a brand new year

There is something about a new calendar for the upcoming year that just tickles me to death and I received one today from the recruiter at our nearby blood center.  She's a real go getter which I totally appreciate since our blood supply depends on healthy recruitment of donors. The holiday season is a particularly horrid time to try and keep shelves stocked because fewer take the time out of a busy schedule to give a unit.  Unless your life has been touched personally by blood donation, you probably don't get the importance.  Just imagine if you were bleeding to death and there wasn't enough to keep you alive!  Technology now allows for the blood to be separated into components which are safer and can help more patients.  Platelets are removed, and plasma.  Both of these when left sitting in a unit of whole blood are useless as treatment but excellent when prepared to make packed cells.  Platelet donors are the really dedicated ones because they stay hooked up to a machine for several hours with needles in both arms.  And all of this?  Is done for free by volunteers.

The storm that blew through yesterday knocked down another basket full of Stuarts and I think that's probably it for the crop.  Hopefully next year all the other stuart trees will come back with a vengeance.  So, Gatlinburg is for real on fire and that's scary as shit.  Yesterday's high winds fueled the flames and in spite of rain it kept on raging.  The drought, she is unforgiving.  

I got a text this morning from Larry's mama looking for him and my response was I haven't seen him.  I let the boys out to do their business and when they came back in shut the door and finished gettin' my ready on.  I looked down as I passed through and saw Larry's face peering up at me like a long lost friend.  Dude had snuck in with the others and I didn't know he was in the vicinity.  He misses us.

Another amazing thing is how quickly it takes to get tired after getting good rest.  It makes 12 hour naps seem like the norm.  The aforementioned benefit didn't pan out which I didn't really expect.  I'm working on a grocery list for the edibles I plan to give as gifts.  If you've been a good boy or girl you get roasted pecans or a cake.  Propane came by today not because I was out but because we both know it's better for me not to call him on Christmas Eve.  Which I did one year.  He definitely needs a cake.

Live~Love~Learn~