This time of year I start craving ham. This is actually hog killing season, and farmers are putting up hams to cure, making bacon and fresh sausage. If I can find someone selling fresh sausage, I will buy at least 40 pounds of it and put it in the freezer. In the meantime, I’m holding off the cravings with a ham sandwich.
Chicken Soup
i don’t know what it is about chicken soup that makes me feel better when I’m sick. Maybe because that is what my mom used to make for us when we were kids and got sick. All I know is that the first signs of a sore throat, earache or fever, I crave a big bowl of Campbell’s chicken noodle soup and a couple of saltine crackers.
5 Fun Facts About Common Law Marriage
Common law marriage is something that tests the limits. You should be informed as many of the myths that we have heard are just that and they aren’t founded.
- In most states, you must have the mental capacity to be married. It’s not exactly clear who decides that you must have mental capacity or what that really entails. It is however clear in nearly every state that to be recognized as part of a common law marriage, you must have the mental capacity to be involved in one. This is an important part of qualifying and must be validated if there are legal issues involved.
- Moving away to another state to try to end the recognized marriage won’t work. If you think that moving away from your partner to end the marriage means that things are over, think again. If you were recognized as part of a common law marriage in one state and then try to dissolve it by moving away, you are still part of a common law marriage in the books and through the law.
- It is a misconception that living together for seven years means that you are engaged in a common law marriage. The criteria varies by state, but no matter where your common law marriage exists, no state has a criteria of seven years. Many couples automatically assume this but it is not on the books anywhere and so should not be relied upon as a criteria.
- If you separate, you may not have any obligations to your common law marriage partner. Many people assume that once you are recognized as part of a common law marriage, that you have certain obligations to that other person. This simply isn’t true! There may be certain things that you are responsible for during or even after, but this is very circumstantial in nature.
- You don’t qualify for spousal support if the common law marriage weren’t to work out. Don’t count on alimony or child support as it may not be yours with common law marriage. Though certain rights are yours, the reality is that common law marriage doesn’t always work the same as an actual marriage so keep that in mind if things dissolve.
There are certain things that people should be aware of for common law marriages. This is not a traditional occurrence and therefore many of the circumstances surrounding it are not traditional in nature.
M.M. Ward is very passionate about the law and about providing meaningful and helpful information associated with online law degree.
Really Bad Traffic
Now that all the music festivals are over, the traffic around here is going to be extra bad tonight and tomorrow as tens of thousands of fans try to get home. I cannot believe how many cars are on I-24. It’s bumper to bumper gridlock and no alternate route. the dog tired, hot and hungry people leaving Bonnaroo have it the worst. I feel bad for you if you are stuck in this traffic nightmare.
Music Festivals
This week is a big one for music festivals. The 10th Annual CMA Music Festival is going on in Nashville. They used to call the event, “Fan Fair,” but a few years ago the “suits” decided to try for a bigger money grab and expand the music genre beyond just Country Music. Most people don’t like that – but what can you do?
The other big event around here is the same week – how stupid was that scheduling? – about an hour south of town: Bonnaroo. This festival brings thousands of music fans of all genres and all ages to a big field with a dozen temporary stages for a week long music fest.
Short Week
Even though today is Tuesday, it feels like Monday since yesterday was a holiday and no one had to work. So today we have to double up and work harder to catch up on all the stuff we should have done yesterday. That makes it harder on everyone, but i did appreciate having the day off. It’s just that no one should have to deal with two Mondays in the same week.
White Noise
When the weather got hot overnight, the house central air conditioning couldn’t cool the whole house right away. A sudden drastic change in temperature is always a strain on the house’s electrical systems and equipment.
So, for a couple of days while the A/C worked to get the house cooled, I used a small room fan to cool the bedroom at night. It is amazing how the fan can put you right to sleep. They call it white noise, and I can’t remember falling asleep so quickly and soundly in a very long time.
Great Sign
I wish every speed trap had a sign like this. I wonder if the cop ever catches on? This is much more effective than the old “flash your headlights to warn oncoming traffic” trick.
Monk, the Series
For some reason there is a long running TV show that I have never seen, called, “Monk.” I guess it ran exclusively on a channel that I normally don’t watch. Or it might be a cable channel show. But a friend of mine was talking about this show – it’s over and no new episodes are being made – and that he was going to buy the entire series on DVD.
It sounds like a cop/detective show with some comedy thrown in. The main character, Monk, suffers from extreme OCD, but turns that to everyone’s advantage when he inspects crime scenes and he helps solve a crime in each episode. That’s got my interest – I’d like to watch one or two shows and see what I’ve been missing.
Summer Concerts
Notices have been coming at me from all kinds of sources for summer concert lineups and dates. In Nashville, there is always the 10 day Fan Fair in early June, and then Bonnaroo is just down the road in early June, as well.
Some of the other places that are great for concerts are in the DC area and just outside of Baltimore. I like to go to Wolf Trap Park for concerts scheduled throughout the summer. These are always big headliner acts, but the venue is small and very casual. Then, there is the Merriwether Post Pavilion in Columbia, which is an outdoor amphitheater who books big name rock and country shows.
One place I’ve always wanted to go is the Red Rocks Canyon in Colorado for a concert. I have never been out there yet – it is on my bucket list.