Archives for September 2018

Just some thoughts:

All of life is a work in progress….with strings attached.

Larry Adamson

Take my word for it.

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September 4, 2018
Keep on,
Larry Adamson

Posted September 25, 2018

Just some thoughts:

It’s been said: “Every dog has his day.” Yea, but.

“Every dog has his day, unless there are more dogs than days.”

Bat Matterson

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September 16, 2018
Keep on,
Larry Adamson

Posted September 25, 2018

Just some thoughts::

“The practice of claiming to have moral standards or
beliefs to which one’s own behavior does not conform.”

There is an old country song that Bobby Bare once made popular with the line, “Nashville is rough on the living but they sure speak well of the dead.”

As I watched and read of Senator John McCain’s recent passing and watching speakers at his services the word hypocrisy came to my mind. First of all I for one strongly disagree with President Trump, for me McClain was a hero, and worth of respect from our society.

I  also found it interesting (and sad) that  in 2008 when McCain was running for President how a Congressman from another political party (John Lewis) invoked Alabama racist George Wallace in talking about McCain and his running mate. McCain was called a racist without basis, simply because it could be politically expedient to another party.

Or how:

*New York Times ran an unsubstantiated claim that McCain was having an affair with a female lobbyist. A year later–yes a year later after election–they disavowed the story. Upon McCain’s death the paper wrote a rather positive/ glowing piece on McCain.

* A less than attractive picture by photographer Jill Greenberg to make McCain look bad for The Atlantic magazine to which she bragged about her antics on her blog.

*Another publication The Nation weighed in on McCain’s use of wartime word “gook” as evidence of his racism.

*Madonna would open her concert tour by calling McCain Hitler.

The examples could be more. I watched one well known Senator who had demonized McCain stand before an audience and  speak so glowing of McCain’s service to his country and how it was an honor to serve with him.

It is said that hypocrisy is the tribute that vice pays to virtue. Sadly I think it was well on display at the passing of John McCain.

To quote David French:”The contrast between the outpouring of love for McCain in his last days and the astonishing vitriol directed at him in 2000 and 2008 demonstrates once again how disingenuous, low and cheap American politics were well before Trump came on the scene.”

        His picture was in all of the papers They said that a legend had passed
The late evenin’ news did a special report
And swore that his memory would last
At the funeral somebody recited a poem
That told how he suffered and bled
Nashville is rough on the livin’/ But she really speaks well of the dead

I think this is one of the reasons many people today are so turned off by politics. One word: hypocrisy.

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September 12, 2018
Keep on,
Larry Adamson ‘

Posted September 24, 2018

Just some thoughts:

“Would you like to come and sit with us?”

Simple statement isn’t it? Just asking a question. “Would you like to sit with us?”

As I sat this morning waiting for a church service to begin I  saw a lady get up from where she was sitting and walk to a lady sitting in a large empty seating area by herself and ask her that question. The exchange was simple, brief and the lady got up from her seat and it appeared to me she was pleased to be asked. She did go and sit with the one who had asked her.

It is special to be “included” and it is equally special when another has the mindset to be that observant, thoughtful and  makes the effort to go to another and ask “Would you like to sit with us.”

Everyday there are folks out there who need to be asked, invited to be included. We all need to give that some thought the next time we see someone sitting alone. Hey, the worst they might say, is “No.” Even then I bet they would say, “No but thank you.”

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September 16, 2018
Keep on,
Larry Adamson

Posted September 23, 2018

Just some thoughts:

​At one time probably more hearts have jumped with joy or been broken by words that were said on someone’s front porch or sitting in a swing on one’s porch. One of my favorite writers, Ricky Bragg says it this way: “They say a kitchen is the heart of a house, but I believe the porch is its soul.”

Not too long ago our youngest daughter, her husband and two children moved from our neighborhood to a small hamlet/ rural community just a few miles west of where we live in Franklin, Tennessee. Across the road from their house are goats, hounds and a few other such small animals. The other night my wife and I were sitting with their two children while they were having an evening out. Their hundred year old plus house has a large front porch and on that porch is something that is not as common in houses today as yesteryear, a porch swing.

That evening I sat alone in their swing for a while, although I did have some company. Joining me at my feet were their two dogs, Little Jimmy and Charlie. Pongo the cat came by occasionally but chose not to be social. Which is often the case.  As I sat there swinging back and forth at a leisurely pace I could hear the squeak of the chains of the swing, the sounds of crickets, saw lightening bugs dancing in the dark and felt a soft gentle breeze come across the porch. For me it was a scene straight out of my childhood. We had a large porch and a swing in the first house that I can remember living in. Adults often sought evening relief from the summer heat as air-conditioning was rare for many households at that time. Both sets of my grandparents and an aunt and uncle (Daisy/Frank) had large porches and swings. At one time porches and swings were gathering places for families.

