BG just left headed home with a lot of stuff to haul in Heather's truck. Since I overcooked she has turkey and dressing for her friendsgiving. The seriously cute mailman showed up today with my purchases so Christmas shopping is *done*. We had a great meal yesterday with Bubba and he met up with us at the cabin today I forgot where the key is so me and Lauren just looked the windows and sobbed. She hasn't been there in forever, and never to the cemetery so we did that too. Closure is good. We cruised by Mo's new house on the way home.
We slept together for two nights in a queen size bed with dogs and it was divine. I got inspired to go through ornaments today and she picked out what she wanted. We seriously don't know how to be anymore but usually figure it out. She cleans, I cook and we just chill. Sophie is such a lover she slept between us and never moved.
I seriously hope y'all aren't at Walmart. I hear it's dangerous out there. ^j^
Friday, November 25, 2016
Thursday, November 24, 2016
in praise of leftovers
It never ceases to amaze me how long it takes to prepare a Thanksgiving meal that is consumed in 30 minutes. But then there's more for later! We've got turkey out the ass because I got an extra one. I almost got through the blessing before choking up. I'm the elder now....the one to give thanks for who we are and what we have been as a family. I think Mom was looking down from heaven in approval of my rendition of her recipes.
BG got here late last night and is steady curled up with the dogs on my bed watching TV. She already has a Christmas tree so there will be some ornament shopping from the giant pile. I don't have one yet and will probably go with the live kind. There's just something about a cut tree that makes me happy. Daddy used to get white pines with a ball and planted them here and there all through the yard. Once my brother and his friend backed over one in their truck and they tried to duct tape it back together to stay out of trouble. Didn't work. Y'all be careful out there black Friday shopping. Support small business and buy something besides ties and sweaters.
Gratitude ~
Wednesday, November 23, 2016
the office
I have moved the desk to BG's room to facilitate organizational things needed for a home office. The sun rises on this side of the house so it's much lighter in the mornings. This house tends to be DARK so I'm looking at some lighting options that will be more old eye friendly. Plus, I can watch the golfers out the window! Believe me...they play all year round. It's an unofficial UT room with the two items that I kept displayed. All the rest went hither and yon which is okay because I'm not a big football fan. It's for my parents ;)
Lauren and Heather should be on the road soon depending on who got away from work early. I passed my friend Susan in the hall today and she shared with me that holidays after a death are hard which I already know. This is the second year for her and she said it doesn't get any easier. It's when you miss family the most I think.
I never wear makeup and put some on yesterday and it drove me crazy. Probably need hypoallergenic or something. So much for finding sugardaddy. I guess he'll just have to be a naturalist. I do well to get into decent jeans and a nice t-shirt but I try to be presentable. Scrubs make you lazy when it comes to fashion. Just sayin'.
Hopefully the hoorah over Trump will simmer down and we see which way we're headed. Like Dan Rather, I believe that the time is now to speak up and act responsibly. The POTUS has very little power outside of the veto and pardon things so there's that in our favor. I predict that it will turn into such a big mess that he'll end up out of office before the term is finished. I approve Nikki Haley in that role. Bannon needs to go. Also, it wouldn't be a bad idea to hook up McCain and Boehner in the mix somehow. HRC looks very tired, and rightfully so. Bernie gave her hell in the primary and then she got dropped on her ass by the electoral college. Also, watch out for Elizabeth Warren kids. She's fierce and true in her motives concerning Wall Street which is what we need desperately. For a bunch of bankers to tinker with our economy to their advantage is just wrong.
I am thankful for a lot of things right now. My health is good and my job is fairly manageable. I have some wonderful family who would go to the moon and back for me and lots of friends who would do the same. My dogs adore me ( and sometimes the cat ) and I carry a light load when it comes to worry. Doesn't help a damn thing, ya know? Here's to living the thankful life, with gratitude and faith as the cornerstones. It keeps me sane, if you know what I mean.
^j^
Lauren and Heather should be on the road soon depending on who got away from work early. I passed my friend Susan in the hall today and she shared with me that holidays after a death are hard which I already know. This is the second year for her and she said it doesn't get any easier. It's when you miss family the most I think.
I never wear makeup and put some on yesterday and it drove me crazy. Probably need hypoallergenic or something. So much for finding sugardaddy. I guess he'll just have to be a naturalist. I do well to get into decent jeans and a nice t-shirt but I try to be presentable. Scrubs make you lazy when it comes to fashion. Just sayin'.
