A Week or More of Rambling Thoughts

 After spending Thursday in below freezing temps, the good news is today we get above freezing and into the 40s. Don't think there is any residual snow or ice, maybe in shaded areas on the road and we kind of know where those areas are located. We opened the Garage on the Catmore Estate last night. The usual fam members took advantage of food and warm beds. 

The green stems of daffodils and tulips are breaking through the ground. Always reminds me and really almost everyone of hope. That the winter days will soon turn to spring days. Both the strawberry farm and the apple orchard that we love wrote on the recent ice and snow. It is before the plants break through and the orchards bloom. The ice and snow keep the ground warm, just like Psalm 147.

I am becoming very proficient in identifying the different types and meanings of cat vomit...or throw up. Earlier this week a new species of throw up entered the picture. Not serious and we were able to take care of the situation. Mostly it has been related to food consumption, new food being introduced and someone eating said food too fast. Today, Baxter discovered Aymie and Family, better known as Penny. 

I totally forgot to mention this, but on Valentines Day on our way to the Valentine's dinner at church, I saw in the rear view mirror a front license plate with LSU on it. I was telling Roy when the Toyota Tacoma started honking. We have a LSU Tiger sticker on the car but they had a truck with gold and purple stripes with LSU on the doors. We honked back and flashed the L sign back at them. Such a fun moment. There doesn't seem to be many LSU fans around these parts. Probably Baylor has less than LSU fans around here as well. Such a fun moment for us.  

We have a new playpen for The Trio arriving today. We haven't been able to get them interested in going to the bonus room with The Boys. This will give them more room to sleep. They are in it only at night. We have five out of the six eating together during the day. Mr Mo is not a fan of wet food so he eats separately from the others. Roy trapped Blazey and a smaller black and white cat for going to the ASPCA tomorrow. Blazey is HP's brother. He has been living the wild life for quite some time. 

Our lesson yesterday got us to the edge of the Passover experience in Exodus. I think I say this about every book we study, but so layered and so foreshadowing of the NT. It was also our pastor's last Sunday with us. He and his family will be serving at a sister church a little over an hour away but much closer to their family. It was a just right celebration for him and goodbyes. Nothing over the top. Maybe in church work that is the best way for it to happen. His sermon and goodbyes to our church, not over the top either.  

*****

Today is Roy's birthday. He was surprised to find two cards waiting for him this morning. I got up in the middle of the night to place them. In fact, I was happy to shop alone yesterday so I could buy him a card or two. I was going to leave a card and a bag of protein chips on his desk, but knowing The Boys, the bag would become a play thing. I do know this, the selection for birthday greetings for husbands is just about nil to none. Plenty of cards for fathers, uncles, grandfathers, brothers, someone who is like a brother or father to me but three choices for hubby. I also came across the generic term for a man. Oh the weirdness of today, in so many things and ways. I thought I was going to have to do a crayon crafted card. 6 Pigs BBQ for lunch. They are changing to Thursdays and for yesterday, how fortuitous that is was Roy's BD. Surprised him with two fruit tarts instead of cake, cause he ain't going to eat no cake. As a birthday bonus we put together the new Trio playpen with lots more room. They are still too rambunctious to The Boys for spending nights in the bonus room with them. This thing is huge and they have more room to spread out at night although, I see they scrunched their beds and blankets together. 

We have enjoyed the last few days of warm temps. 60s and 70s. A cold front comes through and it will be cold on Sunday. Lots of sunny days though to enjoy. We need to get out in the front yard and finish the project we started at the beginning of February. There is always a project or twenty to take care of. With the benefit of 70 degree temps, Roy cleaned the water filter in the crawlspace. 

Well, The Trio and The Boys are getting restless. GMoey just knocked things off the top of the bookcases. So, these rambling thoughts will come to a close for now. 

  

 

Getting Ready in Exodus As Well As Life

 A rainy Saturday morning and nothing is on the schedule. Yay! We will both most probably be working on Sunday School lessons today. Both of us in the plagues, but I am a few plagues ahead of Roy. Our teaching styles are totally different but we do help each other with the things we've studied or quotes we like. 