I thought about all that went on in the lives of people on porches and swings, especially young people. If you grew up and dated in the late 1950s’ (and earlier for that matter) surely you have some memories of porches and what often took place there. If the truth be told many a first kiss or those three magic words  (I love you)  took place on porches or in swings. It has been said that a boy becomes a man when he decides it’s more fun to steal a kiss than second base. Many a mother used the front porch light as a way of saying the words of the old doo wop group, The Spaniels, its’ time for “Good Night Sweetheart, Good Night.”

The legendary Eddy Arnold may have said it best in the lyrics of this song he once sung:

Old Porch Swing

It’s hung there on the front porch since this old house was built
It’s where the old men whittle and the women fleece their quilts
It’s held four generations through whatever life could bring
That ole swing, that ole porch swing

It held a grieving widow when my daddy’s daddy died
And now it rocks my children when they close their sleepy eyes
It’s where I popped the question with a quarter karat ring
That ole swing, that ole porch swing

It’s been there through the sunshine it’s had it share of rain
Been a witness to some good times and a like amount of pain
If it could tell its story what a violin could sing
That ole swing, that ole porch swing

It’s where brother read the letter that sent him off to war
We knew he had to go and fight but we didn’t know what for
When he came home he just sat there and never said a thing
In that swing, that ole porch swing

It’s been there through the sunshine it’s had it share of rain
Been a witness to some good times and a like amount of pain
If it could tell its story what a violin could sing
That ole swing, that ole porch swing

That evening as the midnight hour neared and I sat in our daughter’s swing on their front porch I had two thoughts. One, if you were a teenager in the late 50s’ or early 60s’ you might remember the significance of the striking hour of midnight and also the significance of another’s front porch.  I wonder how many hearts have been thrilled or broken by what was once said to them on someone’s porch or as they sat in that ole porch swing. Hum…….

Probably more hearts have either been thrilled or broken than all the stars that I could see as I looked from the porch where I sat on this evening.

Maybe you once stood on someone’s porch or sat in someone’s swing. Maybe you remember what was once was said to you…

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August 7, 2014
Keep on,
​Larry Adamson

September 22, 2018

Just some thoughts:

If you walk like a duck, you quack like a duck
you go down to the swimming hole with the ducks,
you jump in the water with the ducks,
don’t be surprised if they call you a duck

Grandma McCammon

George Washington is credited with saying:

“Associate with men of good quality if you esteem your own reputation for ’tis better to be alone than in bad company.”

In other words be careful what duck or ducks you hang out with…

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August 20, 2011
Keep on,
Larry Adams

Posted September 20, 2018

Just some thoughts:

The country rock group  Georgia Satellites had a hit with a song titled “Keep Your Hands to Yourself.”

While that might be good advice I suggest something else that might be good for one to do at certain times and that is “Keep your thoughts and your comments to yourself.” Especially around certain people you may come in contact with.

On one of my trips to Georgia to attend the Master’s golf tournament I  stopped in Royston, Georgia and visited Ty Cobb’s  grave. In doing so I was reminded of this story and about keeping thoughts and comments to one’s self.

Lou Criger was catcher on the Boston Red Sox’s baseball team when this young fella came on the major league scene. Criger has been the catcher on two American League Championship teams and felt he knew a thing or two.

A reporter ask him what he thought about this young Detroit Tigers player, Ty Cobb,  and Criger replied, ” This Cobb is one of those ginks with a lot flash, but he doesn’t fool me, watch him wilt when the going gets tough, I’ll cut him down to size.”The following morning Ty Cobb read of this in the morning paper, he was enraged to say the least.

That afternoon with Cobb’s team playing Boston, first time at bat Cobb singled. When he got to first base he yelled at Criger, who was the opposing catcher that day, “Watch out you big baboon, I’m going down on the first pitch.”

First pitch and Cobb did exactly that and promptly stole second base. From second base he yells at Criger, “I’m takin’ third on the next pitch.”

On the next delivery Cobb he stole third. Jumping up from his slide at third he again yells at Criger, “I’m comin’ home, get out of my way, ice wagon.” As the pitcher went into his windup Cobb headed full-steam for home and beat the throw. Cobb had stolen three bases off Criger and called each shot before doing such.

Lou Criger would have been better off earlier when he was asked  by a reporter what he thought about this new young player Ty Cobb,  just keeping his mouth shut.

