Here, There and Everywhere

 This is about the foggiest morning in our little valley during the whole month of August. It is not burning off as of yet due to the lack of sun breaking through. It will break through and bring some more hot August days. Think I am ready for fall. 

I started reading If Trees Could Testify last night before going to bed. Let's just say it is not the kind of book you should read right before falling asleep. Novelized account of a true crime that happened in Madison County in 1983. For background noise I had on one of those shows like Dateline but it wasn't Dateline. The name is not coming to me, but as I kind of listened to it, I looked at the TV and thought, that exit sure looks familiar to me. It should be cause it is off I-40 around Haywood County. 

Once again, Roy and I talked about our decision seven years ago to buy a house or at least begin that process here in NC. It felt like learning important things all over again because after living in the Houston area since I was four, you kind of go by rote because not too much changes. You know when not to go on certain freeways, you know the roads that flood when it rains hard, which traffic lights go out of sync easily, the backway into the Galleria that most tourists don't know....all that kind of stuff. All at once we were learning a rural, slow paced life. We knew the direction of weather in Houston, winter from the north, summer from the south, sometimes a little west action and very little from the east, in normal circumstances. Here, it can be raining on a far away mountain or a close one and it never comes your way. Learning that most directions or traffic reports involve exits and I really don't know them very well. I am learning though. 

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Monday morning. The dishwasher is being installed and Roy is supervising...yay! This gives me some time to get upstairs and do a little blogging. Roy brought work with him so getting into the bonus room is sometimes difficult but I don't mind a bit. We have gotten a lot done and yet had a lot of fun since Thursday. Roy's flight was delayed several hours but he arrived around 8:30 pm. He helped me on Friday afternoon in the Sunday School room changing out the bulletin boards, not a particular gifting for us. Thanks be to Amazon for ideas and believe me I have gone with the simplest decorations that can be used all year long just with a few changes here and there. 

We headed out Saturday for lunch at The Farmers Market.  Delicious as always. Went next door to Mountain View and picked up a few things. Took the scenic route to the Kroger in Johnson City and stocked up on some deals. Academy and Barnes and Noble were next. Then we headed toward home. We had a blast running all around east TN. Sunday, church. First Fifth Sunday and Roy made his biscuits and fried up some bacon for the class. 

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The new dishwasher is rather spiffy. I love the third rack and half cycle for nothing messy. Before the installation I took Mustang Sam for a fill up due to Colonial closing in a couple of pipelines until Ida passed through the area of operation. After the install guy left, we went and filled up the truck. Then we made an Ingles run for a couple of items. Our day planning was to spend most of our time in Haywood County. We began at Blue Rooster and then headed over to Christopher Farms. A successful shopping stop and then we made our way to Barbers Orchard. When there is rain in the forecast like today, it is always good to have donuts in the house. I hadn't been to a Mast store in over a year and with a few open parking spaces, we took advantage of less tourists. Also made a quick stop at Hazelwood Soap to pick up some mask spray that my niece had discovered when we visited there a couple of weeks ago. We headed toward home only to detour to The Fresh Market to find some ready made meals, only we didn't really find anything, so off to Publix. By this time we had used up some gas and with the Colonial Pipeline thing going on, we thought if we see an open station, we will fill up again. Our tried and true Exxon station had gasoline and really not too much of a line. We filled up. I am telling you we were both tired last night. People say I am on the go all the time and I really don't feel like I am, but yesterday...I would agree. We were here, there and everywhere. 

Japanese Beetles, Ferals and Stuff

 Mike the Mower Man made it here yesterday and what a world of difference in the yard. With all the rain he hadn't been able to get here and the grass took advantage. The temps have been so warm and with that, no desire at all to get out in the yard and do some much needed work. Truthfully, some of the work that needs to be done can't begin until early spring, pruning the peach trees that have taken over a lot of space in the front flowerbed. I blame the temps but it is also due to HP helping me garden. I miss that cat and it just doesn't seem the same without her sitting there and moving from plant to plant with me until she got bored and took up residence on the swing. Toupee is moving a bit closer to me and watches my every move when it comes to dishing up meals for them. She has taken Juniors spot that gets special attention. She has brought a couple of her cousins up there with her and Sweetie unknowingly let me pet her while she was eating. Toupee is one of the most expressive cats, her facial features give her away and while I don't find her a particularly pretty cat, she knows how to get attention. The young set of kittens has discovered the comfort of the garage and most mornings they scamper out the door when they hear, then see me coming. But sheepishly, they return cause my presence most probably means food is involved. That stupid King Herod has been hanging around at meal time and because I am so mature, I move meal times around just to throw him off. 

