Irony & Ice Cream

December 6, 2013.Reading time 3 minutes.

I’ve always said that if the world could just taste Blue Bell Ice Cream, there would be no more wars. World peace is obtainable by the gallon for about $5.99. It is so good that upon my first introduction to their chocolate chip cookie dough variety, I called my wife of about a year and said, “I think I just had an affair!” Until then, I didn’t know I could love something so cold. Funny thing is, I don’t really like chocolate. I’ve found over the years it doesn’t matter what’s in it. If they mix it, freeze it, and put their label on it – I’ll buy it. They are a good Southern company which likely explains why so many Yankees are trying to get down here.

My 30’s brought family busyness and extra pants sizes. I really don’t blame Blue Bell. If it is her fault, I readily forgive my velvety temptress. I went back to the gym, ran a few marathons, and lost the weight while staying true to ice cream. I still run so I can eat it.

All of that brings me to this week. Tuesday, I had to pick up coffee to fuel my early morning writing obsession. When I find myself in any store that has a freezer section, I am compelled to check the ice cream aisle. Lo and behold, Blue Bell was on sale! Most of my family prefers the aforementioned cookie dough, but I have one dissenter who likes cookies and cream (I think they might spell it with an ‘n’ instead of the word ‘and’ which is lazy, ugly, and I can’t bring myself to type it that way). My last purchase had been cookie dough, so I dug out the last gallon of cookies AND cream. When I got home, I stashed it and somehow forgot about it until today. I was shaving this morning when my dissenter came and reminded me about her appointment to get a painful appliance added to her braces. With her lip poked out, she said, “You should go and get me cookies AND cream ice cream today.”

My memory is not great, but my purchase came to mind immediately. With my lance in hand, I gallantly mounted my white steed, lifted the faceguard on my suit of armor and simply said, “Check the freezer.”

Thank you, Lord for Blue Bell Ice Cream. More importantly, thank you for the ironic way you love on my daughter and let me take a little credit. I promise I’ll tell her…sometime.

Presidential MEN

December 5, 2013.Reading time 2 minutes.

I’ve been having to do some research lately with one of my daughters on some of the Presidents of the United States. I do not care for politics and this is most definitely not a political blog, unless you count Mayor Shambley’s posts. He is always glad-handing the citizens for a vote. While I don’t keep track of politics, I do love history. Anyway, we were talking about one president and I stated that he is a great example of a man’s man. Having all girls, I had to define the term, but found it difficult to do so. A website called wisegeek.org defines it this way:

A man’s man is a man who engages in activities that are traditionally viewed as masculine, and who earns the respect of other men. Such men may also be described as “manly,” emphasizing their masculine personality. They tend to be domineering, confident, and bold, because these character traits are reinforced by traditional gender roles.

We got past that discussion and talked about some of the men who had been president. You have to include generals such as Eisenhower, Washington, and Grant in the discussion. But I settled on two: Andrew Jackson and Teddy Roosevelt. Although a hero in two wars, Jackson would never have been electable today. His fiery temperament caused him to shoot and kill a man in a duel for disparaging his wife. In fact, on the last day of the presidency, Jackson admitted that he had but two regrets, that he “had been unable to shoot Henry Clay or to hang John C. Calhoun.”

Theodore Roosevelt coined the phrase, “speak softly and carry a big stick,” and he lived that way. Cowboy, Rough Rider, Colonel during the Spanish-American War, big game hunter. He was the definition of the term man’s man. AND, this picture would indicate that he carried Virgil Creech like a field manual through it all.