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What a beautiful cool Monday morning and the afternoon holds hope of rain. I survived teaching Hosea and the rest of the security cameras will be installed today.

The following is from a blog post I didn't publish last week and most all of it contains old and no news but the following paragraphs are just for catch up.

****We studied Jonah yesterday in Sunday School and this Sunday we will look at Hosea. Now, that is going to be the opposite from yesterday. Jonah, so familiar to us that we can overlook the multi layers to this book of the Bible but coming this Sunday, I don't think I have ever taught Hosea nor can I remember ever hearing anyone teach from it except maybe a snippet here and there. So truly, Hosea is a minor prophet... Last Wednesday when we had a new security system installed, God arranged...which is a major theme of Jonah, for the two techs doing the installation would be believers. I was outside when they pulled in the driveway and from the car came the sound of someone preaching or teaching...After frying and freezing apples I told Chris if they needed me I would be upstairs studying my Sunday School lesson. He asked what is it on and I replied Jonah. Well....how wonderful, he and Colin were listening to Greg Laurie in the car who just happened to be teaching on Jonah. So I Googled him up and read some of his Jonah notes and that my friends, turned the direction of how I studied. A great side story to this, Chris asked some questions about the book of Jonah, like he was seeing if I really was studying Jonah for the lesson on Sunday. Answered all his questions satisfactorily.

Last week held success in finally getting out some fall decor. Usually, I am on this by Labor Day but it took a little longer than usual this year. I bought some pumpkins from one of the favorite produce stands and have those outside on the front deck. I did a Johnson City trip last week which included both Amish stores. The new one was out of French burnt peanuts, so you know me and back road drives...it didn't take much for me to decide to go to the old store and they had some. Also tried a blood orange sparkling water they carry and yes, it is the bomb diggity. Not acidic like so many sparkling waters.****

On Friday my cousin David called. I don't think David has ever called and we haven't been in touch for years. He and Jan would be in the area and wanted to know if I would like to meet them for lunch on Sunday. Yes, of course, how fun! We had a good time of catching up and remembering. Dave and Jan travel quite a bit with car shows and racing. Not a bad retirement at all and when they aren't pulling trailers for their racing, they are touring about on their trike...a beautiful three wheeler motorcycle. We decided to go to The Farmer's Daughter in Chucky TN for lunch, southern comfort food and we had the opportunity to see if the leafs are changing...the leafs are still rather green with a slight touch of yellow and very few reds.


In preparation for the cooler temps I made taco soup. Gave some to Brenda and today I will get some into the freezer for colder days. I also fried up some apples so the kitchen was busier than normal. I have also watched more TV than normal with the Astros in the playoffs and LSU playing Utah State on Saturday. On Saturday night I happily went to bed knowing the Astros were up 1-0 and I am happy that they won the game. The ninth inning would have made me too nervous and would have had a difficult time going to sleep. I might have to head over to a local restaurant today to see the Astros since we don't get the MLB channel.

Yesterday, we studied Hosea in Sunday School. I was challenged all week preparing for the lesson. I am so thankful for two books that helped me get it all straightened out in my head and heart and on paper. We mainly looked at God's part in the story but we also spent time looking at Gomer's perspective and it was rather insightful and probably nothing you will ever hear from a pulpit. I had shared with Roy what I had found and he said, that is so interesting, I would go with that but if you were teaching men, I'd say, go the standard way. I reminded him if I was teaching men I wouldn't be in a Baptist church. Roy, the class and I got a good chuckle over that. I also have to write that I teach the most loving and supportive class. They are all such encouragers. Good thing I looked ahead at this week's lesson, which is on idolatry for the millionth time this year, cause the lesson could have gone that way...but it is all saved up for this week.

Collin, with Asheville Security helped, please read mostly did all the work in the set up, me put up the canopy that promised it was a pop up, no problem...I am always taken in by these descriptions. Ha! Anyway, we got the canopy for the little feral fam, I put in the stakes and put together the cat house. So far Strawyer is the only cat that has gone in but I hold onto hope that Punky and Mr McBeavy will go in.

At What Cost? Not Believed Cause I Wasn't Sporting Texas Big Hair

It seemed eerily familiar although it wasn't anything I have experienced in a while. In the midst of the moment it didn't come to me what exactly was happening...but in hindsight I had encountered a "gang" at the Biltmore Estate. No, not a gang like we think about today where young men and women can wreck havoc in society....no this was a band, an association, a syndicate....no the word would be maybe a sorority of women....Texas women who took over the gift shop with their chaos, entitlement and general disarray that can happen when friends shop competitively and sadly without a whole lot of laughter. Maybe I should start at the beginning.....

Such a lovely day. Breakfast at Corner Kitchen, a little shopping and then a hair appointment at Wink for highlights and color. It was such a beautiful day I concluded that although a Target run needed to be made, it was just the perfect day for a drive through the Biltmore Estate. Note to pass holders, we only have a month or so to be able to drive past the house and through the wall garden...but that is another topic entirely. After browsing in the Screen Door, I headed toward the estate. Lovely as always, stopped in the garden center and then went to the Inn. Feeling a little hungry it seemed a great idea to eat in the Library. Because of good memories of lunch with either Lisa or Dena, I ordered the truffle fries...then added a cup of French onion soup and a cobb salad. I decided to bring the salad home and concentrate on the fun food. There was a group of women at a table seating 6-8 and I think I heard they were from Dallas which reminded me of a group from the long ago that were so rude at breakfast. It is that time of year when the shop there at the Inn should be having a sale and I wasn't disappointed but I did come into a chaotic group of three women who seemed to have the store staked out so that it was difficult to shop. That's okay cause I went to the sale rack first while they messed around with jewelry and scarfs. There was a pecking order to the group and the size 2, older blond lady seemed to be the leader. Her second in command was not as stylish but yet stylish enough...no linen or sleeveless blouse like the leader. The third lady was tall, maybe taller than me and oh what a faux paux to be dressed in a stylish track suit but clearly she could not be taken seriously because she probably wore a size 12 or 14. The other noticed item was, she hadn't been the first choice to accompany first and second command. She bought her things and told them she was moving on. The two seemed quite pleased with this news and it was as if they had willed it to happen. They went back to their selections....and wishing for the friend they wish was really there but for some reason didn't make the trip. They decided to buy her a gift but the dilemma of what amount to spend. It seems that they wanted to get something she would love but not spend a lot. How disingenuous from their declarations of wishing she was here, she's fun...to that third woman. Meanwhile I'm shopping, speaking with the woman working in the shop and had decided to do another look through when the two decided they were ready to check out, complete with the 25% off one item that hotel guests get. The second lady was ready to check out and motioned to me to go ahead because I was close to the counter. No, she was clearly on a shopping roll, she could go ahead. Somehow, it came up...Texas. I don't remember how. They were both from Houston, only the leader has had to move to another city in the state. Now, it could have been with my haircut and highlights I wasn't blond enough or hair poofed up enough to believe I was from Texas...stylists here just don't understand that Texas hair thing. They asked where I lived in Texas, told them. They added they were from Houston, more specifically West U. West U is a snazzy part of town along with Memorial, Tanglewood and River Oaks. Then I said, well, when my parents first moved to Houston we lived in West U but with the call of the suburbs being so popular we moved to the suburbs. Annoyance quickly crossed their faces and then they asked well, where did you live in West U? Charlotte Street...must be a good street now cause the original house was torn down years ago to be replaced with a McMansion. Their countenance lightened as the secret test had been administered and passed by me. They hoped my parents hadn't been duped like so many they knew from back in the day, moving to Sharpstown...no...we moved to Westbury. Where did I go to high school....Westbury. Did I know________? Uh, what year did she graduate? 67. Ha, I said well, I graduated in 72, so I got the I am younger than you punch in. They tested my knowledge of Houston, well known places...passed. I added kiddie land and peppermint park, cause I doubt they went there as the two were older...so they got a jab in, South Main Drive In. No, I was riding ponies not making out. They leaned in, why would you want to move here? Why rural? Why not a gated community? I should have said, cause people like you live in gated communities...haha! I told them we had been tourists for twelve years and loved it here. With my health, it was best for me to be able to live where my health thrives thus I thrive. There are four seasons to life and we have made such wonderful friends here, who wouldn't love it? The pace of life is desirable, food delicious and within an hour drive to see some of most beautiful sights around. They left....the shop and both the sales lady and I were glad.

For a brief moment I defaulted to that kind of conversation of testing and figuring. It is the kind of conversation that can happen, for me mainly happened in tennis, but sometimes it can happen in church world, where conversation is for measuring worth but not value. It saddened me that I can still converse like that so easily. Yes, I am delusional thinking that my road anger had been banished by the Lord only to find it resurfaced the last time I was driving the freeways of Houston. Many times I lament the ability to think on my feet. If I had been thinking about it while talking to the ladies I could have thrown a few names that would have made their knees buckle, but they probably wouldn't have believed me anyway....you know cause yesterday, I wasn't presenting with Texas big hair, I was wearing dressy camo and for goodness sake, I was wearing comfortable shoes....albeit, cute comfortable shoes. Yes, it is finer to be in Carolina in the morning, afternoon, evening or night. Finer to be in Carolina in any of the seasons, but most especially produce stand season...

*****disclaimer, not all Texans are like these women, Got lots of Texas friends to prove that.*************

Fall From A Distance

It is the first day of fall and this morning we certainly are experiencing autumnal temps but the morning cannot fool us because today is going to be a day that ends up feeling like summer. But out here blogging on the back porch with a cup of JFG coffee, Buddy on the daybed, and the ferals fed this morning, I can pretend it will be fallish all day.

