Winter Season Has Arrived

 Roy has taken the Tundra for tire rotation and balancing. Just me and The Boys and The Kittos at home and all is quiet cause they are all taking naps. What has been a comfortable temperature day is now a bit cooler as the wind picks up. Tomorrow, it will begin snowing in the higher elevations while we here in the lower elevations will have a dusting of snow or not. It will be a lot colder though. 

This morning we were out and about by mid morning. Ran a couple of errands, then to the grocery stores. Publix crowded with a mixture of ages. Mainly old, like us, well I think they all were a lot older and crankier this morning. When we stopped at the Fresh Market over in Arden yesterday, it was way crowded too. Only it had a vibe...It was a familiar vibe from al long time ago. We were the ones who looked out of place. Purposely, I wore my best workout pants, a Baylor t-shirt and a quarter collar fleece cause I want the least amount of clothes weight for the weigh in at the doctor office. Roy was in jeans, t-shirt and fleece jacket. Everyone else was dressed up for the trip to the grocery store. We were given some snotty looks. That's okay if they came out here, away from the fancy smancy stuff, they would get some looks too. Too bad they can't see me today, Uggs, jeans, long sleeve Baylor shirt with a flannel shirt over the t-shirt and an Eddie Bauer vest. Now, there is something to discuss except if the same people were going downtown, they would want the local vibe such as my outfit. 

Last Sunday as we continue our journey through Acts, I kind of camped out on a point. I didn't mean to just seemed to go that way. It was so good that the Jerusalem Church sent Barnabas to check on the Antioch church. It could have totally gone the wrong way if a legalistic, rigid type person had been sent to give the report. After spending time in Mark and Jerimiah this year as well as previous years with John, there are a lot more legalists than I had any idea of. One example I used was, what if Lifeway came to our Sunday School room to report on what was going on with The Joy Class. No Lifeway maps of the Holy Land, (I save the church money by not doing the kit) or no tracts or having different blinds, three windows the same and one window has mini blinds. Yep, they could audit our surroundings, but  the truth is this, the Joy Class is a praying and caring class. We like to help in our church and in our community. We laugh and encourage and sometimes we learn things...only if the teacher stays off the rabbit trails. I had really planned in teaching to hit a few points on legalism, like we think to have a daily Bible reading plan for the new year it has to begin in Genesis. Nay, I say. You'll die in Leviticus. I did take the rabbit trail of what Leviticus is good for if one is looking for odd things in the Bible and told them the story of the two doves I cut out of a women's product box and gave them to Peggy with Levitical instructions. We also learned the term, on the straw. Hey, we had the two or more thing going. See, we just went on a rabbit trail. Roy does the NT every three months. I think this is the second year he has done that. There isn't much of a difference like the NT Jewish Christians and now, rules we make up on top of the way Christ has taught us how to live...well, it keeps a lot of people under a burden we aren't supposed to carry. Or it can be following our made up rules is easier than being Christ like at home and in the world. 

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Speaking of freedom The Kittos have had a morning of roaming free range in the house. We have kept them restricted in a sense and my October illness set back the timing of this. Once can't be the caregiver and the warden for cats at the same time. The two orange cats, Buster and Baxter enjoy the freedom and yet will come sit on my lap or come over to be petted. Chubola, not so much. She is living in the land of the free range and doing her thing, within reason. It has been a fun morning but we have to remember to keep a close eye on things. They really just chase each other around a lot of play with a toy. Buster is the one that can most easily entertain himself. 

The first batch of taco soup of the season was pretty good. On Sunday the first pot roast of the season was good as well. Those are my winter meals that turn out pretty good. I am going to try my hand at making buttermilk chicken. We shall see.

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It is snowing! Even with the warmer temps and ground temps it is beginning to stick. It won't last long but it is so pretty. First snowfall of the season. We saw a few flakes yesterday afternoon but today counts as the official. Since it is snowing I am having snow donuts for breakfast. Roy decided he would have taco soup since he was starving. 

I lost the Merry Christmas, Darling contest this year. CourtneyS heard it in the car and she is singing when I answered the phone. The best part, the conversation and laughs we had. 

Day one of The Kittos roaming about in the house went rather well. Chubola does not socialize with us like Buster and Baxter. She is wild and wants to live on her own terms. Had to trick her last night to catch her so that won't work this evening. The six get along good enough but Willie is still nervous around them. Buster and Chubola wear out GMoey. They are so intrigued with him. Mr Mo had been going outside with The Kittos so the one we were worried about the most is doing fine. He is such a jealous cat but he is getting attention and that is what counts with him. 

We opened The Garage at the Catmore Estate yesterday afternoon. We have a full house and breakfast was just served. They did not make reservations so the guests are crowding around the bowls. Roy's kittens are holding their own in the garage.