I was crusin for a dream

Blog buds who've been visitin here for awhile know that I rarely dream, but when I do, it's usually a doozy. (click here for proof)

I went back to sleep this morning and boy did I have a doozy.

I dreamed that I was frying up some swamp rabbits and James had invited someone over for supper. The invited someone was one of the mexican farm workers (all of whom have green or SS cards by the way), and when he arrived he brought brothers, sisters, in-laws, mother, father, and aunts and uncles along with him. There were even a few babies in the bunch!

And there I was frying up 2 swamp rabbits.

I think I woke up in self-defense.

Lazy or Sick?

I went back to bed after the school bus fetched the kids yesterday,,,about 7:30ish. The phone woke me up at 9:30. Then around noon I was having trouble keeping my eyes open so I laid back down and slept until almost 2:00. The sleepys hit me again at 5 and I went back to bed and slept another hour and a half. I also slept good last night but I'm still sleepy this morning.

Maybe I just need some more sleep.

Chainsaw Massacre

Lightening struck and killed our Mimosa tree last spring and James has mentioned the need to cut it down several times since then. The community chainsaw, at the farm shop, is often being used elsewhere or needs repairs so we decided to buy a chainsaw to do the deed.

When we put the chainsaw in the shopping basket yesterday I was just about to tell James that he'd better not be using it to prune every stick standing in the yard but before I could get the words out of my mouth he said, "I can use this to prune some of the lower limbs on the cedar tree." I told him if he started "wacking" at all my trees and bushes, I was going to hide the damned thing!

Lord, protect my bushes from the madman with the chainsaw!

So, when we got home, he reverted back into the "oh man, a new tool/toy/machine" mode and decided that he needed to put it together, right then, in the living room. I was in the utility room but I could hear him muttering to himself while he was trying to figure out which part went where so I yelled, "read the directions!" I heard him muttering a little more, then in a loud voice he said,

"First page,,,WARNING,,, James, don't f*** with this before you read the directions!"

Very humorous but I'm still worried about my poor bushes and trees.

Bush Giveaway

You can understand the man’s alarm. As though his legacy were not tarnished enough already, there’s a real chance that if things don’t get better quickly he will be remembered for a presidency that botched a war and nearly lost an American city to a hurricane, neatly sandwiched between two slumps. It will make Herbert Hoover look like George Washington.

He wants the Internal Revenue Service to mail out rebate cheques to all taxpayers, perhaps as much as $800 for single taxpayers ($1,600 for families). If Congress can get its act together, that would be in people’s pockets some time over the summer, perhaps just as the slump is really starting to hurt.

The Democrats aren't so sure his plan would benefit the ones that the current economy is hurting the most and want the rebates
only to be targeted for those making under $85,000 per year. There's also a question about those who pay no taxes so would gain nothing from a rebate.

For now, who knows where this will end up, but I'm all for getting some of what we've been faithfully, if not happily, paying in in taxes.

Personally, I'd spend the hell out of $1600 of unexpected income. I'd keep saving the money that I have put back for the sofa that I'm still searching for, and get down right serious about finding one to buy. There probably wouldn't be even a yankee dime left unless I happened to find a VERY good sale going on, but I'd be sitting high on the hog (or sofa).

Of course, those plans could be dashed if these danged gas prices keep going up, and up. And food,,,might take the whole $1,600 to buy groceries for the month by the time they get around to cutting a check.

I was so excited last month that the payment for James's new truck was going to be a whole $50 dollars less, and a whole year less, than the old truck, and then I noticed that the monthly draft for his health insurance went up by that same amount. Sure popped the hell outta my balloon.

Anyway, Send it on George W., it'll be nice to have a little prize to put in our pockets instead of yours for a change.

LtoR Abby, Krysten, MeriKate, Jillian, Alexis (aka, the Chick)

I woke up this morning to find an email from Jerri,

ONLY US!

I went to tell alexis and meri kate that it was time to settle down and get ready for bed and I noticed the mice were fighting, which they never do, and upon closer inspection I found that we actually had 3, yes, THREE freaking mice. Seems that a little house mouse decided that we are good to our critters here and that it beat the hell outta living in the ghetto so he obviously climbed right into the damn cage!

So I will say it again...ONLY in my house does a free-living mouse cage himself to be part of our family! I am not shitting you this is a true story!

I'm still laughing! The little house mouse joined their zoo which already includes,

2 turtles
1 green snake
2 cats
2 dogs
and the mice!

Jami had a doctor's appt in Little Rock today so Abby and Krysten are here (MeriKate is at Jerri's). Zach's already in trouble for aggravating the girls. Constantly!

And it's only 8:30 a.m.

It's gonna be a longgggg day!

Boys and Their Toys

Zach isn't usually receptive about doing chores around here, but surprisingly, when I asked him if he'd vacuum this morning, he jumped right on it. I noticed it was taking him quite a long time so I started watching him.

