Asides and Such

 We were talking the other day about how easy it is to be brushed aside and in our lifetimes we too have brushed aside others. It isn't a good habit or practice but it seems to happen. As we do early in the mornings, after I have had least my first cup of coffee, we have great conversations and discussions about lots of things. Before Roy retired, he didn't have time for this. This has been one of the best things about living a retirement life. I don't remember how the conversation drifted toward the topic but we both remembered the cardiologist that brushed me aside back in 2008. With a heartrate of 180 bpm and only 10% of my heart working, he sent me home with three prescriptions and basically said, good luck. The staff was so surprised when I showed up for the appointment two weeks later. They thought I would die over the weekend. That sound have raised a flag but when you haven't dealt with this kind of stuff before in the medical field, how do you really know. Even in the midst of all the appointments and visits, it was much later that the nurse took more concern for me than he did, she giving me some instructions to see my regular doctor. When Dr Riley realized what was happening she sent me to a specialist in the Med Center and he got me on the right track. That first cardiologist looked at me, on that first day when the tech worked me in to his schedule, at the Lord's prompting by the way and when this Dr looked at me then, briefly I could tell my being in a wheel chair...way way over weight...like way overweight. My clothes too tight, hardly any makeup or much done to my hair, he had decided I didn't have much to contribute to life and he would help the world be rid of someone such as myself. Later in the afternoon I looked to see if this particular cardiologist was still practicing. The answer yes with most of his reviews one or two stars. Same complaints that we had and now staffing seems to be an issue. That wasn't a problem back in the day. 

The other aside other than brush is just the aside comment. Therein lies the truth of the matter. Not the main topic but the aside comment about the main topic. The other aside is the famous meat and three sides. Okay, it doesn't really qualify as an aside but around here those three sides are pretty dang good. Yum!

We left for the Post Office and Publix in snow yesterday afternoon. Snow didn't stick nor was the snowfall heavy. It was a gentle snow shower. What couldn't be seen was felt as the heavy moisture in the air hit your face. Some were calling for a dusting of snow but that didn't happen but it sounds like next week we could once again be ripe for snow if all the conditions are right. 

Since we are at the end of the month as well as the year, our practice is to stay away from the roads in a local city that is famous for speeding tickets. A couple of weeks ago Roy came through the small municipality and was trailed by a policeman till he reached the border of their authority. He was rather animated telling the story of the follow. I wondered if it was the cop that stopped and ticketed me in 2017. Really, it seems rather disappointing at times when we feel the observant eyes of law enforcement as they pull even with us to see an older type driving the Mustang. And I might add usually doing the speed limit. 

In the category of everyday life, we ordered some flannel sheets. Thicker than what we have and if I thought I was in a flannel board bed before, truly truly, I say unto you, it is really like being a figure on a flannel board. 

Say I am one of the elephants going to the ark, I would not make it cause I cannot move on the sheets due to my flannel jammies. It takes great effort to move. The other night I was trapped on left side sleeping position due to my hip hurting. The pain getting a little more intense yet it hurt to move. What to do? I needed a flannel graph teacher cause I'm telling you waking Roy up from a dead sleep to help you, while very funny so many times, it will cause more harm than good. From past experiences waking him up, he has run straight to the front door. Now that we have stairs and an alarm with me in an unable to move position, we would be more hindered than helped. That is if he makes it running down the stairs. Now I know the obvious solution to this situation but frankly my dear, it is too cold. I found that if we put the bedspread farther down on the comforter, I can move better. Last night no sleep incidents but I did get up at 4:00 am. I moved to the front bedroom with my beloved heating pad. I need to get my hip checked out but don't have an orthopedist here. It will take forever to find one taking new patients or it will take forever to get on the schedule. Probably the best solution is to go to the ortho emergency place. 

We had a little bit of snow falling but I think that is the snow event for the day. 

Lesson studied and written out...watched the sky turn from gray to patches of blue then back to gray with bright patches of reflected light in the south. Pot roast slow cooked and vacuumed downstairs. Not a bad way to close out the last Saturday of 2023.  

A Glimpse of Mountain Life

 Happy Boxing Day! Happy St Stephen's Day! Happy rainy Tuesday! Oh, Happy Day! Take it Edward Hawkins and the Hawkins Singers. We are recouping from our not so very busy Christmas. I recouped by sleeping in and Roy is now taking a morning nap. He is learning a pace of life from The Boys.

So fun to see Christmas Day pics on FB. Before you think well, you just showed us cats...and I could have shown a whole bunch more, do not feel sorry cause we had a fabulous day. Roy said last night thank you for a great Christmas Day. If it hadn't been raining for much of the day, we had planned to take a little day trip as we are wont to do on holidays. Hint, it involves Buc-ees. Alas, so content to be around with books to read and football games to watch. All those trauma induced holidays make the fact of no plans to be the way to go and most welcomed. Even makes the slow days of January inviting. Lots of local shops close or have limited hours during the first month of the new year. It can clearly upset some. That's the beauty of local shopping and buying. It adds to the charm of living in the mountains. 

In the middle of the night, there was a flash followed by thunder. Just one episode but old wives tales says if you hear thunder in winter it will snow within seven days. There are a few forecasts that says we might get snow but one never knows around here. Several have said if it had been colder with this precip we could have had snow, blizzard like 1993. Hey, we were no where around here back then but I have heard stories. 

The end of produce stand season, at least how I celebrate it, happened on Christmas Eve. Barbers Orchard closes then and will reopen August 1st. Now, lots of other stands reopen or stay open all year but now comes that waiting season of strawberries, peaches and apples. 

I began studying for the lesson this week and then I nodded off and took a decent nap. My study partners influence me with their napping habits. 

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Happy I haven't a clue what day is today but I think it is Thursday. Although every evening feels like Friday evening for some reason. We have been taking it easy this week and not too project driven. Roy has been doing some reading and I have too. We went to Publix on Wednesday before the horde of old people arrived...we consider ourselves the younger set of that bunch. Well at least in attitude. We were happy to see strawberries are still on sale. Roy got his dinners and while he was in line to check out, I went over to sale table where lots of Christmas stuff had been marked down. The best find was two packages of Eggnog Coffee. We had used the one bag Roy bought the week before Christmas. These bags, deeply discounted...Yahoo a festivus miracle. Been watching a little bit of Seinfeld this week. Also got some cloves and they expire in 2028. All in all a good thrift savings at the Publix. 

I actually got two Christmas gifts mailed, okay Roy took them to UPS, before Christmas. In both cards I mentioned that the gift was just a glimpse of the mountains or mountain life. That will be a key phrase for 2024 I believe as well as finding my one word for the new year. This year, my one word was joy. Like I have mentioned previously, it was a hard year but it also was a year of joy. I love the conversations that Roy and I have at breakfast. We would talk about our lessons but he is till in Mark and this Sunday is the last of field trip Sunday lessons. We will get to Genesis after this Sunday. The past couple of days we've talked about moving and living here. The difference it has made in our lives. 2024 marks the tenth anniversary of buying our home here. For this we rejoice. 

My Christmas heating pad has been a god-send. It is helping so much. Too bad I can't wear it everywhere I go. Well, I could but....yeah, someone would always be tripping on the cord. Could I plug it into the EV charging port for cars? 

This morning around 3:30 I went to the front room to wrap up in that heating pad. Before falling back to sleep I prayed for my friend's brother who is having open heart surgery today. Then I got to thinking back to memories of a friend who passed away on Saturday. Lots of laughs for sure but she truly helped us by riding with Roy to Lafyette when I fell and broke my hip at the Cracker Barrel. She drove the truck home for us. She and Dena organized our Cinco Ranch kitchen. She came up here in 2015. The first official visitor. Several years ago she got a diagnosis and that diagnosis is what overtook her. But, we know where she is and will welcome us. Hope she saved me a seat in alto section of choir cause I always sounded better when I sat next to her. 

Merry Christmas!

 Merry Christmas from the rainy and windy mountains! Looking out on the valley one would think that snow waited in the wings, but we will only be getting melted snow on this Christmas Day. I don't mind the weather one bit. Last year we celebrated with bitter cold temps. Like cold but not bitter cold. 

Here are a few random thoughts and things on Christmas 2023 in no particular order.

First those Dollar Tree videos drew me in this year. Then got hooked on watching Penny, the talking cat. Those Penny reels helped bring me out of a crippling brain fog that had been going on for almost two years. Loved taking apartment tours of NYC via reels. Never been drawn to NYC and the prices of rent or ownership not very appealing. It is kind of like our game we play watching House Hunters. Now, I am hooked on watching chiropractic adjustments. Roy hears all the cracking sounds and asks how can you watch that?  

I made it to Christmas Day not hearing one time Happy Birthday, Jesus. Not one Mary Did You Know? I actually like Mary Did You Know but there for a while it was a SOS, song over sung. Also heard Shepherd's Pipe Carol several times and I still can sing the alto part. It is like it will never leave. Burl Ives, Holly Jolly Christmas...I heard a lot before Christmas Day, the old song gets repetitiously played. And wild and sweet the words repeat of it's the best time of the year. 

On this rainy Christmas Day, we have reopened The Garage on the Catmore Estate. We served brunch, milk punch and added cold deterring mats underneath the kiddy swimming pools filled with blankets and such for warmth. Word got out slowly that we had reopened but by evening they should all be in the fold and ready for Christmas supper. 

We grilled Taste of Texas steaks for our Christmas lunch. They were delicious. We used cast iron skillet with blue cheese butter and finished the cooking in the oven. The key to keeping the smoke down was putting the pan in the over while it got to 450. It was ready then to grill. They were so absolutely  delicious. Sides were pecan sweet potatoes and green bean casserole. We ate a later lunch cause we had a big breakfast complete with tea biscuits. 

