Wednesday, December 14, 2011

twas the 12th night before Christmas

so WHAT is wrong with me..... I don't feel very much like Christmas..... hmmm... I don't feel sad about it, I just would well, rather not do it at all..... sorry, Jesus.. it is not personal...

the tree is up, the lights are shining beautifully, the angel that Ash made when she was 4 (still in perfect condition I must say) graces the high front like she does every year, and a new ball from my dear friend in South Georgia hangs center front declaring Merry Christmas y'all! (I love it Sherry!) I just don't feel like Christmas....

maybe in a few days I will... I am going to bake some cookies for the 26th (when we celebrate this year) and put the bows on the beautifully wrapped boxes.... maybe that will do it... maybe the Christmas Concert this Sunday night will knock me in to Christmas mode... hmmm.... odd for a person who used to put a tree in just about every room of the house! (yes, even the bathroom) There has been alot going on.. maybe that is it... I love Jesus and see Christmas as his birthday party even though I know December really is not His birthday...

ok well enough of that... good night to all and to all a good night~~(that will have to do for now, haha)

Saturday, December 3, 2011

Oven Lovin Saturday

thank you Tiny Gardner for starting Oven Lovin Saturday to help get us all through the winter!

my recipe for this week is: Grama Wiricks Date Pinwheel Cookies (I know sounds sick, but really yummy - and I hate dates)

Filling:
1 lb dates cut fine (really fine on a chopping block)
2/3 c water
1/2 c sugar
Boil together until dates are very tender, set aside

Dough:
2C brown sugar
3 farm fresh eggs (or store ones are ok too)
1/2 c shortening
1/2 cup unsalted butter (real butter)
Cream together well

Add:
4c flour
1 t soda
1/2 t salt
Stir in well

Directions:
Roll out cough in a rectangle and spread evenly with the date mixture. Roll up like a jelly roll.
Chill overnight
Slice and bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes or until slightly brown

Everyone will love them if you dont tell them there are dates in there!

Sunday, November 27, 2011

before the snow flies~

I can hardly believe it is Thanksgiving... well make that post Thanksgiving as of this post.... WHERE has the time gone as is commonly heard.... we had a lovely and tasty dinner at Ash and Andy's and I spent a few days there putting up the tree with Ash and getting a start on the Christmas shopping.... then, came home and had a wonderful dinner with Mich, Jason and the kiddos... my turkey breast is safely waiting for the day that i decide HEY, maybe I will make a turkey in the freezer

I have been searching and researching and I really like the Damon Challenger 371 - hmmm.... time will tell....

Thursday, October 27, 2011

wowza... it seems so long.....

it has been a long two years or pretty darn close since the house was put on the market~~ and today, we closed! YES, finally, sold...

I must say the only part that felt a little wierd was seeing keys to my house being handed over to someone else... but only for like 2 seconds....

our buyer is from California and lives up in the mountains, claiming he can see half way to the Big Island.....the Cleveland Ntl Forest backs up to his high view mountain home.... hmm.. sounds, well, nice...

so any way.... tonight I shall sleep, rest I hope..... it is a very stressful ride selling a home.. the viewings, the offers, counter offers, inspections, and reinspections... YOUY~~ but thankfully, we are where we are today.... now.... day by day, decesion by decesion, the next chapter is finally ready to be written...

Godspeed~~ lights out

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

April Showers.... isn't that what they say?

I for one, am sick of rain~ rain rain rain rain rain irrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

I could not believe my eyes as I watched the weather channel as they were live in Birmingham as a HUGE, and i do mean HUGE one mile wide wedge tornado ripped through the west north west side of town~ Tuscaloosa was also hit extreml hard... our prayers are in Alabama on this rainy old night

Friday, April 8, 2011

so uh, I must be stupid

I have to say, really, I just don't get it..... we are only hours from a partial shut down of OUR govt~ so.... I am trying to understand this all... one thing I have a grip on is both parties are relentlessly arguing thier points "on behalf of the american people" - uh, ok.....

so why is it that if the Fed Gvt does shut down, those who are shutting it down will still get paid? BUT our brave militiary who by no choice of their own, are in harms way, far from home, will not get paid???????? WHAT???????? so they are to be fighting away in the mountains and deserts someplace wondering if thier families at home are getting evicted and have any electricity bc they won't have a pay check....

