Merry Christmas And Unexpected Blessings

Merry Christmas from the mountains of Western North Carolina! When we got up this morning it was a balmy 27 degrees. Frost on the ground and rooftops, but no snow. We stayed up past our bedtimes and watched White Christmas. This time last year I had seen it, oh probably, about five or six times. Roy had never watched it and while he prefers a Hallmark Christmas movie, he did enjoy the story line. I looked up the trivia for the movie and we had fun watching for a few missteps and the pure laughter of Bing and Danny when they sang the "Sisters" song. Yes, we are so easily entertained.

Christmas Eve Day was rather laid back and it is looking like we will have that same mindset for today. Around 4:45, yesterday, the bell ringers did several run throughs of Away in the Manger. We were joined by the ushers as they prepared the candles and the juice box communion elements...the ones where you have to find the dividing point of the wafer and grape juice. Let's just say if Roy hadn't been here to successfully open mine, I'd still be at church trying to take the Lord's Supper. Roy was happily taking pictures and videos as we rehearsed. With just four notes for me to play, mostly on words, I felt better about this song than Sunday morning's. That being said, everyone else had the huge responsibility to carry the tune, add the musical embellishments and the like...it was a harder song for everyone else. While I won't miss bell rehearsal, then home for two hours and then going back to church for choir practice, I'll miss the time we spent together learning but mainly cause you know it has to be fun, laughing. This year, the Christmas lesson is getting out of your comfort zone and although some think being out of a comfort zone should be mountain climbing or bungy jumping or zip lines or kayaking down the rushing river, this was just as challenging as any of these I have listed. Well, at least for me cause there was a day that all that outdoor adventure stuff was a piece of cake to do.

After the service last night as the candles and holders were gathered to be put away for another year and as the bell tables were taken down and returned to the closet, I watched and took in the various scenes taking place around the sanctuary. Family pictures in front of the Christmas trees, friends gathered in groups laughing and visiting...just a general feeling of peace on earth, goodwill to men. Kind of like Mary, only in the pondering and taking these things to heart, I sat there so happy to be a part of this church and this community. Just as simply as possible, we gathered to worship our Savior who came as a baby to save us all from sin and death and all that comes with that. It has been especially poignant to be so grateful for our friends, both here and there. Life long friends to newly made friendships, so thankful for you all.

We are experiencing unexpected blessings yesterday and today. Especially when it has to do with these little feral cats that have become a part of our lives for over a year. Riley came into the garage yesterday morning, unknown to me, and she hasn't shown any desire to leave. We are going to have to figure this out by Thursday morning though. So yesterday she came close and smelled my hand and my toes...she meowed to me and her purring was on high gear. Have her all fixed up with a litter box, food and blankets if she will use them. The garage isn't exactly the warmest place but it has to be much better than where she has been sleeping. When Cali died, that left Riley on her own. Camo and her kittens don't have anything to do with her, so Riley is fending for herself. As I fed her and gave her treats I hoped she would see that she is better off and so I guess this is her first step in realizing this. Of course we are talking about feral cats, so who knows? Today, our experience totally blew me away. When Cali was a kitten, I tried playing with her and MJ. They were somewhat interested in the little kid fishing pole but they never quite trusted me with the toy. So today, Riley and I began playing with it. She loved chasing the fish. Several times today, about forty five minutes at a time, we played. She was purring and having such fun with it. Later I moved from the backdoor more toward the other end of the garage and she was even more attentive. What happened later totally shocked me, but she came up to me and began rubbing against me and putting both paws around my leg. Okay, I was trying to hold it together...but maybe a few tears were shed. I went out there to check on her a little bit ago and she is doing fine. There is so much research on feral cats and the whys and hows but most of the advice is this, patience, patience, patience!

Meanwhile on the outside it is a hit and miss situation with Camo and Crew. They come and go, days at a time. Just when you think there is some kind of normal with them, they all disappear. Mama Cat came by kind of late for her and she missed out on any food cause those kittens eat. I even felt sorry for Camo, which doesn't happen too often.

Brenda came over this evening bearing gifts. Now, she is a great gift giver! And she is also a lot of fun to shop for. Roy could only laugh at all the sheep related gifts tonight. Buddy loves the wrapping paper and has kept herself amused with it. Gift giving is such an art and lots of love and thought usually goes into it. There are some people I wish I could ask for us not to exchange gifts cause it feels like anything chosen for them goes into the black hole...never to be seen again.

The fine folks at Publix helped us with our Christmas lunch. I was thinking we might do tacos but in the end, traditional food won out. We did a late lunch cause Roy had made biscuits for breakfast. He made eggnog biscuits and we had elderberry jam. Delicious!

Today, with a slower pace, it was a good day to take in all we have heard this year in church leading up to this day. After the holidays life in January begins to slow...more into a quiet season. I don't think Roy can do many days like today but for me they are treasured.

Having Ourselves A Little Christmas

Living the exciting life this evening. Roy is in the midst of watching a video for his CPE requirements to have enough continuing education hours for this year. The guy on the video...his voice is oddly annoying. I have a cat trying to disrupt any type of blogging this evening but we seem to have met a compromise where she can relax and I can type.