Last night we went to the Candle Lighting service at First Presbyterian in Weaverville. A wonderful service and add liturgical to it and I love it. We were briefly Presbyterian when Roy was finishing up law school. The schedule worked better for Roy to be able to attend a service and be able to get to his study group. It's a beautiful church built in the early 1920s. Afterwards, we drove around a bit to see the lights and then came home. Oh, I also like light fixtures in churches and take a pic when I see a rather unusual and beautiful one. 

I don't know if I have done anything or if it is just arthritis but my hip that was replaced has been bothering me. I didn't ever have a bit of pain when I broke it but this has been bothersome. Fortunately, when we couldn't find our, we got one overnighted from Amazon. It has helped tremendously. This heating pad is great because it is flexible and I can wrap it around my hip. Yes, one must be getting old when one seems to love a heating pad for Christmas. 

The Boys have been so good today. They have got along and even napped together which is rare.

Yesterday's lesson, well it was a little different but I think it went well. I totally went a different direction with the lesson on Friday morning. Think we will have one more seasonal related lesson till we jump back into Genesis. Wait, we never jumped into it. Well you know....

Merry Christmas! This wasn't a bad year but it has been a hard year in many ways. We are thankful for our blessings, our friends and family. We are thankful for the Gift given to us and to the world. God sent His Son. 

Merry Christmas Eve Eve!

 Good Friday morning! We welcome not such chilly temps with a little warm up this afternoon. The Garage at the Catmore Estate basically is on a pause till next week when temps drop again at night. The littlest cats enjoy a nap or two in the garage so we will accommodate them cause they know how to leave and not hide behind stuff out of fear. 

This morning I looked through pics from FB memories, probably about thirteen years ago when we first moved to Rancho de Five. Close by, a neighborhood had fantastic Christmas lights, some coordinated with music but all lavish productions. Sight and sounds that overwhelm the senses but now looking at some of the pics, there in a corner of a yard with lighted trees, reindeers, Santas and Snoopy, was the nativity. A spotlight, rather small in nature, dedicated to the display drew attention but only if you were looking. Now this is nothing new and thousands of Christmas devotionals, thoughts and blogs have been written on looking for Christ in Christmas when our attention and distraction causes us to gaze at bright lights and all that goes along with yard and neighborhood decorations. Or distracted by chaos, comparison and competition. Look at me being all Baptist using alteration and three points. Some years that nativity is front and center for us, so welcoming, a great reminder of the gift and the Giver. 

As I have been working on the lesson for Sunday is certainly is in a fluid state. Kind of thought it would go one direction but went another way totally. Even this morning it has changed and is developing. I do love when this happens but I also don't like when it happens cause the closer to Sunday I feel sometimes the less familiar I will be with my notes. Although sometimes, it works out for the best. Leaving it to The Lord is all I have to write, right now. 

I don't know that I have wrestled with an angel like Jacob, but my hip surely hurts like Jacob's did and I am walking with a limp. Unlike Jacob, I don't want to walk with a limp the rest of my life. Why has it been hurting this week? Haven't a clue. Sometimes Bio Freeze helps and sometimes it doesn't. When I move around asleep, believe my I am not a still sleeper, I awake from the dull throb of pain. It's the hip that was replaced and I expect it to behave better than this. 

Our Christmas lunch will have a touch of southern dishes and an entree of Texas. We were given Taste of Texas fillets this year and yes, we will grill them in a cast iron pan. Served with blue cheese butter. For this we give thanks. We will also have pecan praline sweet potatoes and green bean casserole. I'm not a big fan but Roy loves green bean casserole. 

Fido came in for a bit. All The Boys were around Fido in the bonus room. Only Mr Mo hissed and there isn't any surprise about that. Fido was happy to lie in the window and watch his family on the driveway or over in the garden. He is such an easy cat. This evening GMoey spent a long nap on my lap and would still be there except that Mr Mo decided to start a wrestling match and I don't play when two cats take swipes. It is a lot of fun until someone gets hurt and it is usually me. 

Came across several pics from ten years ago when we came here for Christmas. Our room didn't have a great view but it was huge and besides there are a lot of views elsewhere. I think that is when we began the conversation of buying something here. After several years of recovering from all that heart stuff, when I could climb that trail across from the Inn, without incident it seems that is when Roy got to thinking about my health and how I did so much better here. That was a great stay. The Christmas stay includes dinner in the dining room and a buffet dinner using their meeting rooms. I asked if we could do the buffet both nights. They were hesitant but once they heard Roy had fancy dinners often, they decided to accommodate our request. It wasn't cause we wanted to eat a ton, it was more like food we really liked to eat. In 2019 we ate Christmas dinner at the Deer Park on the Estate. That was the last time Roy consumed a tremendous amount of ice cream and caramel sauce. He gave the dipper and saucer tips since he went back so many times. It snowed on Christmas in 2010, our first Christmas trip. Now these are some joyous Christmas memories for many reasons. 

Merry Christmas Eve Eve!

Joy to the World, Memories

 I remember my mom telling me that if my father had let her get their home remodeled that she would have never been so emphatic about moving. Thus began the great adventure turned disaster when my parents sold their Houston home and bought a house in Georgetown TX. Their Georgetown home was spacious and beautiful. Friends encouraged them to buy new furniture and get a brand new start in this hill country home. Alas not taking anyone's advice, my father decided that what they had was plenty alright for this new home. Worn and meant for a room much smaller the setting of the living room was awkward, having to place all the furniture so far from other chairs and the couch.  They had moved to be closer to some long time church friends but it wasn't too soon afterwards that health issues meant their friends needed to head back to Houston. From that point forward my father punished my mom for making them move. He could cut so deeply with words. The fact that they were ostracized out of the church they joined had nothing to do with my mom but my father teased and joked about a member who was like church royalty. Their family back in the 1800s started the church. It wasn't too soon after that my parents got the left foot of fellowship thus starting their TV church attendance. My father stressed out my mom and in his play for attention and being the victim began mowing their lawn in the middle of summer afternoons when temps are unbearable. He didn't want to die of course, but did just enough to warrant concern. Sadly, no one there really cared thus stressing out my mom even more. I think they might have spent only one or at the most two Christmases there before moving back to Houston. That Christmas was memorable, that's for sure. 

My father had asked his doctor to give him meds for anxiety because his family would be present for Christmas. After a few more questions and conversations, the doctor suggested that maybe the family needed the meds more to deal with him. I never met that doctor but I immediately liked him. Several weeks before my brother and family and Roy and I were to come to their house, my father called me. He suggested that Roy and I stay home for Christmas. There would be other Christmases to celebrate. He was belligerent in his request and then added there wasn't any room in the inn (their home) for us. Georgetown at that time only had one motel that didn't look too inviting unless your need of a hotel was rather sordid. We used points and stayed in north Austin. A little bit of a drive to Georgetown. In hindsight we should have stayed home but that was the Christmas that we got the girls an Easy Bake Oven. Ya have to be around for that fun. If looks could kill, I would be dead because for those two days, I got his cold hearted stare of hatred. Since he couldn't get any meds he medicated himself on St Johns Wort. Didn't help. It is just as if everyone celebrated Christmas but him. In spite of his attitude and silent treatment we just kept ignoring his attempts to sabotage the holiday visit.  In the years following I brought up that Christmas once with my mom. She asked me to never speak of it again. She was embarrassed and mad at how my father had treated us. Looking back he probably harangued her into shingles over the fact she hadn't backed him up nor had she paid solo attention to him while we were there. She loved being with her granddaughters. 

It was in January that I realized his action of don't come this Christmas was a reaction from earlier in the year when I called him out on some duplicitous actions on his part. I called him out privately, not as to embarrass or reveal what he was doing that was oh so wrong. But being a true narcissist, he waited his time to enact his sabotage and then play the victim. 

Even in the midst of that emotional chaos and hard cutting hurt, there was Joy to the World the Lord has come in my heart. There were other Christmases that held those same elements of deceit and mayhem and although I dreaded the holidays, there was always the song and the truth of Joy to the World. Is it easy to hold fast to truth in these situations? No! But it is so rewarding. Your emotions and insides are calm and can join in with, let heaven and nature sing. I always have the doubts of the world not knowing that JOY has come, to the world by God's divine nature to send his Son as a baby. This year I have thought often of Mary. Thinking of how God chose her, having all the right qualifications but more so having the right heart and response to the angel. See Zechariah's response for comparison and all in all it worked out for him as well. I would have not been chosen for various reasons, a LOT of various reasons. In the memories section of FB, a blog post from long ago showed up. Written while I was working at church and fighting sometimes for joy. My first Christmas working full time at church, I didn't have vacation days to take off like the rest of the staff. I believe there were only three of us there, God, Cindy Robinson and me. Out of the silence in the office, my phone rang...it was a mover and shaker that attended church there and had a ministry she also ran. (this is not Beth Moore) She had the gift of procrastination and the background of no one telling her no. Till that day when I did. She threw out a name of a high ranking staff member asking me how much he would like to see these copies made. I responded how long have you known you needed these copies. It was like a week ago and further more I did not have the copy code for that department. If we were going to be legalistic about anything there, it was do not make copies for anyone outside your area of ministry. Again I reminded her, there were only three people at the church that day, God, Cindy Robinson and me, and I was probably in the best mood of the three.  I would have done the copies most probably if they were regular 8x11 copies, on one side. I did not know how to do legal size, double sided. She kept pressing, I pressed back until finally I suggested she go to Qwick Copy, pay to have it done and turn in the receipt for reimbursement. I had no clue if I would have a job after Christmas or not, but I had Joy. Here is a portion of that blog post:

Joy to the World, I have been reading and pondering Luke 1 and 2 this Christmas season. How unique! Ha ha.... Anyway I have been looking especially at the 3 times angels are involved in telling Zechariah, Mary and the shepherds what is about to happen. More so, the responses of those have me very interested. Zechariah answered out of unbelief. And out of the three, Mary and the shepherds, he was actually involved in God's work as a priest. Ya know, it was his job. Mary asked the angel because it seemed out of how this will happen and then quickly responds with obedience. The angels declare joy and peace of a baby lying in a manger who is the Savior, the Messiah. The angels leave and the shepherds are like, dude let's go see what this is all about. Zechariah was the only one to respond out of how can I be sure, the odds aren't good. And as we learned at Converge, this is the one time in his whole priestly life he would get to enter the temple and burn incense. His heart should have been open to receive a word that night. Hey, I am not going to be too hard on the old guy cause we have all been there in unbelief. I just like thinking of the comparison. Sometimes working at a church dulls the heart to true joy, to true peace, to a true Word. We see the bad side to ministry and we must fight cynicism and apathy if we want to be lights in the darkness of joy to the world. We are brighter to the world, but to our own brothers and sisters, we can be dim and off key in our joy to the church world because we've seen it or heard it before.

