oscar boi

We have a long history with that little black and white terrier mix.  He was probably at least five when he came to live with us on the hill to escape the crazy neighbors who were torturing him.  Somebody abused him badly as in cuts on his back.  When I called animal control dude said he couldn't even feed his family much less a dog.  And so, he became ours along with Sammy D and Ellie and multiple cats.  That was about the time that some old guy passed out across the road while picking pecans and fought the EMTs even though he had pissed himself and gone down cold.  He drove through my yard and down the hill to get away and they followed him to the highway.

To love an animal is to do your best to care for them through thick and thin but it always turns out that they die like Betty White and break your heart.  His bed sits empty by the fireplace and he's probably somewhere lost and freaked out by duck hunters and or fireworks people.  It is NYE, after all.   I have taken in and lost two cats just in the one year that I've been here.   There are coyotes and hawks and giant vultures that scoop up the weak ones.  Nature can be cruel.  

Once upon a time Lauren hit a doe up by the dairy barn and she lay there for a few days with her buck keeping watch.  I have no doubt that the deer that still live here are of that family.  It's a no kill zone out here.

I pray that we have a more peaceful year and learn to build bridges and make peace rather than fight about what's right.  If you cannot understand from whence someone came, at least don't be mean.

Keep the faith ^j^

square one

My coach told me to start small.  As a seasoned blogger I thought I knew a lot about writing, so I submitted my piece about the farm to a local mag.  In retrospect, I think it was mostly a favor from a friend that made that happen.  Here's the thing with writing:  If you have advertisers you have to publish things that your audience is interested in and that piece was about agriculture.  I have another great story idea about the revitalization of South Mill Ave in Dyersburg.  That stretches all the way back to before Chris had moved his business down there and there was nothing but Penningtons. At the time I was in conversation with John Ruskey and Jim Stark who were planning an expedition on the Forked Deer river to show locals how bad the trash was.  Ruskey spent the night in a tent on my front yard with that big ass canoe and I fed him steak.  As I remember, he bought peaches at the Farmer's Market down by the river.  There was no room for me in the canoe since it was all filled with dignitaries and whatnot but I followed them to the end until they floated under the first of the double bridges.  Yeah, that was me hanging over the edge only I wasn't thinking about jumping.  Seriously.  Besides, it's not very tall.  

I will find my place eventually.  I found a stink bug on my desk this morning and of course had to Google the totem.  Mostly it was about becoming resilient and learning to watch out for your surroundings.  I know better than to squish one so I just flicked him off.  I went to the funeral home (again) and saw lots of old friends this morning.  Me and Joy had an outing today and I got all my trash hauled off.  She just loves the wide open spaces here.  And Oscar.  

Say it like you mean it and keep the faith ^j^

justice

Maxwell, on five out of six charges of sex trafficking.  As I watched the press mill around outside the courthouse and cops joking up by the front door, my thoughts were with all those young girls who will be forever scarred.  I imagine they were mostly lost and forgotten by their families and struggling for a better life.  And life with those two looked pretty ritzy.  I am proud that the legal system worked in this case.  

I actually like jury duty at the local level.  Once I was in a jury pool in Memphis Federal Court for the month of December.  By some miracle I never had to show up.  I think it was an icy month.  Locally, I have been called and only chosen as a prospective juror once.  After sitting in the courtroom all day I told the judge that I worked with several of the defendants.  I was dismissed by Your Honor.

I am a scientist and tend toward DNA type evidence in violent crimes where there is blood and body tissues involved.  If it's some crackhead who killed somebody to steal, string them up.  So much of our court system is based on lawyers winning and losing cases of this nature and very little attention is paid to the ones who are going down the rabbit hole because of addiction.  Offer more programming and resources for these people.  It costs less than housing them in jail.  

I got Nina to work on my raggedy nails today and enjoyed the luxury of it.  I told her to skip the top coat because Joy was ready to go and I can do that here.  About the time we left the bottom fell out so I got soaking wet but by golly her hair didn't.  