Hopefully the hoorah over Trump will simmer down and we see which way we're headed. Like Dan Rather, I believe that the time is now to speak up and act responsibly. The POTUS has very little power outside of the veto and pardon things so there's that in our favor. I predict that it will turn into such a big mess that he'll end up out of office before the term is finished. I approve Nikki Haley in that role. Bannon needs to go. Also, it wouldn't be a bad idea to hook up McCain and Boehner in the mix somehow. HRC looks very tired, and rightfully so. Bernie gave her hell in the primary and then she got dropped on her ass by the electoral college. Also, watch out for Elizabeth Warren kids. She's fierce and true in her motives concerning Wall Street which is what we need desperately. For a bunch of bankers to tinker with our economy to their advantage is just wrong.
I am thankful for a lot of things right now. My health is good and my job is fairly manageable. I have some wonderful family who would go to the moon and back for me and lots of friends who would do the same. My dogs adore me ( and sometimes the cat ) and I carry a light load when it comes to worry. Doesn't help a damn thing, ya know? Here's to living the thankful life, with gratitude and faith as the cornerstones. It keeps me sane, if you know what I mean.
^j^
Tuesday, November 22, 2016
gal pals
There is a small and eclectic group of women my age who get together when Patsye is in this part of the state. She lives in East Tennessee but has a cottage here near where her family is. For most of them dinner is the choice meeting time which is umm..my bedtime. So, we did something different and met for lunch today. A whole lot of the conversation centered around the election and how devastated we were. It was refreshing to be around others who are as bewildered as I am about the whole deal.
There will be very little Christmas shopping done here and I've already started online with small but personal gifts for the few. I'm pretty sure I owe the law office a cake for all the pall bearing and whatnot. It used to be a yearly event but got lost in the shuffle when life got crazy.
My man Trae came out of hiding to deliver a heartfelt Thanksgiving message to all of us about respecting differences of opinion. He has a mouth like a redneck sailor but makes solid points with a somewhat liberal slant. Plus he's a Tennessee boy.
My friends came to help with cleaning again yesterday and I just didn't have it in me. The fatigue is about to get me down so I'm looking forward to a few days' rest. I am understanding more and more my parents' frustration with not being able to do what they once could. Yet they never gave up. I pray that I keep that fighting spirit with me.
On the morning run to the gentral' I picked up a rag mop that you don't have to squeeze by hand and, of course, I can't figure out how to use it. I've run off two sets of pecan poachers in as many days and told Bubba Wayne and them to keep an eye out. Only they and the neighbors have permission to pick. And Mamye, of course.
Y'all keep it between the ditches.
There will be very little Christmas shopping done here and I've already started online with small but personal gifts for the few. I'm pretty sure I owe the law office a cake for all the pall bearing and whatnot. It used to be a yearly event but got lost in the shuffle when life got crazy.
My man Trae came out of hiding to deliver a heartfelt Thanksgiving message to all of us about respecting differences of opinion. He has a mouth like a redneck sailor but makes solid points with a somewhat liberal slant. Plus he's a Tennessee boy.
My friends came to help with cleaning again yesterday and I just didn't have it in me. The fatigue is about to get me down so I'm looking forward to a few days' rest. I am understanding more and more my parents' frustration with not being able to do what they once could. Yet they never gave up. I pray that I keep that fighting spirit with me.
On the morning run to the gentral' I picked up a rag mop that you don't have to squeeze by hand and, of course, I can't figure out how to use it. I've run off two sets of pecan poachers in as many days and told Bubba Wayne and them to keep an eye out. Only they and the neighbors have permission to pick. And Mamye, of course.
Y'all keep it between the ditches.
Sunday, November 20, 2016
we gather together
Today marks the beginning of Thanksgiving week which is always hurry hurry rush rush especially for those with big families. That is definitely not the case around here. I spent my lunch break at Kroger picking up what I need to prepare for the three of us. BG is on a 7 day stretch at work to be able to have the time off to come home. I have made arrangements and unless somebody dies I'll be spending quality time with her. Bubba called today to touch base on the prep and his turkeys will go to the smoker tomorrow. THREE birds. One for me, one for him and one for our feast. Since he works at Kroger he stocks up when things are on sale. As usual, my favorite butter was on sale and totally sold out. Who the hell buys unsalted butter anyway??? Just leave a couple of those and fill the rest of the space with the good old salted kind.
I saw a few familiar faces but didn't linger because...work. The last of the floors got waxed today and we're mighty grateful to Shine for getting that done while working around a bunch of bitchy women. It's folks like that which make work a happy place. I can hardly believe it but my otha' babygirl Charlie B is 40 today! We have worked together off and on for lots of years and I always think of her as a kid in a grown ups' body. She's loads of fun and moody as heck. Just like I was at that age!! The pressures of parenting teenagers and making a living while trying to blend families is something that a lot of people deal with and it can be stressful. So can peri-menopause.
