Little Bit, We Hardly Knew Thee

 Yesterday after setting out the bowls for the kitties in between the rain showers, I walked over to the middle of the backyard. Not something I do often in the mornings especially in the rain. Inside the little play cube, was a kitten, unfamiliar to me, on its side and making meowing motions but no sound emitted. I picked it up, limp and eyes glazed. Quickly I took it inside the garage and then inside the house for a quick minute looking for the last of the kitten milk. We went back to the garage because that little one is covered in fleas. Putting the dropper near its mouth so when it make the weak meow motion, maybe some milk could get in. Sadly, more milk came out of its mouth than went inside of it. Got out the Wondercide herbal wipes to help rid the little one of fleas while nearing the rainbow bridge. So little, so cute and so alone. Where had it come from? That's not the important thing, but God must have brought that little one to the back so it would not die alone. She is a beautiful little kitten and while not even knowing it, I am so sad. I Googled up stages of a kitten dying and there is something called fading kitten syndrome but it could not survive the fleas and it is probably the runt. This little one looks to be about four weeks old. Before bundling it up as recommended I loved on that little kitty kitty. The eyes have never changed, no light, no recognition but she made those meowing motions only smaller with more effort. 

I called her Little Bit and she passed a little bit after 5:00 pm. She had been motionless most of the afternoon, just a few muscles and whiskers twitching. Her muscles were letting go and preparing for the next journey. She made a few weak meow motions and she was gone. The other day I had dug a hole for a rose bush but hadn't planted it, so now that became the resting place for this little lonely kitten. Seemed appropriate that while I dug a little deeper in the ground, the rain pelted me but it wasn't a bother because strangely this felt like a sacred duty. This little one had found its way or had been brought down to the backyard and I had a duty to love this little one while she was still here. I did everything to help it but I knew when I found her, she was so far gone...her eyes never closed, she didn't blink or move, except her little mouth now and then. I said a few words over her grave and then moved some big flat rocks over her place of burial so that coyotes or dogs wouldn't or couldn't dig her up. After placing the rocks and as I came down the stone stairs, Hector Protector met and escorted me down. 

So many times I have watched the cats in the back sit vigil with a sibling. Punky joined me for a little bit but none of these cats or kittens acted like they knew Little Bit. 

With the cool temps and rain I had left the garage door up for most of the day to shelter the ones that wanted to come in. They got din din in the garage as well, then I shut the door. After about an hour I opened it back up for the ones who wouldn't want to stay and that was Punky and Hector Protector. I went to bed thinking maybe Bobsey, Radley and a few kittens might have remained. This morning when the garage door opened, almost all the fam had spent the night in the garage. For that many cats, they didn't tear up the place nor did they discover open seating in the convertible, whew! But I do have a litter box to clean out a little later. 

I have a feeling that Little Bit might belong to Mama Cat. She is one of those cats who always looks preggers. Mama Cat hasn't been around for several days and that isn't unusual. Mama Cat was gone for over a year and then showed up the day after Cali died. She and Camo have in the past dumped their kittens and moved on. 

In feral cat world, kittens play hard and kittens pass away. Cats just a year or two old look like they are elderly because feral life is a difficult life. Many of these kittens have been rescued and socialized, while others are hard headed but really you can't blame them. They live by their wits. They are around and then suddenly they are gone. I have learned a lot from observing and interacting and I come away with spiritual lessons that touch deeply. 

One more cat observation and I will move on, but on this beautiful crisp fall morning, those kittens have so much pent up energy from being cooped up yesterday that they are chasing and wrestling with wild abandon on the front deck and driveway. Kind of a fun scene to observe. 

Now to non cat items. I am in the process of changing out summer to fall/winter clothes. Some of which are too early to wear but that's where we are in this season. I am not complaining. Last week with a little chill in the air I did put on an old favorite flannel shirt over a t-shirt. It won't be long till flannel, jeans and boots all the time. Even though I do not need anymore flannel shirts I got such a deal yesterday with a Belk coupon and Belk Rewards. Three flannels for $12.96 when it was all said and done. Now that is a bargain! 

The third of the maple tree left in the front is beginning to spot some red leaves. They say that the maples are ahead of schedule for leaf turning this year. On Monday I got out with the great weather, put the top down and drove over to TJ's. All along the route glimpses of fall lined the roads. 

On Saturday the order from Laurel Mercantile arrived. Two short story books and a handmade notebook. Y'all, did not need another notebook but this one is rather special. It is so special that I went to the maker's website and ordered a few more. Hey free shipping and 20% discount got me. I have put out the large mail receptacle by the front gate. It was my intent to come up with something cute and unique but practicality won this time. Need to drill a hole in the back to attach it to the fence post. Right now a big rock is holding it down and the wind has been kind of calm and easy. 

The horses at my neighbors have been in the lower pasture that is closest to our home. Love watching them canter around with each other. The cows across the street have a few new borns and they have are already head butting one another as they romp about. The air is filled with the fragrance of cut hay and the sky is a deep, deep blue. So fortunate to live in the rural without having to own rurals. Even with some sadness in days there are more joyful days and for this I am grateful. 

