New Year is Here

The New Year is now upon us, another has come and gone 

As I sit and look over the hillside at this first New Year dawn 

The one thing that stands out at me is nothing much has changed 

The trees all look the same and brush hasn’t been rearranged 

Why does everyone get so excited about this day I dare question 

People go out and drink too much then wake sick with indigestion  

Now if when New Year arrived it made my debts or problems go away 

I would be the first to dance with drink in hand and guzzle it away 

Unfortunately that doesn’t happen, and my life will go on just the same 

And I won’t make resolutions about things and habits that I’ll never change 

So I will start the first day of this year the same as years in the past 

And pray that I just make it all the way through until this year’s last 

From My World to Yours, 

Bob Baker 

Oh No What Shall I Do

  

I was folding clothes from the dryer just now 

When something hit me that is a major problem for me somehow 

Just then I suddenly noticed something was just not the same 

All of my underwear and socks were old with holes and that’s such a shame  

No new socks and underwear for Christmas, I just don’t understand 

I didn’t even get a single damn pair out of Santa Clause’s hand 

Now I have two choices to deal with in my simple life 

Go buy some myself or maybe I can ask a favor of my wife 

I don’t know where you actually buy these things since there was never a need to know 

Since for Christmas each and every year I knew I was always good to go 

Well, guess I’ll put on a pair of socks a hole in the toe and drawers with a hole in the ass 

And go to Walmart or Target and stock up for myself and better do it real fast  

From My World to Yours, 

Bob Baker 

Exercise He Said 

So, the other day the Doctor told me I need to exercise some more 

But I really find exercising every day to be such a terrible bore 

So I asked the good Doctor what did he personally recommend 

And he said for me to ride a bike, walk or maybe start to swim 

I started my search for something that was of interest to me 

It couldn’t be real hard or hot and make me sweat don’t you see 

If I decided to swim at the Y people probably have peed in the pool 

And if I put on speedo people would laugh and I’d look like a pervert or fool 

No, swimming I don’t see working for me or very good fit 

But walking may be OK, hell I can stop and take a rest every little bit 

 

Then I started thinking about maybe buying me one of these fancy new bikes  

That seems like something fun and not too hard to do that I might really like

So I bought me a bike and one of those outfits with a helmet and tight-fitting shorts 

And took off looking good in my shorts for a long ride around the town lake shore 

You know this exercise stuff, if my crotch doesn’t chafe it ain’t all that damn bad 

But if the battery on this electric bike dies and I have to pedal I will be extremely mad 

From My World to Yours, 

Bob Baker 

Morning Landscape

Gazing over the meadow with the morning dew around

Taking in the peacefulness of morning without a single sound

There is nothing more relaxing to me than watching the sun arise

Whether the morning sky is blue or the clouds the sun it hides

Some of awake each day to the view of mountains or an open field

While others start their day surrounded by buildings of brick and steel

I have awaken on a mountain stream, country meadow and on Time Square

And to me it doesn’t matter where you are morning is peaceful everywhere

I never can seem to get enough of the morning air at the peak of dawn

And the view of this meadow that will come to life when the dew is gone

Some go to a relaxing spa to help their daily problems fade and to escape

But to me the time I cleanse my mind is gazing at a peaceful morning landscape

From My World to Yours,

Bob Baker

   What the Hell is a Pronoun

                 

I was with a group of people just the other day

When I was told by someone there be careful what you say

You see some people today are offended if you use the wrong word or term

They will get real mad and cry if you disagree with what they learned

They say you must use certain pronouns to fit in with society today

That can be a problem since I don’t know what pronoun I can say

You see I wasn’t that good in school and English that’s for sure

So I’m not sure what a pronoun does and a lesson I can’t endure

I really don’t understand why people today always get so upset

They act like little children when offended and break out in a sweat

So, all I have to say to this is If I use the wrong pronoun and you I offend

Grow up and get a life, because I really don’t care and won’t until the end

From My World to Yours,

Bob Baker

Not About the Meal

As I sit here this morning in the comfort of my home
Just watching the news tell me about what is going on

They are talking about a tragic shooting in another state
And about how some are claiming racism on this special day

I don’t see Thanksgiving as a day for politics or a big political fight
Just as a special day for us all to be thankful for all the things in our life