🎵All Flannelled Up. Well Bless My Soul🎵

 The big weather system our area anticipated dispatched itself over to the middle and eastern part of the state. We had light rain and overcast skies. A dreary day but not of the heart. Roy and I loaded the truck Saturday night for all the things we needed to take for Sunday morning. My class had a little Christmas party so a few more decorations, cookies and gifts needed to be ready to roll. We even went earlier than usual and the time flew by while setting up. As friends came in, they volunteered to do the fine tuning or completing a task. The Joy Class knows how to have fun and we also know the power of prayer and studying The Word. The class knows my love language is books, so I possess a gift card that I will put to good use after the holidays and once bookstores settle back into the regular routine. My gifts to the class? Christmas socks. Warm and cozy toesies for Christmas. I am so thankful and grateful for our class. Generous to a fault and they put up with me. We sure do love one another...

Sunday afternoon we returned home and ate the pot roast I fixed on Saturday. Pretty good. Then we divided and then froze the Amish hamburger meat we got on Friday. Think we got about ten containers for the freezer. Lots of taco soup in the future. 

Sunday evening, well late afternoon, we went to First Presbyterian for a Christmas concert. Oh my goodness it was so beautiful. A blend of sacred classical, traditional carols and string quartet. It has been a couple of years since attending a Christmas concert or play. The gift on top of it all is, finally being inside a church that fit the description of churches and chapels in Gail Godwin's books. It felt like a church you would find in the mountains of WNC. I would say Mitford series instead of Gail Godwin but Jan Karon is just an author whose narrative style and my brain don't mix. Have had the set twice and twice given to Goodwill or to our church yard sale, not even making it through the first book in the series. We met friends for the concert and also saw friends that we had thought they moved. The pastor gave a brief, not a sermon or talk but I guess a Christmas encouragement of rejoicing and joy in the newborn King. We all stayed afterwards for refreshments in the fellowship hall. Beautiful stone fireplace and the refreshments were pretty good. Hot apple cider and hot chocolate with all the fixings. The drive home was quite entertaining as we ooohed and awed at the Christmas lights.  We have missed out on seeing these lights over the years but I think that renewed refresh of maybe being too comfortable in the routine might just get us out more. These rural roads especially at night can be an adventure. Back to the music for a moment, several musical pieces reminded me of Pageant days. One song that we used back in the day in Pageant is The March of the Kings. I never knew there were words to the song. The choir here, not a large choir by any means, but a choir with a great sound and a fabulous director. 

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This morning I read about the Baylor University Christmas program. There isn't a station near that is televising it but I will be sure to catch the Baylor You Tube channel to hear it. I love since Baylor is known for their music dept that they also list the arrangers of the music being performed. In the article they talked about the healing in music and why we need the beauty of music. Not being a music person by training but simply one that appreciates the work to produce these sounds, I always find music and music people interesting. Through the years in choirs I have picked up enough to be dangerous but not enough to be useful. On Sunday night I tapped on the shoulder a woman dressed in all black holding a choir folder and I said something stupid like, you must be a member of the choir because you are wearing and holding the accoutrements as a singer. She was rather grouchy in her response which made me think she just might be a soprano but in choir placement she was an alto. One of the two altos. No altos had solos...okay I know that isn't a usual thing but I thought hmmm, maybe I could get a solo in this choir. If Shepherd's Pipe Carol had been on the program, I just might have run up there to help because the alto part is so hard. You just have to sing ahhhhh ahhhhhh ahhhhhh ahhhh till page 17 and then you get to sing, On the way to Bethlehem. 

We are trying to get a few at home projects done this week. With the temps being in the 20s and no desire to get cold, all the sudden these long procrastinated projects might come to completion. Before beginning the projects, taco soup assembled, made and now cooking. This truly is the time and temp for taco soup. 

It looks like all the work, at least the big things, has been completed on the houses across the street. Over the weekend all the ground was leveled and machinery moved. The one story home is under contract. 

For this coldish day I am all flannelled up. Flannel lined jeans, long sleeve t-shirt and a big thick sweatshirt. 🎵I'm all flannelled up...uuuuhmmm hmmmmm all flannelled up!🎵

Embellished Tales and New Members of the Feral Fam, Maybe

 If I hadn't earned my old lady papers yet, I surely earned them this morning. I had come downstairs to do a couple of things in the kitchen. Please don't faint. Anyway, I looked out the window and saw a young woman running on the gravel road. She didn't have on jogging clothes. Soon enough I could hear a hunting dog baying. Mr Mo was in the window making loud chirping sounds. Looked out the front window and there was the young lady trying to catch this dog. He had Fido treed in the firs between our house and Josh's. Good thing my flannels matched today. Have on jeans, my Baylor Christmas shirt and a Christmassy flannel shirt. Threw on my muck boots and my puffer vest, without brushing my hair or my teeth for that matter. Got a dish from The Garage on the Catmore Estate, put chicken cat food along with some dry food and headed toward the front yard. The dog was barking and running around and the young woman looked to be at her wits end as she begins apologizing for all the ruckus. I held out the bowl of food and Maggie, but I didn't know the dog's name at the time, came running towards me, friendly and ready for some grub. I grabbed her collar while Danielle made her way up the steps. We got a quick visit in. Her daughter just had a baby and the dog was Grandma's responsibility. She had been chasing Maggie for an hour and a half. I apologized for my appearance cause it is always good to let the young people know you know how you look so they don't have pity on you and then say bless your heart. Oh and see is the youngest grandma I have ever seen. 

I tried this serum last night on my hair. Yes, thinning hair is making my forehead seem to grow overnight. I remember Aunt Amy and while I loved her so much, I don't really want thinning hair and forehead to just stand out. So, you put it one and massage into your scalp. Then wait twenty minutes and wash your hair. I like the fragrance. You do this 2-3 times a week for the best results. I am awaiting those best results with just one application in.  

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Yes, I remember when we had to have our new router shipped to us. It finally came the next day after ordering. We walked five miles in snow to pick it up at the end of our driveway. We only had our electric lights for Roy to replace the new with the old. We ate pinto beans and cornbread to give us strength. This is when Little Orphan Annie came to our house to stay. To wash the cups and saucers and brush the crumbs away. And all us other children when the supper things was done, would sit around the fire and have the mostest fun. Listening to the witch tales that Annie told about and the goblins are gonna get cha if ya don't watch out. Well, I am working on my embellished story of living in the twentieth century for a couple of days before happily arriving back to the twenty first century. No time travel, wouldn't be possible anyway cause our Wi-Fi and internet not working or barely working. After hours on the phone and hours working on the replacement, we were back in business except we weren't. Something was still wrong. Back on the phone as well as ordering a new connector or cable or something...I didn't pay attention. That solved the buffering and outage problem. Speeds so fast, sugar plums were dancing in Roy's head. He was so excited after testing each TV and computer at the speed. In between our lives between centuries I was able to get the Amex payment scheduled. Also the auto ship delivery of Chewy. Whew! Taking care of those important things. 

This morning we were getting things in the ready position and that always takes so much energy. Doing those things you should have done several days ago, but well...things happening and...okay, I read, napped, played and shopped... Anyway, Roy got out the door with the stuff needing to be mailed. I got a roast started and paid the post office box rental. That was kind of weird. My account had been disabled so I did the next best thing, called the US Postal Service. After the fiasco from yesterday's cancelling our SiriusXM service in the truck, I wasn't going to do the text thing again. It was offered and I just said no. The PO got everything taken care of and I was happy to do the survey at the end of the call. This is what I loved, they give an option of what type of hold music you'd like to listen to. I picked holiday. It was rather nice. 

Well, I need to quit going into the kitchen. It is the number one place to have an accident in the home. I looked out the window and there, right in front of me is a kitten, about six weeks old, that looks like Blazey only the blaze on its face is opposite of his. I'm looking around to see if there are anymore. So far none. The baby was in the garage when I then went out there but quickly ran out. I can only think that Camo once again has abandoned a baby here, knowing it will be taken care of. She has been around a lot lately. She did this with Charlie several years ago. Before that she dropped off Strawyer and Punky. 

