I can now say I have been to the Alabama mountains.  More specifically, Fort Payne, Alabama.  For all you country music fans, this is the hometown and current residence of the group Alabama.  You know, “The Closer You Get”, “Lady Down on Love”, etc.  I am not so anal or old as to know this, but my mother is.

You see, we invited her to go with us on our brief trip to visit my aunt and uncle, which in itself is strange as my aunt is my dad’s sister and my parents are divorced 10 years now, lol.  The drive took about 6 1/2 hours.  Long time for the 8 year old, ya feel me?

My Uncle is a drinker, so the beer was on ice and the burgers ready for grilling when we arrived.  Needless to say, we got a bit toasted Thursday night.  Hell of a way to ring in New Year’s Day!   Does that mean I will be drunk all year???? Hmmmmmm.  Anywho, my aunt has a daughter, my cousin.  She is 31 and has a lovely son, also 12.  My cousin has the BIPOLAR!  No shit.  She has tragically tried to commit suicide several times and been institutionalized.  However, with proper treatment and medication she has shown such improvement she now has a mobile home on my aunt and uncle’s property and custody of her son again.

On Friday, as my mom, aunt, the fireman, and I rode around in the mountains, my cousin kept the boys.  We promised them roller skating later on.  My aunt and the fireman made a quick trip to the grocery as I was hood winked into touring the Alabama Fan Club and Museum with my mom.  Hence leaving she had in her grubby hand a 25 year anniversary box set of CD’s.

The fireman has now decided crazy cousin is just too crazy to be trusted taking our wee ones skating.  We all disagree and it turns into some DRAMA.  I FUCKING HATE DRAMA!!!!!!! In the end, they went skating.  No one was killed, stolen, hurt, hospitalized, etc.

Saturday morning we headed home.  Reminder, it’s 6 1/2 hours.  We have three Alabama CD’s.  We listen to the first one, the second one, half way through the third one the fireman tells my mom- “Gams, just because we have 80 of Alabama’s greatest hits doesn’t mean we have to listen to them all at ONE time!”

Moms says, “Oh come on, be a trooper!”

The fireman says, ” Fuck that!  I was tired of being a trooper two CD’s ago!”

Love him!

J——————-