He adjusted the vacuum for the floor type, then he took out the duster attachment and dusted the vacuum. He pushed the vacuum around the living room floor for a bit and then he had to stop and use all the attachments. If there was a button, he pushed it, a lever, he pulled it. He emptied the bagless container and dusted it out, he fiddled with the filters.

Then I figured out what was going on with this child who's probably going to be world famous one day for being able to procrastinate about anything remotely resembling work. It's a new vacuum! It's got to be taken apart just to see how it works and if it can be put back together.

Is this a man/boy/male child thing? Has anyone else noticed this about the men/boys/male babies in their lives? Do you have pieces of "things" in the toy box/closet/basement/garage that were once whole? Do you dare throw any of these "things" away, or do you have to butt heads because "they know what that goes on/to and they're planning to fix it"? Do you see their eyes glaze over and a wild, wanting, look appear on their faces when there's a new tool, toy, motor, for them to put their hands on? Is that dangling thing on their Y chromosome what makes them do these things?

James has mostly grown out of this need but my son and grandson are still at it. I remember, back a few years ago, Jerri was a tad upset because Bubbie had taken a motor off of some piece of household equipment so he could put it on his remote control car. He wanted to see if he could make it go faster. I think he blew it up.

I hope everyone is having a great Saturday. I'm preparing myself, mentally, to take 3 boys to the movies and McDonald's tonight. Wish me luck!

Sheer Delight!

How long has it been since you've gotten this much enjoyment from eating a cupcake?


I had big plans today to come into my little office and get some accounting work out of the way. I have the client's check stubs and bank statements laid out in here on my desk, posted 5 checks and then came to one that I can't read. Now I've got to call him (as soon as my danged cell phone charges) and ask him what that check was for.

So much for getting an early start, huh?

Floating Brain Cells

Pretty dreary day yesterday as you can see from my photos of the birds. The blackbirds have been flocking our country road in huge numbers reminding me of that old Alfred Hitchcock movie, "The Birds".

Zach's 11 years old today and is a little upset that he hasn't had to start shaving yet. It's hard to believe that little munchkin has been my little shadow for that long. He decided last year that he'd rather go to the movies with friends than have a party so I reckon we'll be seeing what's on for Saturday.

The Beans stayed overnight on Tuesday night and we did a lot of snuggling, reading, and playing yesterday. We were watching an episode of Sponge Bob, the one where their squirrel friend gets a flea and it multiplies. It must have caused a Cartoon over mind moment cause I got so itchy from watching it that I just kept finding a new place that needed scratching. I'm going to try to avoid watching the reruns of that episode.

The Chick and Jerri came to fetch the Beans around noon and spent the afternoon so we were totally entertained for a few hours. Those two girls are a mess and a half.

Sometimes I have a sick sense of humor

Maybe a little less than sometimes really.

This news story has had my husband and his pal, Jeffrey, laughing over their morning coffee for several days now.

I hope when I go that someone can get a little enjoyment out of what I've left behind.

MeriKate Update

MeriKate's elbow is fractured in the ball (that roundish part of the bone I think) but it wasn't in the growth cap so the doc said that's a good thing. There is the little problem that it's her left elbow, she'll be in a cast for at least 6 weeks, and she's left handed.

She's been in a good bit of pain so it's uncertain if she'll go to school this week and they didn't cast it yet either, they'll have to go back to Little Rock on Friday for that. The doc also told them to give this child vitamins with calcium (something Nanaw has mentioned in the past).

Bona fide Nanaw

Holy Shit but it's been a rough one today!

It started out mild to middling, James woke Zach up in time for Sunday school and let me sleep. I woke up around 8:30ish or so. While I was still sipping my first cup of coffee, the phone rang and it was Bubbie saying he was going to bring his 2 girls for a visit while he went bird hunting with his dad. I told him that would be ok and went back to sipping my coffee.

James took Zach to Sunday school and came home and decided to cook some breakfast for himself and the Chicklets. They came in about the time he was getting started and Bubbie's friend, Jeremy (friend since grade school) came in. While James and the girls were eating, Bubbie and Jeremy decided to go pick up Jeremy's little boy, Ryan, so he could play with Zach while he, James, and Bubbie, went hunting.

Before they got back, Jami and Keith came with MeriKate, Krysten, and Abby. They also had their neighbor's little grandson, Christopher, with them, he's Jillian's age.

Ya'll see the house filling up here, don't you?

Ok, now, everyone got back so there were 6 adults and a total of 8 children.

At this point, I'm beginning to wonder if perhaps I am going to need something a little stronger than coffee before the day is over.

It wasn't too cold today so most of the kids went out to play. Zach and Ryan were doing boy things, and MeriKate, Alexis, Abby, and Jillian, were together doing girl things.

The men folks left to go hunting.

Around 11:30, MeriKate (who's 7) came into the house crying. It seems that the baby of the family, Jillian(who's 2), roughed her up a little bit and she fell and hurt her elbow. It started swelling so, after a little discussing, it was decided that they would take her to the emergency room to make sure it wasn't broken.

