11 ALABAMIANS HAVE DIED FROM SWINE FLU

3 more have died in Alabama from Swine Flu, bringing the total to 11 so far.  "a man in his 60s from Talladega County, a woman in her 50s from Madison County and a woman in her 70s from Jackson County. " 

As you can see, different ages, and all of these people were 50 and above.  Alabama is supposed to receive it's first shipment of the vaccines for H1N1 next week.  Alabama will be receiving 45,000 doses of the Nasal Spray to begin with.  The shots come later.  WASH YOUR HANDS RELIGIOUSLY!!!  I have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder of washing my hands, and I'm glad I do.  It's important to wash hands frequently to cut down on getting colds and viruses.  Also, viruses enter the body through the nose as well as the mouth, so the Nasal Spray should help combat this virus.  Also, I believe it's important to stay away from crowds of people.  The more people you are around, the higher your chances are of catching any kind of flu.  http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2009/10/three_more_alabama_swine_flu_v.html

CHARLEY GRIMSLEY RUNNING AS DEMOCRAT FOR STATE TREASURER

Former Alabama Conservation Commissioner is running for State Treasurer of Alabama on the Democrat ticket.  He's 54 and from Northport.  http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2009/09/former_alabama_conservation_bo.html

VISIT A THRIFT STORE NEAR YOU!

I took some time off today from my normal schedule to go see my brother in Birmingham.  We took him with us to some thrift stores around the area.  Here are some pictures of some great stores you should visit, if you are in Central and North Alabama.  They have everything from neat glassware, collectibles, jewelry, clothing, kitchenware, household items, furniture, lighting fixtures, toys, ETC....They have just about everything,  ....EVEN the KITCHEN SINK lol...

BELOW IS THE ALABASTER "America's Thrift Store"

Below is a picture of my brother and I

Below is a picture of the Midfield "America's Thrift Store"

Lastly a picture of The Foundry SuperThrift Outlet in Bessemer

LOSE YOUR PARENTAL RIGHTS IN ALABAMA?? You STILL May Pay Child Support!!

http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2009/09/alabama_supreme_court_parent_m.html   The Alabama Supreme Court has ruled that parental obligations for Child Support do not automatically expire if parental rights do.  This is an INTERESTING ONE...  I will elaborate more on this post later on this evening.

GEORGE WALLACE JR., RUNNING FOR STATE TREASURER...AS A REPUBLICAN

George Wallace Jr., is running for State Treasurer of Alabama, joining fellow Alabamians, Republican Terry Dunn and Democrat Jeremy Sherer (who are also running).  Kay Ivey's dreams of becoming Governor of Alabama are keeping her from running for re-election for State Treasurer.  Good luck everyone in your races!

Another Cool BLOG I Ran Across!!

misterturnbow.blogspot.com

Hope you enjoy!

Check out my friend Cherie's blog.......THIS SIDE OF TOWN

http://cheriedecastro.blogspot.com/2009/09/thank-you-for-helping-us.html
If you can help, please do so. 

Republican Mark Erwin wants to DUKE IT OUT with TYSON...JOHN TYSON, JR. that is....

Mobile Attorney, Republican Mark Erwin wants to unseat Democrat John Tyson, Jr., for Mobile County Alabama District Attorney.  He has a hard battle ahead of him, because John is well known all over the state of Alabama and is starting  his 16th year as Mobile County District Attorney!  The 57 year old Tyson stated back in June of this year that he would not run in the Alabama Attorney General race...  http://www.al.com/news/press-register/metro.ssf?/base/news/1243934187145370.xml&coll=3 

leaving Luther Strange to be the only one so far to run against the reigning "Troy King" 

Read below about Mark Erwin's race...
http://blog.al.com/live/2009/09/attorney_mark_erwin_to_seek_go.html
 
I tell you what...I met John Tyson Jr. in 2006 during the state races at a Cullman forum where we all gave our presentations for our platforms, and he is a TALL, BIG man.  I wouldn't want to  have to duke it out with him in the court system OR in the political arena LOL!!  You go, John!!

16,000 SEX OFFENDERS IN GEORGIA....

