Mostly Weather

 Yesterday morning, I looked out the window and white flakes filled the view. It was above freezing and no precip yet. The blooms are off the trees because of the wind and floated down across the yard. Now this is the kind of snow you like seeing toward the end of March. In the backyard, where the wind doesn't quite have the effect as in the front, the petals have come to rest on the ground. What a beautiful sight to behold. 

Our rain came late in the afternoon Friday and has moved on. The rainy day forecasted for today isn't happening anymore. Cooler temps though. We need to get the fertilizer stakes in the ground for the fruit trees today or tomorrow. Today might be the day because LSU Women's BB plays tomorrow. I hope they play better than they did yesterday. Ugly win. While watching I mentioned to Roy several times that the expressions on some of the players for LSU gave the story that there might be some issues happening. Kim Mulkey said in an ESPN interview afterwards that she felt like there was too much selfishness on the court. Hmm...facial reading did not fail me yesterday. 

I finished the Cloverdale book last night in the Miss Budge series. Y'all, I almost always see the twist at least not to be surprised, but even seeing the twist early on...the story didn't play out at all how I imagined it to do. I loved the story, the wisdom, the funny and the twist in this novel. There is significant character development of Miss Budge and in some of her church lady friends. 

The seasonal produce stands and places are beginning to open up. Think we will try and make a trip to one of them. Spring onions are looking good. It is the most wonderful time of the year.

Every once in a while I see Bobbsey, an earlier member of the Feral Fam. Bobbsey is the twin of HP. When he is around there for just a moment I think it is HP, but Bobbsey has a dark nose. We saw him twice yesterday and once this afternoon. There is a Radley relative hanging around as well. Almost the same markings but not as furry. I haven't seen Radley in a while but he is a wanderer. 

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Whew, I had to do my part to help the LSU Women's Basketball team. The second half I stayed away from the TV and only kept up with the score on Google. Middle TN was a great team but it was so good to see LSU get some defense going and play together as a team. 

We did not get through the whole lesson this morning. Think we will just keep on moving through Genesis and not do an Easter lesson next week. One of the class members surprised us with banana bread, so moist it nearly melted in your mouth. Her husband made it for us and she had enough to share with other church members. The large container was nearly empty after the morning service. That is just one thing I love about our church but more specifically of our class. So giving and generous. We will pick back up with the dysfunctional family of Isaac. There is so much to be gleaned from their approach to life. That Rebekah was a wonderment of Type A temperament. She had her ear to the ground, knew the comings and goings of quiet conversations and was still able to kill, skin and fix up a meal from goat meat. She had purpose and a plan although the Lord probably would have preferred that she would trust Him and not manipulate circumstances to help in His work. Isaac, most commentaries believe, he knew what the Lord had told Rebekah while she carried the twins. He favored Esau, so he wanted to sneak the blessing to him since it would normally be his by being the first born. Esau was purely into the hunting as a sport of leisure. The family owned all kind of flocks so it wasn't necessary to have wild game for meat. He wasn't into the the family business. Jacob kind of had an interest maybe only to use in his duplicitous dealings. Well, that is until he has his Bethel encounter with God. 

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Our rainy Tuesday has arrived. Right now more of a heavy mist. I started another Mildred Bulge book, skipping to book three in the series. It pulled me right in and although it is answers things probably addressed in book 2, it comes as no surprise. The weather makes it a great reading day although there are several chores that need to be done. 

I watched a little of the NCAA women's BB championship last night. I finally decided to cut off the BB and go back to reading. I can only watch so much of Caitlyn Clark. Watched the last quarter of the UConn game which was good. LSU plays UCLA this coming weekend. It should be a good game either way it goes. 

Memories, Books, Hunks and Apps

 Monday mornings are usually the time I sit down to write but this morning I got involved with a card challenge. Some came easy and there were two that came with a great deal of difficulty, so off and on all morning until lunch I would busy myself with chores then come back to challenge. Finally before lunch, I solved it. The chore I chose was cleaning out a kitchen cabinet. So, time well used. We have been outside working on the flowerbeds and getting stuff together for the College Hunk haulers to pick up. There is a brisk breeze and the temps go below freezing this evening. Also a burn ban, not that we are planning on burning yard waste and such. 

Yesterday, I looked at FB memories and there was the famous March 17, 2012 post about the snake at our front door. I don't think the water moccasins have a welcome wagon for new neighbors, but he was sitting mighty pretty on the welcome mat. Roy took care of him and no other snakes ever visited us there. After all that happened with my father toward the end of March back then, it sure seems like it was a warning. 

