New Blog Header

If there is anyone out there in cyber space that actually reads this thing then you know there was a post here about my daughter. I have removed that post until I can get her picture done just right. The picture I drew of her looks good on paper, but as soon as I try to upload it to the computer it loses something. It didn't look enough like her. I am going to be working on her picture today and I am going to keep working at it until I get it right, so be patient and it will be back on here soon.

For now I hope you like the new blog header I came up with. The lettering and the flames are all my designs, but the rose and feather combo in the upper right hand corner is not. I did the art work, but I can't take credit for the actual design. I found the picture on The Masters of Ink web site while doing a Google image search. Check them out, they do excelent work. Two of my kids saw the design and fell in love with it, so I added it to my header.

As for my little Dumpie? Just hang on for me big girl. I'll get you back on here as soon as possible. I just want to make sure we have a picture on here that you can be proud of. I love you.

Cowboy Sketch

Who doesn't love a good western? An old John Wayne movie like "Rio Bravo", or Tom_Selleck in "Quiggly Down Under", or Clint_Eastwood in any of the old spaghetti westerns, (The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, Fist Full of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More..., etc), or my personal favorite, "The Magnificent Seven".

The quotes alone are enough to make these movies last throughout the ages. "Rio Bravo": John Wayne to Dean Martin..."...Sorry don't get it done, Dude.", or "Quiggly Down Under": Tom Seleck to Alan Rickman, "...I said I never had a use for one, I never said I didn't know how to use it.". "A fist full of dollars": Clint Eastwood to 5 'bad guys'..."My mule don't like you laughing. He might get the funny idea that you're laughing at him..."

From the old black and white shows like "Rawhide" to the big screen productions like "3:10 to Yuma" I can keep watching them. They never get old. The way the hero never gives up, even when he knows that he that he could die. Out numbered, but never out classed, our true cowboy rides out to face danger and never thinks twice about it. A six gun in one hand and the reigns of a good horse in the other. Just like Gary Cooper in "High Noon". He deals out a style of justice that only Kurt Russell, Val Kilmer, and one of the best Western actors of all time, Sam Elliot could deal out, like in the movie "Tombstone". Just let the bullets fly and the guilty will fall.

If you insulted someone then you better have the nerve, the grit, and the speed to back it up. A show down in the street at high noon is never over done. You want to challenge the Sheriff and try to take over the town? You'd better think twice, because he's not only the Sheriff, he's one of the fastest guns in the West and he don't take no lip from no one, just like James Garner in "Support Your Local Sheriff".

I could honestly gone on all day, naming movies and quoting lines, but somewhere there is a little girl wondering why her picture is not on this blog yet. Don't worry Dumpie. It's on the way. It will be the next one, I promise.

ROLL TIDE!!!

I drew this picture of 'Big Al' to celebrate the University of Alabama's victory over the Texas Longhorns on January 7th for the BCS Championship Title. I have been an Alabama fan ever since I was old enough to know what football was. Being from Alabama you really only have two real choices: The University of Alabama(Roll Tide), or Auburn University(also know as the war buzzards). There is only one clear choice to me, but believe it or not some people have decided to take the dark path and root for Auburn. Why, some of my very own offspring have decided to go for the Gators and the Seminoles. Hopefully I will be able to turn their little minds back to the light.

This is Alabama's 13th National Title. They also defeated the Florida Gators to win their 22nd SEC Title. So, roll on Crimson Tide!! Congratulations! 14 - 0, a perfect season. ROLL TIDE!!!

One fast Hotrod!!!

Here is the second installment of 5 portraits that I plan to put on here. This one is of my second oldest child. He is my Hotrod and has been since birth.

He is almost always full of energy. A friend once discribed him as..."A combination of Dennis the Menace, Calvin from Calvin and Hobes, and the Energizer Bunny on speed..." and I must admit she is dead on the money.

With a never ending imagination, he is quick to come up with his explaination on how the world works and it is usually something no one else would even come close to coming up with. He can come up with a 'poot joke' faster than anyone I've ever known. And while we are on the subject of poots, He is a world reknown armpit farter. Definetly one of the best, if not the best, armpit musicians.

He has a heart big enough to match his imagination. Quick to give a hug and a smooch and tell you that he loves you. He eagerly opens his heart to the people around him, and once you are in, you're in for life. The picture I drew this portrait from was taken while he was on his way to me to give me a hug. Arms wide open and his lips just starting to pucker up to give me a kiss wet enough to sink a battleship.

