Happy Thanksgiving Y'all

It's Thanksgiving y'all and as the saying goes...There is ALWAYS something to be thankful for.  I know there are friends of mine this will be there first Thanksgiving without a loved one, so for those friends my prayer is you will still have time with family and to give thanks for those many Thanksgiving before spent with your loved one.

Thanksgiving for us will be at my Mama Highfield's, the same thing we have done as long as I can remember. Even though my Mama Highfield is celebrating Thanksgiving in heaven, I still say that's where my Thanksgiving is because Thanksgiving was her time of year for us all to be there.  She told us many years ago if we can all come for Thanksgiving, we can come when we can for Christmas.  So guess what, if Mama Highfield wants us there, then that's what we do.

This year we have been blessed that we didn't lose a loved one and for that I am very thankful.  Last year we had just lost my Aunt Mary and it was a hard Thanksgiving for my Uncle Cecil, but he being the Christian man that he is, knew that being with family was what he needed.  I really think he just wanted to see me because I'm always the prankster and he knew I would have something up my sleeve.  I behaved myself last year but today I might have to come up with something just for him.

So many precious memories of Thanksgivings past but the thing I remember most is we always got out the old pictures, sat in the middle of the floor, and laughed so much as we passed those pictures around.  Mama Highfield thought that was so funny and she loved seeing us having so much fun.  Lord help me if I have to get in that floor today.  It might take a few people to get me back up.

Today my sister Sharon and her family won't be there because she's got a crazy piece of body armour to wear until we find out the reason for a compression fracture.  She spent the weekend in the hospital and now we're just waiting on her neurosurgeon to get home and give us a treatment plan.   I offered to help her cook, but being the woman she is, she wouldn't let me.  I'm sure she will be sad that's she's missing Thanksgiving with me, but I won't let her down, I will go see her, 'cause I know she will miss me if I don't.

Today we welcome a new member of our family as my niece Taylor got married last weekend.  Even though Graham has been in the family ten years, he is officially part of this crazy family today.  I wonder if I should get out the pictures of Taylor, so I don't break tradition.   I'm thinking he's already seen them all, but I'm also thinking there is one somewhere he hasn't seen.

LESSON TODAY:  This post has been about my Thanksgivings and my family but I hope all you sassy followers reading this today take the time to enjoy the day with your family.  Put your cell phones away and REALLY spend time with them.  If you're not getting together with your family, call them.   If you're starting a new family, make it special.  Find something that will be a family tradition for you and yours.  Now, I gotta get a move on...my mama is cooking the turkey and making the dressing.   Got to get to my Mama Highfield's early so I can be first in line.  Yep, I'm always the first.  Surely that doesn't surprise y'all.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING,

Sweet Southern Sass

Stuck In The Middle

So this idea got "stuck" in my head the other day but I couldn't get my thoughts together on how to not be a sad post.  Then I posted a question on facebook and a friends answer to me was "I can't wait to read what you write about this one."  BINGO, that started this little mind in motion.  So hang on folks we gonna get a little stuck or hopefully unstuck.

The idea last week started because I'm just feeling stuck in life.  Stuck that I'm not young and 25 but not old either, stuck that I'm a single, white female (as the song says) and no real hope of my cowboy riding to my rescue on a  black stallion.   Stuck in my head with wishing that I should have done this or done that, stuck in  that I don't have all that others have .  Stuck in my head that if I had only tried harder or made better choices  my life would be different.  I can answer my own question on that one, because y'all that have been following me know I've made plenty of wrong choices.

So how in the world do I get "unstuck."  I've had plenty of  professional training as I like to call it, but all that training in the world doesn't help if you don't practice what you learn.  Sometimes it takes me a time or two to get my head wrapped around all this stuff stuck in this beautiful head of mine, and I usually can get it after at least the third try.  But this time it's really stuck in there and it just keeps playing over and over in my head like a washing machine going round and round.  So this is where the hard core professional training steps in.

