What Time Is It in Yaroslavl?

Turn…turn…turn….

 

If you looked up autumn in the dictionary, there would be a picture of today beside of it. I can honestly say that today was the perfect autumn day. It wasn't too warm....but not too chilly. It was sunny. The leaves were blowing around in the breeze. The air was vibrating with the slowing energy of the year. Nature is winding down for a long sleep. And we, as a people, can feel that as we continue on through the days.

Today, Lisa and I cleaned around the house. We cleaned up old leaves. We cut brush. We moved old limbs and cut back old plants. We also cleaned out our flowerbeds and got everything ready for the upcoming winter season. It felt good being outside in the sunshine. I was very thankful for the warm weather because I know that soon it will be bitterly cold outside.

The year is like a wheel. It turns. Just like the year, we turn. We grow.

October is now just memory to us. The golden days are getting fewer and fewer as we move toward winter. The frosty nights fill us with anticipation about the upcoming holiday season. The white ghosts and skeletons have danced away for another year. In their place, we have the bounty of the fields such as squash, corn, and pumpkins on display. Paper turkeys are up in the schools. Everyone is thinking about the upcoming feast of Thanksgiving.

As we get closer to this next holiday, continue putting away the things of the past. This can be literal. For example, put away those lighter clothes for the heavier clothes and coats needed for winter. Burn off the gardens (when appropriate of course...don't break any laws!). Clean and oil the tools of summer and store them for winter.

You can also do this figuratively. Get rid of old negative relationships that are poison in your life. Rid yourself of negative habits. Banish bad energy from your life. As I like to say sometimes, "I banish all negative thoughts and people into the swirling void." I know it sounds silly, but I am stating aloud my intentions of getting rid of negativity in my life. It isn't healthy to keep these things around.

Right now, think of 5 things for which you are thankful. It can be people in your life....your job....your health. It can be anything for which you are truly thankful. For the upcoming Thanksgiving holidays, collect something that reminds you of these things. If you are thankful for someone special in your life, find a nice picture of this person to display. If you are thankful for your health, get some fresh flowers to put around the house. Remind yourself each day that we all have so many things for which we can be thankful.

I want to leave you this week with something that I found.

An Iroquois Prayer of Thanksgiving

We return thanks to our mother, the earth, with sustains us. We return thanks to the rivers and streams,which supply us with water. We return thanks to all herbs, which furnish medicines for the cure of our diseases. We return thanks to the corn, and to her sisters, the beans and squash, which give us life. We return thanks to the bushes and trees, which provide us with fruit. We return thanks to the wind, which, moving the air, has banished diseases. We return thanks to the moon and the stars, which have given us their light when the sun was gone. We return thanks to our grandfather, He who has given to us his rain. We return thanks to the sun, that he has looked upon the earth with a beneficent eye. Lastly, we return thanks to the Great Spirit, in whom is embodied all goodness, and who directs all things for the good of his children.

Until next week....class dismissed!

Wooly Worms and Winter!

Today it actually was chilly the entire day. It was such a change from the warm day that we had just yesterday. It is amazing how things can change so quickly. It is like that in our lives also. We just have to be prepared for change...no matter where it comes from.

The Breathitt County Heritage Fair was held this past weekend. I hope that everyone had a chance to get out and enjoy it. My wife Lisa and I set up a little yard sale this past Saturday. It was cold when we were setting up early that morning! I was glad that I had gloves and a hat! It warmed up nicely when the sun came up though. Thanks to everyone who stopped by our little sale. It was a very good day. We even had some time to enjoy the Heritage Fair. I saw some cool clogging while we were there.

My wife and I still haven't heard anything about our adoption. Hopefully we will get the call sometime this month. I hope that we can have this done by the end of the year. It is just so hard to wait for something that you want so much! I will keep you all posted about any new updates. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers.

I love seeing all the pumpkins at the roadside stands. I want to purchase a couple for our front porch. It is almost time for my favorite holiday...Halloween! I love everything about it....candy, warm popcorn, costumes, and carving jack o' lanterns. I appreciate that there are new, safer ways to have the same effect with plastic pumpkins and flickering battery-powered lights, but I am an old-fashioned kind of boy when it comes to jack o' lanterns. I love cutting open the pumpkin, scooping out the guts, carving a scary face, and placing a lit candle inside it. This totem of the season always puts me in a great mood. It is a great way to scare away the doldrums and bring about a terrific holiday season that lasts all the way through the new year.

Speaking of chilly weather, Lisa and I had to turn on our heat today! It was very chilly in the house, and Lisa's feet get cold really fast. She finally broke down and turned up the heat. It is very toasty right now.

We went around and visited with Mom and Dad. They had us around for dinner. My mom makes the best meatloaf in the world, and she knows that we can't resist it! LOL! While we were there, we were trying to remember if we had seen any wooly worms this year. We were trying to see what kind of winter we are going to have this year. The darker the worm, the worse the winter. Mom said that she thought she had seen a white one! Does that mean that we are going to have a mild winter? I don't know.

So how do you predict the coming winter with wooly worms? Here is one way to do it:

1. Look for wooly worms under rocks and inside hollow logs.

2. Examine the wooly worm, paying attention to its bands of colors. The wooly worm will curl into a ball when touched or threatened. When they crawl, they can crawl very quickly!

3. Wooly worm forecasters say that the size of the brown band of color will tell you what kind of winter is coming. Legend says that the thinner the brownish red bands, the harsher the winter will be. If the wooly worm is mostly brownish red in the middle, winter will be mild.

4. Wooly worm enthusiasts claim an 85 percent success rate over the last few decades. Scientists tend to disagree and say wooly worm weather prediction is as unscientific as using groundhogs to predict winter weather. The groundhogs likely side with the wooly worms.