Speaking of the ferals, they gave me a little scare yesterday morning. I decided I would feed them right before leaving for church. That helps keep them off the driveway while leaving. When I opened the backdoor, they were no where to be found. Whistled the special whistle that announces food several times and no shows. Punky has been the first to the door in the past week because she has had her kittens under the house. I left without leaving any food and hoped nothing had gotten the little family of three during the night. The thought occurred that possibly Punky had moved her kittens. When I returned from church a disgruntled family of three greeted me, no breakfast, no brunch...where was the food? Came into the garage and fixed up three bowls of grub. This made the cats happier but they still carried about that miffed feeling while eating. This morning we were all on time for breakfast and I think while sitting here and watching Punky take a serendipitous route to the gravel road, only to be exposed by the boys just taking the direct route, that she has moved the kittens up there. Hope it turns out okay cause nothing good has ever happened on that gravel road for her ancestors. 

The lesson yesterday in Sunday School wasn't quite the lesson that Lifeway had prepared but that should not come as a surprise. We have this one Sunday to look at the life of Elisha and 2 Kings 6 didn't seem to do justice of the life and miracles of Elisha. He was prepared to be used on the big stage by God but he was equally as comfortable in the everyday, being used by God in so many ways benefiting cities, schools and individuals. We looked at the everyday miracles which seems to be an oxymoron but it isn't. Elisha is mentioned in the NT once and Elijah has 29 mentions. This past week studying Elisha was not only interesting but eye opening to being used by the Lord, today in the here and now. I used Marge Caldwell as an example, being so involved with so many people, mentoring many, specifically Beth Moore, touching people of all ages with her books and talks and in person. Counselor for sure but as each person stood at the podium to eulogize Marge, each speaker began with this sentence, "I was Marge Caldwell's best friend." She made you feel that way. This week we are looking into the life of Jonah. I began studying yesterday evening in earnest because of plans later in the week.


Last Thursday a group of us from church went to Knoxville for two hour tour, a two hour tour...no the weather didn't start getting rough and I don't think we were ever lost but we did have a bunch of fun. Lunch and sightseeing on the TN river. This is one of the few times while going to Knoxville I haven't been driving. It's a beautiful drive. We had a delicious lunch and then we were free to roam about. I roamed about taking pictures cause there were many bridges over the river and I loves me some bridge pictures. I took way too many but that's ok, they will just get deleted in time. Thursday night I went to bed at 8:00 pm. Guess so much excitement, bus riding and river boating just wore me out.

Last night we had choir practice after a three week hiatus. I enjoyed having Sunday nights at home but was ready to get back to work and worship. Our pastor did a Q and A for Sunday night church last night and since I had everything done that needed to be done, I went for that. Very interesting and his approach is so well thought out.

Last week as rain pummeled parts of Houston, Roy and several co-workers were in Ruston La on a recruiting trip for their company. They prepared if they would have to delay their return trip and they did stay an extra night due to the rain and not being able to get into Houston because of flooded roads. They got home safe and sound but this morning Roy said the tales that are being told from co-workers who were not able to get home for hours or ended up getting a hotel room and spending the night downtown are fascinating. Think he was happy to spend the extra night instead of dealing with all that. He discovered Coke, root beer and Dr Pepper floats are at almost every restaurant in town...not all flavors together, though. Cheapest dessert on the menu and he was a happy camper.

Well, I was getting ready to close this post out when Punky came back to the yard. She ate a little more then moved to where a flat rock in the yard is covered by shrubs and butterfly bushes. I had thought maybe this is where she had moved her kittens but then saw her go down the gravel road. The kittens are on that flat rock. Heard little meows and see some movement. I think and I can't see them well, but it does look like there might be an orange and white kitten and maybe a calico. I can't show too much interest because she will move them farther from the yard. So for now, from a distance.....

While Cats Nap, Hummingbirds Buzz and I Work

We are anxiously awaiting the cool front coming through tomorrow bringing temps where they normally would be for fall. The little cool front is just a hint of cooler weather to come but it is looking like it will be warm again over the weekend. We got a little bit of rain last week but it looks like I'll need to get out and do a little watering. Buddy and I are on the back porch this morning. It is still in the 60's and the back is still shaded from the sun. The sound of repairs accompanies the birds. Our neighbor, one house away had a tree do some damage to all three floors of their home during a storm in July. Just this week the construction has begun in earnest.

Punky is much skinnier which means she probably had her kittens Sunday night. She came to breakfast yesterday not as big and today, she is back to her trim youthful figure. She and Mr McBeavy played and wrestled last night and she hasn't been doing that too much in the past few weeks. I think the kittens are under the house, not the deck. The Mr is beginning to hang out more with Strawyer and he spends time up on the gravel road which really isn't a good idea. The do stay around here the majority of the time and aren't so prone to wander...do you feel it...from the food and shelter they love. I hope they really like the cat house and the covering I ordered. The covering should be delivered this week.

Last Sunday we studied Elijah and Elisha. This week is the only week we look at Elisha and his ministry in just one situation. So, I am researching and looking at all his miracles that happened through God's anointing and power. So we will have a more well rounded look at him.

There is a magazine from the Netherlands that I love and can find if one is fortunate at Barnes and Noble. I have considered a subscription and did that one time but it sounds as if the delivery is problematic. The theme of so many of the articles is on mindfulness and being present in the moment. From the sound of the reviews, customer service is pitiful. No one answers the phone, no responses to email and so the ever looming bad review is posted for all to see on the web. Seems to be somewhat ironic.

On Saturday I made my way over to the Candy Corn Market at the Haywood County Fairgrounds. Doug and I went to the spring market and found some fabulous things. Since I am not one that likes traffic or difficulty in parking, I decided if I went, I would get there around 1:00. The market closes at 3:00. Yes, there was still good stuff available for purchase. There is another one of these in November and I think I will go back to the lady who makes shower bombs. Oh my goodness! A great price and the best I have used so far. I found a Christmas sheep, chenille dog for the other twin bed, dried hydrangeas, and the cutest alpaca socks. It was supposed to be a cooler type day but it was downright hot, so my time is always limited if the possibility of getting hot presents itself.

One of my favorite authors passed away last week, Ann Rivers Siddons. Years ago, when I discovered her books, that was a very happy time of reading. When Ann, cause I know she would want me to call her by her first name, came to Houston at the Ritz Carlton for a book tour that included high tea, my friend Linwood and I were there. Such a delightful time and she took Q and A before signing her latest book. I did get brave enough to ask a question about one of her earlier books and the question so obscure, she didn't remember what she had written and kind of brushed off the question but we were richly rewarded in the book line. Linwood, who had lived in the same apartments after college, she of University that is in Tuscalooser and Ann, of Auburn in Atlanta. Many of the characters of her stories are based on those she met while living at  these popular apartments with the hipsters of that generation. Linwood wasn't a hipster but she did like to be where the action is. So, she and Ann had this great conversation about people they knew from the apartments and that their time had overlapped and what a shame, they didn't meet. Linwood also knew Ellen Gilchrist's mother in Jackson MS. Another favorite author. Linwood's mom played bridge with her on a weekly basis. She got several books signed for me when she went home to visit. The infamous Linwood also went with me to a cancer fund raiser and the speaker was Winston Groom of Forest Gump fame. I have one of the few first editions of Forest Gump and I brought it along for him to sign when he signed his newest book. Linwood brought her University of Alabama yearbook, they graduated the same year and had him sign it. She made the news. Linwood is the most southern woman I have ever met...and I mean it in both the nicest ways and in the "well, bless your heart" way cause southern ladies can be some of the meanest ever but in the most mannered way.

Well, the cats have all settled in for the mid morning nap, that includes Buddy, but Strawyer has been awakened to chase something. As for me, even though I have been up since 4:00 am with Buddy, there are things to do and maybe a few places to go.

Encounters of the Wasp Kind, Junior High and September 11th

Truthfully, I haven't felt like writing lately which is unusual for me. There have been a lot of good thoughts and things crossing my mind but when it came to sitting down behind the computer, that simply didn't appeal to me. Circumstances keeping me busy are the most likely culprit but the fire to write is on a slow burn but it is not completely extinguished. It will fire right up again but for now its a low burn and glow.

I had an encounter with a wasp yesterday. It had flown into the car but I thought I had shooed it on its way. Driving to meet Judy W at church, I literally came face to face with that bugger. The wasp had positioned itself on the dashboard, looking straight into my face. I was glancing to the left and right trying to find someplace to pull over and put the top down on Sam to give it every chance of escape...I was surprised not to have been reported on the scanner site on FB of erratic driving cause that wasp started flying right into my face. 🎝The first time ever I saw your face....thank you Roberta Flack...it buzzed about my head, not Roberta but the wasp, circled a couple of times and came to rest in its original position on the dashboard. Dang... I rolled down the window, wasp made another head pass and returned to dashboard. A gust of wind got that wasps attention and out the window he went. Thankfully, no going over an embankment or sliding over the line in the road or running into a tree.

This week has also had a junior high school throw back in that I got a zit...sorry not to offend, anyway the kind I used to get back in the day. Hated them then, hate them more now cause this is not supposed to be happening when someone is in their mid sixties. Well, that is also when I was in junior high, so maybe my body and hormones,what's left of them, got a mixed signal. Anyway, I think the worst is over with this stupid thing and hopefully my skin will resolve itself with the help of my skin care products that have rectified the problem over the past few days. Thank you Rodan and Fields!

