Arrangements

Okay, so I didn't put the laptop up last night as planned and this morning I am compelled to sit and write for a few minutes before spending this last autumn day in the mountains. For the joy of the big picture of how much better I will feel and my prayer for the trickle down from this surgery is, I will feel less stress on my heart. Sometimes it is difficult to perceive the source, is it knees or heart that causes me consternation when I am out and about doing things. It is probably a combo thing and I am hoping with the rehabbing of my knees I will be able to work on functional fitness and feel stability and strength while traversing this beautiful land.

So the Ninevites keep coming to mind from last week's lesson in Jonah. Well, not so much them as God's mercy and timing. Brenda and I were talking about the lesson at lunch yesterday and in my Bible translation, the NLT, the word arranged is used multiple times. And it is used in reference to God, God arranged a great fish, God arranged for a leafy plant, God arranged for a worm, God arranged a scorching east wind.... Those words, God Arranged became as beloved to me as reading But God....  As per usual, the 2:00-3:00 am window of waking up and answering nature's call, went right on schedule last night or rather early this morning. I was so concentrating on not thinking about what I had to take care of today to finish up the to do list, that my mind was kind of like a blank canvas. As my head found my cool, soft pillow a thought plowed through the blank canvas I was trying to preserve and the thought was, look how easy it was for God to arrange but just how stressful, futile, time consuming, and chaotic it was when Jonah and then the ship crew tried to "arrange" life and the desired end result. Nothing....nothing came of it that is good, just frustration, confusion and hopelessness. Even in the arranging Jonah knew...the cause, he was the cause...  We are wont to try our hand at the future and timing of days but when God arranges...well, now, that is surely going to be the way. Even Jonah, the angry prophet, found rest under that shade until things didn't go the way he wanted it to. God arranged for the big fish but when it was time to let Jonah go to do His work, God ordered the fish to spit Jonah out on the beach.

This thought gave me great peace for the coming days. I can look at many times where God arranged...for my life....God arranged for Roy's life....God arranged for friends and family lives, and sometimes when I questioned the arrangement from God, I have always seen and known it was for His Good Pleasure. Like Jonah after being rescued I can get upset with the change in plans...Jonah did what God told him to do and then he saw that God wasn't going to destroy Ninevah but have mercy on the people because they repented and turned to the Lord.

You know I don't use Monablog to teach Bible studies or use it as a platform. Usually I don't just come right out and share things like this until I have meditated on it and given it time, but today, I felt compelled to write this, to give hope to someone who might need to know that God has everything arranged for you, stop trying to control circumstances that throws you into chaos. Rest in obedience and don't take the detour of the adventure of the "big fish." OK, now I am laughing because it seems like churches are a little too concerned about appearances these days....look the part, dress the part, be skinny, use lights and smoke in the service part, and all the presentation stuff we can get wrapped up in...and Jonah, probably didn't look the part when he went to Nineveh. Been in a big fish for three days has to be a tad rank...but then maybe his appearance, although not right in people's perceptions, was just the right arrangement from God to get the people's attention and then their response to repent and turn to the Lord. Nothing like some good old seaweed to complete the outfit or arrangement of the Lord.

For The Joy, For The Joy, For The Joy!

For the joy, for the joy, for the joy... My mantra today as things wrap up around here. There is a little room left in the back of the truck for a small bag and for the bushel of apples I will buy on Sunday to take to Roy. Got Dena's picture she bought loaded and wrapped in a moving blanket. The boxes Bill wrapped up and the huge wooden bullet is tucked in safe and secure. My two big suitcases and two five foot storage containers loaded and ready to roll. One winter coat...uh, for my return home and a few books I forgot to pack. Got my meds sorted and stored, jewelry I might be inclined to wear packed and socks and pants I bought for Roy...loaded a box of food in the back, crackers and such as well as what I had here of Buddy's treats. For the joy, for the joy, for the joy.

Today Brenda and I went to lunch at The Twisted Laurel. Yum! Then she took me to the Post Office and to CVS to pick up a prescription. We came back here and cleaned out my refrigerator and she went home with some good stuff. Of course I have eaten a lot of good stuff at her house or even delivered here at home. Brenda left, I loaded more into the truck and talked to Roy and to my brother Doug. Brenda called and she was bringing over supper to me. Delicious as I was just feeling a tad hungry.

Sometimes you just feel like God does something special for you. On our way into Weaverville, we saw a horse in a playful way, laid down on the ground and began scratching his back with the dirt. It was a beautiful sight to behold. Then this afternoon the air was filled with lady bugs, I mean really there were hundreds of them just around my driveway. They say when you see a lady bug it means good luck...well, seeing that many might just multiple that.

Doug and I continue our family mystery pursuit. I am thinking it would make a good book.

Well, I am closing this post down. Have a few things to do and then I will pack the laptop up as well. For the joy, for the joy....I keep telling myself that but I am really feeling so sad to leave for just a while this wonderful and beautiful land.

If You Made It This Far, Bless You!

Like sands in the hourglass, so are the days of our lives...a famous opening line for a long ago soap opera. I didn't watch it but loved General Hospital for years and years. My mom watched GH and early on she liked to watch The Edge of Night...it had a dramatic intro as well. So like these sands, the time is dwindling by for me to depart this land I love. Yesterday, after dropping SequishShawn at the dealership for his 5000 mile checkup and Vivian picking me up for a lovely breakfast at The Moose Cafe, I ran an errand at The Biltmore Estate. I hadn't been over there for a while and thought I would enjoy the drive around the estate and take in the color. First stop, The Barn Door which used to be called the Mercantile. The store now has Made in America products and products and art produced by local artists. Since I was there and it is time to renew my annual pass, I took care of that. I dropped into the Traditions shop for just a second. That used to be my favorite shop on the estate but it has dropped out of favor over the last year or so. I only think it is because I have changed. Basically, I am a tshirt and book girl, with folk art touches that has become a style I call rustic chic. More emphasis on the rustic, not the chic. I like that the decor of our Ander home is more playful in nature than to be impressive with taste, good taste. Do I still want backsplash in the kitchen, of course, but it is not a high priority. Am I thinking of changing a few things when I return, yep! It is the carrot I need dangling in front of me to rehab well and as quickly as well makes possible.

When I returned home yesterday afternoon, I came home to a wonderfully clean house. Jan came while I was out and about and worked her magic.

This morning I am easing into the day. I went to bed early but a dream or something woke me up...wide awake in the middle of the night. Then on cue I had the biggest cramp right above the back of my left knee...my hamstring. Those are so painful! It took a while for sleep to return.

Roy and I went over some insurance forms last night that had come in the mail along with some info about upcoming surgery. We got tickled about a few of the things and we both were thankful that the probability of a "depends" late night moment is probably less than with the hip. Thankful that the hospital is nearby and not a long drive on I 10.  Speaking of which the safety moment that Roy's company sent out today is titled Slips, Trips and Falls....a timely message for me to review. In fact I thought a lot about that yesterday as I cut across a patch of grass by the Outdoor Center at Biltmore. There was a day I would not have had to be so cautious and watchful with those constant reminders for my brain to talk to my feet.

Today as I work around here and then take some time to read or return to the blog or answer a text, I am deep in thought. This gift that Roy offered me has done the work it was intended to do. Just this summer my numbers and checkups were the best they have been in eight years...well except for a little weight gain. Darn you fall food of the mountains! The panic and rush of planning ahead for traffic and for slow downs is not an everyday occurrence here. Well, except for those Friday through Sundays on I 26 south of Asheville. The pace of life is slower and life and activities are so much closer. What was so important to me in Houston, isn't even a blip on the radar here, although sometimes when I see things from afar and with a different set of eyes, I'm worried for my friends...there is a lot of Kool Aid to be consumed if one is not careful. Presentation is a huge thing in Houston...right home, right decor, right church, right clothes, right stores, right mentality...and presentation is important here but it isn't obsessed over. In 2014 when we bought our home and began this journey, I knew there would be changes and some of them difficult but I also knew there would be changes that would be good and some of them easy. It is like the mountains were the glass slipper and my foot fits it to a T. These past few days I have committed to memory scenes and friends and produce stands. My love for produce stands jumped exponentially. Next year I am determined, as far as it depends on my part, to only make one trip back that way. It is time to move to doctors around here cause as Roy tells me weekly, my life is here, this is where I live...and I am here to be well. I am here for him and the exciting life we will share. It's kind of like I have gone to prepare a place for him here, but he better not rearrange the refrigerator again when he is here. That's a joke...kind of.

