My Favorite Day Of The Year

 Ode To Billy Joe 

It was the third of June, another sleepy, dusty Delta day
I was out choppin' cotton and my brother was balin' hay
And at dinner time we stopped and walked back to the house to eat
And mama hollered at the back door "y'all remember to wipe your feet"
And then she said she got some news this mornin' from Choctaw Ridge
Today Billie Joe MacAllister jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge

Papa said to mama as he passed around the black eyed peas
"Well, Billie Joe never had a lick of sense, pass the biscuits, please"
"There's five more acres in the lower forty I've got to plow"
Mama said it was shame about Billie Joe, anyhow
Seems like nothin' ever comes to no good up on Choctaw Ridge
And now Billie Joe MacAllister jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge

And brother said he recollected when he and Tom and Billie Joe
Put a frog down my back at the Carroll County picture show
And wasn't I talkin' to him after church last Sunday night?
"I'll have another piece of apple pie, you know it just don't seem right"
"I saw him at the sawmill yesterday on Choctaw Ridge"
"And now you tell me Billie Joe's jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge"

Mama said to me "Child, what's happened to your appetite?"
"I've been cookin' all morning and you haven't touched a single bite"
"That nice young preacher, Brother Taylor, dropped by today"
"Said he'd be pleased to have dinner on Sunday, oh, by the way"
"He said he saw a girl that looked a lot like you up on Choctaw Ridge"
"And she and Billie Joe was throwing somethin' off the Tallahatchie Bridge"

A year has come 'n' gone since we heard the news 'bout Billie Joe
Brother married Becky Thompson, they bought a store in Tupelo
There was a virus going 'round, papa caught it and he died last Spring
And now mama doesn't seem to want to do much of anything
And me, I spend a lot of time pickin' flowers up on Choctaw Ridge

And drop them into the muddy water off the Tallahatchie Bridge

Update From The Compound

 It's still officially spring, and spring cleaning is under way here at The Compound.  Last week, I started on my bedroom and closet. I'm happy to report that since I retired in July 2022, I've lost 85 pounds.  I threw away a couple of bags of old clothes I would have been ashamed to give to a clothes closet, and have bagged up three more bags of bigger clothes to take to a clothes closet. I still makes me feel good that I'm getting rid of clothes that I can't wear, and better yet, being able to help someone who needs clothes. 

Drama Free Sunday

 It was a drama free Sunday here at The Compound.  I'm happy to say I had the best night's sleep last night than I'd had in weeks.  Not ashamed to say I went to bed at 10:00 and slept till 8:30.  The Old Man had a good night's sleep, too.  That's all you can ask for.

Happy National Hamburger Day

 TWIT and I would like to wish you, faithful readers, a happy National Hamburger Day.  I have some ground beef thawed and the Old Man and I will enjoy some hamburgers tonight.

Something You Don't Hear Every Day

 "I need you to get me a new can of hair spray", said by my 92 year old father.

Ohio Valley Weather Update

 We had more rain last night and this morning, but the sun has been out for the past couple of hours.  It will be short lived - heavy rain and storms moving in later today.  But the weatherazzi is calling for no rain for the next week.  We'll see.

Rain Rain Go Away

In the past 7 days, we've had 3.5 inches of rain here at The Compound.  The weatherazzi is calling for more rain and storms today and tomorrow.  It's been quite a while since we've seen the sun.  This weather makes me want to get in the bed and sleep.