No More Rain Please!

Since I don't watch the news because we are on our third TV because I broke the other ones I don't know how much local news would ever make it to the National News Spotlight especially as it relates to all of the rain and all of the localized flooding that occurs with only a brief shower now!

My guess is absolutely none. It's highly likely national news journalists traveled here once and got caught up in our Foxcroft Ave traffic nightmare and found it's just not worth it to report anything. They can't even get the traffic lights synchronized around here.

Yep, that one right there!

Let's just say that it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that the engineer who came up with that idea needed to stay in school just a little longer. Could be that person went to too many college parties where beer pong 101 was a class. I don't know!

Anyway, that little spot in red is where I am from and live at in West Virginia.

The street I live on is right off of a major route in and out of this county should a real emergency occur here. The major emergency route or Route 11 is to my left; the Interstate to my right and close enough that I am used to hearing jake brakes now.

Should an emergency occur and depending on the emergency it's a toss-up if we would make it out now since it appears something has failed.

Several years ago and about a half mile from my house on the major emergency route, that section of highway went through a couple of million dollar road project. I don't remember the exact words used to describe it but I remember and I am pretty sure that taxpayer money was used for it. Fast forward to what has been happening on this highway right now that I now refer to as clowns to the left of us and jokers to the right and especially with all of the rain that we've gotten this year and new this year, flooding.

This is the end of our road as it intersects with US Route 11. It is to the right of the picture and covered in water.

 See the darker car setting sideways? That is not a street. That is a drainage ditch along the roadway that this car got stuck in and then the driver proceeds to get out and not get to safety but got behind the car and tried to push it out and when that didn't work got in front and tried to pull the car out. 

That is when I walked back to my house. I was afraid that idiot driver was going to slip underneath the vehicle.

This is to the right of us

And forget about the signs with warnings like, TURN AROUND, DON'T BE AN IDIOT AND DROWN around here that they just drive through it anyway. What is that important on the other side?

See the line of the shoulder of the roadway and then notice how quickly it disappears under the water?

I have a picture of this flood water swallowing up a Benz but I can't find it right now.

Other than the stupid drivers who drive through the road closure signs, those of us living along this stretch of highway are wondering, what the hell happened to our stretch of road? Why is it flooding like this now when it never flooded like this before?

Depending on whom you talk to it's a toss up between all that Aqua Net or White Rain hairspray of years ago.

I am not a highway engineer but something has clearly failed!

I don't know what PO'd mother nature this year, but it can stop raining now! There are more pics, I just have to get them off my camera.

pics were taken by me

© 2018 Gossip_GrL

Since I Can't Beat It, I'll Meditate On It

For years I have joked about aromatherapy as my go to in a lot of situations. It isn't a joke. My favorite aroma is a blend of Rosemary, Mint, and Lavender all of which I grow in my herb garden in the backyard.

A few years ago I added daily meditation to my daily regimen. Meditation and a blend of oils I found are relaxing to the soul. I often don't have a hard time centering my chi now. This video was shared with me and became a quick favorite. I guess I don't have to put a strong language warning with it, huh?

What can I say?

I have mentioned and shared this video in a certain circle and I either got laughs about it or strong W.W. J. D. notes written anonymously. 

Although it is funny to listen to it is brutally honest, it works! Trust me. Those are the words screaming out of my head silently on most days and once about a year ago, I did scream them out loud and the nice policeman even laughed. That is not me telling a punchline to a joke. That really happened. Of all the times and places that I should lose my shit cool but sometimes we don't know how we will really react to some things.

The nice policeman I think understood the situation. Thank goodness for that!

I also like drinking my tea's. My favorite blend of tea is Chamomile. The combination of oils, meditation and tea are my daily go to after work. my days off, and for all the other special occasions when life comes at me like R. Lee Ermey and slaps me in the face.

For those who aren't offended by words, let me know what you think of the video.

Video Youtube
© 2018 Gossip_GrL

Banned Books Week: A Hard To Find Book

This week is "Banned Books" week and before this week is over and I don't get another chance until next year, I want to tell you about the banned book that I am trying to find and read. I should also mention that I want to read its first edition not the cut up made for the television version. 