AND, before they start whacking at medicare, which, by the way we are all paying in to keep this in mind your fello baby boomers whos kids are now in thier 30's and will never see a dime WHY dont they shut off the money faucet to say, uh, CHINA?? India?? YEMEN??? Why do we send them financial aide anyway?? I mean, CHINA???????? they rec more fed dollars from us, in the name of support than any other foreign country on the face of the earth! Check it out, do some research~~ China, REALLY????????

for pete sake, I have never seen the likes of it..... our Country, our people, deserve better than the juvenile, selfish dingos in DC....

just my commentary~~

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

in her element~~

the kids have grown up and have lives, homes, and families of their own... alot has changed....

tonight though, I was reminded, that no matter how much things change, the core stays the same.... Ash has always been an organic kind of soul; she still is to this day and even more so... she never ceases to amaze...

Mich has always been at home in the barn, on the back of a horse~ using her skill to create a master piece... since her two little kiddos have come along, her love of her life, her four legged pals have taken a serious back seat and, rightfully so.... Jas has helped her regain her barn time - I can always tell when she has had a barn night - her voice is brighter, and soul is lighter, and her spirit is stronger~~ love those beautiful little babies, and what a great Mom my little girl has grown up to be... but, everyone needs thier own little piece of the world, that just belongs to them.... Jas was hauling hay tonight so I got Nanny time with half pint and little bear~~ from the window the kiddos and I could see her out there in the arena, on the back of one of the horses.... it lifted my spirit, touched my soul, and made my heart smile~~ I took little G man out aft Jas got home to care for half pint and we perched him in the saddle.... sit up tall little buddy.... LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME! His little eyes met his Mommas, and hers met mine..... she was in her element....

Ash if you stop by I hope you are home in you own comfy beddy bye tonight..... love you pea pod~~

Sunday, March 27, 2011

lessons learned~

who says an old dog can't learn new tricks??? after visiting my pea pod and paying very close attention to every detail of her creating her amazing pasta and vegies~ AHHHHHHH before you go and tell your self, ahhh heck, that sounds so easy, well.. trust me and many destroyed attempts - it ain't! anyway~ when I came home I first thing went to the store (we do not have a market here-sure wish we did) and gathered the necessary items- off to the meat market (ok, it is like a big overgorwn butcher shop that does sell fresh veggies year round - fresh from where - not sure on that one~~ but nevertheless -

and this attempt, which by the way Ash made look so easy~~ chop this, toss that, add a pinch or 5, crush some garlic~~ took my concentrated effort BUT I am thrilled to say it was fantastico! it even passed the Grady test- Nanny this is good! YEAH I FINALLY DID IT!!

it occured to me that the times of my teaching the kiddos, a little of this, a little of that have changed.... my little girl in the city taught me the secret of making pasta with veggies....and the coolest way in the world to freeze chicken BTW~~ haha....

it was sunny today and I cleaned and moved Mom's bedroom around in preperation for summer~ Friday I plan to purchase her a new recliner - she goes through them in about 4 years but that is where she spends most of her time~~ I am not sure what this week will bring so today I cooked and cooked making meals ahead and putting them in the freezer for quick dinners.... our little Shelby is sick and has been fighting whatever she has for a week... the doc feels she may be asthmatic~~ time will tell... we pray not....