So, whether or not you believe in the power of wooly worms, they can be a fun project for children and adults. I don't know what kind of winter we will have here in Breathitt County, but you can go out and look for some wooly worms of your own. Enjoy!

Until next time....class dismissed!

When Sweet Potatoes Rule the World!

Well, it is official. We are in the fall season. If I couldn't tell it by the falling leaves, roadside pumpkins, and country fairs, I could tell it this morning when I walked outside. The air was actually chilly! It felt like real sweatshirt season! In fact, Lisa suggested that we make a big ol' pot of homemade chili. We are doing that right now as I type this and are having Mom and Dad around for dinner. There is nothing like a pot of chili with cheddar cheese and crackers on a chilly fall day.

Everyone is starting to get the last of their garden stuff in right about now. Mom and Dad dug their sweet potatoes this week. They knew that their sweet potatoes had grown well, but they were shocked when they started digging them. These are some of the biggest ones that I have ever seen in my life! They had me bring my scale around so that we could weigh them. Some of them weighed over 7 pounds each!

Dad said that these are the biggest sweet potatoes that he has ever grown. I could tell that they were proud of them. They should be! They always can a lot of their sweet potatoes to eat on during the winter months. They should get a lot of cannings out of this crop. Mom said that she would probably can about 63 cans of sweet potatoes. Now....just bring on the butter and brown sugar! LOL!

Speaking of food, Lisa and I just got home from a birthday party weekend with our friends Rod and Corrinna Middleton. The Middletons live in Morehead. They were throwing a birthday bash for their daughter Hailey and her cousin Hunter. Hailey turned 6 and Hunter was 7. There was tons of food at the party....hotdogs, deviled eggs, pizza, baked beans, chips, fruit, homemade fruit dip, and (of course) cake and ice cream. There were 4 different types of birthday cake including white, chocolate, red velvet and funfetti! I had to try all 4 types....LOL!

To help work off some of the calories, the families had rented out the swimming complex at Morehead State University. It was nice having the big, Olympic-sized pool all to ourselves. Several of the partiers enjoyed the diving pool as well. We all had a great time.

The party was a great way to end a great week. Earlier in the week I had been interviewed for the television program, From These Hills, which airs on WYMT out of Hazard. This entertaining news program highlights the people and places of Eastern Kentucky. I was honored to be on the show for my work as a Kentucky author. I was showcasing my newest book, Dark and Bloody. If you haven't been able to get a copy, check out my website at www.alonzofugate.com. It is available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. I am also starting to take orders here at home. Just check out my website for details.

Well, the chili is just about done. It has filled the home with the scents of the season. There is nothing like the smell of home cooking to make you feel at ease. Maybe you should put the paper down and go make something homemade? Just a thought!

Until next time....class dismissed!

The Coming of Fall

You can feel it in the air at night. That brisk kiss of frost that whispers in our ears that autumn has arrived. The air doesn’t have that sensuous feel of summer anymore, and we know that the days will continue to grow shorter and shorter as we progress even further into the dark side of the year. Like everything else, the year is growing old.

Earlier this evening, I sat on my front porch and marveled at the sights and sounds of nature all around me. The sun was slanting through the trees like a stream of liquid gold. As it brushed against the leaves, it painted them with its brilliance and reminded me that soon the leaves will have a brilliant color all their own. This is when Mother Nature puts on some of her finery for a fashion show that has the rest of the world in awe. Everyone else tries to mimic it, but you can’t beat the original.

I also noticed that the world has taken on the slow gentle pulse of a watch that is winding down. Everything seems to be going at a much slower pace. By now, most of the crops have been gathered. The last remaining bounty of fields could possibly be the bright orange pumpkins and other fall squash that are appearing in the stores and at roadside stands.

This winding down is one thing that I love about autumn. Nature is a smart woman. She is telling each of us…in her own subtle way...to slow down and take a look at the world around us. In this age of everything on demand, people are often impatient and want everything yesterday. We have fast food, fast cars, and even drive-in churches (I saw one at Daytona Beach!). Why not slow down for a while and actually live your life instead of letting your life get out of control? The world isn’t going to end if you stop for just a second to breath in some of that crisp autumn air and enjoy a cup of warm cocoa or apple cider.

The Earth knows that now is the time to stop and rest. Through this rest, there is renewal. We as human beings can’t just stop living. However, we can slow down and reflect on our lives and the direction that we are taking. Perhaps we have strayed from the path upon which we intended. Maybe this is a good thing…maybe not. At least we need to consider our life choices and the consequences that we are facing. If we don’t like them, we can change them. However, if we don’t reflect…we can’t change.

Take some time to enjoy the season. Heat some cider. Bake some cookies. Pick a pumpkin. Plant some mums. Whatever you do…enjoy life. It is the only one you have.

Here is a recipe for Autumn Cider. I love it and have enjoyed it for years. This is an old family recipe that I now pass on to you! Enjoy it with my blessings!

Spiced Autumn Cider

Ingredients

· one gallon apple cider

· one cup orange juice

· one lemon, thinly sliced

· 4 cinnamon sticks

· 2 whole cloves

· 1 teaspoon allspice

1. Place all of the ingredients in a sauce pan. Cover pan and bring to a low boil. Reduce heat and simmer for at least 15 minutes.

2. Strain into a large bowl and enjoy! You can also strain this and then put it in a crock pot to keep it warm throughout the day.

3. Sit outside in the cool, crisp air. Inhale deeply over your cup of hot cider. Drink!

With Childlike Wonder

Family and friends are the most important parts of anyone’s life.  It doesn’t matter how rich you are or how poor you are.  It doesn’t matter if you have had a terrible day…or week.  It doesn’t matter what type of clothes you wear or if you drive the latest car.  What really matters are your family and friends.

