Momma A Great Life

On March 31st, in the Year 2001, Momma passed to the Great Hereafter.  She was 80, headed to 81, but didn't make it. She drove herself to the hospital, some days later she passed.

She was born to  W. O. Sumrall  and his wife Sara Elizabeth Warren, in the year 1920, in Shreveport, LA.  W O was there in Shreveport having been assigned there for the Rail Road. She was born, using a midwife, on Fairfield Ave.  By the time the great depression had began and into the throws of it, the family was back in Baton Rouge.  W.O. had passed away, he was murdered by a man that shot him while W O was working late one night at a warehouse office.  Sara, then turned her home with all her daughters/sons, into a boarding house for railroad men. So, the railroad company supported one of their own during the hard times of the Great Depression, in the light of tragedy.

Growing up in Baton Rouge in the mid 20s' into the 30s', prior to WWII, must have been a trying time, for a widow and her brood.  Sara's children:  Reese, Catherine, Mae, Momma, and the twins Harry and Helen.  The Boarding House was a big rambling home which was located in a  part of Baton Rouge close to downtown,  the home was taken when the New Mississippi River Bridge came along.  Then on the other hand, it  must have been an exciting time also;  Huey Long was Governor, just a few blocks from where a new state capitol building was being constructed, Esso (Exxon Corp) was expanding its gasoline capabilities.

Momma grew up knowing what work, commitment to a job, getting along with family, friends, neighbors, and boarders, she grew up in a caring family, with a rich history.

She passed that rich history of her self and her family on to her children. We, her children, were always told that of family, commitment, of work, and to be proud of the heritage of the past.

During WW II her baby brother, Harry, joined the US Navy, she also, joined the Women Air Corp, and attained the rank of Buck Sargent.  She contributed her rise in rank to listening to her Momma, Sara Elizabeth and that strong work ethic, developed back in that boarding house.

She married late in life, according to standards of the day, to a man, my daddy, who was late in life, marrying him self.  Momma was 31, Daddy was 48

She lived a very long, fruitful life, had great excitement, accomplished so very much, managed a her late husband's farm and acreage, raised three "chaps" as she called us.  Saw us rise to greater heights, which made her extremely happy.

She passed as she wanted to, making her Own Way, her Own Decision.

Side Notes on a Sunday Afternoon.

It's Palm Sunday,  a wonderful day outside, I am having the Canadians over for supper tonight.  A Town is experiencing an influx of Canadians, coming here for business.  Three of them will be here at the supper table tonight.  Interesting folks that they are.  We, of the Southern Tradition, take them back a lil' bit, I am told.  Our openness to say hi from the front porch as they stroll pass, our friendliness on the first meeting.... a hug and "how are ya, Suga", are things they are not a-custom to.

I am plying them with deboned chickens, stuff with crawfish and shrimp, brazed Brussel  Sprouts in a Pernod-Butter Sauce, fresh leaves from the organic fields, and stuff jalapeño peppers wrapped in home smoked bacon.  and as always ... Wine.

Its Sunday, and lenten vows can be forgiven, just a lil bit.

On a side note, one of the blogs that I read had comments about the dating life and some of their takes on it.  It's so very true, the comments and the blog entry itself, men, over 54 have a hard time in finding a truly connective relationship. One of the points were that we are a society "obsessed with connecting",  but we are so disconnected.  The more I thought about those comments, the more it rings so much True. Just a side note on a Sunday afternoon.

A Bright Day

Today, Friday, is a bright day as far as the sun is shining here.  It is a bright day in the career of one young man, whom I supervised over the pass seven years in his public service career.  He is moving on to another agency, for more career development, more salary, and a closer sense of community in an organization.

Today, he came by the office here on the red bricks of A Town, I gave him the following note to read after the day was over, he could share it with his family.

"My Dear Mr. Byrd

Just a few times in Life, we find folks with kindred hearts.  You are one of those folks that understand the "bigger" picture in Life.

When I first meet you, almost seven years ago, I knew on our first meeting, that you had a kindred heart.  That your soul spoke of kindest, honesty, the true belief in our Lord, and a self respect for your fellow man.

As you continue, on with your career, do not change that kindred heart. You will find others as you walk the path, but only a true few, will have the what you have, beliefs that are of strength. Those beliefs are a firm stand on how you conduct your business and your commitment to Life, to your wife, to your children, and to all who know you.