Got most of the errands that needed to be taken care of done yesterday. I will finish up the last few maybe this afternoon. Since it is the fifth Sunday this week, I don't have to prepare and study for a lesson. Love teaching but like the breaks I get. Trying to get caught up on some reading. Reading time has been seriously affected and then to learn last night, there is a Andy Griffith Show channel now on Pluto. Oh my, help me. Their documentaries have taken me in and then to have the familiar on the TV as background, well in some ways it is bad news but in many ways it is good news. 

I had lunch with a friend today at The Baked Pie Company in Woodfin. We both ordered tomato pie and oh my goodness, it was so good. She helped with suggestions for a project I have in mind to do this winter. I took down notes and even looked at a couple of sites online this afternoon. After lunch since being so close to The Fresh Market, I stopped in to pick up a few things. Tuna salad, peeled orange slices, fall flavored coffee but not pumpkin spice, eggs and a twice baked potato. It is almost the same line up but I go on different days of the week. 

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The ever trustful and faithful companion, Buddy is at my side this morning. She would rather be in my lap but that makes writing difficult. Thankful for a better night with her last night. She is a mess but she's our mess and we love her, even when she is whiny. A huge improvement though in her social skills. She has had it backwards being socially distant for the first fourteen years of her life and these last two she is much friendlier to friends and family. She would rub her head and lie at Doug's feet and she has never done that. 

I have been contemplating buying the biography of Eugene Peterson and when reading this quote, it sealed the deal.

 “Forget about being relevant, about being effective. Friends, you are living in exile – get used to it… The less people notice you the better.” - Eugene Peterson (p. 270) 

I struggle sometimes with having the experience of being on staff of a large church back in the day, bells and whistles, smoke machines, visuals projected on the walls making the feels of being in the country, along a road or in a sanctuary complete with projected stained glass. all the marketing, all the effective quotes on being relative or introducing the new branding of said ministry with buzz words and statements, no introduction just a thing. If we say it enough people will pick up on the vernacular.  It has been a long time since that experience but it has had a pronounced effect on me. Of course now, my experience is at the complete opposite of the spectrum. A semi rural church, reaching out in ministry to the community and to its members, with a young pastor who has his head and heart in the right place... He isn't building a platform, he doesn't promote himself on Twitter, he doesn't use gimmicks to imitate and begin an emotional response. I like this end of the spectrum better. 

Dang, it is already too hot to work outside. I did a quick check on the roses out back and only found a few Japanese Beetles, so the war is being won. Tonight, I'll check on the roses out front. 

Put more Dr Enuf in the refrigerator cause it is getting close to that time. Yahoo!

A Week Catch Up

 It was an ordinary day that held the high percentage of rainfall from tropical depression Fred. From the weather reports, the consensus indicated, lots of rain but for a TD, it would move quickly and not hang around. Thank God for that forecast because I don't know how our area would have survived. At last check on the rain gauge this morning, we received about 8 inches of rain yesterday afternoon and into the evening.

The afternoon held lunch plans with a friend I met in book club. On Monday when we confirmed our plans I said if either one of us feels iffy about the storm coming through, let's cancel and reschedule. At the time I thought, she must think I am a big baby about some rain, but I remembered she has a home in Florida, so she is probably acquainted with the hurricane type rain and forecasts. Tuesday morning she texted me that several intersections in her part of town were flooded, so we rescheduled lunch and I am so glad we did. 

All afternoon we had a steady rain but then the skies opened with such hard rain, nothing was visible when looking out the windows. I had stayed upstairs most of the afternoon. Then, I went downstairs and for a moment I thought I was in Transylvania County, land of the waterfalls in WNC, because waterfalls had been created by so much rain in our backyard. We had a river running through it. The design of our home is done with drainage going to the left and right of our house and that design was doing its job on overdrive yesterday afternoon. For this, I am so grateful. 

Roy was having an extremely busy day at the office and wasn't responding to texts, calls or emails. I felt if I could just talk with him, the anxiety of the storm would dissipate once hearing his voice. Finally, in the late afternoon, early evening I used our emergency plan to contact him. Spectrum had sent out a warning we were close to loosing our internet and such due to the storms. I wanted him to know that if he couldn't reach me, it was most probably due to this situation. Just talking with him, giving him an update and reporting what I was doing to keep my eyes on the situation helped me tremendously.  Buddy, of course was close by and she had been since the rain began pelting the house. The kiddos, some were in the garage, some were situated above the fray and a few others were underneath the front porch. After feeding them this morning, it seems that there has been too much togetherness and they are picking on one another. 

