Cow Shots, 2017 the Year of Trump and other travesties

       Aunt Ina was rooted in Benton Tennessee on 64 between Cleveland and Murphy North Carolina. I will get to that story soon about the Hokes Bluff basketball team and a halftime shot from Mid Court yesterday at the Towns County Ga Battle of the states; a good metaphor for this year of Trump.

      But it was not all a travesty. On the whole a hopeful 64th year for me with early elderly aches that somedays are getting my close to low ambularity long time before I should be having these kind of troubles giving all the walking and bicycle riding Ive done in better days.

    Had a little something almost every month in Stevie World to look forward to in 2017 if you leave that bastard Trump out of the Equation.

     In January had a good day in Rome Ga, two good days. Went over to hear Patrick Powell talk about his book Blood at the Root at Berry and then back again a couple weeks later to hear Kate Campbell in concert. Had a Schroeders Deli Hoagie Carmichael on both occasions.

   I got newly elected DeKalb County School Supe Jason Barnett on NPR 1a program to talk about his experience of 16 years at Momma alma mater and the matter of DACA. And we were ratified in December with the Two one hour segments on NPR This American Life about nearby Albertville Alabama and Immigration. Marshall County's Will Ainsworth LT gov candidate and tight with Marco Rubio has some explaining to do if he continues to call himself a Christian and I intend to give him as many opportunities to do so this coming year.

     In May went to Easley SC to see my nephew Andrew Graduate from High School. He's a fine young man and Karen Ellers brought her new husband Jerry to his graduation luncheon though she did sabotage my table's conversation and Lynn Arve will tell you as much.

   I ate some Bridges BBQ on that trip.

   Attended some good Sacred Harp singing including a first at Dutton which I think I wrote up somewhere on this blog.

    Highlight of my year was the Truett Celebration in Hayesville. See my blog of late October, early November on that one.

    And then Andy's Wedding Nov 4 was unforgettable. After a series of deliberations late August after they had been notified the first of the year the Deacons at Collinsville Baptist reversed course and allowed me on the property of the church where my Mother was baptized for the first time in ten years for Andy's wedding to Melissa Layow. She did justice to the corset and her Momma and Kyle from Michigan were proud, Fez was proud, her Dad and Andy's Dad and I chatted while Melissa took an hour down by the creek for pictures and the honorable Russell Sam Beene, screenplay collaborators were in the wedding party to honor our fellow founding member of the Collinsville film society and there is a picture on facebook to prove we were there and there was a back up Italian Cream Cake and it was just wonderful.

     Thanksgiving and Christmas trips to the Upstate were memorable and great fun with my brother's newly minted grandsons who turn 3 and five this year. Last Friday I just missed Furman President David Shi by about two minutes at Furman Judson on Main Bookstore by the Westin South Main Greenville SC. Went back Tuesday and got a History of Alabama for Martha and the Collinsville Historical Association.

    Basketball has kicked in and Ive seen two Christmas tourneys in two states in two days.

   As for that sonuvabitch Donald Trump--see Huntsville Alabama ralley for Luther Strange, see what Norm Ornstein had to say on Cspan at the Miami Dade book festival. I'm with the honest conservative Ornstein on that one, and Garry Wills and Marilynne Robinson so I am in good company.

      Got a good reading list for the new year. Have gone deeper in the word with new late year considerations on the Communion of the Saints, Momma, Dorothy Day and Teresa of Lieux and did a good job with the Hallelujah Chorus annual end of service sing at FBC Easley SC.

   So 2018, I'm ready as I'll ever be.