Five More Minutes

Another Mother's day is quickly approaching. This day only serves as a reminder of the one person who had the greatest impact on my life is no longer with us.  Its coming up on Thirteen years since we lost my Mom. Mother's day was the last time we as a family got together. My dad saw fit to bring us kids together for mom. We spent that Sunday morning in church. That was where mom felt we needed to be every Sunday morning.  Her health quickly declined after that. Cancer has a way of stealing your life from you. By August she was gone. 
    The state she was in at the time of her death I did not get to say goodbye.  I did not get to tell her one last time I loved her. I did not get to tell her how much she would be missed.  Just 5 more minutes with her in a lucid state and I could have expressed those feelings to her, maybe. Maybe I would have been so emotionally distraught the words would not have came.  Whose to say what those 5 minutes would have consisted of. Knowing my mom always the teacher would not have let me speak. Maybe it would have been instructions on how to conduct myself.  Maybe it would have been to look after dad. Maybe it would be to tell us kids to always stay close as a family because we are all we have. I'm not sure but it would have been nice to have those few extra precious minutes. 
   I know I told her many times, too many to count how much I loved her. She knew without a doubt.  She told me as well. There is always regret that comes with death.  I should have and if only are always on the mind.  There is not a day that she doesn't come to mind. Whether its the fried egg and bologna sandwiches that were a summer time staple or a song on the radio. There is always something throughout the day that brings her to mind. How could it not? There is so much of her influence in my life. She did a great job molding my life.  One of my favorite go to lines is this. She did the very best with what she had to work with.  I'm not perfect but neither was she.  But she was and will always be my Mama
    I know you can hear me mama when I say to you today I love you and miss you.
5 more minutes seems like a short time but it can mean the world to someone.
Take time to hug your mom while you can.  No matter how much time you spend with her though, there will still come a time in your life when you will wish for 5 more minutes. 
  
   

Mama and Music

This morning marks another Mothers Day without my Mama. In a her memory I put on some Barry Manilow while I write this. She loved his music and that music fills my childhood memories.  Her music definitely has had an influence on me. She had a very eclectic taste when it came to music. She had a very diverse music collection. You would find everything from Rod Stewart to Slim Whitman.  As a sidenote not a fan of the latter at all. We as children would suffer through that artist many times during our childhood.  We were exposed to Elvis Presley which was also one of her favorites.  Christmas was not Christmas without "Blue Christmas" and it still isn't. Once again I was not the fan of Elvis but I never turn the dial when his songs come on the radio. Those songs are golden memory makers.
   My mom would turn the music on as she cleaned house. I'm guessing that's where I got that habit.  I will say that as much as I like Barry he does not inspire me to clean the house. 
    I remember a time when she went though an Ez listening phase. You know the music that is just that. The kind of stuff they piped through the speakers while you shopped. Like just an instrumental version of those artist she loved. I believe there was a station here in the DFW Metroplex that played that format. I seem to recall it being EZ 100 on the FM dial. Oh how I hated the station. Which is funny that some years later I find myself a fan of smooth jazz. Yet another influence of my mother.
   While some people are not a fan of music and may even laugh that I find myself listening to Barry Manilow on Mother's Day 2017.  Ask yourself about the crazy habits or quirks that were influenced by your mama. Oh believe me they are there. As for me other than God there is nothing as powerful as music. It can make you laugh, sing, cry and bring back memories long forgotten.  When memories are all you have left that's not a bad thing at all. So don't laugh too hard at me,  my mama is gone and all that is left is memories. Enjoy your Mother's hug and kiss your mama. Love her with all your heart. As for me well ...... Lola she was a show girl, gotta go "Copa Cabana" is playing. God bless.

Five More Minutes

Another Mother's day is quickly approaching. This day only serves as a reminder of the one person who had the greatest impact on my life is no longer with us.  Its coming up on Thirteen years since we lost my Mom. Mother's day was the last time we as a family got together. My dad saw fit to bring us kids together for mom. We spent that Sunday morning in church. That was where mom felt we needed to be every Sunday morning.  Her health quickly declined after that. Cancer has a way of stealing your life from you. By August she was gone. 
    The state she was in at the time of her death I did not get to say goodbye.  I did not get to tell her one last time I loved her. I did not get to tell her how much she would be missed.  Just 5 more minutes with her in a lucid state and I could have expressed those feelings to her, maybe. Maybe I would have been so emotionally distraught the words would not have came.  Whose to say what those 5 minutes would have consisted of. Knowing my mom always the teacher would not have let me speak. Maybe it would have been instructions on how to conduct myself.  Maybe it would have been to look after dad. Maybe it would be to tell us kids to always stay close as a family because we are all we have. I'm not sure but it would have been nice to have those few extra precious minutes. 
   I know I told her many times, too many to count how much I loved her. She knew without a doubt.  She told me as well. There is always regret that comes with death.  I should have and if only are always on the mind.  There is not a day that she doesn't come to mind. Whether its the fried egg and bologna sandwiches that were a summer time staple or a song on the radio. There is always something throughout the day that brings her to mind. How could it not? There is so much of her influence in my life. She did a great job molding my life.  One of my favorite go to lines is this. She did the very best with what she had to work with.  I'm not perfect but neither was she.  But she was and will always be my Mama
    I know you can hear me mama when I say to you today I love you and miss you.
5 more minutes seems like a short time but it can mean the world to someone.
Take time to hug your mom while you can.  No matter how much time you spend with her though, there will still come a time in your life when you will wish for 5 more minutes. 
  