Seeing pictures and videos of Canton is breaking my heart. Stores have returned to the area, local farmers markets have started and a good vibe of local economy...all probably set back if not destroyed. The Pigeon River overflowed. Mobile homes were floating by, huge boulders around the edges of the lake further out were moved just as if they were a pebble. I cannot help but think how much worse it would have been around here if there weren't field and land being greater than concrete and buildings. 

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My first chance to get back to blogging. Had a lot to do getting ready for company on Thursday. The first part of the week began feeling a little draggy and tired so it takes longer for me to get things done. Today, I am not feeling dragged out but the morning is young and the chores not done, yet. 

Thursday afternoon my brother, niece and her friend came to visit for a long weekend. Doug loves The Leicester Studio Art Tour, I do too. We met at Blue Rooster and began days filled with eating and shopping. Tour guide is in my wheelhouse, food prep is not so I was happy to have family that takes the food in the raw and prepares it for evening snack/meals. All the fun wore me out and I realized how little time I spend with others since all the pandemic stuff began. 

Our fourth Sundays in the month are fellowship and prayer Sundays in The Joy Class. Brenda did our brown bag, get to know you thing and she hit it out of the park. So warm and compelling as she told how her family had shaped and molded her into who she is today. We all love Brenda! Tripp, a recent high school graduate, also came into our class and shared about his next adventure, college, at Fruitland Bible College. We love Tripp! 

The photos coming out of the Cruso area in Haywood County show the mass devastation that happened from TD Fred. Access is limited due to the number of bridges that washed out or were compromised. Homes destroyed, lives torn asunder. 

Laundry is calling out to me but I am trying to ignore the call. So is a grocery store trip and that call I am taking. Just the week catch up from one very grateful person. 

Fred Rain Is Here

I have never been much of a Mary of Bethany type and have had no inclination to look deeper into her story. The Mary of Bethany types I have met, a dime a dozen as it seems, they were pretty much right out of the cookie cutter. I would add the exception of good friends who tend to Mary type but in our conversations and friendship they defied the cookie cutter talk. Most talk the same vernacular and can work up a holy look in a half a minute. Their voices go from regular to that soft sweet tone that at times have made me want to wretch. Maybe I feel this way about so many of them because for the most part, they do not care for me or a little bit of me goes a long way with them. Maybe it happened because there was too much amusement and delight on my part, not the Bible kind, of asking questions of them, letting them trip up and tie themselves into a corner and when the wiggle room has been used up, they can dismiss me or my kind with a flip of the hand and with a, oh only truly spiritual people would understand. Every once in a while, there were those Mary of Bethany types who were not cookie cutters or defied the mode of the way of the spiritual thinker types. That was my understanding until recently.

This summer before returning to Lifeway material, we’ve been studying women in the Bible. We got through a grand total of four. Looking in depth at Sarah, Hagar, Martha and Mary slowed down the pace that was originally planned. So many times, I say, let’s look at them in real perspective not in the Sunday School characters we have heard of all our lives. This summer studying these women has made an impact on my thinking and knowledge of them and if you asked me at the beginning of the study who would I have the most trouble with, yep it would be Mary.

So, these weeks leading up to the lesson, have not been filled with moments of, can’t wait to get back to Mary of Bethany. Even household chores took precedence and that is saying something mighty powerful to studying her. I was foundering and one night this week mentioned to Roy the dilemma presenting itself. He began to share his thoughts about Mary and he said one thing that opened up my heart to get a better look. Appropriate, the one thing because you know that is what Mary is known for, the one thing that will not be taken from her. She took on a different look being a catalyst in the three situations we have to see briefly into her life.

As I blogged about the little kitty who began as Helen and renamed Malynn, little mighty warrior, because the name change came from the circumstances of her life changing and throughout the six weeks she had been around, I never thought she was a beautiful cat until the day she went home with Morgan. That little kitty’s life so dramatically turned about. Seeing the pictures when I got home, that is where I saw just how beautiful this little kitten is. On Saturday morning, I began to see through my stereotypical thinking of Mary and seeing just how beautiful her life is and what we can learn from her. Anointing Jesus with the expensive  nard  perfume and the reaction it brought in Jesus and the act seemed to be the last straw for Judas. She gave an extravagant gift to a Savior who is the extravagant gift from God. Yesterday, we looked at all the worship happening there in John 12, highlighting Mary, Martha and Lazarus. I am so glad that God took the time to change my preconception of who Mary is and how He uses her example to help, change and transform. 

