← Bubba On the Lake
Bubba On the Lake
#41 Venezuela, Stranger Things, Christmas Recap, Wendy Garner
01:21:55
Bubba sets sail into 2026 talking about the recent events in Venezuela, talks with his son Hunter about his favorite show Stranger Things coming to a close, sits down with his wife Betty as they recap Christmas and New Years and Bubba catches up with long time family friend Wendy Garner. Thank you for listening! Don't forget to hit that thumbs up button and subscribe to the channel!
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- [00:00]
A
This podcast is brought to you in part by Coke, Buffalo Wild Wings, Southern Immediate Care, Guaranteed Labels, Central State Bank Sunrise Docs, bankers Bounty, and Dr. Thomas Dudney. Now back to Bubba on the Lake. Hey, it's Bubba. Hey, Bubba. Bubba on the lake. Bubba, Bubba, Bubba on the Lake. Y gotta come and check this. Talking people, talking places from Bubba's perspective. This is Bubba, Bubba, Bubba, Bubba, Bubba on the lake. A Bubba, Bubba, Bubba, Bubba on the lake. Let's go. Hello again, everybody, and welcome to Bubba on the Lake. It is a new year, a new start, and we are so glad to be with you again here in 2026. A lot to cover. We have a great show. Hunter is going to be checking in with us and updating us on Stranger Things. Some of y' all are big fans of that and they had their big finale. Betty is going to talk to us a little bit about our Christmas and Wendy Garner, many of you remember seeing her on NBC 13 for many, many years. She is going to be checking in with us and telling us what she's doing and a whole lot more. So you don't want to miss a bit of it. We want to remind you our website is bubonthelake.com. you can drop me an email bubbaaubaonthelake.com or you can leave a message on the 308 Big Lake comment line. Always love those. And of course, we are back in the Melayella studio for another year and we're excited to be here. I want to thank all of you for what you have done for us and these podcasts last year. Amazing. When we started it, we really didn't know how it was going to go, what was going to happen. We didn't get to do everything we wanted to do because of my knee replacement and the surgeries we had to have after that. But I'm doing well. We're probably going to start a little rehab. I'm getting around so well. I don't really feel like I need rehab, but we probably will just to strengthen everything up and I hope to get back out, play a little pickleball, a little tennis here before long. So everything is moving along very well with that. I will talk with Betty and Hunter a little bit about our Christmas, but just briefly before we start. It was a wonderful Christmas. We, we really focused on what was going on this year was as much about gifts. We, we counted the time we had with loved ones. Very important. A lot of family get together, a lot of friends. And it was, I think, one of the more Productive Christmases we've ever had, far as just socializing. And, you know, that's a great gift for me, it really is. Now a little bit on the political front, we cannot move forward without at least talking about what went on in Venezuela. And El Presidente Maduro is now a prisoner in New York and has pled not guilty in a New York courtroom. He was indicted and charged as a drug runner, among other things, him and his wife. Many people have pointed out that he wasn't really the president of Venezuela, which is true. He lost the election, but just didn't leave. And the opposition leaders and the people of Venezuela seem to be pretty happy he's gone. He basically was the CEO of a drug operation. And I knew something. And just before we go any further, a bit of history, because I had relatives that actually worked in the oil business in Venezuela back before Hugo Chavez took over. That was the elected dictator, if you will, before Maduro. And he turned that country from one of the high standard of livings in Central America to shambles. And, you know, this is the thing that always amazes me. The socialists slash communists always come in with a good sales pitch. The US Went in, leased land, leased mineral rights, built massive oil operations in Venezuela. Venezuela has more oil than Saudi Arabia does. Okay, it is. It is. Eat up with precious metals and oil. And the US Went in, funded this. It raised the standard of living. People there were flourishing because they were making good money working in these oil fields. And then Hugo Chavez comes in. And this is what the communist socialists always do. They have a great sales pitch to the people who have fallen through the cracks or who are not moving up the ladder in the free market. And they come in and say, hey, those guys who have the oil wells are stealing all of your money. Now, they don't mention the fact that they're paying a nice ransom of a price for that. And the president, who was a dictator, steals that money and it never makes it to the people. But they blame the US as justification for taking over the refineries and the oil operations. And then what happens? Well, the people who really know what they're doing, the US and the people who work for these big oil companies all leave. Our family member had to flee in the middle of the night before the communists took over. And they come in and they say, oh, we're going to keep all this money at home. Well, guess what? The dictator just keeps getting richer and the people keep getting poorer. But now they don't have a vote because he takes all the guns up. So they're hung with it. So Venezuela, and we've seen this pattern repeat over and over and over again. Okay, it happened in Cuba with Castro, Noriega. It happened with who? Let's see, it was Daniel Ortega and then Noriega. In Panama, you had Chavez and Venezuela. I mean, just. You just name the country and they've all gone through this. I don't know why we don't learn our history. This never works. It never has worked. It didn't work with Russia. It didn't work with all these other countries who've played with it in the past. Excuse me. I tell you, one of the big success stories coming back out of the Soviet Iron Curtain was Poland. Poland didn't have much of an economy when the Iron Curtain fell. And they have a booming economy today because they have a free market now. A free market does not guarantee everybody there is going to be rich. A few people will get rich. A few people will work. Some people will put in the extra work to make more money, but there's no guarantees. People will still fall through the cracks, but it's still the best system going. And I don't know why we can't see this on a worldwide level. It just never works. When you go to socialism by gunpoint and then you go to communism, now they are social aspects of things that work, like insurance. If you're not made to get it, it doesn't work. But if people go in and invest in insurance because they want that protection and they pay into it, and then the people who actually need it draw out of it, that system can actually work. But that's by choice. You can't have insurance by gun barrel. It doesn't work. Obamacare, prime example gone broke. President Obama promised us lower, lower coverage, all this stuff. It was going to be great prices, all that. The thing is broke. If Congress doesn't keep pumping more money into it and the rates are going up. It was called the Affordable Care Act. It is anything but affordable. Anything but affordable. So I don't know why we keep falling for this. The free market system is not perfect, never will be, because humans are involved and we're in a fallen creation. But it is by far the best thing going. And it has created more wealth and raised more people's standard of living in the world than any time ever. And I just. I'm just perplexed sometimes. I just don't know why we keep doing it. I guess it's the easy sale to the uninformed masses. I've always called Socialism that because you go in and you say, hey, those guys over there getting rich are taking your money. Vote for me and I'll stop it. It's just like this character in New York. Now he's gone in, promised free, free bus fares. Just wait on that one. That'll be sweet. I will tell you the one example of where it, communism has survived, let me put it that way, is in China. And you know why? China was in the same boat and they changed their economy over to more of a free market. Now they still have a death grip on everybody. And if you get out of line, they'll squash you like a bug. But their economy, for the most part, is much, much more like the United States economy than it is Russia or Venezuela or Iran or wherever you want to plug in. Dictator dictators just don't work. Never does. Never does. And I know some of you like to call Trump a dictator. He's been elected twice. Sorry. And he'll leave when his term is up. He's not a dictator. He's a strong leader with strong opinions. I tell you, the thing about the Venezuelan deal, the fact that our military could go in and grab this guy, literally take him and his wife out of their bed wearing their pajamas and not have a casualty is incredible. Do you realize the odds of that? I don't know the full details, but somebody in his inner circle sold him out. That's the only way they could pull this off. The CIA was on the ground. They had trained extensively for the operation, even reconstructed the house where they went into. But Cuba was running his secret service, and somebody in that secret service turned. That's the only way we could have gotten to him in his pajamas and got him out of there without anybody being killed. Somebody turned. I don't know who it was. We'll get more details as time goes on. But he was arraigned in New York today while we're doing this, and pleaded not guilty. So he'll have his day in court like everybody else. But I don't think it's going to end up well for him. He, and I know many of you have sent me the video of him at the podium screaming, here I am. Come get me, you coward. Well, I wouldn't say that to Donald Trump. Too many times. It'll. You'll end up in a jail in New York, my friend. All right. Once again, Trump does what he says he is going to do. I really thought he was pulling the military down there to do a little saber rattling, but I noticed it. It was over it was the week before he was picked up. I heard him make a public statement that he was ready to share Venezuelan's oil revenues with Trump. He wanted to share, he's wanting to make a deal and that, that was so shocking to me that he would change his verbiage so dramatically that I thought one, he's either crazy or two, they are scaring him and they're getting real close. I really didn't expect them to go in and get him out of bed. Honestly, that's, that's kind of blows me away that they could do that. But hey, hats off to our military guys and the planners that did it. We've, we've had some failed operations in the past, but they were spot on on this one, buddy. I mean, got him and his wife, they're both wanted on drug trafficking charges and, and I'm afraid that they've got an overwhelming amount of evidence against them. So we'll see. What about Venezuela? What happens now? I would assume the lady who won the election and her name slips my memory currently will eventually become the president. Trump, of course, drove the left crazy by saying we're running Venezuela right now. I, I just was going to do that just to stir them up. I think he enjoys that. I mean the rest of us are going, my gosh, Trump, you know, go easy and, but he loves stirring them up and it is kind of funny. We just, I mean he's kind of like the Coach Signetti of politics, you know, I mean, it's just, it's just refreshing in it. But anyway, that's, that's the latest. We'll find out more about the raid and what happened with that. But you know, the, these drug boat and oh gosh, I've heard people crying about the drug boats. Oh, we're killing people. And listen, we have assets on the ground in Venezuela. They identify the boats, what the cargo is. Look, when you have a bass boat and you have four giant engines on the back and you have bales of things covered in plastic and you head out, you're, you're a drug running, okay, that's not a fishing trip, that's not a pleasure cruise. And they knew exactly when they left and they called in the reaper drones and took care of them. So if you're bringing drugs in the US look out because Trump's serious about it and I'm glad. I've had too many friends lose kids and whatnot. And we've all know people who have been succumbed to drug addiction and a lot of that is Just due to the ridiculous availability of it. So I appreciate President Trump doing that. All right, we'll be right back. We have a lot to cover. Thank you again and buckle in.
