MOM’S BIRTHDAY (published 11-24-2019)

Introduction

Today, a hundred and eleven years ago on Tuesday, 11/24/1908, my paternal grandparents were licensed to wed. They were married the next day. Their marriage started the ancestral line through their eighth and final child, Earl Ferrell, to my birth. I would like to see what my mother, father, and so many other family members are seeing and doing right now in their everlasting home.

Eighty-seven years ago today on Thanksgiving, Thursday, 11/24/1932, my mother, Betty Lou Wood Ferrell, was born to Aby William Wood and Lula Frank Amos Wood, my maternal grandparents.

From ten years ago, my 11/24/2009 article, Happy Birthday, Mom, is still relevant. You may wish to pause and read it. Having done so at 3:47 PM today, I choked back the tears.

Mom, if you were still with us at 87 years old and in proper health for your age, oh, how we all would be enjoying your birthday celebration today! One glorious morning (may it come soon, Lord) we will have an everlasting joy, which we can only imagine now. Mom, that is what you are experiencing now. I love and miss you, Mom! We will see each other again soon. (As an aside, “soon” means whatever years or decades that I have left until I transition to everlasting life.)

Switching thoughts, I honor the past, but I do not live in it. Let us first review last week's events since my most recent article. Afterward, we will have some fun at the end!

Last Week's Events

Monday, 11/18/2019: My “favorite” sister-in-law was on her way to a medical appointment. An idiot driver hit her car in the left rear quarter panel. Thankfully, she was not hurt. Her car will be repaired.

Thursday, 11/21/2019: On 11/21/1970, my paternal grandfather Marion Ferrell, whose first and last names I wear proudly, left this world for his everlasting home. I was ten years old. After I was born, Papaw Ferrell opened a savings account in my name at a hometown bank. The account is still open. Today, the small transfer, which I had arranged from our checking account into that savings account, was made. I wonder if Papaw Ferrell was smiling.

Saturday, 11/23/2019: I had my every-four-week deep tissue massage. It will be followed up by my every-four-week chiropractic adjustment two days from today. The rain poured almost the entire day. While out and about, my 2006 Frontier kept getting “country boy” truck washes.

In the afternoon, I had the pleasure of speaking by phone with Terri, a dear friend from our grade school and high school years. After high school graduation, we went our separate ways. We last saw each other at our high school reunion on Saturday, 10/13/2012. Since then, we have kept in touch online on a social media platform. Terri and I must have talked for over two hours! I did not know that she had been enduring physical hardships after her traumatic health problem on 2/28/2018. My dear friend and I spoke in terms of our day-by-day endurance of our physical “whatevers,” as I call them. Most importantly, we spoke deeply and in full mutual understanding about the everlasting.

One fine morning, Terri, my dear friend, we will be out of this speck-of-dust and blink-of-an-eye temporal realm. We will be with our Savior and so many others who have gone on before us! You know, they are there now. When we get to heaven, it will seem as if we all arrived at about the same time for those already there. They just arrived only a few moments before us! I continue to wait on that blessed day!

Terri, my dear friend and sister in Christ, thank you for remembering what I had forgotten. I still do not recall what you very vividly told me. Apparently, I was almost killed by a driver that did not stop for the bus while I was crossing the road from the bus to the dirt road to walk home. Thank you for reminding me of what I had forgotten! I do remember that Wilma was our bus driver. After I pondered the thought for a while, I do seem to recall a vague memory of that day when I could have but didn’t die.

Talking about near-death experiences, I could have but did not die on Tuesday, 3/29/2016, when the uninsured driver failed to yield to my right-of-way. Due to your illness, you could have but did not die on 2/28/2018.

Terri, we touched each other’s lives by phone yesterday. We both must still be in this temporal world for a reason that God only knows.

What is it, God? Okay, silence again as usual. I will continue to wait.

Fun at the End

Where’s the fun part, you ask? Well, since it’s a cloudy day and House Mountain is a muddy skating rink, let’s have some fun now! While I was indulging myself in an Epsom salt soak in the tub this morning, my fertile mind started thinking about the song “The Farmer in the Dell.” So, here go my adapted lyrics! Please sing along!