After many rehearsals and much prayer, this non music reading but music loving person rang a handbell in the handbell choir this morning, at church. It was exciting. My fan, Roy, videoed and took pics of this momentous occasion. First time through I hit a few wrong notes but finally by the last time through before the service, it went well with my soul and bell. Roy has been a great encourager through this entire journey. When Pastor Gene asked me to participate, I kind of laughed and told him I don't read music...he said, I think you can do this. Come and try. I wasn't going to but had told Roy and he bolstered my confidence to at least try. This whole thing is totally out of my comfort zone but there is a part of me that is still adventurous, maybe not by some people's standards, to challenge myself. Somewhere in the midst of a challenge, it became a lot of fun. This morning we played, O Come O Come Emmanuel. Tomorrow at the Christmas Eve service we will play Away In the Manger. Most of my notes are on words, so that is always helpful.

Yesterday, after getting home from Charlotte and making a quick check on Buddy and then Riley, we headed out to eat lunch and run a couple of errands. We have finally narrowed our Christmas Day luncheon choice and made a decision on Christmas Eve day fare which will probably be some of Roy's famous tacos...or my famous taco soup. Either way...it will be flavorful. Our afternoon was spent in the hunt of nearby snow. Just a few miles up the road people had 3-6 inches of snow. Happily, we made a drive over to Marshall and did a little shopping at Penland's. Got on the road toward Mars Hill and over around I 26...Bingo, we found snow and trees with rime ice. Oh my, the sights were just so beautiful. Roy got a new camera and two lenses for Christmas. He has been researching cameras for over a year. He is a Cannon man.
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A rare morning when we all sleep in. No appointments, nothing on the schedule until our Christmas Eve service. Roy made breakfast complete with biscuits...eggs and bacon. All was delicious! The rest of Roy's camera stuff came today. It is always iffy around here on deliveries cause many times they report delivered and of course it isn't or it has gone to the wrong address. The day was wonderfully sunny but deceptively cold. In the midst of everything Camo and crew were back. They are gone for days and then stick around for days....  The other night Roy and I came in after dark and found Mama Cat and a possum facing off over the last dregs in the bowls. Mama Cat's scowl won.

Roy likes his new blanky for his man cave. Hmm...blanky doesn't seem to fit but every year we find these great Eddie Bauer blankets. Roy is trying to fight for ownership because Buddy thinks that this blanket is hers.

We have some cookies from Hannah and I am feeling the need to go downstairs and have a sugar cookie or two.

Be Careful When You Sing In The Car

The sun has set. It was a wonderfully warm-well, warmer than what we have experienced in a while. The key here is to stay out of the shade but if you're in the sunshine...you are warm. Today was a day with a few surprises...the good kind. One surprise was seeing Camo, her kind of grown up looking kittens and Mama Cat. It has been a little over a week since Camo has been in the yard and it has been longer for her kittens to be around and with her. Cute as ever. Mama Cat was hanging around hogging all the food, but she has always tended to be that way. Riley had been around earlier this morning and she was out there too but none of them get along, which is so very sad. Another surprise was Nathan had been here and has cleared out the tree limbs and branches from the yard. So about a third of the tree is left and can probably be saved by the looks of things, although this is being written by a nonprofessional. The last surprise of the day came in the mail and that's about all I can say about that.

Yesterday our choir along with the children's choir and drama team presented The King Is Here. Sometimes in musicals, there are a one or two songs you dread learning but all the songs were so good. It was a joy to practice and learn. Today while running errands, still singing those songs to myself and out loud.
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It is not the gold pieces of special events that we hoard in our remembrance of things past, but the pennies of daily currency that have lodged with special brightness in some pocket of the mind." Wilma Dykeman
I came across this quote this morning and it feels like it was meant for yesterday. It was one of those ordinary days where the little things or almost the things that don't cry for attention are taken in, pondered. Many times with days like this, out comes the phone to capture the moments in a photo but yesterday there wasn't a camera, but a heart to ponder, remember and delight in how the day unfolded. It was a day that hadn't been calendared for certain places or appointments, but a road trip day that just kind of happened, as those kinds of days are wont to do if we will just take notice. The day came complete with surprises of the common.

But with that ordinary day came the news of the passing of Penny Marshall. Her comedic sense was outstanding. She could tell a story, whether it be poignant or just downright funny. I loved watching Laverne and Shirley and that is when I began to take notice of comedic writing and the way to tell a story with just snippets of, yes once again, ordinary life. Okay, toward the end when they moved to California, I stopped watching because it felt stale and also ran, but those years in Milwaukee were so good. My favorite episode is when the girls bought the diner from Squiggy. "Betty, please, pick up."



My friend Carole is killing it with bilateral knee replacements. She moved to the rehab hospital yesterday and probably won't be there too long. I am cheering her on. She has encountered the battle, guess that would be the word, of being mentally competent in a setting where nurses, doctors and helpers assume you're not able minded cause so many in the rehabs are not. You have to fight and advocate constantly, well that is until they realize you know what you're doing.