The recurring theme of my life has been since the age of sixteen, God has so graciously gifted me with wonderful friends. All this life, each stage and season, God has seen to it to bless me with friends. That has been true in Houston and it is true here in NC. I am enjoying the story unfolding here with friends, many of whom feel so much like family and I hope that they feel the same about me. I love learning new things about this place and I think I have brought something to the table too...only, we don't know what it is, yet. I have been dropped into friendships with some of the best bakers and cooks on this planet. Yum! And their influence is changing me...I fix dinner here almost every night and next year I want to learn how to can and put up stuff. I wanted to learn all these things this year but when I knew surgery was on the docket, I decided that all that learning could wait.

I was slowly learning this in Texas but here it has been the fast track, to experience life. To experience joy. To take in the scents and fragrances, learning that everything isn't a photo op to be carried around in my phone. There are places to go to and then share with my friends who come up this way to visit. There are places to eat and places to see and share with my friends who grew up and have always lived here places, I have discovered.

This is already too long and if you made it this far...bless you.

Sunday and Tuesday on a Wednesday

Ah Sabbath day, some rest, but some work needs to be taken care of. I am happy that LSU won last night because I knew I could not stay up and watch the game past halftime. When I awoke around 2:00 am, I checked the score and went happily back to sleep.

We were packed in Sunday School. Every chair was occupied. Great lesson on Jonah and I don't believe I ever realized before, we don't know how the story ends of Jonah, Did he choose to be angry and die or did he repent and keep on. I sat in Karon's chair today, in the corner, which reminds me that I broke my mother's heart when she realized I spent a majority of first grade in the corner because I talked a lot in class....with my neighboring classmates. I sure am going to miss the class. Today, I tried to once again take those mental pictures of people and scenes to get me through those rough days ahead.

I received a dinner, I mean supper invitation last night. Brenda asked me over and we enjoyed a delicious supper. Most of the day had been spent packing and going through things. I was able to put together the things I will need after surgery and with the temps remaining rather warm in Texas, I am packing for warm, cool and cold weather. Then of course books and magazines and things to keep me entertained and amused. Later this week I will gather up the things that Roy has asked me to bring for him and a few Buddy things too.
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Well, it is Tuesday morning and I'm finishing up breakfast. I would like to get some projects wrapped up today and it is looking very likely that they will be completed even though I am blogging before working.

Last Tuesday I saw spectacular colors in the mountains going toward Tennessee and I did a little of that drive once again on Sunday afternoon. I must have caught the peak day because on Sunday many of the trees no longer had any leaves remaining due to the fierce winds we had on Friday and Saturday. Yesterday, around the Waynesville area the leaves were brilliant with color, so probably by the end of the week around here in the lower elevations, the leaves will display such beauty.

Thinking through the coming months ahead and the hard work needed for a good recovery, I am also thinking that I have spent most of my life in constant pain from my knees. This painful journey began in high school, playing volleyball and not getting our knee pads each year until our first game of the season. The coach's flawed reasoning being, if we will dive and dig without knee pads in practice just think how much more we will with knee pads in games when it counts. No coach in their right mind would do that today. All through my young life I was out there playing volleyball or softball or tennis. As the years went by the pain increased, it changed the way I walked, it changed the way I sit and rise, it changed the way I sleep...it changed everything. Thankfully, along the way surgery and holistic methods have eased the pain somewhat to a whole lot but at the end of the day, it was still there, my constant friend, pain. I used way too many Advils when I played tennis and then when heart issues overtook knee pain, I could no longer take Advil and Tylenol didn't do a thing. So I endured and hoped. At the age of 54 I went to see a well known orthopedic surgeon hoping to have some relief but advised me to wait as long as possible before having knee replacements and he added he was taking my x-rays to a conference because I had the worst knees he had ever seen for a 54 year old. So here I am eight years later and I am tired of knee locks, knees giving way, pain when standing, pain if sitting too long...and as I heard so many times in this journey from those who have gone before, you'll know when it's time. It is time!

I do not want to leave here but the big picture helps me. Most of the books I am bringing with me are fiction and nonfiction that have to do with the this area to keep me motivated to get back here and echo the words of John Muir, "the mountains are calling and I must go. It is just not the mountains but friends who have become like family to me....uh good family because with my background sometimes family is not a compliment, but it is this time. Sunday morning in Sunday School, every chair was occupied and we even had a few absent. Our class is filled with loving, praying and encouraging women....who also are a whole lot of fun. What a blessing and joy to have found Newfound Baptist Church! It is with joy I anticipate coming back home here and serving these friends as well as serving with them.

But going back to Texas, as much as I don't want to, will be pleasant months spent in a very beige land. I say this after a good friend who lives in Atlanta visited us and she noticed just how beige Rancho De Five is...due to a very strict HOA. At the time I didn't see it...but overtime the beigeness came to overtake my view on this. But in Texas waiting for me is a hubby and kitty and friends far and near and it will be fun being there with them. In January when I am more mobile, I will go back to my Community Bible Study class and study Isaiah. In the words of Peggy when she had her knee replacement, she was going to become the biggest gym rat around. I echo those words as well.

Packing for Texas is packing for three seasons, which can all happen in a day. It will be in the 80's when I return. Then those famous loose clothing essentials for knee replacements wear about the house. I then have to think about post surgery when one can get out and about and then of course pack warm clothes for the two days of winter and for my return trip back home, where it will still be cool, right into the month of May...which I hope to be back way before that.

He's A Way Maker

Today old people writing checks at the grocery store and white trucks and cars have been the bane of my afternoon existence. After hearing from the cardiologist's office, I was free to roam about the country but really only needed to roam to the grocery store. Just as I pulled out of the garage, a light rain began and light rain is welcomed but a nice steady rain would be wonderful. I just needed a few things at the store but with Ingle's new improvements, it seems check writers and cashiers are not on the same page. So to make the time go by quicker, I decided to be helpful to the man behind me in line who was using a motorized cart, which as Monablog readers know are my second arch nemesis after minivans. I think checking out took longer than the whole shopping trip. So Ingle's has added to their take out options to compete with Publix which will be opening across the street. I tried the orange chicken today...not Fu Garden good but very tasty and will be a repeat. Anyway, on the trip to and from the grocery store, white trucks and one white car pulled out dangerously close in front of me. For a nano second, they moved up on the arch nemesis list and replaced minivans.

I love that Peggy brings her camera just about most places she goes. She gets great shots and perspectives. I only carry my phone with me, so many times the shots I want to capture just have to be captured in my heart and mind. Today was one of those days because the sky was winter gray, with creases of foreboding streaks of silver and black mixed throughout the sky. It is darker than when it looks like rain on the mountains, no it is winter sky announcing cold temps and wind. The wind is blowing rather hard and we are under a wind advisory until 6:00 pm. I'm taking pics of the changing leaves and foliage. Just the other day the red bud tree and plumb trees were in full green foliage. With the wind, those leafs have blown to the ground. It happens so quickly, especially the plumb trees.

This morning was spent in prayer and on the phone with doctor offices. My GP had already sent me an appointment time in my patient portal for my pre-surgery check up. She is either leaving the practice of medicine altogether or she is just leaving the Methodist Hospital System in late November. This was her first available appointment which is after joint camp but not too distanced. I also got the right person to talk to at the cardiologist. Funny, in July when I was there for my checkup, the receptionist and I talked about the yogurt she was eating. This same receptionist in the past has canceled appointments by mistake or taken messages and it has taken a lot of tenacity to finally get a call back. Before she put me on hold I told her I had tried some of the yogurt she was eating that day in July and thanked her for introducing me to that flavor. Do you know I got connected with the right person and without too much of a wait. Oh yogurt, what a great subject matter. I talked with the nurse who does clearance for surgery. She asked if my GP could do my EKG along with the lab work because that would expedite the process since there weren't any available appointments in my time frame. She also assured me if I needed an echo, those were not difficult to schedule. She called me back a little before noon to let me know she was faxing back an approved for surgery clearance to my orthopedist. Wow, what a difference 24 hours makes. Yesterday afternoon, I was reacting to the misunderstanding of my part in the process and felt ill and shaky. I went over to Vivian's just to visit and de-stress on her famous back porch and it did the trick. Then, I asked FB friends to pray for this situation and just like we learned in Sunday School a couple of weeks ago, I laid out all the papers and information just like Hezekiah did and handed it all over to the Lord. "For I cried out to him for help praising him as I spoke." Psalm 66:11

I'll touch base with the ortho doctor office on Monday or Tuesday. I'll continue to gather and pack things. I was talking to a Houston friend last night and I told her it is like I have to pack for three seasons, warm, cool and then prepare for a possible blast of cold. I'm packing for rehab and extended home time but also need to pack for before and then way after on surgery. I'm having trouble finding a couple of shirts I like, so I will search again.