And you know what…sometimes each of us  might find ourselves in similar situations where the best thing for us to do is ….Just say nothing,  just keep our mouth shut, keep our thoughts to ourselves.

“If you don’t say it, then you don’t ever have to                                                            say you’re sorry you said it.”                                                          ==============================================

June 15, 2018
Keep on,
Larry Adamson

Posted September 19, 2018

Just some thoughts:

Today I went by the grave of an old friend. Something I find myself doing more often.

I never visit this old friends grave that I don’t have a thousand  memories. A few sad and many happy, good memories.

As I walked to my car today after being at his grave I recalled this story.

Many years ago one Saturday night about seven or eight my friend called me. I was at home, hey no cell phones or texting in those day kids. “Hey Cohort what are you doin’?” He always called me that, I never heard him call me by my name. I told him nothing just hangin’ out here at home. “Well Cohort I got us a couple dates for tonight.” “What, when” my reply. “Tonight” was his answer. “Hey isn’t it kinda late to be getting  dates for this Saturday night”?

The story was this, my friends parents most Saturday nights ate out at this place in our hometown. It was called The Goodie Shop Cafeteria and my friend  always went with his parents when they went there. Either there or a place called Louise’s.

“Cohort here’s the deal. Tonight I went with mom and dad to eat and going thru the line getting our food there’s these two girls. I got to talkin’ to them and they get off work at nine and we are to pick them up in front of the place at 9;30.” My reaction was “What.?”

I ask my friend “What’s their names, where did they go to school, etc.” His reply, “Don’t know that. But in the serving line one of them was serving the bread and the other was dishing out the vegetables, so we’ll just call them ‘Bread and Vegetables, OK?”  And that is what we did.

9:30  that evening we pulled up in Mike’s 1956 Chevy convertible, the top down, WLAC  Nashville, Tennessee  (Hoss Allen at the mike)  on the radio and picked-up “Bread and Vegetables.”

Still to this day I don’t know which one was my date nor their names.

They remained forever the famous..”Bread and Vegetables.”

Well Bread and Vegetables we have often wondered whatever happened to the two of you.  If you are out there tonight…you have not been forgotten.

Nor my friend.
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August 10, 2018
Keep on,
Larry Adamson

Posted September 18, 2018

Just some thoughts:

Often I go to the Station Inn in downtown Nashville. Today it is the only place where one can hear Bluegrass music and  anything close to traditional country music in Nashville.

You will not impress if you go there with the inside looks. The place will seat about 100 plus  and nothing matches. The chairs, tables, etc look like and probably were gotten at a flea market or a yard sale. And not a recent one at that.  One does not go there thinking about southern refinement.  There are “no reservations” taken, it’s come on in and find yourself a place.

The other night I sat down at a table with seven or eight other folks. Shortly after sitting down one of the people at the table introduced this older man sitting at the table saying, ” My friend here, Calvin just celebrated his 90th birthday this past week. I brought him here tonight for his birthday.”

Congratulations were said to Calvin, a beverage of his choice was ordered for him. Upon arrival of  his beverage a young lady at the table pointed at him  and said. ” I’d like to ask you a question, a man who has lived this many years on this earth, what might be a bit of wisdom or thought you could give to the rest of us?”  The old man (looked  a bit like Ole’ Rivers–Walter Brennan) taking a drink of his beverage then said “Well if your lookin’ for answers you might well remember… age….. will not answer all of life’s questions.”

I took a napkin and wrote down that line. “Age will not answer all of life’s questions.” How true. Some questions in life may be answered by time and experience, but not all. I once heard it said, “There are no secrets at funerals.”  To which I don’t agree. Sometimes funerals can create questions never before thought about, let alone answered.

In April of 2016 I was at my biological mother’s funeral. When I was introduced the one introducing me said “This is her first and oldest  child.”  The look, expression on the person  I was being introduced to, something said to me, this introduction had  created more questions in their mind and answered none.

As a young boy on ocassion I used to attend church with my grandmother at a little country church just a bit south of Sullivan, Indiana. An old hymn they used to sing was “Farther Along.”
The drift of the song was farther along understanding of matters will come. Even understand why. Well, that may be true but I don’t think that means that all our questions will be answered in our lifetime.

“Farther Along”

Tempted and tried we’re oft made to wonder
Why it should be thus all the day long
Farther along we’ll know all about it
Farther along we’ll understand why
We’ll understand it all by and by

That by and by business…maybe that’s not in the here and now.

I still have some remaining questions. You?

And like Calvin…I  don’t think age has or will answer all my questions.

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August 23, 2018
Keep on,
Larry Adamson