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B
Where's Bubba?
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C
I'll tell you where. He's on the lake.
- [15:22]
A
On the water or off? Experience lake life to the fullest at Russell Lands on Lake Martin. Spend your mornings with breakfast at Fanny's. Afternoons you can explore over 100 miles of trails through Russell Forest. And for dinner, how about the southern farm to table flavors at spring House? Whether you're here for the weekend or you've made your home at the lake, Russell Lands is where community and the land come together. To learn more about upcoming events, visit Russelllands.com come see what Lake life is all about.
- [15:55]
C
All right. All right. It's a beautiful day for football here at the stadium, and we're just about ready for kickoff. Score 00. And suddenly I'm in the mood for a Coke Zero Sugar. Real Coke, taste zero sugar. Now that's a winning combo. Yeah. Crisp, refreshing, that hits the spot. When it comes to great taste, Coke zero sugar is always on the scoreboard. Coke zero sugar. Real Coke, taste zero sugar. Attention business owners, print buyers and production managers. Guaranteed Labels is here to help you focus less on your printing decals and focus more on growing your business. Guaranteed Labels wants to be your reliable printer. Quality on time shipments and stock programs set us apart. If you're needing to focus less on your printing and more on your business, Trust guaranteed labels. 205-640-4552 or guaranteedlabels.com guaranteed labels still sticking since 1988.
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A
We're back and we have a special guest, Hunter Bussy. Hunter, how are you, sir?
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D
I'm good.
- [17:26]
A
How are you?
- [17:26]
D
Happy New Year.
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A
Hey, Happy New Year to you. We had a great Christmas, didn't we? I got to spend a little more time with you this year, and I enjoyed that.
- [17:33]
D
Yeah, yeah, it was a lot of fun. You know, the past couple years I've been, you know, busy with my old job and, you know, had to go back pretty much like the day after Christmas day. So it was good to get to relax and spend time with the family and the pets and get to just hang out and relax and watch movies and all the fun stuff you get to do like we used to do.
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A
Yeah, we. We certainly enjoyed it, and I know your mom did, and it was a great time, and, you know, we had just an overall good Christmas. You know, we didn't get to do everything together, but we. I had several get togethers, a lot of Christmas parties, a lot of family things. Some, some family members. I went to one get together I haven't seen in 20 years or more. And so I enjoyed that. Got out to see a lot of lights. We had a bowl game. How about Jack State? They had a big win and we Montgomery in the Salute to Veterans Bowl. And so we had a really, really packed, busy Christmas season. But it was a good season. We, we also got a lot of time to sit in front of the fireplace and chill out a little bit. And then that spun into New Year's and we had a little get together here with some of the neighbors and Hunter. New Year's was big for you because of Stranger Things coming out the last episode.
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D
Yeah, yeah, it was a lot of fun. I really enjoyed just the overall series this season. It didn't really add anything, but as far as like wrapping up a show that I've pretty much grown up with in a way, like, it started while I was a junior in high school in 2016, so to go for, you know, a nine year run. Now, granted, Covid kind of messed up some of the production for it, but overall I enjoyed the ending and I thought they ended it on a good note.
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A
Well, that's kind of what I wanted to ask you about. I watched the first season or two and due to work and getting up early and, you know, Jimmy Jam and all that, I kind of fell away from it. But I watched a little bit of the final episode and kind of for people who, who didn't see any of it, who just hear people talking about it, give us the overview of what happened and how many seasons did this thing go on?
- [19:50]
D
It's five seasons over a course of nine years. But season four and five were like mini movies. Like each episode was like an hour and a half, two hours. Just because Netflix gave them a bigger budget to play with and for good reason. It was possibly their best show they've ever put out since they've been a streaming service. But the overall like, and I don't want to spoil it for anybody that hadn't watched it yet, but the overall plot is basically in the first season, there's a boy that goes missing and there's some government cover ups. And then 1980s in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana. And it's based off of, if anyone knows what Montauk is, there was like a, you know, conspiracy about some lab in New York state that, you know, was doing these government tests on kids. And that was what inspired the Duffer Brothers to make this show. And the original name for it was Montauk and they just ended up changing it to Stranger Things, which ended up working out. So.
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A
So we had a kid go missing. We had strange things going on. We had a secret lab cover up. Is that kind of. Am I on the general plot line?
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D
Yes, yes. And then there's some other, you know, not really supernatural things that happen in it, but it's more of like, you know, sci fi. Like if you're a sci fi 80s junkie, this is for you.
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A
Because there. There was a. A portal and there was a upside down world that people got into that was like opposite of our current world, right?
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D
Correct, correct.
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A
But they would see buildings and places and towns like we had. But it was totally different. It was like dark and weird and thunder and lightning all the time and all that.
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D
Yeah, it was rotted out, you know, old buildings that mimicked what was, you know, basically in their hometown of Hawkins. So it was. It's one of those things where you learn, you know, in the series, like, why that is. But it's one of those things where you look at it, it's like, that's kind of cool. And the concept of. It's kind of cool because what if that actually, you know, was a thing? And thank goodness it's not, if you've watched the show, so. But it's a cool concept. I liked it a lot.
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A
Well, so did a lot of other people. It was huge. And it's been, like you said, one of the most successful series in. In current time and. Or where do they go from here? Are they. Did they leave? I know you don't want to tell the ending. Yeah, but did they leave it open so that they could do more? I mean, you know, anything that makes money. The business people hate to just put a cold ending to it.
- [22:26]
D
Yeah, they didn't. They. I don't think they left it open for stuff to, like, move the story forward because I think they ended it on a good note. But they, you know, it's one of those things. I mean, we've seen the movie Inception, me and you have watched it several times. But like, at the end, you know, of the movie, it's kind of left up for interpretation on what happens if, you know, if this thing happened or if it didn't happen. That's kind of what this show did. Now they have announced an animated, like, spin off which takes place between seasons two and three called Tales of 1985, which is going to be cool. But other than that, that's the only big thing they've announced. And then maybe a possible side project that they have coming up that's they said is separate from the main story. So we'll see. I'm just excited that it ended on a good note. That's all I asked for and that's what a lot of people were hoping it would do. And they, they tied it up and landed the plane and I couldn't be more satisfied.
- [23:24]
A
Well, that's always a problem when you have a successful series and there's been some that ran 10 years in my lifetime. The first one I can remember was mash and that Bob Newhart had a couple of shows and, you know, Big bang theory went 10 years. You know, there's a lot of them and Seinfeld was very popular and how they wrap it up kind of makes people. That's kind of the way they remember it sometimes. So some of them have been more successful than others. So again, it's hard to talk about this without giving away the plot, but did everybody make it out? Did everybody survive? Did we lose people along the way or what?