Hopefully this next week will not hold the stress of these past few days and my adrenaline can be replenished. I had come to the point yesterday morning that if surgery had to be postponed, I was just fine with that, but so happy when the pieces fell together and God made a way when there seemed to be no way.

Before Another Day

This morning's sunrise was majestic and colorful. The golden beams of light were just kind of topping the trees while the rest of the sky found itself in hues of pink and fluffs of fog. I took a few pictures, began editing them and when my view returned to the sky, it was like when the fog comes rolling in, when the fog comes rolling in... Now the little valley in front of the house is filled with gray, cool fog, covering up familiar landmarks but it shouldn't be too long before it all clears off.

Yesterday Dani and Scott stopped in on their way into Asheville. It was so good to see them and to catch up. We had lunch at Stony Knob, took a quick drive into Marshall and then they needed to get on their way.

My brother has started me off on a mystery. He told me a family story I had never heard that surprised us both. With most of the ones who might know some facts of the story have gone on and the few remaining unable to remember details, there was a vast plain to cover to find any details. Late Tuesday evening I began researching, trying to find information without joining Ancestry...that's what I am trying to do for now because I want the free trial during my recovery. I was able to find a few things but the most exciting is we now have a name. My friend Kelly is the genealogy research expert and she is helping me find a few things because I have hit a dead end...literally...looking for an obit.

My plans for the day just changed and that is alright by me. Jan was coming by this morning to clean the house but due to an unforeseen change in her plans we have rescheduled for next week. That works well for me since company and visitors are gone and the house relatively clean, I can start working in earnest on packing and taking care of things on the to do list. I would love to have all that taken care of by the weekend so I can enjoy next week to the fullest.

I always enjoy my Texas friends stopping in but when they leave I am left with the realization that I am going back to hectic, chaos, frantic, crowded, beige, and flat Texas. Then I remember that right now Roy and Buddy are there and friends. More importantly, I know God is there. If I had half a chance to backout of knee replacements, I think I might take up the opportunity but it will be in the long run, after a time of pain and endurance, be the best.
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Now it is Friday morning. The temps have turned cool and crisp for the next several days. We got a miniscule amount of rain last night but every little bit helps. No fog rolling in, just low gray clouds that brighten the sunrise. I am waiting for doctor offices to open and get started on the day. I have to get clearance from my cardiologist and from my GP before I go to joint camp. I think we had a bit of miscommunication between me and the orthopedic's office. She told me in September it was all a go, so I thought it meant clearance but alas no. Yesterday, I was frantic with this news and prepared a bit to leave for Texas earlier than planned if I need to. Roy and I have prayed and we have asked friends to pray and agree with us. This morning I am more settled and prepared to postpone surgery if it gets too hectic. But I have asked the Lord to make clearance or timely appointments. I love how my FB friends have reminded me He has gone ahead of me.

Once again in Katy Roy has had to deal with smoke alarm issues. What is it about us that smoke alarms go off for no reason at all. It was the same alarm that had a compromised sensor that caused the problems. Once again, Roy had to call 911, because that is procedure. I asked him if they took his picture and phone number to put on the wall, do not respond to this guy and his smoke alarm sensors. Haha!

Well, I will wrap up this post before it goes into another day.

It's All How You Look At It

The colors of fall are popping right now. I took a little jaunt up to Tennessee and you jaunt on roads in higher elevations. I might be a little prejudice but the North Carolina colors seemed just a tad brighter than those in Tennessee. Before I could jaunt, I had to clean out the trash can because a sack full of garbage had been emptied into the can, sans the bag. So I had the fun and disgusting job of putting all the gunky trash by hand into the bag. The joy of coffee grounds, banana peels, apple cores, and such transferred back into the bag...let's just say I am glad I caught it before it got "ripe." Then I ran an errand for Bill that didn't go quite as smoothly as hoped, but errand completed, After that, I made a quick stop at Barnes and Noble and they had the magazine and several other fun things I had been looking for. I was finally able to head out on my jaunt and the colors of the trees were spectacular! It made up for the repugnant garbage can clean up. The produce stand I like over there in Tennessee is only open till tomorrow and then they are closing down for the season. Slim pickings there but I made another stop at a stand just a bit down the road and found some Arkansas Black apples that looked really good, so a few came home with me. I detoured home via Wolf Laurel and Mars Hill. The river road is so beautiful now, so that was the way I came home.

Well, I have put up the cushions from the firepit and chairs for the season. The tarp we used last year has seen better days, so that is another thing added to my list of to do's. I did get some leaves swept up and I took down the extra lights we had around the railing. The lights have seen better days too, so they will be thrown away. I have enjoyed watching the birds as I worked since they were oblivious to me until the last minute. I had a dove zeroing in on my head and it averted at the last second. Whew!

When I got home in March I put up a suitcase filled with winter things. I decided I could just take them out of the suitcase as I went along but now a lot of that stuff needs to come out of the suitcase, so it can go back in the suitcase. I have found the pants and jacket I have been searching for. Nancy, my sister in law, called me this yesterday to check in with me and to coordinate plans later in the year. She had her right knee replaced in December of last year and she is also a nurse. So, she was giving me a lot of helpful hints and questions for the doctor and staff at joint camp. She attended a camp before she had her surgery in Nashville.

Our friends Dani and Scott are nearby and will be stopping by on Wednesday. It will be so fun to visit with them and I think we are going to have lunch in Weaverville.

Roy is trying to get his CLE hours in for the year and has a great chance of getting his ethics hours in one sitting. He is trying to do all the in person seminars and that will leave online courses to finish out the hours he needs and he plans to do that while I am recovering.

The sunsets have been so beautiful of late. With all the clouds and the brilliant blue skies, combining as the sun sets below the mountains have made some picture worthy sets. Although, I haven't taken pictures of many, just trying to remember them for a time in the future when I am in flat, beige, rancho de five.

Doug and I talked yesterday and today. We are like detectives trying to figure out a family mystery.

So, back to normal around here, laundry and the like...

A Nap Is Calling And I Must Go

It's quiet here at the Ander House or The Red Roof Inn or even The Dew Drop Inn. Just the sound of the dishwasher and it's cycles disturb the tranquility. Peggy and crew left early for The Biltmore, Glad she woke me up, cause I might still be asleep. I got up and began getting ready for Sunday School and didn't plan to stay for church this day cause I be tired, but I am tired due to fun and laughter.

Bill and Peggy got in Thursday and John and Sherry on Friday. While Peggy and I worked on our Mildred and Gertrude lines, Bill went to the airport to pick them up. We tried to do a meet up at Sky Top Orchard, but three million of our best friends were already there and no one was surrendering a parking place... We flipped plans and headed over to Waynesville for lunch and then up to the Blue Ridge Parkway. I had made that drive on Wednesday just to check the color and wow, on Friday it seemed as if everything popped out overnight. This has been a late leaf change season due to drought and heat.  Saturday they went to Little Switzerland and several other places and returned home to gather up our things for the program, go over the lines and relax for a bit.

The Ladies Loving Laughter event was a hit! The tables were decorated beautifully in fall themes. The food was out of this world good and the desserts...they were from a galaxy far far away...dare I say they were heavenly? Our part of the program turned out well and we had a ton of fun and of course I just know my friends here learned all kinds of new ways to budget for the holidays and for ministry. Meanwhile, Roy had traveled to Baton Rouge to go to the LSU game. The President of his company offered him tickets that were really, really good! His friend that was to go with him had a last minute crisis and so Roy headed out by himself, early. He found parking which is hard to come by on game day and spent the afternoon on campus enjoying the festivities. His tickets were in the club, so he had complementary food and drink, which included ice cream. He was one happy LSU Tiger alumni. He had hotel reservations in Lafayette but with traffic closures and all those happy fans, he nearly had to go to Hammond before getting back to heading west. I talked with him this morning and he was so happy he went. I'm happy because he bought me a t-shirt and a LSU moleskin notebook. He just texted me he was at Buc-ees, so he is almost home.

We were sent home with to go portions from supper last night. Yum! I had tortilla soup and had the spice cake Brenda made. The tortilla soup recipe is the one I make and Judy W nailed it! It made for a very delicious lunch. I'm thinking of taking a nap here in a minute. Actually, it feels like my body is demanding me to take a nap. I keep seeing things I should do, so maybe that's why I need to close my eyes.