GMoey is helping me write this morning and it looks like he is going to settle in for a nap on my lap. That will be very helpful. Looks like we got everyone on the healthy side of life. We are cutting back on the probiotic drops that calms down the stomach. Thus, I don't think we have had a clean up on Aisle 9 in the last several days. 

Thursday, we went to the visitation of a friend's brother. We usually go to the service but I have found the last three times I have been ill has comes a few days after attending a funeral service. The parking lot of the small church was filled to capacity. We paid our respects and left turning over our prime parking spot to an older lady. Heck, I am probably older than her but my mind just doesn't want to process this info. Roy took me out to lunch at Bonnie and Clyde's. He and our friend Cuman eat there but I have never been. The food was really good. I was going to order the country fried steak but it came with brown gravy. This is the closest thing to chicken friend steak here.

We finished up the plagues, well the first nine, yesterday. Throughout the study process last week I kept thinking about the Israelites. What were they doing during the plagues? Most probably they cleaned up dead fish and frogs, but after that, maybe they had time to ponder and think about all that Moses and Aaron were telling them. Maybe they were getting ready to leave and go to the promise land. I turned this question of what were they doing to, what am I doing? What are we doing? As the old report card said, grading you on using your time and materials wisely, am I doing that? I was surprised in FB memories today from the Monablog of the past, right before we decided to move to Katy. We were in the process of finding a lot and building a home in Rancho de Five. We felt that this was God's leading and in hindsight, I can confirm it was. 

"Today I did something that I did before we moved to where we live now.  Before we moved to our condo and when I found myself on this side of town, I would drive around and do a little stop and shop in the neighborhood.  Just kind of wanted to get the feel of it and did it feel right. The Play Neighborhood.  Did that today in what could be our new Play Neighborhood.  In fact I almost didn't take my exit on 99 for CBS and was going to go on a little further down the road like I was going home.  This was not a conscious decision, it just felt right.  Quickly I swerved for the exit and made it just in time to miss the devotion portion of the study.  I can miss devotional time but never an exit.  I always miss music and devotion and arrived just in time for core group.  After Bible study today, I found myself doing that very same thing playing in the neighborhood.  Since organizing for a probable/possible/surely it will happen move, I am trying to get things cleared out and put into modular plastic containers.  Yesterday I brought home four and a few other storage type things.  Ah, I am no professional when it comes to organizational terms.  Well, the four modular plastic storage drawers were filled in no time with t shirts and sweatshirts.  Here of late I like wearing work out togs, but just haven't had the desire to actually work out in them.  Besides the way to my heart besides journals and pens is a t-shirt.  Roy thinks I am high maintenance and maybe that is sometimes true, but when he goes on a trip, I just want a cute t-shirt from wherever he has been.  That is low maintenance any way you look at it.  It was serious clear out yesterday because I'm letting go of some t-shirts that have been in the collection for quite some time.  That's how serious I am about getting into the ready position.  So I went to the Katy Super Target hoping to pick up 4 more modular plastic containers and there were only 2!  Who else is getting organized?  Now I am going to have to make a trip to the dreaded San Felipe Target, it has not been my first choice of a Target in a long time but have heard it has improved since remodeling.  I thought about driving by the lot where we might build again to see what the neighborhood looks like during an early dismissal day, but decided just to head back into Houston. 


Buddy has been a bit feisty of late.  The other night, out of the blue she attacked my forehead.  Now I know side bangs may not be her favorite style for me, but I think the attacked stemmed from the fact that I had been laying on my left side and didn't turn over and change to the right side when she sat next to me and meowed into my ear.  I finally gave in because Buddy has me trained so well, and when I thought she was going to settle down on my arm, like she wants to do, she lashed out with one big old swipe of the paw.  My cry woke up Roy, who I call the enforcer when it comes to disciplining Buddy, he got me a Kleenex and he wanted to put a big honkin' band aid on the cut.  Yes, that will feel great ripping off the band aid the next morning and half my eye brow going along with it.  Hmmm...maybe that wasn't such a bad idea at all.  But he didn't act all enforcer like with Buddy and he decided he would rather go back to sleep than chase a cat in the middle of the night with a spray bottle.  Where is the love?"