Our choir director is teaching a class on how to read music. I had to miss the first one but arrived yesterday with my tambourine shoes on, cause word in the church hallway, percussion and rhythm instruments are used in the instruction. The class was good and Debbie is so patient and even helped this pre-beginner. I've noticed math is involved but I will set aside my prejudice against math, for now. 

Biggio is back with The Feral Fam and he greeted me yesterday afternoon. He lets me pet him and while he is rubbing against my leg, I try to walk over to the food and bowls but he makes the path difficult. I didn't feed the Feral Fam until I got home from church last night. We had a members meeting at 7:00 about plans for future building and improvements. Yes and amen for new HVAC! Our Sunday School class will be cool enough for all of us hot mamas, I mean for us older ladies that run a tad to the warm side of temps. 

Got errands ran in between the threat of rain. Most of the Feral Fam are resting in the garage, hiding out from the evening rain. The two white and black kittens are playing more together. Watching the comings and goings, the fighting and the playing, the gentle meows and the gutteral growling can keep me occupied when there is other stuff to take care of. 

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Fred rain has entered the atmosphere. So far, not too bad. Meeting a friend for lunch at noon, so hopefully no flooding or rockslides or mudslides. Thinking of Fred, reminds me of I Love Lucy when Little Ricky, starts playing the drums...rather rhymical without a change in the beat. Everybody is moving to that monotonous tone. Ethyl says, Fred, Fred, Fred, Fred, Fred to the beat. Always makes me laugh.

And She Lived Happily Ever After

 Junioretta, became a mom on July 3rd. She gave birth to kittens underneath the front porch near the hydrangea bush. She looked to be carrying a large load of kittens. You could see her misery the week before she bingoed. Because of her size, it seemed like she would have at least four to five kittens but on Monday, July 5th, she brought her two kittens into the garage and secreted them in a tiny space with a buffer of garage things to protect them. I heard them for days before ever getting a glance at them.  Then the constant crying was replaced with periodic meowing for mom. Junioretta, while so young herself, stayed with them almost twenty four seven in the garage. She had them in several select places and finally as they were nearing four weeks, she moved the two toward the front by the door where the kitties slept on a shelf behind empty coffee cans. I was able to pick them up at that point and realized something was wrong with their eyes. Almost completely matted shut. This sounds like a case for Dr Google and I found how they could be helped. Whenever I could get to them, I cleaned their eye area and applied antibacterial cream around the edges of their eyes. The little orange kitty, cleaned up better than his calico sister. His eyes remained open from that time forward, but he still got a cleaning and cream whenever he could be captured. Those kittens were so undersized for their age and truthfully, didn't think they would make it once Junioretta let them go outside. I told Roy, I am not going to get emotionally involved with these kittens and I took care of them but did not go with the next step....until, I couldn't live with myself if I didn't. 

The kittens, whose temporary names were Helen and Keller, began their outdoor adventure. Helen tagging along behind Keller, who could see and lead the way, they spent a lot of time under the truck in the shade and Junioretta stayed under the truck as well or sometimes under the Mustang. I hadn't seen Keller for almost all of Wednesday but they disappear into the wonders of getting behind or under things, so I wasn't concerned. Poor Helen, she was all alone and didn't seem to know that she was baking under the hot sun on the asphalt of our driveway. I would pick her up and bring her back into the garage where a small box that she could enter and exit might keep her safe. Thursday morning, I was prepared not to find her or find her dead. She just didn't seem like she would make it. Much to my surprise, I found Keller instead, tummy down and all four limbs sprawled out, dead close to the garage door. Something had attacked him and went for the vulnerable stomach area. I will spare the details but I got him onto a small shovel and placed him in a cardboard box without seeing too much innards. After changing out of my jammies, I went outside to search for the body of Helen. She was alive and nursing with Junioretta, under the back of the Mustang. 

Since the kittens had become a little more mobile and spent time under the cars, I always honked and banged on the car before starting it. My gut feeling on Thursday was to get the hose and spray underneath just to make sure. I am so glad I did because Helen flew out from underneath the car and headed to the side flowerbed, with only one eye opened partway. I got her, brought her into the garage, got some food and water and a stuffed bunny. Placing her with all those things in the big box, in the gorilla yard cart, then to the smaller box before I left to take care of my errands and to think through what the next step for Helen would be. Of course I knew the next step, but I had to get emotionally prepared. I am not over the disappearance of Hector Protector and also with Buddy aging rapidly in the past few weeks, I didn't know if I could do it. I also see how God was preparing me for this moment. Rarely do I ever watch videos on FB, Thursday was the exception, but there were three kitten rescue videos that got my attention that morning. I watched them, the rescue of abandoned kittens and the difference these little ones made in the rescuers lives. God was softening even more my already soft heart for these members of The Feral Fam. 