To me it’s not a day to be thankful for that boat or that new car
But a day to give thanks for those special memories you’ve had in life so far

The memories of fun times with family and friends you’ve had along the way
The roof over your head that keep the cold and rain off of you today

It’s about giving thanks to the people on the front protecting our way of life
So you and I can enjoy our daily life and sleep in peace tonight

It’s about our founding fathers who fought and sacrificed life and limb
To create a land of freedom and never gave up even when things were grim

Yes Thanksgiving to me is one of my favorite days and it’s not about the meal
It’s about how we enjoy life with family in a country that is the greatest still

From My World to Yours,
Bob Baker
www.bobbaker.net

Once Again

The weather was cool I remember, and fall was in the air

Our friends were all gathered, and flowers were everywhere

The church bells were ringing and requested songs were being sung

As she appeared through the open door, I knew she was the one

That was so many years ago now, but my, have they gone by so fast

Just two young kids joining in union, how could this thing ever last

We had no money and hand me down furniture is what was in our house

Eating supper at folding card table and then we just cuddled on the couch

Then life began to move faster with jobs and bills that had to be paid

But as we grew older and learned each other we began to find our way

One day our daughter joined the circus that was our home it seemed

And life for us it then changed, and it was as we always dreamed

Our daughter got married and moved on into a life of her own

And we had to adjust again and learn to live just the two of us alone

Now here we are after all these years with all our aches and pains

Sitting here but on a different couch and still cuddling once again

From My World to Yours,

Bob Baker

Election is Over

                                           

The elections they are now over, and ballots have all been checked

We can all get back to our daily life and if not happy, well what the heck

If you aren’t happy with what we got don’t worry, you can try again in 2 years

Hell, the news is already talking about the next election enough to hurt my ears

I’m not sure what will happen in DC since it’s not yet all black and white

But if we are lucky parties will share control and spend their time in a fight

The best thing about Washington shared control is nothing will ever get done

Because the two parties will never agree on anything and new laws, they won’t pass one

So just sit back, relax, and ride it out and to those who voted different don’t be so mad

Because they’ll give you someone to blame it on, when you think things are going bad

From My World to Yours,

Bob Baker    

Weathered and Frail

                                   

Today I was in search of a certain old picture, all to no avail

But came upon a very special picture of something weathered and frail

It wasn’t an old baseball mitt or old worn-out football shoes

And not anything of value that anyone of us would ever use

It was something that looked rough and had seen it’s share of hard times

To just look at them you would never know that they had such a hard climb

No, these rough little things had fought a hard life that most could never bear

They had experienced some dire hardships but to family, they always were there

There were times they were there open with love for us kids to hold on

And others to point the right direction when we did something wrong

Through life these two weathered little hands had carried such a big demanding load

And I’ll always cherish that picture of my mother’s little hands the day she let life go

From My World to Yours,

Bob Baker

  Front Porch

                                

I always love to drive slow though these little southern towns

And I always turn off the main street and just wonder around

There are lots of homes with front porches with two rocking chairs there

They all look so warm and inviting, like saying come sit and visit me here

You don’t see many houses built with front porches these days

The days of sitting on the front porch seem to have all gone away

My Mom was always on her porch, seemed like from morning till night

When you would ride by and see her there you knew she was alright

At some point front porches gave way to backyards surrounded by fence

People became more private and around neighbors and uptight and tense

Times they have changed now, the neighbors we don’t know or even care

Yes, I think we would all be better off with a front porch with two rocking chairs

From My World to Yours,

Bob Baker

Moments

I just heard something said that really hit home with me

It made me stop and think of what life’s all about you see

Our life shouldn’t be about a big home, a boat or new car

It should be about memories both common and the bazaar

Life is about the times we spend with our family and friends

Memories made of special times, we remember till the end

The first Christmas with your newborn or last with your Mom

Flying a kite in the rain with your new love on the college lawn

Yes, these are the things that make life fun and fulfilled

The memories of times past that always gave us a thrill  

So, as you move through your days and your life it moves on

Remember to cherish those special moments as you move along

From My World to Yours,

Bob Baker

 Chicken Sandwich Trance

                   