Amazon

First, any book that was banned by the US Government and deemed unfit for any human must be a very great read.  I promise this is not a political post, but could easily lead to one for me.

The book I am referring to is, "The Housewife's Handbook on Selective Promiscuity" written by Rey Anthony or AKA Lillian Maxine Serett, also known as Maxine Sanini and Maxine Savant, born Lillian Maxine Harrison 

I am always interested in reading books about women written for women by women and especially books from other era's. There are several reasons that this book has sparked a real interest.

One is that this book intrigues me more and really makes me want to read this book in its original text because this book was deemed obscene by the federal government which then led to the court case Ginzburg v. the United States, in which the book's publisher, Ralph Ginzburg was prosecuted and served six months in federal prison for publishing the book. Savant, the author, was never prosecuted. 

"Maxine Serett" was an assumed name she took on only for the trial. At the time of her death at age 70 in Pasadena, Texas, she had been using the assumed name Maxine Sanini for more than two decades. 

This week I think I embarrassed the librarian for asking about this particular book, much less the expectation that it would be available in our local library. I think she secretly tried to shame me for even requesting this book but I bet now that she's talked to me she too secretly wants to read the book.

I looked on Amazon and the original book in hardcover is priced at $1,999.98. In paperback, $828.14 so you just know that not only is this a hard to find book with only like three left in the first edition, it likely has words that it is no doubt unfit for our little peepers to gaze upon with words like an orgasm written between its covers deemed by the powers that be. 

Although it says that the Kindle version is $0 it isn't available on Kindle. I learned that by clicking the "Look Inside"

Keep in mind when the author first picked up the pen to start writing it was in an era in which it was believed that women should know nothing about their bodies. When an orgasm could actually land a lady in a mental asylum in earlier times. 

This is all too good for someone like me to even try to make it all up, but you can read for yourself. I will not be able to read it this week but have added it to the bucket list.

So, have any of you ever wanted to read a book like this? What is your favorite banned book? Did you ever think that writing such a book could land your publisher in jail? 

Info and pic for this post found on Amazon
Other information found at Wiki
Female Hysteria

© 2018 Gossip_GrL

Does Anyone Read Here Anymore?

I have been gone so long that I don't even know if anyone still comes by to visit this blog. So much has happened in just a year and especially this year. This is a year I never want to repeat. Do you ever get the feeling that you PO'd the gods really bad and now they are getting even?

That is the feeling that I have gotten starting in December of 2017. First, the motor went out on our Jeep. We had to secure a loan for repairs. Keep in mind we are still paying the note for this vehicle.

In April I had a very serious fall and broke my arm. It needed surgical repairs with hardware. Afterward ten weeks in a cast and the rest of the summer in occupational therapy and doctor visits. Yay me!

A quick note here. Jot this down real quick if you fall just let it happen. Don't try to be a drama queen or king like me and try to catch yourself by throwing your arm out. It will never happen and something is going to break.

On top of all of this happening is the in-betweens. My mama's dementia has progressed and if that wasn't bad enough on the same day I had my surgical consult with the orthopedic doctor to fix my hand and arm, my dad was diagnosed with cancer.

I have spent what I believe are the most miserable five months of my life.

On a good note, I still work at the warehouse. I went back to work with modified duties two days after surgery. The bills weren't going to pay themselves. 

I still want to on some days crawl in a hole and hide, however. That would be my only vacation this year at least because I couldn't go to the beach. I might get sand inside the cast. I couldn't go camping. I might get dirt inside the cast. I couldn't go fishing because well, I wouldn't have been able to cast the pole even if I wanted to.

In the dark corners of my life, I still deal with loving a son who is an addict. Because of my addict, I was terrified to take any pain meds I mean what kind of a hypocrite would I be?

In between all of this, I think I lost the last remaining friends I had. I mean who wants to hang out with the girl with the dangly arm and that godforsaken piece of plaster and/or fiberglass mess she has to carry for god knows how long. Why is it when something bad happens that is when we realize so many things? Anyway, no use in wallowing in self-pity over it now.

My go to in the past when dealing with the bad blows that life throws at me is to write. I couldn't even do that because I am right handed and that was the hand and arm that ended up broken.