It has been my privilege to come to know you, Mr. Byrd, I will cherish that privilege always."

Its not too many times in one's career that you find a person that embodies a true sense of character, a person that acts with good faith, always; that sees the human element for its glories and faults, Mr. Byrd did.

He had a firm hand in the development of a department that had run amuck of its self before he took it over,  he rehabilitated it, brought it to a sense of self awareness and gave it a purpose.

I will miss Mr. Byrd very much.

It started out a slow week, which is not a bad thing.  It continues to be semi slow.  The downtown area of the city is starting to liven up some, for years it was a dead zone. Now, after years of sitting dormant, some life is getting back down there.  I happen to live about 12 blocks from downtown, just across the train tracks.  There is a hotel downtown that is being restored for the second time in 30 years, a photograph is below. We just need a few art galleries to open, there is a museum of art in operation, several restaurants, coffee house, and a bar or two already downtown.

The weather has been cooperating the past few days.  I will be able to pedal the bike around this weekend for sure.  I see by the weather report we will hit 80 degrees next week....!!! Spring has sprung.

Its raining here today, the neighborhood had a block gathering today, complete with city trolley, information booths. I heard it had about 130 attendees. Pretty good for a lil neighborhood like ours.  It was a light rain during the morning hours. The gathering was over around 1pm.  Pretty successful by all reports.

I'm still recovering from my lil oral operation.  There is a nagging thought floating through my mind, about that guy the other night, somewhat unsettling.  He did not have good karma. I have never liked to position my self with folks that I felt a negative karma from. I do not condemn, each to his own ways.....but some how I need to exercise my thoughts of him away from me.

Thinking... maybe too much!!

Since Wednesday, after the surgery, I have been here at the house for the last few days, instead of my normal routine of house and office downtown.

Your thoughts sometimes run a long ways when you are by yourself and you tend to  question what is ahead of you. My mother worked until she was 60, then retired, she lived another 20 years of a very fruitful and bountiful life.... full of excitement and joy.  She passed in 2001 on March 31st.  

I will be 62 here in December.  During college around 1974, I was a sophomore, I became a  resident assistant, in a residence hall that paid my room and board. During those college years,  I also, worked part time as a deputy sheriff, for gas money, then after graduation as full time as a deputy sheriff. Then in 1978, I went to work for the Great State of La, in the new reorganized DOC.  I had a wonderful career, retired in 2008, 30 years, then also in 2008 went to work for city govt here in the City by the Red River.  

So, counting back to 1974 I have worked for 41 years and have been according to the plaques and commendations that line my office walls, pretty successful.  

With all that said, I am feeling a need to "move on". I know, that I will need to do something to manage my time, but I am tending to think that I am not as happy with my current job as I was when I retired.

I find my self reflecting on being at a crossroad, turning from road to road, not knowing which way I should go or should I go at all.  The work with the city govt tends to be stressful due to the demands of public officials and the general public. It is certainly more intense than state govt work.  

Do I need a break from work... I think I do, do I need to leave the current job (btw its has its benefits, for sure) I don't know if I do or not.  That is the question that I keep turning in that crossroads. My sister keeps telling me we are in the last quarter ..... make the field goals count. Well,  maybe, I should just go up in the stands and eat popcorn and watch the game.

Well, its Wednesday evening in the Garden District, its raining.  I deleted the entry about the guy showing up at  my house and spending time.  After much pondering, I deleted it,  just because the karma was not good at the end of the time.

Today, I extensive oral surgery, I had a permanent bridge on the #29 to #31 back molars. #31 had somehow got fractured and became infected.. sounds bad.. it was, seems that it was a long term infection was slowly developing.   Cutting to the short of the story, I was sedated and woke up without the bridge.  Now, rest of the story, The Dr gave me a socket graft, placing human cadaver bone in the #31 socket to grow the jawbone back. Then after a few months we will then get permanent replacement teeth, the Dr uses titanium screws to place the new teeth in the jaw, no bridge. Somewhat costly, however, I consider it maintenance of the body at my age. Its an out of pocket expense and procedure that my insurance company doesn't cover.

Oh the neighborhood... here are three classic styles of homes in our lil neighborhood. I included my lil bungalow in the mix.  I have to say that I purchased it from the original family who built it in 1925.  The family purchased the lot in 1923.  I brought it from their son, when he as 77 years old.  Actually, he selected me to have his parents' home and his.  He wanted someone to care for it as his parents and he had done.  I was very proud to accept "the camp" and have taken care of it for the last 18 years.