Almost done with the Miss Budge book and this time it is cracking me up. The ladies are at a mission emphasis luncheon and one of the young missionaries asks Miss Budge if chicken spaghetti will be served. Nope, that is strictly a condolence dish cause it travels well in those aluminum throw away pans. No, for women's missions conference the dish is, chicken with prunes and olives. Ugh! That sounds disgusting but the conversation that takes place about the unjust inequities between men and women events at church is hilarious. For the same mission conference, the men are eating at a BBQ restaurant complete with banana pudding for dessert. The women have a fake meringue, artificial ingredient, damp crust piece of pie, sliced in lady sized portions. Then men have such freedom they can return to church with sauce on their shirts, while is some prune got on a blouse...oh for shame. Mildred and Gertrude had a retreat script for just such observations, the inequities and differences of retreats. Women, mostly are put four to a room, not men. Just two will share a room. Women do crafts, guys get to shoot guns or do crossbow target shooting. If a woman has a hearty appetite, well you'll starve at a retreat. Bring snacks, better yet and the profit would go to the Lord, sell them to the women who didn't plan ahead and find themselves faint due to hunger. I could go on but I think my favorite line in our retreat script was Gertrude telling us she was the last one in her room to be able to take a shower and clean up. By that time all that was left for her was one dry wash cloth. Then she pulls out the wash cloth for proof. Over the years M&G planned Sweetheart Church Banquets, using Abraham, Sarah and Hagar, Jacob with Leah and Rachel...you get the drift of this direction, don't get us started on Solomon...  We did a script for a church out in Magnolia, when Magnolia was just a bunch of pine trees. The lady told us there would be tons of young mothers there. Nope. We only did that young mother skit once, for all those older ladies, but it is a favorite memory of Peggy in the bathroom with leaves and tree limbs stuck in her hair and the fox tail showing from the waist of her pants and no one, not one lady said a thing to her. Like they saw this everyday. I was awaiting our cue and a lady sat by me and asked, now who are your people? She thought I was resident of the area.  

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The College Hunks arrived yesterday afternoon to pick up the recliner on the front porch, old carpets and a trundle bed mattress and the frame. The frame they will take to ABCCM cause it is still good. The chair is as well, but Buddy had scratched a place on the back that opened up the fabric. Were they college hunks? One out of three but they were all so very nice and helpful. Two of the guys loved our front yard with the blooming trees and soon to open tulips. Truly their help was reasonable and like the slogan says, stress free. So while four years ago I was celebrating phase one of the flowerbed I worked on during those ***demic years, now became final phase of shutting down the experiment. We are going to let the grass grow in the bed to become part of the yard again. We will probably move a couple of snowball bushes to help the reclaim back to grass. 

This morning Roy is getting new shoes for the truck. We bought Cooper Tires probably in 2018 and they have lasted. We could really wait a couple of more months, but thought we should get this done now and not later when it is hot. The waiting room is outside. 

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I have decided that Isaac has middle patriarch syndrome...just like middle child behavior. Basically, he rusted away after dealing with some wells. There are particular habits of his that scream middle child but he is the bridge between Abraham and Jacob. I think Rebekah was a type A personality and had her hand in all things. I have most of my notes written for Sunday but I will take the rainy afternoon that is being forecasted to fine tune. Since my style of teaching is applicable, I want us to take home some different things to think and meditate upon, especially with Easter week coming. 

With the dip into the 20s, we weren't sure if the peach tree would be okay or not. Looks like the dip didn't hurt the blooms. We covered our new blackberry plants, much easier than you know a big tree. We got some more daffodils and yellow tulip plants last weekend. It is great to plant when the bulbs that have been previously planted start showing. You add the new plants among them for the next year. Mary Joyce would have been so happy with her daffodils this year. She planted a lot of white and yellow ones and they have popped out beautifully. When Mike was here mowing, he didn't have to mow Mary Joyce's yard. Don't know if Dave, her son in law, will be doing that or not. Haven't heard too much on what they are going to do or not do with her house. Our new neighbors across the way are outside a lot this week working in their, yard...although right now it is just empty space still with straw on the ground coaxing green grass out of the red clay. She has some shrubs in large containers either for easy access to move them with the next chance of frost or that's how they will stay. I kind of like that and during the winter while planning our gardens and flower gardens, I have come to this same idea. Only I think I am coming to it as ease rather than looks. 

