this interview Conley talks about his struggles with addiction, his recovery and how he tries to help others, especially what he calls a newcomer to recovery.  He gives his CD's away at meetings to these newcomers and I quote "hoping to give them HOPE."   He also talked about going to AA meetings and that every time he went to a meeting as soon as he walked in the room he would pray and again I quote "God if there is somebody in this room I can help and encourage please point them out to me.  God is a gentleman, he's not going to show up where he's not wanted."  He said more times than not, someone would come up to him after the meeting and ask him for help. This is powerful, I don't care who you are.

LESSON TODAY:   Searching for the right words and low and behold they're right here in this interview.  Monty Dale Meyer, the person interviewing Conley, last words on the interview are going to be my lesson today and I quote..."Do something now that will make the person you will be tomorrow proud to have been the person you are today."  Now that's a lot to take in so if you're like me, you might have to read it more than once.  I want to add to what Mr. Meyer said by saying myself...if you're struggling for whatever reason, don't be afraid to reach out to someone.  If anything I've said in this post or anything you hear in Conley's interview makes you feel help is needed, then I pray Conley's prayer that if you need encouragement, don't be afraid to reach out to someone. That someone might just be a message from our friend, Conley White.

  LOVE TO ALL,
  Sweet Southern Sass

Here For A Good Time

"I'm not going to lay around and whine and moan 'cause somebody done done me wrong.  Don't think for a minute that I'm gonna sit around and sing some old sad song." George Strait

 This might sound like I'm whining and maybe I am but not for a long time because "ain't nobody got time for that."   I'm one of those people that don't sit around long waiting on a good time.  I can make a good time all by myself.   I can make a good time out of cleaning the house 'cause I will turn the radio way loud or in my case the Spotify and dance with the broom.  Yep, I bet my neighbors (if I had any) would think the witch was loose if they came by my house and looked in.  Well, you know what they say.  If the broom fits, ride it.

I'm not really sure where I'm going with this so I hope it gets good somewhere along the way and makes you laugh or giggle a little.   It doesn't take a lot for me to have a good time.  Just this week I met a friend for dinner because I had made her something and wanted to give it to her.   There was absolutely NO alcohol involved but we laughed so hard I thought we would be thrown out of the restaurant.  Luckily they didn't because those dang half price tacos were good.  I mean if I'm going to be thrown out, at least let me finish my tacos.

Y'all know how it goes, when women get together they gonna talk about any and everything. I wished I could tell you all the funny stuff but I promised anything that was said at Big Daddy's would stay at Big Daddy's.  Yes I pinkie swore that my lips were sealed, never to repeat to anyone.  Hold on a minute though, she had to pinkie swear too so don't go thinking she was the only one with something I can't tell.  So you see, that's why we all need a night out.  If nothing else, just to laugh and enjoy the company of someone that will lift you up in conversation, motivation and if you're lucky enough, like I was, you will be inspired before the night is over.

I'm sure you wondering how could a "girls night out" be an inspiration.  Y'all know I'm about to tell you, so hold on.  Have you ever met someone that just talking to them gives you a feeling of peace and maybe even a little comfort?  Yes of course you have!  So that's what happened just talking to my sweet friend.  I'm not sure if it's her voice or on this particular night, her ability to tell that I was feeling a little sad.  Keep in mind, I have absolutely NO reason to be sad, but I've had questions weighing on my mind lately that I just can't get the answer I'm looking for.  I'm not exactly sure what she said but the thing I remember is her telling me that I was beautiful, smart and lots of fun.  This might not be EXACTLY what she said, but that's what I heard and this is MY story, so I'm telling it my way.  She said all this while I was dabbing at my eyes, trying not to cry.    Needless to say, she knew she better do something quick or the flood gates were about to open wide.  Being the funny person she is, she said something that made me almost fall off my chair.

LESSON today?  Take a minute and remember the last time you had a night out.  If it's been a while, get on the phone right now and plan one soon.   Go ahead take the chance, dance the dance but don't you dare call  someone that's not going to be fun.   Don't you waste one nano minute calling someone that is negative.   No, no, no we don't need that kind of  people at our party 'cause life's too short.   We don't know what tomorrow brings,  we ain't here for a long time, and for the love of Peter, Paul & Mary, do not end up with a "tear in your beer" as Hank Jr. says.