He usually goes through the day thinking that if anything is worth doing, then it's worth getting into trouble for. I find myself sitting back and smiling when I think of some of the things he's done. I wasn't smiling at the time, but I am now. I've learned to make sure that if he gets too quiet to stop and just check in to see what he may be planning to do next. That way the world goes un-cracked for one more day.

He has been described as a class clown, but he is a smart and clever young man, getting straight A's on his last report card. He loves to run and to be chased. He loves to see if his voice can actually reach the people in the house two streets over. And it just comes naturally. That's what makes him who he is. None of this is ever done just to be mean or with malice in his heart. He is just wide open. That's the way he was made, and I love him with all of my heart for it.

He loves to laugh and to make others laugh. He infects everyone around him with his carefree, love life attitude. I hope he never looses that. I hope he will always be the kind of son that is ready to climb into my lap for a tickle or just to sit and snuggle. I hope I can help him nurture his imagination so that it takes him as high as he wants to go. I hope he knows just how much I love him and how proud I am of him.

Skull and Snake Tattoo Design

I really love this one. It seemed to take up a life of its own once I started it. Every time I thought I was done, I would think of something else to put in it.

My scanner isn't big enough to scan the picture so I had to take a picture of it and then upload it to the computer. The camera did it more justice than the scanner would have. It shows a lot more of the details and shading of the picture. I also think the barbed wire and the roses make it a little more original.

I don't really have a story to go along with this one except to say that there are three little ones that are anxiously awaiting their debut on to 'Gary's Greetings'. To them I will say to be patient and I will get your pictures done as soon as possible. It takes me a while to do the portraits. I like them to be perfect. I promise that I am working on them and I will have them finished in no time.

Happy Birthday, Big Man!!!!

Today we celebrate the birthday of an extraordinary young man. He is an exceptional big brother, and a wonderful son. To say that I am proud of him is an understatement. I love him and cherish him. He is a part of my heart and my soul, and I am so very honored that he became a part of my life and I, a part of his.

On the day he was born I nervously watched as the mid-wife turned and twisted him, trying to get him 'unwrapped' and cleaned up. I didn't think we were ever going to hear him cry, but once he started, he decided he wasn't going to stop. He wanted the world to know he was here. And he decided to shout it to the mountain tops. When they gave him to me I thought for sure he would break just by touching him. I took him over to his mother and laid him down with her and we sang 'Happy Birthday' as he nestled into her neck. He looked right at me. He stared straight into my eyes and I knew then that I was hooked. He had me wrapped around his finger. I still am today.

Being our first born he was full of lessons, wonders, and surprises. We had been told during the entire pregnancy that all he would do was eat, sleep, and poop. Well, two out of three ain't bad. He ate like a horse, pooped like a goose, but as for sleep; he wanted none of it. He was wide awake and wanted to stay that way. He wanted to see everybody and be a part of everything. He didn't want to miss anything. EVER. All he needed was a two hour power nap and he was ready for more.

On his first day of school his mother and I decided that we should follow the bus to school and be there for him when he got off. As he walked down the steps of the bus he looked so big. I couldn't wait to hug him and tell him just how proud I was of him. He looked at me with the most beautiful smile, and knowing that I was on the verge of tears, he said, "I love you Daddy, everything will be alright". It turned out that he was there for me.

I have cherished every moment with him. From helping him learn to ride a two wheeler, coaching his T-ball team, to watching him become a big brother. (By the way, he was sure that his mother was having a dinosaur and NOT a baby brother). Watching him learn, hearing him laugh and holding him while he cried. Making the 'monster spray', becoming the wrestling mat, holding him up when the water got above his knees, helping him splash in the tub and just watching him while he slept. All of these moments I wouldn't trade for the world. I wouldn't give them up for anything. They are tucked away in my heart so that someday, if I'm lucky, I will get to share them with his children.

He has grown so much over the past 11 years. It has gone by so fast. I miss that little guy with the big head that wanted to go everywhere I went. That wanted to do everything that I did. That wanted to 'help' me with anything that I may have been working on. Those big, beautiful, green eyes staring back at me with an unconditional love that I had never felt before. He has taught me what true, unending love really is. Watching him develop into the fine young man that he is undoubtedly going to be gives me a feeling of pride that I can not explain. His fun loving nature, his caring and compassionate heart along with his hilarious sense of humor make him an amazing young man that I just can't get enough of.

