There's more than one way to skin a cat!

Have you ever heard that saying, "There's more than one way to skin a cat!"? Well, it comes to mind today because I find myself in the Caldwell Parish Library sitting at the computer trying to check my email, and other sites that I visit often, but find that facebook, My Space, Twitter, and I guess others are blocked from access here on these computers. So, I have managed to get to my blogger account and have decided to post a blog and perhaps some of you will receive it and even still some of you might read it. Hopefully I have 'skent tha kat'. :)


As I have already said, I am at the Caldwell Parish Library. That is in Columbia, LA. We will be here in Columbia (actually in Hebert, about five or six miles out of Columbia) a few more days and then plan to return to Cleveland on Saturday. When I was in Sulphur, LA, I was on my daughter's internet connection and all was well. I may be able to get connected somewhere soon and catch up on f/b. If not, this will have to do. I think we can survive until then.  Meanwhile, go to my store and make a big purchase!

Ya'll take care now and we'll be seeing ya.

An Incident At Walmart

The other night my wife and I were leaving Walmart, and as we approached our car, a lady pulled her car up close to us and asked if she could talk to us for a minute.  Of course we did not ignore her and brush her off, so we listened.  She said that her husband had beaten her and brusied her leg.  Right here I began to think, "Here comes one of those sad stories and we will be asked for money."  I was about to ask, "Did you call the police?", but she said that she was from Nashville and her car was needing some gas.  "Can you help me get some gas?" she asked.  "Yes mam.  Just follow me over there to the gas pumps and I'll get you some gas," I said.  She drove off and I got into my car and backed out and drove to the pumps, but alas, she was no where to be found.  I waited a few minuets thinking she may have had some trouble, being from Nashville and not acauainted with our Walmart, getting to the pumps.  I waited and I looked but she was not there nor anywhere around.  Undoubtedly, she got into her vehicile and drove off, out of my sight, seeing that I was not going to give her any money.  I would have probably filled her tank with gas, if indeed it was in need of gas, but I am only left to believe that she was only wanting money. 


I've ran into a lot of people in my life and career, that only wanted some money for unacceptable purposes but came up with some "woe-is-me" story in an attempt to pull on my heart strings.  I like to think of myself as a man who is generous with what I have but I'm afraid that over time I have gotten a little bit hard.  That's a shame too, because there are truly people in the world around us who really are in need, but the antics of some has closed the door of hospitality to many.  I will still try to be generous when I can but I will still be cautious and yes, suspicious.

http://www.landjspecialties.com,  http://www.freewebs.com/labrannen

Do It Now!

Thursday was a good day to mow the yard.  I didn't!  I decided to put it off 'til the next day.  I wanted to do some work, website work, on My Store.  You can find my store at http://www.landjspecialties.com.


Well, the forecast looked like rain may be on the way for the week-end.  The yard wasn't really that bad so I waited another day.  Friday morning looked like a good time to mow.  The yard was still dry and the sky was lightly overcast.  About 10:00 a.m. I started mowing.  My wife, Janis, helped.  We completed the yard and felt good about having it done. 


About 2:00 p.m. it began to really look like the possibility of rain.  Janis went to the store and I stayed home to practice my trumpet.  While practicing, it began to rain.  The lightening and thunder claps were very noticable.  The wind took it's turn to disturbe a good practice session.  The electrical interruptions added to my discomfort.  When rain drops began to drip from the ceiling, I had to get up from practice and get out a couple of pans the catch the drippings, and a towel to dry off the excess.  Later in the day, I picked up limbs, small ones, that fell from the trees and observed the situation.  No real damage that I could see. 


After the storm, while all seemed peaceful, suddenly, the lights went out.  Total silence!  That lasted about 45 min. to 1 hr.  How quite it is when there is No noise.  None in the house, none outside the house, and none in my head.  You know!  Like ringing ears!!  I think you should go ahead and mow your yard now, if you can, and then relax while you visit My Store and save 10% on every item.


Have a great day and be blessed!