Thursday evening the lights flickered and then flickered again. Usually that is a sign that a tree has fallen on power lines or that a vehicle has hit a pole. Neither one of those were the case. A small plane landed on I-26 near the airport and burst into flames upon landing. Both people in the plane got out. On the way to landing though they took out a major power line. I read where the lights flickered far and wide in the area even up to Erwin TN. The freeway closed down of course and the time to reopen kept getting pushed out farther. We saw the traffic and knew we would not make it to Roy's doctor appointment on time. Called their office and made a U on 26 going the opposite direction. We headed for Troyer's. We had preordered Amish ground beef, no hormones or artificial feeding. We got there and the huge crowd had not arrived yet. We were able to do a little more shopping, other than the beef, without too much fuss. Roy got some muscadine apple cider. We got a sample taste. It tastes like communion juice. Got the Pennsylvania Christmas cookies and a few other things. You know, grocery shopping, you know the prices are higher but you don't pay too much attention to that cause it is just life but we haven't "shopped" Troyer's with the exception of ordering peaches in the summer. I really noticed the prices and how much they have gone up. Not unreasonable, but the Christmas cookies were $9.00 the last time I bought them and now they are $14.00. Their chex mix is also higher. I am not complaining just an insight into how much the prices of things increases without a blip on the radar. That didn't stop us from buying snacks.

I still have more to write but I will close out this post with this thought...the one kitten? I know more on that situation. This afternoon Camo sat and watched her three kittens play and play and play. A couple of the last liter of kittens were quite interested in these three. Their colors? Two Camo types and the black and white. Guess one of the fathers was the orange cat that we didn't know, who was hit crossing the street. Those two Camo types are most likely females. Roy said this morning Camo was playing out back with one of the tunnels, very unlike her, unless there are kittens involved. Dena said Camo knows where to spend Christmas, you get fed, warmth and beds in The Garage on the Catmore Estate and treats. Don't know about Christmas presents yet. 

Living Christmas, Cats and Slow Internet

 The fragrance of Christmas has over come the essence of sloppy joes, finally. Cranberries, slice orange, whole cloves and cinnamon sticks on a low heating setting penetrates the downstairs. It was so Christmassy, I ate two Christmas cookies. 

When will shoe and boot manufactures and makers realize there are women in this world who have big feet. Hi, my name is Nancy and I wear a size 12 shoe. Now I would really look silly if I wore a size 7. There would be numerous instances of toppling over which by its own right is a whole set of a-nother problem. Too late for me but now many carry size 11. I'll have to take the good attitude route and just say, well, I am saving money if they do not have cute boots or shoes in my size. The End. 

Our class will be having a Christmas party this Sunday, so I don't have to study for a lesson. I had great plans on getting projects taken care of but today, my body just wasn't having it. Before lunch, I told Roy I needed to lie down for a bit. Mr Mo and GMoey decided that was a good idea, thus joining me on the daybed. This fall and now turning to winter, the front bedroom is my retreat. I partially got the project desk cleared off, so I wasn't totally unproductive this morning. 

Since we have been going to Erwin at least once a month, something that I have noticed is this separate freezer just for frozen tea biscuits at the end of an aisle. Usually it is either empty or maybe not a good expiration date, but last week we hit paydirt and bought a package. This morning since we would be easing into the day, it seemed like a great idea to make a couple of those biscuits. Oh my goodness!!!! They are pretty dang good, although not as good as Roy's, but almost. I opted for sourwood honey on them. Our neighbor gave us a quart jar of this liquid gold from their bees and it is delicious! 

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We are back to living in the 20th century again with low wi-fi and internet problems. Roy has been on the phone with Spectrum. They called last night saying they had fixed the problem...uh no they haven't. 

This morning I got up briefly when Roy did and before falling back to sleep I saw a post from a friend asking about reading. How do you make time and other things you might do. I answered back before getting in that last little bit of sleep. Since 2020 and I know I have written about this before, I lost my ability to concentrate on anything much less reading. Someone would send a clip of something funny asking me to watch it. I couldn't my attention span was zero. I had really bad brain fog and I was fatigued. I blamed some of this on a new med that hadn't been adjusted for my particular requirements but I also thought it was somehow vaccine related. I tried to explain it to both of my doctors but they dismissed it as stress or most probably old age or something. There hasn't ever been a time when I didn't have at least two or three books going. Now, this didn't stop me from buying books thinking and hoping someday the interest would return. I do think the stress of Roy being robbed in Mobile and all that came with that contributed in 2021, but what I was dealing with happened way before that. My attention span or lack thereof probably cost a friendship. This year one of my favorite authors published a new book. So excited and ordered it. Sadly, I never finished it, because the F word was just about in every other sentence. I don't need to read that word or hear it cause I live in fear I might say the word especially at church if heard repeatedly. The book went into the Good Will box. Without going into more details of coming somewhat out of the funk, I tried reading for pleasure again. Hit and miss. I did read a book on Vivian Vance that held my attention but it helped that I'm a fan of I Love Lucy. Last night I picked up a novel and enjoyed it. I am looking forward to reading more this afternoon so there is a spark of joy in that. 

Once it gets above freezing I am heading out for a couple of errands. 

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I did run those errands to Burnsville and to Marshall. Had a great time enjoying the scenery and singing Christmas carols in the truck. Have to watch that though, I don't watch my speed when doing that but I did maintain. 

Looks like the little homes across the way are getting finished up. It seems odd to have them there yet it doesn't. 

The news came unexpectedly Monday evening that a friend from church in Houston had passed away. Our friendship mainly consisted of exchanging peculiarities based on far fetched ideas. Now that sounds strange, but we spent years talking about the bell covers I would create for her bells in the bell choir at church. We both knew that was never going to happen cause I don't sew but we arrived at outrageous designs. Then when she no longer rang bells we had to come up with other uses for my sewing and design ideas. Stalwart in  her faith and compassionate. Her husband passed away several months ago. They were a formable couple in life and at the church. 

We swept and cleaned The Garage on the Catmore Estate yesterday afternoon. Our guests are relatively neat but there are a few who ruin it for everyone else. They also figured out how to open one of the storage containers of dry food. We had to fix that. I pulled out a few Christmas things while we had their beds moved out. I can look at different decorations and remember the years of animal ornaments, angel emphasis, and my favorite wooden ornaments from Home Goods many years ago. We reopened to a small crowd last night but this morning everyone made it for the breakfast buffet. 

There is talk of Sunday evening becoming a rain, heavy rain turning into a snow event. Rain will be good cause we've been in a drought and snow, well snow would just be beautiful. 

We will have one of those stories that gets exaggerated in the re-telling. Roy has been on the phone with Spectrum the past week and a half due to our Wi-Fi and internet coverage either being totally out or spotty at best. Yesterday, between Roy and Spectrum, they found the router is bad. Router should be here today and we can live full time in the twenty first century. Roy was like MacGyver last night piecing this and that together to have a low output of gigs or whatever runs this whole thing. He was happy for TV. I needed to check the Chewy auto ship scheduled for next week. I happily read last night with the only background noise of thundering cat paws upstairs as the big chase was on.  Retelling this story will probably involve snow, candles, and whatever other hardship I can think of to enhance the hardship of slow internet speed. Nest up T-Mobile and the diminished bars.

Christmas Stories, Part 1 and Russian Tea

 Low hanging clouds across our mountain view this morning, completely covering our long range view. The layers are so artfully arranged and of course we know who the author of this scene is. Saturday started differently. Roy slept in. Last night he came home from a wild game of rummy with men from our church. He was a bit wired and happy that he came in third place. Since I could barely keep my eyes open, I encouraged him to take a sabbatical morning from his meeting. So, when I let the boys out of the bonus room, they were a bit surprised to be greeted by the waitress not the butler. We went downstairs, put out their food and turned on the coffee pot. Before my first cup of coffee I cleaned up throw up from GMoey. Ah, good morning! 

This morning not by searching but by chance, I have read several really good Christmas stories. People sharing their nostalgic stories as well as relatively modern ones. Lots of different traditions that come and go as children grow up. My mom still did Christmas stockings up until the time she forgot how to do them. She still bought us Christmas ornaments from their trips that had kind of become going to Branson twice a year. She made sugar cookies and gingerbread men for me, well the whole family and for my brother, his favorite cookie, peanut butter. Seems like the most tradition we had going was this, my father sabotaging any celebration but looking back it strictly came from his inside feelings of unrealistic expectations. Thus, we became the scapegoats. It rotated but I would think that most Christmases it was Roy and me. We can laugh now at some of his antics especially those Christmases of turning his big wingback chair to the corner to open his gifts. Didn't really matter much cause everything he was given would always be a disappointment. It didn't matter if we witnessed it or not. We only spent one Christmas with him after my mom passed away. We took him to our church and then out for lunch at a Chinese restaurant we loved. It took him totally by surprise, that he couldn't complain until much later sometime in January. Our home in Cinco Ranch was close by a lot of his old salesman stomping grounds, so we drove him around pointing out changes and such. He mentioned numerous times that Doug and I hated Sunday afternoon drives and mostly where we were driving that day were the very routes from long ago. He would stifle a laugh sitting smugly in our backseat and I tell you, I wanted to say something like, I still feel the same way having you in a car with us, but thankfully, the Lord gave me a way out of that temptation. It wasn't that he liked those drives, it was my mom. Her most famous line on any drive or vacation was, can we see it from the car? Mom, I totally get that sentiment now. I also wish I appreciated her request of taking Sunday afternoon drives. I totally get that now as well. 

