Living Rural

the PEE DEE and the GRAND STRAND.

The summer is definitely coming. The attractions and cool stuff is getting ready for Memorial Day, for sure.

The Bikers on Harley Davidson’s are enjoying the beach, and more, during the Myrtle Beach Spring Bikers Rally through May 18th. Traffic is traffic, traffic, traffic, in other words, it is everywhere. Drive safely, please. Bikers remember to wear your helmet, riders, too!

Two events in our area this weekend promise to be real crowd please-rs! The Annual Blue Crab Festival in Little River, SC. The Blue Crab Festival features quality “art and crafts” with lots of Coastal Carolina Country Cuisine. Many recipes feature the famous Low Country Blue Crab. The beautiful “walk about” setting in Little River, SC is a “scenic fishing dock” on the Inter-coastal Waterway.

The second event, May FLY, in Florence at Florence Regional Airport (I think) on Saturday. The weather is supposed to be wonderful for both events.

And in Marion, SC, on Saturday is the Foxtrot Festival with a parade at 10 AM and Street Dance between 7 PM and 10 PM.

Oops! You just missed McCain’s fund-raiser on May 9 in Columbia, SC at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center. It was price-y$. Patron tickets - $2300 and general reception a mere $1000! Thus far, McCain has raised $60,594 in South Carolina through March, 2008, if I understood the wording in the article.

Back to the Grand Strand …

As mentioned earlier, the Harley Davidson Bike Rally during Myrtle Beach Bike Week until May 18 is a huge event, not to be missed, if you are a “Biker” or a lover of fun and excitement!

Good Vibrations! is a kid friendly show running until October featuring a virtual tour of the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s at The Carolina Opry. Check it out at www.TheCarolinaOpry.com

LeGrande Cirque, at the Palace Theatre is for all ages and is Spellbinding! It runs until the end of December. Shows are Monday through Saturday at 8 PM; Wednesday at 10 AM; Thursday at 2 PM. Find out more at www.Palacetheatremyrtlebeach.com

One the Show is kid friendly at the Alabama Theatre through October 24, 2008 and the kids are free Monday, Wednesday, Saturday at 7:30 PM. Look here for all the details at www.alabama-theatre.com

Legends In Concert featuring “five legends” is here until October 31, 2008. Check for details at www.legendsinconcert.com/locations/myrtle-beach/

For ART Lovers …

Art Exhibit: “People Reading: Selections from the Oresman’s collection” is 60 works of art featuring “people reading” through October 5, 2008 at 3100 S. Ocean Boulevard, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577. Get the details here www.MyrtleBeachArtMuseum.org

The Artist of the Month exhibit features photography of Suzanne Goff’s “Flower Power” until May 30, 2008 at 532 Broadway Street, Myrtle Beach, SC from 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM. A good family outing! We were not able to get any photography by Ms. Goff. Luckily my niece, Gwen, in Florida is allowing the debut of her latest art piece. Thanks, Gwen!
UP COMING:

Sun Fun Festival, June 5 - 9, 2008

Tickets to EVERYTHING at http://www.ticketsnow.com

WOW, lots of choices for some good old Southern FUN! Hope to see you at all of them!

Remember, “Y’all come back, ya’ hear!”

 Mother’s Day, May 11, Best Mother’s Day of all …

 HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY

2008

1926  - 1989

1908 - 1998

with love for the memories 

The much anticipated  HARD ROCK PARK  is officially opening today, Friday, May 9 in MyrtleBeach, SC. This is the world’s first rock ‘n’ roll theme park on 55-acres with 50 attractions for all ages. ‘It is all about the experience – where rock comes to play.’  A huge success with the pre-opening crowds of the past several days helping to check that all systems were on GO … HRP passed with flying colors.

            Season passes are available. Check out prices, entertainment scheduled, and availability here. 

