I've Seen Cold and Rain....

Home, after a fun morning and early afternoon. This morning I rolled out of here and made the first stop at The Blue Rooster for lunch. Did the veggie thing and coconut cake to go. Got to see Lora for a few minutes and how the Lord uses us to encourage one another is so refreshing. After lunch I headed over to the Hazelwood area and did a little Christmas shopping, then headed on over to Belk. I had Belk money and a coupon and ended up not buying anything. The Waynesville store has always been a favorite to go to but it was a total mess. It has been that way for a while. Checkouts are littered, no covered with clothes ready to be put out on display. No salespeople to speak of and the lines were long. One shirt kind of got my attention but it was hanging up on the wall, even too high for this tall person to attempt getting one down. The shopping areas are cluttered and messy. Most of the clerks are friendly and nice but there are a few over there in the makeup area that are snots. Glad I don't purchase makeup there. I came home and got on their website but can't find the few things that interested me on it....so sorry Belk, it was a no sale kind of day...the second one that has happened in the few weeks. I considered another drive along the parkway but decided it would be better to get on home.

Rain is in the forecast for later this evening and tomorrow. When I got home this afternoon, I took most of the sunflower heads off their stems and placed them in paper bags. Now to let those seeds settle in for the winter and then they will be ready for planting in the spring and summer.

Cali and Riley were here to meet me upon driving into the garage. They have figured out if they catch me earlier than usual, Camo isn't around to bother them and then eat up all the food. So, they got a few treats and then had their supper fixed for them. I am beginning to think that Cali's kittens didn't make it. They should be about 6 or 7 weeks old and full of energy and curiosity. She spends a lot of time with Riley again...so, I could be wrong and I hope that I am but she doesn't seem like the concerned mama like before. It has almost been a year that these feral ones have become a fixture around here.
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With this rainy day I am enjoying sticking around home...doing things that I love. Last night after studying and meditating on the Sunday School lesson for Sunday, I began writing points and scriptures down last night. We will be looking at the story of Issac and Rebecca. There is a devotional called Stepping Into The Story and while not using anything from that devotional, just the title is so good. Mark Batterson really brings to life when he teaches on his podcasts and videos the importance of really gazing into what is written and not think like oh, yes, this is a story...they went from point A to point B, you need to really investigate and think through the journey of going...and sometimes we don't do that when we hear familiar and well known Bible stories to us.

Cali arrived for breakfast when called. With it being cold and rainy, their food is placed underneath a spot that is somewhat dry. Buddy, after being moved several times off my lap when I got up to refill my coffee cup, headed to the bedroom where she once again is using the blanket at the end of our bed to take naps. In the cooler weather she has stayed right by my side at night. We are warm at night with flannel sheets and several blankets and a big comforter is we need it. The ceiling fan is set for winter...so we are all set here.

Today, once again to my delight, is a flannel shirt, jeans and boot kind of day. Oh happy days. If the showers let up this afternoon I might go to the Post Office. Have a couple of things to get into the mail but if not...there is always tomorrow....or Monday.

Yes, I made it to the post office and grocery store. It had stopped raining but began once hitting the road. On the way home I listened to Kurt Kiser from way, way back in the day. I mainly remember him for youth musicals that were all the rage my junior and senior year of high school. .He partnered with Ralph Carmichael. It was an instrumental selection and although the songs on the album were more from the late 80's and early 90's but his musical touch made the music that took me back to the 70's. Of course when thinking on the 70's my acceptance to go to Baylor but not being able to go somehow always makes the top ten memories from that era. I used to have a dream about Baylor once a quarter in the year, some were poignant dreams and others downright hilarious and very stupid. Then being an Alumni By Choice (ABC) in February of 2014, didn't bring closure but brought everything from that dream like state of what life would have been like if only I had gone to Baylor. But the reality that the Baylor experiment would have probably only lasted a year if I had actually been able to go. ABC made me come to terms with that. Going to Baylor seemed idealistic in light of the truth that my father would have made it the most miserable year. With that discovery or acknowledgement I stopped having Baylor dreams...until the other night. First Baylor dream where I am who I am right now and at Baylor for a fundraising. If that isn't an adult dream...fundraising. I had totally forgotten about that dream until today in Mustang Sam listening to Kurt Kiser, the Chris Tomlin of the 70's.

That is all for now...

