My wife and I love to play 42, a game of domino’s. So does her sister and brother-in-law. We decided to meet in Santa Rosa, spend the weekend and play domino’s. This happened some time ago. I figured there would be absolutely nothing to do in Santa Rosa except play domino’s. Wrong….that is a nice town and nice people and lots of folks visit there. They have a nice lake there, a fish hatchery, and “The Blue Hole”….have you heard of it? Beautiful, cold and clear water and folks that scuba dive come from all over to train there. It is deep also, I am not sure just how deep, but I heard 80 feet. After six feet,  its too deep for me. Well, we did play some domino’s and as usual, my bud-in-law and me got the crap beat out of us…we are so hard headed and just keep coming back for more….Those girls are more than willing to wop the crap out of us, again and again….But Santa Rosa was still fun..

Well, No. 1 son came by for a visit as he was in Albuquerque on business. We had him over for dinner Thursday night and we enjoyed so much having him here and catching up on all the happening on his family and in Carlsbad America. His family is doing well and Carlsbad, It’s a good town. We spent many years there and did not move to Albuquerque until 1990. My company at that time wanted me up here as it was more central to my work and had a major airport. Anyway, so nice to see him and visit with him.You know what he said….. That I can drive his 4 wheeler anytime I am in Carlsbad…I feel a lot better now….I guess he does remember me letting him drive…

chapter_six_big_momma  Cousins is a work of fiction. Chapter Six is almost all factual with some name changing, etc. My grandfather dying is actual. Big Momma is real. The story of her baptism was related to me as being factual. And her place in my heart remains unchanged, I loved her and part of her will always live inside of me. I hope you enjoy the story.

• Maybe some of you have not believed me on Coal Fire Creek being cold because I am a writer of fiction…This ain’t fiction..My sister-in-law, a long time resident and retired teacher from the State of Alabama school systems, sent me a book. “Across the Ages,” “A History of Reform, Alabama and the Surrounding Area” taken from the Pickens County Herald and West Alabamian, March, 1998. and published by Southeast Media and Mailing, Gordo, AL. Table of Contents, III History of Northwest Pickens County
• on page 26 you find the following information: “When William and Martha Clements Wison came to Pickens County in 1819, Coal Fire Creek was swollen and they had to camp on its banks six weeks. According to legend, the name Coal Fire Creek was given to the stream because it was bitterly cold when settlers from Tennessee tried to cross.”
• And folks, thats the gospel truth, no sir-ree bob, I ain’t lying and neither were those early day crosser….Cold, bitterly cold, yes sir, that the truth….Stay tuned for more up dates on one of the coldest creeks I know of…I’m saying 65 degrees…..What do you say?

Old friends, after all of these years, we’re old friends,… just old friends, what a prize, what a treasure…..I can’t remember  the words to the Bill Gaither song, but I remembered some of it tonight while talking to some Alabama folks. One wonders how we let time get away from us. Folks just get too busy, at least I do. Anyhow, if you have been thinking about someone, call them. It will make you feel better and they will probably like to hear from you also. I think it will warm the hearts of both parties…..If they say, now “who are you?”, well, its been too long…..

I have been writing about Claunch, NM and Coal Fire, AL, but I have not mentioned my wife’s place of birth, Rogers, NM. A WHOLE LOT of people are FROM Rogers, and just like Claunch and Coal Fire, ain’t a whole lot of folks there now. Before the Clubhouse completely fell in, my wife took me by to visit. This was where the happening were in Rogers. Dancing was big and all the folks joined in. Once, my wife and I were in Amarillo, TX, passing through, but spending the night. The restaurant  had a dance floor and we decided to dance one. My wife asked me, “Did I ever show you how my aunts would dance at Rogers?” No, was my reply. She showed me. She left me standing there watching as she put  one hand on the hip, the other hand up in the air with the index finger pointed upward, and kind of swivling the hips as she pranced round and round. Me and several other dancers were surprised but enjoyed the show. Ah, the joys of youth…..But anyway folks, thats another real town that at one time was a jumping place. Several of my paintings are from pictures made in that area. Still are some nice folks living in that area as well.  More on Rogers, NM later…..

Sometimes we Americans forget the price paid for our freedom. Thousands died on Omaha and Utah beach and as they drove on inland into France. Many families have stories of their loved ones who fought, some dying, some wounded,  some with mental scars that followed them the rest of their lives. Some of them are still with us and we salute them all. They are all my heroes and when I see pictures of the crosses of American buried in foreign lands, I treasure even more what they have done. Young men, 18, 20 years old. One sergeant was called the old man and he was 24 by some accounts I have read. Soldiers…and families of soldiers who served in World War Two, thank you from the very bottom of my heart for your gift to us……FREEDOM.  God bless America.

Comments by Nadine prompted me to do another post on Coal Fire. Folks, this is a real place. On US 82 west bound from Tuscaloosa, you pass  Coker, Gordo, Reform, Sanderstown and then, there it is, COAL FIRE, AL. You have to go down Coal Fire Circle to really appreciate the city and Coal Fire Baptist Church. Us cousins are going to have a reunion at the church in July. Some of us have not seen one another in years. Yes, Nadine, there is a Coal Fire, Alabama………

I found an old air force buddy the  other day. We had a mutual friend pass away so I made a real effort to find him. And I did find him and we have talked a couple of times. He is a great story teller and some of my stories in the book Cousins are from some of his stories, one of which he almost disclaimed because I had butchered it so much. It is funny how we met. I was in a pay line at Lowery AFB, CO and this guy was just in front of me as we were in alphabetical order. Telling a story. A long story. One that lasted from all the A’s being paid until the H’s got paid in our squadron. I never talked to him that day  and he was not telling the story to me. Months later I am shaving in a barracks at Walker AFB, NM. There are two guys in the shower and I hear this story being told. I know the story, beginning to end. I stick my head in the shower doorway and told the guy I had heard that  story before,  in Denver. We became room mates and that was the first of many, many, stories he related to me. A lot of them could be tall tales, but some I think he told as truth. I wish I could remember all the stories he told. What a guy……I regret our mutual friend died, but I am glad the friendship has been renewed with this good friend…Is there a good friend you need to find? If so, you need to go ahead and at least try to find him or her….It makes you feel good..

1. May, 2009 was one of the busiest I have ever had on my web site. Thank you guys for reading and visiting the site. I hope you will continue. Feel free to add any comments.

2. I had asked if anyone knew the temperature of Coal Fire Creek  back in Alabama nowadays. I had no replies to that item. Either, no one swims in Coal Fire Creek anymore or the one’s that do aren’t reading this blog. The last time I traveled over US 82 at the bridge that crosses Coal Fire Creek you could not see the water.  I’m sure it is still there. This July,  I might just go check the temperature myself. I probably will not be swimming in it, however, that sucker is still cold I’m sure……