My app on my iPhone tells me they predict a fall for me in the next year. I have not fallen since 2016 and I know pride comes before a fall, but this is more in the category of being up in my business. Of course what they don't know is my unsteady gate is related to my hip pain. We eliminated the chair, see above reference of recliner on the front porch, and I have been doing the hip flexor stretches. Those stretches have helped tremendously. I noticed that my right foot has been gearing toward the right while I walk...which tells me I am not walking in alignment. After being pigeon toed for most of my life, this is a different phenonium. I guess this all a part of the aging process. This week Monday, I felt horrible, Tuesday great, Wednesday okay, Thursday horrible and today great. 

A Good Place To Be

 Roy and I just came back in from the front yard. He added raised bed soil to several of the raised beds and checked on a few of the shrubs. The forsythia is blooming as well as the peach, red bud and dwarf dogwoods. The willow tree is all a buzz, really with bees hanging out in the top branches. It is true that bees are as busy as bees. Cha Nay Nay spent a lot of time with me out there as well as Fido, although he likes to help Roy. The clover is everywhere, the thickest and most prolific I have ever seen it. 

This morning we did the Publix thing. There was an older, really older couple that arrived about the same time as we did. They parked in the pick up or curbside grocery places. I told Roy every time we were on the same aisle with them that I wanted to yell in my best Gomer Pyle voice, "citizens arrest, citizens arrest!" We stopped at the BBQ truck across from the post office on the way home. Delicious! I was hoping for some banana pudding cause they had it one time last week at another site. No pudding but Roy got me a cookie. 

The lesson of laying down your Is*ma*l has had me thinking a lot more. Of other times, I let myself respond in not the best ways. Really powerful effect in how I respond or responded to things. There is a fine line of beating yourself up verses letting it all go to the Lord and learn of His ways. Sometimes we and most certainly I am guilty of responding, well that's just who I am. There are all kinds of personality tests to take and use for back up. But the whole Romans 12:1-2 doesn't take that into account. It is God working within us, our personalities, both real and imagined...ha, making us like Him. Using our brains, gifts, and personalities. 

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Well, it must have been the fresh air but I have been up most of the night. Really have had a difficult time sleeping. I was productive though, cleaned out the pantry, worked some on my lesson and responded to a message. Since we had planned to go to Sam's and pick up some bagged soil, I just stayed away and if need be, if haha, I could take a nap in the afternoon. Only can get five bags at a time this round, so we picked up a couple of other items. The best being, our Sam's now carries the Fancy Feast cat food. Yay!

We got home and with the temps going into the high 70s, we did some of the prep work once we got home. The clover is taking over but that is a Mike the Mower Man task. We got some of the soil mixed into the raised beds, better distributing the egg shells into the mix. We won't be able to plant tomatoes until in May, but soil prep keeps one occupied garden wise, until the next stage of the process. 

Roy was able to get his workout in. So all in all with bags of dirt to be carried and toted, along with his regular workout, he did quite well. 

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Fourth Friday in a row of rainy weather. I don't mind it cause it helps me sit down and get all my notes together for Sunday. This morning on FB memories, a post from 2009 reminded me of the difficulties with my father and knowing his actions, now seeing in hindsight, helped spiral my mom quicker into her dementia/Alzheimer's. He had called and as I debated on whether to answer or voicemail it, I decided to answer because we were so close to his upcoming heart surgery. 

It was the all too familiar ring tone of my father that momentarily stopped Roy and I from our cleaning duties yesterday. I hesitated to even answer the phone because there are times it is best the calls go to voicemail and then have time to pray and think before calling back. Sometimes time diminishes the drama or whatever was so urgent a couple of hours ago, cannot even be recalled. Since my dad is anticipating heart surgery sometime after March 23, I thought best to answer. He began saying what he always says, "Nancy, this is your father." Yep a little too Star Wars but I don't think he has ever seen the movies to enjoy the humor of his words. And the next statement always holds an element of surprise, "Do you have a few minutes to talk?" OK, at that point my brain is sounding the alert alarm and calling my body to all hands on deck. As he begins to talk I either heighten the alarm to Anne Frank sounding sirens or the three buzz sounds on the radio for the prepare alert during bad weather. He asks me about my blood type, which is O-. He says did you say B, did you say B? I have type B and type B's have more tendencies to get cancer. I'm sorry, but you are going to get cancer. Me thinking, what the heck? I again told him O-. He was rather disappointed to hear that news. Then he gleefully told me well, I wasn't out of the woods, I could get cancer. Who does this? It is usually an over worrying and micro managing mom who calls with this kind of information.