    Below is the Last Picture of my Mom Mother's Day 2004

The Family Table

Isn't it funny how we put so much time into building the perfect living room. The big screen TV, the couch and love seat. The perfect place for family and friends. We spend countless hours a week there its our sanctuary from our day to day.
    To me its funny that when company arrives we always end up at the family table. Sometimes we break out a board game or dominoes. Sometimes its a cup of coffee with some memories thrown in.  Its not just my house where this happens. It seems this happens when we visit others. Whether it be my dad's house or my Mother in-law's house it seems that is where we gravitate to.
    I think that is because at one time in our now too busy society the family table held a place of reverence and signified family. It was welcome to all and signified coming together. 
   When I was growing up I remember the visit to my Aunt's and Uncle's houses. I remember those Saturday nights vividly. Occasionally it was a meal that brought us all together but more times than not it was all about being together.  The laughter and the conversations I can still hear today. As a child if you listened you got to know one another. It was an honor to sit around these great men and women's
tables. Those memories are all that are left of those men and women. Asking someone to sit at your table was not an empty gesture it meant something. You were considered family.
   It is something we do far less today. Always something more important. The TV show you can't miss or someone has plans away from the house.  We try to at least plan a couple of meals a week where everyone sits at the table. Those days there is no telling who may show up. That's fine we always cook more than enough. I feel myself listening more than talking because it gives me a chance to observe and learn, just like mama taught me when I was young. You will get your chance to speak I promise.
    Just a few thoughts about a piece of furniture that does not get near the respect it deserves. The family table. The word family says it all. Make time this week for family.

From There to Here

Do you ever step back and just say wow? How did I get to where I am in life? Do you think about the twists and turns that led you to this very minute in life? What a crazy ride it has been. The joys the heartache all led you to where you stand now. Lord knows our lives aren't perfect by any stretch of the imagination. But there are those moments when you feel truly blessed.
   Watching the sunset tonight I'll have to admit I feel blessed. I have a great job that allows me to provide for my family. I have a girl that not only is my wife but my best friend. We have a lot of the same interests and love spending time together.  We truly enjoy each other's company. Tonight she is at School tonight so its just me and the hounds tonight on the back patio. Its a bit lonely tonight on this beautiful evening. It allows me a little time to reflect. I say all that to say this" I truly do not know how my life got to this point." Truthfully I think I tried my best to sabotage my best efforts of making a good life. I was always good at making bad decisions and quick decisions without considering the outcome.
  I can only explain it by saying "divine intervention." What else could it be? I promise its not of my hands. I know when I try and take the wheel I wind up lost. I'm a male I don't take directions well. Its in our DNA. 
   I look back at my life and I swear its like a maze. I know that a different turn along the wayhere or there I would not be where I am. I still have a long way to go and with the Good Lord willing he will get me there. I have learned so many of life's lessons and I am sure there will be more along the way. I have made mistakes that I will not make again. I have learned how to love unsefishly. I have learned what its like to give your heart away and have someone give their heart back in return.  Life is not a straight path from there to here. Its the crooks and turns that build character along the way. Its the relationships with friends and family that make the journey worthwhile. I really don't know how I got here but I am enjoying the view.
Life is good
God Bless
Big Skinny

Making Memories

If we could describe our lives in two words, it would be making memories. Its the reason we do what we do. Family vacations, the big wedding, celebrations in general. When old friends get together to catch up with each other, conversations after catching up almost automatically veers towards the past and the memories we share. Oh the times we had back then. I can hear it now. Those great memories can move us to laughter or tears. Sometimes its all we have left of someone. I can drive by the lot where my grandmother's house once stood as a family landmark. The house is long gone but in my mind I remember every detail of that lot. I remember how the house stood there. I remember the smell inside. I remember the cane patch at the side of the house we were forbidden to go into. I also remember running through it many times and the spankings that ensued. I remember running around the shed and stepping on a 16 penny nail and it going all the way through my foot. Not a great memory but yet still a memory. Some memories are great and some leave scars.
   I love hearing my dad talk about his memories. He talks about his dad who I am too young to remember. Hearing him speak about his dad makes me feel closer to him. He talks about when he and my mom met. It seems like yesterday to him. Memories help us cope with life such as it is. It helps us deal with death when memiries are all we have left. 
   Here and now is only a moment and its gone. The true life's test is what kind of memories are you building along the way. Do we take time out for the big family outing or vacations. Man those times build lots of mental reels for the future. Those are times that spark great conversation and brings all involved smiles. Memories tie us all together no matter how far life causes us to drift apart. One of my fondest memories is a big family vacation in Colorado with my dad. Since that week several years ago we have all drifted in different directions but the memories of that trip still make us seem close.
  Life is all about making memories and its too short not to make some great ones. Every second of each day counts. Start adding to your mental reel collection daily.
God Bless
Big Skinny