This past weekend, Lisa and I had the chance to spend some time with our friends, Rod and Corrinna Middleton and their daughter Hailey.  Rod is the director of the Fish Hatchery at Cave Run Lake and does an excellent job.  Corrinna works for the Dept. of Water and Sewage.  Hailey is just entering the first grade….and it seems like only yesterday when she was born!

We spent the weekend together doing what we do best….namely shopping and eating…LOL!  Lisa and I went to visit them at the Fish Hatchery on Friday night.  We played on the trampoline with Hailey and also played ball and with the Frisbee.  It was a great afternoon to be outdoors.  Later on, the grownups had some time to play cards.  We love to play Canasta…a popular card game from the 1940s!  We are just keeping traditions alive and well!  HA!

The next morning, we all woke up early and got ready for our day of fun in Lexington.  Of course, the drive there was easy thanks to the wonderful built-in DVD player in the Toyota Sienna.  I’ll be the first one to admit that I love these vehicles.  It will come in very handy when we get Jacob!  There is tons of room and with the built-in entertainment center….they are very child-friendly!

Once we were in Lexington, we took some time to shop a little.  What is trip to Lexington without a little shopping?  I’ll admit that I didn’t really need anything.  I ended up purchasing two cool t-shirts.  One of them was a Goonies shirt from that 1980s movie.  I loved that movie when I was young…and I still watch it today, thanks to the magic of DVD.  The other one was a Sesame Street shirt.  I’m a huge Muppets nut…as some of you know already!  LOL!

Finally though, we headed to Rupp Arena for the main attraction of the day…the Ringling Bros. and Barnum Bailey Circus.  We had all been looking forward to taking Hailey to the circus.  She was very excited to see all the animals and clowns.  Plus, I have to admit, I was very excited to see the circus because I had never been to a BIG circus like this before.  It took up the whole floor at Rupp!

The show was amazing.  There were all sorts of trained animal acts.  We saw dancing elephants, trained tigers, and prancing zebras!  There were cool dog tricks and neat ponies and horses.  One elephant even painted a picture!  Hailey loved all the animal acts.

The rest of the circus was indeed magical.  There were several acts of illusion throughout the show.  For instance, they were cutting people in half, turning clowns into tigers, and even making elephants disappear!  I thought that the way that they incorporated a magic show into the circus was a great idea.  Zing Zang Zoom were the magic words that transported the entire audience into a fantasy world for two solid hours.  I can see why they call it the Greatest Show on Earth.

One of the scariest parts of the circus for me was the trained tiger act.  I’m sure that this man was a trained professional, but those tigers were snarling and clawing at him like crazy!  I just knew that we were going to experience one of those “moments when it all went bad.”  I could picture myself on the news saying “I saw the whole thing.  It was awful!”  But…the man looked danger right in the face and went on with the show. 

It was great being at the circus with Hailey.  Lisa and I are looking forward to being able to take Jacob to the circus next year.  We are still planning on hopefully getting to travel to Russia for the first time sometime in September.  Keep praying for us!  We appreciate all of the positive words and comments from everyone.  Your love and support is much appreciated!

Looking back on this weekend, I can honestly say that I had a great time.  I hope that everyone was able to take some time this past week to enjoy time with their family or friends.  I want to end this article by wishing my mom and dad a happy 43rd anniversary!  They celebrated it on Monday, August 30th.  We took them out to eat at Long John Silver’s (their favorite place to eat!).  Then we had some ice cream and cake and gave them their presents.  They are the best parents anyone could ever ask for!  I love you Mom and Dad!

Until next week….class dismissed!

Making Changes

Lisa and I have been in the process of adopting for….well, it seems like forever, but in truth it has been for around 3 years.  As most of you know, we were originally in the Vietnam program, but it shut down and still hasn’t reopened.  We stayed in the program for a while but got frustrated at the slow progress and switched to the Russian program

The Russian program has moved a lot faster.  In the past several months, we have completed our home visit from social workers, completed all paperwork, and have been fingerprinted by the Homeland Security office to get our approval for international adoption.  All of our paperwork is in Russia now and we have even been assigned a region.  We will be adopting from Yaroslavl.  It is about 150 miles north of Moscow.

All we are waiting on now is our phone call from the agency, Children’s Hope International, informing us of our referral.  That will give us about a week’s time to get everything ready and travel to Russia.  Believe me…we are more than ready!

On our first trip to Russia, we will finally get to meet our child at the orphanage.  We will get to visit for 3 or 4 days while we are there.  During this time, we can feed and play with him.  We can also help with changing diapers and other things.  Of course, we will have our own medical examination of him and will be in contact with the good people at UK.  They have an international adoption medical unit and will be able to give us advice on the adoption.

At the end of the week, we will decide whether or not to complete the adoption.  Our agency has informed us that they have excellent records of couples accepting their first referral.  I have all the faith in the world that everything will work out for us as well.  If we agree to complete the adoption, we will sign the paperwork and then travel back to the USA while everything goes through the courts.

When it is time for us to go before the judge in Russia, they will call us.  At that time, we will have about 2 or 3 days to get back to Russia and have our appearance in court.  According to our agency and other people who have adopted, the process in court takes about 2 hours.  When the judge approves the adoption, we will have to wait 10 days until we can legally pick up our child from the orphanage.  We will stay in Russia during this time.  We can visit the orphanage during our wait, thankfully.

After we pick him up from the orphanage, we will have to spend more time in Russia getting his paperwork together so that he can leave the country.  We will also have to get him a passport and visit the American Embassy in Russia.  Finally, we will get to come home.  Of course, we will need a little time at home to start bonding before we rush back into work and such.

Most people have kids and take it for granted that this is something that is just naturally going to happen.  For those of us who can’t…for whatever reason…the process is a little bit more than just letting nature take its course.  There are piles of paperwork, late nights of worrying that everything is going okay, and then having to travel halfway around the world to pick up our child.  However, it is a process that will be more than worth it in the end.