 In hindsight, I can see that narcissistic personality all over this. Roy also talked with him that day and found out that my father wasn't having valve replacement surgery but going in as an outpatient for some tests. I think this is the first time that my father dealt with Work Mode Roy. He is totally different in work mode. He gave my father some marching orders and out of shock in how talked to him, we remember my father doing everything that Roy demanded uh requested. How timely as we begin to study Jacob, the deceiver as well as being the deceived. An encounter with God transformed Jacob, sadly I cannot say the same about my father. I do love that his friend/caregiver asked him every time she saw him, if he really knew Jesus. She'd go over the plan of salvation with him on every visit.

I've been reading a biography on Donald Barnhouse, well known preacher in the 1940-1950s. His second wife wrote it and man oh man, it is powerful. This man really had a way with the scriptures but knowing the change in him, later in life not so bombastic but loved people God's way. I am also reading the Cloverdale or Cloverleaf novel of Miss Budge by Daphne Simpkins. Such a message given in the folds of a fictional church and friends. Along with the study and reading I did for last week's lesson, as they say, I have more than I can say grace over but in a reading world, it's a great place to be.

Maybe it is the rainy weather but The Boys are quiet this morning. GMoey is extra needy, Mr Mo is slinking around and Willie is more affectionate. Or maybe they've done something that we haven't discovered yet. Even Roy is napping but he had a busy Thursday.

It's A Small World or Is It My Little World?

 Monday morning after Daylight Saving change. The Feral Fam is having none of it but they'll soon adjust just like we will. It is easier to adjust when one is retired, though. While not minding the fall back portion of this thing, it was harder because it was dark at 5:00 pm and people who usually work past that hour hit the road with everyone else cause it is dark and time to go home. The first week of fall back traffic is horrible in Houston. 

I watched a reels, has to be short cause the attention span is not all the way back, on a way to approach getting older. Sometimes, when thinking of making a change in the house or in the yard that wouldn't have phased me one bit when younger, I have to remember that the change, like moving furniture, will be more difficult now or at least take a lot more time. The person speaking to a group on reels talks about how our world gets smaller as we age. Some fight it wrapping their personality and strength to battle against this phenonium. They are who they are because of their work or title. Well, that's what we tell ourselves. For years I repeated to myself what I had been told or called all my life. With a therapist and with the Lord, that doesn't even play anymore. Now, there are things that will trigger a response, but I now acknowledge that sooner than later. Others take and choose what they want in that smaller world and to me that seems the best choice.  When you're working there is all kinds of interaction but as one retires and then enjoys those retirement years, subject matter naturally declines. Truthfully, I did not like all the interaction one has at work so that was not a loss for me. But, our world has gotten smaller but it has gotten more beautiful so there is that trade off. Especially with warm temps of late, all the budding trees are doing just that...buddying but it looks like frost tonight and maybe next week or so. Our peach and plum trees are blooming all over. As an introverted extrovert, I am leaning more toward that introvert part of me. It is interesting how each of us choose to relate to the smaller world concept. Of course, with the smaller world we can take much more interest in us which is boring to others. The key is our view and observation skills in the daily life we each live. I love reading about others adventures on FB or their hobbies or whatever that is positive. 

Roy wanted more blackberry bushes so we got a couple and got them in the dirt. We also cut back the dead offshoots of our mature plants. We contemplated planting them in another part of the garden but realized the best place is with the others. The trellises we bought last year have finally come into play and got those arranged for the blackberry bushes to wind around them. You might say Nancy, this part of your smaller world is boring and you are correct to say that but the blog is written many times for me, to remember dates and details that get pushed to the back of our minds. 