Peggy always had great traditions when the grandchildren and nieces and nephews were very young. They made a birthday cake for Jesus. They also did the nativity scene and with the costumes from the crime closet, they transformed into sparky yet authentic Bible characters. Roy and I had a tradition, I put out all the Christmas decor, tree and ornaments. Roy put them all up. He has always been good with the tedious tasks. The first year we were married, we decided to buy a tree but we couldn't afford lights or ornaments. Someone gave us some cast off lights and I made ornaments from salt dough. Used cookie cutters to make them. Of all the ornaments I made, only two survived all these years, the two with our names and 1977 on them. One red and one green. Usually during the holidays Peggy and I would do several Mildred and Gertrude things for different church groups. 

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I will wrap up this post. Our chilly day is sunny with temps dropping again tonight. We didn't get any snow but I am sure somewhere there is some black ice. We just went above freezing, so that's good. Sunday was cloudy and rainy. Came home from church and ensconced myself in the front bedroom to nap and read. I made some sugar free Russian tea so that will taste good in the coming chilly days. 

Study, Play or Nap

 A great way to begin the week, hair cut and six month dentist appointment. It has been quite sometime that I haven't spent a majority of time in the dentist office. I think this is my fourth straight appointment without immediate concerns. Hmmm...I kind of like this. 

The higher elevations received snow overnight but we are at the elevation this is getting freezing drizzle, that is not sticking because the temps are above freezing. We opened up The Garage of the Catmore Estate yesterday evening. Tonight we are in the 20s but a good and gradual warmup begins tomorrow. GMoey has an appointment this afternoon with the vet. It might be time to take care of his stomatitis. 

We don't have snow but sleet is falling. No bleak mid winter song about sleet, but maybe there should be. We've had a couple of rounds of sleet and the sky right now looks like a snow sky. 

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I read a Christmas devo Sunday morning. Only it wasn't the one for the day assigned. I know that Christmas devos are building toward December 25th. The one I chose for this year goes through Epiphany. This particular devotion book is not so much inspirational nor is it comprised of teaching points. It is not the turning of a familiar quote by changing up word order and claiming it as the author's own. Nope, this is one of those kinds of devotions that stops you from what you are doing and meditate on the scripture as well as the author's thoughts and writings. I used a few of the thoughts in the lesson on Sunday, but I bogged down in it. The whole lesson felt bogged down and thus I quit on the way home in the car. That's the thing, what might have been for me wasn't really for a Sunday School lesson. It did not help that last week I read several good articles on dealing with a narcissist. Nothing really revealing from dealing with one so many years, yet it was. The author took time to go into the minutia of the deep emotional whys. It seems with all that reading the lesson accidently took a direction, using Psalm 107 that just wasn't right for Sunday. Thus, quitting on Sunday afternoon in the car on the way home from church. On Sunday, I will apologize and not pick up where I left off. We will go in a different direction. 

In the process of shutting down The Garage on the Catmore Estate last week, we took the time to do a little bit of sorting and such. The weird cot went to Good Will. I found boxes of Christmas stuff that I had forgotten all about. Last year I made the fake fireplace with candles and greenery of the fake sort. This year there are too many books to sort through and find a home for to mess with the fake fireplace. Somewhere out there are the little fake battery operated candle sticks for the window. No tree this year, neither fake nor real cause the immaturity of some of our household will not let us have one. Hopefully by next year maturity will set in. Buddy was not interested in Christmas trees one little bit. She might sleep under it but that was the extent of holiday spirit for her.

GMoey will have surgery in February to remove his teeth. His stomatitis has worsened, thus the extraction is necessary. For many reasons I am thankful for finding the Penny the talking cat reels on FB and then on YouTube. After being in a huge brain fog for over a year, with no attention span for watching or reading, those cute videos brought me out of the fog. Now along with that, Penny had to have her teeth extracted this year over the same thing. The vet who is doing the surgery has two cats at home with extracted teeth and says they are doing fine. At lunch today Roy and I rewatched the episode of the teeth extraction. Since the subject seems to be cats, I will say, had a scare today with Cha Nay Nay. On our area/neighborhood/rural community group on FB a pic of a calico cat on the side of the road, near us was posted. I went out to the garage and she was all curled into one of the cubbies we have for them out there. I was so glad to see her cause it was a very close likeness. 

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Roy's doctor appointment is rescheduled from today to next week. Since we were up we decided to take advantage of the Plus Sam's membership and go early. Wow, that makes the extra dollars so worth it. We consider from time to time dropping Costco but dang, I like Costco a lot. All the extra road construction in SC has deterred our trips. We made that quick Sam's run and returned home in about an hour and ten minutes. 

Think I got the mix up settled and fixed with my pass holder card for Biltmore. I went ahead and renewed because I got a better price. Was $299 then they marked it $229 but I got it for $139. I don't think Roy is renewing his. I did just in case someone comes to visit and spring is rather beautiful there. 

Well, off to study or play then study or nap, then study. Oh it's Friday, still have Saturday to study or play or nap..... 

  

December 1st, It's Christmas Time, Memories

 

December 1st, the Christmas countdown is moving toward us at warp speed. Never being a Star Trek fan I don't know why I used the vernacular from that show. Guess I mean, Christmas prep is gathering speed and soon those who schedule and plan will soon face the unpleasant fact that time is running short. Personally, I have done my part by not wearing anything festive, waiting until December. I must admit that festive for me these days is what Christmas t-shirt will I be wearing with a flannel shirt. Yes, I have pulled out the two flannel Christmas shirts and that only means black buffalo check and red buffalo check. Truthfully, if we really thought about it, why would we want to wear anything that is associated with a large animal? Especially when the holidays open up more opportunities for deliciousness. Desserts, extra sweet potato souffle and creamed corn. Odd choices I know, but during the holidays these prepared veggies are on the top of the consumption list. 

The past few days I have remembered Christmas Past. Another odd reference since I am not a Charles Dickens fan...please don't judge. I was wasting my time following Honey Boo Boo. Most Christmas's early on really aren't worth remembering except for the fact my mom was alive and even that some years my Grandma B spent time with us at Christmas. She and I shared my room when she came. I was not a good sleeper in childhood but I am happy to report, for the most part I am now. So, I would be awake when she came to bed. We would laugh, then she'd remind me I should be asleep and then we would laugh some more. Sometimes my mom would come in the room and playfully tell us, we should be asleep and then all of us laughed. Those are great nostalgia memories. If my Grandparents D came at Christmas, well it was on a whole nother level of stress. Not so much them but my father's intense dislike, read hatred, of his mother. I will give my father credit for this, we never knew as children he didn't like his parents. 

I also thought about Christmas as a grown up. Please be kind toward me with that statement. We owned a Mustang convertible in the mid 2000s and had such fun with it at Christmas. If our nieces were here we'd put the top down, go to Starbucks for hot chocky and drive around looking at Christmas lights. This was as close to riding around in a one horse open sleigh as one could get in Houston. A couple of years my friend from work and her daughters and I would do the same thing, ride around Houston looking at lights. Her daughter named it the Royal Ride and it truly was, Kings and a Monarch. My friend Dena and I for many years would do the River Oaks light shows but beforehand we would eat dinner somewhere nearby. I was with Dena when we discovered Scary Angel. That angel is a whole nother story but if you Google scary angel river oaks, my blog post from 2007 comes up if you'd like to learn more about that iconic, it isn't Christmas until I see Scary Angel, Christmas light tour. In 2016 the owner of the angel posted a comment about the angel, how they arrived at getting her and put her up every year because people expect to see her. She also noted they did some improvement work on her. They did, her face became less scary. Roy and I had a tradition after the Christmas Eve service at church we would drive around and look at the lights of Christmas. Post Oak Blvd was always on the map of our trips.  When we were young enough we did the Christmas Eve service at First Baptist that started at 11:00 pm. Then as we got older, the 7:00 pm service at St Martin's Episcopal fit our life styles and ability to stay awake schedule. Loved those services at St Martin's, the fragrance of Christmas mixed in with the fragrance of scotch and whiskey. At heart I have always been a liturgical girl and it provided memories for Roy growing up Catholic with kneeling and going to the front to receive communion. Yes, complete with wine. As a joke, the first year Roy was a deacon here and the discussion of Lord Supper prep was discussed, Roy jokingly asked what kind of wine was purchased. He said, you could have heard a pin drop until he explained his growing up years. Ah yes, it is always good to stump a Baptist. He is quite funny with it. 

Our neighbors above us have Christmas lights on their barn and house. Now that the leaves have fallen from the trees between us, it is a joy to see all those bright lights. Nancy was taking horse, uh leavings, to the compost pile yesterday when we were planting more tulip bulbs. Had a great time visiting and catching up. We see each other all summer but winter temps brings a little more solitude to the yards and pastures. She also gave us an invitation to help ourselves to the compost pile. Yahoo! Those tulips are going to be beautiful! 

We went to TN this morning, in the misty cold morning. Beautiful drive with a little wind but by the time we were returning the wind had died down. We were able to grab a quick lunch at Pals. If you can get in line before noon, that helps quite a bit. With the morning drizzle not too many were out looking at trees and such. 

It is kind of sad looking over toward Mary Joyce's house. Even though she had been suffering with dementia it was always comforting to see her outside with her little dog or sitting at her outdoor table with the umbrella. 

Well, the rest of the lesson needs to be finished so I better keep on moving. 