I have also now realized if something happened to me that would be reported on the news, I would be described as an elderly woman. What? No way! Ugh! Yes, an elderly woman with acne no just one big jr high zit...how can that make me be old?

Yesterday some of us from our Sunday School class went to see our friend and fellow class member whose son died on Monday. We took sandwiches, chips, drinks and dessert. We sat there and let her talk and then we all talked. Two of the ladies had sons that passed away and were such an encouragement to her, really to all of us.  The service is tomorrow and the days ahead will not be easy yet we know that God is there and He will carry the family and friends. I rode with Judy W and I shared with her before getting into my car, hearing these stories of people and places here...adds such a rich texture to living here, the sad stories, happy stories and just the stories. I love when all the ladies were connecting the dots of people they knew, who had remarried or were the distant relatives of this one or that one. The pastor that is leading the service tomorrow stopped by and as we excused ourselves so they could talk, plan and pray...I visited with him for a few minutes while waiting my turn to hug my friend. He too grew up in these here parts. I love living here!

It was ironic on September 11, 2019 as we visited that September 11, 2001 wasn't too far from my thoughts. We will never forget! It's personal. Many of you know that we would have been in NYC on September 11th, Roy would have been at Windows of the World that morning in one of the towers at a conference. I never had peace about the trip and God gave me several opportunities before this fateful day to know the not having peace with several chance of a lifetime trips, had no peace and didn't go...each of those trips that I didn't go on had something happen that made me know I made the correct decision. How good of God to give me those chances. I've written extensively on this in prior years, so it is easy if anyone wants to read about this just go back on this date especially in the early years of Monablog. Then September 11, 2008 holds the memory of being rushed to a cardiologist office for an echo cardiogram and finding only 10% of my heart was working. The cardiologist office didn't expect me to live through the weekend, the weekend that Ike hit. God has been so good to me on this date as well... they gave me five years to live, ten years if I was lucky but this is year eleven and I am not lucky but fortunately blessed by the Lord.

We here in the dry ridge area received the quick gift of some rain. The trees of the field clapped their hands but the shrubs were indifferent.

Last week we had a group of scam artists come up our little road. I was going to the Google as I watched their van go house to house. When it came time to turn into our driveway, they stopped and didn't turn in, went on down the road. A little later I called Brenda to tell her about it and so we have a phrase I can use that will let her know, all is not well.  Not that I am anticipating anything, but it is good to be prepared. 

The new heated cat house for winter arrived today. I am not going to set it up yet as it is quite warm but I also need to put up some type of covering over it. It is water resistant but I would feel better with something over them and the door, that way my feet stay dry or somewhat dry.

OK, that's all I have for now....

Finally, A Blog Post

First of all, something I learned yesterday and not at church but in the kitchen. The room that is merely where I pick up something to drink or assemble something for meals, no real time is every spent there...well except in winter when I tend to cook. Anyway, after zonking out for the afternoon, a big ol' nap, cause Buddy and the heat caught up to me, I began to get the trash ready to go out. I had found some really old blackberries in the freezer and had let them defrost in the sink. The plan was to put them down the garbage disposal but I looked at the container and decided the whole thing could just go into the trash. Well...I put the container in a bag before putting it in the trash bag and went about collecting from the various receptacles around the house. That being done, I pulled the trash bag out and blackberry juice went everywhere...all over the floor, my pants, my bare feet and on the kitchen chairs. Goodness, I carried that bag out so quickly to the garage and came in and attacked the juice before it could stain the hardwood floors which are a light color. Then I realized I was making juice footprints, so put on the old gardening shoes and went about cleaning up the mess. From all the 2020 episodes or Dateline I now see why people get caught when they cause blood splatters in the home or business. That juice was everywhere! I mopped and cleaned up everything and I am keeping an eye out for any missed splatters. So what I learned is, go with the original idea of garbage disposal and then throw away the container.  Better yet use your frozen blackberries in a timely manner.

These past few weeks I have stuck around home mostly keeping an eye on Buddy. Last Saturday I got her into the vet on an emergency visit. They gave me some meds for her and if they worked, they would call a prescription into the compounding pharmacy down the street from them. The combo meds have helped Buddy so much. She has night dementia and really bad arthritis. Looks and acts poorly during the day, comes alive at night with super cat powers. Since she doesn't want to sleep in the bed anymore I don't feel as guilty about shutting the door after she leaves the first time. It has worked out pretty well but there is usually a 3:00-4:00 am window where she cries outside the door. Sometimes I let her back in and sometimes not. No matter the door shuts again or stays shut cause she can't settle at night. The past few days she has seemed a little more lively and that is a happy sign.
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Just when I think we might be on the road to recovery Buddy has a bad night. It wasn't the worst night she has had but it did make changes for today. Sticking around home instead of venturing off to where I had planned to venture. So, I will work on the lesson for Sunday and re-mop the kitchen to make sure all the blackberry juice is taken care of.

This past weekend was the studio tour and even though I didn't get to as many sites as in years past, it was a productive day. The past few years I begin at Addison Vineyards where several artists display their craft. My favorite is a self taught blacksmith. I have bought several different things from him over the years and he saw me looking at a gate he made. He asked if I was interested and I always am but big pieces like that are always expensive. In the words of The Godfather, he made me an offer I couldn't refuse. Being in the Mustang meant coming back later in the truck to pick it up but I continued on with the day by going out to Sandy Mush. Love the artisans whose studios are out in that scenic beauty. Found a couple more things and had a wonderful visit with the Biltmore blacksmith. Also an herbalist who is new to the tour had her studio open. Very interesting woman. On then to Twisted Laurel for lunch, came home got the truck, got the gate and this morning I finally unloaded the gate. Only thing I put a huge gash on my shin trying to get it out of the bed of the truck. Okay, maybe not huge, but a nice sized gash. I thought maybe it could be used on the front deck but the gate is too wide for that. It is probably going to be more of a decorative thing. So until it gets a home around here, it will be in the garage awaiting further placement.



Buddy and I were watching the evening playtime of Strawyer and Mr McBeavy last night. Sometimes it didn't look like play with Strawyer but then he would return to his normal personality of gentle giant of a cat. The more I look at the Mr I am thinking his father was Mr Meany. Facially and body type is making me think that but Strawyer includes him and keeps watch over him when danger seems to be in the air. Mama Cat showed up on Sunday after a three week absence. She looked like she has been in several battles. Saw Camo once last week. It's mainly the little family of three. This morning the black and white cat was back and I think that is Cali's son that our neighbors adopted. They try to keep him in but sometimes he escapes into the great outdoors.

Weather alerts are sounding off on my phone and thunder is resounding so now to close this and go check on the skies.

Could We Take It Any Other Way?

A relaxing Sunday afternoon that included a nap on the back porch, a little reading and a light lunch was much appreciated. The little family of three hangs around the ladders and plants in the side yard. so it is a continual jockeying for the coveted spot under the flowerbed chair. They seem to take turns so that is a nice thing. Buddy spent most of the afternoon on the porch, moving from sleeping spot to the next as the spirit or the warmth of the sun moved her.

Last week Buddy had a bit of a health scare and although she seems better I don't know if we are out of the woods yet. I was anticipating another good night's sleep after the successful night of rest on Saturday, but it was not to be last night. The vet is calling today for updates and maybe the continued use of the muscle relaxer, for Buddy, not me. It has calmed Buddy, but she is so lethargic. It was a welcomed sight to see she had eaten some of her food during the night and the treats she had ignored. We just spent a good amount of time sitting together this morning. She has not given any indication she would like to go out on the porch this morning.

I went into Sunday School prepared to teach but a little concerned for the last part of the lesson since I had not written it  out and had only jotted notes because of the additional concern for Buddy. During my prayer time Sunday morning I told the Lord, I am depending on You, but this morning I am really depending on you. He didn't fail me. We looked at the facts of Ecclesiastes and then looked at those nuggets that get overshadowed by vanity, vanity...under the sun...everything is meaningless. We were looking at these twelve chapters from a different vantage point and asking the Lord to open up His Word to us. Karen B gave us a great example as she told us about a group tour she went on to NYC. Instead of staking out the seats they sat in the first day, they changed seats often to get different perspectives of the city. I asked if anyone wanted to change seats with me and she said, the bus driver doesn't change seats. That quote is going into my journal. We finished the one and done Sunday look at Ecclesiastes with Chapter 12 in the beautifully written description of what happens as we age...Solomon the great builder of buildings, gardens, homes, navies and cities deconstructed the building process as a building falling in. I had a "you are old moment" Saturday morning at the vet while giving details to them about Buddy's behavior, I said something to the effect that what I had just told them...couldn't remember what day that behavior happened. The young vet responded, it's Saturday. Today is Saturday...well, I knew that and thought about responding, well, it sounds like you are listening to every 5th word...Okay, back to the chapter at hand... I also found a rather humorous view of what those verses mean. Funny, I never noticed or paid attention to those verses in the past but now...they have my full on attention. We ended the lesson though contrasting the ending verses of Psalm 92...where we that are older are to flourish in the courts of the Lord and still bear fruit. Velda gave us a perfect example of that to end the lesson as she recounted a shopping experience and small details became very useful as each person involved in the story contributed to a good outcome. It was also a monumental day, Inez read out loud from her Bible which had a great in-depth look at the verse we were reading.