So, here I am trying to connect once again until another sucker punch from behind. Today, I am just wondering if anyone still reads this blog.

Are You Participating in the A-Z?

Hi-

It has been awhile. I just wanted to tell you that I am participating in the April A-Z Challenge on my other blog, The Chronicles of Loving a Heroin Addict.

Now I know many of you are thinking, Ugh not that again! Others of you are participating. Most of you who have read here know that the heroin epidemic has affected me personally with an adult child.

I decided to use the April A-Z as an outlet to post about awareness to addiction as well as to tell you about some great things happening in my community regarding the heroin epidemic here and throughout the state of WV. Yesterday was the first day of the challenge. My post was called, Addiction Is... It is an informative post about addiction and asks the question, Is Addiction a Disease? 

Day #2 and the letter B- Highlights a local group in this fight against heroin, The Bikers Against Heroin

Day #3 and the letter C- Is explaining  The 6 C's of Addiction

Day #4 and the letter D- What a Dealer Will and Will Not Tell You About Heroin

Day #5 and the letter E- The Tangled Web of the Enabler

Day #6 and the letter F- The 52 Addicts Project: Stories of Recovery through the Camera Lens

I will stop by each day and put a highlight of each letter day post. I would list them here ahead of time, but the last time I listed the stories I was working on a local paper took my ideas for stories and used my ideas. Sort of ticked me off a little. They get paid to find their own story ideas.

Thanking you in advance for stopping by and visiting The Chronicles of Loving a Heroin Addict.

Update On Our Son

I wanted to post today to tell you that a lot has happened since I last posted. July 10th we took our son to a recovery house in Huntington, WV.

He was in pretty bad shape on that day. He had taken a potential deadly cocktail of heroin and cocaine and in his words he wanted to die.

The trip to get him to recovery was ten hours round trip as we do not have treatment facilities or recovery here in my town. I am sad that he is so far away. I am sad that he is homesick. I am relieved that I have a little less worry.

He is not recovered, but today he is not using.

His battle is far from over however. Our worries and fears are still present in some ways. This relapse occurred due to some health and pain issues he's had.

He's had some trouble after injuring his back. He's had some kidney issues for about five years. He's had seizure disorder for about eight years.

When you are a known user and not using it was hard for him to find a doctor to over look the old track marks in matters dealing with health. We learned July 10th that he has a mass and some spots on his prostate that may be cancerous. He is thirty one years old.

More tests are needed. But just for today, I am grateful that he is alive.

I will be starting back to work pretty soon which will occupy that empty space in my mind that often fills with dread and fear.

I wanted to post today to let you know that I am not in the heavy flood area. I live in the Eastern Panhandle of the state

The flooding is south of us. The areas of flooding is in the southern part of the state- south of Charleston. Greenbrier County and White Sulfur Springs is on the eastern side of the state and from what I hear they got hit hard as well.

Yesterday a local gun shop asked for donations of supplies for the flood victims. By yesterday evening at 6 PM it took 6 pickup trucks each hauling trailers full of supplies to take everything down. They are expected back sometime tonight.

The last announcement is that 20 people are dead. Thank you for the concern.


County pic: Wiki
WV Pic: Facebook

Sometimes You Just Need a Break

Hello,

It seems I've been pretty neglectful in the area of blogging haven't I? So much has been going on since October. Honestly I have days that I don't know if I am coming or going. Thank God for Metamucil to keep me regular! That's my new saying for the new year. I'm thinking of having a bumper sticker made with that on it.

When last I blogged so much was happening in my life I just couldn't keep up to it all.

The Lighthearted Chronicles of “Whatever…”

I've decided that my blog needed new direction so right about August 27, 2014 or somewheres around that time my blog went from the name 
Whatever 
a name that I've called for several years now to 
Trailer Parks and Gardens. 
The intention is to bring some Appalachian wit and humor with some hillbilly style and charm and as always it'll be the same Southern Comfort with some Coke on the side. 
I'm always hoping to bring the most funny side of living in West Virginia. 
I reckon there'll be some times of crude satire thrown in here and there!

Maybe just maybe I'll splash it up with some Apple Pie Shine!!!!