And Now For The Sleepies

Buddy and I have settled in for the evening. She had the yips earlier and it has been a while since she has moved that quickly. The past few evenings she has raced me to the couch upstairs but sometimes my destination is not the couch or at least not the first stop in the jaunt of putting things away.

We survived the quick winter blast over the weekend. All the flowers out in the gardens are pretty much done for now. It is time to make that transition into winter with the trees dormant and the landscape shaded by beige, light brown and other autumnal colors that soon fade as the days go by. It is exciting to have four seasons and to be able to appreciate all the amenities that arrive each season.

When the alarm went off this morning, second and third and fourth thoughts of not going to Bible study entertained me for a few minutes, but this has been such a good study and the discussions insightful along with a few giggles here and there. I'm glad I only entertained those thoughts because we encountered a wonderful session. Afterwards, I decided against doing the Costco run to Spartenburg and instead headed over to Biltmore Park and the Target a little further down the road. October is a wonderful month for book releases. Many southern authors have books released in those months. I came home with a few that I have had my eye on. I also found my devotion Bible for next year. In honor and in the memory of Eugene Peterson, The Message is what I'll be reading and this edition is very creative with room to color and to jot down notes. I considered eating someplace there in Biltmore Park but decided I would make the trip back to Weaverville and try Soba. First the Target run and a quick look see in Old Navy and Pier One.

Soba is really good! Delicious Japanese noodles with veggies and shrimp. I have enough leftover for supper tomorrow. Tastes so good but man, your breath is staggering for a bit.
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The planned  jaunt I had thought about doing today...well, the thought of next week being full of appointments and places I will need to be, kept me at home this morning...although a quick trip is still in mind for this afternoon. Tomorrow the temps drop and Friday holds a lot of rain.

I did make the quick trip to take pictures of the trees I have been photographing the past several weeks. Next week probably most of the leaves will have fallen. Most of the mountains still look green but if there is any color, it pops. On the way home a quick trip to Tractor Supply was successful. They have some of their Christmas stuff displayed but they don't have as many things like they did a few years ago.

This evening while heading to church, once again I noticed how at this time of year the mountains look chiseled against the transitioning sky. There is just so much to notice and to see and sometimes it seems impossible to take it all in. The last of the season hay cutting is happening and there were a lot of tractors clogging up traffic. I hardly ever mind being behind a tractor or a school bus.

Had a message this evening that our SS party is postponed again until sometime in November. We are putting it together with our mission project of hand lotion with bows for the VA here in Asheville. I'm kind of glad for the rescheduling. I get another whole day of not having a schedule. Although with no LSU game on TV, I'll have to watch other teams play.

Well, the sleepies are overtaking me and I think I will surrender.

Craft Shows and A Winter Blast

Just exactly as predicted for this year, we've enjoyed a few days of fallish type temps but this weekend we will have an invitational blast of winter. Frost warnings, so I'll need to roll in some of the flowers on the deck tomorrow.

The past two days has held adventures and fun. A group of us from church went to Shatley Springs in Ashe County for lunch yesterday. Delicious food and the scenery was fabulous as the leaves are just now turning. All the fallish hues and colors are about two weeks behind this year because of longer days of summer temps and rain. We also went to the cheese factory store in West Jefferson and had a good time looking at all their products as well as other accompaniments. Our time together was marvelous. I came home rather tired and just had a snack for supper, then it wasn't too much later I hit the bed for the night because this morning was an early call. Last year when my friend Beth was here we went to the Amish Store's craft show. It was more miss than hit and the parking was horrible, exiting was worse. They made vast improvements this year, better parking and exits and better vendors. Found some wonderful items and did a little early Christmas shopping. This year Brenda and I went. We were able to eat lunch at the Farmer's Daughter without waiting for a table. We ate pretty quickly so we could free up the table for others waiting. The restaurant ran out of pagers and there were a whole lot of people waiting with a two hour delay. They would be good and hungry that's for sure. We saw a lot of patches of red leaves making their way into the world on the mountains and on our way to the craft fair we had such fog laying beauty upon and in between the mountains, that I was able to pull over to a scenic overlook and catch a little bit of that beautiful sight.
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It is a Saturday in transition. The day began with a bit of rain and now the overcast skies have given way to abundant sunshine. The winds are picking up a bit and by this evening we will feel the cooler, maybe even colder temps. The temps will be cold but not pipe freezing cold, nonetheless I put the covers over the faucets this afternoon because basically the growing season will be finished this weekend. So no more watering the plants out in the front yard. I'm waiting for the sunflowers to completely dry out so I can store them and use their seeds for next years crop. I also finished the tent of napping. The sleeping bag is in there and all arranged with a blanket on top. It feels really warm in the tent. Riley has been using it but the sleeping bag kind of threw him off a bit but he will get used to it.