Kindness, Fall and Ferals

 What a great way to begin a morning...I stepped in cat vomit. Buddy is not like most cats in that she rarely does this so anything she does in that way is usually a complete surprise. She woke me up around 3:30 am just being restless and not settling down. It was about 5:00 am when sleep returned and I drifted off. To be honest there was another reason for not getting right back to sleep, Strawyer. I checked the security cameras and he was still asleep in a chair on the front deck. I kind of began to fret thinking one of the first things I would need to do this morning is bury him, well after cleaning up cat vomit that I had no idea about, yet. So glad I checked once more before falling asleep and Straw had changed positions, so whew, he was alive. Checked on him the first thing before getting up and he had moved on to another spot. He is probably waiting with the rest of the bunch for breakfast. Yes, Strawyer came to breakfast. He sat nearby as the food was prepared. Mama Cat pressed her head against his for the longest time as they have resolved their differences or at least only hiss at each other once a day. Mama Cat has kind of stopped hissing at me so maybe after all these years her heart is softening a bit. 

FB memories are usually a good thing. Fun pics of fun times but yesterday a memory showed up. It's not that I have forgotten about the memory it is just the hold isn't there anymore. It was six years ago that I met my father's friend to get some boxes he sent from her. The only reason I even agreed to receive them is the mention of my grandmother's plates that my mom had promised to me. There were no plates in those boxes, only trash. There were some Christmas mugs that probably hadn't seen the light of day for years that were roach encrusted. Trash...a fabric belt from a dress...trash and tons and tons of paper, newspaper to be exact. There were a few pics, a copy of my birth certificate, my mother's SS card and her baptism certificate, so it was good to get those. He probably didn't realize those things were among the trash. I felt so played and taken in and vowed it would be the last time he would be able to manipulate me and it was. As these years have passed after the estrangement and then his death, I have had to come to grips with the fact that all the bizarre ways he influenced me, by saying he was teaching me but it hasn't been easy. The reality that even though I thought his ideas and his love as a parent was kind of out there, I could take assurance that at least, in his way, he was trying to do the right thing as he believed it to be but that assurance was wrong. It has been dealing with his utmost hatred of me that would make what he said and taught those things were said so that life would be difficult, I would have no where to turn and would ultimately return back for his manipulation as a narcist can only do. But here comes the good part of the story, But God! So many miracles and blessings that while my father meant for evil, God turned for good. And that is what I take from this FB memory. I knew at the time being in NC and looking for a house here would be fraught with opposition from the enemy and it was but God's kindness, always the victor. We are still experiencing God's kindness here today.  

************

The weather people are saying today will be the warmest day of the week as a cold front begins to move into the area this evening. Yahoo for cooler temps! 

We had church outside on the softball field yesterday and next week will be our last outdoors service before moving indoors again. The leaders of our church have done such a good job of taking our congregation through these unprecedented times. Several of us from the Joy class visited before and  afterwards, socially distancing of course, catching up and getting updates on those we have been praying for. When I left for church, I knew a kitten was in the garage and wasn't coming out, so I came home to release the kitten and then ate a quick lunch and headed out to the grocery store. All out of bread and bananas. 

************

This post is going into Tuesday now. Overcast and cool. We have hit the high temp for the day. Mostly will be in the 50s throughout the day. Ah, that is prime time temps for me. Going to go outside, put on my Bogs, feed the cats and do some more work while the ground is damp. We have several days of autumnal weather coming up. 

After reading a few articles in the paper over the weekend I am glad I got ahead of the curve on the next shortage or rather the current shortage, desks. Bought one in March and it was one of the first pandemic projects putting it together. Now, my next project is a coat rack. Truthfully, there are all kinds of projects. Right now the house is in total disarray as I go through everything and reorganize. Of course it is ADD organization regrouping right now as I bounce from one project to the next.  

Overachieving Kindness With Rain

 I am married to an overachiever and he is married to a...well, I'm not an underachiever nor am I just an achiever...guess I am more selectively achiever. Maybe I am a flow with the tide kind of person, but there are interruptions in that mindset where I care way too much or apathy sets in. Like doing the outdoors work, motivated, made do and got a little creative with it all but then July and August set in. Too hot to work like I had and especially toward the end of August, the annuals are beginning to fade out, so watering isn't even an interest. I was reading an article this morning concerning overachievers and how and if they are dealing with these past months of social distancing and shutting down. The term the author used is surge capacity. It is depleted and that is why we can feel awful. The article is written by Tara Haelle. I haven't totally digested the article so I'll save comment for later but it did interest me in the differences between Roy and me and how these months have affected our mindset and emotions. He takes on big projects whereas I seem to divide up things into much smaller portions, think that is the go with the flow part of me. I see little things around the house that once I take care of, it feels like a huge accomplishment but Roy not seeing these little things nor knowing how I solved the problems just looks at me like I could have done more. Yep, sure could have if I was an overachiever. This probably explains why during these months my attention span is shorter than usual. Friends send me videos or songs and I don't look at them or listen, not because I'm not interested, it's just I am in for two seconds and my attention is elsewhere. If someone sends me an article I read it, more able to focus on words that thoughts. I do know everyone seems angrier than usual and what we have chosen to be angry over covers a broad range. This is not a paragraph on politics, it just seems like a lot of us are at our wits end. My petty anger happens in the grocery store with one way aisles...and in those one way aisles people leaving their baskets in the middle blocking everyone and the free flow of cart traffic both legally and illegally. We are trying to six feet it but if one is not aware of the blocking and doesn't respond to excuse me, we are all breathing in, less than six foot, air through our masks. Just pick up a can of corn and be done with it. See, even writing about this has caused a little spark to get me upset. The ol' surge capacity is depleted. So, how do I refill it? 

