Just Rambling

Friend has returned to the north. Got him to the airport on time. We were so sure the departure would be on time until I just dropped him off. Naturally, I didn't hear the cell phone ringing to tell me the flight was delayed until 8 p.m. Good grief! But I am thankful for the time he took to look the property over.

No settlement on the 14th. It is now scheduled for the 18th. FedEx is headquartered in Memphis but the contract was sent by regular mail and returned the same way. Pulleeze. No problem, however. I'm ready whenever they are.

In the meantime, I'm developing a serious case of cabin fever. You can only shop the internet so much without spending money. But I've got a lot of things to buy and might as well look to see what is out there, for the least amount of money. The chairs at the dining room table are extremely hard--they look like the old school room chairs--so I've taken to using a pillow or blanket for padding to spare the posterior.

Also listening to the news. Absolutely crazy. Major fight at a high school, turf war, 18 youth taken away in handcuffs. Over 6 shootings within a 24-hour period and while I'm typing this, it comes across that a pharmacist shot a would-be robber. She had been robbed three weeks in a row and was ready this time. You go, girl. Man severely beaten on Sunday while he was working in his yard. And this was in a "good" neighborhood. Man stabbed and drove to the hospital with the knife embedded in his chest. Why was he stabbed? He spoke to some young men about the remarks they were making about his daughter. The next day, he was jumped and stabbed. The former city administrator has been sentenced to 33 months in jail for taking a bribe. Edmond Ford, city councilman, who was the impetus for the gas, light, and water company's scandal, has been indicted. He also owns a mortuary and the owner from whom he leases is fed up and selling the property. Sen. Ophelia Ford came late to a meeting and bombed the witnesses out. Wrong as 13 on a clock. She was wearing them out for one thing and the hearing was about something else. Now they want to say she may have an alcohol problem. The Fords are a family gone wild. An assistant pharmacology professor has been busted for selling drugs by night. And, on and on.

Memphis in May continues with its annual Bar-b-que cookoff at Tom Lee Park. The weather took a turn on the cool side. After 13 days of temperatures in the high 80s, I woke up to 47 degree temperatures. I'm too old for shocks like that. Stuck it out as long as I could but finally broke down and turned on the heat.

Advised that settlement will not be on Friday but the 21st, instead. Okaaay. Why, you ask? Because they couldn't find the deed for the owner when doing the title search? Whaaaat? Turns out it was still in her maiden name. By the time they received that information, it was too late to put together the package needed for settlement. Wait on the Lord.

Now, quiet as it is kept, the folks down here have a secret that we knew nothing about. Well, of course, silly. It is a secret. They've got money. Germantown Parkway is shoppers' heaven. Nothing but mega-malls and strip malls on both sides of the highway. And, unlike in the DC area, the stores are occupied. Very few empty storefronts. As my friend noted, there are very few hoopties. Everybody is driving a late-model car, truck, or suv. Hmmm. Maybe they'll let me in on the secret. I could use some extra cash.

And for those of you still fighting those high mortgages, you can buy a brick house, brand new in some communities for starting prices of $104,000. Say whaaat? Naturally, there are also developments with starting prices closer to what we're paying. But I'm telling you, those were some cute houses for $104K.

There is an elephant over my head. I swear when she walks, this unit vibrates. I am so afraid that she is going to come crashing through. Not only does she stomp all over the place but at midnight the other night, she was dragging furniture. You talking about too through! If this was a long term arrangement, I would have to let her know. But my time is short. Maybe the flooring will hold until I get out of here.