Ash is in La today heading for Houston where she will spend the night~ Mich is taking care of her little ones and running on exhaustion.... Grady I am sure is playing tractors.....  G is doing okay for which I am so thankful... the days of not being at the hospital are treasures beyound measure....

thnxx Ash for yet another lesson~~ this time, I done good~~

Friday, February 25, 2011

in the ice and snow, the boats await

slushing around today in the snow, and I mean serious snow, not just a few flakes~ I am talking deeper than Ashlee's knees friggin snow was well, an adventure.. on the way home from he market (have to go back in the morning because so many places were closed) we passed by the lake~ the lake like a giant cake sits frosted in ice, with snow toss across for hilights... almost un-noticable are the boats.... they are there like us, waiting for the warm sun of spring to thaw them out, and have thier winter covers pulled away~~

Spring has come at Ash and Andy's! up in the loft,spring is already there! Ash has her garden babies growing under thier lights, wrapped in plastic and growing green and beutiful.... as I look at those fragile little babies, and see Ash care for them, giving them a drink, I recall her past attempts at growing a tomatoe in a pot on the patio... hmmm.. let me just say that with time, her thumb has become much more green...

haha.... as we wait for the new over a foot of snow to go away, we will just focus on the garden already in the works, up in the loft~~

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

growing pains~

even though they are all grown up and in charge of the world, the kids will always be just that, my kids~ Mich is starting the painful process of finding a new sitter... again... it is hard for the kiddos when this happens.. they have to get to know someone new, and trust does not come easlily.... Ash is feeling the effects of being a big girl trying to find her own music of life.... she wants to do something that matters she says, live smaller, leave a smaller foot print on our enviroment... her Grampa would be so proud... a little farm girl living in the great big city....

work has been busy.... fo which I am thankful... it is always amazing to me that I get to play a small part in the launch of the career of another~~ who knows what they will do.. maybe the everyday, mundane, or maybe something really spectacular! They probably won't remember me 10 years from now but I want to ensure that I do everything I can to get them off to a great start! Work is busy, but what an amazing blessing~

Spring seems to be eluding for the moment... March 20th is out there.. somwhere.... but for now, it apparently is hiding under yet antoher round of fresh white stuff...

oh... speaking of white stuff... I finally got a new matress! A REAL BED~ ahhhh.. no more air matress for me... I am so thankful for this... it feels so good.....

Friday, January 14, 2011

wowza! time has surely raced right by

ok... so I have really not been holding up my end of the bargin with my blog.... I really am not sure why, but believe it is that thing called life.... and it has been hectic! Let me bring you up to speed....
Ash and Andy are well settled in to thier new home and spending thier first winter on the lake... as Ash says, it is so beautiful in the summer... but oh do you pay in the winter - but, they have been enjoying it, painting, putting in new windows, planning for a pellet stove install perhaps next year and the knock down of a wall which will allow them to move the dining room expanding the living area and making war for the new stove... awesome

Michelle and Jason are in the slow, long, slow process of building on. Our little Shelby is almost a year old... WOW.... and Grady will be three in March.... they are the lights of my life.... The are going to come tomorrow for a sleep over at Nannies.... we will cheer for the Steelers as they hopefully POUND the Ravens in the play offs.... which brings me to the house~~

yes, we are STILL here... Sam has the house on the market and even through the snowy weather we are getting internet hits... I am encouraged, and not feeling like nothing is hapening.... Sam is good and doing a great job on the listing... we dropped our price in the hope of inticing a buyer... this will be a lovely home for a new family, just as it has been for us.... I am doing good, given how impatient I am, at, being patient... I know beyond all things, that everything happens in God's oh so perfect timing....

I am looking intensly and continuing to research RV's.... the fifth wheel option is down to two, maybe three.... and the motorhome option, YES, has revealed two floor plans that I do like very much... we will see.. I stop in to visit in silence my pals over at Heartland Owners Forum... but try not to comment as I think they were growing tired of my sharing the journey from stick and brick to full time RV living...

if you happen by here, and are covered in snow...  I feel your pain. If you happen by and are in the sun (I know it is shining somewhere) then next winter, I hope to be with you

Godspeed