Hallmark Movie, Decaf Coffee, and The Boys

 I watched the Hallmark channel for the first time last night. A Biltmore Christmas premiered. Give me a documentary or some classic TV show and I'm a happy camper. Well, not really a camper so that would make null and void the happy camper reference, but y'all know what I mean. Let's just say, that is two hours I will never get back. I liked seeing the house, the Inn and other sights on the Estate and I like the idea of time travel, Somewhere in Time is a fav. I am too much of a realist to watch romance movies cause my brain just won't go there. Like, so the man comes to live with Lucy, not I Love Lucy, from 1947. My brain is saying, what about Social Security? He has been declared dead in 1947. How does she explain this guy all the sudden coming into her life? People will recognize him as the star cause he has not aged so what's with that. What if they break up, does he have to get that hour glass to go back or will he set out on a new adventure? Y'all it is too much. The newly acquired BFF on the tour...over the top and fake-ish type accent and although I have seen the type while on the Estate, it is just too much. I thought the best actor was the man that played the Biltmore employee. He seemed to be just what Biltmore would hire. It is always fun to see the Christmas lights at Biltmore and it was fun to watch for that reason. Dena and I would periodically text each other and now we are going to write a Biltmore screenplay based on our trips here. Roy started out thinking the same way I did, but he's a softy at heart so he was being overwhelmed with Biltmore, Christmas and love the longer he watched. He might have teared up a few times. Yes, he loves the Hallmark channel and movies. I mean have you ever had someone cut up a tomato to say I Love You on the top of your salad? Yes, I am a fortunate one. I really haven't talked with many who really liked the movie, but if you love Biltmore and love to see the Christmas decorations, it is worth the time. 

With temperatures dropping Roy has no interest in wearing shorts to go workout. He has sweatpants to wear over the shorts but he has all kinds of resistance bands, weights and the bike to keep his muscles strong. Wednesday morning the temps will be eighteen degrees and he is also letting the ASPCA know that he won't have any kitties to bring in. Yes, The Garage on the Catmore Estate is still open and this year Roy is not as ridged on rules for keeping the Catmore open. That's cause he has had a change of heart and loves The Feral Fam, especially Fido, more than he did last year. He might love them even more than me. 

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Colder type temps didn't keep me home as I set off on an adventure, well not really an adventure but fun nonetheless. Penland's in Marshall has new flannel shirts for women in stock. Saw pictures on FB and thought, yep, I be needing to make a trip over that way. I have so much fun walking around that store. So many neat things locally made as well as Carhartt clothing. So two shirts for me and one for Roy. Love going in and visiting with Georgette. I always come away with a new appreciation for the history and people of Madison County. I love learning things like this. Then over to Mars Hill for a few things. Got home and felt the welcome of Roy and The Feral Fam. I think Feral Fam was hoping for some treats and yes, they got some delicious treats. 

The day didn't start off right. When I got downstairs a hot cup of coffee was waiting for me. Took a sip and remarked how good it was and what flavor? Yes, we are flavored coffee drinkers. Roy said French Vanilla. Hmmm, the only French Vanilla we have is decaf...Ahhhhhhhhhhh! I had no early morning caffeine in me. I am much more pleasant in the mornings caffeinated than not. Quickly, we pulled out our JFG coffee, made another pot using the decaf as well. Things turned out alright, but crisis averted for a cranky Nancy all day long.  

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After a record breaking low temp yesterday, we are forecasted to be in normal temps today. We will finish planting tulips as well as put up some Christmas decorations. This week I have had two nights of interrupted sleep. That is kind of unusual these days. 

In the afternoons while studying, GMoey and Mr Mo have been joining me. They sleep and I study. Willie naps under the daybed. Yesterday, Mr Mo spent a lot of time in my lap, like he did when he was just a little kitten. The holiday season can make one sentimental and I remembered the day that Mama Cat took a swipe at him and ripped his bottom lip open. Successful surgery but he will always have a minute gap. He ran to me after that happened and as they say, the rest is history. Sometimes he is a big pain, finally experiencing peace he picks a fight with his cuzbros. I don't think he deals well that GMoey and Willie are bigger than him as he was the big one for a few months. Must be short man , I mean cat syndrome. 

This year it felt like October dragged on but November feels like a flash. Tomorrow December 1st. Pulled out Christmas and holiday clothes, which only means themed t-shirts and church clothes in the color scheme of Christmas. Not putting too many decorations out this year cause of The Boys. I know I keep writing that, but I am kind of trying to convince myself. 

Happy Belated Thanksgiving!

 We are truly easing into the day. Don't have anywhere we have to be, no appointments and no last minute shopping unless Roy needs an adrenalin rush. Me, not so much. We opened The Garage on the Catmore Estate yesterday. Windy, cold and rainy, The Feral Fam need a little extra shelter. Fido is not generous in his support of his family sharing his sacred space, but he is okay with it. The littlest ones seem to love it the most and Cha Nay Nay, she is sitting pretty on the cat tower waiting for any head rubs coming her way. After Willie's exasperation over being placed in the carrier for his appointment, Roy said Willie nearly slept through the appointment. Once he got home, he slept the remainder of the morning into the late afternoon. 

Saw a picture of the Christmas windows at Macy's in NYC. Reminded me of the windows at the downtown Foley's in Houston when I was a kiddo. We would go and walk around the outside taking in all the scenes, then we would go inside and stand in line to talk with Santa. Somewhere in the years the picture that was taken, our first Christmas in Houston, of Doug and I with Santa. Doug is clearly not happy sitting on Santa's lap, crying but I was telling Santa what I would like for him to bring on Christmas morning. As neighborhood grew and malls took the place of downtown shopping, we saw Santa at Meyerland Mall and Sharpstown Mall. As an adult my favorite Santa visit was in 2013 at The Inn on the Biltmore Estate.  

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Happy Thanksgiving Morning! It is a coolish morning. Roy has gone back to sleep after getting up rather early this morning. We will have Thanksgiving supper cooked by the fine people at Southern Porch. Kind of excited to try something new. 

And we did have that delicious supper. The drive over to Canton is always beautiful and it is at this time of year we can see the first house on top of a mountain we looked at back in 2014. When the leaves fall you can see the house. We were a tad early for pick up but we weren't the first to arrive a few minutes before 3:00. I hope they do this again next year because everything is quite tasty. 

I post two pics I took while waiting for Roy to pick up and added them to FB. Truly, we are thankful for quiet Thanksgivings after years and years of chaos, stress and the like. Any holiday or celebration while growing up and even into adulthood was sabotaged by my father. I think we all kept coming around because of my mom. He was always upset about something and if he couldn't trust that something would happen out of conversations, he would stir the pot. Lots of yelling and hurt feelings many years. Other years it was the silent treatment which was almost as good as having a wonderful Thanksgiving. The Thanksgiving in the rehab hospital in 2016 was not a good one either with measures beyond my control. The best part of that day was the occupational therapy person that day heard of the mix up with pain pills and the driving nature of the fill in physical therapist who wanted to look good in order to be considered full time. She did a lymphatic massage instead of the usual stuff and wow, it was an attitude changing event. 

While this is late getting posted, nonetheless, Happy Thanksgiving! Happy days of gratitude ahead and of course always in our hearts. 

Groceries, Rain and Mary Joyce

 Oh the bliss of this glorious thought, Roy loves to grocery shop. I am so happy to afford that privilege to him. Beginning in 2008 after all the heart stuff started, he did the shopping for us because for many, many months, I had no stamina. He liked doing it, nay I say, he loved doing the shopping. He is always so good to look for new things to try and even this morning, he brought home a strawberry muffin mix he thought I might like. He had been at a meeting Saturday morning with a group that assembles together at a grocery store. His friend teased him saying, your wife has you grocery shopping? Roy responded, let me get a cart. Roy was getting his Pepsi Zeros and he has been on the lookout for Biscuit Head biscuit mix. He talked to a manager and maybe soon he will be able to buy said biscuit mix that is advertised but not found in the store. 

I don't know if I have ever taught Mark 15. This past week while studying and knowing the difficulty of talking about the whole Pilate thing, with the religious leaders thing, soldier thing and the scattering of the disciples thing, I prayed a lot. Don't think I had ever noticed the translation of My God, my God, why have you forsaken me using abandoned me. Forsaken, not a word that touches me but abandon...well, that word ignites inside of me. And there it was, what the Lord led me to teach, not the excruciating physical pain of the cross but the emotions and knowledge of being abandoned by friends, strangers, those who should know better and could help, and even the women, who saw the death, burial and resurrection but sat there at a discreet distance, without hope and not understanding the resurrection. Of course His Father, as He was carrying all the weight of sin and the separation that it causes. The soldiers our of boredom in a mundane day to them, played the ancient game Kings, a board game, but used Jesus as a game piece, like the thimble in Monopoly. The sponge offered to Him on the cross...sponges were used as toilet paper back then. All this but I read a sentence from Barclays, "This is why He can understand our situation so well. That is why we need to never dear to go to Him when sin cuts us off from God. Because He has gone through it, he can help others who are going through it. There is not depth of human experience which Christ has not plumbed."

Yesterday in church, being in Acts 18, reading about Apollos, the pastor mentioned the enthusiasm or fervor that Apollos was known for in his preaching. The word fervor...in my addled ADD brain, I started thinking of blog post titles like Fervor in the Foyer, Victory in the Vestibule, Woohoo Welcome Center, Noise in the Narthex...well, you get the picture.  

I read Ann Lamott opinion in the Washington Post, only because she has the pay wall rescinded. She and I are the same age and her piece on being that age verses what we thought we knew at 33 is quite interesting. She made me think through a couple of things that should be bothering me now but they don't. Not because I have matured, well maybe, but mostly due to the fact, it is not that important to me and I need energy for other things, like gardening and such. 

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We are trying to act all normal this morning as not to tip off Willie that a Vet appointment is today. This morning in fact. He is asleep on the top of the cat tower which is much easier to get to than say under the bed. All the bedroom doors are shut upstairs to alleviate potential hiding spots. That entices GMoey and Mr Mo cause you know cats and closed doors, they want to go in and out a million times because the door is closed. ***Update*** Willie is in the carrier. I decided to go ahead and get it done cause two of us coming toward him would set off his cat Spidey sense. Willie, with the exception of play, keeps to himself mostly. He has started sitting next to us and wanting pets on his head a little more. Meanwhile GMoey is in my lap right now and has been sitting in my lap while I read in the afternoons. 