Jami and Keith left to take MeriKate to the emergency room.

I put the TV on a cartoon channel and sat down.

Then it hit me, I was the only adult left at home and I was surrounded by 7 children, one of which(Christopher)was still in diapers.

And they hadn't left any diapers!

Was I crazy? (probably only a little then, but bona fide and needing a straight jacket after a little while).

The kids were pretty good, just busy, and I was a little busy trying to keep up with where they all were. I called Jerri a little before 2, and was telling her of the diaper dilema and how I hoped he didn't do a deed before Jami and Keith got back, and she told me she thought I had some left-over diapers from Jillian in one of the island cupboards.

I did, thank goodness, cause Mr. Christopher did a dirty deed indeed. I also found a whole box of my paperclips in his pocket while I was changing him. ( When did he get away and go into my office?)

I also cooked dinner in this madhouse today, I think there were 11 of us for dinner.

Jami and Keith got back with MeriKate with her arm in a sling, her elbow is broken. Then they had to leave to drive her to the Children's hospital in Little Rock to see an Orthopedic since the hospital that we have here isn't much good for anything other than band-aid injuries.

Krysten and Abby are staying here tonight.

Now, I'm sitting here taking a breather. I found a trail of lemon sour Nerds leading to my desk with a passy at trail's end so I know Jillian's been computing at some point today (one of those times when I lost her I reckon).

Baths are done, pjs are on, and I'm waiting for bedtime.

from left to right, Alexis, Abby, Christopher, Krysten, Jillian, Ryan, and Zach in front.



And how was your day?

January Babies

The first birthday celebration in January is that of a blog friend, CJ, over at Honeysideup.
CJ has had a long row to hoe in her young life but she's the most upbeat person I've ever known.
She and her husband, Gary, live in southern Missouri and are truly a loving and happy couple.


Yesterday I had a call from over the BIG pond with news of another big day. Miss Senna Klinkenberg arrived on January 5th, much to the delight of her big brother, Jessee, her Mom, Soony, and her Daddy, Eric.

Soony (Danielle Elena Hubertina Soons Klinkenberg) came into our family in August 1989 as a 17 year old exchange student from The Netherlands. We hosted 3 more after her but although we loved them all, Soony was the one who truly became one of the family. We call her Soony because her name was too difficult for my husband to pronounce with the Dutch accent so she agreed that we could use her nickname from elementary school.

I flew to Holland to attend her wedding in December 2004 and just look at the beautiful babies she and Eric have made since then! Jesse will be 2 in March and I'm sure he's going to be a wonderful big brother to his new little sister.



My baby, James (aka Bubbie) had a birthday on January 9th. He turned 28 and I figure in another 5 years or so he's surely headed for adulthood! Ha! He's married to the sweet, Jerri, and the Daddy of the Chick (Alexis), and Jilly Beans (Jillian).

He just got a promotion last month to
Lieutenant. He sure makes a handsome correctional officer, even when he's kicked back at home.

Miz Mary lou, over at Life After Nexcom had a birthday on Jan 11th. She claims to be 62 but I'm sure she's fudging just a little because from the few photos I've seen of her, she looks to be about 49! Mary lou is another of my blog buds and lives in Washington state on the pacific coast on an island!

My oldest daughter, Trisha, will be (gasp!) 36 on January 23rd. My firstborn's birthday reminds me every year of just how old I'm getting to be! This is her complaining because I'm taking her picture.

Trisha lives and works in Little Rock and is the wonderful Momma of Jordan and Jaylen, two of my lovely granddaughters. I wonder what she would think if Zach and I decided to spend a few days with her in Little Rock during his Spring break? Think she'd let the girls skip a couple of days of school if they're not having their break yet?

If I've forgotten anyone's birthday, please forgive me. I'm getting worse and worse about remembering dates,,,even remembering today's date!

Hope everyone's having a great weekend!

Gonna Give This a Go

From over at Miz Donna's place:

Bernard Pivot’s Questionnaire as heard on The Actors Studio with James Lipton.

1. What is your favorite word? lethargic
2. What is your least favorite word? Whatever
3. What turns you on? Honesty
4. What turns you off? Dishonesty
5. What is your favorite curse word? All of them
6. What sound or noise do you love? Birds (except for Ya-Ya's squawking)
7. What sound or noise do you hate? noisy chewing
8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? Researcher
9. What profession would you not like to do? A Diver
10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
"Well, you didn't screw up too bad."

Just a tad on the lazy side.,,,

I'm still sniffing and snorting some from the last cold and James passed a new one on to me. I hurried out and bought a new bottle of vitamins with minerals so maybe if I get back in the habit of taking them again I won't be killing so many trees by using up so many kleenex, napkins, and toilet paper for blowing this honking big nose of mine.