Fans are pouring into Darlington, SC for the big RACE on Saturday, May 10, the Dodge Challenger 500 NASCAR SPIRIT CUP Series, 367 laps, 501.3 miles. To warm the fans up, the racecars, the drivers on the new surface at the famous track will be the Diamond Hill Plywood 200 NASCAR SPIRIT CUP Series Race, 147 laps, and 200.3 miles on Friday night, May 9, 2008. *  Race fans will pour $millions$ into the small southern town and surrounding area, the PEE DEE, over this race weekend. Especially advantageous with the rise in gas prices and the slump in our economy, welcome Race fans!

 And for BIKERS and fans … today is the start of the annual Myrtle Beach Spring Bike Week, May 9 – 18, 2008, with thousands and thousands expected to descend upon the Grand Strand for “Jack Daniels’ CRUISIN’ the COAST Spring Bike Rally. Traffic will be a nightmare for the locals, but tolerated, grin, as the $mullah$ pours in to local restaurants, hotels & motels, shopping venues and entertainment scheduled! WTG, HARLEY DAVIDSON!

What fun this weekend and next week in South Carolina!

Remember, “Y’all come back, ya’ hear!” 

*Due to problems today with our server at 451Press, this event will be over by this posting. I apologize for any problem this might cause.

whatever THAT is! For me, it is a total lack of things to say … no energy to research to FIND things to say … and feeling totally DETACHED about the whole thing. This is not good for someone responsible for fulfilling a contract. If anyone has an answer for this ailment, please pass along. I am tired of being “stuck’ with nothing to say!

POLITICS - Primary in Indiana and North Carolina on May 6

EDUCATION - Schools will be out for the summer soon. Most colleges are out already.
GRADUATES - Class of 2008 - Degrees, what is next?

MOVIES - Summer fluff, but the popcorn is always good!

TV - HDTV - February, 2009 - no cable for me since 1993, not going to change much at my house.

FAMILIES - Can be very cruel.
GRANDCHILDREN - None… and not any in the picture any time soon.

Gee, still thoughts in my head, now to get them on paper. Here is a website that might help … The Owl at Purdue

Most everybody has one … and in most, at some time there is turmoil.

This is my year for turmoil. Did I ask for it? No. Do I want it? No. Yet, I have turmoil. The kind that feels like a tornado with hurricane force winds just rolled right over the top of you. Was there damage? Yes. Is it repairable? No. Am I sad? Yes. Is my heart broken? Definitely! 

 Check out what parenting experts at Successful Parenting: God’s Way have to say.  

I am an only child and both of my parents are deceased. Somehow this makes the pain hurt more - I guess because there is no one left to share it. Especially, since the turmoil is with my children. At the ripe age of fifty-eight, I have come to realize that children do not always like, much less, love their parents AND the feeling goes both ways. Am I proud of making that statement? No, but does it make it less true, no.

I am the mother of four grown and very different women which is probably the reason for the turmoil! They are never all pleased and satisfied at the same time. And strangely it is always my fault. Or at least I thought so until now. I have finally accepted that it is not my fault, nor theirs, either. It is human nature in today’s world to be kind to people you do not know and treat those you call “family” like CRAP! 

Today I am taking a well deserved, long overdue VACATION -  from family. Physically, I am not going anywhere, but I am not going to be available for a while. No phone calls. No visits. I will,  after a time be available again, but not today, tomorrow, or the day after that … I will be selfish. I will do ONLY the things I want to do. I am re-grouping, taking stock of my priorities and finding out what makes me feel good about ME,  without first thinking will this work for “the children”.  

Frankly, my dear, I do not give a d***! Harsh words, you bet! Do I feel better just saying them out loud (in print)? You bet! 

Have a happy week. I am!                                                                                                      

 Laughter keeps us young … enjoy!     

         TOP 8 MORONS OF 2007

        1. WILL THE REAL DUMMY PLEASE STAND UP? AT&T fired President

        John Walter after nine months, saying he lacked intellectual

       leadership. He received a $26 million severance package.

         Perhaps it’s not Walter who’s lacking intelligence.