We finished up Genesis 21 and went right to Genesis 24 as we've taken extra time looking at the Plan B that was Sarah's idea and really hasn't worked out well as we read the story. Hagar and Ism*el are sent away with limited provisions. Abraham was sad letting Ish go, but we learn in Galatians that one life represents the fruitful spirit of God and the other the flesh. I had read an article on laying your Is*m*el down. I gave the example used in article about Dr Donald Barnhouse, a noted theologian of his day. Billy Graham said he never had known anyone like Barnhouse that had such a knowledge and grasp about the scriptures. I have never heard of Barnhouse and his remarkable change late in life. He said if you agreed with him on 95% of theology, he would spend the rest of his days beating you down about the 5% that y'all didn't agree on. He made enemies from every side of the spectrum. It's like rival football schools in the SEC, we may not like other teams but the thing that brings us together is, we all don't like Alabama. That may change now that Saban is gone...anyhoo... Late in his life, Barnhouse not Saban, decided to change. He made a new year resolution and his friends and enemies could not believe the change in this man. He was kind and loving, not argumentative and obtuse. Preaching the gospel was life in the Spirit, his approach to present it was just all about the flesh. I shared with the class that during the two weeks I had to study this, I had learned a lot about some of my approaches toward people and situations. The off the cuff remarks and the smart aleck remarks are the sins that so easily beset me. In this I realized something had been wrong in my approach. At First Baptist I encountered a vexing situation. It was maddening, frustrating, limiting, unfair and undeserved. It also hurt me deeply and I tried to avoid it and person at all costs. So sometimes when confronted with unfairness I resort to the off the cuff remark. Who am I kidding, I become relentless in taking every opportunity to attack, whether by off the cuff or witty and clever, curated smart aleck responses. (note, back in the day curated wasn't ever used or maybe not even a real word.) After a period of time, I came to the conclusion I was supposed to let this go and give it to the Lord, the situation which in turn stopped me from saying all those things that amused me. That's where I left it until a friend visiting me here in the mountains challenged and questioned me why. Why didn't I do this thing that she felt I was good with. Being that good Baptist that I am, my response and said in my best holy voice, I laid that at Jesus's feet. She said well I am going to pray that He shows you to pick it back up. That night, I was extended an invitation and my friend was sitting there with me at that time. She said, dang, I didn't even get a chance to pray about it and the Lord has already done something about it. You see, I would have said no to the request if my Houston friend hadn't expressed her question to me. In my holy voice I would have once said again, no I laid that down and gave it to God. This long story to say this, until these past two weeks I now realize it wasn't to lay down the thing God gifted me to do, it was to lay down the fleshly response to it and trust the Lord. My goodness clever words, snubs and snubbing, terse words and hurt feelings on both sides are a lot of work and takes a lot of energy. It was all about my approach, that is what God wanted, to trust Him with all of this. 

Our yard is so green, with clover. The tulips keep pushing through and soon those buds and blooms with show. Still have quite a few daffodils in the back blooming. Love those pops of yellow. 

It is now Tuesday and Monday wasn't nearly productive enough but I felt horrible. Shoulders hurt, hip hurt with just a general malaise. It was an afternoon of a heating pad and Bio Freeze. We switched back to cotton sheets yesterday and that made a word of difference in my sleep as well as not waking up sore with aches and pains. What a difference that little change made. 

Last night a memory popped up from several years ago as I remembered the youth musical in 1972, Natural High. Our church really loved youth ministry and that included youth choir. We did the musical and as I remember it was the first time they let girls wear pants, well pant suits. My mom made me a hot pink pant suit with white trim. Hey, it was the 70s! I shared the album cover on FB and tagged a few friends who were in choir back in the day. I listened to most of the album on You Tube and many songs I could sing just like yesterday, even singing alto. My favorite song from that musical is, My Little World. Listened to it several times remember the many, many times a great big God came right into my little world and the change...sometimes difficult but always for the best. I like the song My Little World better than with my earlier paragraph about our world getting smaller. That triggers the song It's a Small World Afterall. You can thank me later for that musical hint that might stay with you all day.  

Cat Wrangling and Other Such Stuff

 I'm cat wrangling again today. One of the cats discovered by our redneck solution, uh temporary solution, a small slit in the screen whereby gaining access to the back porch. I thought I was seeing the shadow of one of The Boys in reflection but no, it was a cat not in the hat but on the porch. My presence, compete with my disheveled appearance of hair straight up and flannel robe. Think a messy Aunt Bea or Granny Clampett. I opened up the screen doors and finally nutsy the cat gave up going against the screen and leapt to victory out the door. That's when I began looking for his access and found the small opening. Another hint was his going to that spot and trying to get out. Got a long piece of metal from when we got our metal roof and put it up against the screen, using some small flat rocks to hold in place, dag nab it...That way when Roy gets home from his unplanned trip to Lowe's after working out we can fix it but in case the curiosity that could kill that cat temps, I'll hear the rocks falling on the porch. Yeee doggies! 