Helen was all cuddled up with the stuffed bunny when I returned home. No, that came later...when I returned home, Helen was on the driveway with Junioretta on the steps of the back porch. That's when I put her back in the box with the bunny. Sorry...for the mix up in the story.  The next step, find the pet playpen, dust it off and clear it of any spiders and their webs and bring it into the house, setting it up in the living room. I found Hector Protectors favorite blanket and put it inside with some food, water and a makeshift litter box. Even with a disposable litter box, Helen would not be able to get in and out of it. A box top from Chewy's made a nice solution. Without any pet shampoo I did what animal rescuers do, I used Dawn. I also had some flea spray from Wondercide with a lovely lemongrass scent. No harsh chemicals. Helen didn't fight me while she got her bath. In fact, she kind of liked the spray on her. We were drowning those fleas left and right, she was covered in them. She got a gentle but good face washing to further clean out around her eyes. We sat together, sprayed fleas and dried her off. Her little paws shook with not fear but being chilled by the air. Living in a garage and being on a driveway had not prepared her for the cooler and welcoming climate of a home. 

She cuddled up the her new friend Bunny and slowly but surely made her way onto the soft blanket and that little baby fell asleep probably for the first time ever, safe and not bothered by fleas. I watched her, so did Buddy but not with the love I had for this little one, and I knew Helen could not be her name. Her eyes were open, getting better. Off to Google names and I found her new name, Malynn with a change in the spelling. Malynn means, strong little warrior. The next logical step was calling the vet to get an appointment, Monday 9:00 am, first available. Within the hour they called back, Friday at 3:30 opened up due to a cancellation. 

Thursday night was a rough night, for Buddy which affected me. This ancient of days cat began acting like a teenage kitten. She was trying to climb curtains, sit on the top of our iron bed railing, she cleared off papers on the desk and tried to hide in nooks and crannies, where she is nearly impossible to rescue. I finally put her in the front bedroom and closed the door to get my two hours of uninterrupted sleep. Since I had an early appointment on Friday, I got up even earlier at 5:00 am to move Malynn and playpen up to the bonus room and then to sit with Buddy like we do most mornings to give her a sense of stability and normal. 

When it was time to leave for the vet, I went out the front door as not to alert Junioretta her kitten was in the crate. Once Keller died, Junioretta lost interest in Malynn. Junioretta would only be interested like a child wanting the toy someone else has, then once getting the toy, show no interest. Off to the vet where Malynn snuggled underneath the blanket. Our vet is still practicing original Covid protocols, so the tech comes to the vehicle to take info and take the animal into the office. When Morgan learned that Malynn was a calico, she fell in love sight unseen with her. She knew Malynn was a rescue and asked about her coming home with her. Then when Morgan saw Malynn, she was head over heels in love. I pondered letting Malynn go. In the big picture it would be the best decision, but my heart was now wrapped up in Malynn. But Buddy, cranky, grumpy Buddy who has been by my side these last sixteen years, especially when I was so sick. My sidekick that rescued me out of a deep depression, it would be best not to have another cat with her one person outlook, although she barely accepts Roy as part of the deal. The vet came out to discuss Malynn, upper raspatory infection, maybe some parasites internally and went back in and took a sample. Morgan brought Malynn out and I asked her, was she serious, did she want Malynn. Morgan hesitated with a, really? Yep, and then we talked about Buddy. Morgan is well acquainted with Buddy. Malynn went home with Morgan that evening and I can only think she will live happily ever after. 

I took a few pics of Malynn, hugged her goodbye and returned home to Buddy. I put up everything while Buddy searched for her mortal enemy, little tiny Malynn. It wasn't until later I looked at the pics we had taken. Oh my goodness, that kitten who really never looked pretty and for whom I took as maybe a special needs kitten, was beautiful. She had gone about life always with her head facing downward, probably trying to discern where to walk. Her fur matted over. Before we left for the vet we had been playing. She was climbing the side of the playpen net, having a great time. She played outside but nothing like this. She probably wasn't getting enough nutrition from Junioretta and all the other Feral Fam eat almost everything in a bowl. 