I know that there is a long way to go still on this journey to complete our family.  However, can I dare say that I see the light at the end of tunnel?  We are expecting a phone call at any time.  In fact, we are hoping to complete this adoption by the end of the year. 

I will keep you all informed as we continue along this path.  Please keep us in your thoughts!

Until next week…class dismissed!

Hatfield Reunion 2010

Me in front of the John Deere tractor used for the hay ride.

Lisa and me

Me with my long lost "sister" Carey Moore! LOL!

Summer wouldn't be summer without family reunions. This summer, I once again had the honor of attending the Hatfield reunion with my wife Lisa. It was even better this year because we were able to take my mother-in-law Janet with us. Janet was originally a Hatfield, if you were wondering how a Fugate got invited into the clan! LOL!

On a hot and sunny Friday morning, we all loaded into the van. The good people at Nim Henson Geriatric Center even packed up all of Janet's medicines that she would need for the weekend. They are just really good people!

Off we headed to Yatesville Lake in Louisa. The Hatfields always rent out all of the cabins at Creekside Cabins and RV Park. It is a great location to relax and unwind. There are 8 cabins that get rented out. Plus there is lots of room for the rest of the family who like to bring their RVs.

When we arrived, we saw the familiar "big tent" that they rent for the weekend. This year, the family also rented several of the inflatable rides that are very popular right now. As we got closer, I saw that they had rented an obstacle course, water slide, and one where two people try to knock each other off a pedestal with large padded javelins. These were mainly meant for the kids...but the adults enjoyed them also. This was especially true late at night when jousting contests took place! LOL!

We quickly unloaded the van and made ourselves at home. We hadn't seen most of these people in a year, since last year's reunion. However, thanks to Facebook, we have been keeping up with each other a little better. What did we ever do before Facebook? It is truly a wonderful thing...especially if you use it to keep in contact with people who live in other counties or states.

The first night, we had the annual auction which helps to raise money for the reunion. Yours truly was once again chosen to be auctioneer. I am not complaining though. I love it.

We had a great dinner of traditional summer foods....hamburgers, hotdogs, chips, etc. Then, everyone piled onto stacks of hay pulled by an antique John Deere tractor for a hayride around the community. I wonder what people thought when they saw all of us riding through their neighborhood. Of course, I had on my lovely straw hat that my "long long sister" Carey Moore had given me. We are so much alike! We decided over the span of the weekend that we are surely brother and sister who got accidentally separated at birth...LOL!

After dinner, we held the Hatfield Summer Olympics. Everyone was broken into teams and competed in events such as a three-legged race, water balloon toss, and relay race. It was a great time, and everyone seemed to have a lot of fun competing in the events. There were events for both adults and children.

The next day was hillbilly day. I wore my bib overalls just for the occasion. It was a great day and everyone enjoyed talking and catching up with each other. Lisa and I were so proud of Janet because she was able to walk up and down the steps of our cabin by herself. She did a great job! Everyone loved having Janet at the reunion this year.

Lisa spent a lot of the day cooking for big dinner that night. She made cornbread salad, overnight salad, oatmeal raisin cake, and a black walnut cake. She also made a homemade butter cream icing for both of the cakes. They were so good!

Speaking of food, everyone at the Hatfield reunion loved to eat. We had tons of food...smoked meats, barbeque, salads, green beans, breads, casseroles, and loads of other foods too numerous to list here. The tables were groaning with food...for a little while at least. Then...we were all groaning because we had eaten too much!

That night, the evening's entertainment was the Hatfield Family Hee Haw. Carey was the ringleader of the show, appearing as Minnie Pearl...complete with hat and tag! She had recruited several of us to be in the show, including me! I was....get ready for it...none other than Dolly Parton! It was a hoot! I wasn't too sure if I was going to get into that dress at first or not! It was a little tight...probably from all that delicious food from earlier in the day. They really stuffed me "up top" also, if you know what I mean. It was all in good fun though.

Other family members dressed up as various characters such as Ike and Tina Turner, Brittany Spears, Madonna, Elvis, Sonny and Cher, and Hank Williams Jr. It was a good show. We all laughed so hard. I think that it is wonderful to be able to let your hair down every once in a while. In my case, it was a long blonde wig! LOL!

Everyone sat around afterwards just talking and enjoying each other's company. I felt so good just to be a part of this family's reunion. As an only child, I didn't have a large family. Growing up, we didn't really get together a lot with other family members either. It felt really good to be a part of this great group of people. Who knew when I was marrying a wonderful woman like Lisa that I was getting a bonus as well?

The next day, we loaded up the van. It was a bittersweet time because we had had such a great time and now it was time to head back to the "real" world. After lots of hugs, handshakes, and slaps on the back, we started back home. I really had a great time at this year's Hatfield reunion. Lisa and Janet said that they did as well. Now....the countdown to next year begins.

Until next week...class dismissed.

Janet Wagoner...Strong and Determined!

Janet (third from left in pink shirt) with wonderful workers at
the Nim Henson Geriatric Center in Jackson, KY.

Once I heard the expression "Life is a bowl of cherries...and this is the pits!" Of course, everyone knows that life is not always going to be smooth sailing. Hopefully we have more better days than bad, but we have to be prepared to weather the storms of life when they come around. Nobody does this better than my mother-in-law.

My mother-in-law, Janet Wagoner, is one of the bravest and most determined people that I know. She has been through a lot in her life, but she doesn't let it keep her down. She keeps on fighting and keeps on growing as a person. She is an inspiration to me because she doesn't quit. In fact, I don't think that quitting is a word that she has in her vocabulary.