During the week while studying, many times my remembrance of August 2014 came to mind. Roy gave me a month here to help me health wise miss the hot August of Houston. While here for that we also had on our schedule to begin the search for a home here. Originally, we thought about a condo for just summer/fall but Roy realized a house would be better especially for whenever he retires. In the midst of searching there was so much time to read and write or just sit and think. So the good ol' blog became a diary of sorts of comings and goings, roads, wonders, cows and of course the mountains themselves. In this period of time I experienced the kindness of God like never before and the scripture I was reading was mainly out of Ecclesiastes. On the outside of mountain bliss, circumstances all kinds of chaos was happening, it was the month of "come get these boxes" by my father a message delivered to us by his posse along with phone calls of investigations of being falsely accused of elder abuse and all other kinds of horrible, untrue accusations. In the midst of this, God's kindness...just a very little example...I do not like tunnels and would cringe beyond cringing while going through the tunnels on the Blue Ridge Parkway. There was always someone with me but during that month, I drove through 11 tunnels by myself, knowing God's presence as I was going through lightly, the valley of the shadow of death. I know, hyperbole....but I hated tunnels.

Last night in choir rehearsal we had the nicest surprise. Our pastor came in and just wanted to thank us for leading our church in worship on Sunday mornings. He appreciated our hard work and the passion we brought to the music, both with the congregation corporate worship as well as our piece prepared for each week. He thanked us again...and we thanked him for coming in to encourage us. It was refreshing the simple thank you and not adding a teaching moment to the mix as some pastors are wont to do.

Buddy is fussing, over what I don't know. Her imagination is not captured by treats this morning. She has been on the front and back porch. She has sat in my lap a lot. In fact, she is here right now and typing is difficult. She has never been much of a cat that rubs against you but she has become one over the weekend. Last night I got a lot of her putting her head against my face. Into the day we go, just me and Buddy, living in the mountains, taking it one day at a time...like we could take it any other way, ha!

Celebrations, Cake, Buddy and Ecclesiastes

The rain cooled air has dropped the temps with breeze and we didn't even get any rain to enjoy the evening cool degrees. Buddy has been on the back porch all afternoon with intermittent naps between keeping an eye on Mr McBeavy. After a fun birthday yesterday it was an ease into the morning kind of day. Buddy took advantage of the available lap and I began reading up on Ecclesiastes.

Needing to run a couple of errands, one being grocery shopping for staples...not like for a stapler which is probably what most would think I needed. Anyway, picking up mail, prescription and a brief stop at Publix were quick enough and got home to put things up and check on Buddy. She was upstairs but when she heard the familiar sound of a porch door, she made her way slowly. In fact she spent the greater part of the afternoon asleep on the daybed.

Sunday held lots of fun and deliciousness. After church Brenda, Lois and I went out for lunch. The fried shrimp was our unanimous choice. We left way too full but I had two errands that had to be done, so I waddled to the car and began the drudgery but I also knew that upon completion of these errands, there would be strawberry cake. I made a quick check on Buddy before going over to Brenda's to celebrate with strawberry cake. Brenda knew how tired I was and sent me home to take a nap...which I did.
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It's Thursday. My attention has been elsewhere. Buddy wasn't her normal cat self Sunday night...and normal isn't really a definition cause Buddy changes normal several times a day. It was an up and down night and I finally settled in a chair downstairs, which seemed to help Buddy. Monday, Buddy was still struggling so I kept close by. Monday night, I was concerned that she would not make it through the night. Her breathing shallow and labored, neurological facial tics, and she was so warm. It was a night of crying and praying. Buddy was wobbly and struggled a bit on Tuesday but seemed to have some improvement. On Wednesday, I felt I could leave for a couple of hours to get my glasses adjusted and to run to Walmart...for a few things. Got home to a sound asleep Buddy who was more than happy to move her nap out to the back porch. She stayed there all afternoon and into the early evening. Last night was a tough night but not a rough night. She has started coming back upstairs after a little bit of not coming up this way. She had a few moments of thinking she was lost and she had a few moments of fighting things that are not there. She and I have been having some good talks this week, about life together these past fifteen years. This morning after lying on my lap for a bit, she has taken her sleepy self out to the front porch where personally, I think it is too hot. There have been several times in the past two years that seemed like Buddy's time on earth was up. Monday night is the closest to that fact. I'm keeping watch and hope she pulls through like she has done in the past. It is now Friday morning and Buddy had the best night last night that she has had in a long time...which means I got sleep from 11:00 to 3:30. She came upstairs mournfully crying and sat at the end of the bed...with the low tone whimper. I got up and sat her on the bed and once I settled in, she got right beside me and stayed there until 5:30 and I got up at 7:30. This morning she has been perkier and as always she is eating well and staying hydrated. She takes after me with the eating well...hydration, she gets from Roy.

I was talking to our neighbor Nancy yesterday afternoon. They have had lots of animal drama happening up on their farm. From the death of their goat and having to put their puppy down because of a large tumor on the spine. Their horse Zoe had a near death experience while they were away all day at a horse show in SC and they had to decide whether to have the surgery at UT Knoxville or put the horse down. Zoe had the surgery and is still in Knoxville with a detailed and elaborate wellness plan once she gets home.

This morning, once again I was looking at Ecclesiastes for the lesson on Sunday. Lots of directions to take the lesson but no clear direction on what to include. This morning the Lord brought it together and I feel better about it all. Now to get it written down so I don't forget. So that's what I am going to do now...It has taken almost a week but finally a blog post. 

Happy Birthday Buddy!

This is the first picture of Buddy that was on an email to the staff at Houston's First Baptist from Lisa Lewis. Her cat had kittens and she was looking for a home this little gray kitten, who at the time was thought to be male. I fell in love with this face and called Roy to tell him about a picture of a kitten that had stolen my heart. Long story short, Buddy came to live with us. She was born on August 4, 2005. Does that make her a millennial cat? 

Buddy is fifteen years old and in cat years that means she is nearly 80. She is somewhere in her late 70's but I am too lazy to do the specific math. She is definitely slowing down and has dementia moments especially at night. Nothing like that mournful cry at 2:00 in the morning. She is even more than before a whiny meower. If she was human she would have already had a hip replacement but there are days she moves and jumps like a ten year old cat. Buddy has always had a bit of a temper but things that used to make her take a swipe at me, well, they don't seem to bother her anymore and she knows I think, that I am trying to help make her comfortable.

This is one of my favorite pictures of Buddy that Peggy took. She caught that iridescent shine of her gray fur and that little smile. 

My life changed for the better when this little gray kitten came in my life. I don't know, it was like the Lord added her to help me and this little cat has helped me process and think through so many things. When I was so ill she hardly left my side, sleeping next to me all day and following me to the bathroom or kitchen. She is also the little sneaker that has hiding places and doesn't reveal them easily. Many a time I have called this cat and she remains stealth and silent as I desperately search for her.  

Buddy doesn't like change....of hardly anything but she survived two major moves and she has flown more than me in the past five years. She loves her some time on the porches, front porch in the morning and back porch from the late afternoon on into the evening. She'll work you for a treat, it is a constant that is for sure. In the midst of not liking change, she herself has changed her routine. Her favorite napping places remain unused. After nearly 15 years of sleeping on our bed with us for 95% of the night, she now sleeps elsewhere. It took some getting used to on my part but the quality of sleep has improved for both of us.

So, Happy Belated Birthday Buddy! I started the post on Saturday but I was enjoying my birthday festivities and was too tired last night to finish this up.

Fruits, Veggies and Isolated Incidents

August 1st, opening day for Barbers Orchard. On the first day I am not going for the apples, it is more for the produce and honestly, the baked goods. Inez and I decided we needed to go to opening day, so we met at church and headed over Barbers way. Lots of cars but it wasn't too crowded. The line for the bakery wasn't too bad and once the woman with a large order got it all paid for, the line moved quickly. Taking care of the most important purchase of apple cider donuts, we were able to peruse the fruit and veggies. We got that done and decided lunch would be at Haywood Smokehouse. It was delicious as usual. Before heading home we decided we should make a quick stop at Duckett's in Clyde. We got lemon melons and right now mine is cooling off in the refrigerator. I took our bakery purchases to the truck and I felt the breeze with a hint of fall in the fragrance and temperature. Some of the first trees that show the change of color, well the top leaves are beginning that precursor to autumnal pigmentation.

The late afternoon held some rain but mostly lightening and thunder. The temps cooled down and made for a pleasant late afternoon on the back porch. Buddy was interested in the little family of three but soon the urgent need of a nap overtook the curiosity. I need to move one of the little chairs for flowers alongside the one that is already outside near the porch cause all that little family loves the chair. The zinnias that occupied the chair have seen better days especially since they've been smashed down even with the soil.
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The wonderful, good beginnings of Solomon is on my mind this morning. In a few minutes I will begin writing out the lesson for Sunday. In the past few days several words and phrases have stood out and so I have studied with those words leading the way. Buddy has decided she wants to contribute to the blog this morning, like most mornings when I sit down to write. The call of the window has overtaken her desire to contribute. Think she made the best decision.
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No, the call of the window did not get to me like Buddy but the call of writing out the lesson for Sunday and a few errands took precedence. Also, the supper invitation from Brenda was too good to resist, so the blog post kind of fell by the wayside.

It was shocking to read of the untimely death of a young woman's husband this week. She worked in the ED Suite, as it was known back in the day. She might have been an assistant to me for just a little bit of time before becoming the full time admin for Married Young Adults. I don't remember. She was falling in love while she worked at First Baptist and married this fine young man. He died of a cancer I had never heard of. Then this morning I read about the owner of The Pink House passing away this past week of breast cancer. She had been fighting the fight for a long time. Sadly, The Pink House is going through the closing process. Over the years we had found several pieces of furniture and all kinds of interesting things at her local shop.