So, kind of funny to read this getting ready post from a few years back. Really, the move to Cinco Ranch was a great decision for so many reasons. It also prepared us, but me mostly, in making the move from Texas to North Carolina. 

*******

We had snow this morning and several times those huge fluffy flakes fell. Most of it has melted because we are above freezing this afternoon. We cancelled the ASPCA appointments since we were worried about this morning being snowy or icy. Definitely snowy and having two, especially if they are females. recovering in the garage.  We will open the Inn on the Catmore Garage later this afternoon. The next two nights will be rather chilly, no I mean downright cold. We do not get above freezing tomorrow as temps hover in the 20's. 

Yesterday, was a huge win in the declutter project. In September while changing out summer to fall to winter clothes, I got sick. I was out of commission for over a month. Missing out on all of October in autumnal wear was difficult but it also put me behind in getting clothes out to Goodwill. Then the storm stopped all that kind of thing and when I was finally organized, no one wanted to take donations of clothes. This is also the year that I let go of sentimental clothes cause it ain't doing anyone any good in drawers and storage cubes. Got shoes as well. Now, that it will soon be March and that month can go a lot of ways temperature wise, I'll just be in the ready position to get winter put up and spring and fall out. Last week we took four small boxes of books to the Resale store of Habitat and we have two large boxes of books and other items to go. Guess we will do that next week if the weather cooperates. I also cleaned out a couple of dresser drawers, so this afternoon I am feeling uncluttered and free. 

A Catch Up For Now

 It has been some time since the last blog post. I have one written but now not current so, not posting. I find that if I want good study time most days there really isn't any quiet time for blogging. With Roy resuming his workouts there is a tad more quiet but The Trio and The Boys can be loud. Looks like most have decided on a nap which is just wonderful for peaceful moments to think. They two groups are blending together a little bit more. Roy has five out of the six eating together and they hang out together in the morning.

Speaking of The Trio and The Boys, we were dealing with some sickness with five of the six. We ordered some gentle food and probiotic and this Monday morning they are all feeling well. One gets creative to take care of these little ones without breaking the bank and five to the vet at one time, oh yes, that is a bank breaker. I missed our ladies brunch at church because someone needed to stay with the little ones and since Roy has gone above and beyond duty taking care of me and the long recovery since October, I thought his getting out and doing what he loves was the right decision. 

Sunday's service kind of held some nostalgic feelings. We sang Just A Closer Walk which of course harkened back to an Inspire Women Conference with the Mass Choir that wasn't so massive. Friends in the mass choir got tickled with the line, If I falter Lord Who Cares? Well, that set off our row in attendance cause we were friends with the mass choir all in about twelve in number. Then, I got to do a skit with Hannah to inspire....think I am going with inspire for the paragraph Alec, people to sign up to work in VBS. That was a lot of fun and now I know I can't do more than one page of a script, cause I can't memorize like I used to. We sang Jesus Paid it All for the closing hymn and I remember that hymn with anthem emphasis as we sang it long ago in the HFBC choir. Then, just one more nostalgic feeling, our pastor has been called to a new church that is closer to where he and his wife grew up here in North Carolina. In two weeks we begin the "interim" period which of course totally reminds me of those days of long ago when we went five years looking for a pastor at First Baptist. So, the morning filled with inspiring moments turned into lunch afterwards for a VBS planning meeting. I cannot participate due to health issues but Roy is the VBS photographer and he wanted to attend in order to have knowledge of where he needs to be to catch those timely and wonderful VBS moments. They did make a recommendation of no more Kool-Ade and then discussed snack items. I tells ya, some kind of off brand Kool-Ade and butter cookies that had holes in the center, thus eating them while wearing cookies as a ring, was good enough for generations why not now? I'm joking of course and we do have kids that attend from around the area who experience food insecurity. Thus healthy snacks are to be considered as well. 