Via my friend Pam, I discovered the joys of reading the Mildred Budge series. I started the first book written and it is kind of rough. Not polished like after writing several books of a character. So for now I have skipped that book and reading the Cloverleaf book. It's in the title and I cannot remember titles. Miss Budge is an older lady, retired teacher, never married but dutiful church member. She has a soft side but she doesn't show it often. She was working in the clothes closet at her church, she had parted with a few strong, respectful polyester blouses and hanging them up for the missionary conference where they helped missionaries and part of that help was good used clothes. The thrice widowed Liz came in, to leave her third husband's clothes and the two Sunday School members begin a conversation that softens up as they talk. Mildred begins to see beyond the facade of Liz and maybe she has misjudged her fellow classmate. Mildred ponders her change of heart and she places it right on the practice that church feels like home. Liz had told her that, it just wasn't a place to be for her. Mildred ponders this and goes through her duties and such quickly in her head. She had jobs, she knows where stuff is and she is always on the lookout for a mess to clean up or a speck of dust to destroy. She never had thought about the softer side of home, especially there at the church. That got me to thinking as well. First Baptist in Houston has always been a big church but it had a small church feel. There are so many opportunities to join others not just for study or volunteering and such, but being able to make friends while doing these things helped many get over that First is too big for me feeling. At First Baptist, I mainly made my first friends at the fitness center and in choir. I am so thankful for the vision that Brother John had to build up the Body of Christ, to be able to go out and do the work, both physically and more importantly, spiritually. Guess church is like home too when someone in the family is mad and at odds with other family members. I like thinking since I haven't finished the book, that good old Mildred lets some of that legalism go. I do like that she practices praying without ceasing and we get that look into her prayer life from the author. 

Roy brought home stuff from Lowe's and we fixed up the screen near the back porch door. We are thinking that we might try to find someone who can do kickplates to put around the bottom of the screens. For the most part the back porch isn't of interest to the cats but every once in a while, you have a cat that seems obsessed with the mystery of the porch. We got everything done before the rain hit. 

This week while studying for Sunday, no surprise here, but the lesson took a different direction. There is something about some of the phrasing or wording that gets my attention. I have been researching two of those phrases. I haven't found out that much about them but that hasn't thwarted my pondering and meditating on them. This whole story of Abraham has come alive for me. I remember we were doing the Patriarch study on Tuesday nights with Beth Moore and Katrina had hit New Orleans and we had many people in Houston sheltering. Franklin Avenue Baptist began having their services at First and office space was provided for their staff. It was looking like Hurricane Rita was on a direct path for Houston. We met that Tuesday night and Beth said, who knows what will happen but we will trust the Lord. Roy and I made the decision late that since everyone was headed west, we would head east kind of in the path of the storm but we felt we could beat it. We were heading toward Shreveport. All along the way our plan had been if we reach Beaumont and we don't think we can make it, we will turn around because that is the amount of gas mileage we would have. To this day, I have never seen this sign again, but while Exxon stations were packed along the route, we noticed this little sign pointing to a neighborhood Diamond Shamrock station. There it was, no line and as dark as pitch. We filled up and headed back to I 10 making our turn toward Shreveport in just a few miles. With the study of Abraham fresh in my heart, I told Roy we are like Abraham and Sarah, we are going someplace but we have to have faith that the Lord will get us there. Do you know that all through the years Roy and I have tried to find that gas station. It is nowhere to be found. I think we had a Hagar experience like she had when she and Ishmael were wandering aimlessly in the desert. God heard their cries, she saw the well. God heard our cries and we saw the sign. In commentaries I've read, the discussion is was the well always there or did God create that well just for her? I don't know about that nor do I know about that gas station we found, but it was all truly God. He is the God who sees and hears us. 

The second house across the way has sold and the people moved in this week. We were not around for their actual moving day nor have we seen them. It seems strange to have those houses there now. It is also strange not seeing Mary Joyce across the way. Her daffodils are blooming and she loved her little plot of flowers. 

The Boys are full of energy this morning. Thundering paws break up any silence around here. At least we know they are on the move and soon will come nap time.

Sweet Dreams of Baylor and Basketball

 We finally got around to changing out the batteries in the smoke alarms. Yes, that exciting adventure of dodging loud beeps. The hardest battery change out is downstairs and we conquered that one right off the bat. We thought those loud beeps would scare Mr Mo and GMoey but they diligently hung around with us because all hallways lead to the bonus room where treats may or may not be given out. This trip was a bust for the cats since being all wrapped up in the changing of the guard so to speak. 

We are having more foggy mornings at this time of year. I am reminding the month of August when foggy mornings are counted as days of snowfall, August has lied to us the past few years. It was 71 Sunday afternoon and I took the warm temp opportunity to go out to the raised beds where the tulips are planted. Those stems are up from the dirt, they arose. Now waiting for blooms. Daffodils are still blooming and that is so welcomed because that is what is mainly in the back. 

The Garage at the Catmore Estate closed Saturday afternoon, although Fido gets special privileges to spend the night. We got the garage swept out, at least good enough for the first pass and now are going through the blankets and such, shaking them out before we wash them. 