         2. WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM OUR FRIENDS: Police in Oakland, CA

        spent two hours attempting to subdue a gunman who had

         barricaded himself inside his home. After firing ten tear gas

         canisters, officers discovered that the man was standing

        beside them in the police line, shouting, “Please come out and

         give yourself up.”

         3. WHAT WAS PLAN B??? An Illinois man, pretending to have a

       gun, kidnapped a motorist and forced him to drive to two

         different automated teller machines, wherein the kidnapper

         proceeded to withdraw money from his own bank accounts.

   4.. THE GETAWAY! A man walked into a Topeka, Kansas Kwik Stop

         and asked for all the money in the cash drawer. Apparently,

         the take was too small, so he tied up the store clerk and

         worked the counter himself for three hours until police showed

        up and grabbed him.

       5. DID I SAY THAT??? Police in Los Angeles had good luck with

       a robbery suspect who just couldn’t control himself during a

        lineup. When detectives asked each man in the lineup to repeat

         the words: “Give me all your money or I’ll shoot”, the man

         shouted, “that’s not what I said!” .

         6. ARE WE COMMUNICATING??? A man spoke frantically into the

         phone: “My wife is pregnant and her contractions are only two

        minutes apart”. “Is this her first child?” the doctor asked.

         “No!” the man shouted, “This is her husband!”

       7. NOT THE SHARPEST TOOL IN THE SHED! In Modesto, CA, Steven

        Richard King was arrested for trying to hold up a Bank of

         America branch without a weapon. King used a thumb and a

         finger to simulate a gun. Unfortunately, he failed to keep his

         hand in his pocket. (hellooooooo)!

        8. THE GRAND FINALE!!! Last summer, down on Lake Isabella,

         located in the high desert, an hour east of Bakersfield, CA,

         some folks, new to boating, were having a problem. No matter

        how hard they tried, they couldn’t get their brand new 22 foot

         boat going. It was very sluggish in almost every maneuver, no

        matter how much power they applied. After about an hour of

       trying to make it go, they pulled into a nearby marina,

         thinking someone there might be able to tell them what was

         wrong. A thorough topside check revealed everything in perfect

         working condition The engine ran fine, the out-drive went up

        and down, and the propeller was the correct size and pitch.

        So, one of the marina guys jumped in the water to check

       underneath He came up choking on water he was laughing so hard.

         NOW REMEMBER…THIS IS TRUE.

        Under the boat, still strapped securely in place, was the

         trailer!

Thanks again to my friend, Mona, for sharing her connections to laughter!

 Check out the humor of  squiffy2 here   http://cre8buzz.com/profiles/847

Remember, “Y’all come back, ya’ hear!”

As you can see … I am NOT a morning person! I love the PJ’s, don’t you? Of course on Garfield anything is CUTE, right?

• Comments made in the year 1955!
• That’s only 52 years ago!
• “Have you seen the new cars coming out next year? It won’t be long before$2, 000.00 will only buy a used one.”
• “If cigarettes keep going up in price, I’m going to quit. A quarter a pack is ridiculous.”
• “Did you hear the post office is thinking about charging a dime just to mail a letter”
• “If they raise the minimum wage to $1.00, nobody will be able to hire outside help at the store.”
• “When I first started driving, who would have thought gas would someday cost 29 cents a gallon. Guess we’d be better off leaving the car in the garage.”
• “Kids today are impossible. Those duck tail hair cuts make it impossible to stay groomed. Next thing you know, boys will be wearing their hair as long as the girls.”
• “I’m afraid to send my kids to the movies any more. Ever since they let Clark Gable get by with saying DAMN in GONE WITH THE WIND, it seems every new movie has either HELL of DAMN in it.”
• “I read the other day where some scientist thinks it’s possible to put a man on the moon by the end of the century. They even have some fellows they call astronauts preparing for it down in Texas.”
• “Did you see where some baseball player just signed a contract for $75,000 a year just to play ball? It wouldn’t surprise me if someday they’ll be making more than the President.”
• “I never thought I’d see the day all our kitchen appliances would be electric. They are even making electric typewriters now.”
• “It’s too bad things are so tough nowadays. I see where a few married women are having to work to make ends meet.”
• “It won’t be long before young couples are going to have to hire someone to watch their kids so they can both work.”
• “Marriage doesn’t mean a thing any more, those Hollywood stars seem to be getting divorced at the drop of a hat.”
• “I’m afraid the Volkswagen car is going to open the door to a whole lot of foreign business.”
• “Thank goodness I won’t live to see the day when the Government takes half our income in taxes. I sometimes wonder if we are electing the best people to congress.”
• “The drive-in restaurant is convenient in nice weather, but I seriously doubt they will ever catch on.”
• “There is no sense going to Lincoln or Omaha anymore for a weekend, it costs nearly $15.00 a night to stay in a hotel.”
• “No one can afford to be sick anymore, at $35.00 a day in the hospital it’s too rich for my blood.”
• “If they think I’ll pay 50 cents for a hair cut, forget it.”