God prepared me for twenty four hours of helping this little one from unwanted by mom and poor eyesight to a little beautiful mighty warrior. She has a place in my heart and for now I am keeping her little bunny who was on the way to Goodwill, when rescued for service in the cat kingdom. 

Malynn also helped me, she crawled into the corner of my arm just like HP did, even as an adult cat. The first member of the Feral Fam I was smitten with, Cali, was a calico. The cat we grew up with in Houston, Kitty, was a calico and as my brother said, it was meant to be. Malynn pulled me out of my sadness of losing HP and gives me hope that someone found and rescued her and she is living happily ever after, too. 

Thoughts on War with Japanese Beetles, Kittens, Lack of Sleep and Other Subjects

 The weirdest thoughts cross my mind from time to time...like...I have been wondering lately how do we know that salmon cat food tastes like salmon or tuna or beef or chicken. I mean who tastes the stuff to sell flavors to cats? Maybe it is all the same but the forms therein is different, shreds, meaty gravy and pate'. Why I think about this, no idea but the thought has crossed my mind more times than I would like to admit to. This I do know, I ain't going to be the one to taste the stuff so that I know. 

My war with the Japanese beetle is taking a turn for the good. The traps are doing their job especially in the front yard. I went out with some new spray from Ace Hardware last night and did a little mopping up as they say in killing any beetles resting on the petals of roses. Got all the rose bushes in the back sprayed and will need to do that in the front yard later today, if the rain holds off and it seems like the rain has been holding off for our area. If it doesn't arrive today, that means a trek through the front yard to water this evening. 

After not seeing or hearing the two little five week old kittens today, the thought of the rambunctious sound of a cat fight might have been a hawk grabbing those two little ones but this afternoon, they were under the Mustang with Junioretta. The past week and a half I have been working on their eyes and keeping them clean and not crusty. The calico has a more difficult time. I was feeling a bit discouraged because it seemed like nothing was long working but today, the orange kitten had eyes open and following mom around. The calico got to a spot where I could get it and I worked with it again and late this afternoon, the eyes were still open and seemed to be tracking correctly. Today, this is a victory and a lift to my spirits. Along with the return of Biggio who spent most of the day in the garage sleeping but met me every time I went out there for something or another. Worked on the back porch, picking up HP things and putting them away. 

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2:30 am

Buddy is having a rough night with her arthritis so we are both up since one of us can't sleep. She has been doing okay. She has finally settled nearby but for how long? The answer to the question is not long, but I was able to get some of that soothing spray for hot spots on her and that quieted her down for the rest of the night. 

We finished up with Mostly Martha today in Sunday School and Mary will be next Sunday. She will be harder to study for because I'm more drawn to Martha. I do look forward to studying this week.  

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With a three hour interruption from sleep last night and with a foggy morning, errands are being rethought and rescheduled. I am sleepy this morning. 

I think a church in Woodfin has closed. The lot always held too few cars for the size of the building. This church is on the way to The Fresh Market and one morning while passing by it, I watched the slow methodical steps of an elderly woman going toward the doors. She is the only person I had ever seen near the church. The sign is gone and the lot empty. 

Yesterday was National Cat Day and today is National Book Day. I celebrate both days but will not be posting any pictures. I went through a stack of books this weekend and weeded out the ones I will never read and then the others went to the most probably will read, someday, maybe. 

With the celebration of apple cider donuts, I hope to keep wearing the smaller sized pants I've ordered. I'm trying to keep the love of those apple cider donuts in check with healthy meals and exercise. The wasp nest near the outside stairs to the front yard is still there and keeps my visits to a minimum. Of course I can come around the back way to the front yard. I was so thankful for the rain on Saturday. 

I am so proud of Roy. Although, he became a DTM, Distinguished Toast Master, last year, the official presentation is coming up. Saturday night we searched through tons of photos on my phone to see if we could find one where Roy is wearing a suit. We narrowed it down to two photos we found from back in the day and went with the Baylor in the background photo and cropped me out of the picture. I worked with him on his presentation blurb and he worked on his speech. He did this in less than five years although not surprising to me because, he is an overachiever. Meanwhile today, I am trying to get dressed before 10:00 am. Hey, we all have our own hurdles to jump and I am just a chiever, not over or under...just balanced. 

Happy Saturday!