- [24:12]
E
What.
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D
People are definitely lost along the way. But that's, you know, it's for you to watch and for you to find out. And it's one of those things too. Like you were talking about, you know, shows that go on for a long time, like mash, that you've shown me before, which is hilarious if you haven't watched mash. But like, there's some people that don't finish watching shows because they, they're not ready for it to end. You know what I mean? Because you've grown up with it for so long, especially ones that go for nine, 10 years, you know, like this one. So it's, it's crazy to think it's over because, like, it feels like part of my childhood just closed up in a way.
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A
Yeah.
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D
So, I mean, literally you've watched the, like, if you've kept up with the show in 2016, I mean, the main cast was like 12 years old and now they're in their 20s, you know what I mean? So, like it couldn't have been a more like poetic send off for those, the main core four actors in the show.
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A
Well, the, the young lady who was kind of the, the key in all of this and was one of the main characters when I, I didn't hardly recognize her when I saw her in the final.
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D
Yeah.
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A
Compared to what she looked like when.
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D
They began, like, she's a mom now in real life and married to Bon Jovi's kid. Like, it's just, it's crazy.
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A
So her father in law is Jon Bon Jovi?
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D
Yes, that is correct.
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A
That is weird.
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D
I know.
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A
I bet that makes for a strange Thanksgiving, doesn't it?
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D
Yeah, I know, I know.
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A
I mean, you sitting around eating turkey and hey, what are we going to do afterwards? Well, how about a song? You know, I mean, it's my life, you know, so I know they have a lot of fun with that. Talk a little bit about. There was a little bit of stir toward the end of this about a tie in to Heflin, Alabama and, and tell us. I saw that you got a hat. Give us the whole story on that because I thought that was pretty interesting. Yeah.
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D
So whenever the trailer dropped for the fifth season, the final season of Stranger Things, there was a shot of one of the characters who's the police chief Jim Hopper, played by David Harbour, who he was wearing a J. A. Owens Ace Hardware, Heflin, Alabama. Like trucker hat. It's like a camo hat with the logo on the front.
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A
Yeah.
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D
And it caused the biggest stir, at least in our state. And anyone, you know, as a fan of the show, like, oh, I have to have that hat, especially over here. So it was, it's one of those things where you were like, okay, let's just see where this goes. And you know, eventually there's a point in the show where he swaps out of like a beanie to the hat and then it just blew up even more. And ale.com picked it up once the second volume dropped on Christmas Day. It was, it was kind of crazy. It's just funny that it tied it into Heflin, Alabama.
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A
So how, how did he get that hat? Because my, my understanding is that hardware store does not anymore.
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D
Yeah, I. And I'm sure, like there's some explanation in the show, I'm sure. But if I had to guess, they were able to find the hat like at some military surplus store. Because I know that he, like there's a, it's not really a spoiler, but like the character served in the military in Vietnam and I'm sure somewhere around the line he ended up in Heflin, Alabama on his way home. So it wouldn't shock me if that's how he picked it up. He mentions that he was in a small town whenever he got out of the war. So I'm assuming he references Heflin and then moves back to Hawkins. So I don't know. But it was kind of cool just to see that kind of little Easter egg, if you will, mentioning our state in the show.
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A
It's funny because I grew up close to Heflin in Calhoun county and knew a lot of people from Heflin. We have Ken, folks from Heflin and Cleburne county. And you know, it's. It's kind of an off the beaten path, even though it's on i20, you know, it's not a major metropolitan area. Fine people that live there. But it was kind of weird to see that and all. Hunter, what I was thinking, and maybe this is how it got there, that when the. The hardware store closed, they probably was bought out or sold everything, you know, dimes on the dollar and they had a bunch of hats left over. And it, it made it to a surplus store that had hats and somebody in Hollywood picked them up is the only thing I can imagine. I know when we had the restaurant, when we ended that we had a lot of cups left over and those cups got sold to distributors. And I mean, I still have. People will take a picture and send to me like in New York or, you know, Chicago or somewhere and. And they got a cup with Rick and Bubba's restaurant on it, you know, and that's so weird. I mean, that thing has been out of business for a long time.
- [29:10]
D
You know, you'll see them on ebay sometimes you'll. I'll come across random listings because, you know, our devices are always listening to us. And I think that relation of, you know, you being my dad and all that, it's just like.
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A
It just.
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D
It's funny how that'll pop up sometime. Like. Yeah, I remember those days. Well, it's just funny.
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A
It is. And the fact that Heflin was so prominent because he wore that hat a lot during. Yeah, I mean.
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D
I mean, he wore it, I'm pretty sure the last four episodes, including the finale. So it was kind of funny that it lasted that long. Like, I thought it was going to be one of those things where it's like, okay, like. Like a one off type of prop.
- [29:48]
A
You know what I mean?
- [29:49]
D
But no, he. I mean, he wears it all the way through the finale. So it's crazy.
- [29:53]
A
The only thing that would have been better if we'd had a batch of Bubba on the Lake hats, you know, if we got those on there now. Yeah. Now if you want to get them on there, they have, they have a price. But I guess this came about because I doubt. I doubt the defunct hardware store paid him the kind of money that say coke or some of the Rest of them would pay to be on there. So. Yeah. So you give it overall, on a scale of 1 to 10, what do you, what do you give the whole series if say, somebody hasn't watched it or like myself, I saw an episode or two, I want to go back and, and now that I've seen the final, I really want to go back and watch it again. But what would you give it? I mean, is it, is this a 10 all the way for you?
- [30:38]
D
I mean, it's a 10 all the way for me. I mean, I've grown up with you telling everyone and their mom that they, that you weep for our generation because we didn't, you know, grow up in the 80s, a Reagan presidency and the music that was, you know, made and the movies that were made. And like, I, I agree with it because I mean, it's one of those things like you watch movies, like the other night I watched War Games because it was on tv and I'm like, they just don't make movies like this anymore. They just don't.
- [31:07]
A
The technology has changed so much too. I mean, you think about a dial up modem and that's stuff that's just.
- [31:15]
D
It was just funny to watch that play out. But like, overall, I'd give it a 10. If you, if you like a good mystery conspiracy suspense thriller with some 80s, you know, references thrown in that you would like this a lot. And if you, if you're a sci fi fan, you'd really like this. So I highly recommend it. It's on Netflix, you know, you can binge the whole thing now. So I highly recommend it if you get a chance to sit down and watch it.
- [31:41]
A
Hunter, thank you very much and appreciate your work. Working with you now. And I guess we need to plug, plug, plug away here a little bit. We also. And you helped me and helped co host the Tailgate. Tailgate show. Yeah. And we have a few more episodes of that coming out as we wrap up college football and we're going to do some more projects under that banner in the future. But you're also doing some other work on the side, right?
- [32:07]
D
Yeah, I am helping the Barn with a new show called the Barn Social Hour, which is funny because it's only a 30 minute show. So everyone was calling it the Social Hour.
- [32:18]
B
Ish.
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D
Which is funny. But yeah, it's me and Graham McLean. We have a lot of fun. The first episode actually it'll be aired probably by the time this is already out. So go to the Barn, subscribe there. Subscribe to Bubba in the lake and tailgate. Tailgate. And you'll be able to hear me and dad anywhere you get your podcast. So it's going to be a lot of fun. 2026 is going to be a fun year.
- [32:44]
A
Well, it is a podcast world. I mean, everything has changed and we're glad to be able to offer these and stay in touch with people. So, Hunter, thank you very much and we will be in touch. And we will be right back in just a minute. Stand by.
- [33:01]
B
One, two, three.
- [33:03]
C
We'll be right back. You know one thing I love about Buffalo Wild Wings? You can get wings with any of their 26 sauces and dry rubs for takeout and delivery. That's like bringing an entire B dubs home with you, which you can't do. I tried. I've knocked down so many walls only to then be told to halt construction.
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A
Because I'm not zoned to be a sports bar.
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C
Kind of just looks like a big pergola or something. Because of the lack of walls, at least these 26 sauces and dry rubs are available. To go Buffalo Wild Wings.