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,556300,00.html?test=latestnews

9 Homeless sex offenders in Georgia are living in tents near the Interstate.

NATIONAL ALERT REGISTRY....FIND SEX OFFENDERS IN YOUR AREA.  http://www.registeredoffenderslist.org/default.htm

Chilton County Woman Fights to Keep Her Property after Husband's Suicide/Medical Marijuana Smoker

http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/article/20090927/NEWS02/909270320/1007/

BIG STONE GAP, VIRGINIA....OH HOW I LOVE THEE!!

I ran across these pictures this morning of my beloved Big Stone Gap, Virginia.  In this post is a picture of the Mutual Drugs (was Mutual Pharmacy) that Adriana Trigiani writes about in her Big Stone Gap book.  Also, two pictures of our house on Wood Avenue across from the Library, and Museum; and a picture of my brother at my grandmother's grave in Glencoe Cemetery, behind the old Country Boy Inn.

FAMILY REUNIONS....

When was the last time that you attended a FAMILY REUNION??  I try to visit my family in Virginia once a year now...as the years seem to slip by too quickly, and my biological mother is getting older.  It's fun, though...how all the brothers and sisters get together when we get to mom's house.  Nieces and nephews and cousins, uncles, aunts, brothers, sisters, and even people I didn't know existed, come together.  Isn't that what REUNIONS are all about? 

When I first met my biological mother, Minnie, it was an unusual meeting.  I had located her through the court system, after years of wondering WHO I looked like...WHAT medical illnesses ran in the family....WHERE they lived....and WHY (by her definition) did she not look for us.  I found out so much about myself and my brother at the very first meeting.

We loaded my brother and his wife up in our already full car of 3 kids at that time)...It was Thanksgiving...1988, and a cold one at that.  SNOW was on the ground..which everyone knows I LOVE snow!!  Traveling all over the Virginia and West Virginia mountains was absolutely remarkable to me, with snow all around.  I don't think we could have picked a more scenic and memorable time for our first visit.  All of my 6 brothers and 2 sisters showed up the day we arrived.  My mom wouldn't quit kissing and  hugging us.  Now I know where I get that from LOL...I always hug and kiss my kids.  Mom (Minnie) is a mountain girl...she didn't get to make it to school a lot of times because of the snow, and living way back in the mountains.  They were poor and that was one of the reasons,  I believe, that we were taken away from her.  She had looked for us for all of the time after we were taken away from her.  She said she had prayed every day that we would find her.  And we did...

Anyway...we stayed for the weekend and left for home on  Sunday.  I'll never forget that visit, though, because it had taken away years of worry, wonder, and fear of the unknown.  Now, I KNEW who looked like my brother, and who looked a lot like me...I knew which aunt I looked like, and who all favored each other.  I didn't get to meet my mother's twin sister then, but I met her last year, and the entire time she was in the room where I would be, she would come up to me and say, "you look just like me"....LOL...it was kind of cute.  

I'd like for you to share some of your stories with my readers.  Have you been adopted?  Do you know of someone that was adopted?  I know that some adoption stories do not turn out as the children would like for it to.  Sometimes the mother or father doesn't want to be found.  OR, sometimes the kids don't want to look up the parents because of anger  for being adopted out.  I was never angry.  I always knew that we were adopted by a good Christian man and woman, who to this day, I adore.....my dad.  (mother is gone, and oh how I wish she were here for me to say so many things to, and do so many things with).  

HERE is a picture of my brother and I when we first met our biological mother.  I'll try to upload some more pictures as I locate them...I have them packed away SOMEWHERE...that's a note to self,  sift through the pictures I have stored away LOL...

Another picture of one of my brothers in Virginia, my son Brandon, my biological mother, and my brother David who lives in Birmingham.

My brother Mikey and me last year

Picture of my mom, me, and my niece

picture of some of my brothers, me in blue, my sister Mary Ann in the background, & one of my nieces.  (I took this picture off once because some people in Huntsville were mocking it saying you could type in the word "inc*st" and come up with my blog and pics).  Isn't that awful..

I like the below picture of Mom, because she has beautiful hair, and wanted to show it lol...

Below is a picture of Mom, James, Brandon & me, and my beloved Uncle Charlie and his wife Martha (Charlie is the one who is registered with an Indian tribe)

Uncle Charlie, Aunt Martha and me