Much needed rain is covering most of the mountains this morning and hopefully that helps with the wildfires. 

JJill has not heavily invested in Christmas party clothes this year. Last year those styles dominated their winter catalogue. I told Roy at the time, this stuff will be on sale quickly cause it didn't seem like there was that much party stuff needed. Of course I live in a rural area and that is not to say we don't dress up, we do, but it isn't so much a requirement. 

My Advent and Epiphany book came yesterday, Radiant Birth. I'm excited to use it this year. The devos are done by different authors, many of them my favorite like Madeline L'Engle.  

My neighbor Mary Joyce passed away last week. She was 88 years old. When we first moved here she was glad we weren't loud young people. She loved the Feral Fam and also helped take care of them. I remember when she told me about finding Big Sissy Daddy and burying him. He was a kind cat and she was a kind friend to do that. We exchanged flower seeds as we both liked flowers. She loved that we had done with the side flowerbed and I was able to share with her the story of my grandmother and her best friend Ruthie, which has always inspired our side flowerbed. Mary Joyce reminded me of my grandmother. She didn't drive, she did her Toni treatment to her hair and once when she found some old hair dye, she decided not to waste it. She was a beautiful auburn headed lady for several months. Kind of shocked me cause she had silver white hair. When Mike the Mower Man didn't get here soon enough to her timing, she'd pull out an old push mower, just powered by Mary Joyce and cut her side yard. The past few years dementia took Mary Joyce away from us mentally. She would have loud conversations with all kinds of people who were mainly there to steal her money. Her daughter and husband live above her, a little ways up our hill. She would tell her daughter she heard people having s&x in the yard all night. I think it could have been the Feral Fam. I'll miss Mary Joyce this spring when it is time to emerge from staying inside. 

Good Comes From Delays of a Garbage Truck

 Roy caught two kittens yesterday for their field trip to the ASPCA. He is picking them up now. The cat, fix and release number diminishes each week and for this we are thankful. This is really a fun group and is second on my list of Feral Fam groups, HP's litter being my favorite. Now if we could get Cutie, that would be huge. ***update, we got a male and female in****

Yesterday was a monumental day for the contest CourtneyS and I have been playing for over ten years. I really don't know how long, but we compete for the first one to hear Merry Christmas Darling. Several years ago driving to Louisiana, I listened for MCD. Oh lots of Ray Conniff, Doris Day, Dinah Shore and Frankie, but no Carpenters. Roy and I were leaving for Sam's yesterday morning and as we got into the truck I said, this year will probably go to CourtneyS cause I'm not in the truck as much and we let the XM go on the Mustang. We were stuck behind a Waste Pro truck and no line of vision since we were at the top of a rise. Heard the chord...then Greeting cards have all been sent. Roy got my phone out for me and I called CourtneyS. She answered...noooooooooooo! It is officially Christmas now. 

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Ah Wednesday morning. Coolish and more trees are loosing leaves. Our neighbor texted this morning that an orange cat had met his demise on the road. He is not one of ours but from a colony down the road but Roy picked him up so we can give him a proper send off, although Roy said he had been dead for several hours. It is always sad but then relief overtakes because it wasn't one of ours that we claim. The orange cat is probably a distant relative. We thought that several months ago Blazey had succumbed to the road, but a couple of weeks ago, he showed up to grab a quick and I mean quick supper. He and Radley are mortal enemies but that is because of the whole tom cat thing as well as the pickings for females is slim to none. Fluff Mo dines the same way although the last few evenings both Radley and Fluff Mo have somewhat peacefully co-existed. Cha Nay Nay is trusting us a little more everyday. She came in the garage with Fido this morning. She didn't stay as long as Fido but I like that she knows we will let her out when she wants. She cannot get enough pets and scratchies from us. 

We are not considering putting up the tree this year. Willie would be too inclined to climb up every artificial limb. The decorations are ornaments my mom made for our tree a long time ago. They are cloth and I believe these too would be much too attractive to be left alone. With all the cat trees and such I don't even know if we would have room for a tree, so if I can find the little tree from two years ago, that can go up and not cause too much damage. My mom loved Christmas. She would get her tree up early every year just so she could sit nearby in a comfy chair and watch the lights. Happy, contented and if she was lucky, Kitty would take a long nap in her lap. 

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Well, I think it was seven years ago today I had bilateral knee replacements. A great decision. It came up in FB memories. It was a rough forty eight hours afterwards but once I got some blood in me and such, there was no looking back. Even the not motivated diagnosis from the hospital PT did me some good cause I got the best specialist at the rehab hospital over that missed diagnosis. I was having trouble with a floor nurse who did not want me to have that pain button machine and I have no clue why, but that got straightened out quickly once Roy came upon the scene and a call to the orthopedics' office by the pain management nurse. 

We went to TN on Friday, it is now Saturday. The trees even at the beginning of this dormant period are still spectacular. The road work isn't too bad with lanes being closed in both NC and TN. The past few days there has almost been a fragrance of spring mixed in with the favorite fragrance of fall. Almost too much for the senses. 

I have spent a lot of time this week on the lesson for Sunday. Lots of reading like always, but more contemplative. Roy has slowed down in his lessons and I think I am on the current quarterly schedule. Mark is hitting me differently than expected, just like John cause Luke hands down is my favorite. The way Mark writes, concise stories and not a lot of detail, it feels like all of the sudden we crash into Pilate and the ending of the beginning results. 

The sunrise this morning, golden. Beautiful. I best be on my way for the day.  

Dogs, Internet, Grief and Breakfast

 The morning has already provided excitement and it involves dogs. Early, early this morning I could hear dogs barking. Thought they might be above us at the horse farm, then it seemed the sound might be coming from around Josh's house. The barking was intermittent and we thought that Josh's dogs might have cornered a possum or something. When Roy went out to feed The Feral Fam, our neighbor Nancy was out there with a dog that had been part of a duet of sorts but the other dog had left. Anyway, between Josh, Roy, Nancy and me, we finally got the owner called and she came and picked up the dog. The other dog that left is hers as well but he had returned home. So throughout all of this, at one of the event facilities that seems to be cropping up around here, this weekend these two dogs plus another dog, pit bull, wrecked havoc in one of the houses used for wedding prep while the wedding was happening. I asked Roy if all the regular morning fam was in attendance for breakfast cause we've had dogs come through before and kill a few kittens. That's why we got the fence, oh and as well, decorative too. 

We arrived back into the twenty first century on Monday afternoon. Spectrum tech came, checked the signal and was able to get us reacquainted with all things internet and TV or streaming. We were kind of happy to make it back to the present and now. This week also had HVAC check up and we are set for the winter, heater-wise. Roy cleaned the water filter for the house while it is warm, so that is checked off the list as well. 

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The rain this morning is quite welcomed and it could even leave a bit more. Wild fires to the south and west of us, not close by and the fire fighters could use the extra help. Our grass could use some help as well. The frost and freeze stopped growing season for the tomatoes. We had a good veggie season this year. 

All week I have been reading and studying Mark 14. It is one of those chapters that should be approached reverently and aware of the sacred hollow ground. There is just so much in the chapter but I will narrow it down to one or two garden happenings.  Love reading everything and then pondering and meditating on meaning but with a short amount of time it is usually the words that I can get my brain around as well as my heart. 

Twelve years ago on November 8th, my mom passed into the arms of her Savior. A day doesn't go by that I think of her, but rejoicing we shall see one another again. So already with a tender heart I learned of a friend's passing on Monday. She, the sister of one of my best high school friends Marty, was away at college most of the time I was over at their house. When Roy and I joined HFBC, many years later, Vicky took the time to welcome us and help me get involved in activities. One of the first things she invited me to was the annual women's ministry retreat. Something I wouldn't normally go to unless some of my best friends were there as well and since we were new and no best friends at church, I reluctantly said yes but I told her no many, many times until I said yes. Great persuader. What a sacrifice to give up one of the four spaces in the hotel room to a moody, don't want to be here at all friend of her sister. I don't remember much of that Friday night and Saturday, but I do remember we had to dress up for the Friday night dinner. I came from work so I had on my business suit complete with Kathy Whitmire tie...if you know, you know. Don't remember who the speaker was, probably Marge Caldwell and some kind of evening extra was a fashion show. Ugh! Then we went back to our rooms and changed into comfortable clothes for the rest of the retreat. The hotel had an atrium and the next morning as I looked down to the main floor from the room, there was Beth Moore teaching aerobics to those who dared to get up early after going to bed late. At that time I thought, she should have taught the Word not aerobics. Her time was coming, paying those women retreat dues. I wish I could report that my heart was drastically changed and from then on I went to women's ministry events. I didn't. But, I will always be grateful to Beth for bringing in Bible study, not inspirational thoughts to these things and fashion shows and the like were ditched. Through the years Vicky and I served in various capacities at the church and while working there, she would come into my office for a chat or to blow off some steam. Oh yes, there can be a lot of steam blowing involved. Vicky's daughter, Catha, worked at church at the same time and we had lots of fun conversations as well, and maybe a few lunches. 

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I was just able to watch Vicky's memorial service on You Tube. Wow, every speaker and friend brought Vicky back to life in the stories and tributes. Thinking back to those long ago days of having to change cardiologists in Houston, Vicky gave me some wise advice that was tremendously helpful. 