Since rediscovering my love of reading I battle with reading for fun and reading for lessons. I just finished a book on Bunny Mellon. She was a Capote swan as well as a fashion/gardening trend setter of her day. My interest is not so much in her but that the book is written by the same author as Mrs. Astor Sends Regrets. Her style of writing and my style of reading are muy simpatico. I got into a few chapters in the book and I was hooked. You get a foundation, briefly of her early life and the early influences that defined her later in life. As part of the foundational knowledge, there is a fast forward of her estate sale. Sotheby's handled the sale and it took a week with her treasures divided into sections. One night paintings and art work and the next night furniture...etc.... She amassed an impressive amount of things or stuff. When she died, her service although planned out, held a few surprises as loved ones didn't give a kind word for her life. What they said according to the book was true. Her favor and attention was at her discernment and whim. She would drop friends so quickly, it was expected...it could be a friend of a few years or fifty or more. Bunny was buried in her cap and gown from the Rhode Island Art Institute. She was honored with an honorary degree from there. She had always wanted to go to college but she was pushed into that debutante life of searching for a husband. The jewelery she took to the grave was a small pinkie horse shoe ring that was of sentimental worth, not expensive at all. From her first husband of whom she truly loved and although he was wealthy, it wasn't enough for all she wanted to do in life. I also finished up The Devil at His Elbow, Alex Murdaugh. Very well done and probably the best book I have read in his life's genera. Put the Queen Mother book on hold and started The Woman Who Knew Everybody. Until now, I had never heard of her but that doesn't mean much. I don't get out too often.  

We got two more of The Feral Fam into the ASPCA this morning. They were not happy with their first road trip. But we were happy when we picked them up because we took in two females. We will be trapping again next Monday. Ah yes, next Monday when the temps are supposed to drop significantly. 

Just a quick catch up, for now. 

What I Did On My January Snow Days

 Greetings from cold NC. We still have some snow falling this morning but most of the storm has moved on out of the area. The snow is from the northwest backflow. I don't know what that means but after almost ten years here, I kind of know if only in my head. The snow in the afternoon was blowing in heavily from the south. Quite pretty. We had some sleet/ice fall in the early evening. The main road in front of the house has been scraped or salted but it is looking a little sketchy driving wise. Our road to the main one is solid white. We won't get above freezing today so I don't know about church in the morning. It is sanctity of life Sunday, so hope the decisions will be made with that in mind. You, know we don't want y'all slipping off the highway and losing your life type sanctity of life thought. Oops, next Sunday is sanctity of life Sunday...hmmm...well, you want us to be there next Sunday right? **** this just in, snow day tomorrow. No services so everyone can stay safe and off the roads. 

Y'all know that Peggy and I exchange recipes all the time...some of the time? Okay, every once in a while. She sent me a recipe for Apple Cider Donut Bundt Cake. I think I have a similar one around here somewhere. Anyway, I got to thinking it has been over a year and a half since I've eaten at The Blue Rooster and last fall, I ate only three apple cider donuts. Oh how the mighty have fallen. 

The Jimmy Carter funeral was certainly an interesting view into the art of the snub. Even people, important people aren't really that good with snubbing. If some snubbing is going to take place it falls into these categories, oh, I didn't see you. Here is a good one, just don't acknowledge or be polite or something like oh my, this funeral program is just so dang interesting. Bill Clinton looked like he was reading a menu, deciding between the deluxe burger or the double deluxe burger with waffle fries. Nobody even mentioned Al Gore. He is probably thinking, hey I was snubbing too but just out of camera range or maybe he was being snubbed. The heater probably got turned up with the solid cold going on between Jill and Kamala. I mean everyone has snubbed or have been snubbed sometime in their life. Snubbing is an interesting story being told but not being told. For the love of it all, personally, I am a recipient into year three of a one sided continuing snub. How does someone do that? In the words of Whitney Houston, 🎜This is the greatest love snub of all....🎜Yes, children, adults even high ranking in a political realm snub. Guess it is something that continues with being a grown up.

*******

I didn't sleep like a sinner till half past nine, but we had a leisurely breakfast that included waffles. Very nice treat for a snow day Sunday. Lots of roads are still iced over but the main roads have been treated. We will get above freezing today and the sun is out. All the snow out front will melt but the backyard with lots of shade will take another day or two. I saw the professional scrape and salt trucks yesterday, but I also saw someone just being helpful. Had the scraper on the front end of the truck and a DIY salter attached to the tailgate of the truck. He seemed to be concentrating on the middle spots in the lanes as well as right in the middle. 