50

Well the day has finally arrived. I have said goodbye to many decades of my life but this one is different. I have lived half a century on this earth. I have seen good and bad. I have seen some of the greatest life changing inventions ever created. I have seen history made. Some were great moments in history and some have rocked our country to its very core.
    Now is the time in life where you reflect back on your life. Some moments of my life bring a smile to my face while others make me sad. Choices that I made some good some not so great also come to mind. How could my life turned out differently with a few different choices. A little more thought could have saved me some heartache along the way. Patience is what I lack and looking back, with a little patience my choices might have been different. My life looking back is a winding road that led me to where I am today. The good choices made far outweigh the bad I will say.
    Then I look back at all of the people who have had an impact on my life. The influences that have stayed with me all my life. First and foremost God and my Lord Jesus Christ. There is always that small little voice inside me to tell me what I should do in life if I choose to listen. There is my mom whose voice I can still hear every day and I try to live a life that will not disrespect her memory.  My grandparents, though I only had them for a short time in my life left a tremendous impact. My older brother who showed me what a great man looks like and gave me a measuring stick. There were pastors to lean on along the way who always had an open ear and heart. They did not judge but offered Godly council. There was my best friend Gary Flood who showed me time and again what a real friend is. There is my dad who by all accounts is the first super hero I ever knew. He was tough as nails but knew how to be a father. He taught me about real love and how to give. There were cousins whom I shared my childhood with and now we share our adulthood good and bad. There were aunts and uncles who taught me life lessons and what it meant to work. Billy Burks I thank you for teaching me about hard work. That has stayed with me my whole life and I love you for it.
   I have faced loss and came out on the other side. I have learned how to move on and learn a new normal without those loved ones. I have seen one marriage dissolve into misery and learn to start over with my best friend. 
   In my short 50 years I have seen a lot and good Lord willing I will get to see more. I know that life is a continuous battle and all the lessons learned will be used to face future challenges. I also know the next 50 will pose different challenges. God Bless
Kenney Big Skinny Pope

One Week

Like a child waiting on Christmas here I am waiting. I'm waiting on the best present I could have asked for and its all wrapped up in you. Its just a mere week and its been 4 years in the making, my forever. So glad I found you and I can't tell you enough.
   As we sit in silence watching the Sunrise together just enjoying each other. I realize with every love song playing that these songs were wrote about us. Its a gift when you can take something broke and piece it back together. That's what you have done with my heart. I had all but given up on love but you showed me it would be better than just ok to try again.
In just a mere week a new chapter will begin for us as you will take my last name.  So many things were missing my first go round into marriage from the start.  I never had someone that wanted to be a part of everything in my life. I never had someone encourage me to follow my dreams. I never had someone completely believe in me.  You give me wings to fly.  You still believe in me when I come crashing to the ground.  Our relationship is built on mutual respect. Even though you will never be the one to put all of your thoughts into words I will never doubt how you feel. You show me many times daily your devotion and care.
  In a mere week we will see the sunsets differently, as one.  We will build our life together. We will experience tears of joy and laughter. We will be there for each other when times aren't so good. We will always have the other's back.  You are a force to be reckoned with If someone hurts a loved one. 
   What I am saying is in just a week I will be proud to be your man, protector and provider. You will always be loved. Thank you for taking a chance on me.
One week and I can't wait. 

Perfect World

While enjoying the weather last night, I told Cynthia it was perfect. I then asked her I wonder how many perfect weather days we have a year? Then I answered my own question. Its really a hard question to answer. Its subjective to what one considers perfect. What's perfect to me might not be to you. For example a 55 degree day with a light northwest breeze is my perfect day. One of those sweatshirt and jeans kind of day is my favorite kind of days. Maybe your perfect weather day is sunny and 85.
   The word perfect could literally have millions of meanings. That is where we are as a nation. Everyone has their own idea of what a perfect world would be. I believe that's why we are taught to share as a child. We are taught to compromise. We can't be selfish and think that it is only going to be perfect for us all the time. Now when I say compromise I'm not talking about your core beliefs. That includes morals and the things you were taught that make you a better person. What I'm talking about is meeting someone half way. Like maybe a sunny 70 degree day instead of 55. See we met in the middle somewhere and although it's not perfect to either one of us its a compromise we can both live with.
   Its not a perfect world we live in and its not ever going to be but some are so stuck seeing only their perfect way that they miss out on a lot of life. We sometimes need to think less of ourselves and think about what we can do to make it a more perfect world for others.  Sometimes we need to see things the way others do to understand where they are coming from. There are a long line of people in this world that were mistreated and have taught hate for generations because of injustices done against them. We can speak hate back at them but honestly if we just took a second and looked at the world through their eyes what would we see?  Are we doing all we can to make it a more perfect world for all or just ourselves. Truth is there is not one who couldn't do more. The world we are leaving for future generations is a scary thought.  Things going on I never thought I would see in my lifetime. Nearing 50 years of age I realize what I thought was a perfect world is not and never was. I was just seeing things through my eyes. 
    Look if it was all about me God would just make it 55 degrees every day but as you have noticed we have an abundance of someone's idea of a perfect day every day. Lets look beyond ourselves and make this a more perfect world.