    Love to all,
    Sweet Southern Sass

Why You Still Here

I'm kinda thinking I'm on a roll this week.  I posted about your mama didn't do it this way the other day and I had a friend message me something just as funny and of course I have a story.  So I will just share with ya'll and hope it makes you smile or as I like to say laugh out loud.

Her story goes something like this.  She has been divorced for many years, but her mama still has her wedding pictures up and won't take them down.  Well my story is similar but at least my pictures aren't up where I have to see the CHB every time I go see my mama, which is every Sunday.  I would tell you what CHB means but my mama would give me a whooping, 'cause it ain't nice.  LOL

My story goes back several years ago we made my mama a scrap book with all our wedding pictures and added our kids pictures as they came along.  This might not be exact but this is my story.  Since I had a real wedding this time (meaning I didn't run off to Walhalla, SC) like I did the first time I was proud to add my beautiful wedding pictures to this album for my mama.   I was in LOVE, so that made me want to put extra ones, which of course I did.  For ya'll that know me, you know that LOVE didn't last so every time I pick that book up and look at it, I want to rip those lovely pictures right out of there.  That's when my mama speaks up and says something to the effect of  "that's my book, you ain't taking anything out of there."  So guess what?  20 years later those stinking pictures are still in that book.

The funnier story (to me) is about my lovely wedding pictures I mentioned earlier.  We had lots of wedding pictures as every bride and groom does and bought the photo album to go with it.  I mean you want to be able to look back every now and then how beautiful a bride you were and hopefully see that the groom was equally as handsome.  We both fit this description at the wedding but there is one problem with my wedding pictures now.   I cut the groom out of EVERY one of them.  Yep, I ain't kidding, every one of them.  He may have been all handsome in that black western tux and cowboy hat, but apparently that wasn't enough to keep me from getting all crazy and cutting him out.  Lord have mercy what was I thinking?   Evidently I wasn't, those things cost a lot of money.


Lesson today?  If you find yourself staring at an ex picture at your mama's, just remember that Bible verse in Exodus that tells us to honor our mother and father.  I for one am not going to argue with that, so when my mama tells me that's her book, well alrighty then...I'm not about to take any pictures out. I may be however old I'm not telling, but I'm still scared of my mama.  Yep, she might be older too, but I ain't waiting around to find out if she can still give me a whooping 'cause I know she could and would if she thought I needed it.

This brings to mind the old cliche'.if mama ain't happy, ain't nobdy happy.  So for the sake of any argument, let's just smile and agree with mama.  Don't look at that book more than you have too and just look the other way when you visit and the ex picture is still on the piano.

Don't Think Mama Done It This Way

Hold on ya'll, here is another funny one.  Last week I heard the song Don't Think Hank Done It This Way and it reminded me of a story my mama tells all the time about my daddy.  So I'm going to share hoping to save some poor soul from making the mistake my daddy made. 

Mama said when they first got married, she made bread and butter pickles 'cause my daddy liked them.  I'm sure knowing my mama and her cooking, they were good pickles, but my daddy had the nerve to tell her they didn't taste like his mama's.  Oh Lord, was he crazy?  Evidently, because my mama said probably not, I'm not your mama.  This might have just been the last time my daddy got bread and butter pickles, at least from my mama.

So this leads me to my very own mama didn't do it this way story.  When I first married I cooked some pinto beans.  Being young and not ever taking the time to learn how to cook, the pinto beans burned.  It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out the beans weren't good, but my husband (kinda like my daddy) must have had a temporary lack of judgement because he just blurted it right out.  "These don't taste like my mama's.  Well, you think?  I am my mama's child, so I politely, yes politely said... of course they don't, they're burned!!!  Ya'll don't need me to finish this story, 'cause you know how it ends.  No more pinto beans for him!!