The farmer named O’Dell.
The farmer named O’Dell.
High-ho the merry-o,
The farmer named O’Dell. (I always wondered what his name was! Must have been the father of Dell computers!)

The farmer had a life.
The farmer had a life.
High-ho the merry-o,
The farmer had a life.

The life had some fun.
The life had some fun.
High-ho the merry-o,
The life had some fun.

The fun took some cry.
The fun took some cry.
High-ho the merry-o,
The fun took some cry.

The cry took the Lord.
The cry took the Lord.
High-ho the merry-o,
The cry took the Lord.

The Lord took him home.
The Lord took him home.
High-ho the merry-o,
The LORD TOOK HIM HOME!

Now, let’s have a bit of fun with the rest of it!

The dog ate the cheese.
The dog ate the cheese.
High-ho the merry-o,
The dog ate the cheese.

The cheese in the dog.
The cheese in the dog.
High-ho the merry-o,
The cheese in the dog. (Why did the dog eat cheese?)

The dog crapped the cheese.
The dog crapped the cheese.
High-ho the merry-o,
The dog crapped the cheese. (That’s what happens when a dog eats cheese!)

The crap stands alone.
The crap stands alone.
High-ho the merry-o,
The crap stands alone (as if it could stand)!

Young people planning to attend summer church camp, feel free to use this! Give me a bit of credit. What is the moral of my improvised lyrics? For Christians, life can be crap, but we go to our heavenly home in the end!

Conclusion

Y’all keep turnin’ right and goin’ straight out there! If you haven’t yet accepted the Good Lord’s gift of salvation and are living by it, I suggest that you do so today!

My mother would have loved my improvised lyrics to “The Farmer in the Dell,” except for the word “crap.” Dad, however, would have loved it completely!

11/17/2019, SUNDAY SOLILOQUY

On Tuesday, 11/12/2019, while almost home from the office, my veteran brother called me back and left a voicemail on my cell phone, which was hooked on my belt beside my right hip. I was almost home. Therefore, after arriving home and playing with Molly, our “old puppy,” in the yard, I called him from the landline (from which I left him a voicemail yesterday on Veterans Day). My veteran brother is doing well enough, and he understood the “fool” on the hill analogy, the everlasting perspective, as I thought that he would! (See the 11/11/2019 article, titled “The Fool on the Hill.”)

That Tuesday was also the day when the “November blizzard” almost “killed” everyone in northeast Tennessee. That's how the weather prognosticators sensationalized it! The low was a balmy 18 degrees Fahrenheit, and the high reached a “tropical” 28 degrees. We may have had about two inches of snow.

Mrs. Appalachian Irishman, of course, had a “snow day” off from work. She didn’t build a “snow doggy,” around which Molly and she could play. Further, she didn’t make and toss snowballs for Molly to catch with her mouth. Instead, she stayed inside! In contrast, I would have taken Molly hiking on House Mountain, even busted up such as I am.

That evening, my “favorite” sister-in-law called, and I answered. That’s how I found out that my wife ran a low-grade fever during the day! Thanks, “favorite” sister-in-law, for letting me know! Why didn't my wife mention that she had a fever? No wonder she didn't play outside with Molly in the cool weather and snow-covered ground.

On Wednesday, 11/13/2019, I worked a full shift, as usual. My wife had a two-hour “snow” delay. Around here, the snow had already melted.

On Thursday, 11/14/2019, my wife left early from work to take her father to a medical appointment. She honors her father. I remember taking Dad to and from his cardiology appointments with Dr. Sholes in Johnson City, Tennessee. Back then, I was working either a second-shift job or a flexible-shift job, whichever one it was at the time.

Friday, 11/15/2019, was a shock! My youngest brother's wife had to have an unplanned outpatient surgery to repair, as I assume, the incorrectly done first surgery on her left foot. She has, as far as I know, no additional metal in her foot. Apparently, the surgeon fixed the metal that was already there. She had to be cut on again, though.

Saturday, 11/16/2019, was a “rich, full” day for me. I hauled off the trash, got a haircut, had my truck hand-washed, shopped at the Tractor Supply, had the oil changed and the cabin air filter replaced for my truck, and filled my truck with gasoline. My wife shopped for groceries at the nearby IGA. After all that, a cable television technician arrived as scheduled. He replaced the outdated equipment in the box on the outside of our house. Further, he gave us a new remote that we needed. Good job!