Kenney Big Skinny Pope

Goodbye

It was a tough week for me as I had to say goodbye to a companion and friend. She was a bit temperamental and possessive but hey we all have our faults. She was full of love and in return she showed love until the end. Even though she was frail and was fighting to take a breath, the minute I walked into the door from work her ears perked as she tried to stand. I reached down and helped her to her feet and she stood as best she could. She was letting me know that she knew I was there. I knew she was in bad shape but did not know she would be gone in a few hours. My world revolved around that little furbaby. After my divorce she was all I had to remind me of my former life. 
    When I left for work while living with dad for a short while after my separation and divorce; she would howl because she did not like it when I left her alone. She had some form of separation anxiety I am guessing. I will say that it made her so happy to see me when I came home. In the last four years since me and Cynthia have been together, whenever we came home from being out it was always me she ran to. Her and Cynthia formed a bond even though they fought over space in the bed. Sugar always wanted to be next to me. She would work her way between me and Cee no matter where I sat her before I drifted off to sleep. I would wake in the morning and most morning she would be perched on Cynthia's pillow between us. I will not lie it was a point of contention between the two. I remember the conversations between the two still. He is my man Cee would say, of course it was one sided Sugar never said a word as Cee was speaking to her but I know she was thinking that I was her's first. She wasn't about to give me up.
   Sugar was my protector at a whopping 5 lbs. If she was sitting on my lap you didn't mess with me because she would attack. She was always on my lap. 
    I did my best to care for her in her latter years. Her sight was gone and she went deaf and she struggled to walk but she made her way around. I will admit I probably should have put her down a while back but I was selfish. I didn't want see her suffer and as best as I could tell she was still getting around okay until about a week ago. At 18 years of age she had a good long life. 
    RIp Sugar you were loved and you will be missed. My lap will be colder and I miss those playful conversations between you and Cee in the mornings. I especially miss the way you would totally ignore her as you had your little doggie butt on her head on her pillow as you snuggled up close to me every night. I will miss those morning doggie breath kisses as I picked you up off the bed so you could do your business. You were a little shivering ball of fur on winter mornings and got it done quickly.
    Love you little buddy

Here Comes Fall

There is just something about Fall time. Maybe its the chilly nights or the cool days. Maybe its just the relief from the heat. During the July months it seemed Fall would never get here. Just a distant dream. Now we stand on the precipice of our first Fall cold front. The long wait is about to be over for all of us lovers of Fall. 
   I love most everything that comes with this time of year. Lots of great memories growing up.  It would be the time of year we would start preparing for the winter. That involved chopping logs and kindling for the fireplace. We would make sure all the outdoor water faucets were insulated for the winter months. There would be raking the yard for leaves to compost in the garden for the next spring. The heavy blankets were brought out for the beds because we didn't have central heat or air. We just had a few gas heaters spread throughout the house.
    There were football Sundays for the 5 guys in my house growing up. We would sit and spend an afternoon watching our Cowboys. Sometimes we would be at our high school football field with a group  of friends making like we were the all pro players, at least that's how I saw it. I loved hanging out with my older brothers.
     The fall brought Thanksgiving celebrations growing up that are hard to replicate. There was love and you could feel it. Our extended family was together and in a word, it was greatness. The food, and there was a lot of it was spread out over lunch and dinner. There was laughter and joy. Lots of great memories.
    As I have gotten older I have made lots of great Fall memories. Working in a pumpkin patch, lots of high school football games and trips to the state fair. In a little over a month we will prepare for another Thankgiving. We will all get together to give thanks for blessings from the past year and there was a lot to be thankful for.  Right now for instance I'm am so thankful summer is behind us. Enjoy the changing of the leaves, the weather and this time of year. PS make a great memory by getting out to The Texas State Fair.
 