I met Janet about 20 years ago when my wife, Lisa, and I began dating. Lisa had invited me to dinner, and I thought that Janet was trying to be fancy because she had baked a turkey...and it wasn't even Thanksgiving! When I was growing up, we only got turkey at Christmas! I was very impressed. Of course, now I know that it is perfectly acceptable to eat turkey all year long if you wish! Ha! But at the time, Janet made a very favorable impression on me with her choice of food. I also remember her potato salad being the best ever!

Through the years, our family has had good times and bad. When Lisa's dad, Dillard, passed away, it was a very hard time for all of us. Janet was still living in Morehead, KY at the time, but she decided that it would be best to move to Breathitt County to be closer to Lisa and me. It was great having Janet live with us for a while. Of course, she didn't want to be living with a couple of rowdy school teachers (you know how wild we can be..LOL!) so she made another decision to move into an apartment in town.

She applied for and got a little apartment in Kings Ridge Apartments behind True Value. She loved living on her own again, and it was easy for Lisa and me to stop in and see her during the week after school. Through her years of living there, she made many friends. However, her health did start to deteriorate after a many years.

Janet had always had trouble walking on one of her feet. It would drag on the floor, and she would have trouble keeping her balance. But the worst thing was when she started to fall. She fell a few times in her apartment and couldn't get back up. Lisa and I would go and help her. Eventually, we all knew that she would no longer be able to live in her apartment. She needed full-time medical care. Luckily, there is a place for that right here in Jackson.

The Nim Henson Geriatric Center is a nursing home located on Jetts Drive in Jackson, KY. Janet has been living there for one and a half years now. During this time, it was discovered that she had "water on the brain" and had to have a surgery to help remove it. After the surgery, the doctors told her that her balance and strength would return with time and therapy.

A lot of people may not realize what a wonderful facility the Nim Henson Geriatric Center is for our community and people in need. Every time that Lisa and I are visiting Janet, we see people working hard....cleaning, caring for patients, decorating, etc. The home is very clean! I am very impressed with the cleaning crew. I always see someone cleaning!

Janet loves it there. It is her home, and she has made so many new friends. She told Lisa and me that she is as close to most of the workers now as she is to her own sisters and brothers!

At first, she was a little reluctant to take therapy. However, over time, the physical therapists at the nursing home were able to get her to build up her strength. When she first went into the home, she could barely lift her legs while she was lying down in bed. With lots of encouragement and work on the part of her physical therapists, Janet began to see results.

I am so proud to say that my mother-in-law was able to go from only being able to move around in a wheel-chair to being able to walk! At first, it was just a few steps on the balance bars. This built up to steps on a walker. Now, she is even able to take some steps with a cane!

Janet's goal was to walk around the track between the nursing home and SMS. With the help of the talented workers and therapists at the Nim Henson Geriatric Center, she achieved her goal. She was able to walk around the track. More importantly, she was able to build up enough strength so that she was able to go with Lisa and me to the Hatfield reunion for a few days this summer! We had a blast! She amazed everyone at the reunion with her newfound walking ability. She even got an award that said "I can walk up the steps and I don't need a wheelchair." She has it on the wall in her room.

All of this wouldn't have been possible if it hadn't been for the caring, talented folks at the Nim Henson Geriatric Center. They all deserve a pat on the back! They go above and beyond for all of their patients.

This also wouldn't have been possible if it hadn't been for the inner drive and determination of my great mother-in-law, Janet Wagoner. She could have just quit and not done anything when she moved into the nursing home. But she isn't like that. She is a winner. That fire and spirit that I admire has gotten her up and about...and it will keep her up and about! We love you Janet. Keep up the good work!

Just remember everyone...even when things seem their darkest and most dire....get back up and keep trying. Don't ever quit.

Until next week....class dismissed!

WLEX and Harrodsburg Festival of Books and Arts

Wow! What a weekend! As you all know, I have been busy promoting my newest book, Dark and Bloody. It is a collection of horror/suspense stories set in Kentucky. Most of them are set right here in Eastern Kentucky. I was able to continue my promotions over the weekend.

On Friday, June 25th, I was invited to WLEX - 18 in Lexington, KY to talk about my book on their 12:30 news program. Chris Goodman and Nicole Pence, who anchor the show, made me feel more than welcome as they interviewed me about my book. They were both so nice, I didn't feel nervous at all. In fact, as some of you know, this was my third appearance at the station. They are very supportive of the area and of the arts. I really do appreciate that!

On Saturday, June 26th, I traveled to Harrodsburg, Kentucky for their first annual Festival of Books and Arts. Over 60 authors and artists from all over Kentucky traveled to Harrodsburg that day for the fair. I was honored to be one of those invited, along with others such as Ed McClanahan and Ruth Fogel. I was able to showcase all three of my books: Nose Pickin', Pumpkin Guts, and my newest, Dark and Bloody.

It was a hot day on Saturday, but the event was amazing. There were so many great authors and artists who were showing their work. We took up all of Main Street in Harrodsburg! LOL! There was a large stage set up for presentations throughout the day. I really enjoyed the excerpts from Seussical, the Musical by the Ragged Edge Community Theatre.

One thing that I noticed was that Harrodsburg really supports their local art community. They are very supportive of their authors and artists. Events such as this one will help them continue this support.

My invitation to the fair began last year when I attended the Kentucky Book Fair in Frankfort. I met some wonderful authors and illustrators while I was there. One of them was a man by the name of Tony Sexton who was at the event to promote his book, Scraps, which is a collection of poems that he had written over the years. We introduced each other and exchanged contact information. We still keep in touch with each other online. What did we ever do before email and Facebook? LOL!

Anyway, it turns out that he is an organizer of a Harrodsburg writers group. He started working with Elaine Hammonds who is the executive director of Harrodsburg First. Working with her and others in the community, they developed the idea for the book and arts fair. Although this was the first year, I am sure that it will continue to grow. I look forward to attending next year!