Feels like a new paragraph needs to start, refilling? Well, the article suggests being kind to yourself especially if you are an overachiever. That takes all different shapes and forms, like forgiving yourself for not being as productive...giving yourself more time to finish projects...and extending that grace to others. Hmm... it looks like I am already kind to myself. Truthfully, I am baffled by overachievers and perfectionists. I would be in a world of hurt if those traits were a part of my DNA. While drinking coffee and perusing FB and Twitter, a blog post that I have newly followed was so timely. The author wrote about kindness and how we can extend a little bit of kindness that can make a world of difference. She gave examples of real life, little things, words and actions of kindness she has never forgotten from her life. At the end she simply wrote a few words about extending those kindnesses in today's world of fear, Covid, and anger. You can read her post on FB, Jess Johnston Wonderoak. This reminds me that August in 2014 when I got to spend a month here, I called it God's Kindness. I was so aware of His kindness during those restful, productive and relaxing days. Productive cause on the day we left to return to Houston, we had bought a house. 

This morning I extended kindness to this rowdy bunch of ferals in the back. Let them hang out in the garage after a night filled with rain. They love indoor plumbing and wait in line to use the box. I did have to get after Radley cause he had climbed up to the gutter spout on the back porch and was looking into the security camera. Never had one do that. Over the past three years there has been ample opportunity to watch these mother cats teach their kittens. Each mom has a different style even with their different litters. Punky is a patient mom and attentive, Mama Cat not so much but she does teach them. 

A bit of happy news in the midst of everything, I ordered and wore a smaller size of jeans, and the jeans were on sale. All good all the way around. The chuck steak I cooked in the crock pot was good but chuck roast is better. The one pot broth though is a winner and will be on the repeat cycle. I started a new book last night and can tell it is going to be good but it is too much like what I have been reading, so back on the shelf for now and today I will peruse the TBR pile downstairs. 

Before Roy arrived in August, he had his twice yearly check up and while here the Dr office wanted him to come in for a follow up appointment. They were concerned with bloodwork but wouldn't be specific. Roy went to the follow up appointment and came out of there pretty steamed, no make that mad. While his bloodwork has concerns it was the approach the Dr chose to take which pretty much was, throw him to the side, prescribe some meds and see him in three months. Roy turned down his first option of meds and went with the second choice. It just so happened that while Roy was here, he worked on a humorous speech for Toastmasters. In it, he mentioned the Dr who saved my life in 2008, details that wasn't the humorous part, and we decided to see if she was back practicing medicine. She had been with a large hospital but it was not a good fit. She was back and in the Med Center. When Roy was telling me about his appointment I mentioned that he should call her office and get an appointment. He did, she is a concierge dr now and I told him he was worth the fee. Her attention to detail is refreshing in the medical field. Since then he has had an appointment with her, and follow up appointments with others in the practice and with Baylor. He is on the right road, with a plan and that's good cause Roy is a plan man and overachiever. Which brings us back to the first paragraph...overachievers. 

Well, with my short attention span, I have moved furniture in between writing these paragraphs. I don't rightly know where I was going with the point above, so let's just let it be for now. Once again showing no overachiever here, well in this particular bent. I am practicing kindness because when one moves furniture and stuff, you have to find places for the stuff or give it away. Probably going to be a little of both. 

Our Beta rain must be moving out because the skies are beginning to clear.    

  

Getting Back To Autumn

 To celebrate the beginning of fall this morning, I broke out the Golden Carmel Community Coffee Roy sent me. It is one of my favorites and is hitting the spot on this cool fall morning. Yes, we are in the autumnal season which is wonderful yet it marks the beginning of the end of produce stand season. It has been a good season of strawberries, peaches, berries and now apples. 

Yesterday my mind, heart and prayers were for Houston family and friends. Tropical Storm Beta came a calling and hung around too long, taking its time to leave the area. Lots of rain to be watched as people went to their jobs. Roy left downtown around noon taking several co-workers with him and dropped them off at the Park and Rides at their cars. He said they caught a small break in the rain and made it home okay. My concern was high water from all the rain that had accumulated. It doesn't take much to flood in some areas. The water feature by our home was up but did not come out of its banks. 

With a beautiful day, I did more work in the flowerbed pulling up plants that had bloomed all summer and were now dry branches of their former selves. I also returned to the chore of moving large border rocks from near the porch and rolling them down the hill to the flowerbed. Need to buffer up a zone toward the bottom of the bed where mulch escapes when we have hard rains. A work in progress.

Last night I finished up The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek. I started it at the beginning of the social distancing but had to put it down. It was a hard start with violence and thereafter a lurking violent presence in the next couple of chapters. I picked it back up on Sunday and so glad I did. Based on the women in the 1930s who delivered library books to people in the hills of eastern Kentucky. Although my father's side of the family is more from central to western Kentucky, a story set in the blue grass state draws me in. Now I am searching my TBR pile for the next book to read. So far in the past few weeks the locations of the books have been North Carolina, South Carolina and Kentucky. Keeping it Appalachian, well kind of. 

What an adventure getting to the grocery store today. Roy called and I helped him with something, got out to the car and had to distract Punky and Hector Protector with treats so I wouldn't run over them. I drove down our road and once I turned I noticed our mailbox was half open and an envelope in it. Mailbox thefts have gotten so bad, so I turned around and came home to get the envelope. Got back into the car when this huge German shepherd ran in front of me. He gets loose from time to time and I worried about those kittens in the backyard. I had left the gate open to the yard so, I went around the block...not like a city block but you get the picture, anyway, I came back and shut the gate. Only thing, the fence people did not do a good job with the gate and it came off the hinge on the bottom of it. I need to remind them to come back and fix that. I left again and hoped I would not return back to any injured or dead kittens. It took me thirty minutes to get on the road officially. While at the grocery store I bought a chuck steak. I don't know if I ever have before, chuck roast, yes. Anyway, it went into the crock pot with some one pot beef broth, Mrs Dash Pot Roast seasoning, onions, carrots and this steak. I looked it up it is a marinating kind of thing and since a roast is too big for me and even when I freeze leftovers, I don't ever really want it preferring making fresh. So this might be the answer. Sure smells good downstairs. 

