Savannahriverpirate's Blog

Alone & Forgotten

savannahriverpirate — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 00:50:16 +0000

This has to be one of the saddest items that I have ever read about in the news:

In a world that is this overpopulated it is sad that a person can be forgotten about.

“Mary Sue Merchant died of natural causes in a tightly locked house on 25 acres in this small community, with only a dog for company. Now her small town is reflecting on why no one noticed for 18 months.

Nobody knew the reclusive widow was gone – not even when the house was sold for back taxes while her decomposing body lay inside. Sometime later, the lonely dog died of thirst in the same room.

“We didn’t know this lady existed,” Sheriff Thomas Summers said.

Only after the 72-year-old woman’s body was found last week did it occur to neighbors they hadn’t seen her in a while. And some people wonder if they’ve lost a fundamental connection of small-town life.

“We’ve lost the community,” said the Rev. Neil Flowers, who plans to talk about Merchant on Sunday at Beulah United Methodist Church, a few miles from where Merchant died. “We do our own thing. We lead busy lives. We go and go and go … and stay within our comfort zone.”

By all accounts, Merchant and her husband kept to themselves. They had no children. The sheriff and coroner say one neighbor told them David Merchant was once a prison guard who feared retribution from former inmates – but officials couldn’t confirm if he worked for the state.

David Merchant died in October 1985 at age 53 and his widow apparently lost touch with her own older sister years ago, said Calhoun County Coroner Donnie Porth, who’s trying to determine that woman’s last name and track her down. A sister-in-law who tried to call – once – found the phone disconnected and assumed Merchant had gotten a cell phone, Porth said. Through the coroner, the woman declined to speak to The Associated Press.”

I am sure that this happens all too often.

Drift Away

savannahriverpirate — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 21:41:31 +0000

Today I woke up feeling like moving. I just would have liked to packed a cooler, some food supplies and music hopped on a boat and let the current take me where ever it wills. Lately I have have that feeling quite a bit. It seems anywhere is better than here. The weather has been gloomy and so has my outlook and I can see no change on the horizon. There are a few voids in my life that I can’t seem to fill so I guess the bottle of wine in front of me will have to do for now. I did buy a lottery ticket though, maybe my luck will change for the better. Oh well…..

Playing right now is a bootleg of Brian May’s first solo concert from the year of 1992.

The Weather is Here Wish you Were Beautiful

savannahriverpirate — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 03:27:23 +0000

This weekend was great weather. Pushing 80 and got a little sun. The first steak on the grill for the year was on Friday. It was ok. I used Lowerys seasoning on it. Lowerys is better for burgers. Sunday’s steak came out better. I used some Cavendars seasoning and turned it more.I am getting the grill skills back in training.
It should raon this weekend and be too cold to be out on the water, but no matter I have plently of music & beer.
Ace Freheley’s 78 solo album is groovin’ now.

I don’t care what race, color, creed you are, but you all have to recognize how incredible the live version of “For Those About To Rock” by AC/DC is.

About the River III

savannahriverpirate — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 00:25:19 +0000

For many centuries the river meandered along its way. Floods came and went. The couse changed at times, creating oxbow lakes, creeks and islands. Modern Europeans visited the area. A pretty good book on the river is

Beneath These Waters, Archeological and Historical Studies of 11,500 Years Along the Savannah River by Sharyn Kane and Richard Keeton.

Banana Wind

savannahriverpirate — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 23:02:23 +0000

The snow is falling pretty good now. There is a good bit on the ground now, for us anyway. I knew I should have sold everything I own and sailed for Bimini. Any Pirate Queen want to explore the Binimi Road with me?

Ok…the beer is not keeping me warm enough, I may have to break out the hard stuff.

Update on the snow (3/4/09): We actually ended up with about five inches or so. Some of it is still on the ground and it has been damn cold at night so it may last another day or so, but it should be gone by Saturday when it hits the 70′s. Time to kick off the shoes, set up the patio tiki bar, fire up the grill and drink several to celebrate the warm weather. Don’t forget the time change!

Too Cold IV

savannahriverpirate — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 20:43:49 +0000

Wow…we are getting some snow here today. Right now (3:39 pm) it is coming down pretty good. It’s not sticking yet though. After a night of rain I guess the ground is too warm right now. It may start piling up a bit soon though. I would be surprised if we saw more than an inch or so. Speaking of the rain, I was woken up by a very loud rumble of thunder at 7 am or so. Don’t worry, I was able to go right back to sleep with in minutes.