In all, it was a great weekend. I was able to meet lots of new authors and see some old friends as well. In fact, I was so pleased to run into Paula Sparrow once again. I had met her at the Kentucky Book Fair as well. She is a writer for Kentucky Living magazine. Her book, Creature Comforts, is a collection of stories about people who care for and rescue animals throughout Kentucky. She is a great writer and her book is just lovely. If you get a chance, you need to get a copy of her book.

Tired but happy, Lisa and I returned home on Sunday morning. We had a great weekend seeing some wonderful sights and meeting some fantastic people. However, as the old saying goes, there is no place like home. I was so happy to be back home here in wonderful Breathitt County!

Until next week....class dismissed!

Anniversary Wishes

This past weekend, Lisa and I celebrated our 18th wedding anniversary. Lisa is such an incredible woman that the time has just flown by. I love her now just as much (if not more) than when we first got married. Her mom, Janet, only gave us 6 months! LOL! I think that the secret to our marriage is that we are both only children. We just let each other get their way and everything is fine.

For our anniversary, we traveled to Louisville to see a wonderful musical called Wicked. It is a retelling of the story of the Wicked Witch of the West from the Wizard of Oz. According to the musical, she wasn't really wicked at all...just misunderstood and a victim of politics. Since this is election month, it makes you wonder if there might be some of that going on around here in Breathitt County! LOL!

Lisa and I both love musicals. The music and acting in Wicked did NOT disappoint. We had seen it last year at the same place, The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts. The atmosphere is great. We stopped off for some preshow refreshments and cabaret music. It was so nice to sit and relax. Lisa loves to people watch...and there were some very interesting characters parading around. Some people even dressed up in witch hats and black dresses! I was just lost in the music. It was great.

We had great seats for the production. We were about 14 rows back in the lower orchestra level which is just right if you ask me. You aren't too close...and you aren't too far away. I like a seat right in the middle. The actors were wonderful. Some of the music just gave me chill bumps up my spine and onto my scalp. Lisa told me that they did the same for her! I thought it was just me! LOL!

After the show, we went back to our hotel. We stayed at the Galt House which was just around the corner. It was such a nice night that we were able to just walk around the corner. It was so close. There are certain advantages to being in a large city. Namely...everything is so close!

Earlier in the day, we had walked down on the riverfront and had eaten at Joe's Crab Shack. We had never eaten there. Since we both love seafood, we decided to give it a try. The food was really good. The casual atmosphere made us both feel at ease. I had the fish, shrimp, and scallops. Lisa had a fish and shrimp basket. Both of us enjoyed our meals. The waitress found out it was our anniversary and made me wear a knight's hat and shield while Lisa waved a "magic wand." While patrons sang "Happy Anniversary," I had to kiss my princess. It was embarrassing but fun! LOL!

Walking back to the hotel after our meal, we passed the Belle of Louisville, a large steamboat. We have already planned on going back this summer for a trip down the river. It looked like everyone was having a great time with drinks, food, and live music. The band was playing some really lively ragtime music that was just fantastic.

On our weekend trip, we also took some time to shop. We went shopping for clothes. We also spent a lot of time in one of my favorite stores, Best Buy. It is amazing at how much technology is changing each day.

As our weekend came to a close, we made our way back home. On the way though, we stopped off at Natural Bridge and ate lunch at the Hemlock Lodge. The lunch buffet was great. We had salad, soup beans, chicken, fish, turkey, and a variety of vegetables. The best part was the blackberry cobbler with ice cream! I feel like I gained about 20 pounds with just that one meal. If you go to Natural Bridge this summer, stop in and eat there. The food is amazing!!!

Lisa and I said that this should be our last childfree anniversary. Our adoption paperwork is in Russia at the moment. Thankfully, there has not been a shutdown of Russian adoptions. I know that it was reported in the news that adoptions had shut down thanks to that stupid woman in Tennessee. However, our adoption agency is still going strong! Lisa and I hope to have our referral in the next few months. After 18 years of just us, we are ready to expand our family. I think that we are ready for children now. Somehow, it just feels like it is time to start.

I love Lisa so much. Next year, maybe we will have Jacob to help us celebrate our anniversary. It may not be filled with musicals, big dinners, and a lot of travel...but it will be filled with love.

Until next week, class dismissed.

Be Proud of Who You Are!

Do this...don't do that. Eat this...don't eat that. Wear this...don't wear that. It seems like as a society, we just love being told what NOT to do. Everyday there is an article or a television show that is screaming at us that we are living our lives completely wrong. Obviously, we should all be wearing the latest designer clothing, eating the latest trendy foods, and working out 300 hours a day so that we can all be underwear models. Unfortunately, nobody can live up to these expectations. How does that make you feel?

The world is made up of all kinds of people. We have tall people and short people. There are fat people and skinny people. There are people who dress up every day and people who think that t-shirts are the highest fashion. And really, that is what makes this world such a great and interesting place.

Growing up in Eastern Kentucky, I've been entrenched in Appalachian culture my entire life. The sad truth is that I didn't really appreciate it. I tried to be like the people that I saw on television because that is what I considered to be "normal." I tried to mold my actions and even my speech patterns after them. I considered their ways of life to be something for which I should strive.

Television and the internet has brought a wealth of information into Appalachian society. That is a good thing. I'm not knocking it in any way. I'm a firm believer that more information is better and that we should all work toward becoming more and more knowledgeable about our world. What is sad is that our true Appalachian culture is disappearing.

In a world of iPods, iPads, wireless this, and hotspot that...we are becoming a global society. We share information and ideas with the world. The mountains used to shelter us and also kept us isolated. It had good points and bad. Mainly, the bad was that we were usually about 20 years behind everyone else in just about everything...lol! And old joke, but there was some truth in it, I'm afraid. What was good is that it kept our culture and ideals alive and well.