This morning I read an article on a well known Christian speaker and writer...and they called him a  fabulist. I had never heard of this word before and looked it up...it means liar, a creator and writer of fables. In fact the author of the book uses the term chronic fabulist. "embellished and fabricated his credentials, achievements, and personal experiences, and that he has done so for decades."

So now I know two fancy words, fabulist=liar and penurious=cheap.
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I am finally getting back to this post and will finish it up this rainy Friday morning. It was the idea to write last night but after a day with too many hurries, the will to write wasn't there. So, yesterday morning around 8:54 am, I got my first ticket in thirty one years. My speeding tickets all have one common denominator, being happy and not paying attention to the increasing speed. Y'all I know better than to speed in Woodfin and while singing Christmas carols, the fast pace of the song translated into a fast pace in the car. Besides the river road has various speeds all along the way...55, 45 and 35 and not always in that order. The officer was merciful and didn't give me the ticket I deserved and for this I am thankful. With that ordeal over and Christmas music turned off in the car, I headed toward Biltmore Village. Even with the delay, I was able to get immediate seating at the counter at Corner Kitchen and there with the usual Biltmore breakfast, I destressed over the ticket. I can pay online or mail in the money and don't have to go to the courthouse in Asheville. That is a huge praise! Did a quick stop in at Soft Surroundings and then headed over to get highlights and a cut. It was a happening place with everybody getting do's for the the holidays. The heating company had called the day before wanting to schedule Zach's return to install the new relays and reattach the heating strips. He was scheduled to arrive around 2:00 but he was running early, so it was a quick exit from the salon, but a safe driving the speed limit to get home. After he installed everything, thankfully it was under warranty, is when I decided to email Roy and tell him about the morning's happenings. It was a good news bad news email and he wrote back and said it made him laugh, whew, and could he share it with a couple of coworkers who would find it funny. Sure.... So he wasn't upset or did an I told you so kind of thing....Later today I will be in the truck and it is not too tempting to speed in it.

Well, there are things to do and I better get a move on....

Dear Cali

Earlier today I remembered Cali has been gone for a month and I know it is silly but it seemed a good thing to sit down and write her a letter...even though she couldn't read...and would probably tear up the paper as a toy...bear with me please



Dear Cali,
You've been gone from us for a month and I still wistfully look out the back windows hoping to see just a glimpse of you. I know I won't and it is comforting to know where you are. Your marker rocks are holding firm even in snow and rain but more than just being buried on your favorite spot, you are buried deep within my heart. Today at a store, there was the best ornament to honor you, "Best Cat Ever!" You know, you slip in a photograph. But, I decided against it cause again these are the things you ponder in your heart, not display on a Christmas tree...which we didn't put one up this year....

Cali, you would be so proud of your Riley. She is out there getting by everyday on her wits and courage. She's a lot like you, she is her own cat. Riley is attempting play with her cousins but it doesn't help when she wants to play but if they come nearby while eating, she hisses and chases them away. Riley is on the prowl for birds and she is a fine squirrel chaser. Riley comes when called and especially has a spring in her step when she hears the treat jar shaken. She's a late sleeper just like you. Cali, she has grown into those ears finally. She is symmetrical and is beautiful. There seems to be a lack of male attention cause all those cats you knew, Big Sissy Daddy and Dead Beat Dad aren't around anymore. Ok, you are not going to believe this but your mama came back to the deck after being gone since June the day after your passing. She's around every once in a while and she is still a cranky mess with her grandchildren and daughter but she gives me the closed eye look a lot, which as you know signals trust. You and Riley are the only two who have talked to me, meowing, all the others are kind of silent. Just stare. Riley is like you in that she comes close by and once even touched her nose to my fingers when I held them out to her. She's only done that once. Remember those mornings when you'd come into the garage while your meals were prepared? She'll do that too and lingers sometimes like she is debating on whether to chance a night in the garage. Wish she would overcome that trust issue but I know it is deeply ingrained in you cats. 

I shed a whole lot of tears at your passing yet I am thankful that the Lord allowed me to see you there on the side of the road and bring you home. You laid in repose on the deck and Riley came to you and then ran full speed to the front yard. For almost a week she sat by the fence waiting for you to play. Think she knows now, no playing. Just thinking about you can cause me to tear up cause you touched me deeply. You missed a year anniversary just by a few days and when the memories come up on FB it brings a smile and a tear when thinking back to those early days, there at the tent of meeting which became the tent of napping. Young Strawyer, your nephew the orange kitty, loves the tent of napping and uses it a lot. Just this afternoon he ate a bite and then headed over into the tent.

Oh, your two babies that the neighbor got, well they have grown into beautiful young cats and have been adopted into new homes that love them. They will have a good life, a better life than you experienced, but then that is what parents want for their children. Their absence about broke you though and I think you wouldn't have been wandering about so far away if you still had them with you. But, in the big picture, they are better off and Riley could be too. I almost got her twice but she is a fast thing. Makes me wish that day when you were a kitten sitting by the window that I would have been able to get you. You and Buddy. Buddy keeps interested in Riley and since Riley spends a lot of time sleeping on the chairs on the front deck, I think they have had some close encounters of through the screen kind.

