TWO GREAT FAMILY DAY'S IN A ROW

Yep, nothing like family, and Sunday dinner and picking up Lily from school on Monday were great blessings for me.

Even having my four-legged grand-dog give me her "Wha'chu Talkin' 'Bout?" look put a smile in my heart!

Saturday out with the Knights (Ron and Steve), watching radio controlled airplanes and helicopters circle above our heads, sipping brews with pizza, are so much fun, but there is nothing like close family time.

Judy out did herself by cooking a 4-hour pot roast with potatoes, carrots, slaw, mac'n cheese, green beans, cornbread, and pecan pie for desert.  She invited Tracy, Katie, and Eddie over and they brought Roxy to beg at the table for leftovers!

We had a good time in the sun-room, relaxing, rubbing our bellies, watching Judy and Katie trying to find enough room in one chair, and teasing Roxy.  It was a very relaxing day.  We need more of those family times over a good meal, and Judy has promised to do it more often.

Since Katie had to get back to school to study for finals, the party broke up early.  However, it was the second day Judy and I had her around.  She had actually spent Friday night with us, giving them alone time piled up in the bed talking about boys, TV shows, and what was for breakfast!

Saturday morning she left early to attend a ball game with her young cousin, and I left to join Ron and Steve at the Tennessee Eagles airfield.

So, the weekend went fine and ended too soon.  It used to be sad because we knew we had to go to work Monday morning, but now it's sad because family has to leave to get ready for work and college.

However, for us, the family time continues on Mondays.  That's the day we pick Lily up after school.  

This Monday was to be a special day, a short visit with my mom.  We always stop and get something for a picnic out in her sun room.  Mom loves the time with Lily, 'cause she don't get to see Lily, or her sister, very often.  She watched every move Lily made, and she was in rare form today.

Lily laughed, poked fun at us, danced, flipped her hair band at us, and, in general, thoroughly entertained us.  These days she is quite different from her shy beginnings.  She rubs against us and hugs us, lets us hug and kiss on her, which used to be a "no no".  She was once quite independent and didn't like people touching her, but, boy, has that changed!  It's a change I've waited for for almost six years now!

We laughed at her blue tongue, from the "Blue Coconut" slush she wanted from Sonic, and simply adored every little thing she did and said.

So, tomorrow is Tuesday, and we're back to being by ourselves, which we also enjoy, but not like the times when family is around.  

Those are the "family days"!

IT NEVER FAILS!

Yep, when you really need something, it fails to work! It hasn't been out of the high 20's this week, and down in the teen's at night with light snow blowing. The coldest and longest spell of cold weather we've had this year in East Tennessee, and mom's heat goes out!

I just happened to be there when we noticed a weird sound coming from the external heat/air combo unit, and noted that there was no air, thus no heat, coming through the vents. She immediately called her contact at Central City Heating & Air and got a planner-estimator to come out. The diagnosis was as expected, since she'd had trouble earlier in the fall and got a warning from the tech, it was dead!

There was nothing they could do yesterday afternoon, so a new Trane unit was ordered and plans were made for the crew to show up at 7 AM to install a new combo unit.

I fixed mom up with a couple of electric heaters and they kept the house at about 68 degrees. I wanted her to either come home with me or stay with Virginia, her next door neighbor, but she was concerned that if she left the pipes would freeze. There is no arguing with her, so I left her and called back a couple of times that night before bed. Every time I woke up I'd start thinking about her, but she made it with no problem. She even slept in her recliner...again, so the pipes wouldn't freeze.

If anyone can figure out what difference that made, let me know. All I know it was the best for her piece of mind.

The workmen arrived at 7 AM as planned, and worked until about 3:30 today. It was 17 degrees when they arrived, but they all acted as if it was old hat to them!

So, everything is back to normal, she has a toasty house in every room now, and was back vacuuming and cleaning up after the workers. She'll be worn out tomorrow, just like she was when everyone came to visit on Christmas and left. She has to have everything clean and back in its place before she can relax.