Now, there isn't that much strength in a local identity anymore. Just as I strived to become more like what I saw on television, others are working toward an identity that is more globally acceptable. We have gained a lot with technology...but it wasn't for free. We have given up a lot as well. When this is gone, unfortunately, it is gone for good.

Since our world is ever-changing and the impact of technology is growing each day, we here in Appalachia may feel that all is doomed. In some ways, this may be true. Nobody can travel back in time...at least not yet. Nobody can bring the past into the present. However, we don't have to feel that everything has to be lost. We can still flavor our lives with the spice of our ancestors. We can keep our cultural palettes alive by knowing that there is nothing wrong with just being ourselves.

Don't be ashamed to be yourself. Don't be ashamed to keep your family traditions alive. Don't be ashamed if your idea of a perfect life doesn't match what you are being feed by the mass media. Nobody knows you better than you do. Nobody can tell you how you are supposed to live.

It seems like the media loves to portray the image of the dumb, lazy hillbilly. When we think of Appalachia, what images come to mind? If we only getting our information from mass media, we may think of barefoot hillbillies who live in shanty houses with junk and trash all around. We may think of high poverty and ignorance. All of these are very negative images that get the high ratings that television stations love.

However, if we take another look at Appalachia, we may see things in another light. We can see people who are honest, friendly, hard-working, and independent. We see a love for family. We see a love for community. All of these are very positive images. Unfortunately, we don't see these images much in the modern media because they don't get those high ratings.

So I guess that what I'm trying to say is never be ashamed of where you come from or how you live. Every person is a valuable member of this world. We each have something to contribute. Nobody should ever feel that they are less important than anyone else on this planet. And as a culture, we should be proud of our Appalachian heritage. It may be shrinking as we become more of a global society, but we can bring the positive influences along with us. That can our gift to the world.

Take a moment today to be proud of who you are. Be proud of what you have accomplished in this life. And take a moment to consider just how much more you have to offer. You are important. You matter. Smile with that knowledge. And if you want to run barefoot through the grass on a warm spring day...well, then do it. After all, it IS one of life's little pleasures!

Until next week....class dismissed.

Powell County Reading Celebration

Everyone knows that when you start reading a really good book, the characters and events in the story seem to come to life for you. On Saturday, March 27th, book literally came to life at the 2nd annual Powell County Reading Celebration. This county wide celebration held at Clay City Elementary was a way for everyone in the county to get together and celebrate reading.

As a local author, I was invited to attend the event. I knew that it was going to be pretty cool to talk and interact with the kids at the schools in Powell County. However, I was not prepared for the amazing events that I saw! It all started when my wife Lisa and I arrived in Clay City. Immediately we could tell that this night was going to be a really big deal because we started seeing people holding signs that stated "Parking for Literacy Celebration." We hadn't even arrived at Clay City Elementary yet!

Arriving at the school, we unloaded the van and heading inside. I could see that this event was going to be a very big deal. The door was decorated to look like one was attending a major event...the Academy Awards! There were two large golden Oscars beside the door. The door itself was framed with silver and gold. The sign read "Where Books Come to Life." Things were getting more and more exciting!

Once inside, I saw that the events of the night would include more than just author signings. The rooms of the school had been turned into literacy showcases! Students and teachers from around the county had worked extremely hard to create performances based on literary works. For example, there were rooms where people could enter and view student performances of Dr. Seuss classics, Where the Wild Things Are, and even scenes from the Little House series. I was very impressed.

During the evening, other events were happening as well. There were book project scavenger hunts where students competed for prizes. There were rooms set aside as living wax museums where students were dressed as characters from their favorite books. There were prizes given away to the county's top Accelerated Reader students from each school. There was even a free dinner for everyone who attended.

Each student who attended the event was given a free t-shirt that proclaimed the joys of literacy. In addition, each student was given a free book. I thought that this was just simply amazing. Looking around at all of the people, you could see the joy and excitement on their faces. Everyone was so thrilled to be celebrating the joy of reading.

In some of the rooms, performances were being given by professionals performers. There were storytellers, artists, and Native American life performers. I also had the good fortune to meet and speak with Joe Bowen. While talking with him, I learned that he had walked all the way across the United States on stilts...once. He had ridden a bike across the United States...twice! Wow! I was in shock! That was simply amazing.

Taking my place with the other authors in the library, I was awed at the mass of people who traveled through the library. I spoke to so many wonderful parents, students, teachers, and community members that evening during my visit. I sold many of my books. It is always such a joy to me to get my books into the hands of people who love to read. Thanks to all the people who took time to speak with me and to look at my work. I do truly appreciate it.

I was able to showcase my newest book, Dark and Bloody, at this event. I used a nice foam board poster of my book to draw attention to it. It seemed to do the trick because several people were interested in it. I think that the fact that it is a book of short, scary stories helped. I also think that many people appreciated the fact that all of the stories are set in Kentucky...most of them right here in Eastern Kentucky.

I also had copies of my two children's poetry books, Nose Pickin' (and 50 Other Ways to Tickle Your Brain!) and Pumpkin Guts. I was thrilled to get these books into the hands of these excited kids.

At the end of the night, my wife and I packed up. We were pleased to receive a t-shirt as well. I will wear it with pride! The evening had been magical. How wonderful to just stop for a moment and celebrate reading. Reading is so important in all of our lives. It is vital that we express the importance of reading to our children. The Powell County Reading Celebration had done that.

I want to thank all of the nice people who invited me and made my wife and I feel at home. It was a very nice event. I look forward to attending next year.

If anyone wants a personally autographed copy of any of my books, please see my website (www.alonzofugate.com). You can also get them from Barnes and Noble and Amazon. In addition, Showtime Video in Jackson has some autographed copies of my latest book, Dark and Bloody, for sale. Showtime Video is a great place to eat and to get a great tan. My wife and I tan there all the time! Maybe I will see you there!