I decided to take some benedryl for my watering eyes this morning and go back to bed. Benedryl makes me very sleepy but it doesn't shut out the squawks and whistles of Ya-Ya, who was pissed off because I dared to go to the bedroom where he couldn't see me. He paid no attention when I threatened to pluck him, and only hissed at me a little when I mentioned BBQed Ya-Ya on a stick.

The males around this place are so self-absorbed.

James made half a dozen trips in and out of the house this morning before he finally remembered, and found, all the things he'd forgotten, or lost, and went on his way to hunt poor, defenseless little quails. I thought about telling him he needed to tie a string around his finger, but after his 3rd trip back into the house, with wet boots on, I really wanted to tell him he needed to tie a rope around his neck so he'd remember. I did neither,,, I guess I'm getting kinder, gentler, less willing to start an argument in my old age. I even called his cell phone for him so he could track it down by listening for the ring. Wasn't that nice of me? (well it was, I could have insisted that he call himself!)

Zach's been having his annual instruction on Black History again and was surprised when his PopPop and I were able to answer all his questions correctly. He found it hard to understand that we'd actually been alive when Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated in 1968. I'm also not sure he believes me when I tell him we used to have a dinosaur as a pet.

We've been wrestling with math homework again and today it was fractions. He's 3 days into a new semester, he was out of school for 2 weeks, and he had fractions last semester, (which was 2 weeks ago). Now he's acting as though he's never seen this stuff before. It makes me so frustrated that I want to run away, I'm just not sure where I'd go, or how far I'd get, with gas prices competing with the price of gold.

Oh, and since we're on the subject of prices, has anyone been able to afford beef lately? Corn, rice, wheat, and other grains, and soybean prices are higher now than I've ever seen them in my lifetime (probably anyone's lifetime). The farmers are ecstatic that the profits are rolling in but I wonder if any of them have been in a grocery store lately? (James went with me and he nearly had a cow,,, which would have been a good thing!) It could be that a good bit of those profits are going to go into their belly's. And it's gonna get worse before it gets better.

I'll be clucking soon due to all the chicken I've been buying (but it's going up too, just doesn't make my heart stop when I see the price,,,,at least not yet).

Okey Dokie, I'm done for the day. I hope everyone is having a great Wednesday!

My vote for "CheneyCare"

I am one of the 50,000,000 Americans without health care coverage. I have no way to seek medical care in this nation. No government program will cover me, and there is no private insurance available to me that I can afford.

Guaranteed medical care, at a cost we can afford, is a right that we, as American taxpayers, deserve, yet do you realize that many of the presidential candidates actually believe that a high percentage of those without health insurance can afford the coverage and just choose not to buy it? They also believe that if you are lucky enough to have coverage, that you'll receive the medical treatments/drugs that you need.

It's so easy to ignore this problem if you are an American that the health care crisis hasn't affected yet due to having decent health insurance coverage through your job, but you're next. Companies are struggling with the huge cost increases for premiums and many are no longer able to foot the bill for their employees. Also, if you've never had a serious medical problem you're going to find out that many times the insurance company will deny coverage or only pay for mediocre care, or should they pay up, drop you as a high risk at renewal time.

I want "CheneyCare", I already pay for what he has, is my life not worth the same?

I'm casting my vote for John Edwards.
Nuff said.

Breaking

I feel as though pieces of me are breaking off and the least little thing, the right button pushed the wrong way, might make me fly into a trillion parts. I'm so moody that I either feel like ranting or crying or sometimes both.

I've taken a traxene that I keep on hand for anxiety, maybe it'll smooth out this moodiness.

Menopause is the pits.

Back Then

Sometimes a scent or a sound takes me back to a time when things were so much simpler, a time when I think I felt the most secure in my life.

I wish I could remember how many sunny mornings I spent next to the old wood stove at Grandma's house. I could look through the door and see her in the kitchen puttering around making dinner (what we called the mid-day meal). The radio would be on KBFC in Forrest City and every one of my memories includes "The Wings of a Snow White Dove" being the background music she'd listen to as she kneaded the dough to make rolls, or beat the batter for her yummy cornbread.




A pot of pinto or great northern beans would be simmering on the wood stove and the aroma that drifted up when she'd lift the lid to give them a stir would make me so hungry even though it hadn't been all that long since breakfast. I can't remember ever having a dinner or supper at her house when there weren't some of those beans on the table.

If a hard freeze hadn't damaged the green patch, she'd also be washing some turnip or mustard greens to get them ready to throw in a pot of water with some tiny slices of salt pork for seasoning. Sometimes there'd be some little potatoes cooked in their jackets staying warm on the back burner of her old range. She'd always put a little pitcher of bacon drippings beside them so we could season them with a little drizzle.

I think if I could go back to just one place in time it would be as a child in Grandma's kitchen, maybe sitting at the table with her and Grandpa, a bowl of her hot cornbread covered in cold buttermilk sitting in front of us.