Brenda served a delicious country supper filled with veggies and her homemade rolls. Yum! We visited for a bit after supper. Roy had called but I hadn't heard the ring cause I don't have good coverage at her house. He had spent the afternoon out in the yard with the sprinkler guys. Two of the seven zones of our sprinkler system had never worked correctly because they had been wired wrong. The lines were not color coded nor labeled. In the midst of the work they must have cut the cable in the yard. Roy thought it was the modem and took it in to Comcast but it wasn't that. The sprinkler guys are coming back this afternoon to finish up the work. Roy is at a seminar and will head home quickly after it is over.

I have been out in the yard cutting up weeds and pulling up flowers that have done bloomed. It is a dried up mess to deal with. The trees that needed extra watering got attention this morning as well. It is looking like it might not rain this afternoon but if it does, it's because I watered trees and a few plants.

Last night just as I was falling asleep I had the first major afib moment in over a year. I have gotten so used to being in rhythm. There were a couple of things on my mind but nothing too troubling and although the last couple weeks have held some added stress, it didn't seem like anything that would knock me into the world of irregular beat. It could be that I had caffeine after 2:00 yesterday. But today, I can feel the fatigue from my heart working overtime when it didn't need to. My prayer is that this is an isolated incident.

July 31st...Where Did The Month Go?

The end of July is coming to a close. This summer has gone by quickly but August holds Barbers Orchard opening and all the goodness contained there. Lora and I have made tentative plans to meet there for a peach/apple slushie and who knows what else?  Oh apples, yes. Well, not so much in the beginning. But by the end of August the honey crisp are ready and available for purchase. Yahoo!

We looked at one song last night in choir from our Christmas music. It is an enjoyable song and fun to sing. All the music we worked on last night was so good, several songs we have sung before and a few new ones, well new to me.

Just looked over the first fall reading list from Square Books. Now all of these lists are online but I remember checking the mail with the hopes the latest Dear Reader would be in the mailbox. When the anticipation was nearly taking over, there it would be. Slowly, I would go through all the new releases and circle books that I was interested in. This is before Amazon and before local bookstores carried little known genres. I would order from Square Books and when that box came, it felt like Christmas and nostalgia wrapped together because the books were wrapped the individually with brown paper. Square Books is celebrating their 40th anniversary this year. For so many years we made a detour to Square Books in Oxford MS on our way to Nashville or to Asheville. Such a fun detour, at least for me, and throughout those early years I've experienced stories from their local Mississippi authors that were probably self published thinking about it in hindsight. That is where I found Augusta Trobaugh novels that are such delightful, thought provoking and funny reads. Ya gots to love good stories that have all the elements needed to flesh out characters and the dailiness of life.
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I found myself on some back roads yesterday in east TN. The rolling hillsides, all manner of crops, dairy cows and the like certainly drew me in. From time to time I had to stop and enjoy the view. A good smattering of old farmhouses mixed in with newer construction. It was one of those times where the view is committed to heart not a camera. Numerous fields with hay in preparation for baling. There is nothing like the sweet fragrance of hay in the air.

Last week a friend and I were commiserating over the decline of customer service at The Nord. The Nord in Charlotte since my first visit there has been referred as the sub par Nord. The selection, the restaurant and finding someone to help with a purchase is a constant consistent. Sounded like from my friend's observations that the Nord near her in Texas is experiencing the same problems. That prompted me to go online and see if this was a universal problem or we were just fortunate to have the sub par experience. No, it seems like the general consensus is huge decline. The Nord has a great online presence but traffic in the stores has decreased. Now you'll find most sales people looking at their phones and standing around. One interesting comment from a review that Nordstrom's problem is lack of training for their personnel, nothing like it has been in the past when training and service were recognized by those in the industry and those outside of it. I had also heard that the stores are taking more of a Nordstrom Rack mentality...which is great at a Rack store but not so much in a signature store.

Our class finished up with the study of David by looking at Psalm 23. There is so much in that Psalm for daily life. We begin looking at Solomon this week and it's funny, after talking to my friend Carole yesterday she mentioned her class's study of Ecclesiastes, it looks like in a couple of weeks we too will be spending a Sunday in that book. They had twelve weeks, so feeling pretty good about just the one. We are looking at wisdom and how God blessed Solomon to rule with wisdom this coming Sunday. 
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We might get some rain this evening. We got enough yesterday that I didn't have to water anything. Don't want the wind gusts though.

It is a good thing I got new glasses today because I wore navy leggings with my black and white dress. Oops. The navy discovery came though while still wearing the old glasses. Oh well... So that meant I didn't cross my legs today at the funeral of Shirley Israel. I didn't know Shirley very well but she had always been kind to me. So, I got my new glasses, ate Mexican food for lunch, ran over to Marshall for a quick stop, came home and then went to church.

Well, I should fix supper...thinking of a Cuman D tomato but no runny eggs on the side.

Sunday Night Top Off

Buddy wants out on the back porch. She hasn't a clue that it is 1:15 am. Who knows what creeps around at night and maybe a screen wouldn't be enough to keep her from harm. This is hard on both of us and I can only hope that she will soon settle down and sleep a couple of hours. I am torn on whether to take her to the vet or not. She needs her nails trimmed, although she let me trim them a little without any fuss. She could probably use a steroid shot but after the last one which caused her such stress and over a week to recover, I hesitate. This little Buddy will be fifteen in a week or so and these past few months have been difficult for her. I used some organic lavender to calm her down a bit knowing that essential oils can be hard on cats. She finally went back downstairs and went to sleep. Meanwhile I was wide awake. So, all in all I think I got about three and a half hours of sleep last night. Two hard nights in a row of sleep deprivation doesn't make me that alert.
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Well, the above was several nights ago. Buddy did well two nights in a row and then last night was a rather sleepless night. So it makes Sunday truly a day of rest for me. Even with a good dosing of meds yesterday the dementia fought through the fog and Buddy was chasing invisible foes altering that with some blank stare time. We went downstairs around 2:00 am, gave her some treats, set the Dwell app on the book of Luke and waited for Buddy to settle, get on my lap and fall asleep.

My hair appointment was changed this week, so I went Thursday afternoon to a new stylist, to me, at the salon. She and I hit it off and we are happy with the new association. Christine is doing a lot of seminars and classes, really cutting back...haha...on her chair time. Before the appointment I had lunch at La Cantina and did a little window strolling through Biltmore Village. They are fixing the brick sidewalks not to be such a tripping hazard.

On Friday such a delightful afternoon with friends from Houston. They had been in the area and we met for lunch and then came back here for a bit. We did a little drive by sightseeing and ended up in Marshall. Always love a trip to Penlands and there is a fried pie lady from Burnsville that brings fried pies to the store during the week. She had brought 54 of them and when we were there Friday afternoon. four were left. Got the strawberry fried pie and it was really good. The girls left for their cabin and I began writing out the lesson for Sunday. It felt like it would be a little different than usual in the prep this week.

It pays to go to choir practice...well, sometimes when you get homegrown tomatoes from a friend and another friend is inquiring about an Asian cuisine lunch sometime. It's all good.

I am hoping for a good sleeping night but I'm not too sure. Buddy is downstairs starring at the wall. I will go get her in a few minutes if she doesn't come upstairs soon.

Weather, Psalms, Cats and Gardening...It's Tuesday!

It must have rained off and on all during the night and you'd think I would really be knowledgeable about that because it was another long night with Buddy. Around 2:00 am I got up, came downstairs and let her sleep in my lap. Sleep didn't come for me so I read and listened to scripture. Finally, after a little over an hour, I went back to bed only to be awakened around 4:00, 5:15, 6:20 and then finally getting up around 7:00. 

The first time I read about Dwell was on Twitter. So to the app store to check it out. About $30.00 a year with a seven day free trial. What I like about it is, different voices can be chosen for the reading as well as background music. There are playlists, like I listened to all the parables last night from the gospels. Then started the book of Mark. Such a wide range of choices. Usually I keep away from audible because my attention strays and then if a book, I have to re-listen cause I have lost a huge chunk of the story. The playlists are divided up by subject or by the book. Think Dwell is sticking around after the seven day free trial.

This Sunday we are studying Psalm 23 as we take our last look at David's life before moving onto Solomon. Sometimes teaching very familiar passages is harder because they are well loved, often memorized and our attitude, while not with malicious intent, we can skip over meaning and new meaning just due to familiarity. Yesterday, while working on the front bedroom and getting things together for a Goodwill run, I thought about the 23rd Psalm, remembering maybe my first memory of it. Seems like my cousins and I were given children's Bibles by our grandparents. The cover was Jesus with all the little children. Inside the cover was Psalm 23 and the back inside cover was The Lord's Prayer. So it must have been around the second or third grade being at my grandparents for part of the summer and being able to go to VBS at their church. It seems we were studying Psalm 23 and by the end of the week we were to have it memorized for the all important star by our name of completing memory work. Upstairs, in the bedroom I slept in while there, I remember sitting by the window gazing out on the gas station on the far corner and memorizing the Psalm. When I got to the part about, "yea, though I walk through the shadow of death, Thou art with me..." back in the day the King James version is all we had...but somehow I began to think that the cedar closet in that bedroom was the shadow of death. We weren't allowed to open that closet door and with my grandmother reciting the poem, Little Orphan Annie...which is complete with goblins, before I fell asleep each night, the closet became shadow of death...goblin home. I do remember that I memorized the Psalm and was so happy it was on the inside cover so I didn't have to thumb through the thin pages to find it each time I did memory work.