Until next week....class dismissed!

Warm Days and Elk Horns

Wow...what a beautiful weekend! It seems that Nature has decided to shine upon us for a while at least and give us the gift of warmer weather. Lisa and I went outside for our walk today instead of just walking on the treadmill. We walk up Little Buckhorn on a two-mile trek that we scoped out. It is a nice little walk and it allows us to actually talk to each other while we walk. This is different than the treadmill also. Usually then, Lisa just cranks up her iPod while I watch television. Usually I try to catch up on shows that I have recorded...like Brothers and Sisters. It is a great show but it comes on too late on Sunday night for me! That's a school night...and I'm in bed by then!

I spent most of this weekend giving my latest book Dark and Bloody the final edit. Now, I just have to give my publishers the final okay and it will be available...everywhere. Yes...I will have copies available soon. But the best place to purchase my books...just like most everything these days...is the internet. Don't you just love modern technology?

In adoption news, Lisa and I have all of our paperwork notarized and finalized! We are heading to the office of the Secretary of State tomorrow to hand deliver them. They have to be apostilled by the state of Kentucky. This just means that the state is saying the court system here in Breathitt County was able to verify our notary. Whew! Lots of paperwork! But after this last thing, we can send it to our adoption agency (Children's Hope International). They will send it to Russia and we will get assigned to a region. Russia is big country you know! We will keep you all informed!

This weekend, I was feeling a little down with the sniffles. So instead of going out, we stayed home. In a way, this was a good thing. Lisa and I had stopped off at Kemper Furniture on the way home last Friday and bought a new mattress set. It wasn't supposed to be delivered until Wednesday or Thursday, but they ended up delivering it on Saturday. What a treat! It sleeps so well! I didn't realize how poor our old mattress was until we got this new one. Kemper Furniture is a great place to shop for furniture!

On Saturday, while I took a nap and tried to get well, Lisa baked a cake. It was an oatmeal coconut cake and was very good! We ended up inviting my mom and dad around to share in the cake. My dad said that he was bringing something for me to see as well. It turned out that he was bringing us an elk horn that he had found! This thing is HUGE!

I was in shock when I saw it. We took some pics of it and posted it to my Facebook page. Dad gave it to us because he said that it would look good in our log home. I agree! LOL! We are thinking about getting it professionally mounted.

I will leave you this week with a pic of the elk horn. Enjoy! Remember, you can visit my webpage at www.alonzofugate.com. I am also on Facebook. You can email me at alfugate@yahoo.com.

Until next week...class dismissed!

LBJ Elementary Wins District Championship in Governor's Cup Academic Competition!

Saturday, February 27th, started out cold and dreary. However, the snow couldn't chill the spirits of several young minds from around the county. They knew that the 2010 District Governor's Cup was going to be held at LBJ Elementary that day. This was their chance to show off their academic prowess....and show the world just how powerful the mind can be!

Although starting with a delay due to the weather, soon students, parents, and other involved community members converged upon LBJ Elementary for the academic competition. Contest manager, Henrietta Sheffel (FRC director from Breathitt High School) used her expertise in academics to start the match on time. Soon students from LBJ Elementary, Highland-Turner Elementary, Rousseau, and Jackson City School were taking tests in the areas of math, science, social studies, language arts, and arts and humanities. Students had competed in composition and future problem solving earlier in the week.

After a morning of testing, students competed in quick recall, which is a game-show like competition where students try to beat other students by "buzzing in" first and answering questions. It was an exciting day that saw many ups and downs for everyone involved.

At the end of a long day, the LBJ Elementary academic team, coached by Alonzo Fugate, was pleased with the following results:

· Composition - Abi Thomas, 3rd place; Adrianna Coomer, 4th place; Ashlee Gross, 5th place

· Math - John Wyatt Hall, 5th place

· Science - Jacob Collins and John Wyatt Hall, tied for 3rd place

· Social Studies - Logan Back, 1st place; Katie Bowling, 4th place

· Language Arts - Adrianna Coomer, 1st place; Zach Rice, 2nd place; Abi Thomas, 5th place

· Arts and Humanities - Zach Eiserman, 1st place; Kelsie Dalton, 2nd place

· Quick Recall team - 3rd place

· Future Problem Solving Team (Katie Bowling, Rachel Miller, Zach Rice, and Rebecca Watts) - 1st place!

The final scores for the day were broken down as follows:

· LBJ Elementary - 48.5 points

· Highland-Turner Elementary - 36 points

· Jackson City School - 35.5 points

· Rousseau Elementary - 3 points

LBJ Elementary was excited and pleased to win the District Championship. Students, parents, and others were cheering and clapping as each student received their medals and ribbons. A championship trophy was won for the school trophy case and is being displayed with pride in the front office of LBJ Elementary.

Coach Alonzo Fugate stated, "I am so pleased and so proud. These students have worked so hard all year long, and they deserve this win. It takes a lot of hard work to be on the academic team. It was good to see that hard work pay off. It was because of their dedication and the dedication of their parents and teachers that these students can proudly call themselves academic champions."

Coach Fugate continued, "Although I am the coach, there are so many more people involved in making a winning team. First and foremost are the parents. In particular, I had lots of great support from Amy Baker and Janice Hall with practices this year. Next, I want to thank all the teachers for their work in helping to prepare these students in class. I also want to thank LBJ's principal Ron Combs for all of his support this year. He has been wonderful. Finally, I want to thank Superintendent Arch Turner and the Breathitt County School Board for all of their support and encouragement. Without them, we wouldn't have such great schools and great students."

The team will now prepare for the Regional Governor's Cup which will be held at Buckhorn Elementary on Tuesday, March 16th for composition and Future Problem Solving and Saturday, March 20th for all other categories. But as Coach Fugate added, "No matter what, these kids are already champions in my book."