Truly wonderful getting a really good nights sleep last night. Only one wakeup call from Buddy around 1:30 am and before that and after that, she slept. What a wonderful gift from her. We both celebrated birthdays on Wednesday. This morning I had my first apple cider donut of the season. Yum! I'm usually at Barbers on opening day but it fell on a Saturday...I've been there on Saturdays before when it wasn't opening day...so, for this I could be patient. I went there after going to pick up sunglasses and then over to see Audrey to order some everyday glasses. Found such a fun pair of frames. Glasses will not be my last bastion of fashion, if I even have fashion these days, but I am not opposed to unusual or fun glasses. Unless someone else has to pick my glasses for me when I am old and gray,er, you will not see me in big red framed glasses or the like. 

This is a mix of blog posts so nothing is in order. Not something new to experience on the Monablog. Kind has been my thought process this past month...out of order and nothing new to see here. Probably so much is due to me missing Hector Protector. Yesterday marked one month since she disappeared. I am also sad over Junioretta and her little ones. I have tried to help them but I am feeling that they might not be long for this world. Too tiny to almost be five weeks old. 

 Tuesday night afib showed up like bad company right before going to bed. It wasn't a bad case but it felt like the kind of afib that will calm down on its own. It did, but it sure took its time about getting back in rhythm. I've kind of been expecting it to show up. The past few weeks have been rather stressful as well as getting so hot on Sunday, the two biggies for afib to rear its ugly head. This morning I am zonked, feeling physically tired from the wear and tear of last night. Feels like another good day to stay around the house and rest up. Last night while trying to think calming thoughts, praying and remembering scripture, sometimes those three things would make a turn down a rabbit trail, that wasn't especially calming. I'd have to pull myself out of the rabbit hole, and start back with praying and remembering scripture. Had my antidotal pill ready but only like to take that when the afib is really, really bad. 

Today is the youngest I will be for the next year, from today that is. Even with a pandemic lurking about, sixty six has not been bad. Well, it has been quite good, actually. Probably some of the best checkups and dental health, extended implant into the new year for insurance benefits. My eyesight has changed very little and maintained. That is always welcomed news.  

Against the odds, I think little old Buddy is going to make it to her 16th birthday tomorrow. I loved seeing her yesterday after toddling around, not wanting to make a jump to being on the back porch, on the mini trampoline, trying to jump up and catch the ceiling fan. Guess even cats give energy to what they want to do as opposed to what seems like a chore. 

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Biggio is back after being gone all week. He always comes back hungry but gives that great greeting when I come out of the back door. Got the kiddos fed, Buddy has been fed and treated. Need to finish up the fine points of the lesson tomorrow and then I need to pick up a few things around the house. Next week I will make a trip to Goodwill with books and a few tshirts. The kitchen table has study books and notebooks scattered about and I haven't put up the things I got at Big Lots yesterday. I do love me a coupon and cheap fall decorations. 

Pure joy returning home from the post office. Lisa sent pralines and a few other goodies for my BD. Also had several cards. Roy sent two cards and they both cracked me up. I was in the truck and that small parking lot with a big truck is always an adventure. The Alexander post office has great hours and if I worked for the post office, this is where I would like to be stationed. 8:00-11:30 then closed two hours for lunch, open up at 1:30 and close at 4:15. There was a lady in the lobby who didn't quite think the hours of the post office were to her liking. She was throwing a fit to herself, well it really wasn't to herself because it was out loud. 

Had a wonderful birthday breakfast at Brenda's. She outdid herself in fixing deliciousness. I was also the happy recipient of breakfast to go for Thursday. Yum! We had such a good time catching up. With the Covid year and things that keep us busy in life, we haven't had the chance for many opportunities to catch up with one another. 

Well, these things around here aren't going to get done if I don't get moving. Happy Saturday! 

Eyes and Feelings but Most of All, Kindness

 A rainy and overcast Friday morning. Think I will rearrange plans for today. We are having outside church on Sunday with just one Sunday School class at the picnic shelter. Love church on the ballfield! 

On Wednesday I had an eye exam at Carolina Ophthalmology. They are in the same building as my dentist and in April, went in and made an appointment. Very pleased with the staff and Dr Bryan. Came away with new info concerning my eye health and it was good new info. I did learn that my cornea has these, can't remember the name, in the back and possibly will have to have a partial cornea transplant after cataract surgery. He said I am not near that yet...love the yet. Told Roy this gives me time to pray about this and maybe God will be gracious that I would not need cataract surgery....ever, instead of yet. Sign of getting, older...it took two days for my eyes to recover from the dilating drops. He even used the weakest grade because my eyes looked so healthy. Thankful for that because it didn't burn as per usual. Yesterday, my eyes still hurt a bit and after going to look at glasses, I came home and took it easy for the rest of the day. Roy encouraged me to get glasses ordered ASAP because of a possible glitch with vison insurance. So did part one of that yesterday. 