Sitting at the traffic light on my way to Walmart at noon today

I looked at something amazing that seems to happen everyday

It is not a traveling side show or amazing structure well designed

It isn’t anything that can be rationally explained by any human mind

No this is something that every time I pass in my mind I cannot grasp

People seem to be possessed or maybe even attached there by a clasp

My wife and daughter are among the masses that are driven to this dance

It’s almost like this place has the power to place people in a hunger trance

Cars they line up around this place in two lines like a hundred in a row

Must be some hidden power that sucks you in and will not let you go

They say it’s all for a piece of chicken placed between two pieces of bread

But for me the line at Chick Fillet is to long so I’ll eat my Bologna instead

From My World to Yours,

Bob Baker

Groves Have Gone Away

Leaving town this morning something jumped out in my mind
About how things have changed and old times, just got left behind

When I was just a young boy growing up in the Florida sand
There were not all these houses and condos scattered all over this land

There were vast beautiful orange groves from the east coast to the west
Tangerines and Florida navels growing everywhere, oh they were the best

We grew up running through the groves and eating oranges sitting in the trees

Even used to go parking with our girlfriends in the grove in the midnight breeze

Then one day it happened and the mouse landed here in town
Then before we knew it the orange groves they were all mowed down

Houses, motels and condos were now popping up everywhere
And amusement parks now take the place of groves that once were there

It’s sad to see how our state has changed and our heritage it’s now gone

Florida is now just a tourist state and farmers they have all moved on

I know in my heart that progress is something that we can never stop

But it would be nice to see an orange grove instead of a T-Shirt shop

From My World to Yours,

Bob Baker

October 23rd

                                                 

October 23,2003 is a day that will be forever etched there in my mind

It’s the day my life changed forever, and my old life was left behind

No, it wasn’t my wedding day or even the birthday of my only child

It was the day I was told I had cancer, and sadly it was running wild

My situation as I was told was not good and chances they were slim

But I had a wife and daughter there at home, so this fight I had to win

The treatments were tough and sometimes extremely hard to even bear

But the promise I made to my family was for them I would always be there

Many years have now come and gone and I’m healthy as can be

I tell people that looking back, it was the best thing that ever happened to me

You see, I’m a different man today than I was before this tragic event

I learned how precious life is and what love from family really meant

I look at life’s little things different now than most other people I suppose

Because I had the experience of facing death as it came extremely close

I now live one day at a time and don’t let daily problems drag me down

Because I’ve learned that if you focus to much on them, you will surely drown

So, when you go out today and face the world try thinking only about today

And forget about what you can’t control and most problems might just fade away

From My World to Yours,

Bob Baker

  Grandfather Should Be

                        

I was sitting alone at a restaurant table eating lunch today

When there came an elderly man walking slowly as if to find his way

He reminded me of my grandfather who years ago had passed

Not by his moving slowly but it was his white shirt and his hat

Growing up in our home next door to him was such a great way live

There was never anything we kids could want he wasn’t willing to give

No, I’m not talking about the material things that it took money to buy

I’m talking of all the time he gave to have us grandkids all there by his side

He would get up each and every morning and get dressed to the tee

He would put on a white starched shirt and fedora hat this I guarantee

He may have been working in the yard or going to Rich’s Country Store

Where saw dust was on the butcher’s floor and cookie jars were there to adore

No matter if his day was keeping him close home or taking him somewhere afar

He would never leave home by himself as he would pile us grandkids all in the car

Yes, my grandfather was a man I truly loved and was a great role model to me

From him I learned the true value of family and what a grandfather should be

From My World to Yours,

Bob Baker

Best Meal I Ever Ate

                                        

I have been very fortunate traveling throughout my life’s many days

I have traveled and had the opportunity to dine in oh so many ways

I have enjoyed a taco in Texas and BBQ from one of Memphis best

A steak at Rockefeller Center and amazing smothered chicken breast

In the woods I’ve even eaten squirrel roasted fresh over an open fire

And I can’t forget the apple turnovers Grandma just took from the frier

But up on the top of the list of fine dining that I’ve experienced in my life

Is a little restaurant on the Georgia roadside that I can never seem to pass by

Oh, this little buffet in Georgia is an experience we all should have

But you have to get there early or a table and chair you will not have

With butter beans, fried okra and biscuits piled high in chicken and fish

This is a feast that rates at the top of every country boy’s greatest wish

But best of all is the bonus, that’s always stacked there by the front door

Boxes of fresh Georgia grown tomatoes like you have never tasted before

So when you ask me, “Bobby what’s the best meal that you have ever ate”

