Susan's wonderful mother died this morning. It is so very sad. She has had a very aggressive form of cancer for about five years now. It has alternately been in remission, and back a few times. Just before Christmas this last year, she went in for a check up and was told that the cancer had returned, and they could not do surgery again. Last week, Susan and I traveled down to South Carolina to help out with caring for her. Unfortunately, she was in the hospital in Charleston for most of the week, and we were at Susan's parents home up in Surfside Beach, watering the plants and such. Made for a tough week. She did get back before I got on the road to get back to Virginia, and we had a nice party for Susan's brother's 40th birthday. Oddly, the birthday party felt more like a party for Josie. At that point, she had been told she had 6 months, on the outside, left to live. We all knew it would be sooner, but just a few days is a big, sad surprise. I'm not quite sure what emotions I'm going to go through with this whole thing, and I do not know how tough it is going to be for Susan and her brother and dad. I so want to hop back in the car and head back south, but I would just be in the way right now. I figure I will go grocery shopping.

Basic rules

1. Toothpicks are completely wrong and should be banned.
2. Adults wear trousers, unless at the beach, or on a day off.
3. A sunrise should be watched every so often.
4. Magic is great fun to think about, but should never be taken seriously.
5. Dirty jokes are only funny when they are made by people you would not think would make them.
6. Not everyone needs or deserves a tattoo.
7. Hugs are not necessary, as a general rule.
8. Handshakes fall under that same rule.
9. Men do not use straws.
10. Camping is quite uncivilized.
11. Walking with a cane is embarrassing and should be avoided.
12. Idle hands do not do the Devil's work, as they are not doing much of anything.
13. Everyone should have a good "radio voice". It keeps one distanced from the people.
14. Everything that can be found to be humorous, must be found.

So, here I am in South Carolina. Surfside Beach. Nice area. I have only one reservation: South Carolina. I have plans for this state, lest you forget, or have not been told.
  Some backstory: I lived in this hellhole during a chunk of the 1980s, while attending highschool. Summerville, to be exact. Not the best of towns for a budding punkrocker to be thrust into whilst in the middle of adolescence. The first week I was here, I had my ass handed to me by a pickup truck full of good-ol-boys, just for having a mohawk. Pretty cliche, no? Enough of the past.
  When elected dictator of this fine country, I plan to wall off the state and move all chemical and nuclear testing to the inside of the walls. It's going to be fabulous. I can not think of a better way to dissolve my rage. I tell ya, some grudges die hard.
  On a sad note, we are here to help out Susan's Mom and Dad. Her Mom has terminal cancer and is not expected to be around a whole lot longer. I'll be back in Virginia by the week's end, but Susan will be staying down here for the duration. I plan to be down this way, once a month, or so. I figure it would be best if I let go of my hatred for this place. I'll begin working on that.
  The weather sure is nice.

Time to get this actually rolling

I have been challenged to get on the ball with this here bloggy thing. I'ma going to get some thoughts worked up for your reading pleasure quite soon. I've got lots to say, luckily. I just hope someone might care to read it. Anyhoos, I'll be back soon with the continuing adventures of life. According to me.