This afternoon we will clean out The Garage on the Catmore Estate. You know clean up any messes, check the linens and such. We aren't kicking them out yet but it wouldn't take much for Roy to say, shut it down. Nope, too cold. 

Roy is recovering nicely. But being the overachiever that he is, I'm keeping tabs on what he needs to do, what he is able to do and what he can't do. His answers are entirely different from a couple of weeks ago. The overachiever needing harder goals to accomplish but when one is married to a "cheive" person like me, the extra credit stuff does not interest me. 

******

Remnants of snow remain this morning. Icy patches on some roads. We got out the snow shovels yesterday and cleared a path up the driveway out to our road. Our road was dry until you get past the gravel road behind us. We got the trash can down to the main road in case of a Monday pick up. Got the beautiful Christmas wreath off the front door of the porch, so all two things of Christmas decorations has been taken care of. 

With a snow Sunday, I got a lot of things done. Made my two week portions of adrenal, vitality, infusion and elderberry into single serve containers. Makes the medicine part of the morning easier and faster. Started working in the front room upstairs and made a dent into things on my project desk. I finished two books last night. Both biographies, Lucy and the other Brooke Astor. Both interesting and thought provoking. I've mentioned before on the ol' blog that it is sad how Lucille Ball could not modify her appearance or her comedy stylings. She finally agreed with critics that she could not reproduce Lucy now as the younger one from the I Love Lucy days but she blamed fans for that, not that she kind of ran the schtick into the ground. Most of the stories in the book I had read from other sources but this is the first that I read of there being issues between Lucy and her writers. Again, this is later on from the I Love Lucy days, but Desi was a bridge that could make the verbal blows she dealt out, land softer on bruised egos and hearts. Now, the Mrs. Astor book, I knew nothing about her and found the book interesting on how she lived life and what came as she got older. She lived till she was 105. I googled it up, the ending, because the book only goes to the civil and criminal indictments of her son and a somewhat trusted friend.   

2025 and Other Stuff

 Happy 2025! I had written a post wrapping up Christmas and New Years here and well, it was too boring. Not boring to live but boring to tell. I try to have some original thoughts but they are becoming hard to manufacture when in a routine. We are in the eyes have it season with Roy getting cataract surgery the day after Christmas and this week they will do the other eye. We are all about eye drops and eye patches and a schedule for all these things. 

I'm in a funk but I don't know why. Sometimes I feel like I can't complete a sentence or a thought. The funk isn't from winter because I love winter. There is a lot of hope in this season but sometimes it stays hidden and hope arrives just when you need it. 

Since I have been so distracted of late I think that will be my One Word for the year. It can easily be changed into a productive or a spiritual connotation. It feels right even though I feel like I have been living a distracted life the past few years. Thankfully, I have regained some ability to focus but it has come with a lot of grace and a lot of work. You know connecting a thought or completing a sentence is a worthy goal. 

Wrapping up 2024. It seemed like one of the strangest years of recent memory. The county changed trash pick up companies and the last month has kind of been a mix of when will the old trash bins be picked up and when will we receive our new ones. That has pretty much resolved itself but for those who haven't received their trash bins some have resorted to stealing them from the side of the road. Last Monday was the last Waste Pro pick up and they emptied trash and recyclables into the same truck. I've heard it has always been that way but on the second to last day of a contract, not trying that hard. This was a year when a hurricane in the mountains happened. You can still see just how devastating it has been. It will takes years to recover is some areas of the mountains. I still have effects from my six weeks of illness. Had a short reoccurrence of the illness a couple of weeks ago, but it ended sooner than before if because of the supplements I'm taking. The never ending cough hangs around a bit, less and less thankfully. I've been taking a mixture of immune support, elderberry, antioxidant infusion, adrenal and tart cherry. It truly has made a difference. Also the cough syrup works! Thank you Rowe Casa.  

We made the realization that this spring when we plant veggies and such, we are going to keep it in a smaller, more accessible area of the yard. Think we will plant sunflowers over by the fence. We shall see. It's not that the yard is too much for us, but maybe, that comes sooner than later.

