Loachapoaka, AL and the Syrup Sopping

Every fall in Loachapoaka (pronounced:  Loach uh poke uh), AL they hold the annual syrup soppin'.  I had never been to one of these until a couple of years ago and it is quite an event. My friend Mary, her husband Bill and her little grandsons, Caiden and Devin, went with us last year.  Caiden had his first horseback ride.  It was not your traditional horseback ride it was on a horse making syrup.  What an event....but what is it about Loachapoaka that fascinates me.  Well, Loachapoka was a Creek Indian (and I am part Creek) town for some decades prior to white settlement. In the last census prior to the Native removal to Oklahoma, Loachapoka was found to have a population of 564. Upon settlement by Euro-Americans, Loachapoka was temporarily renamed Ball's Fork and it became the regional trade center, a position that was reinforced in 1845 when it became the eastern-most point on the railroad to Montgomery. Loachapoka's influence peaked in the early 1870s, when her population reached nearly 1,300. Within a few years, a collapse of trade due to the Panic of 1873 and additional rail lines in the area sent Loachapoka into economic decline. Loachapoka roughly stabilized as a small farming community by the mid-1900s, and by the early 2000s had become a very very small-town suburb of Auburn. To show you just how small I am talking about....as of the census of 2000, there were only 165 people, 69 households, and 46 families residing in the town.  I don't know about you....but I lived in rural Alabama....and our town has over 20,000.  The thing that makes Loachapoka famous is that it is home to the annual Syrup Sopping Day. A historical fair and celebration of making syrup in traditional methods from sorghum and ribbon cane, Syrup Sopping Day attracts more than 20,000 people to Loachapoka annually.  Artists, musicians, local bands, crafters, all gather and show their wares.  It is so much fun.  The Lee County Historical Society Museum is located in an 1845 general store in the Loachapoka historic district, which, by the way is totally active with reenactments of how things were done in early times. 

Fred's Feed and Seed is not in operation except on Syrup day....inside there you can find some really interesting farm relics and other stuff. I love looking at old stuff...in old places...and this place sure does not let you down. The smell of the old feed and seed place....permeates your nostrils from the moment you step in the door.  It is amazing just seeing all the people who have come to visit, eat a biscuit, buy some syrup, look at crafts, listen to the music.  If you are a history buff, love  ribbon cane( if you want to read more about it) and sorgham syrup (yuck...maple girl here), or just love checking out old towns then you need to make plans to attend the Loachapoaka Syrup Days in October. It is definitely a great day for all...and the biscuits and fried apple pies are to die for.

And....It Lives.

The phone rang at 7:20 in the morning yesterday.

I was already up since I had to get Tommy off to school.

It was the guy from Dell calling about our sick computer. As soon as he told me who he was I wanted to start launching into my sordid tale over how I was so worried that I lost my pictures and my novels but Tom had told me that I shouldn’t do that, so I didn’t scare the poor guy off.

I contained myself.

“I’m waiting for your parts to get in. I’m not sure if they’ll make it in today,” he told me.

NOOOOOOOOO!

“If they do I’ll give you a call,” he promised.

It was on the tip of my tongue to launch into my tale. I wanted to say something like, “Sir, please. My pictures. My novels! I haven’t had the best couple of days. Last week I found a pair of PANTIES that weren’t mine in our yard. I just want my computer! That’s all I want. I just want my computer back!” But I didn’t. Suppose I did wind up scaring him off? I calmly said thank you and crossed my fingers that the parts would get in.

Please oh please.

I was in such a panic that I decided to bring Natalie to the mall playground to take my mind off of it all.

I sat down on the bench while Natalie played. I kept thinking about my computer. Would it be okay? Would my pictures be okay? Would the parts come in? What if they didn’t come in? What if there was a DELAY and my computer didn’t work until next week? I couldn’t wait until next week. There was no way I could—

“Hello.”

A voice cut into my thoughts.

I looked over and a woman was settling down beside me. She had a little boy who looked to be around three or four with her.

“Go play, Sawyer,” she said and he rushed off.