I am trying an experiment today. The little family, Strawyer, Punky, and Mr McBeavy come into the garage now and then when their food is being prepared. With all the rain from last night and trying to make the screen around the porch not be too attractive to investigative scratching, I left the backdoor to the garage open. Punky came in and guess Straw and the Mr have come in as well. Trying not to bring attention that it could be a big deal being in the garage out of the rain. It is just so stinkin' wet and almost have had three inches of rain. They are looking for a dry spot so they are getting an option other to hanging off the ledge around the porch. **Update** It looks like at least for now, Nancy's ark I mean garage is closed for business. Punky and the Mr just left for the great outdoors and Strawyer, he might still be asleep in the garage but I will go check in a little bit. **Update** Strawyer wasn't asleep in the garage and had probably gone out wandering before Punky left the friendly confines.

Just read an interesting article about the new CEO of Barnes and Noble. He has been successful in turning around bookstores in the UK. With the recent closings of Lifeway stores I read the article with those closings in mind. I avoided Lifeway stores if at all possible. They were stark, cold, full of junk and the arrangement of the books didn't facilitate browsing. I had found better selections at the nearby Barnes and Noble store. It might happen that B and N will warm up a bit in tone and arranging books for more browsing opportunities. This will be interesting to keep tabs on.

I broke my vow of not assembling anymore furniture but it wasn't too difficult. Ordered teal chairs to go with the dining table on the porch. Most of the time metal chairs come assembled, but not these. It was a quick assemblage before the rain and storms came last evening. 

Before the sun came through the clouds and after the rain it was a brief attempt at weeding the front flowerbed. It is overgrown with grass and weeds in the very front part. I'm thinking of making up some of that vinegar, Dawn and Epsom salt mix to spray carefully around the plants. I worked till the sun made the temps too difficult for work. Even in the low 70's with a breeze cannot compete or overcome the sun at this elevation. As evening draws near, I will get back out there and get the weeds that did get pulled into trash bags.


Wrapping this up and thinking and studying Psalm 23.

It's Beginning To Look Like Monday

This lesson on David and Bathsheba is not taking the expected direction. Oh sure, we will discuss the obvious but in the past few years the old way of telling the story is taking a different direction with many biblical scholars in the 'me too' era. Not that I heard this Bible story often growing up...you can kind of put it in the category including the woman with the issue of blood and any cutting off of foreskin Bible story. Those aren't the kind of stories to tackle with children but when you get into junior high and high school, the David/Bathsheba story is usually used as a lesson to thwart those raging hormones during the discussion of how far can we go before we are sinning when dating. Do they even discuss this kind of stuff anymore? But of course, I digress.

The lesson takes the turn in II Samuel 12, when Nathan is sent by the Lord to see David and confront him...only with a story. One of the few uses of parables in the OT. So Nathan starts out telling David an animal story. I don't know about y'all but that animal care commercial where dogs are in the snow, chained to a stake, cats trying to keep warm...all get to me so much so I have to turn the channel and this particular commercial must be one of the longest commercials time wise cause I flip back too soon. Not only does Nathan tell an animal story, but he tells a sheep and lamb story...of course, the sure way to a shepherd's heart. A rich man and a poor man round out the story except for the traveler that is mentioned who comes to see the rich man. Rich man doesn't take a sheep out of his herd to feed the traveler but takes the poor mans one little lamb. Of course David is livid, says the rich man should be killed and replace the lamb fourfold. Then Nathan says, Thou Art The Man....What has pulled my interest is the word traveler. Everything I have read concerning the usage of this word in reference to the story means, of course one on a journey, wayfaring man, one walking on a road or path. The traveler is also a reference to David, so he is a rich man and the traveler is the thought or process causing him to sin against Bathsheba, Uriah, baby and the soldiers killed in battle with Uriah. There are also variations on the depth of the word traveler known to those living in that time. The meaning could be one that passes by, then it becomes one who stays from time to time and the final stage is taking up residence. David was quick to confess his sin when confronted after about nine months of keeping his sin hidden. We can read Psalm 51 to gain insight into his heart. But sadly his best days are behind him as his family begins to fall apart and they are repeating the pattern of his sin where David doesn't or can't say anything.

The front flowerbed needs so much attention because the weeds are taking over the front part of that bed. I also need to check on the ginger gold apples because they are the first apples of apple season. Last year that little tree produced about 50 apples but production doesn't seem to be that many this year, although the apples look bigger than last year. One of the peach trees died so I need to get another planted, maybe in the fall or do I wait till spring, I don't know but I will find out.

From the window I am watching a mockingbird protecting his perceived territory on top of Mary Joyce's house. He is marching on the roof line like a soldier. Quite funny to watch. It used to be that the bird feeder in the back ran out of food before the front yard feeder but guess feral cats keep visits to the back at a minimum. Think the blue birds and woodpecker have moved on because almost anything that remains in the feeder is meal worms.

I have been thinking about the 50th anniversary of the moon walk in 1969. I watched it on a black and white TV. It seemed so unreal yet so monumental. It was the summer before starting high school. I had that anxiety riding in the pit of my stomach all summer, not about the moon... I already knew and knew from the first question in the interview I had not made it into the Rebelettes. Rebelettes were the drum, bugle and fife core of my high school, being before dance squads. The first question of the interview was, if you don't make it into the Rebelettes, would you play volleyball? So this being back in the olden days, tryouts would happen after school began. What if I didn't make it? Well, I did make the team and even before starting high school had my first official car date. Yep, in the summer of 1969 things were looking up for me after men walked on the moon.
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Monday morning is overcast and gray. We are under a flash flood watch and the rain is forecast to begin this afternoon. I might try and get out this morning for a couple of errands. Tomorrow the temps are to be in the 70's. That's a welcomed relief.

This weekend I watched two documentaries and learned about the theory that a Secret Service agent accidentally shot President Kennedy in the heat of trying to defend him and then last night about the rampant drug use for WWII beginning with Germany's usage. Never even heard of either of these things.

After church yesterday I went to lunch with Brenda and her cousin Jackie. Jackie loves books just about as much as I do, maybe even more. We had a lovely time and nearly closed down the lunch rush of the restaurant. I came home and took a much needed nap. I felt the beginnings of a sore throat Sunday morning and that is a sign I need to take a rest break. This past week I decided to finally tackle a few things here at the house that I have been putting off too long. Didn't go to choir last night cause still felt fatigued and Buddy was enjoying the back porch so much, didn't have the heart to bring her in early.  It rained during the afternoon enough not to have to water the front flowerbed last night. With the break in the temps from the rain cooled air, the little family of three kept together in the backyard. Strawyer joined in the rollicking play of Punky and Mr McBeavy. He usually watches stoically. I found one of Riley's toys in the garage and brought that out for the Mr. He played with that for a solid thirty minutes. As dusk overtook the sky, it meant it was dark enough to play red laser light and Punky still enthusiastically plays.

Lessons From Nature...Reacting And Responding

July mornings must be practicing and getting ready for August mornings. The past two mornings have been foggy ones. The fog burns off as the sun breaks through and in August we begin to keep a count of foggy mornings because the folk lore is, foggy mornings in August equal snowfalls in winter. It is an inexact science because some areas are foggier than others. A drive down the road tells that story, but it is beautiful as the fog lifts yet lingers on the tops of the mountains and gently lies  in some of the valleys.

How did I celebrate a good eye exam? By going to the Mexican restaurant and having chalupas. It wasn't so much the food as the restaurant leans to the dark side, not evil, but lighting. With dilated eyes and a bright sunny day, the choice was easy. I was hoping to make one stop on the way home but even with sunglasses, the best decision was to come on home.

Yesterday, a friend showed me her time lapse photography of a Monarch butterfly breaking free of the chrysalis and through metamorphosis becomes a butterfly. After emerging the wings on the butterfly look to grow right before your very eyes. All this wonder happened in her very own garden and she has seen this process more than once as the spring and summer goes by. When I got home I Googled it up to learn more and it is fascinating reading.This week in our own garden the butterfly bushes and the pollinator plants we planted in the spring are full of butterflies. This week I saw my first two Monarch butterflies. In Houston, I don't think any caterpillars ever crossed my mind as being good. They were the enemy of our plants and must be eradicated sooner. Here, I do research on the bugs and the like before declaring war on them. I can say with confidence that fruit flies are my mortal enemy because they cause havoc in this bountiful season of produce stands.

Nathan and Andrew came yesterday to chop up the fallen portion of the maple tree. We also discussed the fall plans for the backyard. I loved seeing Nathan's face when he saw how good the flowers are doing in the side bed by the driveway. The black eyed Susans started out as three small plants last year and they have flourished and taken over a good portion of a corner in the flowerbed. The queen Anne lace has just about played out in that flowerbed but the ones right behind the porch are still blooming. I asked Nathan why the tree split from the bottom and his interesting answer is this, with all the rain we have had since last year, the established trees have taken in about all the water they can hold. July is typically a dry month here and so far we've had two major thunder showers along with a few moderate ones. The maple tree had taken in all it could hold and thus the split happened as it expanded from within, something had to go.