My Desk

My desk is covered with a variety of things.  There is, of course, my computer with an external hard drive and a monitor.  The computer is actually my laptop.  The monitor is attached to it.  The drawer that pulls out for the keyboard does house the keyboard and a mouse.  Also on the desk is a telephone, a stapler, two pair of reading glasses, a cd containing who knows what, a writing tablet, a TV remote control, ear phones that plug into the computer if I don't want to disturb anyone, a container filled with pens and more reading glasses, a couple of folded paper towels that I use if my nose runs or if I sneeze, a business card that I got from the Business Tax Department at the Bradley County Court House, and, well that's enough, isn't it?  But, there is one more very important thing.  It's my World of Products catalog that contains so many specialty items.

I wish everybody had one of my catalogs.  If you want one, let me know and believe it or not, I'll send you one.  No Charge!  If everybody had one and if everybody would order just one item from it, man, I'd be rich 'cause there's a lot of people in this world.  So, let me be a little more realistic - If everyone who reads this blog would tell your friends about it and get my catalog for yourself and for them and order two or three items from it, I'd have enough money to take my wife out to dinner more than once.  Now, I am Laughing Out Loud!  But I'm serious about sending you a catalog if you want one.  You can also visit my store, L & J Specialties, online at http://www.landjspecialties.com.  It only has about 125 items on display right now but soon will have more.  Still, the whole catalog will not be on line through this website.  Go ahead and get acquainted with my store and email me or contact me some way or another and let me send you a catalog.

Sea Salt vs Table Salt

You may want to read this article if you are worried about Table Salt.

http://www.qualityhealth.com/featured-article-segment?fa=107394&rf=45817&mc=MjUzNDMzOTQ.&ct=36917

This one from the Mayo Clinic

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/sea-salt/an01142

Liberty Bronze Stallion

Janis has suffered with a condition known as "Trichiasis" for four or five years now.  She has had eyelashes pulled out, burnt at the root, and frozen.  All of these procedures have given temporary relief but none have given total healing.  Well, yes, we have also prayed about this condition.  She went to the doctor in Chattanooga today to schedule a surgery to cut out the eyelashes, but she has decided to try having them burnt one more time.  If this doesn't work, then surgery is to follow in July.  

Let me explain what I mean when I say 'burnt' and 'frozen'.  'Burnt' means 'electrolysis' and 'frozen' means 'argon laser treatment'.  I know that still doesn't explain it so click on this link "Trichiasis" for a better understanding.

What shall I do for her?  Oh, I will continue to pray for her and scratch her back, but maybe I should go to My Store and buy her something.  I have a good variety of products in my big catalog and a small variety in My Store online.  I could buy her the Liberty Bronze Stallion.

That should do it, don't you agree?

Clocks

What would we do without clocks? Well, for one thing, we'd be late for our very important dates. We have at least a dozen, if not two dozen, clocks in our house. Some are small and some are large. Some are very decorative and some are rather plane. Some operate by electricity and some operate by battery power. The one thing in common is the time. They all tell time the same way. The hour hand tells the hour and the minute hand tells the minute, and if they have a second hand they all tell the second. I'll admit that they may not all be in step with one another to the second or even to the minute but if they do their job and tell the time, they will all tell the same time. I guess the phrase, "It all worked like clock work" comes from the consistency and accuracy of clocks that work correctly.

Since I have so many clocks in my house, why am I sometimes late for an appointment? Perhaps I need to buy another clock. If I were to buy another clock, I would purchase it from My Store on this website or from My Store on my other website. By the way, if you want to do the same, you are more than welcome to do so. If your interested, I would say check out both websites.

Do it now so you won't be late for another appointment.

I'm Not Lazy - Just Tired!

I don't know where I heard it the first time, but I've heard it many times since. Maybe, the most I've heard it is from my own lips. "I'm not lazy. I'm just tired." I used to think I was lazy because I had no reason to be tired, but still I didn't want to do anything and what I did was like pulling a locomotive along behind me. Well, at one point in my life, the doctors discovered a medical condition that attributes to extreme fatigue. That doesn't sound as bad as lazy, and besides if there is a medical condition connected to it, it seems to be more excusable.