Brenda and I stopped at a produce stand that has the prettiest pumpkins. When Lora and I stopped there several weeks ago we were in the convertible and loading some bales of straw into it would have been a huge mess. So yesterday, I loaded those two big square bales by myself. Dang, those are heavy. Then when I got home I unloaded them onto the deck. I came up with an easier method with the second one. They had some small bumpy pumpkins and whose name escapes me and added it to the outdoor collection.

Okay, this post has gone on long enough.... As my friend Dena says, more later.

A Post That's Out of Order

***** I was working on this post but then the kittens took over my whole afternoon and it seemed like their arrival into young kittendom took precedence. So old news here and maybe a wrap up if Buddy will cooperate. She seems to think the laptop is something she needs to compete against for attention.




I was lamenting the misplacement of four of my favorite flannel shirts yesterday and this morning. When I went to bed last night I made a mental list of places to look and then prayed the prayer that has always been answered...Lord, you came here to seek and save that which was lost, I know out of context, but I have lost these favorite shirts...will you show me where they are? And with that I went to sleep. This morning as the big switch continued summer to fall/winter in drawers and closets, the thought that those shirts might have gone to Salvation Army or the church yard sale crossed my mind. But, those clothes weren't going to switch themselves, so the work continued. Then great happiness and joy, the shirts were there all the time. I had folded them inside out so the plaid wasn't showing. Ah joyously, the temps are dropping and fall is finally coming to the mountains and my shirts are hanging in the closet.
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Ah, Saturday afternoon, late afternoon. The day began a little overcast but afternoon sun greeted us and the day has warmed up nicely. Trying to get this change over done of summer to winter clothes has been delayed gratification. Things I have had for a long time are getting a good look toward the give away pile. I went through my Cookie Johnson jean phase but not wearing very high heels anymore makes those jeans a little too long. I ran to the grocery store and it was a very pleasant ride over with a breeze and the sun. Saw my University of Florida friend who works at Publix and congratulated her on the win last week over the Tigers but she is rooting for LSU today and the Astros for all post season play. Picked up ingredients to make taco soup sometime this week.

The new tent of napping has been put together, insulation installed, padding, tarps and light blankets to start this beginning of colder temps. The tent was a little more difficult to put together this year. Riley was interested at a distance and Cali checked out the happenings. I haven't been downstairs to see if they are interested in it or not. I did keep one blanket from last year with the Feral Fam scent on it to keep some familiarity.

Last night Buddy was in a bit of a snit. It was too cold for her on the porch so she could not settle and just meowed and whined. It was if she went upstairs to pout and after a bit she came back down and sat on the stairs. When I wouldn't let her out on the porch she turned her back to the corner on the landing, facing the corner. She has never done that and it was a PTSD moment. I quickly texted my brother to tell him of this unusual behavior by her and that it brought to mind how our dad would act sometimes when he was being childish or angry...or who knows really what made him do some of the stuff he did. One Christmas he turned his overstuffed chair facing the corner and opened his Christmas gifts in the corner not with the family which included his parents who were there for the holidays. Years later he turned to the corner to eat his supper and he did this in front of friends of my brother. We were successful to have him turn back to the table, but Christmas...nope...we didn't succeed. In hindsight, we should have left him alone. Doug called right after that text to tell me Megan's good news and we also talked about his new home and everything he is having done now that he is moved in, but we gave a little time to the Buddy/Dad moment. My therapist told me that things that remind me of actions of my father sometimes will show up in other people or situations and if I have a quick response to the people or situation...maybe in anger or fright, that is called transference. Now, especially since his death in April 2017, I am more determined than ever not to let anything or anyone put that kind of hold or influence upon my life. A long time ago, a close family friend tried to assure me, tried to keep me hoping that life would get better cause when you're young, you think you'll live forever and that the problem will keep on living with you forever as well. She said to me, I know what is going on in your home, I just don't know what to do about it. She waited for me to reveal anything about that chaos we were all living in but because my father constantly gave me secret tests,and that I don't think I ever passed, which led to a consequence, I didn't say anything. Through some tears I replied, I don't know what you are talking about.
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Even with our conversation about that long ago time, Doug and I mainly talked of the here and now and as always had a good laugh or two about life and the happenings.