Happy Birthday, Big Man. I hope you have a wonderful day today. I hope you know that I love you and I am so proud to be your father. I hope you understand these words I have here for you are words of love, pride and respect for all that you have taught me. I hope you have a long and happy life, and I hope that one day you will look into the eyes of your little one and finally be able to understand what love is meant to be.

Sylvester: The Crazy, Homocidal, Psycho Cat

I would like to take a moment to talk to you all about something I feel the world must know about. It's my girl friend's cat, Sylvester. He is the son of Satan himself. I know that this cat has been sent forth to bring on the end of the world, and if we don't do something about it now we are all going to die by his hand, or paw as the case may be.

You see it all started about 3 years ago when The Smirking Cat and I were leisurely walking through a large outdoor flea market. It was one of those days that seemed to be perfect. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, children were laughing, etc. You get the picture. We round a corner and there is an elderly woman with a bunch of different animals for sale. She had chickens and ducks, rabbits and goats, but what caught SC's eye was this little flea infested, mangy looking, matted up kitten in a cage wwwwaaaaayyyyyy in the back. Sensing the danger I opted to run for the hills but SC decided that we needed to "rescue" this creature. I tried to explain to her that there was something wrong with this cat and we should put it in a sack and bury it on holy ground, just to be safe. I was over ruled and got the '...if you don't shut up and help me I'm going to tear your arm off and beat you to death with it...' look, so... I helped.

But I promise you all that my only involvement was I opened the cage for SC. That's all I did. Just as soon as she took the evil spirit out of that cage the world changed. The sun stopped shining and it turned cold and started to ran. The birds quit singing and hid in their nests. The children all started crying and ran to hide under their beds. Lightning struck and the ground shook. You get the picture. A strange chill ran down my spine as this 'kitten' which was now snuggled tightly under SC's arm and being carried away stared at me with a look that would rival the look the little boy gave the camera at the end of the movie, 'The Omen'. You may be asking, "How much did SC pay for the kitten?" To that I say, Ha Ha Haaa!! You do not pay for one such as the archfiend. Nope, you STEAL him. Once again I pleaded with SC to put the monster down and lets just make a run for it but she refused, saying that she couldn't. With her eyes glassed over she said. "I must serve the master". The rest is history.

I told you that story so that you could fully understand what happened last night. You see, I am here alone because SC is off visiting with her mother, brother and nephew up north for a few days. There are no other witnesses around so now he felt safe enough to follow through with his evil plan. The attempt on my life was made in the bathroom. I was sitting on the toilet doing what a person does when they sit on the toilet and I had just settled down and gotten comfortable for what I thought was going to be a nice relaxing stay when, all of a sudden, from behind the shower curtain a very LARGE, very fuzzy, black, hell spawned creature came bursting out of the tub at me. His fangs were glistening with acid like saliva. His claws came out like razor sharp switchblades. I was nearly crushed from the weight of the fury goliath but was somehow able to keep the beast from attaching itself to my throat. When I pushed him away he landed in my lap, which caused me to lean backwards and bang my head on the shelf we have over the toilet and knock it over.

The noise and commotion from the shelf caused the afore mentioned demon spawn to go even more berserk and start to attack the bath mat. He managed to get himself tangled up in it and couldn't get out. With everything from bottles of fingernail polish and rubbing alcohol, to nail clippers and toilet paper falling on my head I try to help the rider of the Pale Horse out of the mat. This, of course, enrages him even more. He starts to make a sound that can only be described as the sound of all of the souls in hell screaming at once.

I was finally able to get the Prince of Darkness loose only to have him jump into my pants and try to remove them from my body with my legs still in them. With falling objects still trying to penetrate my skull I manage to get the unholy creature of Hell out of my pants and out of the bathroom. I slam the door shut and then realized two things. First: That Sylvester is most definitely trying to kill me. Second: That EVERY SINGLE ROLL of toilet paper had somehow managed to end up OUTSIDE of the bathroom.

Now, I know that When SC reads this post she will, in her most babiest of voices, undoubtedly say, "Wuts he sayin about u tylveter? Mommy luvs you. Yes she does." She's gone, completely under his spell. There's no hope for me now. I'm done for. I've tried to do away with the creature before and it only came back stronger. I know that if we were to shave the fur from behind his left ear we would find 666. Even now, as I type this, he's sitting right here on the desk looking at me. He is trying to lull me into a false sense of security by purring like a Mac truck and rubbing his face against mine, but it won't work. I know he can read this. And I know his fiendish plans. I am done for. RUN!!! Save yourselves!!!