Every season holds beauty around here and winter scenes, even without snow, are quite spectacular. This has been the most stay at home year, you know because of the obvious reasons and really a year ago in August I stayed close to home because Buddy had one of her swooning periods where she seems so close to crossing the rainbow bridge. Guess August 2019 was good practice. Barbers Orchard will be closing down for the season on December 24th. Always a bit sad when that happens but it won't be long till February when Florida strawberries hit the stores and soon, not too far behind, South and North Carolina strawberries begin to make their appearances heralding the soon arrival of produce stand season, the most wonderful time of the year.
I would sing In the Bleak Mid Winter this morning, but it isn't even winter yet and an overcast, rainy, could have some ice kind of day is not bleak in my book. The backdrop of gray just accentuates the bright colors of the season. The truck Christmas decoration on the front porch is holding its own, still looks like a truck even though it is taped together rather delicately. The tree topper blew off the tree so when I feel like getting out in the rain, I'll fix that. The front that is moving in isn't supposed to be a huge wind event, and for this I am thankful.
Things that make you officially old? I would have to say that today I am beyond excited because the cordless vacuum cleaner is out for delivery. We have one downstairs and believe me, once you have been set free from the cord, you do not want to go back. Yes, we could bring the cordless vacuum upstairs, but the downside to this freedom is the time limits that the thing holds the charge. Got a deal, so ordered it up and it will soon be here. That sucker will be charging in no time.
Roy had an appointment last week with a physical therapist. He had to go back on Friday in workout clothes. He also had an appointment with his doctor who happens to be in the same building. He is eating a more balanced diet. So Roy and his overachieving ways are on the right track. Roy has also been asked to be a district director in Toastmasters. We've been talking about it all week, whether he should do it or not and what kind of time will it require. He kind of threw me for a loop when he said he thought he might put the Texas house on the market in February....what???? I am all for that but I needed to remind him of all the things that need to be done before undertaking that action. Even though I did a good cleanout of stuff last December, there is still so much to be gone through and if the house went on the market in February, that would mean two extra moves for him. So this week we came to the conclusion, not to sell the house sooner than later but we will begin in earnest working on a timeline. Roy's appointments went well. The Dr thinks that his medicine is causing some of his difficulties and once she consults with the endocrinologist, they will probably change his medicine. She was concerned about his weight loss and frankly, I have been as well. The funny thing about Roy, is like all of us, we tend to lean into our strengths and kind of skirt around our weakness. Roy ordered his Christmas gift to himself Friday night and when he told me what he had ordered...I wasn't exactly enthusiastic. One of the tests he did with the physical therapist was the good ol' step test and since he did so well, he decided to order a stepper thing when he got home. Welcome to the 80s fitness routine. The therapist is concerned about his lack of muscle mass in his shoulders, so you know the stepper thing will help that....uh no. Roy is motivated by passing tests. He is waiting on a series of exercises to be sent to him from the physical therapist that he is to do twice a week and I am willing to bet that there will not be step routines. Roy doesn't even listen to music and that is what made those classes palatable. Oh well, just another thing to go into a garage sale or a donation to Goodwill. I asked him how that step thing was going...after a couple of days and I would say, welcome to boring exercise. He hinted at that, but he knows I wasn't exactly thrilled that he ordered an old fashioned back in the day workout tool, so he has to keep the step exercise report, positive and happy but there are hints of buyers regret in his voice. He is just training for going up and down the steps here.
I was more sensible in ordering my Christmas gift to myself, books. Not just any books mind you, but books on this area of the country. Love learning about history here. Even though my fathers side of the family is from central Kentucky, there seems to be a lot of similarities to the Appalachian way of life. Very similar cooking styles and views on how to make do. With sticking around home so much you would think that I got a whole lot of reading going on, but no, that is not the case. While I have read some interesting books and have very interesting and entertaining books on the to be read pile, I'm feeling that books will be a January thing.
Some of the Feral Fam are taking advantage of the garage. Early this morning, I opened the door and welcomed several into the fold. Gave them treats there and when I went out to feed them breakfast, a whole passel of them were cuddled and snuggled together in the back corner. I tried to take a quick pic but Junior escaped before I could get the picture taken. I know his rule of no flash photography, but the flash on the phone is off.
Last week I got a box full of some of my favorite coffee that isn't available nearby, some special taco seasoning, HEB Texas Sheet Cake mix, and some boxes of spaghetti mix. Yes, spaghetti is available in the area but this particular brand isn't, although I saw some at the Mars Hill Ingles the other day. So that is good to know. A couple more boxes should be arriving this week too. Steel cut oats lower in carbs will be the main contents of the box. I don't eat oatmeal but Roy does and he needs this particular kind in his ever, ongoing quest of being an overachiever.
The past few weeks I've had Christmas music on. Right now mostly the commercial favorites and it has been entertaining to listen and sing along with Bing, Rosemary, Perry, Dean, Andy, The Carpenters, Burl, Judy and the rest of the gang. Silent Night is on the regular rotation. While it is a beautiful song, it isn't in my top five of Christmas Carols we sing at church. Silent Night, good for the candlelight service and a Pageant processional to Bethlehem. Give me Hark the Herald Angels Sing, First Noel, Joy to the World...so joyful for the coming Messiah. Silent Night, the contemplative carol, but I got to thinking the other day...all is calm, all is bright. Don't know, but it seems it would be everything but calm. Finding the barn, which most probably was a cave, giving birth, giving birth to the Savior of the world and just when Mary might gather herself, shepherds have come upon the scene. Most likely, in my different thinking mind, I would be singing Mary did you know that shepherds would come so soon? I can't even imagine since I've never given birth, that it would be a little more chaotic than all is calm. Maybe some angels came and helped Mary and Joseph get ready for guests and God knowing how we would start claiming scripture, if this fact had been added to the Christmas story, we would be asking and claiming angels to come vacuum before accepting guests and visitors. I could offer a cordless vacuum to the angels, but so far, just downstairs cause the long awaited Dyson has not been delivered.
This just in, new vacuum cleaner arrived! Cue the angels...come on now, I am cleaning bathrooms.
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