- [33:36]
A
Let's go. Sports bar. On the water or off? Experience lake life to the fullest at Russell Lands on Lake Martin. If you love the outdoors, then naturalist Marianne's classroom is where you need to be. She brings the outdoors to you at Russell Crossroads. Or you can see Lake Martin and thousands of acres of undisturbed forest, taking a guided horseback trail ride through the stables. If you're here for a weekend or you've made your home at the lake, Russell Lands is where community and the land come together. To learn more about upcoming events, visit Russelllands.com come see what Lake life is.
- [34:12]
C
All about at Central State Bank. We believe community banking is more than just transactions. It's about relationships. For over 100 years, you've been helping neighbors grow, businesses thrive and dreams become reality. Because when you bank local, you invest in your community. Central State bank. Large enough to serve you, small enough to know you. Visit us today or learn more@centralstate bank.com Member FDIC.
- [34:47]
A
Well, we have a very special guest with us. She's an old friend. Friend. Haven't talked to her much lately, so there's a lot of catching up to do. You see her?
- [34:54]
B
I'm talking to Betty.
- [34:55]
A
Yeah, I know you talk. You talk to Betty all the time. I never get to talk to you anymore. Wendy Garner, you know her from TV and a lot of other things. And Wendy, you started out in Tuscaloosa and tv, right?
- [35:09]
B
They're saying no I really don't.
- [35:13]
A
Well, you. You started in Tuscaloosa, right?
- [35:15]
E
I did.
- [35:16]
A
And then you moved to NBC 13 in Birmingham.
- [35:20]
B
I actually worked at Whoa TV WHA in Montgomery for six hot months. And. And then Whoa TV W H O a.
- [35:33]
A
Our.
- [35:33]
B
Our newsroom was literally the attic. And when I was hired, the same week I was hired, the news director was resigning, and she asked me to be the news director. And I was like 24 years old, right. And I said, I can't do that.
- [35:50]
A
I can. I can't.
- [35:52]
B
It was great experience because I ended up, you know, producing also, in addition to anchoring and reporting. But when I started at channel 33, which, as you know, is part of 3340, I started there in 94. And Bubba, we still had typewriters.
- [36:12]
A
And that's where you met your hubby at, right? No.
- [36:16]
B
No.
- [36:17]
A
Was he doing sports there?
- [36:19]
E
No.
- [36:20]
A
I thought he did on air for a while too. Now I do remember. You know, I remember you met at Auburn because we. We had a long discussion about how exactly you met at Auburn, but for some reason I thought he was.
- [36:35]
B
You guys made up. So y' all threw me under the bus and made up because it was completely untrue.
- [36:41]
A
Something about a beer bust. I don't remember exactly what it was. It's a long.
- [36:46]
B
Okay, so back in the olden days when y' all were small time and looking for, you know, just people to fill, you asked the local, you know, new news people to come out. And I probably was 26, 25 years old maybe. And y' all got Tim on the line, my husband. And we were talking about how we met, and it was a party at Auburn, and frankly, I was there to be a sober driver, but there happened to be a keg there.
- [37:21]
A
Right? Right.
- [37:22]
B
Think of another way to say it.
- [37:24]
A
Well, that's what they call those big silver things, Wendy, you know, that beer come out of you.
- [37:28]
B
Y' all actually said on the air that you, Tim, fell in love with me because he saw me doing a keg stand and it was absolutely not true. Absolutely not.
- [37:39]
A
Sorry about that.
- [37:39]
B
Seriously, I'm never going on that show again.
- [37:43]
A
No, you used to come on a lot, you and Cynthia. And now where did she. Where did she get off to?
- [37:50]
B
Well, she is still. She's living in Hoover and she has a precious family, including her oldest has pretty serious special needs. So she's been a full time mama to her beautiful family, but she's doing really well. I'll tell her that you asked.
- [38:07]
A
Yeah, please do. And well, we used to see you a lot more. I know you came over and borrowed a four wheeler one time for a story you were doing and, and you rode around in the woods in the back of my house. You don't remember that?
- [38:22]
B
It's been a while.
- [38:24]
A
It has, it has. That's why we needed to catch up. So how long were you on NBC? 13.
- [38:30]
B
Gosh, I don't know. All in all, I, you know, I, I have two boys who are now 24 and 22 years old. And literally, like, we announced pregnancy on the air. I mean, people still make comments about remembering seeing me with a big old belly. And Stephanie Walker actually announced that I was expecting one of them, Bill, by announcing to the, to the audience that I had been doing a little bit more than kissing. That's actually how the announcement went out. So I was, well, thanks, Stephanie.
- [39:06]
A
It made the beer bus thing sound like nothing.
- [39:08]
B
You know, I don't, I don't know what it is. I'm like, you know, I'm, I'm gullible, I guess, for all those jokes. But yes. So they are now 24 and 22. And in my younger years with smaller children, I always wanted to arrange my schedule so that, you know, I could. I kind of have best of both worlds. And so I started off, I was ANK weekend anchor in Birmingham. And then I kept telling them what I wanted to do was morning show because I thought, you know, then I can go in at 3am and get home by noon and I'm still, you know, there for my kids and however, that means you're really sleepy too. I did that, but I, you know, I guess I was probably on, off. I stepped away. And then I was hired again, again to do another show, Daytime Alabama. It's probably about 20 years combined, but it was sort of in pieces. So I just always tried to make my schedule work for my family.
- [40:13]
A
That was kind of like my college career. It, it lasted over 12 years, but it came in pieces, you know, on and on.
- [40:20]
B
Yeah, that's right. You just have to do whatever works for you.
- [40:24]
A
But Wendy, how. And we were talking about this. See, when you used to come on the radio show, I had brown hair and I was a little bit skinnier, I think, and, and, and I look like an old man now. And you look the same. How are you doing this?
- [40:39]
B
That is not true. That is not true at all. You're very kind.
- [40:43]
A
Well, I can see you. I'm looking at you on the monitor here. You may be. Look, you look so good. We May make this a TV segment. You know, we may just put this on there.
- [40:53]
B
That's right.
- [40:54]
A
You're used to it though.
- [40:55]
B
See, look at Betty. Betty looks amazing.
- [40:58]
A
Oh, I know. She, she's another one. I don't know what y' all are doing vitamin wise, but it's working for you, you know.
- [41:06]
B
Well, we see you, see you guys always.
- [41:09]
A
We see you at the lake at some eating places. Now you're not living at the lake though, right?
- [41:15]
B
No, no, we live in Birmingham. We found like just this little cabin. It was probably one of the original ones in Stillwaters. And we had been wanting to have a place there for years and years and just watching the prices go up was so frustrating. And so it was.
- [41:32]
A
They don't come down. They don't come down.
- [41:34]
B
We can get in and we, you know, it's like ignorance is bliss. We found this little cabin that hadn't been lived in for maybe two years, maybe longer than that. And it was not habitable when we got it, but we took it on as a project and we love it. And so we, we get there every chance that we can. We absolutely love it and have great neighbors and, and I was thinking, Bubba, because you texted me at about 8:40 this morning asking if I an interview at 10:00am that I think that you owe me lunch at the Landing because I think I'm filling in for someone else right now.
- [42:12]
A
Well, Wendy, in this new, you know, new world, new media, I really didn't even think about January till today. You know, I had to like start thinking about it again today. So I'm in that late life mode. You know, you just go, ah, whatever.
- [42:29]
B
Whenever, like that's what friends are for. Okay, what time?
- [42:33]
A
No, you, you've been on the list that I needed to get with for a long time. And we, we see you and Tim from time to time at the lake eating establishments. And that's why I was a little confused. I'm like, are they living here? Are they not living here? But you're, you're doing what we used to do. We had a place in Birmingham then we had a little lake place. But we're here full time now. And I'm going to tell you, it's a, it's a good move.
- [42:55]
B
Good. That's awesome.
- [42:57]
A
Especially if you're tired of traffic.
- [42:59]
B
That's right. But you, well, although you're, you are driving in a lot of traffic going to Jacksonville and everything else.