There were some losses this year, not in the usual way one would think of loss. If this was several years ago I would have fought to know the whys but at this stage, it is something that can take a backseat from now on. Sometimes these things happen because of a third party and you can be thrown in with a group just being guilty by association. It feels a little passive/aggressive intentionally. Been there and ain't anything new. Other losses come from someone outgrowing you or the friendship or vice versa, me outgrowing them. It is all a natural thing of life but it can be painful. In 2024 I just wanted to be done with the whole thing. Sometimes communication feels like a set up and not genuine. 

Our cats like to rearrange the rugs in the kitchen. It is mostly a small rug that is pushed and played with. They are non skid type but they are able to get underneath it and move it all over. One never knows where or where that rug will be. The play tunnels are moved quite a bit as well. 

*******

Friday. We are supposed to get snow and maybe some ice today and through the night. We've had little flakes of snow since Monday. The roads have been salted but there are still slippery spots. We headed out a little earlier for Roy's cataract removal appointment. Because of several cancellations he was taken back for preop rather quickly. On our way to the surgery center the tire pressure light came on. That happens in cold temps and we decided we were close enough to get there, then if a tire problem occurred we would call AAA. By observation, it was the front right tire. Roy took several steps back while assessing the situation and caught his heel against a concrete parking thingy. He fell backwards. Didn't hit his head and only the side of his right palm hurt. Roy did so much better this time in recovery He was awake and even drank some coffee. We got home much sooner than anticipated and the tire pressure light came on as we drew near home. He rested a lot yesterday. I did a lot of his chores thus no rest for the weary. 

Schools are closed this morning but by the look of it construction must go on. Big trucks hauling heavy equipment are prominent on the main road this morning. Roy cancelled his appointment with the ophthalmologist this morning. They gave us the paperwork yesterday and then did a quick consult with the Dr's nurse. I am thankful not to be out on the roads this morning.   

Merry Quiet Christmas!

 Christmas Eve Day. Wow, Christmas seems to have come early this year but it feels this way cause Thanksgiving came late in November. I didn't get to wear nearly any of my Christmas frocks, not that I have frocks. I mean things that seem Christmassy by colors. Some go into that period of time between Christmas and New Years. We don't have too many occasions to dress up for and when I write this, I am not complaining at all. These years of quiet Thanksgiving and Christmas are so welcomed. We have a non traditional meal planned for tomorrow since we did the usual ham for Thanksgiving. Not a huge turkey fan but a real fan of the sides that accompany said turkey. 

Yesterday morning, Roy surprised me. He had a huge smile and a softer tone in his voice. He said he was thinking about going someplace that morning and he wanted me to come along. Y'all, it sounded like it was going to be something special and of course I responded enthusiastically, why yes! Where are we going? Not out for breakfast but he extended the invitation to accompany him to the landfill. He got me good. Well, it has been a while since we've been there. He is a stinker! So, yes, we went to the landfill with so many others who had that thought. The new trash service trucks were in abundance, so that is a hopeful sight of timely trash pick ups. Lots of us non professional environmental engineers in line. We got through the line faster than anticipated, got the trash deposited, and we were on our way. Next stop Tractor Supply, Exxon, Publix and Ingles. We got home fixed lunch and then headed out the door with a few little Christmassy things for friends. Oops, we forgot one thing and had to go back home. Andrew was there finishing up trimming all the shrubs, plants and bushes in the back. It looks so good. We ran a couple of more errands and came back home exhausted. 

We did not make any Christmas Eve services this year. 5:00 is too early but I know why churches have services at that time. Roy and I used to go to St Martin Episcopal Church for Christmas Eve services. Nothing like a liturgical, wonderful choir and music, an organ and the smell of Christmas mixed with bourbon or scotch. We loved doing that. When we were younger we could stay awake to go to the 11:00 pm service but as the years went by, we went to the 7:00 pm Christmas Eve service. For years when I was in the choir, First Baptist Houston had an 11:00 pm service. Most of the people attending were not members and it seemed to be a good outreach but over the years it disappeared.