All We Need Is Love

The Beatles had that right. All we need is love. Love will go a long way in correcting what is wrong with our society. Sometimes we get caught up with our own life we forget to show compassion for others. We are selfish to a point. I admit that because of the actions of a few panhandlers I rarely give to those asking for money on the street. I have to just ask myself what if that person were me? I don't know the circumstances that led them to where they are. I am guilty of judging and that is wrong. I even think to myself " Hey if you can stand there for hours on end, couldn't you find a job somewhere ? " Who am I to judge? The truth is if we saw Jesus Christ on a street corner he probably would resemble a lot of homeless people. He depended on others for sustaining him. He did not work a paying job. Those who refused to give to him missed out on a blessing.
     That is just one example of not loving one another.  We are living in a nation divided. There are the haves and the have nots. Look at our Presidential candidates. Both are wealthy with millions spent on campaigns. We have racial tension now in our country the likes not seen in decades. We have people protesting our National Anthem. We are celebrating 15 years since a horrible terrorist attack took thousands of lives.  Why can't we as a nation go back to that mindset on Sept 11? We came together as a nation. Churches were full and prayers were sent up coast to coast. There was love amongst every race. There was no judgment amongst us. We were just concerned how to take care of our nation. We have lost our way. We need to stop wagging our finger at one another. There is racism all around us from every race. There is criticism and judgment coming from all sides. Who are we to judge anybody. I was taught in God's eyes sin is sin. We were all born into it. No one is perfect. We want to put labels on it and say this sin is worse than that one.  We are all guilty.  That's a pretty unpopular belief and I'm sure I will take some grief over it but that's cool.
   The point is this we need to love more and judge less. We need to put  God back to first into our country.
   All we need is Love.
My hats off to those who lost their lives
On 9/11/01
 
  
  

I Promise

I sit tonight and think as the big day approaches. We've both been down this road before but its different this time. We both have come out of 20 year plus marriages so we know what to expect. We both know what we want and what we don't. We have been together 4 years so there are no surprises. That being said I still feel the need to say this.
I promise to put you second only to God. I honestly believe you are the gift God has sent me. After our first go round with marriage we could have both been turned off by the thought of committing to another human being. I will not take lightly that you believed in me enough to give me your heart.
   I promise I will be with you for as long as the Good Lord gives me.  I have never had a another person love me like you do. Therefore I choose to stay. You have my heart.
    I promise to always take interest in the things that interest you even if it means watching a thousand hours of Harry Potter or getting all geeked out to go to some Harry Potter resort for vacation.  I want you to know that first its not all about me. Second your likes and dislikes are important to me.
   I promise to spend as much time doing things together as possible. Even if it's just sitting on the patio watching a sunset.
   I promise to protect you. I want you to always feel safe. I want to be your protector your muscle. I will always have your back unconditionally.
  I promise I will be your sounding board when you have had a rough day and accept I can't fix everything. Sometimes you just need an ear and a shoulder.
   I promise that I will be here through good and bad. I will be your constant. I want to be the one who wipes the tears from your eyes or hear your laughter.
  I promise I will always provide for you to the best of my ability. We will work together to build not just a house but a home. I will support your family to the best of my ability whether it be financially or emotionally.
   I promise to always try to make you laugh. Your laughter brightens my day.
    I can't wait to grow old with you and show you I am a man of my word. Words are cheap but actions say it all I promise.
   

Music and Memories

There is probably nothing save Cynthia that I am more passionate about than music. Cooking would be a close third I am guessing. Music however has always been a big part of my life. I guess it started like everyone else. Church hymns and being a part of the choir. Before that was music class in Elementary School. At that age I did not get how powerful it was. It was a living breathing thing and very powerful. I had the privilege of having two older brothers who had some influence on the music I was exposed to as well as my mother who had an eclectic taste in music. My dad was not really into the whole music thing at the time. I think over the years he has come around a bit. Who can live without music in the life for goodness sake? Whether you like it or not you are exposed to it. Whether you know it or not it is powerful. It can evoke emotions and memories. What else can take you back and even bring you to tears? What other way was there to express to your significant other how you felt than a mix tape. You remember the mix tape. A collection of power ballads that said all you couldn't.  You can even recall certain events and times in your life by just hearing a song. Music is always present except maybe birth at all of our special occasions.
    I remember as a young preteen discovering my musical taste. I remember my first album bought. It was "Some Things Don't Come Easy" by England Dan and John Ford Coley. I still love that album. I still have it and its well worn with all of the crackle and hiss. One of the coolest things I got to do in radio was interview John Ford Coley. I explained to him that he had an impact on my life because of his music. He was an awesome interview and a really cool dude. As we were talking off air prepping for the next segment after the commercial break. We were talking about the record and I told him about one of my favorite tracks on it and he said that he hated the song. Not in a mean way he just thought it was too simple. That was cool I learned then and there just because it is on a record it doesn't mean the artist loves it.
   A lot of the artist that I listened to growing up I had the opportunity to sit and talk to them one on one. I especially was intrigued by the ones that wrote their own music. You could feel the excitement in their voice as they explained how a song came to be. After that you listen to a song with more appreciation for understanding where it came from.
     As a teenager I never thought as I was listening to these artists on American Top 40 with Casey Kasem, that I would be conversing with them.  Its funny how life turns out. That is the power of music. It takes you to places you never thought you would go. It takes you back to your childhood. I remember breaking up with my first serious girlfriend and hearing a song on the radio. A light came on and I thought to myself I get it, I understand it.  Music can make you remember people and places and in your mind its so vivid. You could almost touch it. That is why music is so powerful. It can help you remember or forget. It can comfort or evoke pain.  But most of all it can put a smile on your face as you find yourself drifting to a time far away thinking about some of the greatest memories of your life.