Mamye and Steve are out there working the Stuart crop following 2 sub-freezing nights. They're selling for an ungodly amount this year but we're more interested in keeping these babies for roasting. Back in the day I was famous at the bar for bringing in the prize winning nuts as a snack. Recipe to follow y'all.
Roasting pecans is an art and one that requires the patience to stir and salt every 15 minutes. Then you gotta' drain. My other favorite recipe is for a triple chocolate fudge cake with chocolate icing topped with holly and stuffed with chips. Also, recipe to follow.
Stay tuned for more culinary news from the lane. My mac'n'cheese will be baked coated with a homemade roux of melted butter, flour and cheeses. Asparagus is standard from a can and dressed with cream of mushroom, buttered cracker crumbs and cheese. The dressing is my mother's brand made from various breads and chicken stock.
Yep...I'm on a mission.
I saw a few familiar faces but didn't linger because...work. The last of the floors got waxed today and we're mighty grateful to Shine for getting that done while working around a bunch of bitchy women. It's folks like that which make work a happy place. I can hardly believe it but my otha' babygirl Charlie B is 40 today! We have worked together off and on for lots of years and I always think of her as a kid in a grown ups' body. She's loads of fun and moody as heck. Just like I was at that age!! The pressures of parenting teenagers and making a living while trying to blend families is something that a lot of people deal with and it can be stressful. So can peri-menopause.
Mamye and Steve are out there working the Stuart crop following 2 sub-freezing nights. They're selling for an ungodly amount this year but we're more interested in keeping these babies for roasting. Back in the day I was famous at the bar for bringing in the prize winning nuts as a snack. Recipe to follow y'all.
Roasting pecans is an art and one that requires the patience to stir and salt every 15 minutes. Then you gotta' drain. My other favorite recipe is for a triple chocolate fudge cake with chocolate icing topped with holly and stuffed with chips. Also, recipe to follow.
Stay tuned for more culinary news from the lane. My mac'n'cheese will be baked coated with a homemade roux of melted butter, flour and cheeses. Asparagus is standard from a can and dressed with cream of mushroom, buttered cracker crumbs and cheese. The dressing is my mother's brand made from various breads and chicken stock.
Yep...I'm on a mission.
Saturday, November 19, 2016
whirly bird
My first experience with a helicopter was when my youngest brother landed in the field next to my house right smack in the middle of town to pick me up for a ride. Up we went, and with no doors there was plenty of noise and a great fear of falling out. That's just like something I would do. He took me down in the pasture behind Mom and DAddy's because I was about to hyperventilate. It was surreal, but I've always been fascinated with watching them take off and land. I recall the first time one landed at the sawmill and I stood in awe watching it maneuver onto the pad out back. Now it's a daily ritual and the flight path is directly over my house. I lost a very good friend and co-worker when her crew went down in a random thunderstorm. KK let me in a little early to have some private time before the droves arrived. Lots of media coverage.
It takes a special breed of healthcare provider to deal with trauma and not all are cut out for it. Those who are burn out often. You must remain somewhat objective in order to do your job. But when you forget what that person is feeling like um TERRIFIED or really sick, it wouldn't hurt to give 'em an extra pat. It's what Jesus would do. The weather is changing which means lots of coughy sneezy stuff which puts things in high gear for us. Our last hold out on the flu shot got bit so she's mask free until somebody snotty gets in her face!
So it seems as if our local shooter came from nearby Ripley which is a hotbed for that kind of bullshit. He was probably running his own game and somebody at that party done him wrong. Not that I'm all CSI or anything.
The weather is gorgeous....peak colors about a month later than usual. We finally got some rain yesterday and I literally danced in it to roll my windows up. Me and the cleaning/pecan crew visited and ate some pizza while it poured. There was a frost this morning. Got me some Stuarts...just saying.
Tomorrow is my mama's birthday...83. She's been gone long enough that it's painfully real that the traditions we carry on without her must make her proud. She was the master of our family gatherings at the cabin. I think about how much she used to do and it literally wears me out to consider all that effort. She wasn't working when Daddy retired and they were both fairly young so she got to enjoy a lot of things like girl trips to England or Lake Barkley. Earlier this year I found one of her little ornaments of spun glass with a tag attached. It was dated 8-8-1999 and was a gift from the Christian education department to her or Daddy. And the day I found it was 8-8-2016. It's a delicate glass heart and the tag reads " love never fails". And, of course, I broke it.
I've gained five pounds which doesn't seem like much but my clothes don't fit so there you go. Time to eat healthier anyway. My lipid panel is very normal and glucose as well. I think it's the ice cream.