I miss you a whole bunch! I miss the mornings with you waiting for me to come downstairs and once the backdoor opened, you ran to meet me cause you knew breakfast was on the way. I think Riley has your stomach problems, but I have been putting FloraFit on the food to help her. I miss you waiting for me when coming home in the afternoons. I'm trying my best to take care of Riley for you. Like I said before, you'd be proud of her.

Love,
The human that brought you food, gave you a tent and talked with you

PS Your memory still brings me joy!

History of Christmas Letters

In this nonproductive week other than being a productive reader, an interesting article in the Smithsonian magazine got my attention...no not scientific info or history or the future of technology. No, the article was on the development of the newsy, family Christmas letter, how it began and has evolved over time. There in the hey day of the Christmas missive you found out all kinds of happy, sappy stuff. Living the good life, still in love, children the most successful ever kind of story. Then came the Christmas card personalization family picture complete with matching outfits, at least color wise, on the beach or in a meadow or on a train track or against a barn or on the ski slopes or standing in front of a tree...well, you probably are getting the picture, and I write this in a comfy gray chair, with subdued lighting and Christmas decor in the background.... You know neither the chatty Christmas update nor the picture perfect card is a realistic visualization of daily life. Now, it is not my intention to hurt anyone's feeling who has done this or are sending out these kinds of cards and letters...just my observation for this post. My cousin Becky does a great Christmas letter and I look forward to it every year and I love that if she doesn't get it done for Christmas, she sends it as a New
Years letter.

For years, my father wrote the Christmas letter for he and my mom. It was newsy but he wrote it in a particular voice that read more like a report of "What We Did This Year." The last ten to fifteen years of the letter always included their annual twice yearly trip to Branson, to see the same shows and stay in the same crappy motel...where one feared robbery by night so they slept with their wallets under their pillows. I thought the tooth fairy should do a reversal and leave teeth and take the money while they stayed in that motel. Those few years they lived in Georgetown TX were probably some of the most unhappy times for my parents. My father, being funny, not, said the wrong stuff about the right people and those people ostracized them right out of the church and thus their social life because the friends they had from Houston who had moved there, had moved back to Houston due to medical concerns. So there they were...watching TV church most Sundays. My father befriended a neighbor whose husband was confined to a wheelchair and the four of them did things together. In hindsight, that was a pattern for my dad. He would befriend people he felt "superior" to, so that he became the dispenser of approval or friendship in the later years of his life. So, these Christmas letters became quite interesting...because he wrote about Branson and he devoted paragraphs to my brother's family. Then, at the end of the letter, more by indifference than compunction, he would mention us. Usually the brief one or two sentence reference could be summed up ergo, "Roy and Nancy are still breathing and taking up air others could enjoy." We waited for that Christmas letter, just for those last few sentences of rancor and so did my brother cause we would laugh at the letter in general and the uncharitable reference to us. I kept those Christmas letters he wrote but once my mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's, he stopped writing the letters. He was embarrassed that she had it and didn't want anyone to know.

If I was going to write a Christmas letter and send cards the following might kind of be what would be written.


Merry Christmas Family and Friends,
There are rumors of a slight chance of snow this Christmas. The rain is melting the snow that began in earnest last Saturday night and ended on Monday. Snow paints and covers the landscape with quietness and wonder. The crunch of the snow breaks the silence but now a little older and with replacement parts, I don't do too much snow crunching because I don't want my yells for help to break the silence complete with sirens.

2018 has been a good year for the Monarchs. We've experienced God's goodness. We have had more happy than sad times. Roy continues along with his regular duties,  college recruiting for his company and he has found that he is good at that and enjoys the whole process of it. He has also become involved with Toastmasters at his company. Like most things he takes up, he is focused and highly motivated to achieve. While that is great, I think his greatest accomplishment has been learning to make biscuits...no, not just any biscuits, but Brenda's biscuits. He is very proficient and his experimental flavors have been hits. Even his blueberry biscuits that turned the biscuits totally blue. He has a new camera and I think he is so ready for time off so he can explore about the countryside taking pictures. He put his 2019 calendar together last weekend and one of my pics made the cut.

I feel the best I have felt in a very long time. Still working with a functional fitness trainer and at the end of March I had an ablation for afib and for heart flutter. Second one with the first being in 2013. So, I have a lot more energy which is wonderful. Several friends visited this year in NC and it was a blast having them here. Starting in the summer we discovered the other end of the Blue Ridge Parkway that is relatively close to us and we have fallen in love again with the Parkway. Last November I started looking after a little feral cat family and they evolved into the Feral Fam. I fell in love with the calico cat of the family. She came the closest to me and she talked (meowed) to me.... While she is such a huge part of happy news, she is also a part of our sad experiences. She was lost the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and while running an errand, I saw her on the side of the road. She was dead. We gave her a proper funeral and she is buried under her favorite tree which also happened to be one of her best loved spots. At church I am part of the teaching team for our Sunday School class and still singing and participating in choir. The director and his wife have put musical faith in me and lets me be a part of worship, not just be the part of being funny. I will forever be grateful for this encouragement. We increased our landscaping with new flowerbeds and with a whole clean out of the backyard. Next spring and summer will be fun times to plant flowers and then enjoy the colors and fragrances. We hope to find a contractor next year to replace the back deck with a covered, screened in back porch. The building boom being what it is around here, it is difficult to find anybody available.