After morning worship today, Sunday, 11/17/2019, we thought that we might go to my hometown to see my youngest brother and his family, but he had too much going on. Also, darn, if my “bionic” body parts were not “talking” to me today, after all the “fool” on the hill “fun” that I endured last week!

When’s supper, dear? Good evening, y’all!

"THE FOOL ON THE HILL" (published 11-11-2019)

Day after day, alone on a hill,
The man with the foolish grin is keeping perfectly still.
But nobody wants to know him;
They can see that he's just a fool.
And he never gives an answer.

But the fool on the hill
Sees the sun going down,
And the eyes in his head
See the world spinning 'round.

Well on the way, head in a cloud,
The man of a thousand voices talking perfectly loud.
But nobody ever hears him,
Or the sound he appears to make,
And he never seems to notice.

But the fool on the hill
Sees the sun going down,
And the eyes in his head
See the world spinning 'round.

And nobody seems to like him.
They can tell what he wants to do.
And he never shows his feelings.

But the fool on the hill
Sees the sun going down,
And the eyes in his head
See the world spinning 'round.

He never listens to them.
He knows that they're the fools.
They don't like him.

The fool on the hill
Sees the sun going down,
And the eyes in his head
See the world spinning 'round.

It’s time to get serious, folks! (I have a serious side. It's my right side. No, it's my left side!) On this Veterans Day, my plan, to go to the homeplace, was forestalled, by the need to see my chiropractor, earlier today. (You don’t want to know the details. Trust me. The right rib is back in place!)

So, as I sit writing, alone, again, as usual, this afternoon, I remember Veterans Day. “The Fool on the Hill,” by the Beatles, is a great song, with a depth of meaning, that one can make his own. I am doing so now.

Imagine (a pun on another song) the veteran, who has seen too much in life. He knows what he knows. He has seen and endured, what he has seen and endured. He has served his country. Those around him, even his closest non-veteran family and friends, do not understand him fully. He understands himself fully. His loud communication, about his self-understanding, to others, receives incomplete and partial understanding, at best. At worst, he receives the standard platitudes that cause him to wonder why he even tried to communicate, with those, who will never be wise enough to understand.

The veteran, if he is wise enough, has taken the Good Lord’s free gift offer. He thinks, with the everlasting mindset. He does not care much, for this space-time continuum. He knows that he is a speck of dust, on a larger speck of dust, in a vast and temporal universe, which is not everlasting.

By the way, I just left voice mail, on my veteran brother’s phone. He might call back. [11/12/2019, next day, update: my brother called back today. He'd been quite busy yesterday. We enjoyed a good, long phone conversation today.]

I did not serve in the military. (I wish that I had done so.) My “fool on the hill” thoughts do not compare, with those of a combat veteran. Still yet, I have my thoughts. They are based on my life, after having acquired “bionic” body parts (left shoulder, right knee, and right foot). I had a life, in a pre-bionic body. I am living an ongoing bionic life now. (To understand my use of “bionic,” please see the 8/26/2016 article, which is the first, under the topic section, “My Bionic Life - since 3/29/2016.”)

The acquisition of bionic joints has deepened my thoughts, on everlastingness. Before, I had assumed that my thoughts were deep. They were, but not as deep as now. (Dig a little deeper in the well, boys!)

The catalyst, behind this article, is twofold. First, on a work day, last Wednesday, a colleague -- working from home and on speaker phone, during the usual Wednesday meeting that wastes our time -- asked, “How is everyone?” My reply was, “I am surviving.” My meaning was that I am enduring a work week, with my three stiff and sore bionic joints, again, as usual. Her response was, “it’s better than being six feet under.” The others -- present physically, in the meeting, as I was -- laughed and agreed. I shook my head in silence. My thought was, “Take me home, Lord! I'm very stiff and sore today! I’d rather have this body six feet under and be, in my soul, with many others and You! I will get this body back, glorified, later!” Of course, I was thinking perfectly loud, while keeping perfectly quiet, as the “fool on the hill.”