Y'all be blessed ^j^

win and lose

I got a notice from the government that I will get a 6% raise on SS which is "historic"  but Medicare Part B went from 143 to 170.  It's all funny money in my book.  The way I see it the great American lie is that if you give the government part of your paycheck for a 41 year career and you end up at 66 dealing with the consequences.  Which are : navigating the supplements every year and trying to understand it all.  If I were not of somewhat of sound mind, I'd never know and would need a healthcare advocate.  I don't think the government pays for that.

It's still very warm here and that saves on propane so there ya' go.  I have turned on the AC a couple of times just so I can breathe.  The tree is down and I'm over all the hustle and bustle.  When I get some money I'm going to go clearance shopping!

I have no resolutions, per se.  Happily oblivious to the real world, I am enjoying my golden years as best I can.  If I had any advice at all for boomers it would be retire now after careful planning.  You never know which day will be your last ^j^

the cardinals

Yesterday Reaves and I were painting unicorns and she spotted some red birds out in the driveway.  "Gaga...look!"  I explained to her that, to me, when cardinals showed up it was the spirit of somebody who was gone.  There were two males and a female which I promptly identified as my mama, my daddy and her grandfather.  I don't know if that one will stick, but I hope so.

If you are the praying sort, please keep my bestie Lorna and her family on your list.  She is facing a double mastectomy and is Mammy to her daughter's kids.  It's been like working a puzzle to get the whole plan in place because she's in Florida.  If you see me post a GoFundMe for her, you can bet she needs the help.  There will be extra expenses like mastectomy bras and other stuff.  

The tree is half lit and I don't even care.  I had good intentions of waiting until Epiphany but it's all in the way of where Reaves' tent will go.  I won't pack up the nativity until then ^j^

Merry Holidays to all y'all

And of course to mama'n'them and all the aunties.  I cooked cheese grits and scrambled eggs this morning and Bubba provided the meat.  Grilled stuff!   It was short and sweet but he came back by later and got a big Merry Christmas from the girls. We had Christmas part II here today and it was fun.  Lots of toys and memories.   I made the mistake of picking up a book that my Daddy had written for me....one of those tell me about yourself things.  He explained that he grew up poor and his family was not really able to give presents and such.  He spoke about how he and Mama did the best they could to make sure we got what we needed and sometimes, what we wanted.  They wished they could have given me more  That's when the tears started.  

Thanks to global warming I sat on the front porch for quite awhile, looking at the landscape and remembering every inch of this.  All of the barns and long gone houses and the families that lived in them.  There used to be horses at every barn and cattle too.  Daddy knew how to herd the cattle and wasn't scared at all.  My husband got smashed by one and said "no more."  

Reaves woke up at 4AM so by the time they got here she was past ready for round 2.  We opened and played and she ended up glued to Jillian and Addie as usual.  All the toys she got are interactive and aligned with fun and learning.  Girl is smart....just saying.  She has always been an artist at heart like her mother so she's ready with her own set of pastels/pencils and whatever.  I think there was a ruler too!

My boyfriends came by late afternoon for a little visit and we all just chilled.  On the front porch.  On Christmas.  What a blessing ^j^

the manger

I have been going to church since I was a kid and learned a lot in Bible School and whatnot.  Many of those stories I still remember!  It has only been during the past five years that I realize what a gift God gave to us freely.  His only begotten son.  I'm especially captivated by Elizabeth.  Me, Lauren and Reaves all have Elizabeth in our names.  When Mary arrived to help her out, lo and behold she was pregnant too!  And a virgin, no less.  But yet they came from near and far to worship the King.  

I was out running around all day playing Sandy Claws and visiting with folks.  I met six dogs at one house and two at another.  In between there was a drop by to wish Carney a happy birthday.  She's 89 but don't look it a bit.  I've been cooking in true Mama Stafford style.  Got those cheese grits ready to bake.  Bubba's gonna' grill the bacon so all I have to do is slap some biscuits in the oven.  BTW, it will be 76 tomorrow here in balmy West Tennessee.  At least the wind has died down!

Happy holidays ^j^