So yep, that's about what the body of the letter would be. I am still so thankful to have a home here in the mountains and thankful that this home and our home in Texas are paid for. We welcomed a convertible to our stable of vehicles this past summer and what a welcomed addition Mustang Sam has been. So fun to drive on the Parkway or back roads with the top down and the breeze messing up your hair. I am so thankful for friends both here and in Texas. God has certainly blessed us with kind, funny, and generous friends.  God has wonderfully blessed me with a thoughtful husband who makes this all possible and his desire to free me from the heat of Houston that kept me as a prisoner, cause it was a high price to pay health wise.

As always, thank you for reading Monablog. Thank you for the encouragement and comments. This year other things have distracted me from writing less than usual on the blog but I was writing, even though absent on the blog. Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! Season Greetings!

Snow Is The Theme, Now Replaced By Rain

There is a definite theme to Monablog these days and it's about snow. Today as the temps begin to rise into the upper 40's, more of the frosty white snow is melting at the front of the house. That is due to the fact our home faces south....ish. The backyard is still heavy laden with snow and ice. The backyard is so comfortable and nice in the spring, summer and fall months but in the winter it is the last place for snow and ice to loose their icy cold grip.

So there was an earthquake around 4:00 am about a 180 miles away. Several have commented on social media from our area that they felt the quake. Uh, I slept right through it yet if the fan produces on minor little squeaky sound, I'm alert, awake and ready to solve the problem of the newly detected squeak. The past few nights Buddy has had a difficult time settling in for the night so that means going to bed a little earlier to still get the same amount of sleep.

Last night I was watching the show Leah Remini does on A and E and an interesting statement was made by one of her guests she interviewed. Talking about what had been discussed or promised and the woman replies, it was all lies...because you can control with lies. Wow! That is a very true statement. The liar is depending on silence between the parties being lied to or nothing being said and then backing off if promises were made when confronted. So I guess initial lies do control but when the truth is revealed, all the control is gone.
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Oh Thursday, still snow on the ground and pushed into the corners of parking lots but it was a day to get out and about. Not that I had really needed to go to the grocery store cause you know winter preparedness is easy from all the years of hurricane preparedness. But you do start running low on favorite kind of stuff and beside that, it just felt good to experience the world other than the porch, front yard and backyard.

This summer a female cardinal was in love with herself and she spent a whole lot of time admiring herself and then challenging that beauty to a fight except it all happened at the truck window or rear view mirror. Now, almost winter and a young mockingbird is on the hunt to rid his neighborhood of this other mockingbird, only it's him. He tries to feed the reflection and then fights it. There are scratch marks on the windows so I will need to see if I can repair those marks.

Riley stayed really close today. While she ate and then while I worked in the garage. I tried twice to grab her but she is too quick. She let me stand very close while she ate this morning. Since Buddy loves the treats morning munch, today instead of the regular treats, I gave Riley some of that morning munch and she liked it as much as Buddy.
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The ongoing blog post... We were awakened by the sound of icy, hard packed snow releasing its grip on the second floor roof and pounding into the ground and deck below. Wow, what a good morning wake up! Scared us at first cause it sounded like troops had landed. Several times this morning the big wallop sound happens but now we aren't quite as jumpy over the noise. It is raining and finally the snow is melting. That puts us under a flood advisory...the times and the weathers, they are a changing.

This feels like a late morning jammie kind of day. I'm decked out in festive Christmas pajamas with houses, trees and churches surrounded by snow. Hmmm....snow is the theme for the week, in all things.

And The Snow Lingers On.....

The bright sunshine is most welcomed this morning. The neighborhood kids are getting in their last fun with the snow in our front yard. Probably school will be in session tomorrow but today before the sun melts it away, playing in the snow awaits. I shoveled snow yesterday and while that truly isn't playing, more like needed, it was entertaining and for just a quick moment the thought of building a snowman came to mind, but responsible Nancy as well as dusk was nearly falling, kept me focused on the more important thing, clearing a path for Riley to her food bowls. We just had another winter advisory alert that there is a strong possibility of black ice again tonight. So maybe school will be delayed tomorrow. The thought of getting out and about entertained me for a bit but think I will just wait till tomorrow to run errands and just get out and about. Don't have cabin fever or anything. I can always find something to entertain me.