This brings me to my son and his mama didn't do it this way story.  When he first got married his wife made I think chicken & dumplings for dinner.  His wife really didn't make them the way me or my mama made them and of course the first thing out of my son's mouth was these don't taste like mama's.  Crazy kid, did I not teach him anything?  He got lucky, his sweet wife wasn't as feisty as me and my mama, she asked me how I made them.  Bless her heart she was in love.   Needless to say I didn't want my son to never get chicken & dumplings again, so I put a bug in his ear not to EVER and I mean EVER say something doesn't taste like his mama's.  Then I proceeded to tell him why.

Lesson today?  VERY SIMPLE...don't ever tell your wife, girlfriend or significant other that something doesn't taste like your mama's.  It might be best that you eat it (if you can) 'cause you might just never get it again and it might just be your favorite food they tried to make.  I mean seriously I bet your mama had to make it many times before she mastered it.  That is of course if someone didn't say those famous words, "this don't taste like my mama's" and she tried it again.

  LOVE TO ALL,
 Sweet Southern Sass

Let's Get Fabulicious

OK this might be a little short post but I've had this word  FABULICIOUS stuck in my head all day!  I've got my idea what it means, but I wanted to see what the trusty little internet had to say and this is what I found.  A combination of fabulous and delicious; someone or something so gorgeous or perfect that you could eat it up.

Well alrighty then...something so fabulous or delicious, something gorgeous.   Ya'll better sit down on this one 'cause it's about to get good up in here.

Since this is my blog, and I'm in control for the time being, the one thing I can think of that would fit this description of fabulicious is Agent Derrick Morgan, aka Hondo, aka Shemar Moore.   Lord have mercy and for the love of Peter, Paul and Mary how could anyone not think he's fabulicious?  He definitely had a good dentist 'cause he's got the pearliest of pearl white teeth I've ever seen.  And when he smiles, he could make a grown woman cry.

So going with the flow as Merle Haggard says, this made up word could be used to describe something totally different than the man Agent Derrick Morgan, but for this sassy little southern thang I can't think of a better word to describe him.

Ya'll might think this post is a little shallow, but that's OK 'cause I've said many times I don't pick my Nascar driver's by their driving ability and I don't pick my favorite football player because of their talent.  It's more like how they look in their driver suit and ain't nothing wrong watching a few "tight ends."    I probably just got myself in a whole lot of trouble if my mama reads this, but she's known me for about (well let's just say a few years) and she ain't surprised at anything I say or in this case write.  BTW, my favorite country singers wear Wrangler jeans and ya'll know what they say about Wrangler jeans.

I'm not sure I can find a lesson in this craziness but I'm thinking ya'll  need to google this word fabulicious. Close your eyes and see what comes to mind that is so fabulously, deliciously gorgeous it makes you smile..  It doesn't have to be crazy like what I just wrote, but if it's something that makes you giggle or smile a little bit, then I've done my job.  I've written something that maybe took your mind away from the troubles of the day and hopefully made you laugh at this crazy self.

Love to all,
Sweet Southern Sass

Beautiful Crazy

"Her day starts with a coffee and ends with a wine.  Takes forever to get ready so she's never on time for anything.  Beautiful crazy, the way she dances, ain't afraid to take chances and wears her heart on her sleeve.  Yeah, she's crazy but her crazy's beautiful to me."  Luke Combs

As promised here is a little something, something on why Luke Combs might just know me. HaHa

My day definitely starts with coffee, sometimes ends with a wine and I ain't never on time.  But didn't I hear somewhere it's better to be fashionably late than to arrive ugly and don't they say a glass of wine at night is good for the heart?   So what's wrong with either of these?  Nothing, says this sassy southern girl.

I wasn't exactly sure what wears my heart on the sleeve means so I checked it out on the trusty internet.  I mean  if you read it on the internet it's true, right?  So the trusty internet says it means that  you show your real feelings, is open and honest, and the complete opposite of the devious hater.  Lawd help me but if this is right then I guess I definitely wear my heart on my sleeve and if y'all know me, you don't have to worry about what I'm thinking.  If I think it, I say it and sometimes that's not a good thing.  I'm not a hater, unless we're talking football and if you love anyone other than the DAWGS, I might just be a little devious about that.