A Little Imagination

How many can remember going outside as a child and playing. Can you remember how much imagination and creativity we could come up with. We would look around and use whatever was available in the yard to play whatever game we could come up with. If we wanted to play war we could venture over the neighbors fence into his huge garden for dirt clods. These were clumps of mud that had dried into nice little grenade pellets that would explode on impact. They were soft so they did not hurt when you were hit with them. They were far superior to the clay clods in my dad's garden. Those would not disintegrate on impact and were quite painful when hit by one. Lots of trial and error in the war games. Nothing would bring the game to a close quicker than someone running into the house crying to mom. That would get us all in trouble for throwing dirt clods. As long as no one got hurt the war games went on unnoticed by mama. If she happened to stick her head out the back screen door to check up on her little angels she saw us scramble to get into freeze tag mode. A harmless playground game. We were sneaky little devils.
   Maybe sometimes we wanted to play like we were on a Sunday drive. We would assemble a makeshift car out of scrap junk my dad collected. If we needed a steering wheel my dad had an old cast iron hand plow with what looked like a bicycle rim on it. If you turned it upside down using the free spinning rim you could imagine a steering wheel. 
   One of my favorite shows on air at the time was C.H.I.P.S . It was a show about two California Highway Patrol Officers on motorcycles. We would rummage through dad's truck find a couple of hard hats and hop on our bicycles and voila we were Jon Baker and Ponch.  Very imaginative if I don't say say myself. As a side note, if you turned the helmet around to where bill was in the back you could be Gage and Desoto from another one of my favorite shows Emergency. That was a show about two Los Angeles Paramedic/firefighters.
  We played hide-go-seek and the like but my favorite times was going out in the field next door to play football with oldest brother. I would imagine I was a star receiver running a pass route as he hurled the football 60 yards. He had an arm.
   Cynthia tells me stories of her childhood as well and apparently they were very imaginative as well. They would use sticks as guns and they had sound effects. I do kid her occasionally about the stick thing. Sometimes today we go out and play fetch with the dog and I tell the dog to go get the gun. Its not a gun until she makes the sound effect. I just see it as a stick. With the sound effect its like a light comes on and I finally get it.
   Then there were the ramps made to emulate our hero Evel Kneivel. Bricks, cinder blocks and plywood make a deadly ramp. Crashes were not uncommon and bumps and bruises were not abnormal.  Mama learned not to ask what we were doing. I don't remember any serious injuries just Kids using the imagination God gave us.
    I believe that imagination has served me well over the years. It has made me to often look outside the box at what could be. Sometimes life gives us a pile of junk or random objects to get around. If you step back and think about it maybe you could use it to take your own Sunday drive. 

The One I Never Thought I'd Find

You never know when inspiration will strike. On my way home the other day I'm listening to the radio. Its a song I've heard hundreds of times in my life. I own a copy of it so I've heard it many times. I've always really liked it. Johnny Rivers "Slow Dancing" is the song. I heard the line, "The one I never thought I'd find" and it got me to thinking. With my wedding coming up how fortunate I am.
   Everyone looks for that special someone. Sometimes the search takes awhile. We start out dating slowly weeding out those who don't measure up to what we are looking for. There is some heartbreak along the way because you lost what you thought at the time was the one. At the time you don't know how your world will turn after such a heartbreak. We know it does eventually. Maybe you marry who you thought was the one only to find out years later that you wasted a lot of years. The point is that it can be a very time consuming search. I have always wondered how do you know they are the one? There is no bell that goes off no alarm that tells you to stop looking.  Truth is you just know. Let me just say from experience, its a lot easier to know you've found the right one when you have experienced the opposite.  Let me also say this, never settle because you don't think you can do better or because you are tired of the search. 
   When I separated from my ex wife and eventually divorced, I was scared because I had no inkling what the future held. I dated a few women but did not really find what I was looking for. Match.com is a great tool. I say that only because that is where me and Cee met. She indicated she was interested by winking at me. I contacted her and we had our first meeting. It was a low key mid morning mid week meeting at Barnes and Noble.  When she pulled up she watched me for a few minutes as I was helping a stranded damsel jumpstart her car. That was a good sign to her that I would help someone in need. That first meeting was great. She was bubbly and talkative. We had a lot in common. We talked for a couple of hours and neither knew where it would lead if anywhere. Fast forward a couple of weeks on my Birthday we had our first date. I was emceeing a concert and she was watching me work. Being in radio at the time it was like that a lot in the beginning. I loved that she wanted to be where I was and she still does.
   We are on the same wavelength most of the time. We love the same music, activities and food. We never fight. We have disagreements but we don't fight. We both come from 20 plus years of marriage so we know what we want. 
I love her and can't imagine my life without her. That's how you know you found the one. Don't get me wrong its still work it is 100-100% all the time. But I have always felt if you love it, it ain't work.
   If you are going through a divorce don't despair there are still some good ones out there but you will have to draft from the second round. I found the best one.
     Happy dating and God Bless all of those who found the one they never thought they'd find.