Its a quaint lil neighborhood, with brick streets, high curbs (so the carriages could pull up to the curb and the passengers disembark and not sprain an ankle).  

It's ugly head.

My neighborhood is red brick streets, 1925 bungalows, two story stately mansions, large oaks, and small front yards.

Also, there is an increasing gay population of younger men.  There have always been "our group" here in the District.  This neighborhood has been known for it's tolerance, easy livin', and kick'd back Saturday afternoons, along with a healthy spatting of gay folks.  Just recently we have had an influx of younger gays in the 4 plex and 6 plexes that dot the District.

(Side Note: The 4-plex and 6-plexes are left over from the WW II era, when the US Army came to town, the military wives came with their men. We had Camp Claiborne, Camp Livingston, and Camp Beauregard all within 10 miles of our lil town).

But back to the Wednesday entry.  The younger gay population has now become the occupants of the "plexes". Their involvement also in the parTy life is very prevalent also.  T for Meth...T to ParTy.. T for a good time.

Its ugly.. the aftermath of this "T" for party.  One of the side effects is the increase rate of hiv and syphilis  in our lil town.  Just recently I noticed on one of my programs, that I saw 4 individual profiles all linked together within about 20 feet of each other.  My My... how technology has progress.. you can tell who is parTying with who.  I know each of the guys, who were linked on that day.  I know their status, cause every Body knows EveryBody here in the District...and Everything.

I have to say I am disappointed with several of the guys who continue to party, play, with no care in the world except the next "Nut".!!!  I can actually understand the mentality of some of the guys, but I can Not condone their actions....I have to say it one more time... understand, but not condone.  Cause sooner or later, there will be one guy who just because or because of some substance makes an unwise approach or move in one of these ParTies.

Its Just Another Ugly Head.!!!!!!!

Almost Done....... Almost

 Well the evening was ok.....with good company, other than the one I was suppose to meet,  did NOT show up.....He didn't show, at the last minute he text my friends, said he was out of town helping a family member.  I'm not sure if I even believe the excuse he gave my friends, after hearing them describe his exuberance of a personality....  I would say......Hmmmm just dud.

To say I was a lil disappointed, my friends made very pleasant excuses, very nice apologies, but knowing one was going to be "out of town" with a previous engagement schedule.... is .. well... in my opinion..... not nice... I could digress more... but I will not.

He had told my friends he would be here, looking forward to it, but scheduling two events in the same day, one out of town... please..oh well... !!

I will not belabor the point or the occurrence.  Just log it back in the memory..

Dud!!!

The Meet and Greet...... Hoping for a Good Date

Tomorrow, I have my meet and greet date with my neighbors and this guy.  I have learned who he is.  He is one of the new upcoming hair designers, (20 yrs ago they were hair dressers or hair burners).  His name is Jeffrey, he is 26.  Hmm, I know!!!

Let me digress here, for just a moment.  When I came to this town, in 1991, the great plague was just emerging here, just rearing its nasty, nasty head.  In a matter of about 5 years it wiped out all the men between the ages of 22 and 45. Took out multi generations in a 5 year period.  The number of men was reduced drastically, just the sheer number.  So the dating pool as it continues now, really never recovered by the numbers.

I have dated in the past years, several guys, from a wide gamut of levels and statuses.  I always say I am a latitudinarian  dater.!!!! Anyone who walks, talks, and can carry a conversation.

So, to date a 26 year old, most of my out of town friends frown on it so very much, I get accused of robbing the cradle, etc.  But, (and there always is a BUT), the matter of the hard facts remain, are that, if they establish theirselves as mature, have some sort of a sense of being, can carry a conversation, and meet the Three golden rules, I'm game for a date.

Oh, the Three Golden Rules, Have a Job, Have a Vehicle, and have your own key to the place u live.  We all have to remember, I do live on the banks of the Red River, on the Red Bricks... far from most, as some of y'all would know it.

Afternoon

Well, I have to say this afternoon, has been interesting.  I got a call from my neighbors down the street. They have a guy that they want me to meet, I'm not sure of their intent, but only to say that they want me to join them for supper and a meet/greet.  I am always appreciative of my friends looking after my well being.