You should have to have a license to have children!

Each time I think that perhaps things are getting, maybe a little, better in this world, I turn on the news or read the online headlines and come across the most desperate stupidity. Negligent Homicide and reduced bond to $50,000? Hell, they ought to smear her with honey and tie her to a fire ant hill, in the desert!

This evil excuse of a mother was only having her children there for a visit and she wouldn't even stay home to spend time with them. People like this woman just sicken me.

Burrrrrrr,,shiver, shiver,,,

See that white x up there? --------
That's about where I live, I'm right under it. That large swoopy thing on there is the jet stream and we southern folks here in Arkansas perfer it when that large swoopy thing stays up there in Northern Missouri somewhere. The air, it does have fangs tonight, and it's taking a big old bite out of my delicate southern constitution. Heck, I've even had to dig around in the closet to find my warm, fuzzy lined, Canadian moccasins that Kat sent me awhile back. Those ones are right toasty!

Now, below there is the forecast, and you can see from it that we'll only be having a couple of days of bitey weather. You can also see from this the major reason for the constant confusion
we have about weather in Arkansas during the winter. By Friday it'll be feeling like Spring again. Of course, next week we could have that dreaded stuff, snow, ya never know around here.

So Much for Plans to SLEEP Late

A squawking Ya-Ya and a pup named Daisy, who was enticing Ya-Ya to squawk by appearing at the storm door, while dancing as graceful as a young elephant on the front porch, woke me up a lot earlier than was my intention.

I threatened to BBQ Ya-Ya but it's too cold for me to go out and scold Daisy.

mutter, mutter, ^%$#*@!

Just in caseI don't make it back tomorrow.

I promised Zach we'd buy him some fireworks for tomorrow night and we'd try to stay up to greet the new year. I stopped going out to celebrate the festivities a few years ago when I found it too hard to keep my eyes open long enough to enjoy a party.

I've also got to get my ingredients ready to cook up a big ole pot of black eyed peas for dinner New Year's Day. I'm going to try cooking them a little different this time with the usual ham, but with an addition of some seasoning veggies, and also simmer them in chicken broth. I'll let you know how they turn out. There will for sure be a big pan of hot cornbread to go along with them.

Black eyed peas have long been a southern tradition for the New Year's table. They supposedly bring good luck for the coming year, and eating them shows "humility". Some Southerners have been rumored to eat one pea for each day of the year to insure good fortune! They are a humble food, therefore, eating them represents humility. The taste of black eyed peas are unlike other beans, and unless you've grown up eating them, you may find the taste a bit "earthy".

Whatever ya'll do to celebrate the coming New Year, make sure to have loads of fun and stay safe!

Why I Should Go On Strike; Why I Don't Like Snow; and Why I'm Drinking Margaritas on Saturday Afternoon

It's winter and James doesn't have to work much during the winter months. It's holiday time and Zach's out of school until Jan. 7th. These two little items means it's no rest for the weary (or is it the wicked?, I foget).

On Monday James forgot to put the trash container out beside the road for pick-up, this was Christmas Eve, so you can imagine why it was/is a big deal to have a full container going into one of the trashmakingest days of the year.

Since James had gathered up all the trash in the house a few days ago, I thought he was storing it in the shed until time for the next weekly pick-up. Apparently it doesn't pay for me to think, because I was wrong.

This morning, as I was sweeping and mopping the utility room (a chore Zach was supposed to have completed due to it being his muddy boots that made the mess), I looked out the back door to find at least half of the contents of 2, huge, hefty bags scattered all over the deck. I'm quite sure the mess perps were Daisy, who'd been out for a romp, and the neighbor's St. Bernard. They must have thought they'd just throw a big ole trash party cause it took me quite a bit of time, in bare feet and pjs, to pick up and sweep up all their left-overs.

I'm still muttering obscenities.

Feeling sorry for myself, I decided to take a little break and look through the mail. While glancing through the 2008 Old Farmer's Almanac, I read that it's predicting a snowy Winter, a cool Spring, and 100+ temps for Summer. The snow news, even if it's only remotely possible, lead to thoughts of why I don't like snow.

snow= kids playing in it
Kids & snow = more messes for mopping up and more laundry.

There you have the reasons for the Saturday afternoon margaritas.

2007 Vocabulary Favorites

The 2007 Washington Post's Mensa Invitational asked readers to take any word from the dictionary, alter it by adding, subtracting, or changing one letter, and supply a new definition.

The winners are:

1. Cashtration (n.): The act of buying a house, which renders the subject financially impotent for an indefinite period of time.


2. Ignoranus: A person who's both stupid and an asshole.


3. Intaxication: Euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you realize it was your money to start with.


4. Reintarnation: Coming back to life as a hillbilly.


5. Bozone (n.): The substance surrounding stupid people that stops bright ideas from penetrating. The bozone layer, unfortunately, shows little sign of breaking down in the near future.