The Weekend

As I stir from a peaceful sleep this Sunday morning, I glance at my watch it's 7:05. My first thought is one of panic. I am late for work......no wait it's Sunday a day off. I am sure we have all had that moment of panic. That just means we were sleeping so sound that it took a few seconds for our minds to reboot. That's exactly what weekends are for. Its a time to recharge physically and a time to make memories. Sometimes it means recharging spiritually sitting in a church pew on Sunday just to thank God for getting you through said week. Maybe even praying for patience to get through the next one.   We spend the whole week putting a weekend plan together.  Sometimes it's months of preparation to make the weekend special.
    No matter how much you love your job, you still love the little mini vacation each week brings. It is like a little reward for working hard. The weekends are tailored or custom fit for the time of the year we happen to be in. Weekends at the lake in the Summer or hunting trips in the winter we make it work every weekend.
  As a child we took those 2 days for granted especially in the Summer when we had 7 days a week to do nothing. These days find us making plans with family or catching up with friends. 2 days is never enough time to do that. I have also come to realize it doesn't matter how long or how much time you have off you still come back tired and ready for the next one. Time to start on the plans for next weekend. Its a never ending cycle. Then there is the lazy weekend binge watching Netflix. I love those weekends but for some reason feel guilty for not doing more around the house.
Some weekends are yard work and house cleaning and some are just spontaneous. No plans just whatever happens we will roll with it.  I don't know about you but having that special someone in your life make each weekend planned or unplanned 2 days of greatness. It gives us opportunity to express our love in thoughtful gestures such as going to dinner or just being together that  the weekly job's time constraints make it hard to do. 
  Whatever your passion is enjoy it. Mine is football and it will soon be upon us.
Fall time football weekends I can't wait.
As you are planning that weekend keep one thing in mind.. ..Kenney loves BBQ too.  Have a great weekend and happy Monday......too much too soon? Sorry one day at a time. Happy weekend
  

What If

Yesterday while listening to the radio I heard a song that made me stop and think. The song was "One More Day" by Diamond Rio. If you have never heard the song stop reading and go to YouTube and pull up the video. This will give you an idea what i'm writing about. Its a beautifully written song. The song proposes a wish is granted that the person singing could have one more day with a lost loved one. Someone that has passed on to the afterlife.
    This got me to pondering. What if every five years you could bring one person back for a day. Who would you choose? Would you choose anyone? I got to thinking of all the loved ones I've lost throughout my life. Would it be my grandfather on my Dad's side who I never really got to know because I was so young when he passed. I could get to know a man that I've only heard stories about. I am sorry I never got to know him and it would be cool to meet him. I have only a few of these wishes throughout my lifetime how high up on the list is my granddad whom I've never known?  Would it be either of my grandmothers ? Most definitely  I would love to sit and talk with them for hours. I could let them know their diciplining was not in vain and I turned out ok. I could let them know that they influenced my life and that I would not be who I am without them and their memories in my life. Would it be my older brother who I did not get to grow old with? He was only 25 and had so much life left. I would love for him to meet Cynthia. I would love to wrestle with him one more time. I think I could take him this time maybe. I would talk music and football.  That was two of his greatest loves as well. My mother would be number one on the wish list. Man I miss her so much every day. I just want her to know I'm ok.  I would have to break out the Barry Mannilow  collection and dust it off.  Just to sit and rewind, go back in time and visit the past. The truth is there are so many to bring back for a day it would be hard to choose. 
     Then we are faced with the dilemma of saying goodbye again. Ripping open that old wound and sorrow and grief of losing them the first time.  It's missing them even more all over again. Would it be worth it?. I'm sure most of us would say yes, it  would definitely be worth the suffering we would endure. One day would never be enough.
   The one question that would have to be answered is what does the afterlife hold for us? Wouldn't that take a little fear out of death if we knew what was waiting for us on the other side.
   I know this what if is just a dream but that is what all what ifs are.  I can take comfort and peace in knowing each of these lost loved ones, the ones mentioned and those that are not, are a part of my life every day. Those memories are all I have. I can take a few minutes every day and let my mind drift back to those days when they were were all in my life.  That is all have.  We keep moving on because life doesn't stop.  We just have to live our lives in way that someone would give up a wish to bring you back for a day.
  Kenney Big Skinny Pope

