Friday, August 7, 2009

Me and My Cousins


I remember the day the picture was taken where we are swimming. It was in the Guyandotte River in Gilbert, WV. Gilbert is about 30 miles as the crow flies from Logan which is where we lived. People always add, "as the crow flies," because in WV there is a big difference in how far away another town is if you draw a straight line through the mountains (as the crow flies) or if you travel the roads which wind and turn through the hills. On the road Gilbert is 50 or 60 miles from Logan and you generally average 25 or 30 miles an hour because you invariably get behind a coal truck or a school bus or a little old lady who is just moseying along.

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

I had a bee in my bonnet...so to speak

Today when I was waiting in line at the food pantry (I picked up food for 9 people today) a bee flew under my shirt. I was wearing a tank top under a baggy shirt, so pulling the shirt off was not a big deal. I told my friend Eddie there was a bee under my shirt but he didn't see anything so I put the blouse back on. The bee must have been in my hair because a few seconds later I felt it on my chest. I swatted it off and Eddie promptly stomped it.

It reminded me of the time when I was about 14 years old and a yellow jacket flew up my pants. It started stinging me and I was hopping and screaming into the utility room. (fortunately I was right beside the back yard when it happenned) I couldn't pull my pants off fast enough. When I got them off I had seven bee stings running from my knee up my thigh. It was incredibly painful.

So much for the myth that a bee only stings once. I guess that because it was in my tight jeans that the stinger couldn't come out like it normally would and it just kept stinging me as I danced and hopped and screamed!