Just finished with CBS core group Bible study. It is sad, but one of our members passed away last Friday from heart issues. She had been a core group leader but this year just wanted to be in a group. We sure missed her today but while we were studying John the Baptist, she has probably already met him and visited with him. 

With our cooler temps Buddy has been spending more time with me at night. I've kind of missed her but I do get better sleep when she is elsewhere. I just saw Strawyer and he is not looking good. His hind end is giving him problems especially on the left side. He usually will sniff my hand but when I put it near him, he hisses. He has never hissed at me. It seems he is spending most of his time underneath the front porch and Punky sits with him from time to time. Even he and Mama Cat have ceased fighting with one another and they rub their heads together. 

We shall soon see some Beta rain but not like Houston did and after that we get back to autumn.

Not Much Happening, But That's Okay

 It is a coolish kind of morning. Not brisk but definitely a hint of fall. Forecasts say we will have this kind of weather until Tuesday. Most certainly, it is enjoyable. Had the first cup of coffee on the back porch. Have my favorite ratty tatty sweatshirt on and the coffee, butterscotch toffee. Delicious. 

I pulled weeds yesterday in the flowerbed next to the driveway. Man, some of those roots were nearly two feet long. It is easier to break them up if I let them set a day or so. This morning I will get out there and pick up all the weeds lying on the driveway. Whatever the vine is that curls itself around the limbs and branches of plants is a formidable enemy. I pull them out by the roots and in a weeks time, they have wrapped around the roses or shrubs or trees. The vine holds a strong grip on those plants. If you let the vine take over it kills the plant. It is a constant battle. This morning will be the third round of vine ripping on two rose bushes out front.   

**********

I woke up this morning with a tension headache. Don't have those too often anymore but I think partly it came from sleeping too scrunched up. Thus another sabbatical Sunday. I really don't want to take one this week because the weather is fabulous but I also know staying in my parameters keeps me on the road of good health. After having a bit of afib this week, only one evening incident, I know I don't want to experience that again on a regular basis.  

Back to back emails this morning are at the extremes and it is amusing. Both emails from gardening companies. One says take the fall as a time to set a slower pace and enjoy the autumnal season. The essay is full of those things we like about fall. Words like cozy, pumpkin, boots and flannel. Alec, I'll take cozy, boots and flannel...pumpkin can be for someone else. Like pumpkin but not a must for fall around here unless they are at produce stands or out in the fields ready for harvest. The other gardening email encouraged get ahead of next season, order these things now, prepare for spring. That's a good thing, preparation but when we get too much into prep season, we will miss fall and winter. Each of those seasons hold their own delights. We are starting to see falling leaves, along with falling rocks due to so much rain and the early color turning trees are getting into the ready position to start things off colorfully. 

**********

A heavier blanket for the win. After waking up with a headache yesterday I realized I was spending much of the night pulling the sheet and blanket up close but in the end it was the way I slept. Yesterday, after changing the sheets I added the first of two winter coverings, the heavier blanket but not the down comforter. I would have added the regular year round blanket but it didn't wring out properly so it is air drying before putting it in the dryer. Yes, it has come to this, a paragraph about blankets. 

I spent a quiet day at home with Buddy. Plans to get some thing done went by the wayside except for getting the trash bin down to the road and of course feeding the cats. This morning breakfast was a little later than usual so we had a full house of hungry hungry kitties. Hector Protector pawed at me today to pet him more and I snuck a little petting with Radley. Mama Cat is getting closer but she still hisses. Miss Priss doesn't give me the time of day and Bobsey acts like he might be feeling friendlier toward me. 

Well, that is the happenings for now....

Better Than Expected Results

 An update of yesterday's post, the failed TV series was in the 1980s and not the 70s. The documentary was on again last night about Lucy. 

Yesterday morning the western sky looked like a snow sky only it is the middle of September and while we anticipated cooler temps, snow wasn't in the forecast. Now after seeing the weather report last night some of that was due to smoke coming all the way across the country from the fires on the west coast. It made for a very steely gray scenic sky though. The consideration of a short road trip was briefly contemplated but the option of sticking around the area won out and after errands, came yard work. Ok, really after a short nap came yard work. I also experimented with one of the bags of rocks for the backyard. Trying to see what looks good with the flat stones. I got some white drainage rocks and they look the best against a structure. So back on the hunt for river rock or some kind of Pebbles, no not fruity pebbles or pebbles associated with the Flintstones. That bag of drainage rocks, pretty dang heavy. I didn't even mess with the second bag but the rubberized mulch, those bags felt so light. Back in March they didn't. Roy is impressed with the distance I get throwing those bags down the hill to the big flower garden in the yard. I also laid out the last garden path from Gardeners Supply. Made a safer path to the gate at the top in the new fence. 

********

New day with a new hair stylist at the same salon. Really like her and her style thus my hair style. So each stylist does something different and usually they all begin with let's change this. Okay, sounds good. Always need texturizing on the front part of my hair but she did a twist cut and she officially cut off the last remaining vestiges of highlighted hair. It is a little shorter than I like but with not being able to get my next appointment for six weeks, it is probably a good decision. My hair feels so healthy since not having highlights since March. Still love using Oribe products and Jen introduced me to one I have not used. We will see if I get the same results as she did and knowing how this has worked in the past, I won't. 