Happy fall y'all. Soak it up like the eye candy that it is ^j^
It takes a special breed of healthcare provider to deal with trauma and not all are cut out for it. Those who are burn out often. You must remain somewhat objective in order to do your job. But when you forget what that person is feeling like um TERRIFIED or really sick, it wouldn't hurt to give 'em an extra pat. It's what Jesus would do. The weather is changing which means lots of coughy sneezy stuff which puts things in high gear for us. Our last hold out on the flu shot got bit so she's mask free until somebody snotty gets in her face!
So it seems as if our local shooter came from nearby Ripley which is a hotbed for that kind of bullshit. He was probably running his own game and somebody at that party done him wrong. Not that I'm all CSI or anything.
The weather is gorgeous....peak colors about a month later than usual. We finally got some rain yesterday and I literally danced in it to roll my windows up. Me and the cleaning/pecan crew visited and ate some pizza while it poured. There was a frost this morning. Got me some Stuarts...just saying.
Tomorrow is my mama's birthday...83. She's been gone long enough that it's painfully real that the traditions we carry on without her must make her proud. She was the master of our family gatherings at the cabin. I think about how much she used to do and it literally wears me out to consider all that effort. She wasn't working when Daddy retired and they were both fairly young so she got to enjoy a lot of things like girl trips to England or Lake Barkley. Earlier this year I found one of her little ornaments of spun glass with a tag attached. It was dated 8-8-1999 and was a gift from the Christian education department to her or Daddy. And the day I found it was 8-8-2016. It's a delicate glass heart and the tag reads " love never fails". And, of course, I broke it.
I've gained five pounds which doesn't seem like much but my clothes don't fit so there you go. Time to eat healthier anyway. My lipid panel is very normal and glucose as well. I think it's the ice cream.
Happy fall y'all. Soak it up like the eye candy that it is ^j^
Friday, November 18, 2016
drive by
Dyersburg has a pretty low violent crime rate in spite of the rampant drug use and poverty. I got a call from work yesterday evening asking about blood use for a child that had been involved in a shooting. One person died and the six year old is in critical condition. Several others were injured. My first thought was "gang related" but who knows. Back in the day our 'burg was home to several gangs that terrorized the west side of town around Forrest Street. At that time we had a law enforcement team dedicated to working with this neighborhood and others at risk for gang activity. They were literally run out of town on a rail. I pray that this is not a return to that kind of violence.
My friends are coming over today to help me clean so I went to the gentral' for supplies and treated myself to new pillows. Hey...it's the little pleasures that count. The manager told me that she had recently fired not one but THREE employees at the same time for theft. Seems they were in it together. That leaves a mighty slim crew to run the store until background checks etc are finished for new hires. Stupid people.
It's the last day of 80s with a front coming through to cool things down. Hopefully there will be rain!!! It's dry as a bone out there which is why East Tennessee is on fire. But no, climate change is not real right? Pfffft.
I'm quite the liberal progressive in case you didn't know. That being said, I'm tired of all the hate mongering and fear stirring over Trump. Laugh and get over it kids because it is what it is. It may just get cold enough this weekend for me to wear my Bernie hoodie. I also have a Poehler Fey 2016 "bitches get stuff done" t-shirt that is a favorite.
Y'all don't forget to make your dressing ahead because it's better when frozen first. Just ask KK. Bubba is smoking some turkey and I cannot wait. Of course I have to make about two dozen deviled eggs because that's his favorite. Must have a to go plate of those.
Happy Friday even if you're working the weekend like me. See ya there!
^j^
My friends are coming over today to help me clean so I went to the gentral' for supplies and treated myself to new pillows. Hey...it's the little pleasures that count. The manager told me that she had recently fired not one but THREE employees at the same time for theft. Seems they were in it together. That leaves a mighty slim crew to run the store until background checks etc are finished for new hires. Stupid people.
It's the last day of 80s with a front coming through to cool things down. Hopefully there will be rain!!! It's dry as a bone out there which is why East Tennessee is on fire. But no, climate change is not real right? Pfffft.
I'm quite the liberal progressive in case you didn't know. That being said, I'm tired of all the hate mongering and fear stirring over Trump. Laugh and get over it kids because it is what it is. It may just get cold enough this weekend for me to wear my Bernie hoodie. I also have a Poehler Fey 2016 "bitches get stuff done" t-shirt that is a favorite.
Y'all don't forget to make your dressing ahead because it's better when frozen first. Just ask KK. Bubba is smoking some turkey and I cannot wait. Of course I have to make about two dozen deviled eggs because that's his favorite. Must have a to go plate of those.
Happy Friday even if you're working the weekend like me. See ya there!
^j^
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)