Fun With Ferals

Forget about being productive today unless it is coming from watching feral cats. When I arrived home Cali was in the midst of doing a transfer of her kittens from up on the gravel road down to the tent of napping. She was on her third kitten bringing him down the side of the yard but when my presence so rudely interrupted the process, she dropped him right outside the tent and she jumped into the tent. The little squeaky meowing of kittens filled the air especially the little orange one who remained outside of the tent but Riley was on the deck keeping watch over him by day. Knowing my presence endangered that kitten, it was a quick trip inside the house to watch all of this from a distance. Cali came out of the tent and finally maneuvered the orange kitten safely inside. After a bit Cali and Riley looking for a bit of relief, laid out on the deck catching some rest yet not too far gone into sleep because at the least little noise, their heads were up looking at the tent and beyond. Camo just disturbed this kitten Zanadu with her menacing presence. Riley kept Camo at bay, there was a whole lot of hissing going on and finally Camo left. Cali went to work quickly moving the kittens from the tent to a hard to get to corner of the deck. The black and white kitten awaiting transport had Riley as a companion. Riley was doing a good job keeping the kitten away from the edge and Cali came over to inspect the situation and must have felt that Riley had it under control. Riley was playing with the kitten when the unthinkable happened, the little black and white kitten rolled off the deck onto the rock bed that is used for water drainage. Riley was over to the kitten in a hot second and once it got its bearings, it was alright, okay, no damage. Riley keeping a watchful eye not letting it crawl too far from the deck began the kind of play older cats do with kittens to teach them how to be cats. The two of them must have played this way for about fifteen minutes and then Cali came over and kitty ran to her and she nosed the kitten up under the deck, in that corner directly beneath the olive bucket where they spent the first week of their life. Riley looked to be a bit relieved. Big Sissy Daddy and Camo have been around looking for food. BSD seems to be okay with the kittens but Cali has much to be on guard for cause Camo isn't exactly the friendly aunt to the litter.

While Cali and Riley were resting on the deck after moving the kittens to the tent of meeting, they laid down beside each other, both still on duty. Then Cali laid out on her side and that big ol' Riley went over and nursed for a minute. I was shocked because many time Cali is taking a swipe at Riley or playing chase. You have to wonder what is going through their minds. Is Riley happy to have siblings? Is Cali happy to have help? Or is this business as usual to a feral cat family?

It would have been fun to have them living in the tent of napping for several days but along with that comes the several nights and with our bedroom right above them, you hear sounds you never want to hear because there is most probably one less kitten.

Cali and Riley have been given extra treats today. I have been entertained yet so touched by these cats. Needless to say, I didn't get too much done this afternoon.

Nonetheless, Blessed Be The Name of the Lord

Buddy and I slept till 8:30 this morning, although she couldn't settle down until 1:00 am, so it was mainly regular sleep hours only extended. She's a tad lethargic this morning and that has postponed plans of washing sheets because of course, she has chosen that spot as her morning napping place, on the bed. By now she is usually across the hall or on the porch. The porch has been shut down due to rain, although it isn't raining anymore but tell that to a lethargic cat. She mainly wants treats, and truthfully, who doesn't? So, there is her mad dash to the kitchen to get treats when she sees that I will be taking the stairs, so she's not that lethargic...selective lethargic. Kind of like selective hearing is practiced by husbands.

With a rainy overcast day ahead and most probably that will continue into tomorrow morning, it feels like a reading day. But those pesky chores and responsibilities will have to be taken care of first. The kiddos got fed a little later this morning and Cali spent a good deal of time in the garage with me. This gives me hope we will be able to gather she and Riley and the kittens when their reveal time comes, and get them fixed and then release them back outdoors. Mama Cat last year thwarted capture, she was one smart cookie. The chance to get Camo is really low. She has never come close or stayed around when the food is served.

 “My favorite journey is looking out the window.” -Edward Gorey

Just saw this quote on Twitter from Visit Bryson City. It has been some time but it would be good to visit Bryson City again. When we were tourists it was a regular stop on our way toward Asheville. Love The Charles Heath Gallery!