Mentally, I am checking things off the list that happen before I return to Texas. While I am checking off things, my mind is waging arguments against me because I'd rather stay here but I reason with it, with facts of the matter. Meanwhile, I'm trying my best to keep all things heart related in perspective so that I go into this next season as good as I can possibly get. Tuesday, I check in with the Orthopedic office to see what remains to take care of and get my last minute instructions before joint camp. I hope to rehab well and fast.

Sunday morning drives to church is one of my favorite drives, even though I go that way several times a week. On Sundays it seems there is something new and different to appreciate. Today the clouds veiled the mountains thinly, but you could see the outlines of the mountains coming through the mist. This morning I noticed the change in the trees and bushes in the backyard as we come closer and closer to the last days of fall colors and into the silvers and grays of winter.

Well, the nap is calling and I must go.

Tuesday Morning, Not The Store...The Actual Day

This is a total ease into the day kind of morning. Yesterday was busy and so much fun and I think I am a little overdrawn on my energy supply but it will get replenished. I would have been more overdrawn if it wasn't for fabulous friends who jump in to help, without me even asking. Vivian and Brenda to the rescue in so many ways and I am so thankful for them, not because they rescue me but the love and kindness that dwells deeply within their spirit and cannot help but overflow into other's lives. Just how God designed us to be.

Sunday afternoon Brenda came over to help me with cookies for Mildred and Gertrude. The tried and true way that Peggy and I have made them over the years has been using Pillsbury refrigerated sugar cookie dough. Guess Pillsbury has changed up the recipe a bit because tried and true did not work. All the cookies looked alike, a blob of various sizes. Oh my...Brenda went back to her home and brought the ingredients and recipe to make the cookies, because you know I didn't have half the stuff that was needed. We made the Nativity cookies out of her delicious Christmas cookie recipe.

Vivian knows that baking and cooking are not my best things and how overwhelmed I can feel with it all. She asked if she could make the salad for me and then offered to make the guacamole too. That kind gesture freed me up to finish up last minute cleaning details and to concentrate solely on the main dish...which turned out well, although my chili gravy was another story. Think I am giving up on it.

Sunday evening after Brenda left I sat here and cried, not sad tears but joyful tears. I am so thankful for being a recipient of such wonderful friends. I cried those same tears last night after everyone left. There were ten of us last night working on the cookies and we had a blast! Laughing and having fun. It reminded me of the time the BRD's helped us decorate cookies at one of our dinners that included a fried chicken cook off. I mean really, what a great combination.

Now things around here are quiet, but it won't be for long, the Bains and Bryants will be here at the end of the week. Thankfully, I have just a few little things to take care of for their visit...well, a grocery store trip which isn't a little thing but it will be easy. The temps are fallish and I will be heading out the door to enjoy some autumn scenes and temps. The leaves are very late this year in changing color but it is still so beautiful. Yesterday, I read Psalm 16 and it was just the right Psalm at the right time. "The land you have given me is a pleasant land. What a wonderful inheritance! I will bless the LORD who guides me; even at night my heart instructs me. I know the LORD is always with me. I will not be shaken, for He is right beside me."

Whirlwinds and Countdowns

It has been a whirlwind the past two days. I drove to Charlotte late Thursday afternoon to pick up Roy. His was a late flight so we had made reservations at the hotel and I am so glad we did because little did we know about Hurricane Matthew when we made these plans several months ago. The hotel and all of the ones surrounding it were full of people who evacuated from South Carolina. I read that most of Charleston is in Asheville. Roy's flight was a little early and the hotel bus picked him up and brought him to the hotel. We were up early Friday and made our way home to do the things Roy could do. We got a lot of outside stuff taken care of as well as a few indoor chores. We worked hard with little breaks and went to bed at 8:00 pm so that we could be up at 2:00 am to be on the road by 3:00 am. Buddy made the trip back with Roy so we had to get the chill pill down her, three tries, and get her situated in her travel bag. The trip to Charlotte had quite a good bit of rain but my drive back was easier because I was driving ahead of the worst of the weather. To keep my concentration on the road, I said both my lines and Gertrude's lines as practice. It be dark out on the roads.I contemplated driving through Granny's Biscuit House when I filled up SequishShawn but opted to come on home and have breakfast here. It seemed a little too empty and quiet when I came in the door.

So here it is a Saturday, with overcast skies. Perfect background for a reading day but work calls. I just have a few major things left to do and I needed to wait until Buddy left for Texas. I will get cracking on that stuff soon enough. I'm contemplating a short nap. My eyes are tired from early morning rising and heavy road concentration.

On Thursday I decided to make a Barnes and Noble run and a Whole Foods stop before heading on over to Charlotte by the way of Morganstown for dinner at the Cracker Barrel. Like always I waited till the last minute to pack as not to upset Buddy, but she caught me and I hurried the process and did something I have never done before, I forgot to pack undergarments, well undergarment. Me, the one who overpacks everything, forgot. And in the process of bringing the suitcase down the stairs I heard a noise, not an alarm so much as a warning sound. I wondered if it was coming from the neighbors or was it some kind of warning in the upstairs. I know this, I cannot leave until I know the origin of the sound. It kind of came and went and then it dawned on me, that maybe the sound was coming out of my suitcase. It was! In the clanging and banging of getting the suitcase down the stairs, something had hit the button on the electric toothbrush and it was the sound of it vibrating against different things causing the come and go sound. After our smoke alarm debacle, we are not people who should be trusted with buttons. Thankfully, I arrived at the hotel before dark and realized this was the most crowded I had ever seen it...and well, it was filled with people from South Carolina.

The animal kingdom is alive and well in our backyard. The small groundhog was out today eating the remains of a sunflower, squirrels, chipmunks and birds are plentiful. The wind has picked up quite a bit and it is truly making me wonderstruck watching those birds fly so quickly and turn on a dime in the air.

I have finally had the chance to clean off my desk this afternoon. Just need to dust. I have a script to look at and a book that is hard to put down. I have tons of stuff to do upstairs, but I'm not quite ready to get that busy.

I'm Nancy Mon and I Approve This Message...on Pollentics

Oh October 5th, you are such a beautiful morning! Our little cool snap has sent the hummingbirds on their migration, so the hummingbird feeder will be taken down, cleaned and put up today. Mike the mower man must have fixed his lawnmower because when I returned home yesterday, the grass had been cut and the weeds, weed eated.

Got the nicest surprise last night! I was reading and the phone rang. Thought it would be Roy cause it is the normal commute time phone call. It was Lisa P. We text all the time but it has been a couple of weeks since we talked. Two and a half hours later, we had covered all the bases, even though the Astros didn't make the playoffs. What a nice way to spend an early part of the evening catching up with and making plans with Lisa P. I have about a week and a half to play before my surgery. There is Mexican food to be consumed and fun to be had.

Yesterday was also fun because we did the extendomatic birthday celebration for Gale, Sunday School teacher extraordinaire! Brenda and I met Gale and Judy at the Ingle's parking lot and headed over to The Blue Rooster for an early lunch. It was Gale's and Judy's first visit and they liked no loved it. We were able to sit in Laura's section, so that made lunch even more fun. We were kind of on a schedule so we had time to pick one place to go after lunch and we kept in mind there was road work on I 40 going back into Asheville that had traffic backed up for miles. We chose the Main Street Mercantile because they have such cute things and because it is right off NC 276 which is the backway to get home. Yes, I felt just like a local cause I knew how to get us back without using the freeway. The Main Street Mercantile was a hit too.