So it feels like...well kind of...but not really...being a pioneer woman with the heater upstairs. With the part not arriving for a week or so how does one journey this adventure? Well, the tech working on the heater yesterday said to crank up the heater downstairs right before going to bed and position a fan on the stairs to help pull up the heat. The new ceramic heater from Lowe's is doing a fine workout these past days...so that heater came into the bedroom to help keep the room warm. Since we have a mountain of comforters and blankets...as well as a feather bed topper,the bed is warm and comfy. Also due to my warm nature, around 3:30 am...the heater was moved back into the hallway. The temp in the hall was 65 which is not too bad, so all the reworking to keep things warm seemed to work last night.

This morning I read Psalm 147. It is one of my favorite Psalms and has deep personal meaning.

He sends his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly

He spreads the snow like wool and scatters frost like ashes.

He hurls down his hail like pebbles.

Who can withstand his icy blast? 

He sends his word and melts them; he stirs up the breezes and the water flows.

Now it would seem to be writing this now with the snow and ice these past few days and of course that is reasonable to think. But these verses have meant so much to a former hard hearted and stoic person. One who thought being tough and not showing weakness to be the most important attribute. To never say kind things, to be defensive and not need the weakness of love or even to be able to express "I love you" to others. This belief came from my father, who I thought had a strange approach to life but he must be telling and ingraining this into me because it was his awkward showing of "love," He said he was just trying to help when life's problems and difficulties came my way. Well, surprise, surprise, that wasn't really the truth. He is one of the best, if not the best liar I have ever seen and this was backed a few years ago by adult protective services, police and constable office. These past few years of putting the pieces together and talking with those who knew him, helped me by understanding the traits of a narcissist. While this is important to know the most important is; there is victory and there is freedom and there is abundant life that comes from the Lord in spite of the hurt, anger, bitterness that so wants to dominate and hold on. But with the Lord, let go. It isn't easy at first...but so worth it. So today as these huge chunks of snow and ice begin to melt, especially dropping off the roof line, that noise and process reminded me of these verses in Psalm 147. He sends his word and melts them. That is my testimony that all these years, early on his word began to melt my heart and heart just like this morning when first hearing those early drips of snow and ice melting...but as the years have gone on, the melting has come like those big chunks of ice and snow that land with such a force, it is heard and sometimes startles. Just a thought here and there in the midst of the afterward of a snow storm.

Riley has made several appearances today. She looks and acts like she is ready to be so over this snow, yet she hasn't made a move to change that. Haven't seen Camo since the snow but that isn't too unusual.

Lunch today was delicious as it almost all came from The Fresh Market, tuna salad sandwich and their baked potato soup. Great comfort food lunch, with a Fresh Market Christmas tree cookie for dessert.

Snow...Now Waiting For It To Melt

Well, we aren't waiting on the snow anymore. It continues to fall and everything is blanketed in its beauty. It looks like we have had about ten inches. Even though pictures are taken in color, the snow makes the photos look black and white. Such a wonderful beauty contained therein. While the snowfalls heavily at times and then it slows, I am thankful we don't have blustery winds to complicate the matter. 

The other day I was in a store and a grandmother and several of her older grandchildren were doing some shopping. Gathering from the conversation and they were having quite a bit of a laugh, the grandmother is OVER the red truck with a tree or dog motif. The kids kept bringing her plates, cups, paintings, pictures of red trucks with Christmas decor spewing out over the truck, into the snow...you get the picture...anyway, they did it to hear her talk about back in the day it was a common sight in her life but never ever did she think it would become Christmas decor lore. She told them don't be buying that junk cause next year it will be over and something different will take the interest of Christmas consumers and you'll be stuck with a bunch of junk that won't garner a nickle at yard sales. That is one wise woman. Although I kind of like the red truck look or blue or green. 

In and out all day as the temps have gone above freezing, I have cleared a way to the truck and shoveled off a lot of the snow that has hit the front deck coming off the roof. Love that neighbors have cleared our road and earlier this morning guys on their tractors were clearing the main roads around here. Offices, schools and stores are mostly closed tomorrow. There was a lot of snow but not the huge amounts that had been predicted across the mountains, but once again the Blue Ridge Escarpment area got a whole lot of snow. 

The thing about snow, you see all different types of paw prints and there are several on the driveway that can't be identified by this non scientific type person. One looks kind of big and the other, think it could be raccoon. They are so mean. I have seen kitty paw prints and hopefully once the snow begins to melt, the kitties will be visible again.
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So, we got more snow last night and all the paw prints were covered with fresh snow. But around 3:00 am we heard a commotion in the backyard. Looked out the window and didn't see anything, so I came downstairs and looked out the windows...nothing. I had this uneasy feeling about Riley but thankfully, this morning, I saw her. She hung around most of the day and even sat by why I shoveled snow so she wouldn't have to walk in it to her food. Yes, these cats run my life.

The heater or the emergency auxiliary heat stopped working yesterday. Heat pumps are pretty good until it gets really cold. So much to my surprise the A/C company sent a tech out this afternoon. Something is wrong with the relay so they will have to order the part and install. Should be covered by warranty...this is the Christmas of heater repair and a total replacement in Katy. Having ourselves a little warm Christmas... While he was here the front fir right by the driveway, split and fell into the yard...well 2/3 of the tree split. Thankful it went into the yard and not onto the truck. The truck has been moved away from the fir. 