Well, several hours have gone by since writing about Bryson City and while sitting here, the view out the window here is a view with differing views. To the east dark, shelf clouds with rain, over to the west semi clear skies, to the north overcast gray skies and to the south, the view is showing the sky clearing. Truly, it is a favorite journey.

I cannot help but stop and pray when I see all the devastation happening in Florida from Hurricane Michael. It is almost too much to take in. Because I am from Houston and because preparation is not too far of a thought away even here in the mountains, I felt that maybe I was being a little caviler not preparing for the winds that are supposed to come beginning sometime in the middle of the night. Rain doesn't seem to be a huge concern here and probably the worse of the wind will be along the Blue Ridge Escarpment. But since both the truck and the car were close to empty I decided to get out and fill up first the truck and then make a quick stop at Walmart. They are the only place around here that carries the popcorn I like. So got a couple of bags of popcorn and a few other things and came to the front to check out. I had been in a regular line but going against common sense, I went to the express line. MISTAKE! The line looked shorter, but that is the deceiving way of the express line. The woman in front of me, with a little baby in the basket was buying a Mountain Dew and ciggies. She wanted to write a check and get $20.00 back...the clerk put it through three times and all three times Walmart wasn't going to accept the check. Then a discussion ensued with the manager or someone with a key and it was all civil. I didn't mind the wait cause these things happen and I didn't have to worry about any cold items melting. If that lady was buying food or food for the baby, y'all I would have paid for it and it occurred that maybe I should just give her the $7.00 to get her stuff. The irony was, the machine had trouble with our Am Ex card. I could feel the ire of the people behind me but it was a machine malfunction and it righted itself rather quickly. So I make this semi-vow not to go to the Walmart after 1:00 pm during the school year when moms are trying to get last minute shopping done and when time seems shorter for almost everyone in the store.
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Thursday morning, we have received nearly 4 inches of rain since last night. We got about a 1/2 inch yesterday. The weather reporters didn't think we would receive lots of rain but more likely this would be a wind event. The usual places that flood are flooding and the usual places that receive a lot of rain have had that happen, lots of rain. There was a brief respite from the percip so I made a quick brunch run for the kiddos and noticed the sun trying to burn through the clouds and the mist. It is still overcast though. Last night the rain awoke me because it was coming down hard and thankfully the relaxing melody of rain hitting a metal roof and Buddy having settled early in the evening let this child go right back to sleep.

In earnest today I am putting away summer things and getting out fall and winter apparel. I cannot find my four favorite flannel shirts and I wonder if they didn't accidentally go the way of Salvation Army or church. I have searched every nook and cranny, no shirts. Have just a couple more places that I might have put them but most likely someone else will be enjoying those shirts this year. Oh well, the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away and Nancy is ADD and doesn't remember what she did with them...nonetheless, blessed be the name of the Lord.

It Is In The Air

I am on an eternal quest to find orange chicken that is as good or as close to Fu's Garden orange chicken. Today, maybe I am a little closer. While shopping in Ingles, I noticed in the deli and food prep area they had orange chicken today. So gave it a try along with vegetable lo mien. It wasn't half bad, but the lo mien didn't meet up to previous lo mien in the area. So, the orange chicken is a definite yes for reordering again. Usually, the line is so long but it must have been the perfect timing of right before the lunch rush. Yes, the quick trip was just for bread but of course a few other items came on home.

It was a Buddy disrupted kind of night last night. She hadn't eaten enough of her laced food and she had a bout of dementia around 1:00 am. And she wouldn't or couldn't settle down and it was about 3:30 am when we both drifted off to sleep. It is feeling like a nap might take place later this afternoon. During the two hours of not sleeping, I did think to set the alarm on the phone so I wouldn't oversleep getting ready for Bible study later in the morning. That was good thinking cause it could be we'd both still be asleep. The cats out back are doing well, kind of getting along. It is welcoming when Cali, Riley and Camo respect one another's space. Cali has continued her practice of coming closer when I bring the food out. This morning it was Cali and Camo for breakfast and when leaving for Bible study a little later, Riley was brunching on leftovers. Camo has started again the practice of going over to Mary Joyce's house to see if there are any doggy leftovers on her side porch. With the coming of cooler temps, I will probably begin working on the tent of napping for Cali and her new brood. She has them up on the gravel road under the canopy of weeds, vines and branches. Hopefully, she will show them off soon on the deck.