Itsy Bitsy Spider

On my way work one day this week, I climbed into my truck preparing to back out of the driveway. As I checked my side mirrors I noticed a little spider on the passenger side mirror trying desperately to climb off. For anyone that knows me well, there are three things I don't interact with. I do not like Spiders, snakes or mice/ rats. This spider being one of the three was on his or her own in finding a way off the truck. I figured if it didn't make its way down, once I reached cruising speed of 70 mph it would fly like it never had before. Maybe in its last seconds on earth it would be an adrenaline rush. The last few seconds just flying at what must be like the speed for a little spider. Maybe in some way I was helping the spider fulfill something on its bucket list. I'm not real sure how Spiders think but it could have been a possibility.  So now I am cruising through a neighborhood at 35 mph.  This spider is a trooper. He or she is under duress as the wind force is shaking as it scurries trying to find safety. I am thinking little spider you ain't seen nothing yet. We are fixing to hit the highway and you will be airborne in just a few. I hope you brought a helmet. So as we hit the highway the spider crawls up to the plastic housing surrounding the mirror. It's in a place where there is virtually no wind force to blow it down the road. That spider rode from the Westside of Fort Worth to South Dallas. This is about a 45 minute trip. Kudos spider I have driven you farther than you could walk in a lifetime. When I got out of the truck I left the spider right where he was because in a weird way he or she earned my respect. Now comes the hard part of readjusting to a new way of life for this spider. It in an unfamiliar place with new obstacles to conquer.
      As I got to thinking about this very minor event for me but probably momentous for this spider this thought came to me. Isn't life for us a lot like this spider's crazy ride? We are traveling down life's highway at what seems like breakneck speed with no idea where we are headed. Like this little spider we have traveled so far that we could not get back to where we were if we had three lifetimes. Every day is an exercise in overcoming new obstacles. Many of these said obstacles are things that we arbitrarily place in our path throughout our years of travel. We do this because we think that we will never have to go over the obstacle, but there it is waiting on us. Some of the obstacles we face are from situations arising in which we have no control.  Most animals are created with the basic instinct of survival. This means they don't concern themselves with the past they are constantly looking forward. The spider wasn't concerned about getting back to where it was it was only concerned about moving forward in survival mode. We can't concern ourselves with looking back at yesterday or 20 years ago trying to change the past or regretting past mistakes. We can learn from them, making our future a better place to be in.  Just like the spider had no say in where he was going, we living life experience the same daily. We might not know exactly where life is going to take because there are so many unplanned or predicted twists and turns. We can make the most of where we are. We can climb down off of the mirror and clean out our 8 legged pair of pants because sometimes life is scary and at times its a harrowing ride. Then once again there are those simple moments when you feel the love of friends and family and thank God for giving you another day. Those exhilarating days are what makes life worth pushing on down the road for another mile or two.
   The truth is that spider could have bailed anytime but chose not to. Jumping from the truck at that speed would have been certain death. It chose to hang on and see where the ride was taking it.  The spider's family and friends were a memory and now the spider moves on to the big city. Brighter days hopefully with new opportunities and memories.  Maybe and more than likely this spider had no idea what transpired a few days ago. There is a slim chance it used its little spider Mobile phone and called it's friends and family and said I am finally taking that trip I talked about to find myself.  It never takes long to find yourself in Dallas and it might be ready to come home soon. If you find yourself in Dallas and see a spider with eight thumbs up in the wind trying to hitch a ride back to Fort Worth pull over and give him or her a mirror to ride back on.
  Enjoy the ride.
Kenney"Bigskinny Pope"
7/16/2016

4th of July

Another family barbecue-get together another hot summer day.  Another dip in the pool to cool off, yes you guessed it, another 4th of July celebration. its one of those times of the year  we all get together. It's a time of memory making. It's a time of reflecting and celebrating our freedoms. For some it may be just a day off but for others it's a reminder of those who fought to give us our way of life. Even today as we are celebrating there will be some there with us who gave up a part of their life to make sure you could do what you are doing today. There is not one of us who have never experienced going through a war could imagine the mental anguish. That is something our Veterans experience on a daily basis. Some have learned how to cope but they never forget. Some never quite get there. Society and our Government forgot them. You can find these lost souls living on the streets or in homeless shelters. They deserve so much more than they have been given. What a price was paid for our right to worship how we see fit. What a price paid to just live our lives on a daily basis freely.  It's possibly one of two days a year they even come to mind. I know I take my freedom for granted, how could I not? It's all I've ever known. These days the fight is on our soils.  Wars and battles still rage. We hear about it almost every day. We now more than ever depend on our Veterans to protect our homeland from those who wish to do us harm. The 4th of July is more than a pool party or some dogs and burgers on the grill. It's a time to stand by our military and support them. It's a time we fight the government so that our vets get the heathcare  they deserve. It's a time to be there for a family member who has served and is having a hard time readjusting. It's a time to give back to those who never thought twice about giving it all if it came down to it. It's a time to listen and learn and to care about more than ourselves. Honestly if it weren't for our soldiers what kind of life would we have to celebrate. In the spirit of 1776, Happy 4th of July.