I never know if I should start talking to a complete stranger. There are some people who can just start chatting to anyone. I am not one of those people.

“Ah-u-deh-may!” Natalie’s called out. “Ah-u-deh-may!” She was shouting the Spanish word for help even though it looked like she was perfectly fine. She was standing up on a fake tree trunk. Still, I didn’t want the woman to think I was negligent so I said, “Are you okay?”

“Yup,” Natalie said and hopped down.

But seriously, what if my computer wasn’t fixed until next week? Then what? My old laptop that I was using was making funny noises and would freeze at certain sites. I couldn’t LIVE like that. I—

“Your daughter speaks Spanish?” the woman beside me wondered. She looked impressed.

“Sort of?” I replied.

“Is there a Spanish speaking person in your house?” she inquired.

I shook my head. Did Nick Jr count?

“Who is her teacher then? I’ve been looking to get a language teacher for Sawyer. I read that it’s good for children to speak other languages. Plus, they can pick it up so quickly as children,” the woman prattled on. She was actually excited about this.

It was then when I realized she was one of those moms. You know, the kind who can make a doll out of a bunch of sticks and who probably enjoys cooking? She also had a cardigan tied loosely around her neck. I didn’t think people actually wore cardigans like that in real life. I thought they were just used on television to portray rich stuck up people.

“Dora and Diego are her teachers,” I said jokingly. I expected her to giggle with me.

She didn’t.

She just blinked at me.

“You know, from Nick Jr?” I felt the need to offer. She seriously looked confused.

“Oh, we don’t watch a lot of TV,” she said kindly. But her expression clearly said, “I bet she’s one of those Moms who use the TV as a babysitter.” And I totally do. How else am I supposed to clean? She’s probably the type of Mom who allows her kids to help.

A silence fell.

I felt that I ought to say something so I said, “I like your son’s name. Sawyer. He’s a really good character on the show Lost. ”

Again, Cardigan Lady looked perplexed. “Huh?”

“You know, the TV show Lost? ” Good God was this woman living under a rock?

Cardigan Lady gave me a tight smile. “As I said before, we don’t watch a lot of TV.”

I had an impulse to rip off her cardigan and throw it across the hall.

We didn’t exchange another word after that. I think the last straw was when I gave Natalie some fruit snacks that weren’t organic.

As Natalie and I were leaving I spotted Sawyer behind a toy picking his nose. This gave me a sense of satisfaction, to be honest.

And then guess what?

The Dell guy called soon after that. He had good news. He had the parts! He could come in about a half hour. Would that work for me?

“YES!” I yelled. My computer was coming back! Oh please let it come back without any problems.

I rushed upstairs to tell Tom. He had just gotten off the night shift and was sleeping but he told me to wake him when the Dell guy was coming so he could meet him at the gate and make sure he wasn’t out to murder us all and steal our things.

Tom was not pleased on being woken up. I can’t blame him. I hate being disturbed when I’m sleeping. I think I scare my children even MORE than their bad dreams that they have at night. Because when they call for me at two in the morning and I stumble in there all cranky with crazy hair, they tell me to go back to bed and never mind; they didn’t have a bad dream after all.

“The Dell guy is coming,” I said to Tom.

“Pillows are fun,” he responded. His eyes were still shut.

“No Tom, not pillows. The DELL guy is coming. You told me to wake you in case the guy turned out to be a murderer?”

“Eating!” Tom bellowed.

What?

“The DELL GUY IS COMING!” I shouted.

Tom’s eyes cracked open. “Huh?”

“The Dell guy is COMING!”

Tom rubbed his eyes. “Tomorrow?”

*Sighs*

“Today, Tom.”

“And?” Tom’s eyes shut again.

“You told me to wake you in case he turned out to be a murderer,” I said, exasperated.

Ten minutes later he finally comprehended it all. He stumbled down the stairs. “You owe me,” he grumbled.

“Sexually or do you want me to make you something?” I wondered.

“Sexually. Your food gives me heartburn,” Tom said, shoving his feet into his shoes.

Rude.

A half hour later the Dell guy was in our home.