Roy has this new obsession with smells, fragrances, and mostly pollen. He has never been sensitive before and just kind of breezed through life without even noticing smells, fragrances and mostly pollen. Occasionally, he would have a reaction to perfume I wore and even one time as I tried out a new fragrance from a sample, he reacted with the words, "what stinks?" when I came to bed. Yea, all that sweet talk from Roy will get you every time. I think this sensitivity to smells obsession began in 2014 when we looked at a house in Canton and our real estate agent Brian drove us past the papermill there. That put the kibosh on that house, even though I don't think we were that interested in it. The compelling factor of the house was the fact the older couple selling had put in many upgrades when they built and the market could not absorb those costs. You were getting a lot of bang for your buck but there was that papermill close by in Canton. In this season of politics and the mendacity of the candidates, I am going to be more concerned with Roy's obsession and be interested in pollentics. Instead of dismissing his concerns for pollen in the house, I am going to be a representative of the house and support this war on pollen. He swears he can perceive pollen at micro measurements. He is constantly washing blankets and such because a bit of pollen dropped off him when he came into the house after riding his bike. We have air purifiers and Katy has a dehumidifier as well. No longer do cheap air filters do the job, we have upgraded to allergen catching filters. I am training myself to never mention smells, fragrances or mostly pollen in Roy's company because it sets off his sensitizer and we are into the land of pollentics before you know it. When we returned to Katy this summer and the fire alarms were sounding off the warning in our home, he smelled fire, he smelled something burning and when the fire dept showed up and did the search, it was a sensor in one of the alarms that had gone bad. Pollentics will do that to you...make you believe something that isn't really there. I will have to put my foot down if he decides to turn the laundry room into a decontamination unit, I'm thinking of something out Monsters Inc. So look out mold spores, oak pollen, ragweed, and tree pollen.  Look out leaf mold. We are on point! We are on march! Our goal in pollentics is to wipe out all allergens and the lingering effects for now and for later generations. Cleaner air for cleaner homes, a chicken in every pot and an air purifier in every home. No more Febreze use. Glade will be used only as a scenic description of trees. I'm Nancy Mon and I approve this message.

In A Minute....Soon...OK, Now

Greetings October! You're my favorite month of the year. Seems like we have turned a corner temperature wise and with nights in the 40's it makes for great weather. With such a beautiful day I had to get out and take in the sights around these parts. And as a treat I ordered gas station pizza for lunch. Now I feel a nap calling out to me but I will try and resist the urge to give in.

Slowly but surely I am crossing off things on my to do list. Most everything is just some little thing but I have procrastinated on taking care of them.
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Well, greetings on Monday morning. It is a cool morning with temps warming up to 77 today. Not too bad. The birds in the back are singing and I do believe this little cool snap made the reluctant hummingbirds move along in migration. Haven't seen them in the past few days after being a constant resident on the welcome sign shepherd hook.

Last weekend not fun football, this weekend, fun football cause all the teams we like won. Baylor in an unusual fashion and LSU in a bold statement. Texans barely squeaked by. I only got to watch LSU and followed Twitter for the rest.

My friend Geni H wrote something to me on FB yesterday that has had me pondering and giving thanks since reading it. She said, "I love your life." I responded back, I love it too. I take the garbage down to the road in the truck and after safely depositing the bag I took a little drive around our area. Got to see the cows from across the way up close and there was a huge group of turkeys down the way. I said hi to the camels, elk, and watusi and then I was treated to a gorgeous display of the sun breaking through the clouds over the mountains. In city slicker terms all these things are around the block from us, although they are very hilly and long blocks, nevertheless, so enjoyable to take in.  I love my church and especially my Sunday School class. I did not sit in my usual seat for two reasons, I wanted to sit by my friend Gwen and I wanted to have a different perspective. Gale, our teacher, was on a much anticipated birthday trip with her daughters and Judy did a fabulous job just like always. We are breezing through Isaiah after being in I and II Kings for several weeks. I have never been a fan of quarterlies in the past but these now are really good.

I have stopped over at Vivian's and made a trip to The Fresh Market. Mike the Mower Man was working on his mower and will be back tomorrow. I had lunch and now I am procrastinating getting back to work around here. I'm wondering why candy corn tastes especially good in the fall?

The leaves are turning more colorful as they days go by. Such beauty and a few wildflowers are holding on probably until the first frost. Such a wonderful time of the year. But even in the most wonderful, colorful time of year, I need to clean the house. So...off I go...in a minute...soon...ok, now.

I Say Sir, I Do Believe Fall Has Arrived

When I woke up this morning, pre 8:00 am thank you very much, the temp was a chilly 48 degrees outside. As I am wont to do, I could have risen with the very popular song from the musical Oklahoma on my lips, "Oh what a beautiful morning..." I made the orange cinnamon vanilla coffee I bought yesterday and Buddy just released me from lap nap duty. The coffee is delicious and I should have made orange cinnamon rolls to go along with it but just the coffee is fine. This beautiful morning is also my first sweatshirt wearing of the season...sweatshirts are the new robe.

Yesterday, I decided to get out, run errands and take in the ever changing scenery of my favorite drives. Trees are getting ready for their vibrant fall catwalk. Last year and now this year, I read the articles of the hows and whys of changing color...but I don't retain that knowledge, but I do remember the scenery and the views from the mountains to the prairie  I mean porch, from the car. Also it was good to do this before the October rush of tourists...notice how I have gone all local...you know after being a tourist for about twelve years. In all those twelve years we never did an October visit.

I think Buddy has gone to a pre-winter mode. She is back to sleeping in the front window where the sun is bright and the sleeping is warm. It is too hot in the summer time for that particular perch. She spent some of her nap time in lap time with me. I have to make sure before I sit down and she was waiting for me in my chair this morning, to have my cup of coffee in hand. We read Proverbs 3 together and I think I got more out of it than she did...but you know the Word doesn't return void. A couple of weeks ago I read that verse in Ephesians to hold tightly to what is good. In Proverbs 3 I read hold onto wisdom tightly... that seems like a good combination to traverse this life. Sometimes we hold on tightly to things that really don't matter, so there isn't enough grip strength to hold onto good and wisdom or maybe it's not having room to hold onto what is truly needed.

Yesterday, I found myself in a craft store which is not one of my usual spots but that is where one goes to purchase a glue gun. Who knew there were all different kinds and sizes of glue to run through the gun? I do think in most of my craft store trips, some crafters do not know the eighteen inch personal space rule. It didn't matter what aisle I found myself on, people were just a little too close for my comfort. Maybe they thought I had discovered something that they had overlooked or it could be the aisles aren't very wide and a lot of them loaded with free standing displays and that cuts down maneuverability.

I had an interesting conversation with a waitress yesterday. The peak time had long passed and just a few of us stragglers were having a late lunch. Somehow our conversation turned toward friendship and her story. This lady works a lot to help keep her family supplied with food and shelter. She rarely has a day off or time to spare but she told me that she and her friend will meet for coffee early on Saturday mornings. The setting for their conversations over coffee is a picnic table that has a view both of nature and of ordinary life. She related how just that short bit of time buoys her spirit and attitude each week and makes the load a little easier and the time gives her a bit of fun. I asked if they texted during the rest of the week and the answer was rarely. We also visited about the two ladies who work at the orchard usually in the bakery part. In 2014 the local paper wrote a story about their friendship. I love being there when they are working and it is a delight to eavesdrop on their conversations while helping customers. I was there once when they discussed lunch. One of them had gone on an errand and told the other one she might bring back lunch. Well, lunch came and went so the friend still at work had an apple muffin so she could take her meds. Her friend showed up with KFC and that chicken dinner was a prized lunch for sure. Funny, how they gave each other a difficult time about whether or not lunch was coming and the drastic measure of eating a muffin...for meds and they laughed as they each took a bite of chicken and then began to ring up the customers.

New bit of knowledge, woodchucks, sometimes known as groundhogs, can run really fast. Ah life here in the country and the mountains.

Make It Stop- A Short Lived Rant

Please know this blog post is a bit tongue in cheek, with mild frustration and some throwing hands up to surrender because it is just too much.

This morning I awoke at 7:48 am after a fitful night of sleep. My brain is on overload and I try not to think at night about everything coming up and all that needs to be done. Most of it is mindless ordinary stuff but it is the amount of that mindless ordinary stuff that is keeping me awake throughout the night. It's like a math problem...Nancy has so much energy to get these things accomplished..how does she divide the time and energy so that the train arrives in Seattle at 6:37 pm? Add to the mix knowing how I need to enter pre-surgery to be in the best possible health so that my body can endure five to six hours of surgery. Everyone's concern is my heart being able to take that amount of time being under anesthesia. That means I need to control, haha, what I can to keep me from going into afib in the here and now. To help me not have a major episode, I have new meds...to add to the mix of meds that already slow me down considerably... Just to remind me of why I do so well and be able to do what I do because I stay in the parameters set for me and rarely venture past the line, I had a minor panic attack on Saturday while visiting the lovely alpacas. No one would be able to discern that I was having one but my momentary goal in life was to get to the truck, sit in some cool A/C and calm down. It has been a while since I have had one and I used to experience them mainly in Macy's or on the way back from Macy's walking to the Nord in The Galleria. Alpacas and shopping, who knew? No, and I am not going to go into detail but anyone who has dealt with major heart episodes knows exactly what I am writing about. For the past few weeks I have been having conversations in my mind that I probably will never have but I think I should because I need to be prepared and not caught unawares, you know just in case.

