Remember me writing a few monthes back about my cousin that got shot? He took two bullets, one in the arm and one in the leg. The crackheads that broke in and shot him intended to kill him. His arm deflected the shot that was meant for his stomach and, had the crackheads not been high, more than likely they would have put another one in him to finish him off.

The family hoped and prayed that this would be my cousin's wake-up call. He has seven children and a new one on the way any day now.

At first he said all the right things, got us all to thinking that his wild days were over with. But that must have just been the shock of the bullets and the what-if's running through his head.

Because he's back to living his old gangster/thug life. He talked all that talk about going back to school, finally learning how to read (he's 35), getting a job, getting out of the life...Now he's back to his 'job' as a pharmacuetical salesman, packing a pistol, and thugging it.

I don't know how many wake-up calls we're allotted, but I think when we get one we ought to heed it because it may be our last.

I hope and I pray that my cousin turns himself around before it's too late.

Just like I hope and I pray that all of us, each and every one of us, lives a good life and remembers that tomorrow is not promised to us.


Tawny

Today the weather was absolutely beautiful here in Farmington Hills, Michigan. It was sunny and warm and a perfect fall day. Kathleen (my cat) and I spent the bulk of the day out in the backyard, lolling about on the patio, reading (me), napping (Kathleen) and feeding peanuts to the squirrels and the BlueJays.

Odds are good that this was one of the last, if not the very last, warm day till next spring. As much as I love living where there are four distinctly different seasons, it grieves me to realize that for the next five monthes I won't be able to throw open the windows and air the house out, or go barefoot in the yard.

I'm going to miss interacting with the squirrels too. While I feed four of them regularly, one of them has become so tame that he walks right up to me to get his share of the peanuts, whereas the others want theirs in a pile over by the tree.

I guess I've got the end of summer blues.


Tawny

Are you familiar with Adrienne Torf? If not, she is a pianist. A very fine pianist. I have her newest cd, Brooklyn From The Roof, and it is absoutely wonderful. I'm sure there must be other places to purchase it, but I bought my copy at www.goldenrod.com. I don't think you'll be disappointed with her cd, the music is quite beautiful.

Tawny

I received a catalog in the mail yesterday that had for sale just the cutest welcome mat for your front porch. It read: Well butter my butt and call me a biscuit, Look who's come to visit!

Okay, it's hokey, but so what! It made me laugh and laugh!

Tawny

I think I may have mentioned this cute little Bavarian look-a-like town in central Michigan to you before, Frankenmuth (www.Frankenmuth.org) is it's name. It's a darling little town with all sorts of cute buildings that look like they should be nestled in the midst of the Swiss Alps.

Amongst it's many attractions, Frankenmuth boasts a humongous Christmas store, Bronners, where it's Christmas 365 days of the year. The store is truly huge and you will find Christmas decorations from all over the world, as well as those big display ones like you see at the local shopping mall.

Another thing that Frankenmuth is famous for is it's chicken dinners served homestyle. People drive from all around the state to partake, and have for over 50 years.

I was plannig to take a couple of days off a few weeks ago and head up to Frankenmuth for a little mini-vacation. Eat some chicken, shop at Birch Run, the outlet mall, etc. Rainy weather had me cancelling my plans.

Well, imagine my surprise last night when I saw on the local news that Frankenmuth has, for the past few weeks, been suffering from a nanovirus! Nanovirus is what those poor unfortunate cruise ship attendees have been known to come down with---vomiting, fever, diarhea, lifelong kidney problems in some cases, etc. Apparently the town didn't let the media know (until it slipped out) because they didn't want to affect tourism

I am so thankful that I didn't go to Frankenmuth like I'd wanted to.


Tawny
www.tawnyford.com