We got halfway through the lesson on Sunday morning. We finished up with Lot and got tight into the birth of Isaac. Sometimes it is difficult for me to like Sarah. Tends toward bitter but at some point her faith is redeemed and recognized cause she makes it into the hall of faith in Hebrews. I feel more for Hagar cause she has been thrown into the drama and the time she tried to assert her newfound rank, well...Sarai didn't like that at all. I did remind everyone was Sarah was menopausal and the high temps and hot flashes made her a little cranky. Heck, it made me cranky with Houston heat and hot flashes. 

I had a Baylor dream last night. I used to have those dreams about four times a year and the theme of most of those dreams are as an adult going to Baylor. Last night's dream I was college age and navigating classes and such. My most rememberable Baylor dream is, Roy sends me to college at Baylor and he got a good deal on my room and board. Why? Because my room opened up as overflow in the cafeteria. Kind of like pocket doors.  

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The next night after the Baylor dream, I had a basketball dream where in Kim Mulkey kept asking me, "why didn't you play basketball?" Even in my dream I told the real story. I learned the game while in junior high and at that time, three players were in circles and could only shoot from those circles and guards stay on their own side of center court. Only the center, usually me, could travel the length of the court but get this, could only dribble three times and had to make some wild pass. I got so confused over the pivot foot and when and where I could dribble. In high school, the rules were changed, teams only had five players, no silly three dribble rule, but it was the pivot foot that got me, still. I was horrible at basketball, took fouls personally but I could block. Back to the dream, I mean nightmare of every few steps having Coach ask me why didn't I play basketball? In one segment of the dream when she asked why didn't I play for her, I reminded her I was eight or nine years older than her. Just as there is no crying in baseball, I have a feeling playing for coach would mean there is no crying in basketball. Believe me, I would be crying a lot. 

I am happy to report no notable dreams last night. I was tired. We ventured to Costco yesterday. Got the early start, really wasted no time there and got home after 2:00. Raised bed soil was on sale as well as other needed stuff. We bought several boxes of compactor bags that we use as garbage bags. Love the thickness and they hold more garbage. Bet you could have gone all day without reading that bit of newsy news. We had our $1.50 hot dog lunch with a strawberry sundae for dessert. Unloaded our ever so full cart, buggy and then went back into Costco for the dirt. Then, we headed home. We might give up the Costco membership because I 26 is just going to get worse with all the expanding and new construction. Next time we might opt to go to Greenville and that Costco and see if that works. We haven't been to Costco since September or October of last year. 

Tea Biscuits, Honey and Stuff

 The new tulip and daffodil bulbs we planted in the raised beds are finally showing stems. In the back several more daffodils have bloomed. Soon, those tulips will be showing as well. I love living in a place where you don't have to dig up the bulbs cause it is cold enough here for them to remain in the ground. The little blast of cold temps last night doesn't seem to have caused any damage. 

Monday morning found us up and out of the house earlier than usual. We needed to make a much needed and a much rescheduled trip to Sam's. This is the best part of the Plus membership, going before 10:00 am. It seems that we stuck to our shopping list and didn't pick up anything except maybe for a shirt. We were going to make a couple of more errand stops but our chosen route had a huge accident on it and people sat in traffic for two hours. 

Tuesday, we celebrated Roy's birthday. Started off the day with a shave and a haircut, two bits. No, just haircuts for both of us. Always a joy to see Tammy and laugh and visit with her. After getting all hair spiffy, we drove over to Burnsville for Roy's birthday lunch. He loves Pig and Grits! He loves their banana pudding so...we needed to go there since he doesn't eat birthday cake. He had the brisket and I had a lunch of sides which included, fried okra, collards, mac and cheese, coleslaw and the afore mentioned banana pudding. What is so ironic is that when we have gone before the parking lot is packed but when go inside tables are available. On Tuesday, the parking lot actually had plenty of close by parking but when we got inside there was a thirty minute wait. Y'all, it was worth the wait. After waddling out the door, we went to downtown Burnsville for a little shopping. Uh, that was for me not so much to celebrate Roy's birthday. Anyway, I think I had the most noticeable "stern" answers to a couple of questions mainly due to the fact, clearing throat, I am of the older ilk. Short, terse, stern responses with not so much patience. She could have been having a bad day or worried about something else, so I chose to say, oops, I must be wrong on the name cause that is not hard for me. Truthfully, that has been for all my life, being bad with names. Then, people more forgiving, now, not so much. Of course Roy is trying to help with clarification but all it is doing is prolonging the time cause I am in the ready to exit mode. The store was hot and heat really affects me, so for the sake of no afib, the exit is becoming more expedient. Whew, finally outside where I waited for a cool blast of wind but nope just warm, humid...to the Mustang and get that AC cranking.    