So, this morning Roy calls a little before 8:00 am to ask my opinion on something and once I have helped him with his thing, he gives me a difficult time that I have nearly slept till 8:00 am in the morning! I mean, I don't have anyplace I have to be, why not sleep till 8:00? He asks me is it Buddy? Are you worried about anything? Are you thinking too much? What is your caffeine intake? Are you eating properly? He is the quiz master! Getting a talkin' to at such an early hour does not set the day's attitude to calm.

And so this morning as I have sat here, reading, and trying to get a handle on my attitude I realize it is too much! To add to real life concerns there are lectures on social media about who to vote for or how could you vote for. So many people are unhappy with the state of their worlds and taking measures that hurt and harm others, believing this will right their personal world. The church world is snapping at each other...over voting or liturgical matters or submission or forgiveness and what does that forgiveness look like? Former pastors who crossed a line and are negotiating their way back with spin and a narrative to make the path of return without perils or loss for them. For weeks conferences or events are publicized on social media and then there is hardly a follow up worthy of the weeks of bombardment to report how it turned out and what good came out of the time. And I am a t-shirt kind of girl, own way too many and t-shirts would be considered a part of my love language, but come on does every new initiative or theme have to come with a t-shirt and then corresponding accessories that can be purchased to continue the theme?
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OK,yesterday was a tough mental and emotional day. Pet peeves, real peeves and peeves of the moment kind of took control. Even in the "make it stop" mood yesterday, I believed good would come out of the day. I was not disappointed. Gwen and Harold stopped by on their way to his chemo for a quick moment. If I had gotten started on the day as I had planned, I wouldn't have been home and would have missed their visit. Then later in the day when Roy and I talked once again, he shared he was asking about the 8:00 am wake up because he is concerned that I am not getting enough rest and sleep. It is unusual for me not to fall asleep the moment my head hits the pillow but I do remember a time in high school and college where I went through this insomnia thing. Maybe I am becoming like a teenager again. As for the bombardment of opinions and issues on social media, well..that isn't going away anytime soon and I tried today to just look at the cute pictures and read interesting articles that don't have a thing to do with well...everything.

I'm in no way copping out but yesterday was just one of those days that comes to all of us every once in a while...where it all starts getting to you. Today, I saw one of those experiences from the Andy Griffith show happen right in front of me. I stopped in at one of my favorite places to eat to grab a veggie plate. The hostess was seating another party and the family behind me were a bundle of nerves and impatience. They had never eaten at the restaurant and kept asking me if I knew for sure you waited to be seated. Yep. The family was seated a few places away from my table and their impatience and their voices could be heard all over the room. The waitress was trying to be as accommodating as possible in suggesting what was a "fast"and good. She tried to explain the specials or other fast items and finally after the man's belligerence, she calmly asked where they were from, not the south, and then explained that in the south sometimes people and things and services are a little slower because it is worth the time to stop and pause for a bit. That seemed to quiet them down. It also was a good reminder to me, to keep noticing and enjoying the moment instead of projecting myself into what the near future holds.

Flowidity and Fluidity

It is a hazy morning, not quite foggy, not quite overcast, not quiet sunny but for not quite, it sure is quite pretty. The forecast calls for rain later and we surely do need the rain. Even after a year and a half of living here, the rapid rate of evaporation still baffles and surprises me. It mainly affects the efforts of keeping the birds hydrated. This week's forecast is also calling for cooler temps which means we will be more into the seasonal temps that are normal instead of these higher temps of late.

The news of Les Miles being fired broke yesterday afternoon. While it seems changes need to be made at LSU, it is sad how it had to come about. From all I have read the flaw of he and Cam Cameron not adapting to the changing offenses used today became their downfall and the ills of the lack of offense but he produced winning defenses. He dug in his heels. I will miss his witty comments and his quirkiness. He seemed to be a good man. All kinds of rumors are out there who LSU will tap for the next head coach. I had to break the news to Roy. He is kind of on a news fast as well as a football fast. He was surprised to hear that LSU had pulled the trigger only after four games, but he seemed to expect it happening at the end of the season. Art Briles as a candidate is being batted around. Whew! Can you imagine the offense under his tutelage?

I watched a few snippets of comedy from some of the greats in their time and then I saw snippets of some of those greats in now time and it was difficult to watch. They would deteriorate into doing things that used to bring them laughs. The laughter produced from their antics now sounded more like a nervous laughter...from the audience. Like sympathetic laughter because the comedian doesn't seem to know what to do. I have admired Steve Martin at how he has maneuvered through the times. You don't see him doing, "Well excuse me!" unless it is some parody of making fun of himself and the schtick that made him famous.

Even though the comparison is flawed, both Les and the comedians of former glory have dug in their heels to resist change. Football is football and funny is funny but it is true that change is change and one must stay fluid to stay current, if that is important to one's livelihood or influence.

I was flipping channels Saturday night between the LSU game and TCM. The movie With Six You Get Eggrolls was on, which was the last major movie Doris Day did. At the end of the movie, there is commentary or facts about the movie that might not have been known. Doris Day wanted to keep acting in light of what had made her famous, she had a tried and true vehicle that brought her fame...only the younger audience didn't identify with it. There were scenes trying to give a take on modern life complete with hippies. The commentary also stated that the same year Yours, Mine and Ours had been released and had done fairly well, now this Doris Day movie felt also ran and warmed over. Doris realized she was not in touch with modern film making and she retired.

I have always admired how Beth Moore has remained fluid and current. I will always love her for taking the majority emphasis of women's ministry from fashion shows, teas, banquets and an inspirational message to bringing women to  the Word of God and the in depth study Bible study. There is a memory that I think of often. I was talked into attending a women's retreat at church way, way back in the day. I didn't want to go, I barely knew the women I was rooming with. On Friday night we had to get all dressed up for dinner and the program, which I believe included a fashion show and then we changed into regular relaxing clothes for the rest of the retreat. The hotel we were in had an atrium and I remember looking out the window that early Saturday morning onto the atrium and watching Beth Moore lead a few early risers in aerobics. I thought to myself, I wish they had her speaking instead of leading aerobics. I respect how she handles her speaking schedule and wanting to not always stay around in the Bible Belt. She has subtracted things from her schedule that has only brought more freedom for her and a greater expansion of her Bible teaching to others.

Reading FB and Twitter, yes I have Instagram but rarely, if never used it, the interesting thread is older ministers, both male and female, working it...hard...to be relevant...with it..worth reading. I love Liz Curtis Higgs' presence on social media is well done and true to who she is. Others are trying, overly trying to say things to be retweeted and liked. I'm talking about nationally known, been around people who have to desperately hold onto relevance.

So, I am the first to admit I am not as fluid as I wish I were and there are sometimes when I think it would be so much easier if we could go back to the day when you knew you were the age of wearing short waist dresses, kind of like Aunt Bea. But, then that wouldn't make me happy and I don't know that it would make anyone happy. The freedom to choose and to wear is so much better now.

We are ending the day with rain which is so welcomed. I got caught in it while running a couple of errands but it turned out well because Judy and I went back over for a taste test at Vivian's. Her chocolate cake was like the Nord's....maybe even better. I did get to catch the rhythm of the rain on our new metal roof...nearly put me to sleep but alas I stayed awake to fix some dinner. Hopefully, it will rain some more tonight.

A Little Friday and Saturday

The long and winding road that leads to my door....Okay, the road isn't long or winding but it is steep and exhausting. I just got back from a trip down to the mailbox. We have little important mail delivered here but sometimes when Amazon uses USPS and if the package is small enough, the scary mailman leaves it in our mailbox, with the door open so we and all who pass by know we've got mail. Amazon texted to let me know the package had been delivered and it had been left in the box. As I have been making more trips up and down our road, it is getting easier to traverse and it is easier if one follows the slopes that aren't as steep and are easier to maneuver.

The calfs that would be considered teenagers in human terms looked to be creating quite a ruckus across the way. There was a lot of running and head butting and taking of sides. It was amusing to watch and quite entertaining. In fact, I grabbed the binoculars to get a much better ring side seat.
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Well, we all know what the asterisks mean...its another day. Saturday afternoon to be exact. I got out about this morning to visit Jazzy Alpaca Ranch, just a short jaunt away from our home. I love that in a ten minute time radius I can see cows, horses, alpacas, elk, bison, camels and watusi. And yes, even chickens. Jazzy had an open ranch, rather than an open house to come and see their alpacas. The owners are jazz musicians who retired from traveling to play...and all the alpacas are named after jazz musicians. I loved it but even though it was in the high 70's the sun proved way too much for me and I had to cut the visit shorter than I wanted to. I also forgot that there would probably be hills and inclines, and yes, there were. The views of the valley were beautiful! The alpacas are kept separated, non pregnant females, pregnant females, males, and stud muffin males, which get to do all the procreating with the females.

