Who Knows What the Tide Will Bring?

Because of Nita's exhaustive (and exhausting) research into the fam tree, we're excited to read all about our past. I thought about this tonight after viewing (again) one of my favorite movies, "Cast Away" with Tom Hanks, our cousin.

Yep, he's our cousin...a bit distant, but our cousin.

I still can't believe Helen Hunt gave up on her search. If only she had held out, but he went on down to Texas and the movie leaves us believing he found his soul mate after all, the pretty girl in the old Ford pickup like Pap used to drive. The pickup I learned to drive, backing up and back in the driveway while Pap snoozed on the couch.

But I do look at Tom Hanks differently now. Kinda weird, knowin' he's kin. I keep looking for a resemblance of some sort. He kinda has Chris' hair...kinda talks like we do, too. Anway, I always thought he was about the best actor around, him and Harrison Ford and Eastwood (Outlaw Josey Wales...now there's a movie, bub.)

Yep, settled in for the movie after watching unranked Wake beat the Blue Devils. First time Wake has beaten a ranked team since 1994 and that's when they beat Duke, Duke going on to the Final Four to be beaten by the Hogs in the championship game. I was there, at Charlotte, when Scotty hit the big one. I found an old photo the other night, of me at that game. I sure was lucky to get to go to so many places and see so many fun things. Me and my buddies stayed up all night that night, at the hotel, where we had rooms where the team stayed. Nolan was happier than ever that evening, apparently finally shedding some of his inner strife...but he really never did. I hated that for him cause he was some kinda wonderful coach. I miss those kinds of teams. The guys we have now...well, they sure can let you down. Good one night, sorry as heck the next outing.

Ate some fine fish for lunch today. We cooked up a big Sunday meal for son and daughter-in-law and Luke Bo Duke. He's lost a second tooth now, both in the middle, front, bottom row. He's a dandy and he loves fish, especially when I catch 'em and they're fresh. We rode in the golf cart, visited Bet (Joe was napping) and we inspected a dead beaver afloat in the pond. Best I can tell, he was a victim of the cold weather--that can catch a beaver off guard some time. Luke poked him with a stick and was amazed at the animal's big flat tail. I told him it was nature in the raw.
He's getting real good at driving the golf cart. Like Leslie did when she was tearing up and down the hill here.

Not much else to report. Peanut has the day off tomorrow, honoring our Presidents and all. We'll probably be lazy and not do a whole lot, resting up from our big night out Saturday at the fancy eat place in the capital city. It costs an arm and a leg, but it sure is tasty. I like the piano player, too, and he plays some of my favorites, 'specially when I put a big tip in the glass jar. I always ask for "Send in the Clowns." I guess it reminds me of my days when the legislators came into town.

Speaking of Prez Day, I'll always remember when me and Bob and Harold went to the horse races on one of those Mondays. The traffic was jammed and Bob was antsy so he got out of the car I was driving and started walking, so he could get inside and get his double bet down. Finally, we got close to the track entrance and Harold got out, too. I told him I would find a parking place and I told him I had some box seats, to meet me at Window 4. Well, I looked to my right and right in front of the front entrance there was a vacant spot at this little motel. I pulled into the spot and the manager popped out to say I couldn't park there. "How much will it cost me?" I asked. He said I could park there for $20 so I gave him his money and walked inside where I got to Harold quickly, before he even got to the box seat place. He asked how I got inside so quickly and I showed him the car, parked right in front. He asked how I got to park there. I told him I gave the man $20. "My God, Bill," big brother exclaimed. I told him it would be the best $20 I would spend all day. We laughed and went about our business. I'll always remember him that day, the way he grinned and said, "My God, Bill." He said that a lot to me, seems like. Like the time I cleaned out my closet and phoned him to ask if he needed any golf shirts. "How many you got?" he inquired. "Oh, at least a hundred," I said. "My God, Bill," he answered, just like I knew he would. And the time Eric and I returned from a sensational bass fishing trip. We had 60 big bass, all about 5 pounds, laid out on the lawn at the east side of the house. Harold drove up, got out of his truck, walked up and walked around the back of my truck and saw the bass. Yep, he said it again, and then laughed that great laugh.


Well, if you haven't seen Cuz Tom Hanks in Cast Away, rent it sometime. It's good. It has several memorable lines, like when he tells Helen Hunt, who is dripping wet, "You have to go home." And then the closer, "Who knows what the tide will bring?"

That's all for this time, 'til next time, thanks for your time. Happy Presidents Day.

Toothy News

Luke Bo Duke surprised me and Peanut with a 9:30 p.m. phone call to say he'd lost his first tooth. I told him that means he's officially on his way to becoming a big boy. Man, Luke losing a tooth! Time sure gets away from us. Seems like yesterday we were looking at him in the 'spital, worried sick about his delicate condition and now he's calling and laughing about his tooth coming out.



The call came right after the Hogs fell to the Vols. We were outmanned, seriously outmanned, and we regressed back into the way we were playing the first of the season. Beverley's got to get it in his thick head that he can't come out of the blocks fouling. When we lose him to early foul trouble, we're toast.