He opened our tower and pulled stuff out of it. This made me nervous. I kept wanting to say, “Sir, be gentle, BE GENTLE!” So I just sat down on the couch and refused to watch anymore.

When he finished with that he turned it back on and…

IT WORKED!

Windows came up as it was supposed to.

I wanted to hug the complete stranger but I didn’t.

“There you go,” the Dell guy said after checking everything.

Yay! My computer was back. My novels! My pictures!

“Thank you!” I gushed. I wanted to add, “Bless you, sir,” but that would have been a bit much.

Bottom line? I’m impressed with Dell.

I want to have Dell’s babies.

If Dell were a person, that is.

And if I weren’t already married.

Inside Natalie's Closet--Gymbuck Edition

Well, I spent my Gymbucks over at Gymboree.com to get some outfits for Natalie.

Thankfully I uploaded these pictures before my computer got sick.

But good news on that! Dell has already called me. Bad news? The guy said he didn't think my computer parts will make it today. *Insert wails here* Maybe tomorrow? Please?

For now, I have a fashion show of Natalie in her new duds.



This is what Natalie does when you ask her to smile. If you're lucky.



This is what Natalie does when you ask her to smile and she doesn't want to. She tries to bonk you.



And she whines and says, "I don't YIKE this!"



Then a gust of wind blew and suddenly Natalie liked taking pictures again. Thanks crazy wind of Wyoming.



I started to sing some creepy Yo Gabba Gabba songs.



Natalie is all, "You'll have to do better than that, love."



So I ran into the side of the house. She liked this.



Maybe she liked this TOO much?





I'm so glad I can amuse her. Really.

**OUTFIT CHANGE**



She's going to wear this when we go to the Denver zoo. I like to put her in outfits that go with where we are headed if possible. Tom says this is odd. We're going to an aquarium over the summer and I already have an aquarium outfit.



She's all, "Um. Why aren't you running into the house?"



Guess who just ran into the house?





And...the crazy wind blew again.

**OUTFIT CHANGE**



She found a bug. She was NOT impressed.



Getting her to hold still isn't always easy. She took off and started climbing over a pipe.



I started snorting like a pig. Yes, my neighbors already think I've lost it so they're sort of used to me making bizarre sounds.



Natalie is all, "Mommy is nutso but she makes me smile."



And then she inspected bugs.

**OUTFIT CHANGE**



The dress made me think of my mom since she loves horses. Natalie seems to love horses too so I had to get this.



She was sort of done taking pictures and kept running off. "I being a ballerina!" she yelled at me when I asked her to come back.



She came back! And that's her bee from the dollar spot at Target. I'm not above bribery if it means I get to shop in peace.



Big smiles when I told her we could have some chocolate later.



Natalie doesn't understand why Kate Gosselin is still on Dancing with the Stars either.



Natalie also doesn't understand why people scream for Rob Pattinson when his hair looks as though a creature is living in it.



Natalie DOES think that Yo Gabba Gabba rocks.



Guess who ran into the side of the house again?



See ya, blog people!

A Walk to Remember - Down Memory Lane

April 15th, 1954, 56 years ago I was born.  My parents, Fred and Wilma (yep..that is really their names) were 25 and 29 on that day.  I was named Karen Leigh Sasser.  My godmother, Frances was delighted with my name after hearing some of the names my mother was debating over.  My dad had just celebrated his birthday the day before the big event.  I spent my first three years in a basement apartment owned by Ethyl Berry.  She was like my grandmother and I adored her.  We lived there until my brother Dougie was one and then we moved into the house next door to the apartment.  I was not quite four.  We lived there on Georgia Avenue, right across the street from what was then Palm Beach High School.  It was a perfect place to be a child.  There was a bakery on one end of the block and a candy store/snack bar at the other end.  My church was a block behind our house.  The bus stopped on both ends of the block.  I loved life there. 