Thursday evening Vivian had Judy and I over for a tasty supper. We came hungry and went home very full. Vivian made recipes from an issue of Southern Lady, wow! So good. The only thing that wasn't from the magazine was the coconut pie which is from her grandmother's recipe box. Always so good, always so delicious. We sat out on the back porch and visited and laughed. A very fun evening indeed.

This week has been a very easy going week and I am thankful to be able to have time like this. This morning in the heat is a good reminder for me that I feel good because I stay in the parameters set for me. I had planned on going over to Marshall for an art show but know better than to push. It is more the heat that worries me and probably has the biggest effect.

It is difficult to believe that Truman Capote's ashes were sold today at auction, and as a bonus the clothes he died in comes with the ashes. He went for $35,000 today.

Buddy has risen from her umpteenth nap today. She's eyeing my lap where the laptop is occupying right now...I bet soon enough she'll be right beside me.

A Lovely Read and Scene While Dealing With Ordinary and Frustrating Things

Maybe my frustrations today come from messing with our non cooperative printer. It has plenty of ink but will only print yellow highlights. There are times when I love technology and there are times when I just don't. Printers have never been my strong suite and that goes with copier machines and although not technology but is used by technology, Excel. Thankfully, my days do not consist of these things anymore, but dang it when they do. So for now I will memorize my script like Abraham Lincoln did, sitting by the lap top each night and waiting for the post office to deliver a hard copy to me.

I finished reading A Wrinkle In Time this afternoon by Madeleine L'Engle which won the Newberry Medal in 1963. It is really a young adult book but after reading a biography of the author I know she wrote with adults in mind as well. It is not my ordinary choice of subject matter but my goodness, this is a great read and so thought provoking and relevant today. I found the book in an antique store for $2.00 and that $2.00 was well spent. Because of Wrinkle in Time, I am reviewing yet again and loving even more Walk on Water. Such jewels and treasure of wisdom in the book.

Finally, nearly a year later, Blossman sent someone out to clean up and remove inspection pieces for our propane tank. It is looking good and the young man working on it did a great job. Now if we can get Charter to bury our cable line after a year, we will be doing good.

I also used my new mop. Yes, I know jealousy is running rampant right now. All I will say is this mop is a much better mop and makes the job easier. These simple days around home have done much for me. Yes, I am already in a slower pace mode but the extra rest and time for reading and contemplation has ministered healing. I think I have a lot of anxiety over the knee replacements and I keep packing down the excitement to have it done along with the knowledge that it will be one of the hardest things I have ever done. I'm trying to stay present in the here and now and not take the what if journey. My prayer along with many other prayers concerning this is, I will be able to sit and stand normally. It has been way tooooo many years since I have been able to do that. It might be like having to learn a new way to walk after hip replacement, keeping my brain in communication with my feet cause as we grow older the brain stops talking to the feet. That ain't right!

I am going a little later to pick up the picture that Roy had made onto canvas for me. It is one of my favorite pictures from the year 2010 when we were here for Christmas at the Biltmore. It snowed nine inches on Christmas Eve and Roy went wandering about in the snow and took this awesome picture of a cardinal, sitting on a low branch in the snow. This morning I saw my first cardinal really taking advantage of the bird bath. They are at the feeders and in the trees all the time but this morning the bright red cardinal, at first hesitant, then cautious and finally all in the water, flapping wings and splashing water all about. It is one of the finest scenes of God's creation I have ever seen.

Two Things I Have Learned and Happy Birthday Dana D!

This morning I am delighted to report I will not have to throw away the Eggo Waffles I bought last week at the grocery store. Thankfully, those waffles are only good through October whereas the recalled ones are dated November 21 or 22. Whew! Close call...

I received my first weather alert about fog this morning. There are many, many foggy mornings in the mountains, but none of them have warranted an alert. Thankfully, I am easing into the day and conserving gasoline by staying home this morning. Now, I did get out and about yesterday, doing my best to conserve. Slower driving speed and some of the time without using the A/C. The Fresh Market was nearly deserted and Ingle's wasn't as busy as usual. In fact, lunch time in Weaverville is always a fun fest of traffic and yes there still was traffic but not like most days when cars are bumper to bumper. Roy called early this morning and retold a conversation of the morning at the office concerning the pipeline leak. Interesting insights from those in the business and I will need to be a little more patient while this pipeline gets back online, gasoline trucks run a regular schedule and going to the gas station isn't a big deal, nor requires a lot of planning and contingency plans.

Vivian dropped by yesterday afternoon. She had a bowl I had accidently left behind from a choir party a week or so ago. The bowl is actually a pottery brie baker but it came in handy as a candy dish holding peppermint M&M's. We were hearing our Christmas music that evening and we were to bring our favorite Christmas snack. My favorite Christmas snack is what anyone else makes or brings but I didn't think that reasoning would fly. I also took more than M&M's.

I am also happy to report I survived eating grocery store sushi for lunch yesterday. That's always an iffy proposition, but I've been craving that epicurean taste for a few weeks.

Today is my friend's birthday. Yes, Dana D is to be celebrated today. There are many things to love about Dana, she has a wicked sense of humor, sarcasm is a second language, she can hit high notes musically, (high notes high notes, it's up the scale she goes..whistle, whistle whistle...high notes, high notes), she's a thoughtful friend, a loyal daughter, a fabulous mother and an all time encourager. One of my favorite memories with Dana is from the way back when I taught high school seniors in Sunday School. As teenagers are wont to be, they were wiggly, giggly and let's face it sometimes rude. In opening assembly, probably in today's vernacular it would be group gathering connection actual occasion span, when someone was in front of the group talking or singing...it mattered not to these seniors, who I now realize are in their 40's. Our director Mickey, came up with a great idea. He asked Dana to come sing for our opening and I got to play the part of rude high schooler #1 but played as an adult. So Dana starts singing, she is in on the plan, and I stand up and ask those around me if they would like a donut? Peggy's daughter Jenny was sitting next to me and she told me to sit down. So, I did and I said to Jenny, do you think I can hit that same high note as Dana? And to Jenny's mortification, this low note alto tried to match those soprano notes. That is when I pulled out a lemon from my purse and said, watch me disrupt her singing. That is when I took a bite of of the sliced lemon and made the, ewh, that is so sour face. Dana, never broke or laughed but I know she wanted to and we taught life lessons in group gathering connection actual occasion span. Happy Birthday Dana!

I am still having the pain in my neck and shoulder and yes, I realize, it is usually more that I am a pain in the neck but this new muscle rub, besides smelling sweetly of honey, seems to be taking care of the pain. Last night in one of the many wake ups, I felt the pain...got a little more rub and went to sleep and tried to remember in my sleep not to rub my eyes. In the middle of the night I awoke remembering I had left out a "standard" Mildred and Gertrude line in the script I sent Peggy. So, I will fix that and resend.

Last night the backyard kept me entertained for quite a while. The little bunny is new to the mix. He or she comes around in the evening and chases away the doves from scattered bird seed on the embankment. The hummingbirds are still here fighting one another for territory. The cardinals have welcomed a young couple to the neighborhood, the black capped chickadees still take nervous trips to the feeder and then back to the nearby tree. A few sparrows and house finches come by at least twice a week and the gold finch is working their way through the last remaining drooping sunflower head full of seeds. The squirrels and chipmunks have been absent but they are returning slowly but surely. I seem to think they might be victims of black rat snakes and when the snakes recede the squirrels and chipmunks return. I read this morning if you see spiders making their webs up high, lots of snow to be had. I've had two huge spiders making their webs up high...webs are still there, spiders have gone to spider heaven. They were huge and I didn't want to see them in the house for any reason. I also read about persimmon  fruit and if the inside looks like a spoon, going to be a lot of snowfall. So, two knew things I have learned.

Good Day Monday

One of the loveliest things about this pre-fall, yet kind of hanging onto summer time is the beginning of leaves falling off the trees when a breeze stirs and with just a few yellow leaves fluttering in the wind. The joy is driving through the showering of leaves. Right now, it is just a few but in a couple of weeks, it will be more than a smattering and the colors will be vibrant reds and browns not being confined to the yellow leaves of now. Of course with this gas shortage, I can only remember with great fondness that kind of driving that I experienced on Thursday and Friday of last week.