This past week I have felt so overly grateful to be living in one of the most beautiful areas in the country. The leaves have been holding green but today there seems to be a few more reds and oranges in the mix of green. It is an overcast, gray sky kind of day and the few colors we see, pop with chromaticity. The signs of fall, if not by nature are being shown by humankind. The wood stacks are getting taller and wider around homes. Others are keeping up with the few falling leaves and making a mulch out of them for a greener yard in the spring.

The little white clapboard church down the road a piece has changed their name for the third time. When we first arrived it was Sanctification Baptist Church, then they changed the name at the first of the year to Free Gospel Baptist Church and today while going into town or ville the name had been changed to New Beginnings Baptist Church. Some sabbatical Sundays, I didn't go to big church, the same three trucks and a car are there. I don't know if the name changes are working like they want.

Yesterday, the big garden spider that has taken up residence near the front porch was gone. All the work on that web and it was doing a fine job of catching stink bugs. Maybe a bird got it or something but today the spider is back on the web doing spidery things. Today I also practiced looking for hawks and buzzards and knowing the difference between the two. So far it has been a buzzard day.

I also know that once again if I want Roy to call all I need to do is go near the Walmart. I was at Lowe's and contemplating a trip over to Walmart but it was right after school got out and that is such a busy time of day, so nope came on home. So Roy did call while I was picking up supplies for the tent of napping that will probably get worked on Friday. Brenda too and phone reception there isn't good so I had to call back on the way home. I figured Roy wanted me to hear an email he was writing and yes, that was what he wanted.

On FB the notice that a long time friend and fellow choir member passed away. Kay and her husband stayed in Peggy and Bill's cabin for a bit while they waited for their home to be restored after being devastated by Harvey.

Still Waiting on Fall

Welcome 86 degrees today! What? No way.... I have flannel shirts, boots, soup, hot tea and pumpkins waiting in the wings to be worn and eaten...  Maybe next week they say we will finally get a bit of fall or maybe move onto winter. The leaves are sorta of turning colors but nothing like in years past. No, I am not complaining just making an observation because I could be in Houston right now fighting heat and humidity. Once again I will have to mention that this has been the most spidery year here and they just keep on a coming. You can throw in a few stink bugs into the mix.

This morning our lesson was in Job...uh, we have been in Genesis, so that threw me for a curve. Honestly, I had a bad attitude about it at first but you know, you pray and ask the Lord to show you how to teach the lesson and not only teach but apply it to my life. I came out of it in a much better mood than I thought.

Yesterday was a very special treat. Over the past year or so I have become friends with Lora who works at The Blue Rooster and since they aren't open on the weekends, we took advantage of that Saturday and went to The Farmer's Daughter. The weather was perfect for a convertible. We had a delicious lunch and shopped at Mountain View for a few items, then drove a bit around the countryside and then headed back to the great state of North Carolina. Oh, we stopped at a couple of produce stands and it is sad that produce stand season will soon be coming to a close. We both found little pumpkins. I also learned a lot about the different fragrances in the air that I haven't been able to identify and also how to tell the difference in the air of a hawk, eagle or buzzard. I love this area so much and want to know as much as possible about life, folklore, stories and history.

I started back working out again after about a two month break. I was a little sore when I woke up Tuesday morning from triceps work and always of course hamstrings. I have been using the driveway and our road to do extra exercise.

After church today, I made a trip to The Fresh Market and I did a little adventure driving by going a different way. It was fun. I also had adventure with a woman who rammed me with her grocery cart several times in the aisles. Wouldn't you know, on the way home that woman who had run into me had run into the back of a car at a light. Got the usual stuff today and then headed home to have lunch. I had a very nice surprise of a phone call from Dena this afternoon. As always it is wonderful to catch up with each other and all the exciting things going on...well, she has the exciting things going on, I have comfortable things and for that I am very thankful.
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Very happy that the Astros swept Cleveland today. First post season sweep in franchise history. So that is good news. LSU didn't fare so well this weekend and hopefully they can bounce back against Georgia.