When I was young music was very important to me. That has not changed a whole lot in the past 56 years. I got my first guitar when I was not quite 4. It was not much of one but I loved it.This picture was made in the basement apartment.  It was not much of an apartment, by today's standards...but I can assure you there was a lot of love in that tiny two bedroom, one bath apartment....a lot of love.  My dad was in apprenticeship school then and we had one car...can you believe that?  One car?  It was a 1940 something chevy...yucky green colored.  It had to be rolled down the hill to start sometimes. My dad was a great electrician...he was never much of a mechanic.  He used to say he was a jack of all trades - master of none...but that was not true...he was a Master Electrician....and Dad.

                     

From Georgia Avenue we moved to El Prado in the Vedado Park neighborhood.  It was there that I attended Belvedere Elementary School, Conniston Junior High, and Forest Hill High School.  It was there that I made my first children friends.  Dougie and I were the only kids on Georgia Avenue.  El Prado brought Carol, Susan, Kathy and a whole host of other kids into my life.  Life was good on El Prado until January 5th, 1963.  My brother died just 16 days shy of his 6th birthday.  When I look back at these old pictures I see a ragamuffin little girl.  I was such a tom boy and really hated wearing dresses.  My mom was an excellent seamstress and made the majority of my clothes.  What I would not give to have THAT mom back again.  The material was some she had bought on a visit to my grandparents in Alexander City.  It came from the Avondale Mill Store.  It was called seconds because there was a flaw somewhere in the fabric.  I remember one dress she made for me that had a foot print on the underside of the fabric.  It was amazing what she could do with a needle and some thread.  By now my dad was working for Arrow Electric.  He was a Union man....with the IBEW(International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.)  I lived and breathed for that Arrow Suburban to come down our street.

When I was in the sixth grade I was a school safety patrol and got to go to Washington, DC.  It was the biggest event of my life, at that point.  Carol also got to go.  We were roommates at the Shoreham Hotel during our stay there.  Can you believe that the two of us are only 6 months apart in age?  I was 5'5 in the 6th grade...and never grew another inch.  Carol was not even 5 foot at the time.  We looked like Mutt and Jeff don't you think?  This picture was made in front of her house.  How do I remember this?  She had a sidewalk....we didn't.  Carol and I both played guitars back in the day.  When we were in elementary school we dressed up like the Beatles one year for the Halloween parade.  We were awesome.  We also made guitars before we had real ones and would put on shows for our parents.  We sang together as teens with New Dawn and were dubbed the Hick Duet when we performed our first duet in church...the song..."Put Your Hand in the Hand."  I have never sung that song again...and blush anytime I hear it.  Larry Bergstrom, Kenny Bergstrom, and Jim Warren made so much fun of us that night.  It is a wonder I ever sang in public again....but I did.   

We graduated from Forest Hill in 1972. I drove a 1968 Plymouth Satellite (lovingly dubbed the Sasserlite).  It was fire engine red, had white leather seats, had a 383 engine in it, Krager mags and knock off spinners.  I loved the beach.  Carol King's song had just hit number one - "You've Got a Friend." I loved singing with Carol King and Karen Carpenter. I wanted to be just like them.  We went on to attend Palm Beach Junior College (dubbed Peanut Butter and Jelly College). I wanted to be like Shirley Muldowney and drive drag racers then.  My dad and I would go to the drag races on Friday nights....that is until I got a drivers license. 

Kathy Duck, Donna McAdams, Carol and I on her wedding day.  I sang at her wedding in 1975.  She has been married for 35 years.  That is astounding in today's world.  Don't you love the dresses....very 70's don't you think?  Carol was a beautiful bride. We all went our separate ways over the years.  Carol is really the only one of these four that I kept up with.  I moved to Alabama...and my life took a different road.  I have carried them in my heart though...all these years.  I have often wondered where the other two are and what they became.  I sang at most of my friends weddings.  I even sang at Chuck and Susan's wedding...but that is a story all to itself.  I will have to tell you one day.

Me, Carol and Susan at one of our high school class reunions.  I have 56 years of some of the best memories ever with these two girls.  Susan and her husband Chuck live in Knoxville, TN and we are still as thick as thieves.  When we are together...it does not matter how long it has been since we have been together...we pick up right where we left off.  She is Kat's godmother.  Carol and her husband Jeff retired this year and moved to Summerville, SC.  We have also kept in touch all these years...no matter where she lived.  She does not look any different from the day we met.  She always had the greatest smile.  I have been blessed to have them as friends all these years.