And this shall be a sign unto you...a sore throat is my immune system's way of telling me to pull back. This morning I woke up with a sore throat and made the decision it would be better for me to stay home than go to SS and church. I worked hard in the garage yesterday. There have been a lot of early mornings and this whole insomnia thing keeps showing up a couple nights a week. And then the Buddy factor but she wasn't so much a factor last night.

Last night I made jalapeno cornbread to see if I like it better than the cornmeal I get from Georgia. Mainly thinking about making the cornbread chicken enchilada bundt pan thing. It is very tasty but I think I should have left it in the oven for another ten minutes, so I have put it in the oven to see if that firms it up a bit.

I beat my neighbors today in taking the trash down to the road! And I didn't use any gasoline to do so. I put the trash bag on the mini hand truck and rolled it on down the road. The gas shortage must have curtailed the caretaker visit at the house above us. Although they have cameras everywhere and keep an up to the minute view of their property.
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This Monday is beginning overcast and gray. We've had light rain but it has been enough to enjoy the pitter patter of rain on a metal roof. Maybe to celebrate the new roof I should watch Cat On A Hot Tin Roof, which is a favorite old movie. It looks like a winter day and the look gives the hint of what's to come. The feeling of not having to be up and ready is also wonderful today. The coffee I selected today is from The Fresh Market and it is Pecan Pie. Very tasty! I am considering venturing out for a few errands later. Need to run by the cleaners and a quick grocery stop.

Football was fun to follow over the weekend. I watched the LSU game and followed the Texans on Twitter. I did the same for the Baylor game Friday night, followed Twitter and friend's FB postings. Baylor, even though they are winning just doesn't have that umph they've shown the past few years.You can only declare fun football when your teams win.

I strained a muscle in my arm last week and I found this great muscle rub from farmhousewares.com. It blends honey, peppermint, rosemary and whatever else to soothe those aching muscles. I love the fragrance since it not like the usual menthol eucalyptus scent. I'll use more today because I have a bit of a crick in my neck which probably is due from my sore arm and trying to sleep comfortably with it.

Our little post office is a hub of activity. I have mailed several packages in the past few weeks thus being there a little more than usual. It is such a friendly place and you know, you don' t say that often about a post office. Not only do we experience friendliness but the view of the French Broad River from the parking lot is wondrous and the sound of the river, which tends to be on the shallow side is relaxing and soothing. You don't even care if you have to stand in line, which rarely is past two deep. The parking lot rarely full but I have got to get off the same schedule as this cute little old lady who parks way too close to SequishShawn and there is ample parking available...not next to one car or truck, but she chooses to park next to me. With her cane and shuffling about I don't even see how she gets in and out of her car, that is mere inches away. She is just so cute toddling up the slight incline and through the post office door.

I have been reading and thinking about satellite church campuses and all the structure that goes into those campuses being successful with ties to the "mother" church yet keeping or having an identity that makes the site unique or in sync with with area the campus is located in. Hats off to those in planning and praying through all that it takes. Even greater props, I saw Erwin McManus use that old school term this morning on Twitter, to the members who work so diligently each week making the campus a go especially if they are meeting in a school or other building where they can't leave things around, so to speak. It all has to be picked up and stored just to be put up again on the next Sunday. Campus pastors have the hands on work of just that being, the pastor without all the sermon prep time. The articles I've read stresses the burnout rate of pastors in bigger churches. Really, with this structure it is more managing even though much of the work is delegated and thus maybe for some the burnout comes from less pastoring and giving more attention to the business aspect of being a church. No matter the profession or vocation, burnout is hanging about trying to nab and capture thus discouraging and breaking wills and spirits of those who labor. Lots of work and love going on.

Is This Trip Necessary?

This Saturday morning's plans have changed all due to a pipeline in Alabama. The colonial pipeline to be specific that runs from Houston to New York, that supplies most of the east coast with gasoline had a leak that was discovered September 9th. The pipeline is in the midst of repair but while that will take some time into next week, we here on the east coast will deal with a possible shortage of gasoline for the next week or so. Now you would think this Houston girl would have been the Paul Revere on this for sounding the alarm, but it was my friend Brenda who called me. She told me what her sister had experienced with the gasoline situation in south Asheville. Brenda was on her way to CVS to pick up meds but she would keep me appraised of the station situation as she drove. Are you kidding me? I was gathering my things heading out to fill up SequishShawn. Our phone conversation was getting broken up rather badly, due to the gasoline shortage....no, the squirrels out here weren't running fast enough to keep the cell lines open. I went to the Exxon station and there wasn't a line but I had passed lines at Ingle's and another station whose name escapes me right now. And who should pull up to another pump but Brenda. I was in the midst of texting Bill and Vivian, away from the pump because cell phones and gas pumps can be volatile, to fill up their cars. I read about the leak on Twitter earlier in the day but it didn't phase me when it should have. At first I thought it had been a refinery fire, but that didn't seem right for a refinery to be in the middle of the state of Alabama. Usually refineries are found along the coast due to easy access from pipelines and tankers. It felt a little like preparing for a hurricane. So, while driving to the Exxon station I called Roy just to let him know what I was doing, being out later and nearly dark Friday night. He didn't seem that concerned and told me what was probably happening and the scheduling of deliveries, telling me a big picture story, when I wanted him to listen to the "how this is affecting me story." And what I was doing and the adjustments I was making for weekend plans. When I got home I sounded the alarm to several friends and fixing to settle back in for the night, when Roy called. This time I could hear the concern in his voice because he had Googled the story and at first he thought maybe his company might have an interest in the pipeline but after researching it, they do not. Then he told me I had done the right thing by filling up the truck and he agreed with my change in plans for Saturday. You see, yes I am finally getting back to my first sentence in this very long paragraph, I had planned to go to Robin Blu today for their annual yard sale and 25% off everything in the store today. But that is in Waynesville. Even though this "crisis" should only last a week, that little part of me being a responsible adult and preparing for unexpected emergencies (are any emergencies really expected?) is in play. When I would watch Bugs Bunny cartoons as a kid, several times the phrase, "Is this trip necessary, would show up in the dialogue. I asked my mom what that meant and she explained about rationing in WWII. So I have asked myself, is this Saturday trip necessary?  The plans have changed, I am easing into the day and a garage project I have been procrastinating might get a little attention today. And maybe just because I am paying more attention to this, it doesn't seem that there are as many cars and trucks on the road as usual. It is a quiet Saturday morning in the country.

Yesterday, while running a few errands, I heard a discussion on one of the comedy channels on Sirius radio. Now the man speaking had a heavy country/southern accent and some people will dismiss what a funny redneck is saying, but his soliloquy drew me in. He was talking politics or maybe it was more talking about the candidates. What he said made sense...although he kept repeating himself after making valid points, which takes away from the effectiveness of a major point. Before I paraphrase what he said, I am not dissing or endorsing this candidate nor am I implying I endorse her opponent. But what this radio redneck said was this; Hillary's handlers are just trying to get her across the finish line and they will deal with any illness after she has secured the presidential vote. Like all candidates running for major offices and probably minor ones too, they have made promises to major contributors who want a return on their money and they can't keep those obligations if she is not in the office and thus might hurt any contributions for that party down the line. The guy went on to say because Hillary has been known to lie or it is her campaign on issues, this was an opportunity to tell the truth, set the record straight but he understood the risk of that, again referring to those who are in power behind the scene. I never thought about the notion it could be just getting her across the finish line. If he talked about Donald Trump faults and discrepancies, I missed it cause my errands came before the ending of the program. No, it is not rather convenient, it's the truth. Grocery shopping, ahem...trumps sitting in a truck listening to a radio show.

Reports are coming that fist fights are breaking out at some service stations and that cars are lined up while others are throwing caution to the wind and driving madly about trying to find gasoline. Meanwhile I have made a huge dent in the garage project and have even enjoyed some porch rocking time. The wind and temps aren't too bad. I fixed some lunch, ordered some stuff from Sephora and have generally enjoyed the day. I have lots of clothes to fold and put away from doing the laundry the past few days.

Roy found the cutest birdhouse for next spring and the guy he is buying it from will paint the roof red. I think the house will go out in the redbud tree. Once winter arrives and the forsythia is just bare branches, we will clean out the blue bird house and put some red tin on the top of it. I'm sure I will find a few more houses for these birds I love. On a sad note, I found a deceased butterfly in the backyard last night. Its wings were so soft and this little butterfly was sporting some rocking polka dots.

Probably in the next few days I will ask myself several times, is this trip necessary? I will be thrilled when the gas supply returns to normal and I can resume the drives about the countryside.