6. Foreploy: Any misrepresentation about yourself for the purpose of getting lucky


7. Giraffiti: Vandalism spray-painted very, very high.


8. Sarchasm: The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it.


9. Inoculatte: To take coffee intravenously when you are running late.


10. Hipatitis: Terminal coolness.


11. Osteopornosis: A degenerate disease. (This one got extra credit.)


12. Karmageddon: It's when everybody is sending off all these really bad vibes, and then the Earth explodes, and it's a serious bummer.


13. Decafalon (n.): The grueling event of getting through the day consuming only things that are good for you


14. Glibido: All talk and no action.


15. Dopeler effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.


16. Arachnoleptic fit (n.): The frantic dance performed just after you've accidentally walked through a spider web.


17. Beelzebug (n.): Satan in the form of a mosquito, that gets into your bedroom at three in the morning and cannot be cast out.


18. Caterpallor (n.): The color you turn after finding half a worm in the fruit you're eating.

Santa Was Here

That little, fat, man came zooming in and broke the bank, but he made all the kiddies happy. I am sure glad he took his jolly, ho,ho, hoing self back to the North Pole for at least a year though.

Have you noticed they've already started putting out Valentine's stuff? What'd they do, make their employees work after Christmas dinner yesterday?

We did the Christmas Eve thing at MIL's , then came home and let the kids open their presents from us. After everyone left and Zach went to sleep, I waited up for Claus (or Ho,Ho, as Beans refers to him) and baked two pumpkin pies. Claus did a good job except he was so tired (or in the sauce, I'm not sure which), that he forgot to put the stocking stuffer stuff in the stockings. I had to rush around Christmas morning to do that little chore.

There were 12 of us for Christmas dinner and boy did we have a feast. I don't think anyone left here hungry.

I hope everyone had a glorious day!

WTH is up with Blogger?

Nuttin looks right. I hope it looks better tomorrow or I'm going to start thinking I'm losing my mind here. Anyone else having problems with blogspot?

I had to write this down before I forgot

Best quote of the day after James mentioned he tried to find the noisiest toys he could.

Jerri: Yeah, and Jami's girls all got quiet things that only click a little. What did mine get? A baby doll who shits, and a singing pig!"

Hahahahahaha, I'm STILL laughing.

Merry, Merry Christmas!!

I don't have to pluck the turkey or shoot the hog but I reckon the next couple of days are going to be a bit hectic around here so just in case I don't make it back

I wish you the Merriest of Christmases!!!

You know you're a Nanaw when,

you find an imprint of Strawberry Shortcake/Power Rangers/pacifier somewhere on your body when you wake up in the morning.

you can still distinguish between a cry of pain, one of anger, or one of sheer frustration.

you can sleep with one eye open and with one butt cheek on the bed, both due to the little bed hog sleeping with you.

you can, and often do, weave your way through a toy obsticle course without cursing more than once.

you can also manage not to curse more than twice, or scream too loudly, when your foot finds that lost leggo block,,, the one with the evil, sharp, edges.

you can recall all the nursery rhymes you knew as a child, with a little prompting.

you can interperate toddler speak well enough to know that "Moonie in ma butt" means they put that nickel in their panties instead of in their pocket and you need to dig it out.

you learn to do your very best to never let them see you cry because they think it's a new, very funny, game.

Ho, Ho, Hum,,,

We were on our way to a town up the road a piece today and during the drive I started thinking. We've been married almost 37 years, we've spent 36 Christmases together, 36 anniversaries, 36 birthdays, and this man still does not even know my shoe size. He also doesn't have a clue about my likes or dislikes. The only sure fact he knows about me is that I am a pretty good cook and that's a good talent cause he likes to eat.

I think I married an alien.

I was also thinking of all of his endearing qualities as we rode along, the ones that mostly drive me batshit crazy, such as,

Waiting until we're on the highway, surrounded by traffic (not a lot mind you, but enough to turn your brains into mush if you meet them on their side of the road), to decide he needs to put on his seat belt. One of these days I'm going to pass out from holding my breath while he's fumbling around looking for it.

Farming from the road. When he's driving and looking to see what this farmer has done, or that one over there, the truck drifts to whichever way he's looking. I ride along with my eyes closed sometimes so I won't see a near miss.

Refusing to read the danged instructions or operating manual before putting something together or attempting to operate something. He's had this truck a couple of weeks now and some of the controls are on the steering wheel, for example the radio, the ON STAR, (some other stuff that I couldn't read in the manual while we were weaving all over the road while he was attempting to decipher the symbols). Those ON STAR folks are soon going to start treating him like the "boy who cried wolf" if he doesn't stop accidentally turning that thing on. I don't know what all that stuff is either but I'm not going to be driving his truck much so I can get by with only knowing the basics. (Jerri and I went over 75 miles the other day before we figured out how to turn on the a/c).

