This morning the Feral Fam was out and about early. I should have taken a picture but the four of them were lined up on the top of the ridge looking in to see if we were stirring and when breakfast would be served. Because of the propensity of easing into the day, I decided to take my shower and wash my hair before going out to feed the fam. So mixed up the wet and dry food, grabbed my walking cane, originally known as the blackberry cane, and headed up the hill. As I turned the corner on got onto the gravel road, there was a loud rustling noise behind me and to my left. The big boxer dog was running his normal route between the fence and line of trees. I stopped and prepared for blackberry, walking cane to become a ninja warrior weapon. The dog went on past me and stopped a little ways ahead to bark at the dogs confined to a yard and then traveled on, never noticing the Feral Fam. They had been sitting underneath the covering of the butterfly bush but retreated a bit when the presence of the boxer had been detected. I quickly put down the food and picked up the bowls from yesterday and went back down the hill into the garage. Then I put bird seed out in the feeders. Buddy had come back downstairs from her first winter's nap, got a few treats and headed back upstairs for the second nap of the morning probably in the front bedroom with all that warm sun beaming through the windows.
So this Mama Cat is a very smart cat. I realize now the tent of meeting is merely a nap and play house during the day and not knowing of her housing situation on the farm above us, I do know she picked the perfect night time residence when they choose Monarch Manor underneath the back deck. I have never seen beneath the deck as anything good, but always sinister. But under that deck, she has the perfect place, away from the coyotes and wandering dogs, she also has several escape routes to the back, side and front yard. She also has a good vantage of seeing me come and go. This morning after breakfast, she laid on the flat grassy area and watched MJ, Camo and Cali run and play. Climbing trees seems to be their new interest.
We had our dress rehearsal for our Christmas music on Sunday morning at church last night. My heart was broken when I found out that I had not been chosen for the tambourine accompaniment on one of the songs. I asked, were there tryouts I mean auditions? I do have a cowbell I could sneak in and I have a triangle...one of those big call them in for dinner triangles. No, I'll have to be content to wearing my Texas charm bracelet and keeping the beat with it. Really, do they not know nor do they think that I wouldn't have a tambourine in my possession? I do believe I have one with Jesus' face on it. Makes it a holy tambourine...but I think it is in Texas. The choir dodged a bullet on that one. I really do like all the music in the program. This is not a cantata nor is it your mama's cantata. I don't know what that means....but you still have a lot of cantatas in this area. Didn't Tony Orlando and Dawn sing about cantatas? Oh no, my mistake, they sang about My Candida. We are to wear Christmas reds or greens with black pants or skirts. I tried pushing Christmas gray... There are couple of medleys in the program that remind me of times past in Pageant, A Christmas Spectacular at Houston's First Baptist. There is a snippet of Birthday of a King and the ending of Oh Come Let Us Adore Him has that same kind of rests to make the dramatic bowing and kneeling at the Nativity with the grand fanfare of the cape.
Such a random thought but....yesterday, I remembered a story a friend told me many years ago about her aunt. It seems that when her aunt was a young bride the family was treated to her delicious meals and desserts. In fact, the family leaned on her heavily for the holidays, reunions or any other celebration. She was weary of carrying the load and knew just announcing that she was weary wouldn't do a bit of good. The family would insist that no one could make it as well or any better than she... So, the aunt came up with a plan...for two or three years she agreed only to make desserts for family occasions and mainly she agreed to making cakes. Phase two came next, she had purposely chose cakes that could easily be made by using a mix and using a few add ins to make it seem very homemade. She also told the family that she would not share her recipes nor did she want any offers of help to make the cakes. She would take her recipes to the grave. After she had put in the few years of establishing what she would bring, she then converted to making every cake from a mix. The family raved at the deliciousness and the treat of made from scratch cakes and the aunt reveled in the fact she didn't have to dedicate days for preparation and had lots of time to do what she wanted to do. My friend's aunt when close to death called for her to come and to come alone. She had something she wanted to tell her. That is when her aunt revealed what she had done and since D was young and newly married she wanted to pass on the secret of her baking success to her. I loved hearing that story and have loved it on so many levels over the years. My friend admitted that the family had sort of suspected her charade but loved her so much, they never teased or accused her of making the switch.
There is still snow on the ground around here, it hasn't quite melted yet. The snow on the backside of the roof is finally melted as of today but the back deck is still snowy, as is some of the backyard. In fact, I nearly slipped yesterday on compacted snow that became icy. In all that snow last weekend, never once tripped or almost fell.
I guess I should go check on my wardrobe for tomorrow. I think I know what red shirt and black pants I'll wear, but I need a sweater or jacket for the top. Something not too heavy cause even in winter that choir loft is warm.
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