- [43:06]
A
Well, yeah, I cut up through the wood. I have several different ways I go and I had no idea that there were so many dirt roads between here and Che Haul Mountain. But I even go over Che Haul every now and then just for a change of scenery. So it is pretty, but we're putting a few miles on it. But you're unique in that you are very familiar with getting up at 3, 3:30. Of course you had to be prepared for TV. We didn't care. We just showed up and did our thing. But, but getting up early like that takes years off your life. I've decided, I think so too.
- [43:41]
B
I don't know how Stephanie Walker is still doing it because she started. I mean, I was there. I had only been there a few years when she started and she, she looks better with time, but I think it definitely took years off my life. But I'll tell you a secret if you get it first thing in the morning. The hair and makeup changes over the 30. Like they're getting even more ready as the morning go.
- [44:08]
A
Right. You start out with the base coat and then you work your way up.
- [44:12]
B
That's right. Yeah. But I was never a morning person and I'm still not. So, you know, I really did it because I just for me with raising a family, I didn't want to be gone in the evenings. And so morning was it.
- [44:27]
A
But people don't realize you get done at lunch, but as you were saying, you don't feel like doing anything. You feel like you've had a board hit you in the head.
- [44:36]
B
I've had naps in the car before going through the carpool.
- [44:40]
A
Oh yeah? Yeah. Fall asleep at a drive through. I've been honked at many times, you know, and now that I sleep till 6 o', clock, I feel like I'm sleeping to lunch. It's so weird because I did that for 31 years, you know, and it's look, I mean, look rough. So I'm trying to make up for it by sleeping late now and taking a lot of vitamins, so. Well, Wendy, it's so good to talk to you again. And you're involved in several ministry things and I've seen you at church at Church of the Pines. And what all are you doing? I mean, plug, plug, plug away. Tell everybody what you're doing now.
- [45:16]
B
Yeah, so what I'm doing actually is it is my full time position. I'm the executive director of just a really incredible nonprofit called On River Time and we partner with children living in group children's homes. So Big Oak Ranch, when On River Time was started in 2012, our founder Steve Davis, who lives Here in Birmingham, went to meet with John Croyle. And Steve had always been an avid fly fisherman and told John, I'd love to take some of your kids and chaperones to where I go fly fishing. And John said, well, tell me your story. Just knowing there must have been one. And Steve shared that he had been a victim of abuse as a child, and it was something he kept secret for many years, but then decided, you know, I don't need to be ashamed of what happened to me. I can use it to make a difference in the lives of others. So that first trip was with John Coyle, Brody Croyle. You know, John founded Big Oak ranch. I think 1974 and 2000 children later is just really incredible. It's a beautiful organization. And his son Brody and his wife Kelly run it now. And so we take these kids to these fly fishing camps and we also do whitewater rafting and hiking and just incredible opportunities to pour into them and let them know that they're not defined by what happened to them in the past. But in addition to Big Oak Ranch, we also partner with homes in Mississippi and Texas, Palmer Home in Mississippi, North Mississippi, and then Still Creek Ranch in Bryan, Texas. So these kids are just so incredible and they are just in the present circumstances through no fault of their own. You know, a lot of times it could be a parent is incarcerated, it could be an abuse situation, neglect, there's been some trafficking situations as well. And so, you know, it's just amazing to be able to let them know you're not defined by what happened to you, but you can overcome this. And we're coming alongside to help support you in that.
- [47:26]
A
Well, that's a great ministry.
- [47:28]
B
I mean, and then we do year round work with them too. We do, we do help with job interviews and like plug them in, help them with, you know, identifying mentors, that sort of thing as well. So.
- [47:41]
A
Well, I knew, I saw a lot of pictures of you fly fishing. You had all this gear on and I mean, you were out there and I guess that was in Colorado, right?
- [47:49]
B
That was in Idaho. But this year we will be in Colorado and we're really excited.
- [47:54]
A
So do you know how to fly fish or was that just kind of a photo op you were taking?
- [48:00]
E
What do you think? I am.
- [48:01]
B
Okay, so here's the thing.
- [48:03]
A
You were there and you cared. I just didn't know if you really knew how to fly fish because I don't, I don't know.
- [48:08]
B
I was hired. When I was hired, I'm like, what? I was Like, I'm not even a camper.
- [48:14]
E
What.
- [48:17]
B
But, but I learned over the years and I love it. And I get it. I get just the serenity that was on the Snake river the past years in Idaho. And then really close to Jackson Hole now will be Colorado. But just, you know, to have that moment. And there's a lot of really neat teachable moments that come from it. Like, if you miss that one, it's behind you. You're, you are going, you know, down the river. And so let what's in the past be in the past. And we're going to look ahead and, and then we just have, we have like this fire ceremony where the kids write down their fears and they, they don't have to share, but they often do, and they tear it up and throw it in the fire to release that fear. And these are just amazing kids. And then when they, when they graduate from high school, we provide them with college and career scholarships. And so it's just really neat. But I will tell you, because we have fly fishing guides. I don't know how to tie my fly. I can't tie it. I can, I can cast and I can mend and I can bring it in, but I can't, I can't tie the flight.
- [49:30]
A
See, I don't know how to work anything but like a Zebco 33, you know what I mean? Push the button, throw it, and then, you know, reel them in.
- [49:37]
E
Well, come with us.
- [49:41]
A
You mentioned Snake River Canyon.
- [49:44]
B
It was Snake River. We would stay at a lodge, a fly fishing lodge that was on the Snake river in Idaho. It's on eastern central Idaho, Irwin.
- [49:54]
A
So how close is that to where Evel Knievel tried to jump the Snake River? Do you remember that? Are you old enough to remember that?
- [50:02]
B
Yes, yes, I do. And I asked that question before. I don't think it was right there in the vicinity, but I can't remember what town it was near.
- [50:11]
A
Boy, that was a big deal when I was a kid because, you know, we used to watch Evel Knievel every Saturday, you know, or, or whatever with Howard Cosell on ABC's Wide World of Stories.
- [50:21]
B
Remember the toy didn't have like a.
- [50:23]
E
Zip line or something?
- [50:24]
A
Oh, yeah. And you could run it and zip it. You know, he jumped buses and all that. And then he tried to jump Snake river on a special modified motorcycle that was like a rocket. And he let, it had an automatic parachute, if I remember the story right. But he decided to manually hold it. And when the rocket took off, it had so much g force he let go. And so the parachute came out immediately as it was going up. So he didn't make it over the river. But, oh, the excitement of it all when you were a kid.
- [50:54]
B
Now we're all googling to see where that location was. Well, Wendy, that's just so you digress.
- [51:01]
A
Yeah, I tend to get off chasing rabbit sometimes, but that was. That sounds like such a great thing that y' all are doing. And I know we've seen you with some of the kids at church and. And all of that. I mean, you just. You're all over the place.
- [51:15]
B
Yeah. So what. What he's talking about is we have done stay and Soar, and we love to. That's one of our retreats that we do here in Alabama, and it's for the college age, and we've had it at Children's harbor for a few years. And when we have it at Children's harbor this past year, we were at Purcell Farms, actually. But at Children's harbor, then we take them to church on that Sunday morning, and they're just. Just so sweet to all the kids and welcoming. So I love Church of the Pines. I Wish we weren't 35 minutes away on Sunday mornings, but I love Church of the Pines.
- [51:48]
A
Yeah, I do, too. It's. You know, I like going in my shorts and, you know, that's kind of my uniform. And then we all go out to eat afterwards, you know, it's always fun. I mean, if you ain't eat at Red Heel, you ain't eat. You ain't eat lunch, you know.
- [52:05]
B
And y' all eat a good lunch afterwards?
- [52:07]
A
Oh, yes. Yes. You know, there's so many really good eating places around here. I mean, some of them are hole in the walls. And then, you know, you have the. The better known collage and fannies and. And, you know, Catherine's. All of that. So we. We love all of those. I never. I never pass up a meal at Kalaga, by the way. Yeah, it's just so beautiful.
- [52:31]
B
I'll tell you, if you want to hear a lake story.
- [52:33]
A
Yes, please. Please. So we got plenty of time. We're not running a rush here.
- [52:42]
B
When Tim and I were dating, when we were students at Auburn, he had a good friend whose dad had a place at Lake Martin. And I remember we would just, you know, go and ride and hang out there, but we were invited to watch the fireworks. And I grew up in Florida, so I wasn't, as Tim grew up, up in Opelika, going to Lake Martin on A regular basis.