Time has marched on.  I have traveled the world.  I have earned a Masters Degree.  I have done many of the things I have wanted to do in my life, I have lived so I would have no regrets.  I have loved most everything about the 56 years I have been given on this earth.  I am blessed.  Today, on my birthday I just felt like taking a stroll down memory lane with you...those of you who know me...know most of this....those of you who have just met me....will see a side of me you have never seen.  This is Karen...unplugged...doing what I love to do most....enjoying life.

On my 55th birthday last year the group I sing with, Still Magnolias, opened for George Jones.  How cool is that.  If you don't know who he is....he is a Country Music legend....sleezy...but a legend just the same and I opened for him.  Life just keeps getting better and better.  Although this year has been a hard one...I survived.  I can't believe a whole year has passed and now I am looking at another year older...how blessed I have been.  I have such good friends and two wonderful daughters.  I am the luckiest person alive I believe.  I have not always made the best decisions and life has not always been perfect.  Heck!  It has been a far cry from a bowl of cherries....but I get out of those pits and move on quickly I can assure  you.

So here I am today....at the ripe age of 56.  What does life hold for me? Only God knows.  I am attending a retirement seminar today....that is not in my far to distant future.  I have enjoyed the first 56 years and cannot wait for what the next half brings.  In the years since I left Florida I have attended Auburn and Auburn at Montgomery, Alabama, and Whitman College in Washington state.  I married a wonderful man, Frank, who is like one of my best friends.  I became a preacher's wife and love that roll. I have made many friends whom I love dearly.  I have a wonderful job at Benjamin Russell High School where I teach.  I sing with Still Magnolias, I travel with Mary, Kat, Debo, and Amanda every chance I get. I sing in the Arbor Praise and Worship band, I bowl on two leagues....I enjoy every moment of life there is...and would not want it any other way.  Happy Birthday to me and I wish you all a wonderful Thursday!  XXOO

Off To - Philadelphia's Rittenhouse Town

.

Just added the story of Philadelphia's Historic RittenhouseTown on the It's About Time blog using 21st-century photos of the 7 surviving 18th-century buildings. Come take a tour of this Pennsylvania German paper mill town.

.

My Dell Computer Is Sick

HELP!

My computer is SICK!

Sorry.

I’m still in shock over what happened last night.

Would you like to know what happened last night?

Well, Windows Update popped on saying that I had to download stuff. Fine. I trust Windows Update. Why shouldn’t I trust Windows Update? Plus I have McAfee. I PAY for McAfee even though I know there is a plethora of free anti-virus sites. I PAY for McAfee to catch viruses.

Anyhow, Windows Update downloaded their stuff. I don’t even know what they download half the time. I trust Windows Update. I need to learn how to speak computer, I know. Because most of the time I’m sort of sitting there nodding, thinking that I know exactly what is going on with the computer but in reality I’m all, “Motherboard what?”

I restarted the computer because Windows Update said that I had to. I listened to Windows Update.

But then.

THEN the computer wouldn’t turn back on.

It kept making this horrible whirling sound.

“Oh no,” I wailed. “Oh NO!” Then I ran upstairs and threw open our bedroom door. Tom had just gone to bed and wasn’t pleased when I went, “Tom, I need HELP, the computer is SICK and I don’t know what to dooooo!” I was whining. I admit that now. But you have to understand, the computer is like…a part of me. Without it, I’m empty. The people who go without electronics are like modern days heroes in my eyes.

“What?” Tom grumbled, not budging. Did he not understand THAT THE COMPUTER WAS NOT WORKING?

“The computer won’t turn on!” I shouted. I was close to tears. Mainly because I had a bunch of pictures that I hadn’t saved. And a completed novel that I HADN’T SAVED! I mean, okay, I had saved it but it was the rough draft. I hadn’t saved all those revisions I had done. Stupid, I know. I mean, I have a portable hard drive to SAVE crap. And I didn’t.