I remember my trainer telling me about the three C's.  Don't criticize, condemn or complain.  Well hells bells, all three of those have taken over my brain like some virus or something.    Those three little words (and I ain't talking about I Love YOU) are stuck up in this head like a bad dream.  So now "what you gonna do when they come for you."

First off ain't nobody going any where and secondly I got this!  I've just been on a little pity party but my feisty little self is leaving this party of one.   Ya'll know I love social media and today I read a post that said "the comparison game is one you'll always lose.  Celebrate who you are and what you have, rather than fixating on who you're not and what you lack.  You are enough and you have plenty to offer but you'll never see it if you're busy looking at everyone else."  (Ruth from twitter)   BAM...how good is that.  I think it was a God wink as I like to call it and he knew I needed that assurance today that  I am good enough and unique and he's got me.

WOW this is getting way longer than I thought, but y'all know I have to add a little silly so here you go.  The second part of the story about being stuck is doctor's giving you pills big as Texas when you have strep and can't even swallow water.  Well you figured it out already, one got stuck in  my throat this afternoon and I couldn't get it to go up or down.  I ate everything in the house and I'm still not sure it's made it to my stomach yet..  I mean how could it, my throat is swollen almost shut.  Oh well, if tomorrow never comes, at least I took my meds.  Heck fire I hope my throat is better before I have to take the next horse pill or  I may be calling 9-1-1 what's your emergency 'cause I can't breath, something's stuck.

LESSON TODAY:  This one might be easier than some.  Don't get stuck with bad thoughts in your head.  Don't let what other's have or worry about what you don't have.  Be thankful for what you do have..  I mean God probably has that cowboy on a dusty trail somewhere trying to get here or if  I'm lucky he'll be a millionaire in a white limo instead.  So with all that being said... I will end with Ruth from twitter's response to me  "Sometimes you've got to have a little pity party before you can come through on the other side, stronger and ready to appreciate yourself for all the wonderful qualities you have."  That, from a women I don't even know.  So for me, I'm dusting myself off,  putting on my favorite pair of boots and leaving this pity train.  Now if something I've written hits home, leave the pity party.  Might not be easy but you can do it.



 LOVE TO ALL,
 Sweet Southern Sass

If You're Going Through Hell

"If you're going through hell, keep on going, don't slow down. If you're scared, don't show it, you might get out before the devil even knows it." Rodney Atkins

The idea for this post came to mind this morning as I was thinking about the conversation my Aunt and me had last night. We went shopping for outfits to wear to my nieces wedding next month and on the way there and back we talked a little about a lot.  Sometimes you really don't need advise, just someone to listen and last night was one of those times for me. You see I've been a little bit down these past few weeks, not for any particular reason, just because. So this song came to mind and I thought...Self, you may be going through hell, but nothing compared to others, so pull yourself up by the boot strings and carry one. So I'm thinking if I start writing and pull tight enough on my boot strings I can get myself out of this crazy sadness and maybe even make myself giggle a little.

The song talks about stepping off the straight and narrow. Y'all that have been following me know I'm the queen of being way out of the straight and narrow. I'm not exactly sure what it means but for the sake of this post I'm thinking it means not behaving.  LOL, I'm never behaving because I heard Jill Connor Browne of the Sweet Potato Queens say that "well behaved women never make history." I  probably ain't gonna make history because I'm not behaving but just let me not behave and all of Hall County knows about it before my head hits the pillow. Yep, my daddy use to know what I had done and where I did it before I even got it done. Of course this was in my younger days, but I still don't know how he knew. Maybe one day I will ask, but then maybe I won't because he might know more than I want to know he knows. Y'all get that?

If you're scared don't show it. I've been scared so many times I can't even count that high. Not because of that road of straight and narrow as I said before but because I have lived by myself more than not. The funny thing is most of the times I just watched Criminal Minds or some detective show that scared the crap out of me to begin with, then when I went to bed I thought every "unsub" Detective Derrick Morgan ever arrested, was outside my window. Turns out the scratching on the window was the wind blowing the tree next to my house and what I thought was someone breaking in my house was the ice maker making ice. Yep, I could scare myself just getting out of bed, seeing my own shadow.

