merry christmas to all

Like a little kid, I woke up at 5AM this morning.  Not because I was expecting Santa, or anybody else for that matter.  It's just me and Rosie.  Heavy rain and the urge to pee got me out of bed and I decided to stay up because, well.  Why not?  I have celebrated all weekend with friends and family so today will be solitary.  Church yesterday was absolutely amazing featuring a "Christmas Special" of various congregational talents and singalongs prior to the service.  It was a first and will be our new tradition because it was soooo much fun.  

LP and Lizzie plus the two foster dogs came on Saturday and we had a full day of playing outside and opening presents.  The weather was so nice that she even got to ride her Barbie bike!  And pick up pecans. And run like the wind all over the yard!  Gobo and Ava were in doggie heaven running around leash free in wide open spaces.  They have a very special story which some of you may have heard but I'll tell it again because they need a home.  Lauren found them in the middle of HWY 412 a couple of weeks ago when she was delivering food.  She took them home and immediately began to contact rescue folks to try to find them a suitable home.  Both are large dogs and she lives in a duplex.  As the story unfolded, she found out the details.  Their mother was murdered by her estranged husband and they more than likely witnessed that atrocity.  We can only assume that as he was trying to get rid of the body, the dogs were dumped on the highway right inside Madison county.  The owner's body was later found in the car outside her house and the husband was in the house just chilling waiting to get caught.  Following a welfare check, her body was found and he was arrested for homicide.  The rescue agencies involved have decided that they should be adopted as a pair because they are very bonded and traumatized so this will be a difficult adoption.  They need to be on a farm or fenced in yard somewhere that they can run.  I cannot afford two dogs.  So, we are praying that someone with proper facilities will adopt them both so that they can live together.  Ava is a large black lab and Gobo is a border collie mix with steel blue eyes.  If you know anybody who can handle this, let me know.  They need a furever home.  

My Christmas breakfast will be the traditional Huddle House meeting with Bubba.  You wouldn't believe how many folks go there because it's the only place in town!  And by golly, it's very merry.  Here's to peace, joy and love for all the world.  Jesus was born as a gift to us so that we could be forgiven for being imperfect sinners.  That, my friends, is the reason for the season^j^

not today devil

I firmly believe that a great big god loves all of us, warts and everything.  Christmas is coming and the geese are gettin' fat!  It looks to be a rainy morning meeting at the Huddle House.  830 sharp. I have missed my church family this past two weeks and will be there for this Sunday, lord willing.  Maybe the creek won't rise.  I can tell that my vision will need to be improved when a new year starts because I ALWAYS  lost the distance ones.  I'm a gonna'' have to break down and get bi-focal.

People drive crazy now, especially in a small space bordered by right in front of Green Frog which has divine plate lunches.  The food critic in me has become more refined with age and remembering mama's recipes.  Gaga couldn't cook worth a damn but Lottie Stafford sure did teach Mama the love of southern food.  From that came a career in journalism and recipes.  Her job at the paper printed some of them every week.  She also had a column about sunshine that appeared now and then.  When BG was born, it was properly announced. 

I am in love with a facebook dog who looks like a Beagle mix and is a rescue.  The fosters have offered for us to have a meet'n'greet and pay half of the vet bill.  Let us pray because Oscar ain't been gone long.  I think I'm still needing puppy sugar.  Charlotte Marie came out to help me and Patty pick pecans this afternoon and loved every minute of it.  

All of my shopping is done, thank you sweet baby jesus.  I didn't spend much but focused on what I think the special person would like.  Dyersburg buddies minus one had a nice lunch and exchanged gifts.  I have supper leftovers!  and presents!!

Y'all better be nice for the next few days because you know who is coming to town.  Let's keep it light on the money and more about the holidays ^j^

enough for a pie

Patty and I have been working the pecan crop here for a month or so since before Oscar died.  Now, she brings one of her five every time she comes and they love the wide open spaces here.  Just like Oscar Boi did!  