Thank you to my friend, Sally, for the quotes and the memories!Remember, “Y’all come back, ya’ hear!’

• “

Hi,I hope this post correctly.?Thanks,PCP

Wow, my very first game of online tag! How COOOL is that?I was tagged by Jean Lockwood at Parenting and Religion  and now I will tag five other people … and the beat goes on … you get the picture, right?   H ere are the questions:

*How long have you been blogging?
*What inspired you to start a blog and who are your mentors?
*Are You trying to make money online, or just doing it for fun?
*Tell me 3 things you LOVE about being online.
*Tell me 3 things you STRUGGLE with in the online world.          

Answer #1: I started blogging in May, 2007 with 451Press.com.  Answer #2: My daughter, Leslie, is awonderful writer. She is my inspiration and who brought me to 451 Press.    Answer #3: Am I writingto make money? You mean we get paid! JK. Of course, I would like to make money … have I, yet? Notenough to report to anyone, not even “Uncle Sam”. But I am not giving up!  Answer #4: I adore thepeople I have met. I like the good feeling I get when someone leaves a good comment on a post. I lovelearning something new everyday - through my research or through reading a fellow blogger’s post. Answer #5: It is hard finding the time needed to have a great post every time. It keeps me up waypast my bedtime! Not getting many comments on my posts.  OK, now to tag 5 lucky people!!!Heather at WatchingVH1    Sandra at Globally Green Living     Jason at AnimeFansOnline   Jaime at FictionScribe   Elizabeth at Rachel Ray  Have fun and remember, “Y’all come back, ya’ hear!”

My goodness, it can not be … but it is … another Monday! Maxine says it best, “The only thing worse than a Monday is a decaffeinated Monday!” Old Maxine always says what I feel and it is getting scary! My college, AIU, started back today. I am taking Medical Terminology and Accounting. Both classes are very detailed and lots of material to cover in five (5) weeks - wish me luck. The weather has turned cold again … a freeze warning tonight … March 20 was the FIRST DAY of SPRING, right? Daylight savings time screws up everything, doesn’t it! My days and nights are a little mixed up since the change which makes the time to study interesting.   Even with the chill in the air, my “little piece of heaven” is a nice place to be! I’m headed out …Remember, “Y’all come back, ya’ here!” 

is important to me in my Christian walk with my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. It is a day of celebration of Jesus’ resurrection from death, which forgives the sins of all people who repent and believe in Him. Yes, I am a Christian. I walk in faith everyday, trusting my Lord that He has my life in His control. Without this faith, my life would be meaningless, as in materialistic and humanistic, i.e. of this world.

 What does Easter mean to you?    The King James Version can be found   here.

 I hope you know the Lord. I hope you will be with family and friends today in the church of your choice worshiping because HE IS RISEN.

 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.(John 3:16-17) 

a picture tell is all.   John works at the Cargill plant in Eddyville, Iowa. 