***********

Sally rain wasn't too bad here on the dry ridge. It was steady but never too heavy. It felt like a Houston rainy day where the whole day is rainy. Here, we are apt to have late afternoon into evening rain most of the time. Sally moved faster than anticipated in our area so today is forecast to be a beautiful one weather wise. Just saw a funny on Twitter by a local TV weather guy, it is a kid wrapped up in coats and his mom is putting a knitted scarf around his head...the caption what people from Florida will be wearing this weekend in the mountains. We will have a taste of fall this weekend and hopefully it won't be like last year where we would get the taste and then go back to warm temps. 

Well, just when it looked like the dentist appointment this week would be uneventful, even got props for flossing better, the original tooth, implant...that started this whole dental journey way back to the year of our Lord, 1977, is having a bit of trouble. I am trying to find out the manufacturer of the post used in the implant. Oral Surgeon who did the work is dead and it seems no one bought his practice, so I will have to go another route to try and find out. I'm guessing he used a generic post cause that is what he did on the last work he did and if I knew then what I know now, I wouldn't have gone back to him but I was blinded by his good looks. What is likely to happen is, my dentist will take the crown off, take pictures and see if anyone recognizes the type...this implant was put in 21 years ago, then he will try and have a new crown made for the implant that will protect my gums etc...

In the past month two authors that I liked have passed away, Julia Reed and Winston Groom. I loved reading Julia Reed early on and then as a columnist for Garden and Gun. She got a little too boozy for me but she was so very interesting. One of her friends described her as a foreign correspondent to her own land.  She had been writing about leaving New Orleans and returning to the Delta of Mississippi. She built a small home with a great deal of planning and input. She had moved into her treasured little home and then she died of cancer. I didn't so much mourn her passing as much as I mourned the work and dreams she had put into that home and she wasn't going to enjoy the fruits of her labor.  Yesterday, the news of Winston Groom passing hit Twitter. He wrote Forest Gump. I met him once at an Alzheimer fund raiser in Houston. I had to buy his newest work of fiction to get him to sign my copy of Forest Gump. Only 30,000 first editions were published...he said to me, you were with me from the beginning. The truth was, I bought the book cause I liked the cover way before the Gump craze set in. My friend Linwood was there with me and she had him sign her University of Alabama yearbook, they graduated the same year, knew the same people. When Linwood and I went to a tea to hear Anne Rivers Siddons, she and Ann had lived in the same "trendy full of characters" apartment complex in Atlanta and while their paths never crossed there, they shared mutual friends. Linwood has always been the southern entry to into literature and politics. She knew Ellen Gilchrist's mother and Linwood regaled Ellen's mothers with my quirky adventures and of course Linwood's full decorum, in a southern sense. Linwood's husband was one of the first to see the balance sheet of Enron didn't look right and she was front row and center for the trial of Jeff Skilling.  The last time I saw Linwood was a chance meeting in a Sports Authority store. I was down to a size 10 after the heart issues and she could not believe the change. She wanted me to come to lunch at the University Club, where we had played tennis together, but now the club was called something else...when I quit playing tennis, I kind of lost interest to what happened in tennis world. I couldn't come the day she invited me for lunch because I already had lunch plans and when I talked with her again, I asked about making a lunch date. In that syrupy strong southern drawl she set me in my place, she had extended an invite, I had turned it down and in her book, we were done. Ah, the strong southern woman who can cut you so hard in the kindest kind of voice.  It seems I have written more about Linwood than I did Winston Groom. I did enjoy those tennis years with Linwood though. We played on several teams together and she was the queen of lobs.

On Monday, it was truck errand day so after dropping things off at Goodwill I stopped at Ingles for a brief moment. In the parking lot a man on a medical scooter and a sacker were approaching the car next to me. The man asked if I was the "girl" that owned that truck and thinking that he couldn't get into his car cause maybe the back end of the truck was a little crooked, I volunteered to re park the truck. Nope, he just wanted to know if the truck was mine. He stood up gingerly from his scooter and said I sure would like to have a girl who owns a truck...As I walked away, I said well I am already taken. Later on I thought Roy would get a kick out of the encounter because when I tell him about flirtatious behavior in the Mustang, he just says, they were flirting with the car. Being in the truck struck him serious, as he gave me answers I should have given to that man. The answers didn't fit but would have if I had felt threatened. 

Buddy woke me up at 11:07 last night. I had gone to bed early since I was tired and needed to catch up on sleep. Well, the wake up made me wide awake so I got up and continued reading The Last List of Judith Kratt. So far, the details in the story was barely holding my interest but it seemed that this many details held a surprise and last night, I came to the surprise part and I was hooked. This is one of those books that you go back and read the first chapter once you've read the complete book and see if hints were given, but you didn't know you needed these hints while reading. I see that Fannie Flagg has a new book coming out in October as well as Rick Bragg. Those fall/winter reading lists should be coming out soon. 

Oh, an update on the new hair product...I did okay with it and got better than expected results. 

Comedic Genius- A Documentary

 After a rough night with Buddy, I decided to stay home this morning from church. It is a beautiful morning with a breeze. The sun is fighting through the clouds to make a full appearance and the sun seems to be winning that battle today. Since staying home from church gave an easy feel to the morning, it seemed best to tune in via Zoom to the Dayspring Life Bible Study class at HFBC. Dena began the book of Isaiah and her lesson was great. So fun to see familiar faces on the screen. It was also the first time back to meet in person. So there were people in the classroom as well as on Zoom. 