After this Def Leppard concert is over I think it is time to open up the indoor Tiki Bar and drink in some warm weather music and boat drinks. Or beer, which ever is easier.

This is Paul Harvey……….Good Day!

savannahriverpirate — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 20:09:12 +0000

Long time radio newsman & personality passed away yesterday at age 90. He was a favorite of mine since the 1970′s. His news and programs were always interesting to me. My grandparents had a book collection of his and I read that cover to cover more than once. Harvey was one of the last (to me anyways) good reasons to listen to the AM band. I still will but it won’t be the same.

RIP Mr. Harvey. Thanks for the news & The Rest of the Story.

Happy Birthday!

savannahriverpirate — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 03:52:55 +0000

I feel the need to give an early happy birthday wish to my one and only (so far) nephew Zachary! He will be completing his first year in the world on the 28th and I wish him all the love and success that he can handle. Rock on dude!

A Lot To Drink About

savannahriverpirate — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 00:30:20 +0000

The title of this post is from a new Jimmy Buffett tune and after reading the news for the past few weeks it seems to be appropriate. Sure the economy goes through ups and downs but are these days (or those ahead) as bad as the Great Depression? I don’t know. I am not convinced that saddling the next ten generations with debt to clean up the current mess is the way to go. Who really knows? Maybe globalism is not the way to go, but we may have gone too far to turn back now. We are already too dependent on other countries for our survival. Take for example our space program. After the shuttle retires we will have to depend on Russia for our people to access the space station until when (or if) our next manned rocket system comes on line. We are giving up the high ground. I would not be surprised if we just end up paying Russia or communist China to do it for us. Our “leaders” seem to favor outsourcing anyway

(thanks to Migration Michelle and spadilly for transcribing the lyrics)

Up on the East side of Manhattan,
They’re still dancing with the stars.
While over in sub prime city,
It’s getting angry in the local bars
Watching the news only gives me the blues
There’s too much going wrong.
It takes the likes of me to hit the reboot key
and write a high speed drinking song.

Billionaires losing everything.
Hey, welcome to the other side of life!
There goes the yacht, there goes the Rolls,
But, you get to keep your wife!
And don’t forget the automakers
swimming up stream like a trout.
They let the shit the fan
and then they made a plan
We’ve got a lot to drink about.

It’s the price of oil,
the war of the soil.
Where’s your bucket for the big bailout?
Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan,
We’ve got a lot to drink about.

Now, Madoff made off with all the money.
Now his clients are down to skunk weed.
Repeat after me, it’s so easy to see
We’re only talking simple greed.
And all those Somalian pirates are counting all the gold.
While Bush and Cheney ain’t around
and all the good lookers seem to be Czech hookers
from Key West to London town.

It’s the price of oil,
the war of the soil.
Where’s your bucket for the big bailout?
Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan,
We’ve got a lot to drink about.

So pour me some Tennessee whiskey,
pour me a fine Jamaican rum.
That loud mouth soup
gets me kind of loose
Tequila, of course I’ll have some!

Now the family devalues
and little children count their net worth
and the truth wherever it’s hiding,
can be found on Google Earth.
Citibank’s buying jets with our money.
I wanna flog ‘em with a buggy whip.
I hope Obama and Joe won’t let the volcano blow
and patch the hole in our sinking ship.

It’s the price of oil,
the war of the soil.
Here’s your bucket for the big bailout?
Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan,
We’ve got a lot to drink about.

Recession, Depression, the question good God
CNN keeps bumming me out.
I can’t take another doomsday moment.
We got a lot to drink, a lot to think,
a lot to drink about.
(Thanks Buffett News!)

If you would like to buy the song check out Mailboat Records

Song for the moment (after Buffett even though it may not flow evenly): Born in the USA by Springsting.

I Don’t Know (Spicoli’s Theme)

savannahriverpirate — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 22:51:45 +0000

I am in total escapism mode today. I woke up with the tune “Cool Change” by the Little River Band in my head this morning and just decided to waste the day. I raided the wine cellar around 2 this afternoon and have not looked back. I had some Allman Brothers spinning earlier and I am now on to some Bob Marley.