It’s the Georgia Tomato with Mayo on white bread right here on my plate

From My World to Yours

Bob Baker

Live For Today

                                            

Well yesterday was filled with memories, some fun and some were sad

I saw old school mates from my youth and to catch up, for this I was glad

Funny how lives they venture down different roads, throughout our separate lives

Some have taken their life slowly, while others live theirs as living in overdrive

It’s been a long time since we all ventured out to chase our separate dreams

Some to serve our country, some to corporate and some in business it seems

But the one thing that is constant is there is tragedy, existing in everyone’s life

Maybe financial, health, lost a sibling, a child or maybe a husband or a wife

In this world there are no promises or guarantees of what in our life we’ll see

So we have to accept our challenges along the way and remain happy as can be

I for one can honestly say there were choices made that maybe were not the best

But looking back I wouldn’t change a single one for it may have affected the rest

So as we grow into our golden years remember the joys you have had along the way

And forget the tragedies that occurred along the road and get out and live for today

From My World to Yours,

Bob Baker

If We Knew it Was The Last

As I drive here all alone with tears running from my eyes

Dealing with the news and this awful unforeseen surprise

Thinking back about our conversation on the couch just the other day

When you were speaking, and my eyes they just drifted far away

What you were saying was very important at that time in your mind

But to me it really didn’t seem to matter much, it was just a waste of time

How many times have we been through this situation in our married life

Where we took for granted the times that are spent just husband and a wife

Then one day you get the news that your loved ones not coming home

Maybe you had a chance to say good-by or maybe they left this world alone

None of us know if our time on earth will end tomorrow or today

But chances are when it comes you will always have more to say

You will wish you had been more attentive to what they said just the other day

You will cry and wish you could have talked some more before they went away

Yes, if in this life we only knew that this time for us, it would be the last

If we only knew that tomorrow our world would fall apart and change just that fast

We would embrace every moment that we have to share with the ones we love

So treat every day as the last, for one day, Your love will be called home from above

From My World to Yours,

Bob Baker

Mothers Day Upon Us

Here we are again, another year has now quickly come and gone

Time seems to fly when each day for you starts at first sign of dawn

You start by fixing breakfast, giving baths and getting everyone out the door

While picking up the aftermath of  toys and clothes left there on the floor

You get your precious cargo buckled up safely in the car to leave

Then you run back in the house to get the rest of what you need

Your not worried about the problems of the world or what’s on the TV  news

To you the most important thing are do the kids have on socks and matching shoes

Oh yes you are running at wharp speed everyday from daylite until after dark

Whether off to school functions, doctor appointments, fixing supper or birthday at the park

Most people think motherhood is an easy life and always full of joy and fun

But it takes a huge commitment to carry, give birth and to raise that precious little one

Some mothers work a job in addition while some have to raise their children all alone

These mothers should not be looked down upon but placed high upon a throne

Oh yes motherhood isn’t easy and I can’t think of a more selfless rewarding task

If you don’t  believe me, just find any mother out there, stop them and just ask

Thank You Momma!!

From My World To Yours,

Bob Baker

Pauper or a King

                                        

“I wonder what the future will bring” is something we have all asked

It may have been yesterday last year or at another time in our past

There is only one thing in our life that can provide the answer to this

That is you and you alone, with personal drive and true desire to persist

We all control our own future, both the good times and the bad

We also create how we approach our life either happy or maybe sad

Life is full of challenges for us that we will face each and every day

The choice of what your future will bring depends on how you choose to play

You can choose to lie down and whimper and let your sorrows beat you down

Or get up wipe off the dust, put on a smile and get rid of that awful frown

My mother she once told me that we create our own path in life

And no one else can control yours if you stand up and fight

So, the next time that you sit and ponder just what your future will bring

Remember only you can in your mind decide whether to be a pauper or a king

From My World to Yours,

Bob Baker