******

The fog is lifting outside and the fog inside is lifting as well. On my second cup of coffee. When I went out back this morning, just a few of the fam were there. Always throws a bit of a scare in me when the ones who are usually waiting on treat time aren't visible even after whistling the food call. The little kittens have discovered the front deck and some wild games of chase were happening. Punky finally showed up but she came from the gravel road. Lately, they have been staying away from the allure of that area, only Mama Cat going that way. She must have a safe place to still be alive after all these years, which is only three years in November but that is a lifetime in feral years. Mama Cat still gives me a morning hiss or two yet she is trying, or it looks like she is trying, to be friendlier towards me. She doesn't rub my legs like some of the others but she now sits near to where the food is being prepared. She is even meowing at me in a very quiet tone, so progress is being made. After doing my chores, garage cans to the road, pulling weeds and sweeping, I stayed out an played a bit with the older and younger kittens. The fishing rod broke, so I improvised with play toy on a stick. The young ones almost had no fear of me as they chased the gold and purple cat toy. When I pick them up finally, I want to be prepared, so I am seeing ways to catch them. 

Saturday night Reelz TV had a documentary on Lucille Ball. During the years I have read a myriad of books on her life, books specifically focused on I Love Lucy, and a few memoirs by those who worked on the show. There was a time I knew a lot of trivia about her and the show. The tele-prompter was invented by one of the writers on the show, the three cameras filming was Desi's idea and he knew the show would be much funnier if they had a studio audience. Lucy could hold a pose or contort her face to get the laughs. The documentary focused quite a bit on life for Lucy after I Love Lucy...divorcing Desi, meeting Gary Morton, and doing her Here's Lucy etc kind of shows. In life Lucy was not funny, like being witty or telling a story, but she knew what to do while the film was rolling. She was precise in her comedy and micro managing on others to get the best out of them. It is well documented that she and Vivian Vance had a love/hate friendship. Vivian was the perfect Ethyl to Lucy but on Here's Lucy, Vivian got tired of the same ol' stuff, recycled story lines and the like. After three years she stepped away and didn't appear except for a handful of times. She had remarried and lived in Conn so her interests had diversified. Because Lucy depended on slapstick humor, as she aged, she couldn't do all the things she used to be able to do. I think the saddest part of her life is when Aaron Spelling and Gary Morton talked her into doing another sitcom when she was 75, in the 1970's. I don't even remember it nor do I think I ever watched it. They filmed thirteen episodes which only eight were on. ABC axed it quickly. The critics and many fans criticized the show and Lucy, as told on the documentary, was hurt. Her first non successful show. They showed a few clips from the show and you know how you get embarrassed for someone, well that is how it felt. She was still trying to do her "act" and it didn't age well. She still wore her hair bright red, too much eye makeup. The over-reaching acting in those few clips...

These days there are times I say something, maybe it is a funny I have said all my life, but now it is an old lady saying it, I can feel it...deep inside. Stop it! You can bank it that if I can find a song title to go with the conversation, I'm doing that. Now, more for my amusement than anything. All I need to remember to keep my witty, insightful, sarcastic thoughts to myself cause now it's old lady speak. My father, oh my. He would repeat stories, over and over, all the time...the very thing he despised in his parents, he took up the mantle with vigor. Being the kind hearted family we are, cough cough, we would say, you told us this story a million times! He would then say or preface his story with, I like telling and hearing this story, so.... I do not want to pick up this mantle with vigor or with apathy. 

I remember reading Lucy had died while waiting for my tennis lesson at The Met. The tennis pro who was from North Carolina and whose name escapes me could see I was visibly shaken and I think she was surprised when I told her Lucille Ball had died. On the documentary, interviews of comediennes came in between segments. Most of them had dissected the best comedic bits from the show.They honored her, by telling how she made the way for them to do what they do. She was the first woman to be the lead and have the title. She was smart and organized, she helped other women as they traversed the slippery slope of comedy.   

CBS still makes 20 million a year on the reruns. She is on somewhere on the earth everyday. My favorite and I have many but my favorite is Lucy Writes An Operetta. She sings Queen of the Gypsies in it. Most will think it is because she is playing a tambourine but it is more than that. Her Vitameatavegimin commercial is classic. She made a mistake in the script, she got ahead of herself. We have this classic because they didn't stop filming and she had the mindfulness to pick up where she left off. I think when she says, I tell ya what you got to do...the rest is improvised. That is comedic genius! 

Just Another Happy Saturday

 Sometimes when I have happy feet that are happy to roam about the countryside, especially now in these pandemic days, something around the house needs to grab my attention to anchor me here at the homestead. The day was a little too warm for gardening and I was holding up hope that Mike the Mower man would make an appearance but as the afternoon continued and the itch to get out could only be remedied by one thing, Texas Sheet Cake. Dena had sent a care package several months ago with two kits to make sheet cake. It was easy enough using one pan to assemble it all to pour into the ever present and always used baking container, a 9 by 13 baking pan. This was a new pan so what better dish than Texas Sheet Cake to inaugurate its use and service. Oh my, the cake, delicious and so good. 

Yesterday morning, while praying about a decision that I was feeling a yes to in my spirit, I asked God, could you give me a confirmation today that yes is the decision. Can you still use me? Then, I went on about the morning. A friend came to mind and I texted her asking about an appointment and decisions wrapped around that appointment. She responded but I had left for the grocery store and didn't get a text off to her. Once the groceries were loaded into the trunk, I stopped and read her reply and felt compelled to respond to her then even though it goes against every safety moment and precaution about sitting in the car and texting...in a parking lot. She responded but since I had left the parking lot and was driving, thank goodness I still had some safety instincts, I didn't write back until returning home. While putting up groceries, she sent a text saying God just used you, will get back later and here, just as I read that, the phone rang. My 2:30 phone call was about an hour early. Taking the call with an answer of yes, I knew that the seconds before the call, the text was that gift of confirmation I had asked the Lord about. Then when I finally got to read the story of how God had used me, it was a story of minutes and seconds, just like what had happened here. He is an on time God, He uses everything to encourage us, even texts. 