Wednesday morning we went over to Madison County to pick up the large mugs we special ordered. It was an beautiful drive and an exciting adventure driving up a mountain on a gravel road. So glad I had googled up the address and saw that the road was mostly gravel. Didn't know if we would need four wheel drive, thus we drove the truck. What a beautiful sight. Their home is beautiful with a copper colored metal roof. Great little private areas in the yard with benches and arbors and trellises. Two huge rottweilers greeted us at the door. We had a nice visit and such. Her husband's hobbies are wood working and metal work. He is building a shop farther down the mountain that we saw on the view up. We asked if we could take some pictures of the views but we would not include the house. That seems like the polite thing to do. Very gracious in our request and told us of a couple of things to look for on our way down the mountain. Roy and I talked about the land and views as we headed back toward the freeway. I mentioned that it was too bad we didn't know ten years ago of these places that existed, well except for the third house we looked at on top of mountain in Haywood County. Although, we would not know how to live with nature and such back in the day. Don't know that we are that good of knowing now. We do know that we are basically outsource people. We have seen a few deer and turkeys but never a bear on our property. These conversations usually end like this...if we were younger.... Oh well, we are not and we love where we live so all that other is just wishful thinking that isn't very productive.  

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Working in earnest on Sunday's lesson. Once again the fine folks at Lifeway skip over the birth of Isaac and go right to Abraham and Isaac on the mountain. So, it feels like one of those many, many times where the background material leading up to this moment needs to be looked at and talked about. Once again we meet Hagar and once again she is in circumstances that are mainly beyond her control but somewhere in the back of her mind she must be remembering "the God who sees." In this case He is the God who hears because He hears the cries of her son as well as her cries out there in the wilderness and desert of Beersheba. 

Out of the three Boys, Mr Mo is the least feral of them all. He has taken to sitting beside me in the afternoons or on my lap. He is still the neediest one out of the three. Jealousy plays a huge part in that. Since GMoey's teeth removal, we have found that he likes the squeeze treats in a tube like package. He and Willie love them, the Mr not so much. I try to take opportunities to give them what I have started calling it, squeeze cheese, individually. Sometimes that doesn't work out but it is finding those individual attentions that keep building levels of trust. I don't think I mentioned Cha Nay Nay's quick trip into the house. She got scared right off and was climbing the windows in the kitchen and in the dinning room trying to get out. She hissed her way out the back door. That adventure hasn't affected her need for pets and attention. 

Roy got his workout in yesterday afternoon. It was kind of touch and go cause it was a rather coolish day. He and a whole bunch of people had the same idea since he said the gym was really crowded. He wasn't able to get his balance work in. He also made a quick stop in at Publix. This week the bacon we like is BOGO so, he is storing up as many as possible. 

The other day, I was looking at FB memories and those stressful and trying times of getting my dad into assisted living to recover from a fall or a stroke. We never got the truth from him cause he told a different story of what happened to my brother. Looking back at what I wrote, now I can see the beginning of the end of our relationship with him. Those were some weeks that I was so tempted to treat him like he had treated me when I was growing up. God provided a way out of that temptation. He snuck in and out of that assisted living place and threw all kinds of fits and arguments. I knew then, he being a narcissist would not have done those arguments in front of people because there wasn't anyway he could redeem what he said to look like a victim. My response was even and not angry...that is the Lord by the way. He lost the argument that day but he found meaner and more evil to pull in just a few weeks. 

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Foggy Saturday morning after a chilly Friday with sleet then changing into rain. I wore my favorite beat up sweatshirt that makes me feel all cozy to settle into a day. I worked on the lesson as well as started another Mildred Budge book. I also made tuna fish sandwiches for lunch, something I have not done in a long time. I used to go over to the Fresh Market to get their tuna salad from the deli but when it went up to $12.00 a pound meaning I was paying over $6.00 for a half of pound, it got cut out of the budget. In fact going to The Fresh Market kind of got kicked out of the rotation due to the Publix influence.  Yesterday, I cut up dill pickles, more like chopped up dill pickles, a tad of pickle juice and Duke's. My sandwich was delicious. 

This morning I added a couple of tea biscuits with my eggs, bacon, and cantaloupe. Used honey from our neighbors bees. Great way to begin the day.