So, I have had to start wearing a mouth guard at night because I'm a clincher. Being a clincher is hurting my teeth. Of course I did not read the directions and just popped that baby in my mouth before going to sleep...only thing, it had this little handle like thing which I figured was for easy removal. Uh,no. Anyway, I went wore it like that but woke up to the mouth guard being yanked out of my mouth. Scared me but it didn't take but a minute to realize that is was Buddy and she was either playing or she thought she was saving my life. Happened again so I took the thing out of my mouth. The next morning I read the directions and found out that thing is there to help you when the guard is put into hot water to form it more to your teeth, then you cut the thing off. Anyway, my mouth and teeth don't hurt when I wear the guard, so that is good.

It is time for me to fix something for supper. No fall foods tonight but rumor has it, it could be Thursday or Friday and we will finally welcome fall...

Welcome, October!

Another taco Tuesday and I didn't have tacos. Didn't even think about it...dang. Anyway it has been about a week since last posting on the blog. This past week has been an interesting week in many ways but probably just interesting to me. So, I won't bore you with the particulars.

Today is the beginning of the end on these implants. Everything has healed nicely and at the end of October, if all goes well, they will be able to fit the crowns onto the abutments. I also had two cavities taken care of, one was an old one that needed to be redone. After almost two hours, the end of the appointment came and the call of Biltmore lured me over to the Estate. Roy and Doug's pass holder membership needed to be re-upped. Other than a Diet Coke, I think it is the first time I have gone and not really bought anything.

On Saturday it seemed good to make a trip to Johnson City. Roy wanted me to see if they had anymore of the tennis shoes he bough in the summer here. Didn't find any but the trip wasn't for naught because it was a successful trip to Barnes and Noble. Because Betty R has sent me videos and pictures of the town she lived in. Elizabethton has a beautiful downtown. It was a quick drive through for me but planning a return trip. On the way home, since it was a beautiful day, I took the long way home via Burnsville, Micaville and then onto the Parkway. I had never been that way and it was a spectacular drive. There is road work on the road out of Micaville and I had an interesting conversation with the woman holding the Stop/Slow sign. We are reading a Pat Conroy book for book club and he wrote about being conscious of  stories being given to you. This woman is one of those stories that came into my life. I have taken so many notes and have tried to configure everything to make an interesting story. This was a very interesting person.

And we have kittens! Three of them and they are almost like Cali's first litter. I got to sneak a glance at them yesterday. Cali might have moved them this evening. I try to act like I don't know where they are because cats will move their kittens multiple times if they feel like any human or her dicey sister Camo are too interested.
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Good news, Cali and her kittens are still in the olive bucket. You can see through the small slits in the bucket lots of movement as those kittens are growing and will soon have open eyes and will be prone to wander, Lord I feel it. An update, Cali has moved her kittens somewhere toward the front of the house. She did this with her last litter too. Again, when she had them in the olive bucket, she once again displayed her street smarts. Part of the bucket has rusted away and any little poops from her kittens fell through onto the old Carolina Wren bird nest built in the spring. She showed up for supper and she and Riley are getting along again. Must have been those pregnant emotions Cali was having to rough up Riley just a bit. He, I'm thinking Riley is a he now cause he is acting like his RIP Uncle MJ, anyway, he has stayed near Cali and keeps Camo at a reasonable distance from his mom. I love seeing that.

Last week while picking up prescriptions the offer of this year's flu shot with no line was just tempting enough to go ahead and prepare for the season ahead. Last year I didn't get the flu shot till this year in March. Not going to do that again but thankful for elderberry syrup that pretty much kept me healthy through those tough cold and flu months. I had to be cold free for the completion of some dental surgery and for my heart procedure early on this year.

Got a fun package in the mail today. All kinds of neat stuff but that happens when you accidentaly have an order sent to Houston, so there was that but there were some fun other things in the box too. T-shirts and office supplies get me every time.

My neighbor Mary Joyce is having her front porch screened in and it is looking nice. We were talking the other day and she said she sure hoped I didn't mind her copying...no way! I love her! She was out there painting new boards for the porch and I asked if she wanted to use our sawhorses. No, she assured me she liked bending over and painting. Said it was exercise for her. When Mike the Mower Man is too slow in getting her yard mowed, she gets out her push mower and does a section around her house. Mike has been more regular, weekly, than last year.

So, that is about all for an update. You might be thinking, Law, what if she had told us more and with details. Well, since I teach on Job this Sunday morning, enough suffering has gone on here.