Headin' to the fishin' hole in the morning with my buddy Broad. We've been chasing those wily bass since first grade and we still can't get our fill. It'll be frosty at first light, but warming to 60 by mid-day and that'll be nice. I did pretty well at this reservoir last year.



I've got two big bass at the taxidermist now, from a November trip with brother-in-law Joe Boyd. Back-to-back throws with a spinner bait and I was looking at the two biggest bass I ever hauled in. It was incredible...that day...and Joe had to twist my arm to even go. I'll be eternally grateful to him--specially when I get the lunkers back from the taxidermist and up on the wall. Like I need another thing on my study wall, but these things were huge--my catch of a lifetime and I been at it a longgggggg time.



Tragic news just up the road from us a few hours ago. About five o'clock, sirens everywhere and we learn a young skateboarder, eighth-grader, lost his life when he skated out in front of a car. Up by Little Creek Church, just up the road here. Those things, skateboards, sure look dangerous to me. Lots rather have my kid on a bike, or even a motorcycle. Such a waste.



Had a pleasant chat with our governor today. He called mid-afternoon and I was shopping at the Sheridan Wal-Mart. It was good to put my grocery shopping on hold a few minutes to catch up with him. He's been swamped of late, with the tornadoes and all, touring the hard-hit areas and dealing with all the gov-mut red tape involved in the cleanup and salvage work. Your heart goes out to those people...hard-working folks who lost everything in the blink of an eye. I have a friend whose brother drove to Atkins to volunteer with the cleanup. Those things can also bring out the best in people, too.



Not much else. Had a bit of a run-in with the U.S. Post Office today. They sold be some rolls of stamps several months ago and they turned out to be 26-centers instead of 41s. I've been using them for several months and didn't even know til my mail carrier caught it. They apologized for the error, checked their computer and sure enough, said they goofed. This was shortly before noon and the nice lady said they'd try not to mess things up again. Five hours later, sis called from next door to say the new mail carrier left my mail over at her house today. This was about six hours after the Fed Ex man left my mail-ordered medicine at the old house down the road. And we wonder why our luggage gets lost.



That's all for this time, 'til next time, thanks for your time.

youngin' visit

The youngest youngin' visited over the weekend. Always comforting to have her here...close...over on the couch, sost I can lay eyes on her. She stays busy, workin' and churchin' and lookin' after others. Quite a youngin. I sure am a lucky pap, to have two of 'em turn out so good.

I'm over the Super Bowl. My Giants won. My second-favorite team was on the losing end. I was proud for the gun-slinger kid from Miss-i-sip, but hated to see Brady knocked around. But the Pats' coach sure acted a fool at the end, running off with his tail tucked like that. Not very pro-like.

Got a phone call yestiddy from an old legislator friend, from my days in the lower House. He was laughing about Bro's column on the Bush rebate. He also said he sured missed our sis who departed this earthly hold recently. He knew her thru her outstanding banking career. I miss her too, somethin awful this week for some reason. Maybe she was sending out some heavenly vibe that I couldn't quite reel in. We were always connected thru the supernatural so I spect it's even more supernatural now. Least I believe so.

Ate over at Prattsville Saturday night. The catfish was better than usual and that's sayin' a mouthful. It was my third night in a row to eat fish--returning home for catfish after two days and nights at my bass fishin' cabin. Boy I love fishin. Speaking of which, my pal Jerry Mc is one of our inductees in the upcoming Hall of Fame class, which sends me and Peanut to a big fancy dinner in a couple of weeks. We have official duties there besides just eatin' and applaudin'. We "hold" the inductees in the green room before the big shindig kicks off. It's a big night. Besides the fishin' man, Tommy Tubberfield, Torri Hunter, Tod Day and lots of others will be there....with us...quite a night ahead.

Keep sending up a prayer for some buddies of mine. Locally, Roney and up at Little Rock, John G. They're both fightin' hard and they could use a prayer or two. I sure hate it when my friends are down. Bums me to the hilt.

Don't know much else. Quiet out here on the Redfield Road. I know winter will make one more run...kinda like a good basketball team having that one "run" left in 'em...but I also know I'll be mowing grass soon. Or as Don Wells used to say, "mowering the grass." Time sure flies, more than ever seems like, but that's okay cause I sure am surrounded by pleasant souls and two sweet puppies, Zoey Rae and Newt. Me and Peanut just sit and hold them and that's pretty special. Gets my mind off what I talked about earlier, few paragraphs up, you know, 'bout sis and how much we all miss her. She sure as heck deserved a better shake and I aim to ask the Good Lord about all that one day. But she'll probably head me off if I get a little too vocal--she always did know how to do that. Just smile and look at you, lettin' you down easy, knowin' you'd said enough.

Happy Valentine's. Me and Peanut are headed north to the big city to have one of them $200 steaks. Lots to spend, but worth every cent. The piano player and John, our favorite waiter, make us feel right at home in our favorite restaurant. I like Valentine's Day--comes and goes without all the Christmas-type hassles.

That's all for this time, til' next time, thanks for your time.