It's unfortunate that only a few clips are available of Nina Simone. This video gives an indication of how much she gave and how she got lost in her songs and took you with her.

We were blessed enough to see her in concert before she passed.

Thank goodness for her legacy of music. Her recording of Lilac Wine and her slow bittersweet version of Here Comes The Sun turn me into a big wet mess.

This performance of "If You Knew" is beautiful.

So, Marc picked Big Maybelle up today.




Chanda, Otis "Butch" Anderson and Biggie T setting out on the first of many nursery runs.



Mr. Red stopped by to check her out. Mr. Red has a reputation in the neighborhood for knowing trucks inside and out. He's been working on them for easily 60+ years. Maybelle got a thumbs up from Mr. Red.



"Hold up, now...shit, lemme get my seat belt on" says Otis. Otis knows I'm not used to this tank yet.



Otis, Chanda, and Biggie off to the nursery for poop and mulch and plants galore.



Otis and Chanda rack up on poop and mulch and plants. Biggie comes home with one choice new Buddleia 'Queen's Robe' ....QUEEN'S Robe?...stop giggling!



Watch out for these two bad ass freaks rockin a bad ass vintage F100 all over midtown Atlanta this summer. Be afraid...be very afraid.

*****Big Maybelle "Gettin' 'long Alright"

Be safe out there, kids.

Hot Monkey Love,

T

Our new baby!

She was born in 1973, but we adopted her yesterday. We have named her "Big Maybelle".

Marc found her on Craig's List.com and we went to look at her in the parking lot of Starbucks. There was a crowd of people gathered around her, and my initial thought was "Hey, get away from my truck". She is in beautiful condition and just looks so retro 70's bad ass. Awesome.

I have to admit though... Patsy Cline's "Crazy" did go through my head more than once when we decided to buy it.

We have a new toy and a new obsession...like we need a new one of either. So anyway...this will be fun.

It will be fun cruising this bad girl through tawny Candler Park and Virginia Highlands on my way to the office. It will fun cruising up to the Earl and our favorite hotspots. It will be great to be able to haul big loads of mulch and garden stuff.

I seem to remember that it may have been a 1973 Ford F100 that I threw up a wad of Skoal on when I was 15 and trying to fit in and be a good little redneck. Maybe that kid still lurks around.

Peace, T

*****Big Maybelle "One Monkey Don't Stop No Show"

I want to again thank everybody that commented on the last post.

Sometimes, it's all about extreme frustration and pain...and faith that waivers. It is the context that is grisly. Reading The Psalms and listening to Mahalia on a bright Sunday morning yields better food for the soul...and is much easier to digest.

Biggie T