The second catalyst was on Saturday, 11/9/2019. I was hauling off trash, as usual. Mrs. Appalachian Irishman, by the way, was doing her usual Dollar General Store and IGA shopping, followed by her visit, to her father. While hauling trash, I heard, on my ol' truck’s radio, the Beatles' song, “The Fool on the Hill.” Hey, that was great! Various stations play their standard song rotations, but the station, to which I'd happened to be listening, played a good song, at the right time!

During the song, I thought back to last Wednesday. I thought, in the everlasting perspective. I pitched the trash and the recycling. Then, I mused more to myself, again, as usual.

This “fool on the hill” does not concern himself much, with the here and now. You know. The here and now are the usual: the work policy wonk and psychobabble, the local, national, and international news, the weather alert days, sports news, my hiking, visits with family and friends, my every four-week deep tissue massage, followed by my every four-week chiropractic adjustment, and so forth. It's life, such as it is, going on.

Oh, yes, I am about as tired of it, as you may be, dear reader! I apologize, if the last paragraph made you feel tired.

Despite what I've written, thus far, do not doubt my stubborn, Irish endurance! As a fine Irish lady once said, “You can always live in hope, even if you die in despair!” Always, there will be will, in my spirit, even when my spirit leaves this body. As long as my spirit is in this body, and as long as I have power in my body (busted up, such as I am), then I will endure to the end, of my temporal existence, to be taken Home!

When are you coming back, Lord? When will be my turn, to go Home, if You don’t come before? Silence, again, as usual.

Yesterday was my 161st hike, on House Mountain, on our niece's birthday, as the 11/10/2019 article describes. Afterward, Mrs. Appalachian Irishman and I placed the outdoor thermometer, on the front porch. I had bought the $5.59, made in China, thermometer, at Ace Hardware, on 4/16/2019. It takes me a few months, about seven, in this example, to get something done now. I’m slowed, by my three bionic joints. Believe it or not, the rigors of hiking actually help those joints.

This “fool on the hill” is signing off now. Mrs. Appalachian Irishman just came home. My veteran brother has not called back yet. Let’s all take up the Lord’s free gift offer, live by it, and go Home!

So, who is brave enough to comment?

11/10/2019, 161st Hike on House Mountain

Howdy, y’all!

As a side note to yesterday's soliloquy, I had hoped to get up to the homeplace to do some work yesterday. However, my “bionic” left shoulder that is ricocheting down into the muscles in my back and, especially, left hip did not agree. So, I let my left shoulder win this time only!

Today, Sunday, is our niece's birthday. If “sister-in-law” is correct, then why don’t we say “niece-in-law?” She is my sister-in-law’s daughter! I digress, of course. Tomorrow is Veterans Day.

Earlier today, for our niece and for all veterans, especially those in the Fearghail clan, I hiked House Mountain for the 161st time, alone, once again, as usual!

The weather, still too warm, was sunny. Any day in the woods is better than not having been there. Please enjoy the two photographs!

The above image was all that was left of me! Why did I wear my short-sleeve hiking shirt? The T-shirt would have been enough. The photograph was taken on the west bluff. It took me 34 minutes to hike up the west trail, touching the rock at the bluff to end the time. Maybe one of these days, I may get back to a 24-minute time. My “bionic” right foot and right knee still don’t allow me to be anything more than a lame mountain goat.

The above photograph was taken on my way back down. The west bluff is above me. There were way too many pine beetles clinging to me on this quite warm day.

I forgot to photograph my 2006 Frontier! Sorry, old truck! Leaving, I was trying to figure out how to get out of the parking spot with all the surrounding vehicles!

Speaking of pine beetles, look for my next article. It will include deeper musings, inspired by The Beatles’ song, “The Fool On The Hill.” You don't want to miss it! Keep turnin’ right and goin’ straight out there!

Saturday, 11/9/2019, Soliloquy

Well, good evenin’, y’all! Do you think “them thar” Louisiana Tigers will whop “them thar” Alabama Elephants? We will see.

This week involved a technobabble Internet victory!

Monday, 11/4/2019: Singh, from Jaipur, India, established that my Norton protection and computer speed were as good as they could get, until “Microcrap” gets more money out of my back pocket to upgrade to “Winders” 10. I like what I have. Why is “Microcrap” stopping support in January? Oh, yeah, they want even more money!