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Merry Christmas! It is cold and sunny this morning. We've had breakfast, the kitties are getting out the last of the yips before taking a nap. We stayed up a little later than usual watching The Bishops Wife. It is one of our favorites. Earlier, we watched the parts of White Christmas that we like. Of course the song Sisters and all the dance numbers. Then the ending. Usually by this time, I have watched it many times but somehow I forgot about doing that this year. 

Our Christmas lunch is prepared and staying warm in the crock pot. Just have to add a few sides. We didn't put out much Christmas, so we don't have to put up lots of stuff. Our neighbors brought us some of their honey yesterday. It is so good, sourwood honey. 

Books that I ordered came in on Christmas Eve so I have been able to spend the afternoon reading. I also took a little bit of time to study for Sunday. Roy has cataract surgery tomorrow and an appointment on Friday. 

Sunday, we had a little Christmas celebration. No lesson, no devo thought, just eating, visiting and playing one how well do you know your Christmas Carol game. Thankfully, God has provided people in the years of teaching, that help me remember some of spiritual things. I invited everyone to start in the snack line, but Karen reminded me we hadn't prayed. Oh yes, that is an important thing to do. I really am hyper ADD with organizing these kinds of things. I give a half minute of thought and don't proceed in a timely manner of either giving instructions or arranging food for presentation. My brain is going a thousand different ways with a thousand different thoughts. Not unlike many Sunday School lessons, but that is another subject. The Joy Class knows what I love and I have a Barnes and Noble gift card burning a hole in my pocket. I'm so grateful for such wonderful friends. Like Jennell and Lori who brought delicious goodies to serve alongside the biscuits from TN. Kim made wassail which was perfect for such a cold Sunday morning. 

 Sing we quiet Christmas and now onto a quiet New Year!

If I Wrote a Christmas Letter....

You love em, laugh at em, and dread writing one. Talking about a tradition that is slowly disappearing, the family Christmas letter. My cousin does one every year and I always look forward to her Christmas letter or in the case of some years, the New Year letter. I used to write them and had fun doing so. I'd still do it but we are living a rather simple life which some might call boring and not that many want to be caught up on all the news.

" Dear Friends and Family, we bought more fox urine than we have in the past to help the Feral Family keep up with pest removal."

 My father wrote their Christmas letter and each and every year, we were not disappointed with the tone or the way he took the letter. During the later years when my mom was still alive his letters took a victim tone. Not about her health issues cause they were staunchly in favor of telling no one she had Alzheimer's. The usual letter was about their trips, they only went to Branson, twice a year. All of us experienced PTSD when Branson is mentioned. Not so many good times there. Then he would mention all the work there was to do. Finally, he caught everyone up with going ons of his children and families. Glowing reports and accolades for Doug, Nancy and the girls. Then he would come to Roy and me....there was a lot going on in our lives too but while he didn't actually write this, the references to us came in the form of, "Well, Roy and Nancy are still on the planet taking up valuable oxygen that could be used by others." It reminds me of the SNL skit that parodied The Lennon Sisters on Lawrence Welk. Roy and me, well we be Dooneese. 

I once wrote a Christmas letter and only sent it to my parents. It was filled with all the accomplishments of the past years like, Roy getting his MBA and then graduating from Law School. I was doing well in tennis. Then when I went back to part time work at church, I shared that a major part of my duties included pushing a coffee prep cart to set up for Bible studies. Now, why would I include that? Because since junior high, my father told me that the only work I was qualified for was being the ice tea lady at a cafeteria. Gee, I accomplished my destiny for him. Ha! Really, I loved doing that coffee prep, it was the clean up after all these fine Christian ladies that I didn't like. some messy ones. The other interesting insight into this was how some casual friends treated me as the coffee cart lady. Such an eye opening experience that impacted me and serving. Lord, let me never ever be like some of those Bible study ladies. 

So, if I was going to write a Christmas letter this year, it might go something like this:

Dear Friends and Family,

2024 has been quite the year. It hasn't been an especially great year but it hasn't been an especially bad year for us. We acknowledged the tenth anniversary of buying our home here in the mountains. We had a great conversation remembering the homes we toured in and about the area. We only made an offer on one and someone gave a better one. Not unhappy about that at all. We found all types of homes that had great potential but we are thrilled at the one we chose and live in now. It was not on the market when we first began this adventure but yes, God's timing is best. Also, we bought before the housing market when bonkers in price increases. 