It dawned on me last night that both of these phenomenons of nature, of God's creation, have been taking place in this creation named Nancy. It does help to have married into the name, Monarch. There is transformation and a shedding off of things that can't and aren't maintained because of growth, internally and externally. With God's Word there is always transformation when we allow it to dwell and reside in and with us. I am looking at these changes through the eyes of moving and decorating our home here. Many things that I thought were important to the house when we first moved have found other homes. I thought every bedroom should have a desk in it because I thought people will want to look at this view and write...no, that's just me, not many guests. Desks have been moved and given away. As a comparison my brother's taste runs mid century modern which is a sleek and minimal look. My taste runs in, cram as much into the room that it can take....it might be a short duration or it might be a long period of time but eventually, room contents begin to thin out. I think that is what's happening now internally and externally in me. Over the course of my life I have crammed this and that into my heart and spirit and have kept all this stuffing compartmentalized fairly successfully. But some of this has to go....  Living a much simpler life with more fun distractions is making the disposal or re-purposing easier of the junk I needed to live life in Houston. So much of what mattered there isn't even a blip on the screen here. Likewise, things that matter here might not make a dent on the top ten list of things needed to live in Houston.
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Once again the forecast is for rain this afternoon. We received a little shower but nothing measurable in the rain gauge. Semi tough night with Buddy but better than other nights. She has stopped sleeping in our bed which in one way is kind of sad and yet, it is freeing. She hangs tight in the winter to keep her little paws warm but there must too much warmth in the summer.

Yesterday afternoon I spent a good amount of time reading a Blue Ridge Parkway book, things to see, things you might miss and how to schedule out time. They offered advice on a 14 day trip beginning in Washington DC to long weekends or just a day trip here and there. The book even takes you beyond the parkway and into the Smoky Mountain National Park and into Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge.
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Fri-Yay, Thursday got away from me and I never got back to the post. I also had to let this set for a couple of days and let good sense overrule hurt feelings. I took out the portion of this post telling about a phone conversation and the resulting hurt, then anger and then finally some calm. As a rule anything that has a spontaneous burst of hurt and anger is transference from hurts long ago and rears its head unexpectedly. I have the choice to respond or react. This time I reacted and my impertinent response made some work for me. I have to think that this friend's digs at things that are important to me here or about a change in me due to living here has to come from a wish that I was still a running buddy in Houston. Knowing that the aftereffect of digs or bullying me to do what they want will be a bit of distance in my future emotions and response to them, I try not to take the Roy approach and just be done and move on. The transference happens from being told in childhood that things I loved, writing and creating, were things I was not good at and would NEVER be good in doing. I believed those lies for too long. So sometimes when I least expect it, after hearing what I consider to be a dig, I react but love those times when I respond, being in control. Hopefully the next time will be response.

Rainy Days and Monday...Yep, That Was Yesterday...Once More

Taking a break this morning studying for the lesson on Sunday. That lesson be, David and Bathsheba. Ironically, several times this morning when looking out into the backyard, Strawyer and Punky seem to be recreating, you can also take this as a pun, the story of David and Bathsheba, but really no baths involved cause cats generally don't like water. Yesterday, we looked at 2 Samuel 9 and the kindness of a king. So we go to the high mark of David's kingship to the lowest point...which is coming up Sunday, Sunday, Sunday.

The several time delayed Sunday School party happened on Saturday afternoon. We had such a good time and honestly, such good food. We went with salads and desserts...not a bad combination. A no guilt meal. It was the first official party on the back porch and what a great way to break in the porch. Lots of laughter in between bites of our delicious dishes. We were trying to think of a way to make this our Sunday School gathering off campus but decided we would all show up Sunday morning and give this more thought.

When the weather people say pop up thundershowers I kind of dismiss them because we rarely are recipients of the needed rain. We live in an area known as dry ridge. Rain coming from the west many times splits before getting to us and goes north and south only to meet up in the Black Mountain area a little bit later. I checked the radar several times during the afternoon and that famous split looked to be on track....only...it didn't split. I was in the living room reading and Buddy was asleep out on the back porch. The room keep getting darker and brains here finally checked into the reason why this was happening. Dark clouds from the north gathered, the wind picked up and the air definitely had cooled off from 88 degrees. Thunder in the distance but how many times have we heard it and not see a drop of rain...well, it was a new day because the rain came tumbling in and it was raining very hard. Soon the waterfalls formed in the backyard and the river under the porch was rolling. I was talking to Roy on the phone when we both heard a horrible cry, more like a panic squeal. It sounded like a pig but no one around us has pigs, so I knew it had to be one of the cats. I ran out to the porch frantically looking around for where the noise came from, nothing. Roy thought it was Buddy. Buddy was sitting on my lap but that sound woke her up. In an hour we got almost three inches of rain, so I am thinking that maybe the water had reached wherever the cats were seeking shelter and that is why that horrible cry had been made. As the rain tapered off, Punky came out of her hiding place on the gravel road and she began that frantic cry that she makes for her kittens. She searched and looked while calling with no response. The fearful thought of a hawk getting Mr McBeavy (another name change for Bevo) frightened me that had taken place. Did some quick research and hawks can carry 60 lbs of victim....so now Strawyer could be in the mix. About fifteen minutes later, Strawyer strolled into the backyard. Still no sign of the Mr. The lightning had moved southeast so I went outside to check all the regular hiding places...no sign. My mood was sad and I trudged down to the road to get the garbage can. It is then I discovered that our maple tree had lost a significant piece of the tree, broken off from the bottom. The sound of chainsaws filled the air coming from up and down the road. Later that evening I went out on the back porch to check on Buddy. I heard a little bitty meow as a little white and orange face came out from underneath the grill. Mr McBeavy was present and accounted for. Took some food out and the family of three shared a little snack together. The life of a feral cat is so up and down. You don't see them for days and then they show up and hiss at you...well, that is mostly Mama Cat. After looking a bit closer at Strawyer, he was a little worse for the wear and looked as if he had been in a scuffle. When the mystery cat showed up later in the evening, I figured that the two of them got in a scuffle and that was the horrible noise we heard.

The frantic late afternoon deluge and cat missing in action was enough excitement for the day.

A Feral Update Of Sorts

Oh happy Friday! Well, truthfully, almost everyday is like a Friday but it seems that I should keep that regular view that we develop in our working life...unless one works weekends, then Friday might not be the Yay Day.

A lot has happened cat wise in the past week and with that comes mixed emotions. Thursday morning Roy could only remember seeing Bevo or as we started calling him, the Beav, at breakfast. Didn't see any of the gray and white kittens all day and when the evening rolled around, no kittens were playing in the backyard. By Friday morning, I had pretty much accepted that those kittens are probably not around. On that Wednesday night while sitting on the back porch I watched the kittens play on the driveway and even in the dark, all that white fur was accentuated by the black asphalt. The thought came to mind that Punky should gather those babies up and take them under the front porch. She had also just started taking them up to the fence near the gravel road. That didn't seem like a very good idea either but hey, cat world and cat thinking...are foreign to me. The paw under the fence game reminded me so much of Cali and Riley. They played that game for great lengths of time, never seemingly tiring of it. The loss of those three gray and white kittens hit hard. They were in the backyard earlier than any other litter. I had helped Punky rescue them several times and I had been able to pet them. They had restored joy in the cat world for me. Last Wednesday evening Bevo didn't seem particularly interested in playing and that probably saved his life. Punky called for those kittens and searched every nook and cranny, and by Saturday seemed to be accepting of the fact, they were no longer here. She and Strawyer watch over Bevo, but not like helicopter parent cats. Mama Cat comes and goes. Camo shows up and then is gone for days that is until recently.

The other night there was an uneasiness in the backyard. Strawyer and Punky sat near one another keeping their eyes glued to the upper corner of the yard, near the gravel road. This was whatever day that it seemed like Bevo had disappeared from the loving confines of the yard. Up on a rock sat Camo and her two remaining older kittens. This reminded me of the change of guard when Cali lost her kittens to rescue efforts and Camo took over the back forcing Cali and Riley to look elsewhere for shelter as Camo brought Punky and Strawyer to set up residency. One of her kittens is the spitting image of Mr Meany in the face, so that always unnerves me a bit. They watched everything that was not going on or going on in the yard. Camo's second kitten sat farther back near the fence. It remained this terse line of power till dusk. Camo and her two went back into the dense vegetation that is found along the side of the gravel road. Here is the shocker. Under that cover of darkness a black and white cat moved stealthily among the firs. Because of all the white around the neck, for a moment the brief thought of Riley came but no white tip on the tail. This cat has a mostly black face with a bit of white. It made me go back to pics of MJ to see if it was him, although I saw him get killed by dogs. This morning the black and white cat came very close, must be male cause his interest was in Punky, much to Strawyer's annoyance. I shooed him off. Where did this black and white cat come from?

Last night only one of Camo's kittens hung around the top rock. Camo seemed annoyed with its presence and took swipes at it. Camo didn't bring or nudge that kitten to come to the food. Now, I have decided not to do much with Camo's latest brood but dang...that sad face and that hungry look tugged at the heart strings. I shouldn't have done this at all but I took a little food up to where the kitten hides, not thinking at all of proper footwear and I hadn't changed my clothes. so I am out there climbing up that slippery incline, cause it rained all afternoon, slipping and sliding on pine needles with my casual shoes and linen outfit while making my way up to where the food needed to be placed. Only thing, I think Camo ate most of it.

The mole population is on the decline around here. When any of the cats look like they are playing soccer, I know they have a dead mole. The Beav had an especially good game last Friday with one of those little mole things. They'll bring them close to where they eat but I am so thankful they have stopped gifting me with the mole beside their dishes.

This morning they were all waiting for breakfast in their regular places. All of them...well except for Mama Cat and Mysterious Black and White cat. I took my time taking out the food cause Camo had been aggravating Buddy through the door on the porch and I don't take kindly to that kind of thing.
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As it happens, cat world changes at the least little thing. Saturday, when the Sunday School class was over for a party, all the cats were on display. Camo's gray and white kittens stayed on the upper corner, Punky, Strawyer and Beav kept their presence in the backyard. Sunday comes, only the little family of three is around and it is the same this morning. Camo has probably moved on for a bit but will be back like always.