Wednesday, 11/6/2019: The Yoder’s Store Tonic that I ordered online on 11/1/2019 arrived! I left a good comment on an owner's web page. See WordPress below.

Today, Saturday, 11/9/2019 (hence, the “Soliloquy” title; it rhymes): I got on that “thar” Internet again! I set up online the savings account that Papaw Ferrell started for me when I was a boy, when the bank was under another name, to “talk to” the local bank! Now, I can transfer money from our local bank to the savings account that Papaw Ferrell set up for me without needing to make a deposit in person! That will keep that savings account from going dormant again! For years, even decades, I have had to send a postal letter, telling the banking folks not to send my account to the State of Tennessee as unclaimed property! No more! This is the last part of the 20th century! By the way, later today, I set up a WordPress account to bring in even more readers to this website.

Of course, I should have been born in 1860. If so, I could have been “my own grandpaw!” Do you know the song?

Y’all keep turnin’ right and goin’ straight out there!

SUNDAY MUSINGS & 10-27-2019 HOUSE MOUNTAIN #160 (published 11-3-2019)

Well, howdy, y’all! On a great weather for hiking weekend, here I “sot,” not having hiked. Why, you ask? Well, read below on House Mountain #160! Wisdom dictates: let the right heel heal more!

The following is the chronological update, since my last entry. I know that my “millions” of readers have been concerned!

10/8/2019, Yom Kippur at sundown: before sundown, after work-a-day, Mrs. Appalachian Irishman and I talked with neighbor to our northeast, in his yard. He’s a fine fellow and family. Neighbor to our west was strolling along, with his grandson in a stroller. These two neighbors don’t get along. We get along with each one. We spoke to strolling along neighbor. Northeast neighbor didn’t. Y’all grow up and make friends! Aren’t y’all old enough to do so?

10/9-13/2019: a good cousin of mine, to communicate with me, texts Mrs. Appalachian Irishman a few times. We, as cousins, talked by phone on 10/13/2019, regarding a family get together that good cousin and family have planned for 10/26/2019. Hey, ‘cuz! Just call ME anytime!

10/10/2019: our mower guy mowed for first time since 9/20/2019. (Why he mowed then is a mystery, during the September drought.) I figure that I owe him money, but I called him, and he said no. Ok, I think that my bookkeeping is better than yours, but if you don’t need to be paid, it’s fine.

10/11/2019, Friday: Mrs. Appalachian Irishman and I are both off work. She had the airbag recall (from 2016) on the car fixed finally at no cost. She gave Molly puppy a much-needed bath. I had my annual physical exam. My good doctor bragged, in his words, “again, as usual,” on my great blood work! Maybe I’ll see his wife and him, again, hiking My Mountain. (I saw them on 03/4/2018 hike #146)!

Oh, on the same day, the Comcrap fight started and is still ongoing! Take away TCM and make me pay the same money for one less channel? So far, I’ve won a draw. We have a free set of movie channels that we don’t watch, and we did not get the $20 one-time discount promised. Watch me win!

10/12/2019, Saturday: Mrs. Appalachian Irishman and I visited youngest brother and his family, in my hometown. We picked up/brought lunch from Green Tomato Grill to them/us. That was a fine visit – except for the very rare Georgia Bulldogs loss and Tennessee “Vowels” win. Argh! Oh, on the way home, I bought another bottle of tonic. The last time I bought the tonic had to have been in the summer of 2015, before “pre-metal” days. Here’s the photo of the 2015 purchase and the 10/12/2019 (not 11/12/2019, incorrectly on the note on the label!) purchase. They went up a couple of dollars. An ounce a day does the body whatever it does!

 

11/1/2019, Friday, update: the Amish Yoder’s are gettin’ fancy! They have an “Interweb” site! I ordered me three, count ‘em, three more bottles, on the “Interweb,” with free shipping!