- [53:05]
A
Oh, yeah.
- [53:05]
B
And had friends who had places there. But me, I wasn't as familiar with it, but such a sweet memory. We went for 4th of July and we were late, so we literally missed the boat for the fireworks. And so we were like, well, I guess we'll sit at the end of the pier and watch the fireworks. End of the dock. And that was like one of our first big dates where we started talking about like, well, how many kids do you want to have what?
- [53:34]
A
You know, under the fireworks? Huh?
- [53:37]
E
Yes.
- [53:38]
B
At Lake Martin. And so then when we got our place, someone mentioned to us, you know, so and so's house was right. And pointed it out to him and that was the same place. And it's not far from where we are right now.
- [53:51]
A
Isn't that crazy?
- [53:52]
B
That's kind of neat. Yeah.
- [53:54]
A
Well. And the way we got introduced to it is funny too, because we got invited down with friends of ours that had. Their parents had a place here. And we drove down and I thought, we're never going to get there. I don't know where we're going, but it must be the end of the earth, you know. And we got out and swam and all that. And I thought it was really neat, but I had no idea I would ever move and live here, which is. It's really fun. Now the joke is because we moved from Birmingham down here. And now when I get in a group of people, I like to complain about people moving to the lake and there's too many people moving to the lake. The lake.
- [54:33]
B
Because you're the local.
- [54:34]
A
Right. And they know I just moved here, so I'm in now. Now I'm against people moving here. You know, that's kind of the running joke.
- [54:40]
B
That's right. Absolutely.
- [54:43]
A
Well, I hope that y' all get to make that cabin your full time place one of these days.
- [54:47]
B
One day. One day. We would like that too.
- [54:50]
A
I don't miss the traffic when I go to Birmingham. I don't. I don't miss the traffic.
- [54:55]
B
Right.
- [54:55]
A
Wonderful place, nice people, but yeah, you know, that traffic.
- [55:00]
B
Yeah. You just have to plan for it.
- [55:02]
A
Yeah. I got hungry around the. At Christmas. I thought. I thought I was going to have to be helicoptered out, you know, I mean, just couldn't. Couldn't do it.
- [55:09]
B
Absolutely.
- [55:10]
A
Well, Wendy, thank you for taking time to be on the podcast. I want to have you on more often. We need to get together with you and Tim and coordinate some meals. Come visit, not just run into y'. All.
- [55:20]
B
I'm so proud of your kids. I just love them. They're awesome.
- [55:24]
A
Well, we. We got to spend a lot more time with, you know, Hunter works for me now, so he. He gets to edit a lot of this. And we're. We're doing another podcast that's called the Tailgate Gate show he's a co host on. So we're having a lot of fun. You know, it's a podcast world now. I mean, you better get with it or get run over by it.
- [55:44]
B
You know, right now, Caitlin and Betty need their own, too. Well, I know Betty's been telling you that.
- [55:50]
D
Yeah.
- [55:51]
A
Listen, I wish Betty was doing this podcast, really, and I could just go play pickleball like she does.
- [56:01]
B
That's right.
- [56:01]
A
Well, we're set up for Betty. Say what? She just kind of has her own segments. Caitlin's back in D.C. she come in on two wheels and left on two wheels, as we always say at the Auburn game.
- [56:12]
B
She.
- [56:12]
A
Oh, yeah. So, yeah, she's. She's always got something going, that's for sure. Well, Wendy, thank you so much. Tell Tim we said hello and when, you know, you're going to be down here, holler at us and we'll go over to herbs or something and collage and grab some food.
- [56:28]
B
Yep, the water gets back up.
- [56:30]
A
Well, thank you so much.
- [56:32]
B
Thank you.
- [56:33]
A
Thanks. Thanks. We'll be right back.
- [56:38]
C
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B
When you need urgent care, Southern immediate care is here for you. Illness doesn't follow a 9 to 5 schedule, so we offer support seven days a week at convenient locations throughout Birmingham and northeast Alabama. Dedicated to serving all ages, from children to adults, Southern Immediate Care offers occupational medicine services, including dot physicals and testing. At Southern Immediate Care, your health is our top priority. Visit southern immediatecare.com or call 205-409-2794.
- [58:19]
A
On the water or off Experience lake life to the fullest at Russell Lands on Lake March. Want to know what's going on around Lake Martin? Check out the calendar of seasonal events that include Fridays on the green, naturalist events, fireworks, concerts, poker runs, boat shows, juried art shows, boat parades, and much more. If you're here for the weekend or if you've made your home at the lake, Russelllands is where community and the land come together. To learn more about upcoming events, visit Russelllance.com come see what Lake life is all about. Well, we are joined now by a very special lady, number one in my life, Betty Bussey. Betty, how are you, hun?
- [59:17]
E
I'm doing great. How are you?
- [59:19]
A
Well, I'm good. We're in the aftermath of Christmas and New Year's here and I talked with Hunter a little earlier and we were talking about this was, I think one of our better Christmases as far as relaxing and getting to enjoy everybody. And you did a great job with all the cooking and the decorating and I mean, you had it all spoofed up. And I love the fact that we decorate early. We put the tree up before Thanksgiving and call it a Thanksgiving tree.
- [59:49]
E
Yeah. This year I didn't do the ornaments on their main tree because they're the traditional red and green and blah blah, blah. But next year I think I'm just going to go all out and go ahead and decorate early this. Who cares, you know?
- [60:04]
A
Yeah. I mean, it's not like you, you know, you're trying to impress anybody or somebody's coming by to judge everything. Listen, I love having those lights up in the house. It just makes everything feel warmer. And you know, it was a little warm during Christmas, but we had a few cold nights. We burned fireplace once or twice and yeah. The next week watch some Hallmark movies. You had plenty of that.
- [60:29]
E
Oh yeah, watched all kind of Christmas movies and we did cook hamburgers out on Christmas day. We did our traditional steak cookout on Christmas Eve. And then Christmas day a friend of ours came over, Megalov Wilson and she's Megalov came over and we did hamburgers and hot dogs and had a good old time. I don't think we watched a movie though. We just sat around visit that day as Far as. With me, anyway.
- [60:59]
A
Well, and that was fun. We. We had several groups over. We went to several parties, and. I don't know, just. It just. I guess last year was such a dumpster fire with everything going on. This was such a more peaceful year, and I just enjoyed it. And you did a great job.
- [61:17]
E
It was. Well, thank you. I always enjoy all the decorating for Christmas, and. Well, I'm kind of a seasonal decorator. You know, it's about time to get the Valentine stuff out. You know what I. Yeah.
- [61:27]
A
Oh, I know.
- [61:28]
E
I mean, I don't like having.
- [61:30]
B
Yeah.
- [61:30]
E
I don't have a tree or anything like that. Nuts. You know what I mean? I don't go nuts, but you know what I mean?
- [61:37]
A
Well, you are talking about Valentine's.
- [61:42]
E
So after Valentine's, it's just going straight into kind of spring, you know, seasonal decorating type thing.
- [61:49]
A
You love to decorate, don't you? I mean, that's the bottom.
- [61:52]
E
Yes, I do. Yeah. I love to look at fabrics and, you know, pictures and, you know, pillow. I'm a bit of a pillow addict, apparently, I've been told.
- [62:01]
A
Yeah. Well, when you have to move 45 of them to get in bed and there's so many on the couch, you feel like you need to ask their permission to sit down.
- [62:10]
E
Oh, well. Well, if they ever start talking back to you, let me know. We're in trouble.
- [62:14]
A
Yeah, well, we could. We definitely could build a fort with them, I'll say that.
- [62:19]
E
Like, nowadays, one. A good one, too. Yeah. Oh, my gosh. But anyway, the dogs got toys. Bless their little hearts. Yeah, they got some new toys. I need to post that video of Hunter giving them their toys. We have the cutest video of Hunter getting them all worked up and then throwing all the toys out.
- [62:40]
A
Yeah. Bless their heart. They just don't have any.
- [62:43]
E
I know. Goodness gracious. Oh, me, I'm sitting here looking at one of them right in the eyes. Ruth just sitting up here like she's about to talk.
- [62:53]
A
So what was your. What was your favorite part of all of the kids coming in? Definitely. And, you know, Caitlin comes in here on two wheels and she leaves. On two wheels.