*********

The sound of Saturday morning, lawnmowers and weed eaters. Although technically that is a sound that can be heard almost everyday out here in the country. Well, the sound of tractors and chainsaws might be a better description. More little stick houses are being built down the road but thankfully a big bank of trees and firs cover our view of the houses being built. The wind has picked up a bit too this morning. We may or may not get rain.  

This morning on Twitter I read an interesting and insightful thread started by Rhyne Putnum. I don't know who he is but he wrote from the heart not being the "biblical man" by definition that Christians have used culturally. Out of his thread he wrote something that Roy has said for years about Jacob and Esau. Roy doesn't go to a lot of the men's conferences or retreats because in his mind all they are trying to do is make men into being better Esaus than Jacobs. Professor Karen Swallow Prior responded to his Twitter thread, giving a woman's point of view in the same context. She said, "Imagine being female in this same conservative context, growing up not that pretty, pleasing, or sweet; unable to cook or sew; loving reading philosophy, and debate... Not to mention being unable to have children." The responses to this thread is filled with testimony after testimony of not feeling like they fit in or that programming was designed for them. Oh my, I found my people group. If you have read Monablog for any period of time you know that the cutie women's ministry has not been something that I have enjoyed. The leaders will always choose a former anorexic woman, who happens to be beautiful to share at a gathering or retreat. You don't see too many former bulimics on the stage cause they tend to be overweight and goodness knows that is not the image one wants to project or portray. There are women who have wonderful stories of redemption but they don't fit the pattern and sometimes, just maybe, their language is a bit off color. On Twitter person after person shared their struggle. I will say that being 6' tall and being a woman does not help when many a time you tower over the man in charge. One time after being verbally torn apart by one of these men, I casually told him, I am going to respond in kindness cause your anger comes out of a jealousy that you aren't as tall as me and there is nothing that I can do about it. Many times I have written something to the effect of, if nothing else, and believe me there is a lot of else, Beth Moore delivered us from teas, fashion shows and crafts in Women's Ministry. She has brought the Word of God for study and truth to women. There is nothing wrong with teas, fashion shows and crafts, but it doesn't have to be the main theme when women gather. Every once in a while the subject of having a tea comes up and I would go, only I'll be wearing a gardening hat or gimme cap and gardening gloves. Every meeting doesn't have to be strictly serious and every meeting doesn't need to be fun...wow, that hurt to write cause fun many times is the motivation for me to get a job done, but there needs to be a good mix. Serve and fellowship.  

Twice this afternoon, I beat the rain. Once with the top down on Mustang Sam and the other time I had already put the top up. We actually got some rain and it looks like we may still be getting a little bit. The feral fam has gone someplace dry. That little Hector Protector is taking a liking to me. More on this later. 

The luxury of being a good weather Baptist while we are not having Sunday School may come into play tomorrow morning...depending you know, on the weather. 

Waste or Waist?

 Back in the day, growing up with neighborhood kids, most of us had set boundaries as far as we could go on our bikes. Mine were a bit restrictive to the block in front of our block and the one behind us. Every once in a while permission was given to ride one more block over because a friend lived on it. She and I would ride our bikes around and around and around the neighborhood. Whenever we came up to the curve on her street, which was Kit Street once you were on the curve, all curves had different names in our subdivision, she would announce her friend that lived smack dab on the middle of that curve. She would say, Go Go with the red door lives here. Never met Go Go, but I remember the house, Chinese modern, and only a few homes with that style were anywhere around. Yes, it had bright red double doors. When our gate was installed last week, the young man in charge of installation told us he got the red gate to go with our red roof. The long ago memory of Go Go with the red door came to mind. Now it could be said that Foo Foo with a red gate lives here. When my nieces were kids, they called me Aunt Foo Foo. 

Think we overdosed on apple cider donuts and now it's go time again to an orchard. Probably will wait until next week cause orchards on the weekend are traffic and people intensive. 

Three painters came out and gave us bids. Roy picked the first guy not only based on price but also his determination to get here for the appointment. Looks like he will be able to start in a couple of weeks. We are thinking of just continuing the same color theme from the back porch to the front. That way we won't be too confused with color but we are opting for a lighter type stain for the fence. We need to pick that color and will probably do so over the weekend. 

I finished up my CBS homework last night. We are studying the book of John and I had forgotten how much I like the style of homework CBS uses. There was only one study I didn't particularly care for and that was I and II Peter. It felt like they didn't have enough material and stretched it out a little too long. We Zoomed for the first time last Wednesday. It was the meet and greet thing, with guidelines and instructions. 

**********

Bible study was so good yesterday. The discussion of our questions led by our fearless leader Sonya was deep and rich. Thought provoking. Seeing through this introduction lesson of how John grew from fisherman to beloved, one lady said John is thought to have been the youngest disciple and how he grew up under Jesus' influence is so hopeful. Yes! Even an old lady can continue to grow up with Jesus' influence. We read such familiar scriptures and I am reminded that those familiar scriptures sometimes are so familiar, we breeze through them. When Jesus said I am the resurrection and the life...His statement the resurrection hit me anew while doing the homework. The life is understandable but the resurrection? Not just he was resurrected, not like Lazarus, but because He IS the resurrection, He could resurrect Lazarus. I love that the Word of God is active and alive. I am pondering these things in my heart and on my blog. Roy is also doing CBS this year and his first meeting was Tuesday night. We are two weeks ahead of his class but I assured him if he wanted to discuss my homework answers, he would be better prepared when his class came to them. He didn't buy it. 