The sun is supposed to be out longer than today so at least by Wednesday everything should be cleared out. We will probably have black ice in the morning. The snow is always so beautiful and it quiets the world around you but then you're ready to see just the regular scenery. 

Just Sitting Around Waiting For Snow

Having done all to prepare...preparations have been made. Simple food, snacks, sweet stuff, water, a few Diet Cokes and the like... Thermal underwear located, check.... So today I took the one bag of trash to the landfill because it is doubtful if all these weather predictions and forecasts prove true, there won't be garbage pick up or school or much of anything on Monday as we come out of the snow and ice. I put a two foot piece of thin wood in the backyard for measurement sake. We shall see.

Since doing the landfill trip, post office run and truck fill up, I could have stayed home and cleaned the house a little more but instead opted for an afternoon out and about. Ran a couple of fun errands and topped it off with a little trip to Marshall. The bridge going to Marshall needed to be totally replaced and that work was completed on December 1st. It has been a while since heading that way, so off I went. Found a few Christmas presents and got to talk with my friend who owns the store. She has the store windows decorated so festively and she is selling old fashioned candy during the holiday season. All of that kind of candy is nothing I am the least bit interested in, so it was easy to walk on by.

Yesterday in Fresh Market upon entering the store somehow my purse strap got hooked up with my open hoop earrings, it was quite the sight I am sure to have someone whose head is way over tilted to the left and she can't seem to right things by removing the strap from said earring. You think one sympathetic person would have stopped to help, no they laughed and went on about their business. Good thing this wasn't about fifteen years ago cause I would accidentally of course, ram the cart into the back of their heel. Finally, sweet release came when I was able to finagle the strap and earring. If it hadn't come undone, the whole earring was going to come out of my ear and I would start the whole process again. In other yesterday happenings the Kroger carries longhorn cheese. Publix used to but then they discontinued carrying it, Ingles never had it...so it is good to know Kroger in Johnson City has it in stock.
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This Sunday, if we have church, the lesson is on Joseph and Potifar's wife. These Genesis lessons have been good and it has caused me to think on many particulars to the story both leading up to this and then afterwards with the cup bearer and baker. While traveling about the past few days contemplating Joseph, his brothers, Potifar, his wife, and Jacob so many thoughts of the hows and whys has whelmed me not overwhelmed, just whelmed. One day, along the river road, a memory that I haven't thought of in forever came to mind. In his retirement my father had designed and then sold to school districts a broom that could clean out school buses efficiently and better than a regular broom. He also sold other products to help schools keep things clean. He had a great design and product but he couldn't make the switch to the digital age. He kept making cold calls and in person visits. Because of this I encouraged him to get someone to design a website for him and he could take orders that way and hit a market he wouldn't be able to travel to and make the call. No, this internet thing was a fluke according to him. He had been talking to me and then pressuring me to join him in his business. Y'all I knew better than to do that cause it would have never worked and it would be another opportunity to try and place another tentacle of control in our lives. He offered me a week that he and Mom would be gone to "run" the business...and all that I made would be mine. Mom told me in private to really think it over cause he had piled up work that he didn't like to do and it would take the whole week and thus no profit for me to take care of everything. My mom knew....so after a harassing from him for several weeks I lied and said I was going to church camp to be on staff. Yes, church camp was that week but I wasn't going that year. So this being in the age of answering machines, I screened all my calls. He did call several times and I think he knew I wasn't at camp because he was probably doing surveillance. But, it was so hard to keep the story straight for several years after that...because it was a lie. I wrote all of this now because for all those years Joseph's brother had to keep the lie and tell the story the same way time and time again. Were they on point so to speak if one of them slipped up and said something? Ten of them, what are the odds? The Bible doesn't tell us but surely it was never too far from their minds what they had done to Joseph. For me, I finally told my father years later I hadn't gone to camp but before he could jump in and claim victory that he knew that, I shared with him that although I would have made a great salesperson with product to push and sell and probably like him would have been very successful, I didn't like who I became in that profession. Always pushing, always trying to make things happen, always trying to convince and any down time would be spent trying to perfect the things I just mentioned. Been there, done that...didn't like it. And so many times, to sell, you had to lie and I didn't like to lie. And having lied not to become a part of his business, it was best that this subject not be brought up again, at least to me. I was ashamed at the depths I had come to. He was probably seething inside as most narcissists tend to do and most definitely plotted some revenge to be exacted at a later date. And probably that revenge was enacted but I just thought it was regular meanness and the like. Sadly, when it came time for him to give up his business, he had one person in mind that might buy him out but that person who wasn't looking to expand, turned down his offer, much to my father's surprise. Thus, the whole thing died. He probably didn't even have the broom design patented. The same thing happened when he developed the first liquid drain cleaner but fear and lack of trust kept him from patenting that and as they say the rest is history.