Lesson today? It won't take a rocket scientist to figure this one out. If you're going through hell, don't slow down and let the devil catch you. Don't get caught up in the bottle of Jim Beam, the demons breathing down your back or that deep hole of darkness.  Just take a minute, sit down and listen to the guardian angel that's probably sitting right next to you.  Heck she might be singing this little song telling you to keep on keeping on. If you scared listen to what's making you scared, it's probably the wind blowing or the ice maker and for the love of Peter, Paul and Mary pull your dang boot strings up with a smile on your face and a song in your heart.   

 LOVE TO ALL,

 Sweet Southern Sass

Just A Swingin'

Listening to my favorite radio station here in Georgia today I heard the song Just A Swingin by John Anderson.  As I listen to this song, it brought back a whole buncha memories from my childhood and  one more recent than that.  I have no idea  where I'm going with this or what my lesson will be but might as well buckle up buttercup and find out.

Just a swingin' reminds me of growing up and visiting my grandmother.  I can't say for sure, but I think every house they lived had a swing on the front porch.  My Aunt and me loved to get in that swing and swing for hours, solving all the problems two little kids could have.  We always tried to make our feet touch the ceiling of the porch.  When my Mama Highfield would catch us doing it, she would come tell us we better stop that before that swing pulls out and we get hurt.  Of course, being the good children that we were, we would "slow down"  while she was standing there, but that lasted about as long as it took her to walk back in the house.  Two little girls just a swingin' to high heaven.

That brings me to my porch swingin' as an adult.  It was going to be a girls night out to see Merle Haggard in concert at the Lanierland County Music Park in Cumming, Ga.   We were waiting on a couple of the other friends to meet up so me and another friend were swingin' in the front porch swing.  I told friend # 2 what  my Mama Highfield would say... we better stop swingin' so high, we gonna pull this thing right out of the ceiling.  Just about the time these words came out of my mouth, that dadgum swing fell out of the ceiling, friend # 2 AND the swing came right down on my left foot.  Needless to say, I couldn't hardly walk and they wanted me to go to the ER but heck no, I got to see Merle 'cause he's getting old.  I convinced them I wasn't going to the ER, so off to the concert we go.

I made it through the concert and back to the scene of the crime.  Keep in mind I'm in a lot of pain but I ain't going to no ER at 1:00 in the morning or so I thought.  I finally dozed off to sleep and friend # 3, who's house I'm sleeping,  big ole cat comes bouncing in on my bed right on top of my poor hurt foot.  I screamed to the top of my lungs and friend # 3 came running.  Poor cat landed somewhere in the next room I think.  Needless to say I finally gave in and friend # 3 took me to the ER.  The nurse kept moving my foot around and of course every time he did I would scream in pain.  After what seemed like forever I guess he got tired of me complaining he was killing me, he said and I quote, "you sure are a whiner."   Y'all that know me know that didn't go over very well.  I came unglued and  I politely told him the WHOLE story and how long it had been since that swing and friend # 2 fell on me.  The ER did not diagnose a broke foot so Nurse hurt me all you can sent me home in a lace up shoe which was about as stable as a wobbly wheel with a missing spoke.  So I hobbled around a day or two and finally went to an orthopedic doctor who confirmed my suspicion of a broke foot and put me in a boot for 8 week.   Guess nurse Hurt me all you can wasn't as smart as he thought.

Lesson today?  You may not have these crazy kinda memories of a front porch swing but if you are lucky enough to have a swing, call a friend, swing a spell,  share some stories and have a glass of sweet tea 'cause ya'll know what they say here in the South.  We don't hide crazy...we parade it around on the front porch and give it sweet tea.  Now go ahead swing high to the heavens, laugh out loud and make some memories.  Make my Mama Highfield proud with your feet touching the ceiling.  But don't swing too long 'cause you know what might happen and I really don't want you to meet Nurse hurt me all you can.  LOL

  Love to all,
  Sweet Southern Sass
 

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.