With that tremendously helpful advice, hidden there in my mind, I had a cardiologist appointment. It is the every six month thing and I felt this appointment would be uneventful and it was. The PA reminded me he had seen me before the pandemic and I responded back, yes, I remembered him and I was happy that we both made it through. I was just about finished with the appointment before the original time scheduled. The good news is I am maintaining and haven't moved into the moderate portion of the diagnoses. I even weighed less, always a win. I've realized at my age they don't care about that too much. I also realized that the swelling in my feet and ankles is like a game where I am always trying to do better. They were rather shocked how much the swelling had reduced. Make it a game and fun, I always do better. Yesterday was misty and cool, overcast and I was anxious to get back home. I think the emotions and the grief from the week hit me once I parked the truck. I took a short nap and was in bed by 8:00 pm.  

Roy is helping fix breakfast at church this morning and bless him, he fixed eggs for us before he left. 

Roy left Fido in the garage so I better go check on him. Have a lovely Novembery day. 

Coming Back To The Twenty First Century

 The aroma of roast and veggies in the crock pot fills the downstairs with delicious goodness. It might be supper or it might be for lunch tomorrow. We shall see. Added some of the tomatoes from the garden so the taste will be extra special. 

Our plans for today did not include staying home but I had a bit of a sleepless night and a little flare up of the rash that has developed since the biopsy thing. It almost goes away and comes back with a vengeance. The prescription cream is helping and taking Benadryl is doing the job most of the time. 

The low today, twenty degrees. Wowsers! That is cold. The Garage at the Catmore Estate is full. All huddled up in the beds and makeshift places to keep kitties warm. Once it gets above freezing today, they will head outside and get the zoomies taken care of. This evening one of the little kittens let me pick her up. She was sitting on the steps by the door. We fed them outside tonight since it was a balmy 56 with sunshine. 

The last paragraph began in the morning and of course now it is evening. We have had internet or Wi-Fi problems all day. So we took a giant step back into the twentieth century and depended on books and chores to keep us moving all day long. I worked on this Sunday's lesson. All prophecy and as I tell the class, if it is prophetic I am pathetic. But after a lot of reading and research I believe a lesson can be taught that won't drag cause my brain doesn't get around a lot of these timeline things. Then, I discovered a lot of what we think is a sign of end times is just merely the first birth pangs. Each gospel has its own twists and turns. This chapter in Mark has the most red letters of any chapter in the book. I am always intrigued by the disciples and what they understood and what they didn't. So can identify. 

 Since I had that very early wake up, I took a bit of a nap this afternoon. As I laid back, after finagling part of the blanket from GMoey, my mind drifted off and that sleepy dreamy feeling took me back. I thought about my mother's brothers and families. We have totally lost touch with them and I think it has been well over fifty years since seeing any of the family. A couple of weeks ago in class, I told the story of my Aunt Mary. My Uncle Charles and she, married in 1961, this being the second marriage for both of them. My uncle's first wife had been sort of a glamour girl, but Aunt Mary? Never had I met such a woman, such a force and she scared the pewadlin out of me.  I first met her the summer between third and fourth grade while spending the summer with Grandma B. Her voice was gruff, her manner hurried. She didn't suffer fools lightly. I retreated to the couch with my face smashed into the back of it. I wouldn't turn around and had to be coerced to finally sit up to meet her but believe me I watched her every move. She was not a glamour or trophy wife. She was a machinist for Borg Warner, I think. She smoked, drank beer, and bowled in a league. I never knew any woman that did all that. She was rather short but walked halfway bent over, not due to back pain but she believed she was more aerodynamic that way and could get more things done. As each summer came and went, she didn't scare me, well as much. She wasn't anything like Aunt Joanne. She married my mom's twin brother. I think my father dated her a couple of times and then introduced my uncle to her. She was neat and proper. I knew enough not to speak until spoken to. She wasn't friendly or at least overtly friendly. She rarely came over to visit when our family was in town or I was there in the summer. One particular time I remember and my parents were there, that Doug and I were told to stay outside and play. Our presence would upset our Aunt Joanne. Later we found out that she and my Uncle had recently lost their first child an hour or so after he was born, our parents told us after the quick visit. They did have another child, a girl, but in my child mind, our aunt never was the same. Truthfully, she didn't have too far to go cause she wasn't very personable. Back to Aunt Mary, she being the total opposite of any family member. I told her story in class because this gruff, beer drinking aunt, did one of the kindest things ever. My cousin Lois had invited me to go to church camp with her, but her mom didn't believe I had the appropriate clothes for church camp. This news upset my mother something awful and truthfully, I didn't have long length shorts, at least not for a really strict church camp. Aunt Mary to the rescue. She took a day off, retrieved me from my grandma's and took me to the dime store. Back in the day dime stores had really cute clothes. Aunt Mary who was raised Catholic, but non practicing, no more knew about a Baptist camp than I knew brands of beer. She bought several outfits for camp including several peddle pusher pants now named capris, two casual dresses and then several short outfits for non camp wearing. We then headed over to the lunch counter and had a delicious dime store lunch. That whole time with her was such a delight. I never knew if Aunt Mary did this on her own or if my mom reimbursed her for the clothes. My aunt took good care of my grandma as well. Like so many, the gruff and rough ones can have a heart of gold. 

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I just came in from greeting the Feral Fam. Got them some treats and the number wanting some pets on the head are increasing. Cha Nay Nay, Fido and Beanie always are clamoring in but Coco, although close by, wouldn't let me pet her. One of the kittens let me pick her up both yesterday and today. Now that's progress.

Spectrum is coming on Monday to look at our signal. It has been really spotty if not horrible since yesterday. Wow, I had to read a book. No complaints there. I also got the lesson finished up for Sunday. So tech wise, we are getting closer to the twenty first century Wi-Fi but still living like the olden days. 

A Little Bit of This and That

 A photographer of the backroads in NC and Virginia has been in Kentucky. She took a few pictures and explained that these pictures would be considered more like vacation pictures not her usual professional ones. She added, those snapshots I didn't take are permanently etched in memories, to recall at any time. I really liked that thought and so many times, true. We cannot capture a time or memory in a photo, but oh the picture etched deep inside, priceless.

Today held a little bit of sentimentality. Roy watered his tomatoes for the last time this season. He still has green tomatoes and even a few blooms on several of his plants. Fido was out there with him as they made the rounds. Those tomatoes will be picked on Monday as our first freeze of the season happens between Tuesday and Wednesday night. Roy is already planning his next year garden and what veggie will he add to the tomatoes and bell peppers. 

This week as I have studied for Sunday, several of the stories crossing chapters 10 and 11 have had me in deep pondering and searching. Most of it will never make it into the lesson but as we pick up with the man in chapter 10 and James and John wanting to be placed in honored positions, without really knowing what they are asking, the triumphal entry, and the visits to the temple. When it all comes back to our hearts and what we are prone to do walking apart from the Lord or just thinking about ourselves...the spoiler, it is not good. I did have a humorous thought as I usually do while studying. The money changers were there because the types of money most would have wasn't allowed for purchases. Exchange. The priests or interns, I haven't a clue, tell people who have traveled a good distance for the holiday, their lamb or doves is not perfect, thus you have to purchase an approved animal or bird for said sacrifice, thus another exchange. Jesus stops the business, the tradition and ritual by clearing the temple of short cutters and those doing priestly duties, like always. This time, not exchange, but Jesus is bringing in, change. At the heart of the matter wasn't these he called, a den of robbers or thieves, but they had ensured the temple was no longer a house of prayer. Isaiah and Jeremiah wrote about this and Jesus quoted them and came to exchange the emptiness for the real, meaningful life, dare I write the abundant life. I am also realizing that the unexpected is fully in evidence but has to be explored. 

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Tuesday morning and Roy has taken one of the larger kittens to the ASPCA for life changing surgery. We are hoping he weighs enough. Last night, in preparation for the next few very brrrr cold nights, we let The Feral Fam in the garage. Have several places fixed up for them and this morning it looks like they took advantage of the added warmth. They will really need it tonight. We will be in the mid twenties. Yesterday, we weather proofed the faucets and got the rest of the dead flowers pulled up. The AC/heater man was to come here today for the winter tune up but they had to reschedule for next week. That has worked out better for us time-wise. 

Sunday night, 5th Sunday fellowship. Lots of delicious food that is for sure. Great conversations and laughs. 

The Garage at the Catmore Estate is booking up quickly. Two kittens, several bigger cats and our group that lets us pet them are enjoying the comfy confines of the garage. Fido was a bit jealous at first that the fam had been invited in but some personal attention by Roy made up for any slight that Fido felt.

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Roy has gone to pick up the cat from the ASPCA. Last night Roy went out to the garage to check on the kiddos for the night and Radley was eating his late dinner. The garage was his stomping grounds as a kitten and a young cat. His presence scares off a few so hopefully he just ate and ran. This morning everyone was ready for breakfast. It is pretty dang chilly out there. So glad they trust ( a few) and kind of trust us to know they will be taken care of. Yesterday, Roy told me the sweetest thing. A few times Roy has been asked to volunteer for things at church and he knows that it will put a bit of a strain on me if left with all the cat care duties. Many times he will tell the person who has asked him to participate that part of the no is due to the Feral Fam or The Boys. Someone once said, just forget about those cats. Roy then told me, I can't forget about the cats because I love you. I do it for you. Y'all, that just about melted me. Although, he favors a few of those Feral Fam and loves The Boys. I was doing good back in the day to take care of Buddy and my Feral Fam friends, and a few enemies. 

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Better wrap up for now. We punted on our original plans for the day. Hopefully, we will both get done what we have on our agendas of studying and Roy finishing up his homework for CBS.