So far on this Saturday morning, no snow around here. Yahoo! Forecast is for it to arrive this evening. I could get out and about if I wanted...and it's tempting but I really don't have anyplace where I have to be. Think I will go out and rebuild the front cat protection structure. Riley seems to be the only one around now consistently, well at least since Wednesday. Wish she would just go to the tent but she probably thinks Camo still has domain.

The Calm Before The Storm

It has been a while since posting on the blog but I had written a post that was taking way too long, so it was ditched and tonight, a new beginning. Today while roaming about the countryside thinking of what would be good to write...well, as those brilliant thoughts must still be out there in the countryside where there was quite a bit of snow.

We are experiencing the calm before the storm. So reminiscent of days before a hurricane hitting the coast. Beautiful skies and the temps here warmer than they've been gives a false sense of well being, that there isn't anything barreling across the country, following I 40. I am prepared as well as I know how to prepare. Got the snow shovel last year and still have some de-ice stuff. Grocery shopped and have all the particulars for staying in for several days. Just in case there isn't anything interesting here to read I made two stops at Barnes and Noble, but I am getting ahead of myself. This morning I decided to do the unusual for me, once all the prep has been done, I stay around the house...waiting. Not today. Once it warmed up, the roads were not wet, but still didn't need to take a chance, I drove over to the Barnes and Noble on Tunnel Road and then went to Whole Foods. Since I forgot to take the cooler, yes I know it is cold out but one doesn't take a chance with milk products, I headed back home, put up the milk and headed out to Tennessee. Wow, there was a good amount of snow in the fields and along the road once crossing the line into Madison County. Tennessee had also been blessed with lingering snow and it looked so beautiful in the mountains. I decided the first stop would be Mountain View Country Store. Time was always in the back of my mind because I wanted to be near home at least by dusk. The shopping trip was faster than anticipated so then it was off to Johnson City on the back roads. With the leaves decorating the ground houses that are usually hid by them were in plain view. Quite lovely. For a storm heading this way and maybe not as bad up that way or not but the Kroger wasn't all that busy. Got the things I came for and once again stopped at a Barnes and Noble. The drive home with the clouds and sky, with the snow and the last lingering bit of fall, were a sensory overload. Being concerned with getting home in a timely manner, the temptation to stop and take pictures had to be overcome but with so few cars and trucks on the road, I was able to grab a few without endangering others or myself.

In that small break at home, before leaving I went to check on Riley. She had been on the front deck sleeping when I left earlier. She was now hanging out in the back and she was quite talkative. In fact, I came over to her, she was on the deck. Carefully and very slowly, I put my hand through the slats and she came forward to my fingers and sniffed my hand, then touched her nose on one of my fingers. Just then she made a dash under the deck and our moment was over. That is major headway that's for sure.

When leaving the Johnson City Barnes and Noble, I got out two cookies from Mountain View...I didn't take a bite of a cookie until back on the freeway and that delicious bite of an iced sugar cookie took me back...because that cookie tasted just like the ones my mom always made at Christmas. Wow! That was such a pleasant surprise and eating that cookie gave a few minutes of memory. Then...the clouds and sky grabbed my attention...

Sometimes, not always, but sometimes miscommunication turns what would have been a meaningful yet fun day into something you never expected to experience. Our Sunday School class was to go to the veterans nursing home and give wrapped hand cream. There are several stories out there to why and who cancelled the event but none of us, Inez, Velda or me knew that it had been cancelled. Quick shout out to Jennell and her daughter for making sure it got there and then handed out. Thank you for doing that...They also had decorated for the Friday night Embrace event...again, thank you so much...anyway, once the three of found out the event had been cancelled, we decided to go see our friend Gwen who is in the rehab hospital after having back surgery. We were going to do that anyway but our timeline moved up. I have such a blast with those two, Velda and Inez. They are long time friends of each other who have graciously welcomed me into their friendship with open arms. We laughed a whole lot on the way to see Gwen. We laughed a lot trying to find her room and we left before they kicked us out. Gwen looked fabulous and it looks like she is kicking butt in rehab. Since we were so close to La Cantina that is where we stopped for a late lunch and then a look see in Soft Surroundings. That whole day, minus the miscommunication, felt like I was with Dena and Lisa...that kind of joking and talking, that kind of easy and effortless friendship. I am so blessed with friends in Houston and friends here.

Sunday was our Christmas Luncheon after church. The food delicious and the fellowship even better. I sat with Betty, Jennell, Louise, Ruth and Ann. I loved hearing their stories of growing up, attending Newfound, some for over fifty years, and the weddings that took place there and VBS and the like.

Well, it is getting late or later than I usually stay up. Just like last night I watched CSPAN to see the services and tributes to 41. Dena was able to get away from the office and find a good place to watch the train with the President pass by. Her video along with others brings tears to my eyes. So does Hail to Chief and I hate to admit this cause A&M is on my bad list...that has to do with football...but playing the Aggie War Hymn while bringing the casket off the train was a great moment. Maybe I'll write again or at least put a link to my encounters with the Bush family. Good memories, but they don't know me from Adam.