His insistence on wearing that horrible shirt that he's wearing to a funeral tomorrow. I didn't buy it, he says he didn't buy it, we're not sure where it came from. It's got this horrible striped collar, and he likes it, so he's wearing it. I'm staying home with Zach.

BUT, he finally completed one of the things on his "Honey Do" list today. We finally went to pick up the chair that I bought from his sister. It's only been just over a year and a half since I bought it. Good huh?

Meme from over at Donna's place

Donna had this over at her blog yesterday so I'm a'doin it too cause she asked us to.

Fact #1: I love birds and I especially love hummingbirds. I've taken so many pictures of the birds that live in my yard that one pair of Mockingbirds lets me get pretty close and almost pose for me.
Fact #2: My favorite flower is a sunflower, mainly because of their sturdiness and bright colors. One of my sunflower photos won best of show at the Tri-County fair in September (it wasn't the one below). Sunflowers make me smile.

Fact#3: I hoard things. I think this trait came from both of my grandmothers who were also hoarders, but it could be also that we didn't have much growing up and had to make do with what we did have.

Fact#4: I don't like to be late, and if I am late, something unavoidable happened to prevent me from being on time. It also makes me crazy and antsy to wait on someone who's habitually late.

Fact#5: I do not like to shop especially if I'm going to have to shop some where that will be crowded.

More Ho, Ho, Ho

I'm supposed to be sitting in the dining room floor wrapping the rest of those presents but instead I'm sitting here googling Christmas cartoons.

December Sadness

December just doesn't bring the same joyous feelings of anticipation to me that it does for most people, I guess it's because so often over the years we've lost so many of our family members during this month.

It's happened again this year, I had a phone call early yesterday morning with the news that my ex-BIL had committed suicide. My sister and their son, Michael, arrived in the town where he'd lived today to make funeral arrangements. This has been doubly hard for her because a good friend of her's died on Saturday, also from suicide.

Sometimes I wonder if our family is cursed.

Happy Birthday Baby Jesus!

Presenting the Chick, aka, Alexis, and Jilly Beans.

Ho, Ho, Ho

Christmas comes about every 6 months now, doesn't it? It sure seems like it. I really do believe it only came about once a year back when I was a kid, of course then it seemed like time was creeping. Now time flies and I'm creeping.

I STILL hate WalMart

Good grief but I wish I didn't have to drive 120 miles round trip to do my every day shopping cause I'd never darken the door of another WalMart for the rest of my life!

They've probably stopped throwing darts at a photo of me in the employee lounge,,,they're more than likely using an axe now.

Merry, Merry

The other day as we were looking at the toy catalog (we've worn out 2 around here already), Jilly Beans pointed to Santa and said, "Ho-Ho". That sweet little voice took me back about 25 years ago to a memory of another little voice, my nephew, Jacob, who gave Santa that very same name. Don't kids come up with some amazing things?

I believe Jerri and Alexis have been instructing the Beans on the real meaning of Christmas too because she's been going around for 2 weeks now singing Happy Birthday to baby Jesus.



Is everyone 'bout ready for Christmas?

I Believe In Angels

Because an Angel touched my life today.

I don't even know how to tell her how thankful I am to be able to call her my friend, but thank you Christmas Angel for being who you are.

Church of Riches

As we parked in one of the parking lots of the Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis last Saturday I looked up at the huge church and thought, "Wow, this is a church? How does a church do what churches are supposed to do and still become rich enough to build all this?"

We chose an entrance to enter (out of many) and passed over lush carpets below sparkling chandeliers in one of the lobbies. We passed by a gift shop and circled around the amphitheater-type sanctuary which had many doors marked with letters of the alphabet (reminded me of the gate areas of a big airport) to lead you to your seating.

The tickets to the Singing Christmas Tree program were reasonable at $10 apiece, but just at the matinee performance there were over 5000 visitors, so I was pretty stunned when just before the grand finale the pastor came out to do a little preaching and had the ushers pass around the collection plates.

I was much impressed with the lovely program but I was not impressed with the image of riches that the sight of this church gave me, this church who's services are televised every Sunday morning. I am unimpressed in their church ministries to the poor. For one thing, I never knew that there were participant costs for Mission opportunities. A church this magnificent should be able to afford to send those church members who have the desire to participate in Mission trips to foreign countries, yet the costs per participant is from $1,500 to $2,500?

They do have a program where members can chose to adopt a needy family at Christmas, but does the church also provide for these families? I could find no information about this.

Maybe I have the wrong idea of how churches should operate because I've only ever attended small churches where every member is known and the offerings that are taken up every Sunday go to the needy after the bare necessities such as electricity and a living for the Preacher have been paid.

I was raised in the knowledge that the people who gather to worship are the church, not the building they worship in. Is something wrong with my way of thinking?

Where I Come From

Here's a repeat from awhile ago that a thoughtful blog bud sent to me.


Miss Kris asked me if I'd like to do this and it looked like fun so here goes. These are the instructions she had with her meme.