Later this evening, I had a visit from one of my old employees, a Supertindent, that was hired about the same time I was.  For an explanation, let me digress a lil bit.  After a 30 year career in Corrections in the State of La, I retired. Burnt Out to say the lest.  I took off 6 months and regained my energy, then an opportunity came along to work for municipal government in an unclassified, mayoral appointment.  When I came on board, this young engineer, was employed at the same time.  He became my top level confidant' and go to guy for public works.  Bright, so very intelligent, full of vim and vigor, a breath of fresh air for me.  We hit it off right off the bat.  His attitude and mine, where very similar, "working for the good of the people", being fiscally conservative with the public money, holding employees accountable for work, etc.etc.!!

It has been 7 years now, that I have known him.  Tonight, he informed me that he had been approached by another public agency, (wider berth of an broader psychical area), to be employed as their Director of Operations. I am so happy for him.  He will be an asset to their organization. He is a young engineer, still having that youthful exuberance, but with a sense of fiscal responsibility that comes with maturity.

Its rewarding to see, people move up the ladder, to venture out on their own, to have gained respect in their field, then to be approached to travel up the career ladder, its just a great feeling to see this happen.

I am proud for him and of him.  Warren will do good!!!!

a lil bit of snow

Well, the weather produced a lil' bit of snow and some sleet this morning here on the banks of the Red River, on the brick streets of the Garden District, but it was all gone basically by 9am.

I went to the back yard to get a log for the fire and saw the first  photo.

When I  went to get the paper this morning, I looked up the street to St James and saw the second photo.. It did show off the bricks real well.

So all in all the closure of the schools, Parish Offices, were for naught. I can say that the City, ran its sanitation routes, open City Hall, and had a full day of operations vs its counterparts of other segments of government who choose to let a lil snow flurry stop everything.

A thought from another blog, makes you think!

"It is hard to care about community involvement when your sole existence is about survival. " 
The above statement is from one of my blog reads,http://www.sfmoby.us.

The above produced this blog entry.

I was at a meeting the other day, some of the folks there were complaining about some areas of town where folks park their cars in the front yards, leave garbage around, don't pick up litter on their streets.

When you think about the statement from sfmoby.us  it resonates, so much.  Survival as the course of daily living.  When I first moved to this street, 18 years ago, I encounter people "surviving for life". I was fortunate, I had means to purchase the home I am in now.  The other folks on the street were renting, living from pay check to almost a pay check. Slowly, more folks brought homes,  moved onto the red brick streets of the neighborhood. The renters move away.

The renters did not or  could not become home owners, they were just "working to survive, surviving for life"

Passages

One of the bloggers I read on my "reads", noted that he received a call about his mother and her illness which could lead to her passage from this life.  Tis a sad moment in time when your mother passes to the hereafter.

It reminded me that I will face the anniversary of my Momma's passage here this month. Wilma passed in 2001, at the age of 80.  She had lived a full and fine life. She met death in her on way, on her terms, not mine, not my brother's, nor my sister's. She was a strong willed Southern Woman.

The entry by this blogger about the possible passage of his mother reminds me, so very vehemently ,that life is a fleeting moment in time, that this life is here just for a short flash.

In the last couple of years, ever since I have passed 57, I see more and more passages of the faces that I have known, been associated with, come to know, ran into, and on and on.

Its that time in Life, one should take stock of it, make sure that each day is given the full respect it deserves... cause passage will come.

Courses

Last night my boss-Top Dog, (and everyone has a boss), donated his talents as a chef to a dinner, for the ARC.  He donates all the food, prepares it, cooks it, and serves it to folks that purchase it as a donation to the ARC. His usual job is as Top Dog in our humble state of affairs here on the banks for the Red River.

I have helped him in the past few years.  Last night was 6 courses, with sorbets to clean the palette between courses, wines to match each course.

For a 61 year old it's a task to be on your feet from 4pm to 1130pm, trotting back and forth, pouring wine, serving courses, acting as sous chef and gadfly.  However, it was for a great cause, and the folks who purchased the evening, surely enjoyed it all, from the smiles and looks on their faces.  It was a party of 12.

So, today, after morning push ups, and TRC stretches in the kitchen, I am looking out on a grey landscape as it rains.  Time has come to exercise more, ramp up the psychical activities, get out and take this winter hibernation weight off... its a yearly event with me.

Today I also saw my first Robin (Turdus migratorius) on the year.  Soon they will be here by the droves.