We added to our family this year. In 2022 we brought in three kitties at various stages. All related as cuz bros and that has worked out, well for the most part. This summer we added three more kitties to the fam. Now, in my wildest dreams I never thought I would have six cats in my house. Lots of vacuuming going on. These three that we rescued from The Feral Fam were to be only rescued to look for fostering but no one was available. So, the longer they lived with us the more attached we became. Then we gave them names and I knew these three would be living with us as our own. So far, things are going well. Chubola is difficult to get to go to bed at night but we need to think of a different set up. Buster and Baxter go right in. The Kittos are such fun to watch even as they grow out of their kitten stage. They play hard with The Boys chasing laser lights, pine cones and toys. 

Roy's gardening was successful this year. Had a good crop of tomatoes, plums, peaches, bell peppers, and apples. He has already began his winter prepping of his flowerbeds, waiting for spring to arrive. Of course that is several months away. 

There have been some sentimental moments this year. I can watch these cats who live with us now and remember how they came in and why. Touches a soft spot in my heart. Even seeing pics of the two we lost grabs at my emotions. A couple of weeks ago I was going through a closet and found a bag of goodies I had bought at Penland's. But Hellene came though with a force and destroyed downtown Marshall with floods, so no Christmas shopping there this year. Marshall is rebuilding and that includes Penland's. I just knew I was going to win the $100.00 drawing this year. And I cannot forget Christy's Crafts. Her shop was washed away by a different river. After helping her community she began working again on her designs and creations. She did several shows. I don't think there is a room in our house that doesn't have something from Christy in it. Christmas has a strange feel to it this year with so much still in chaos from the storm and storm related set backs. I see others who don't live here saying pretty much the same thing that Christmas doesn't feel very Christmassy this year. Guess Karen Carpenter said it best, " I wish I was Christmasing with you."  

When Hellene blew in, so did pneumonia along with RSV or long Covid here and decided to attack my health. It was the hardest six weeks of my life and I don't never ever want to see it come this way again. Thankfully, congestion was not a huge part of it but the cough that lingers is still unwanted. I am booting it out but still it remains. Ugh! I slowed down a lot, a whole lot. Gave me time to think and pray. Anytime I gave very much time to it I fell asleep. Heck, I fell asleep eating or sometimes when texting. Roy went beyond the call of duty in helping me get well. Now, I feel good but feel like I am a month behind on everything. Well. guess I am.   

Roy and I are still teaching Sunday School at church. My class took a slow down in Genesis and we came to studying Acts late. Think we made it through sixteen chapters before ending in Acts 27. Roy slowed down, like really slowed down and taught Genesis. He didn't teach any of Acts. In big church we were in Acts for two years and then still had a hangover of Acts from First Baptist Houston days. The Joy Class will have a little Christmas celebration accompanied by some treats before we jump into Exodus.  Have a game or two and this year I think I will spare the class a Christmas thought or devo. We only have about forty five minutes so you do what you can. Along with my study theme this year, personally, what I do is it because I am following God or am I doing things to make myself feel good about a situation. Really, it is called legalism but it doesn't make me feel good to say it. Haha! After studying that the Holy Spirit cut off Peter's sermon at Cornelius's home I'm making a point to be a little more conscious of being short winded. 

Both Roy and I are trying to read more. He has taken up mysteries and I am just trying to read again for fun. I finished a Christmas book and it was okay. Lots of things didn't get resolved or the author got tired of the characters and just let them dangle in the wind, so to speak. I am now reading a biography of Suzi Spurgeon. Like it, mainly skimming it but it is enjoyable reading about the role she played in her husband's ministry. As I have been going through the bookcases and getting ready to take books to the Habitat store, I have found a few books that I bought and never read. Okay, I found a lot of books that fits the description but the point being, I've put them aside to read after Suzi. 

Our hope for you, our friends and family, is to have a Merry Christmas even if this year looks much different from years past. May we all slow down and experience the extraordinary of God in our ordinary lives. There is much to celebrate in practicing that.