“Calm down,” Tom said. He sounded annoyed as he pushed the covers off of him. He was not acting comforting at all. He stomped past me down the stairs and marched to the computer.

“Do you hear that horrible whirling sound? What is it? Is the computer dead? I am not having a good night, Tom. I have no idea what in the HELL is going on with Lost and now this. I swear I didn’t do anything wrong I just downloaded Windows Update and I—”

“Shhh,” Tom cut me off, holding up a hand.

Normally I’d be insulted that he was shushing me. I mean, hello, rude. But now I kept quiet as he peered at the computer. I did not like the expression on his face as he unplugged and replugged it in. The same whirling sound came on each time.

“What did you do?” he mumbled. Then he looked at me. “What did you do?”

“NOTHING!” I screeched.

I had to call Dell. It was our only hope.

A man named Nadiste/Nads/Nadistoo picked up on Dell’s end.

“How can I help you?” he wondered pleasantly.

I may have been overdramatic when I went, “My computer is SICK and I don’t know what to DO!”

Nadiste/Nads/Nadistoo tried his best to help me.

But the computer refused to work.

In the end it was found out that it was our motherboard/video card that appears to be dead. Nadiste/Nads/Nadistoo said that the Windows Updates might have been incompatible with the video card seeing as the video card is from 2007. This means I’m upset with Windows Update because they should WARN people about that.

Someone is supposed to call us to set up an appointment for a technician to come out. I’m told that everything will be okay but I’m still on edge. What if it’s not? MY PICTURES! MY NOVEL! MY MUSIC FROM ITUNES!

I’m on our old laptop now. And by old I mean OLD. It could die any second. It reminds me of that old laptop that Chandler Bing pulled out during an episode of Friends. You know, the episode where he’s chatting with Janice? I do have Pepto, my trusty tiny pink laptop but it tends to get pissy when I go to certain sites. And Tom has his brand new TWO THOUSAND DOLLAR laptop but he's rudely not sharing.

So forgive me if I don’t comment a lot. This thing runs pretty slow. I’m hoping (HOPING) that our computer is up and running next week. If I have to call Dell and burst into tears then so be it.

Please, for the love of chocolate PLEASE.

Happy Birthday Daddy!

Today is April 14th, it would have been my dad's 84 birthday....but instead it is a day I am going to remember the special times I had with my dad during my 55(56 tomorrow) year tenure as his daughter. I hope you will bear with me.  You see...I was due on the 14th too.  My dad was working across the state of Florida in Ft. Myers.  He took the day off on the 14th to be there when I made my arrival....alas, nothing happened.  My mom did not even have a twinge...all day.  Now, 55 years ago they were not quite so quick to induce labor so your child could be born on a given day...nope...things were done the old fashioned way....you waited.  Very early in the morning, on April 15th, my dad got up, got dressed, and left for Ft. Myers.  Before he walked out the door, he asked my mom if she was feeling alright.  She told him she had never felt better. (oops...today we would know that as a warning sign, especially when she got up and began cleaning the apartment.)  We only had one car back in those days....and my dad was in it.  At 8:00 a.m., my mom had to call a cab, her water had just broken.  My dad had just arrived on his job site in Ft. Myer.  The taxi came, saw my mom and was a bit nervous...it seems that just the week before he had made the paper because he had delivered a baby in the very same backseat my mom was sitting in.  Would the fates be that cruel again?  My mom assured him she was just going to visit a friend in the hospital....and would he drop her off at the emergency room...so she did not have to climb the stairs.  He was so sweet....and after I was born....sent my mom a blanket for me.  My dad on the other hand...who had driven all the way to Ft. Myers....turned around and headed home.  I was born shortly after he arrived.  He told me from the moment he held me and I wrapped my hand around his finger....I also wrapped my hand around his heart.  He and I were one.  Kids are like that....yeah we are!  Today is especially tough for me so if you don't mind would you keep me in your prayers today.  This is the first birthday that my dad and I haven't celebrated since 1954....and I am struggling.  This day will pass...I know that....and next year will be easier.  God bless you all today!  Hug your daddys if you can....if not just hug someone.  It might be the only hug they get all day!