What this Meme is about is writing your very own personal poem about "Where You're From"...and it's very personal because you'll use bits and pieces from your life to write about. It's so simple...and the results are remarkable. I'm including the outline for you to use...it's up to you to fill in the blanks. Here is the outline:

I am from _______ (specific ordinary item), from _______ (product name) and _______.
I am from the _______ (home description... adjective, adjective, sensory detail).
I am from the _______ (plant, flower, natural item), the _______ (plant, flower, natural detail)
I am from _______ (family tradition) and _______ (family trait), from _______ (name of family member) and _______ (another family name) and _______ (family name).
I am from the _______ (description of family tendency) and _______ (another one).
From _______ (something you were told as a child) and _______ (another).
I am from (representation of religion, or lack of it). Further description.
I'm from _______ (place of birth and family ancestry), _______ (two food items representing your family).
From the _______ (specific family story about a specific person and detail), the _______ (another detail, and the _______ (another detail about another family member).
I am from _______ (location of family pictures, mementos, archives and several more lines indicating their worth).

Let me know if you decide to try it yourselves so I can come see!

Here is what I was finally able to construct.

I am from the envy of starch-stiff can-cans hanging on a clothes line,
From Juicy Fruit gum and lick-em at leisure Slow Poke Suckers.
I am from the nothing near fancy, this place and that,
A tree for switches in the back.
I am from the cotton fields and morning glories, cracklings fresh from the oven,
The scents and tastes unbelievable unless you'd savored them yourself.
I am from huge family hoe-downs, blond ladies with green eyes,
From Laveada and Ruth, and Grandpa Fisher.
I am from the family of men who faithfully served,
And women who kept the home fires burning and porch lights on.
From don't forget to say please and thank you, and I had a good time.
I am from The Old Rugged Cross and Sunday school classes,
Summer Bible School and Baptist baptisms.
I'm from a small town hospital near our southern country spot,
And before that came tepees and the rush for land,
Home-made sauerkraut and skillet cornbread hot with fresh-churned butter.
From the horse thief who hung from a scaffold,
The man with red hair who died before I was imagined,
But who left his hair and eyes to my son,
I am from the small packet of extra prints that others gave me,
The scrapbooks so lovingly thought through,
So as not to forget where I came from.

Busy, Busy Week

It's been a hectic week around here, I don't even remember what we did every day except for 2 of them. Zach and Alexis, aka, the Chick, were promoted up to a yellow belt in Tae Kwon Do and were both proud as little peacocks. (Nanaw and Mom and Dad were pretty proud too).

Today we (6 adults) took this bunch of roughnecks to see the Singing Christmas Tree program at Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis. It was totally awesome. Many thanks to Jerri's Aunt Peggy and her Mom, Banny, for letting us join their "Are We There Yet" club for such a fun outing.

James was kind enough to let us drive his "new" truck to Memphis with a warning not to "wreck it or get a scratch on it in any way or else we could never come back home" so when he called around 5:30ish to see if we were on our way home I replied to his query with, "Yeah, we stopped for a bite to eat and we'll be on our way as soon as we can get the truck outta the shop". There was about 1/2 second of silence on the line before he bellowed. Ha! I probably made him have a couple of kittens and puppies there before I started laughing.

Up a Creek

Add in the price of oil and you're without a paddle too.


After reading about this incident, I reckon there may be a bunch of folks trying to change their names soon.

Finally!

James was finally able to take possession of his new (used) truck yesterday. Maybe I'll have a rest from all the aggravation now. It's too darned purdy to be put on the farm though, by next fall there'll be enough dust gathered inside to plant a little cotton crop.

Ditzy Days

I still feel yuck and on top of that I'm dropping, tripping, spilling, and bumping my way through my days. This evening as I was taking my chicken and rice out of the oven, I somehow stuck my hand to the roof of the oven. That made me feel pretty danged stupid besides the fact that it hurts like the devils own branding iron. Luckily I'm also finding that I have a high pain tolerance lately which is almost a good thing.

Living with 2 males of the species isn't helping matters either. They open cabinets, my head finds them, they leave a drawer open, my leg finds it, they leave a glass of water sitting on a table, I spill it all over the table, the carpet, in my purse, on my checkbook, and on my feet. It was only a little glass, where does all that water come from????

Sniffin and Snortin

I kept Zach at home yesterday cause he'd crouped all night the night before and was running a little fever, now he's passed the bug on to us. My throat is sore and my head is all stuffy and James is coming down with the same stuff.

Zach and Alexis had their Tae Kwon Do exam/test/demonstration this morning so we were at the college gym until after noon. They both did exceptionally well but it'll be next week before they know if they've advanced.




The Chick (Alexis) was sitting in my lap the other day and asked me to tell her a scary story. I told her the one about a "one-armed man at a lookout point" using all the scary voice tricks I knew, heck I was even scaring myself. After I finished I asked her if she was scared and she said, "Well, no,,"