In previous posts I have said how much I am learning from watching and interacting with these feral cats. Each generation is different but the fact still is, feral life is hard, even with help.

Part 2, A Continuation From Yesterday

Friday morning we were up early and headed to Black Mountain to have breakfast at The Blue Ridge Biscuit Company. We got there right before the morning rush. Loved breakfast as usual. Since Lisa has never been to Montreat, we made a kick jaunt that way. Truthfully, I have avoided Montreat in the summer due to camps and conferences there but traffic wasn't a problem...and finding a parking place, could have been a problem, but we did find one close to the store and Lake Susan. A worship conference was going on that week and two ladies invited us to the 11:00 gathering. We were tempted but had a whole lot to see and do that day. We did a little shopping and walking around, then we headed out to NC 9 to take the back/scenic way toward Hendersonville. The road begins winding and curvy but soon flattens out till it is time to go down the mountain. Wasn't bad at all. We went over to Southern Chicks and we both made purchases. Then we made our way toward Strawberry Hill for peaches, plums and nectarines...oh my! We also got some ice cream while we were there. We drove around, got some Jack in the Box tacos on the way home and went to the Biltmore to shop and to drive around. We headed toward home looking forward to an evening on the back porch. We also knew we needed to get up kind of early cause we had Blue Ridge GA and Mercier Orchard on our Saturday sights.

We hit the road around 9:30 on Saturday. Lunched at Zaxby's in Murphy and then did the remainder of the trip to the outskirts of Blue Ridge, GA. The orchard carries a great cornbread mix. The meal is ground nearby and grits are available for purchase as well. Got some June apples cause I had never heard of them before. Of course apple cider donuts and fried pies rounded out the purchases we made. Such a fun place. We stopped all along the Natahala for pics. Supper was served on the porch, leftovers for Lisa and crackers and cheese for me.

Sunday, the day of rest...we went to Sunday School and church, most of church and then we went to Twisted Laurel for lunch. We had decided that we would hang around the house where I believe we all, includes Buddy, took naps. Lisa and I made it to choir rehearsal and then home. Cause Monday was going to be another busy, fun day.

To keep my hair appointments on schedule and because the stylist and I had conflicting schedules for the coming days, I kept the original appointment. Wasn't all bad because Lisa got to experience the goodness of breakfast that is found at Corner Kitchen. Then while getting my hair cut she was able to stroll about in Biltmore Village. Once again we met on opposite sides of the street, then began our journey to the next stop in Hazelwood. We shopped our regular spots, we added a quick trip to Mast General and by this time we were ready for a late lunch, early supper and of course we went to Blue Rooster. We were able to grab a few minutes of conversation with our friend there. What a joy. We came home with the thought in the back of our minds, tomorrow Lisa would be going back home. What a whirlwind of fun we had. We did a lot but not at a hectic pace. We laughed a lot and we talked a lot. We didn't solve world problems or even our own small worries, but the joy of a good friend, who sharpens you...priceless!

So, Tuesday morning came and we left for Charlotte. I dropped her off at the airport and went to the Barnes and Noble. Found a few good books and bingo....I had coupons. From there it was over to the sub par Nord. It was a necessity because the pants I had on would not stay up. I have lost some weight and the particular style of pants I wore, like other times in other colors, got to be too much of a distraction. So, found a pair of pants, paid for them and wore them around the store and places beyond. I had a margarita pizza at their bistro, went to the Chanel counter for foundation and then over to YSL for eyeliner. It was my first time being helped by a transgender person. I know I was staring but not for the reason you'd think....their skin was so smooth and flawless. The eyeliner color I wanted had to be ordered and it should be at our post office box. Then I pursued the mall and ended up buying two pairs of pants for Roy. I might have found a few things for me too....

I checked into the hotel because Roy's flight arrived at midnight and how wonderful for the Holiday Inn Express to pick him up at that late hour and deliver him to the hotel. I got some reading done and fell asleep. Roy texted from the airport that they were a few minutes away. It was about 1:30 before I fell asleep again. We had ambitious plans to get up early and head over to The Blue Ridge Biscuit Company, but when we awoke, the best decision that we needed sleep more than biscuits was made. The side note to that was stopping at Marilyn's Sweet Addictions and picking up a few things.

For the next four days Roy and I worked around the house. We had planned this because the porch was pretty much done and there was a lot on our part to finish up. We got a lot checked off the to do list and for that I am thankful. Roy even had time to make biscuits one morning. He made a triple batch and I froze the leftovers. Yahoo! I won't bore y'all with all that we got done.

Upon arriving home Monday from Charlotte, I was greeted by trucks in the driveway. It shocked me and I was frantically thinking of what to do and then I saw one truck said gutter installations. The crew was putting the final touches on the work they had done. Now to find or talk to Bruce to see about getting underground lines run out to the front yard to dispatch the water more efficiently.

Today, after spending the day at home on Tuesday, I got out and ran a few errands. It feels so hot at times and then a breeze picks up and makes it better. Got a good part of watering done in the back this afternoon and once it cools a bit, I'll tackle the front yard.

Fun, Chores, Fun, To Do, Laughter and Some Sadness

These past few weeks have held fun, chores, fun, to do list, fun, laughter and some sadness thrown in. Thus when all these things come together it seems like writing takes a backseat to the immediate. Oh from time to time notes were jotted and thoughts were constructed but nothing very disciplined. The evenings held time to write but after busy, long, fun-filled days, the energy to write dissipated thus games of tri peak solitaire and checking on Facebook and Twitter became the only activities on the computer these past few weeks. Today, although there are many things that need to be done, I'll take a little time to blog. I would say this morning but it is already afternoon. I did ease into the day slightly and firstly by waking up at 8:45 am.

Back to the way back, June 25th, I left for Gatlinburg TN. Lisa was there with First Worship at the Worship Life conference. The First Worship Team led the conference's morning worship and several also led breakout sessions during the afternoon. Since I 40 is a nightmare of construction, think I 45 Houstonians, the longer, scenic route called out and I accepted the call, only after checking with a few friends that gravel and narrow roads were not involved. They assured me, curvy, scenic roads awaited...with a few hairpin curves. The hairpin curves did not worry me cause in hindsight, I have driven on a lot more sharp curves but not knowing ahead of time, tight curves are about sixth on the list of top ten driving conditions I don't like. The road trip to Gatlinburg began around noon and the drive was breathtaking and panoramic. This was the first time in several years, in our tourist years, that I have driven through Cherokee and memories of those drives of long ago flooded my mind and soul. Then the drive through the National Park began and it seemed the good thing to put down Mustang Sam's top and enjoy the sights, breezes and fragrances of the mountains. It seemed like no time at all and the descent into Gatlinburg surprised me. Not surprising, all the traffic, both vehicles and pedestrians. Brenda had told me the route would just about drop me at the hotel and she was right. Texted and called Lisa while checking in but hadn't heard anything. So, I decided to go across the street and get a sandwich. Low and behold, right across the street stood Lisa P. Thank you Lord! She was coming back from lunch and sat with me while I gobbled down a sandwich. With a little rest needed from the trip and the heat there, we decided to meet up a little after 5:00 to walk about and have dinner. I hadn't officially checked into the hotel, just getting a parking pass, so when I went to the front desk they graciously upgraded me to a suite...sweet! Had a great view of the pedestrian bridge and the tower that kind of looked like the space needle in Seattle.

We ate our supper at the Cherokee Grill. Wow! The food was not touristy at all but it was fine dining in a casual setting. Our meal exquisite and delectable. I ordered the prime rib special and it was delicious. The desserts, well....fabulous and so tasty. We filled up on good food, maybe overfilled on good food and began our walk about. Inez had told us about a jewelry shop she likes there and we were fortunate that the owner had work to finish up, so she hadn't closed her shop at 7:00. We both found lovely items. We also walked across a bridge we could handle...over a small creek and we sat in an Edith Ann chair for photo ops. Such a lovely evening and the best, the next morning the conference started at 10:30. That is great planning! Met Lisa the next morning for breakfast. We both ordered the same meal, the junior-senior. You had to be under the age of 12 or over the age of 50 to order it. Four mini pancakes, eggs and bacon with your drink included. Now there is a deal!

The worship was so real that morning. I had been able to go to sound check, so I knew the music planned for that morning. Worshiped the Lord in practice and for the real. So powerful! I had been able to see John Bolin the day before and again, on the sidewalk of Gatlinburg. Such a joy to be able to call him a friend. Got to see Dora, David and Emma and made new an acquaintanceship, Ana.

After their set was over, Lisa and I left for home with a few detours thrown in for fun. Of course the drive through the National Park was fun. We tried to do Clingmans Dome with a few thousand of our best friends but the amount of people and the heat did me in and we were fortunate enough to get a parking place to take some pics. Each year I forget until the heat arrives how devastating it is for me. Fall, winter and spring...a walk in the park, feel good, have energy...the heat of summer arrives and my heart is working hard, energy zapped and that all familiar light-headiness sets in. It is the only time I retain fluid, summer. After a month or so I acclimate and thankful that the heat here is nothing like Houston, but it is difficult so many times for me to accept that the heat is my kyrptonite.  Lisa and I did experience such a treat, an elk, a young male elk took his leisure in the park along the side of the road and then crossing the road, I suppose to get to the other side. We got pics and Lisa took a video. After taking another detour through Cherokee, we headed over to Haywood Smokehouse for some fine Texas BBQ and some dessert. Ya gots to do that on vacay or staycay on my part. I will stop here for now, better get back to my chores...which are not as fun....