Most of yesterday morning was spent outside working in the yard and flowerbeds. Pulled some weeds, saved some sunflower seeds and began the general summer into fall cleanup. Got a lot accomplished and put off the remaining chores until the cool of the evening. Only, it started raining in the cool of the evening, so it was an easy decision to postpone the work. It seems to be a full time job pulling those ever growing and reaching vines out of trees, shrubs and plants. Unbelievable. They wind themselves right onto the stem or limb...killing the host plant. 

On Sunday, Pastor Bradley encouraged us not to let this time of social distancing due to Covid be wasted. He mentioned several things like, more time at home, not so busy schedules etc to use this time to draw closer to the Lord. He encouraged families to have devotions together, even seemingly feeling weird at the beginning of starting a good habit. He talked to individuals to stay in the Word, stay close to God. We can hear a million internet pastors tell us that, but it is so personal and meaningful when your own pastor encourages your growth...not with tweetable platitudes but with a real heartfelt admonition. When all this Covid emphasis began in March, I knew that I would have to pace myself because if I started out doing all things...I would be left with no things, thus promoting a listlessness in my spirit. Thus, my Bible reading mainly stayed in the Psalms because knowing He is with me every step of the way, that we would come out to the land of the living, that we have peace in uncertain times and of course The Lord is My Shepherd. My days were mainly spent working in the flowerbeds, planning out summer plants and building raised beds, all the while seeing the Lord's hand in the everydayness of this new normal life. I didn't hit my TBR stack enthusiastically because I knew it would hold more meaning if I waited till time opened up for reading. Really, I am doing less reading than usual but the books have had more substance. In June I decided that a challenge out of my comfort zone might be good. So, I wrote down several things that I would like to learn. A few of those things; learn how to draw a sunflower, to use materials here around the house to create something, anything with...cause this is totally out of my comfort zone, and writing a short story. Not all my list is here, but you can see I am leaning toward a creative side. Years ago I took a writing course and several of the published authors in the course encouraged me in my writing strength which is nonfiction. So, short story is a good place to begin a challenge, you know cause of the short part. 

Buddy is not cooperating with me and she's making it difficult to write, so this post is finished up. She sure is purring. She has started eating again, more than treats and for this I am extremely thankful. I think she is also done with sleeping in bed with me, but we will see what she does when it gets colder. 

Chores and Outdoors

 Friday, as we ran those necessary errands. the need for lunch time sustenance hit us and the decision came, do we go home and fix something or shall we venture out and eat in a restaurant? Our choices are limited here but rumor had it that Ay Caramba had moved into the old Twisted Laurel space. Lunch was delicious and social distancing. So into today's world that means darn near perfect. 

Roy has been updating us into the 21st century here in the mountains. Today will be my first time Zooming. Since Community Bible Study is virtual this year, I signed up with the Katy class and my core group leader is one of my favorite people. Seven years ago she was in the core group I led but I knew from day one, she should be a leader sooner not later. 

Sunday after church we ran over to Lowe's mainly to look but we ended up buying a self propelled battery lawnmower. On sale, the last one, well of the self propelled genre. The sales clerks both told us, just take it out of the box and it is good to go. They lied...we are so gullible to no assembly products. But assemble we did. The battery is charged, the lawnmower assembled and as soon as possible we will try her out. Not replacing Mike the Mower Man but this too is another part of my grand plan of the front flowerbed. If we mow around it the grass seeds and weeds might not fly into the bed so freely.

********

Almost a week has gone by and blogging went by the wayside. Roy spent his vacation working around the house and taking care of a lot of things. Whew! He is going to do a speech at Toastmasters on what I did on my summer vacation. We got the refrigerator repaired, three painting bids for the front porch, deck and new fence, Flex sealed part of the guttering that has a small leak, cleaned out the dryer vent and we tried to hang the outdoor curtains on the back porch but the drilling caused us to stop early because we were both getting short of patience. We had plans to go to several places but having to be here for fence and painting bids caused those plans to quickly change. Roy says there is always something to do around here...he is talking maintenance wise but I think we get to live in such a beautiful place that the Bible verse to whom much is given, much is required kind of works in contrast to the work. We did a lot in the garage too and I continued that work yesterday, but it being labor day, I took most of the day off. 

There has been a feral breakthrough...Hector Protector lets me pet him. He is mimicking Punky and Strawyer and will rub around my legs a little. In the past few days he has come right up to me, wanting a little rub on the head and behind the ears. Radley let me pet him once but he hasn't been too responsive to any other encounters. Even Mama Cat the grouchiest cat in all the land has shown a little more love. Still hisses but not as much. She has started meowing at me a bit and sits nearby while I prepare their meals. So, that is the feral family report for this day. 

With the temps moderating here, we have gone back to outdoor church. We love it! The hawks were plentiful in flying over. The sky so blue and the mountains as a backdrop, wow, God's sanctuary. To sing His praises and to hear God's Word in such a setting, to whom much has been given, much is required. So thankful to be sitting outdoors and not being subjected to smoke and lights, special effects and mundane sermons. Ok, not all sermons indoors are mundane but in the Covid time, the availability of mundane, pedestrian and banal sermons overwhelm Twitter and FB. Maybe Instagram as well, but not on that one too much to not at all. 

Cool mornings with a breeze might be coming to an end for now. We've enjoyed pleasant temps with very little rain. It is nice to be out of the rainy pattern for a bit. Think supper might be served on the front porch so that Buddy can come out and enjoy the temps too.