Wouldn’t it be fitting if this went completely around the world!…..    John Gebhardt’s wife, Mindy, said that this little girl’s entire family was executed.  The insurgents intended to execute the little girl also, and shot her in the head…but they failed to kill her.  She was cared for in John’s hospital and is healing up, but continues to cry and moan. The nurses said John is the only one who seems to calm her down, so John has spent the last four nights holding her while they both slept in that chair. The girl is coming along with her healing. He is a real Star of the war, and represents what America is trying to do.This, my friends, is worth sharing.  Go for it!!   Please keep this going.  Nothing will happen if you don’t, but the American public needs to see pictures like this and needs to realize that what we’re doing over there is making a difference.  Even if it is just one little girl at a time. James Gates U. S. Navy   

Has it affected you, a family member, friend, co-worker, or an acquaintance through one of the aforementioned?                                            Chances are that it has, or will. My father-in-law suffered from MS for over 30 years, passing in 1982. He was a brilliant man that could not voice or make his brilliancy known, as his ability to communicate was slowly taken away. Oh, but those eyes!  How they could talk!  For those of us privileged to be close to him, we knew what he meant - each sparkle, each blink, every tear.  I feel privileged to have known him and loved him …. here, it comes …. BUT, I would not wish his life with MS on anyone. 

Official PR Announcement:        

The Multiple Sclerosis Resource Centre (MSRC) www.msrc.co.uk and cre8Buzz http://cre8buzz.com/ announce the launch of a unique and inclusive Multiple Sclerosis Community on the Internet, providing not only up to date MS News and Stories, but a place where those affected by Multiple Sclerosis can communicate with others affected by the disease, and the wider public, by means of Online Blogs, Discussion Forums and Net-based social interaction.

To find out more please visit the cre8Buzz Multiple Sclerosis Community at: http://www.cre8buzz.com/multiple_sclerosis

 About the cre8Buzz MS community:

The place for families and friends affected by Multiple Sclerosis to Connect, Share, and Promote.

Connect:

Connect with others with MS. Talk, befriend, engage.

Share:

Share your stories, pictures, ideas experiences, give a little of yourself to others

Promote: 

Promote the wonderful community of MSers, family, friends, and supporters who are all fighting this disease

By partnering,

cre8Buzz/MSRC will create THE single “HUB” for family, friends and those affected by MS to come together and drive public awareness of the disease. By leveraging the power of social networking MSRC and cre8Buzz are excited about the ability to give a voice to those with MS and empower them to interact with others with the disease in a safe and supportive environment, breaking down the barriers of isolation which can occur for those suffering from a chronic disease.

 About cre8Buzz:

cre8Buzz is a social network, designed to connect and promote the voice, talents, and ideas of people and communities to the world. cre8Buzz wants to change the world by bringing people together over common interests, and ideas to provide information, interaction, and entertainment.

About MSRC - Multiple Sclerosis Resource Centre:

Multiple Sclerosis Resource Centre (MSRC) is a proactive and innovative charity, passionately committed to supporting anyone affected by Multiple Sclerosis through access to unbiased information and advice. Our approach is to encourage  make choices that are appropriate to their daily lives, empowering them to   potential.

MSRC Services

Personal MS Support

24 Hour Telephone Counselling within the UK on 0800 783 0518 (Option 1)

Specialist MS Advisor

New Pathways Magazine

MS Discussion Boards

 Live MS Chat Room

 MS Information Leaflets  

MSRC Insurance Services

Please Contact Us:

Multiple Sclerosis Resource Centre,

7 Peartree Business Centre,

Peartree Road,  Stanway, Colchester, Essex. CO3 0JN

Telephone 01206 505444 Non UK - +441206505444    Fax 01206 505449

Website: www.msrc.co.uk  Email: info@msrc.co.uk    

Special thanks to Antman for buzz’n this info and being a huge part of our world at cre8Buzz.                              Remember, “Ya’ll come back, ya’ hear!”