I always have plans for the weekends even if it's just staying at home, which is rare.  Staying at home means not getting out of my PJ's all day, no makeup and binge watching one or more of my favorite TV shows or Hallmark movies.  Yep, I'm guilty...I love Christmas in July Hallmark movies.  My other binge show watching is usually repeat CSI or Criminal Minds.  So miss Horatacio on CSI and Agent Derrick Morgan on Criminal Minds.  However...Agent Derrick Morgan is now Hondo on the new S.W.A.T. show.  I will give you two guesses why he's my favorite.   One, he's HOTT and two he's HOTT.   Yes, I know, I'm shallow to a point but hey the song says she's crazy so I must not disappoint.

I am definitely unpredictable and I've been told I'm unforgettable.  Now this might be interesting because that could be I'm unforgettable because I'm a pain in the rear or because I'm crazy beautiful!  I prefer the later, but either works because it doesn't change the fact that I am what I am and I'm probably not changing any time soon.  However, I do hope to find that special someone who will be a fool for me and think I'm crazy beautiful and not a pain in the rear.

Lesson today?  I bet y'all are wondering how in the world can she get a lesson from this?  Well hold on 'cause I got one.  I want all you sassy ladies out there to look in the mirror right now and say to self...Self, you are crazy beautiful and I love you just the way you are!  Go ahead, no one is listening but you, so just do it!

  I've always been the type not to worry about what people say. I've always beat to my own drum and usually it's to a different beat than everyone else.  So go ahead, put on your biggest smile, walk out that door and show 'em what you got. Show 'em just how crazy beautiful you are and if you don't feel like going out, put on your best PJ's, curl up on the couch and binge watch your favorite TV shows.  One word of advise though, make sure it's got Hondo or Agent Derrick Morgan in it and you won't be disappointed.

 LOVE TO ALL,
 Sweet Southern Sass

Keeper Of The Stars

"It was no accident me finding you.  Someone had a hand in it long before we ever knew." Tracy Byrd

Oh my gosh why in the world did this song get stuck in my head?  It was played at my wedding 1997 and I still can't listen to the entire song.  It certainly wasn't an accident that I met him.  I mean he was leaning on a pole with his black cowboy hat on and I just walked right up and asked him to dance.  Yep, I surely did.  I'm sure the keeper of the stars thought I was crazy but it didn't stop me from falling cowboy boots, hat and big ole belt buckle for this bow-legged cowboy.  Ya'll wondering what this means?

He tipped that dang hat more times than I can count that night and his smile just made me think the keeper knew what he was doing when he put that cowboy in my sights.  Now at the time I thought he was the best thing this side of the Mississippi and it took me a whole bunch of years to figure it out that he was only the best thing yonder side of Buford.   I will give him credit though...on our wedding day he was the bomb dot com as my friend likes to say.  He looked like a million dollars in that tux and yes that black cowboy hat and boots.  The twinkley white lights made his smile shine like the one I saw when I first met him and all I could think was "cowboy take me away."  LOL

OK I was about to get on a man bashing roll but decided ya'll might not want to read that junk so instead I'm just going to make you laugh a little bit by quoting a  Dolly Pardon song that reminds me of the first time I saw him.   "Why'd you come in here lookin' like that in your cowboy boots and your painted-on jeans, all decked out like a cowgirl's dream.  Why you almost givin' me a heart attack when you waltz right in here lookin' like that."  Lord help me I bet he's still wearing those same "painted on jeans."

Lesson today?  I'm not sure I have one but let's just roll with it.  When old feelings start creeping up, don't dwell on it too long.  Think about it, feel the hurt, but don't feel it too long.  It might cause you to do something stupid and call the ex and we certainly don't want that.  So feel it, take a walk, see God's beauty and let it go.  Leave all those bad thoughts right outside your door, don't bring that stuff in, it ain't welcome in our house.  Now go ahead, lock that door, grab a glass of sweet tea and sleep tight.  And instead of a sad "Keeper of The Stars" song,  I'm sharing "Why'd You Come In Here Lookin' Like That."   That'll make you smile.

  LOVE TO ALL,
   Sweet Southern Sass