It does no good, really, to come to her house to celebrate family events, because she is left with the cleaning and gets all exhausted. But, it makes her happy...that's what counts.

Snow is predicted Thursday, so now we're all ready...hope you are too!

A PRECURSOR TO THANKSGIVING

HAPPY THANKSGIVING…early!

This beautiful and yummy cheese ball and vegetable center piece, resembling a turkey, was created by Jan, the mother of my brother’s children. Yes, both Wade and I still share our lives with our ex’s, but it means a lot to our kids and grand kids. Truthfully, our ex’s are very nice people, as long as we aren’t married to them! We all get along quite well.

Yes, I have started eating so much lately that I need to pre-stretch my stomach for holidays, by attending a large feast at least three before the main event! So, we had a precursor Thanksgiving meal at mom’s Sunday.

My brother is only a holiday visitor, or at least that’s the way it seems of late, so, since he has to work Thanksgiving, we took this time to join together in family fellowship over some turkey and ham. Wade is an aircraft mechanic for Continental Airlines, working primarily on the cargo fleet in Charlotte, NC. He gets little time off, so mom tries to have gatherings around his schedule.

There were plenty of the traditional foods for everyone, with lots left over, even though there were some rather large eaters swarming the table like a pride of lions on a downed wildebeest!

Mom even got in some cooking lessons for Christy (in red top - Wade’s youngest daughter), teaching her the fine art of cornbread muffin and coleslaw making! You can tell by mom’s smile and clinched fists that she was thrilled to have the house full of children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren again! It really tires her out these days, but to her it’s worth it to have those she loves near her. She’ll spend the rest of this week, cleaning, and getting things back in order! She’s a bit of a neat freak…not that I’m not!

You can see Brad (Danielle’s husband), Shane (Christy’s husband), and Wade (my brother) begin the circling formation. After a brief prayer of thanks, I join them in line. The men eat first in this family, unlike with Judy and the Dragons, who always eat first!

Christy made the “Butterfinger Cake”, and Jan (Christy and Danielle's mom) made the “Pumpkin Roll”! Both were very tasty! The rolls came in male and female versions, since some of the girls don’t like nuts in their punkin’ rolls!

Later, on the sun-room couch, Wade, Danielle (his oldest), her children Addie and Kaylee, and Christy (Wade’s youngest) squeeze in around Granny (mom)! Mom was where she had wanted to be since last Thanksgiving!

In the kid’s photo, you can see Jan hiding behind Kaylee and Addie. However, I caught a snap of her earlier as she shared photos with Wade, of the girls at the Knoxville Zoo.

Outside, Wade showed off his new Smith & Wesson .40 cal. semi-auto (under left arm). Nice piece!

Nope, no photos of Judy and me…we were there, but can’t prove it!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!

Look at this great photo my mom had taken for her church directory! (Isn't Photoshop wonderful!)


She still looks great at 82 today!


It's hard to believe this little 100 pound lady used to whip my butt while holding me still with one hand!

Happy Birthday Mom!

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY MOM!

You’ve been my “Mommazooty” for nearly 62 years now, and even when you were dusting the seat of my pants I never regretted it. You have been a great little momma and I love you very much.

You are a towering (albeit a short one) example of strength to Wade and me. You have been through the loss of three husbands, half a lung, about 4 feet of colon, and one knee, and continued to fight for and enjoy life. We will try to be as strong when those times come to us, and will always remember your witness.

I realized long ago that I was a witness too, a witness to the world to the kind of mother I had. I knew that if I did wrong, it reflected on you. I still got into things I should not have, but I was very careful and very afraid that someone would see me and tell my mom. But worst of all, that they might think you were not the perfect mother.

That is what witnessing is all about – if you do wrong and you have been out there purporting that you are, oh say a “Christian”, then you are reflecting poorly on our perfect example.

Thanks Mom for all that you have done!