- [63:04]
E
Yeah. Well, my favorite things is always just, you know, enjoy. You know, after dinner on Christmas Eve, we just kind of sit around and, you know, we'll watch a movie, open a few gifts, and just have family time, you know, so we got a lot of that. So I just enjoy all that, you know, but we.
- [63:23]
A
We didn't get as many card and board games as you wanted. Matter of Fact, we had none.
- [63:27]
E
Oh, yeah. I was about to say that'd be the big zip. Zipper on zip. You know what I mean?
- [63:37]
A
Y.
- [63:40]
E
So I guess there's always next year, you know, or, you know, Mother's Day is not far away, and my birthday is on Mother's Day this year, I believe. So Y' all have a lot to.
- [63:50]
A
Well, let's not live up to. Let's not jump the gun. My birthday comes before yours.
- [63:55]
E
Yeah, but we always celebrate yours big. We hardly ever celebrate mine.
- [63:59]
A
Oh, Betty, we do, too. As big as you'll let us celebrate it. You're kind of bashful about that. See, I'm. I want to go to the Mexican place, put the hat on, you know, get. Get the stuff on your nose, all that.
- [64:13]
E
Oh, yeah. Well, that one year, y' all had a banner and something like a happy birthday girl banner and a hat and all this good stuff. So I don't remember where we were. I think maybe the collage place out here on the. On the lake. But anyway, it was fun. We always have fun.
- [64:32]
A
You know, I enjoyed some of the get togethers. You know, we had one get together with some cousins on the side of the family I don't get to visit with a whole lot and hadn't seen a lot of them in 20, 25 years, so that was fun. And me and Dean Pierce and his wife rode down and saw the lake Gerald, where we used to have our yearly reunion. And that was really. That was one of the most fun things for me to go visit that, you know.
- [65:02]
E
Well, I was not with you, so that doesn't bode well for me.
- [65:07]
A
Well, I tried to get you to go, and you had something important, you know, some pickleball tournament or something.
- [65:13]
E
No, I think I was cooking that day or something.
- [65:16]
A
I may have. I don't know.
- [65:17]
E
Yeah. Yeah, I did play a little pickleball over the holidays, too.
- [65:20]
A
You know, you. You've turned into quite the pickleball player.
- [65:23]
E
Yeah, I just play a lot. Doesn't mean anything. I just play a lot.
- [65:29]
A
You know what I love, too, is you're using tennis double strategy. People who have no idea what they're doing. And I mean, they can play, they can play, but they're not used to knowing the percentages of the shots. I'm not degrading their playing at all. Okay. But I'm just saying.
- [65:47]
E
Good player.
- [65:48]
A
I'm saying, you know what you're doing, and, well, at times, and apparently it's a big deal when anybody gets a ball by you.
- [65:57]
E
What I Heard is not. It is not. You're being mean now.
- [66:02]
A
I'm not being mean.
- [66:05]
E
Oh, no, no, no, no, no. But there is talk of a Thursday clinic for pickleball. So, you know, we'll be all over that. Me and the laid back pickleball ladies will be all over it, you know.
- [66:17]
A
So you go to laid back. You go to laid back pickleball ladies. And I understand they were thinking about changing the name of that to more serious pickleball playing.
- [66:28]
E
Because no, we were all talking and we're like, well, we're not beginners anymore. So what should we change it? Medium. Medium Ladies. You know what I mean? I don't know. We couldn't decide on a name, so we just left it. So anyway.
- [66:44]
A
Well, I'm glad you're enjoying it. Yeah, it's.
- [66:47]
E
It's a lot of fun.
- [66:48]
A
Listen, I want to get back on the court and I need to hit a lot of balls. I don't need to be running around yet, but I need to hit a lot of balls. And I found my old tennis ball bag now net thing that rolls around. So we could put 100 balls in that and you could just feed them to me. How about that? Let me get some strokes.
- [67:10]
E
You talking tennis or pickleball?
- [67:12]
A
Well, pickleball to start with.
- [67:14]
E
Okay. Yeah. Where'd you find that roller thing? I hadn't seen that since we moved. There's many things I have not seen since we moved. And I don't know if we got rid of it or it's in a storage building somewhere. I don't even know.
- [67:26]
A
Again, my fault. I have not cleaned out out and downsize like you did. You did a good job downsizing.
- [67:34]
E
I got rid of a lot.
- [67:37]
A
Yeah, you did three fourths of my stuff. I feel like, Betty, I had three dumpsters. And I don't mean a little dumpster, I mean like a 40 foot one that we filled up head high and threw away. And I still have storage units with stuff in it.
- [67:53]
E
Oh, yeah, And I donated probably, I don't know, five transfer trucks full of stuff. And when I say transfer, huge trucks came and loaded stuff. I mean the look on their face when they would drive up. And the entire living room, dining room for your area was just packed. It looked like hoarders Anonymous in there or something.
- [68:13]
A
Well, we just build up so much stuff. And it's important when we get it, but, you know, over time, not as much.
- [68:21]
E
Right. And I didn't need as much stuff here because this is a small, smaller house than the other One. So, yeah, I just donate it to a lot of the Christmas stuff. Actually went to a boys club. I don't remember which one, but the lady that I talked to about it, she sent me a text saying how excited they were or whatever. Of course, it was in June when we moved, granted. But they were excited about putting it out.
- [68:45]
A
Yeah.
- [68:45]
E
At Christmas time. So last year at Christmas, I guess they got it out. But anyway, anyway. Yep.
- [68:54]
A
I've just enjoyed listening to you talk about it.
- [68:59]
E
Oh, man, I just. You don't under. You're like. How long had we been at that house? 20 something years.
- [69:07]
A
Yeah. Almost 20.
- [69:08]
E
Yeah. And all of a sudden we had what, about two weeks to pack the stuff and get out? You know what I mean?
- [69:15]
A
Yeah, it was a little quick.
- [69:16]
E
A bit of a. Yeah, quick move. But you talk about knees and elbows, you know, and everything else in between.
- [69:23]
A
You know. That's the reason a lot of the people who used to be our friends won't talk to us, because we called them all over and asked them to help us pack. And they still are not speaking to us.
- [69:32]
E
No, they are. I still. All my friends were a godsend. They really were. I mean, I've tried to take them out to eat different times. You know, we'd been to lunch a couple of times, but I. I hope I got everybody, you know, you should.
- [69:48]
A
Have just opened a shop and sold all that stuff.
- [69:50]
E
Well, I thought about, you know, you know, how some people have this booth deal, like antique.
- [69:57]
A
Yeah.
- [69:58]
E
Crap. You know, some of it. But it sells eventually. So I thought about doing that and I thought, well, I might just get me a little booth. But anyway, I don't know where. They have little booths up here at Alex City that I could do that. Which I think I figured it out, though. But now I don't have the stuff, so I'd have to go get more.
- [70:16]
A
It's all. It's always tragedy. Is it? I mean, it's just always a problem.
- [70:23]
E
Oh, well. Yep. Anyway, I'm headed to help Hunter. Hunter had his first Christmas at his house this year, and I went over and helped him decorate. Before Christmas. I think it was before Thanksgiving, actually. So, anyway, we gotta get busy and take that down this week.
- [70:45]
A
So I was gonna ask you about something else here, and I've lost my. My train of thought on it. After listening to that. It was so relaxing, Betty. Almost just kind of laid back. Something about your voice makes me very relaxed. That's why I go to sleep at night when you're trying to tell me something.
- [71:00]
E
Oh, I know. Yeah, it's kind of annoying. I mean, I'll be like, like I bet I'll be 30 minutes into some story, you know, and the next thing I know, you know, I'm just like, what in the world.
- [71:17]
A
That'S so good.
- [71:20]
E
I just like, good grief. And you doesn't even. I mean, you didn't even have your CPAP on yet and I was up there talking and you fell asleep.
- [71:27]
A
Well, you just relax me, Betty. It's not a. It's not a negative thing. I look at it as a positive thing.
- [71:32]
E
Yeah, well, I'm glad I do. Glad I can be of service.
- [71:38]
A
And I know what it was. I was going to tell you. We got a. We got an email or maybe it was a call to 308 Big Lake wanting to know a recipe, something you talked about, but I don't. I don't have it right here yet ready to drop in the podcast, but I'll find it and share it with you and then you tell everybody.