I had a really frustrating experience yesterday.  One of my clients wanted to go shopping at WalMart so I arrived at the proper time and went in to gather her and her stuff.  My dumb ass locked the keys in the car by accident and had to call Biscuit to get me back into the vehicle.  We proceeded onto WalMart after that ( which I hate, BTW ) and we wandered around for two hours looking for what she wanted.  The total was 57 bucks and she didn't even find everything on the list.  After all that, I came up minus three bucks because of the Lowery's call but it was all good.  When I delivered her home I suggested that maybe she could give ME the list and let me shop which sounded good to her so that's the future plan for that gig.  It was "kids get out of school at 11" day and everybody and their entire family was there with one checkout lane open.  The lady in front of us bought 350 bucks worth.  *sigh*

This is why I shop online.  If I need a few things and the self checkouts are open like at DG or Kroger, I'll do that.  Otherwise I order and pickup.  I have not been inside Wallyworld in about five years and hope to never go back.  Save-A-Lot is my friend :) It is the only grocery here that offers fresh cut meat and bargains galore..

It's getting to be that time when I'm really tired of shelling pecans but I will persist because we need some roasted.  Not sugar coated or candied but just roasted with Country Bob's and Worcestershire plus a shit ton of salt.  And butter.  Stir every 15 minutes.  Drain on paper towels.  Easy peasy.  It has been a dreary day and I'm about ready to watch a movie and rest.  Church tomorrow will be at Bemis UMC.  

Y'all be merry and bright.  Or sad.  Or whatever you're feeling.  Love you big ^j^

wide open spaces

I had visitors today, like two dogs, two kids and a tired mom.  Gobo and Ava are well behaved and came in and out but loved running in the field with Alex.  I'm not sure who won but I bet they are all tired.  I hired he and Reaves to pick pecans and gave them five bucks each for effort.  Y'all...I have more than I can deal with right now!

I skipped the service after SS just to do something different.  My family was coming and my friend needed help.  While Alex was out running in the fields, Reaves carefully set up the nativity scene on the table.  We found Baby Jesus right off the bat and slowly identified the other figures.  

BG got the fancy ass tree put up that Calvin left me.  Let's just say it involved a lot of teamwork.  And there it stands!  I am grieving a few things right now and just not in the "holiday spirit."  If that was improper please correct me Didi.

This Advent season, for me, has been one of discovery at a deeper level about what the birth of Christ is about.  A lot of that has to do with my Sunday School lessons at Koinonia.  We are about to outgrow that room and take over another one!  Nancy presented us all with a nail wrapped in purple ribbon to remind us that from that His miracle birth was going to lead to torture.  Like my robo calls from David Kustoff.  

It seems to me, and this came from a non UMC member, that it is much ado about nothing.  Homosexual pastors and marriages are still not done.  Why the rush to get out before the big vote.  Just my thoughts, but I tend to ramble.  I don't care if you are gay or purple and have 5 tattoos,  Jesus loves us all the same.  

That's my story and my prayer ^j^

'tis the season

Yesterday's winds knocked down a ton of pecans and Patty and I have rolled the weasels until our arms are sore.  We both miss Oscar during this ritual because he was always a part of it.  It's been a week since he passed on and I still look for him to greet me in the driveway every time I come home.  I've been busy every day running around like a chicken with my head cut off.  But I like it! After coughing with an earache for a week I finally went to my PCP this morning and he said every single person on his list has the same symptoms and they are covered up.  I got a daily antibiotic and some cough medicine and was out in 15 minutes.  I tested negative for Covid yesterday so we already knew not to do that.

Lauren and I tried to put up the tree yesterday and it is dead as a doornail.  I'm considering not having one this year, seriously.  I remember when my parents downsized to a Snoopy sized small tree in this very house and it was lovely.  I don't know much they are but....we shall see.  I used to decorate for Calvin Moore every year which required crawling up on the table to hang the garland just so.  It was a task to get it centered with the bows in place to suit him.  He died earlier this year and his sister Pat brought me some of his decorations and a piece of his glassware which I will forever treasure.  

BG is still fostering the two dogs whose mother was murdered in front of them and the rescue community is supplying everything she needs.  They were vetted yesterday so are now up for adoption.  The idiot who murdered their mother is lounging in the Madison county jail awaiting trial for first degree murder.  He strangled his wife to death.  SMH.  I have so much respect for those who work with animal rescue.  And I have nothing but disgust for those who don't take proper care of their furbabies and dump them.  I have a rogue cat hanging around here that I have seen twice and he or she is very pretty and trying to meow me into living here.  It comes and goes so we haven't properly met.  

It looks like me and Bubba at Huddle House on Christmas which is fine by me.  I hosted Thanksgiving and will be busy cooking special treats for special people in my life.  One cake at a time girl.

May the peace of Christ be with you during this season and beyond ^j^