You know, I'm not so sure that any ailment causes me to be so fatigued. Oh, I know that there are conditions that cause extreme fatigue, but I'm just not so sure that, that is the case for me. Besides, I have something else to blame my "fatigue" on now. So, if I'm pressured about my frequent sluggishness, I can choose to say that I have been diagnosed with a condition that causes me to be extremely fatigued, or I can blame it on something that may be more acceptable - I'm an old man now, at least by the standards of most young whipper-snappers.

As it is, you just never know. If I feel like doing something, I may do it and if I don't feel like it, I may not. Just don't ask me why?

Internet Confusion

The more I try to understand the internet, the more I realize I don't know very much about it. But, I keep trying. Sometimes I think I'm doing pretty good and then sometimes I don't. I'm trying to build a decent website. Now, I've started with a free website because I need to get the feel of it and decide if I think I can do it, before I put out the bucks. I've played with some sort of free website for several years now - off and on, but now I'm trying to get serious about it. I want to build a site that you will visit and buy something from - a site where I can make some money. After about seven or eight years of trial and error, computer crashes, viruses, loses and some wins, I am still confused. I hope I know more than I did back then but the technology has advanced much faster than my knowledge has grown. That means I'm more confused, even though I may be a little smarter. It looks like I'll have to upgrade to a more professional site if I want to do anything productive. I'll let you know if I do. Meanwhile, anybody got a job for me to do. I need to make a little money. LOL :o) Here's one that I am working on. It's still under construction. Here's another one.

My Brothers and My Sisters

If I say, "My brothers and my sisters," it may sound like I'm getting ready to preach you a message or tell you something spiritual, but this time it's not a sermon. I want to talk about my real biological brothers and sisters as opposed to spiritual brothers and sisters.

My oldest brother is Fred. He is the oldest of my siblings and should be the wisest, but I'll not get myself into a family feud about that. He has done extensive travel to Africa and held positions that scare me. I think he is quite wise.

The next oldest sibling is Wilmon (Wil). Wil lives in Texas and thinks like a salesman. He has been a very successful salesman and building manager and knows how to manage most things I guess, except us Brannen siblings. Soon he will be living here in Tennessee near the rest of us and perhaps he can then manage us a lot better.

I'm next in line as we descend the ranks of Brannen seniority. I needn't say anything about me. You can discover more about me on this website and other blogs that I have posted.

Not by our design, but as we come to the lower ranks of Brannen seniority, there are two girls. Not my fault girls. Must be God's design. Anyway, my sister, Bonita, was the youngest in the family until I was in high school and my two older brothers were out of the house on their own. I tried to teach her how to do a lot of things and it always seemed that I could get my way if I played the cards right. She really did accomplish a lot in her career. Among other things, she worked at a bank and for State Farm. Recently, she retired from State Farm and is now enjoying entertaining her family and her siblings. Oh, and she enjoys company from her friends as well. Now, let me tell you about the youngest child in the Louis Brannen family. Donice! That girl is as crazy as I am. We have a lot in common and have had a lot of laughs together. She and I wrote a song once. It was something about a dog I think, or maybe it was about a man or a women. I guess I should know but it never made the charts so it is sung so seldom, no one can remember it. I guess it is only fitting that she should be the one to reach the highest level of education and become the 'counselor'. One of these days I'm gonna let her psychoanalyze me and see if it will help.

Now I haven't put my sisters down by the content of this blog. Oh, no. Actually I think I've said more about them than the rest of us. Also, you must remember that if God designed it that way, then He had a reason. Besides, God said, "The first shall be last and the last shall be first". With that said, let me add, I have a great family. Two great brothers and two great sisters, of whom I am proud. I only hope I can do enough to return the feeling to them about me.

Visit my web-site: http://www.freewebs.com/labrannen