- [71:58]
E
Okay, well, did you do the dressing one already? Because I already sent that to you, remember?
- [72:04]
A
You mean to put online?
- [72:05]
E
Yeah.
- [72:06]
A
No, we haven't. You know, Logan that does our web page, he was kind of busy with Christmas lights.
- [72:12]
E
So we're white master.
- [72:15]
A
Yeah, we're a little behind. Then he went on a cruise and I said, are you crazy? After doing that yard you go on a cruise? I mean he. What a. What an ordinary deal, you know, he.
- [72:23]
E
Probably needed to relax after all that. I mean his whole yard was a lot show and a DJ Boot Santa.
- [72:31]
A
D. I mean snowman, Frosty dj. You know, the. The thing about the lights and I appreciate people who do that. I. In a funny kind of way, I would love to have a lot display, but it is so much work. It is so much work work. And we don't really have the house to do it now for drive bys. But you know, it's amazing to me how people do this and I don't know where they store all that stuff.
- [73:01]
E
Well, they have a storage building and they store it probably if I had to guess or they have a place behind their house.
- [73:08]
A
I mean Logan's display was excellent. But I mean there's some. There's some bigger than that and I don't know where they put all this stuff.
- [73:15]
E
Yeah, they'd have to have a storage unit. The way you go so over the top. I think we'd better this whole what we got. You know what I mean?
- [73:22]
A
You know what I would like to have? I would like you. You Know that. And you. I know you've seen the real. And everybody has seen it, where the guy is told he can't have chickens. The HOA says he can't have chickens. Do you. Have you seen that? So he. He does one of these light shows. It's like that Christmas show that. Where they're fighting over the light show across the street. What's the name of that? With Danny DeVito and what is the name of that?
- [73:49]
E
Deck the Hall. Deck the Halls. Yeah.
- [73:52]
A
But he has gone and he has chickens that are. That are crowing and waking Everybody up at 6:00 and this massive light show. And he said he did it because the HOA would let him have a few chickens in the backyard.
- [74:07]
E
Oh, my God.
- [74:08]
A
You have not seen that. You've not seen that reel.
- [74:11]
E
I feel like I'm about to, because you Send me about 20 reels an hour. I can't keep up. I don't know how you get anything else done except look at a real. Because, I mean, I'll look and it. I'll have watched all of them or thought I caught up and the next thing I know, there's 20 more in there.
- [74:31]
A
Well, what it is, I. I see one and I think, man, that's funny. Betty sure would like that. You know I send you a lot of dog videos.
- [74:39]
E
Yes. Yeah. Me and Caitlin get tickled because she said you and I send the same ones a lot of times. It is a lot of dog videos.
- [74:52]
A
And the AI stuff's out of control. Right. I mean, have you seen the dogs doing these dance moves like Michael Jackson? And it looks real. It looks absolutely real.
- [75:01]
E
And there was some big thing on Facebook. I kept seeing people putting their face on like a snow queen or something, like all propped up, like a glamour shot type thing.
- [75:14]
A
Oh, there you go. You're.
- [75:17]
B
Now.
- [75:18]
E
I don't even know.
- [75:19]
A
I didn't. Wait a minute. What is going on here?
- [75:21]
E
I think that's on your end.
- [75:23]
A
Yeah, I think it is too. I don't know why we're here. I. I don't know what I am doing wrong with this computer, but I have got every notification shut off and it still just rings right in the middle of when we're doing podcast. What is going on?
- [75:36]
E
Did you think he was going to sleep until 2 o' clock or. Why is an alarm going off here yet?
- [75:41]
A
It's not an alarm. Somebody was calling. I don't know who that is. Oh, so, you know, I don't know if you're getting the number of, you know, The. These sales calls.
- [75:54]
E
Oh, I get all kind of.
- [75:56]
A
I'm getting so much now. I mean, it is unbelievable. It seems like every other call is one of these junk calls.
- [76:03]
E
Yeah. And it looks like that they quit doing it because now it reads out spam or something, doesn't it, when they call.
- [76:10]
A
Well, not all of them. Some of them, you know, it'll be from a city. City. And you'll think, well, that could be your so and so or somebody I've called looking for something and you know, you get it. And they want to know if you're, you know, your H Vac is up to date or something. You know, it's always.
- [76:24]
E
Oh, I'm hope. Yeah, I want to sell you some windows.
- [76:27]
A
Yeah, it's not my. My people, you know, I got people that do that. Yeah, I got you so. Well, Betty, thanks. I know you're busy. Dog's about to get a bath. I know they're looking forward to that. And yeah, we will check in. We.
- [76:41]
C
I'll.
- [76:41]
A
I'll get you that. That chicken video.
- [76:44]
E
Oh, now please, please send me another video.
- [76:51]
A
Well, thank you for everything you do. And you've had to take over bookkeeping.
- [76:56]
E
Yeah, that's been a lot of fun.
- [76:58]
A
Intergalactic pants and tees. Probably the most stressful part of our marriage in recent years. Yeah. And so we're. We may be looking for a good accountant to handle that.
- [77:07]
E
But I think I'm gonna get me a job that. That I actually get paid to do at least a little part time. Anybody know anything around here need? Anybody think I would be gifted to do that?
- [77:23]
A
Well, it'd be hard to show up with all that pickleball.
- [77:26]
E
Well, they don't.
- [77:27]
A
They don't let you.
- [77:28]
E
Whenever I could work around, they don't.
- [77:30]
A
Let you off just cause there's a round robin schedule.
- [77:34]
E
That's why I said part time. I didn't say full time.
- [77:39]
A
I love you, babe. We'll be in touch and thank you for yet another segment here on Bubba on the Lake.
- [77:45]
E
Yeah. Happy New Year, everybody.
- [77:47]
A
That's right. Thanks. We'll be right back.
- [77:50]
C
It's Bubba on the Lake.
- [77:52]
D
Bubba on the Lake.
- [77:56]
C
All right, all right. It's a beautiful day for football here at the stadium. And we're just about ready for kickoff. Score, 00. And suddenly I'm in the mood for a Coke Zero Sugar. Real Coke taste, Zero sugar. Now that's a winning combo. Yeah. Crisp, refreshing, that hits the spot when it comes to great taste, Coke Zero Sugar's always on the scoreboard. Coke Zero Sugar. Real Coke Taste Zero Sugar.
- [78:26]
A
Dr. Dudney has been my dentist for about 20 years. He does a great job taking care of my teeth, making sure my cavities are good, cleaning teeth and also adding veneers to my smile, which was a game changer. Now Dr. Dudney and his friendly staff can do the same for you. I ask you to give them a chance. Just talk to them. No cost. Just make an appointment. See what you need. See if you can have a better smile and feel better about yourself today. Give them a call at 205-663-6545 or.
- [78:58]
C
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- [79:44]
A
We're back everybody and I hope you have enjoyed the show. I want to thank Hunter, I want to thank Betty, and I want to thank Wendy Garner for all taking time to talk with us. It's a great start to 2026. I'm fired up about this year. I hope things are going good for you. It's a great time to just draw that line and start again and maybe where everything's not perfect, maybe you can improve on it in 26. I'm looking forward to it. Got a great positive feeling about it and I am pumped. I want to remind you again we are coming to you from the Mellow Yellow Studios. Our website is bubonthelake.com. you can shoot me an email Bubba Bubbaonthelake.com or leave us a message at 308-Big- Lake and don't forget to subscribe, turn on notifications, do all the likes and follows on social media. All of that extremely important and we appreciate everything you have done for the show in the past year. We want to be onward and upward here in 26 so hopefully we'll have some more things to do, some surprises for you, some other things we wanted to do last year we didn't get to with me having knee issues. So we're looking forward to it. But your support is always critical and we appreciate it. So next time until we sail into dock, remember God loves you and we do too. And thank you for being a part of Bubba on the Lake. This podcast is brought to you in part by Coke, Buffalo Wild Wings, Southern Immediate Care, Guaranteed Labels, Central State Bank, Sunrise Docs, bankers Bounty, and Dr. Thomas Dudney. Hey, it's Bubba. Bubba, Bubba on the Lake. Bubba, Bubba on the Lake Yay's got it going on. Gotta come and check this. Talking people, talking places from Bubba's perspective here.