10/14/2019: Mrs. Appalachian Irishman is still off work-a-day, on “fall break.” That means: I had “cat-dog” surprise, when I finished my work-a-day! Oh, well. Also, the County Animal Control Sheriff unit was at fourth new neighbor’s. Hum, what’s up? 9:19 PM, I took a call from west neighbor (the same that was strolling along). He stated: he and grandson in stroller were strolling along as usual, when “white dog” (not “brown dog”) attacked! He had bite marks on his leg. The grandson was not injured, thankfully! Now, we know what happened! Oh, as of this entry, “white dog” and “brown dog” are still alive. Mrs. Appalachian Irishman saw them outside once. Fourth new neighbor must be keeping them inside mostly now. “White dog” should be dead!

10/19/2019, Saturday: it was my usual once every four weeks haircut and Tractor Supply. Hey, they have plenty of pecan logs now!

10/20/2019, Sunday: rain. When will I get hike #160 on “My Mountain?” Read on!

10/26/2019, Saturday: I had my fifth deep tissue, one-hour, massage, at 12 PM. My youngest brother had to work. Mrs. Appalachian Irishman and I had hoped we could attend good cousin’s family get together, in my hometown. We didn’t make it, unfortunately. I voice mailed my good cousin twice, in hope that I could convey my gift of the blarney by phone at least. No reply yet.

10/27/2019, Sunday: finally, I get a hike! It’s my House Mountain hike #160! (That’s eight score, you know?) Even if it was a bit muddy, cloudy, and too warm for this time of year, any day in the woods is better than not! Enjoy the photos! Oh, by the way, the final photo is of my bloody right sock! It seems that the scab on the back of my heal might, after almost three and a half years, be starting to come off all the way! That’s progress! (Don’t look at the sock photo, if you don’t like the sight of blood and a piece of scab!) I tore holes in both socks also! What fun! It was great!

View from west bluff, looking southwest.

View of the valley to the north, on the ridge line.

First view from the middle bluff, looking north toward the valley.

Second view from middle bluff, looking west. The west bluff is visible.

My reliable, new, ol' truck loves to have his photo taken! He reached 169,000 miles, on the dot, a very few tenths of a mile, after we left the parking lot! My House Mountain hike #160. My truck reaches 169,000 miles! Cool!

I told you not to look!

10/29/2019, Tuesday: 3/29/2016 was my I-got-hammered-time (i.e., 25 surgically installed metal pieces in three joints). (Read my 8/26/2016 post, “I’M STILL ALIVE – WHY?”) This was my 3.5-year anniversary of that “fun.” It was also Mrs. Appalachian Irishman’s parents’ wedding anniversary. Of course, my mother-in-law has gone to a better world. (Read my 6/14/2017 post, “5-14-2017: Mother's Day & House Mt. #138.”) We had our every-four-week chiropractic appointment, after work, again, as usual. As usual, Mrs. Appalachian Irishman had her adjustment and left, leaving me with the tab. Good job, dear! After arriving home, I took my first Free Cell (mind numbing) loss on this computer, after however many wins in a row. (What was I thinking? It’s easy!) The Free Cell game loss on this day is fitting!

10/30/2019, Wednesday: while on the way to work-a-day, my new ol' truck attained 170,000 miles! I remember the Ailor Gap Road spot!

10/31/2019, Thursday/Halloween: after my usual hot shower/cold rinse/rubbing alcohol rub (i.e., for “bionic” joints), I found a tick on the back of my right shoulder! Now, where had he been all this time, since House Mountain hike #160? I pulled him off, rubbed the red spot in alcohol, and went on to the insanity of work-a-day “whizzbang” silliness! At work, those women had wanted to dress up in a theme, again. I came as “a hiker,” again, as usual! I wore an old pair of jeans, my short sleeve hiking shirt, my hiking ball cap, and my boots. I had my canteen and knife sheath too. Those women need to grow up! Well, it rained all day, with temperature dropping into a more fall like feel! We had once set, in two cars, of about five trick-or-treaters who were brave enough in the weather, to come hunt candy! Molly doggy loved it! It was Molly doggy’s forth birthday anniversary! She had a great time, for a few moments!

11/2-3/2019 weekend: well, we have great hiking weather. Wisdom dictated that I not hike, since the half gone scab on my right heel is still healing! Oh well, maybe; yes certainly, if there is power in my body, I will hike next weekend! I have will in my spirit!

Hey, Mrs. Appalachian Irishman, when’s supper?

Y’all keep turnin’ right and goin’ straight out there, ya hear?