This morning Biggio greeted me at the back door. He hasn't been around for about five days. He was a hungry boy. Some of the older cats are no shows at breakfast now but usually see them for supper. Today it was the younger set and they enjoyed eating to their heart's content or until the bowl was empty without being swatted at by Punky or Mama Cat. Yesterday marked three weeks of HP being gone. I still look out the window hoping to see her but now, not as often. Buddy seems to be making a turn in narrowing down her world. She spends most of her time downstairs but in the late afternoons we have spent time upstairs, with Buddy being close by or on my lap. She seems to be doing okay with her arthritis. She can't have steroid shots anymore and it is difficult to get any of her pain meds into her. 

Got all the errands ran and now I should be doing something more constructive than writing on my blog. At least I am doing something as opposed to yesterday the afternoon held napping and having on in the background, The Making of the Mob. The series on how Al Capone and the Chicago Outfit came into being and thrived for many years.  

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Biggio greeted me once again and this morning breakfast was almost a full house. The kittens are growing up and have such cute personalities. The evening cooled off nicely and they were in the back playing with their toys instead of a piece of mulch. Junioretta's two are four weeks old today. Little and scrawny, just like Junioretta. Herod made an appearance last night but behaved. Since almost everything had been eaten in the bowls, I let him have the leftovers. Maybe he is just hangry a lot. Who knows. Reached out again to the cat man to see where we are on the waiting list. 

Read this tweet this morning and it so true.

Will Soto

@wsoto201

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12h

You know what compels me to listen to others? Their kindness. You know what compels sinners to turn to Christ? God’s kindness. You know what’s missing from so many interactions? Our kindness.

When Roy gave me a month here in the mountains when I turned 60, the "theme" that resonated over and over; God's kindness. I saw more about kindness in that month that maybe during my whole life. I hadn't really ever thought of kindness much. I do think I noticed it the months prior to Roy and I getting married because at every corner where my father thwarted, discouraged and truly was just plain mean, God's kindness met me (us) at every corner in preparation for the ceremony and life. 

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The fog counts, starting yesterday. Today, full on fog but yesterday seemed to be a 1/2 fog day. Must mark calendar because how many foggy mornings equals, according to local lore, how many snowfalls we will get this winter. Inexact science of course but it is fun to keep count of. 

We had church outdoors yesterday on the ball field. Beautiful views and good preaching. Our pastor is finishing up the Gospel according to Mark and then we will begin Ephesians. It did get hot out there and while I kept trying to arrange my chair in the shade for when the sun came out behind the clouds. Not even close to the shade. Heat affects me like nothing else, so when I got home, I cooled off on the couch for a greater part of the afternoon, just trying to get enough energy to take the trash down to the road. 

Over the weekend, for background noise which I usually don't want, but anyway...I had on the history channel on Pluto. One episode in particular of the documentaries they ran was about Charles Edward. He was part of royalty in England and Germany. He chose his Germanic ties in WWI and lost his English titles. His sister sided with England. After WWI, he lost his German royal titles. In his life he went from rich to okay, to prison as a WWII prisoner for his roll in the war and then penniless, dependent on relatives to support him until he passed away. Talk about a life of bad decisions. The epilogue of the show said, Queen Elizabeth has never visited the English village where he was born, distain for his decisions. I never knew about Charles Edward and it doesn't seem much has been written about him, just a reprint of a book published early on in the 20th century but he was behind some of the worst atrocities committed in the war. He was viewed as a weak man but he used that to mask what his role was all about.  

Saturday, I headed over to Burnsville and didn't come home disappointed. Found some cute gifts and a tin picture to hang somewhere in the house. Roy and I are beginning to make plans for what will come with him when he retires. I've heard there is a furniture shortage, guess due to lumber prices. Have a plan to move some things around and that means a loss of wall space to hang pictures. He kept the bookcases we had made by The Amish Craftsman, two wingbacks and a leather recliner that doesn't look like a recliner. Think that will all be able to be used here. Roy has given an end date to his employer, with the flexibility to retire before that date. It is all fluid, trying to get ready for all the scenarios, which really is impossible, but we like that feeling that we have a plan. 

Saturday evening I continued my war against the Japanese Beetle and did some damage to their population. Going to go back out there this evening and see if I can add to the casualties. Also need to trim back the roses they destroyed.