Well you know you are getting older when your childhood friends begin having heart caths.

I am on Facebook and have made several connections with old friends from the place of my birth.

Generally don't go there too much, Facebook that is, but I do stop in from time to time. Yesterday my best childhood friend had a heart cath. His daughter sent me an Facebook message saying " Uncle Tommy, Daddy is having a heart cath, pray for him".

There were four friends that I had in my years of growing up in Jackson, La. Mike, Danny, Dickie, Roho, We all fished together, drank together, and just were the best of friends.

Mike was the most closest as I look back. It wasn't a week that passed, that we didn't share a meal either at his folks home or mine. We hunted together, fished together.

It was a great childhood and into our college years we stayed close. After that, we managed to drift away, one of the main reasons was that I came to the realization of my orientation and choosing a partner. This was somewhat dramatic for me, due to the fact that at the time most everyone that I grew up with was practicing the "Baptist Faith"... Southern Baptist, the version of Fire and Brimstone. But I had already drifted down to the Presbyterian Church, a lil more liberal Church, in a Southern Baptist town. Side Note....I have made the 180 turn and now practice with the Episcopal Church.

Many Years Pass, partner, no partner... aging at a respectable pace... ...

Anyway along comes Facebook and I made connections with Mike's wife Debbie, then their daughter Krystan. Krystan writes to me every so often on Facebook, letting me know of her family. She addresses me as Uncle Tommy.

As you pass from childhood and go off in your own direction, the folks that remained where you grew up seem to have kept an connection with you. Must be that they hold on to relations, to events that you have long forgotten, things like that.

It happen here with Krystan...she has written to me, like I had never left, recalling events that her Father (Mike) has told her of, of the growing up of five boys in rural East Feliciana Parish and their adventures.

As I sit here it has been a slow Sunday.

On Wednesday of this past week, I took off, but work consumed most of the days off.

So its back to work, without any real rest.

Just have to take it easy more, find some time to go back to the gym...well just have to see.

The tree work has started in the backyard.

The Hackberry is gone. The Water Oak is trimmed up.

More photos on their way.

Early this morning my phone rang. The house phone. It was the Head Florist in town. The time was 234 AM. I went to bed at 932 pm last night... resting peacefully.... awakened to that ring, ring, ring....

"Helllooo, Tommy its Rick"

As soon as he said he was Rick and I did recognize the voice... I knew exactly why he was calling.

Rick, the town's head florist extraordinaire was calling cause someone in his immediate family, past lovers, current bfs, or other humans of unknown nature had fallen to the custody of the City Police, Parish Sheriff, or other law enforcement agents
It turned out to be his niece, pretty young girl who works in his shop. As the story was related with one eye open at that time in the morning, she had exited a local club on a major thorough fare, was pulled over and at that point the story is the same any where in this great land.

Every since I can remember in my adult life, the 4th of July weekend here in Louisiana has always been marked with some sort of either folks being arrested, dying of horrific circumstances, or just plain tragic accidents.

That is the reason, I go to bed early, on the 4th, snuggle up in some cleans bed sheets, and fall asleep. Cause in the past so many years, someone is going to call for assistance in some arrest, accident, or just drunk..and wanting to talk.

After noon today, I am off until next Tuesday.

Yesterday I had a heart stress test.

Passed it with flying colors.

All my arteries are clear, heart is strong.

The only thing that bothered the dr was my continued high blood pressure even tho I am on medication for it.

He told me to go back to the gym, lose 20 pounds, and take two bp pills.

Limit my caloric intake and become more healthy.

Well, I will try.

I have been doing well. No Beef, only chicken and fish.

Its those candy bowls all over the damn City offices that I must now pass up.

Have to see..... 264 today.....see what happens in two weeks.