FINAL FRIDAY THE 13th OF THIS YEAR TOOK ITS TOLE

Brrrrrr !!!! A cold morning greeted me as g-daughter arrived at 7am.
She had matching band-aids after having her shots yesterday. Bless her little heart and those legs were sore !!

She was fine in the morning sleeping peacefully for over 3 1/2 hours.

While she napped I did chores, had breakfast, and baked cakes, 6 caramel,2 pound and a pumpkin spice cake.  She woke up just in time to have lunch with me and then watched me work around the kitchen until it was bottle time again.
I could tell she was getting warmer as the afternoon went on and her sleeping was fretful but she was still a little trooper.
Bless her heart this was her favorite position of the afternoon.

I downloaded my 14th volume of my blog book and got a 50% off coupon to order it today.
What better way to spend a cold afternoon than to snuggle with this little snuggle-bug !!!

We were guarded well as Bernie and Dolly took up guard duty, watching the blowing leaves in the yard.

A high of 54 today coupled with 18mph winds with gust near 30mph made for a nice inside day.
After d-in-love picked g-daughter up I put the plastic covers on the chicken house windows and traded the large waterers for water pans to get ready for the below freezing temps of the season that are starting tonight.

I also put fresh straw in the dogs houses and the garden rooster's barrel after I found the three of them already huddled inside the barrel at 4pm.
It is still 45 degrees at 10:00pm but the wind makes it feel like below freezing already out there.
It was a cold night for the first night of high school football playoffs tonight. Daughter is in the back ground of this picture from the school today during the pep rally. She is the first lady standing to the right of the man in the yellow shirt behind the coaches at the table.

Unfortunately they lost their game tonight at Kings Mountain.
Saw some sad news tonight. One of my favorite high school teachers passed away today. French "Pop" Rogers was a high school math teacher at Edneyville High School for many many years. He was also a member of the Curb Market.  This photo was taken 4 years ago at the reunion of the class of 1966.   R.I.P.  Pop !!

Also on my mind and in my prayers tonight are the people of Paris France as hundreds of people were killed and wounded in 6 separate terrorist attacks tonight.

Okay maybe the third and last Friday the 13th of 2015 lived up to all it's hype in certain areas today.
My prayers are with all the unfortunate folks that were in harms way today and their families tonight. Making me even more thankful to my loving Lord for the peaceful day I had and the blessings it held. I also say a prayer for d-in-love's dad who is in the hospital tonight with problems in one of his legs from his diabetes.
God Bless and Good Night

SADIE ADVENTURE

Market day again, with all the activity this week it seems to be here exceptionally early this week.
It is a beautiful day, maybe our last 70+ degree day of the year ???
A cold wind is supposed to begin late this afternoon and bring in some cold more seasonable weather for us.
Market was really slow today, empty aisles were the rule all day. I am thankful for the few things I did sell. We sure couldn't blame the weather for the non-existent customer day today.

Hubbie came by and brought me lunch from Hot Dog world with one of our coupons we won last week and I had my delicious Greek salad I always get from there.
After market I went to the bank then did my grocery and baking supply shopping. Talked with sis-in-law Sandy and planned the first of our family Thanksgiving dinners.  Tis the season !!!!!
I ran into Josh's mom Connie in Ingles and we had a nice visit.
I got home at 4:00 and got things unloaded and put away and was having a cup of green tea and taking a short rest when hubbie came in from work.
G-daughter had her 2 months check-up this afternoon. She has a cold making her eye swell  but other than that was perfectly healthy, thank you Lord. She weighed 11.4 lbs and was 24 1/4 inches long.  It is always good news when they are growing like they should . Always smiling even with a cold !!!

When I went out to feed the dogs around 5:15 only one dog was peering in the back door, Flash, which was unusual as they all three are usually waiting impatiently for their supper. I called Annie and she came running back over the hill from my nephew's place. Sadie never appeared.
I took care of the chickens and turned the last three youngest chicks out into the Silkie lot so it will be easier for them to stay warm in the upcoming coldest nights of the season this weekend. They seemed to get along fine with the bigger hens.
Hubbie took his truck and drove up the road and over to Aa's house to look for Sadie, she is completely deaf so there is no use calling to her. I called Aa and told him what was going on but he wasn't home from work yet.
Hubbie came back with no sight of her and we left the porch lights on in case she was in sight of home.
About 8:30 Aa called and one of his friends called and said he had gotten a text message from a friend of his that said they had picked up a black dog in Aa's driveway this afternoon and were looking for the owner. he had their phone number.

I called them and they lived just up the road so hubbie and I ran up to their house and picked up Sadie. They had her inside with them and apparently were animal lovers. They noticed her deafness because she wasn't paying any attention to their little dog who was running around her and barking wanting to play. They were very nice and I'm glad that God worked it out so we got her back. She was very ready to get home !!!
I called Aa to tell him it was her and what we figured happened was that UPS stopped at his driveway gate to deliver a package and his dog must have ran down to the gate barking, Annie must have heard her and she and Sadie went to investigate what all the barking was about. The couple that picked Sadie up said there was a bigger red dog with her, which would have been Annie but they couldn't catch her. 

At least everyone is home and safe tonight !!! It was part of God's plan for Sadie to get home tonight is all I can say after the unlikely chain of events that happened.
Earlier this evening I captured this beautiful sunset as a few clouds drifted across the sky with the cold front.

We are just outside the high wind warnings for tomorrow but probably will get the remainder of the leaves blown off the trees around the yard as the cold front comes in. Tonight is supposed to be the last night above freezing for several nights. Thankfully we haven't had any snow yet this season as the western states are getting a real taste of Old Man Winter this week.

Thankful tonight for God and how He just seems to work things out sometimes when we  stand astonished at how things fall into place. Knowing His peace and love is like nothing else you can ever know.
God Bless and Good Night

VETERANS DAY BRIDAL DRESS SHOPPING

Woke this morning with a thankful heart !!  This is Veterans day and I am so very thankful for all the brave men and women that fought and fight to keep the freedom we have in this country.
These two Veterans of World War 11 were featured in the newspaper today. Billy Welch and Dudley Brown  look a bit different today but their hearts are still military through and through. Thank God for the soldiers of yesteryear and of today.

My day started early as I got up at 7:30 to get the chores done and get ready to go with daughter to look for her wedding dress. Hubbie took today off to spend it with g-son while we were shopping.
D-in-love, g-daughter, Re, EL, BB and another bridesmaid Kendra went with us. Re followed us so she could leave early for the kids to get naps.
Daughter had made appointments at three different wedding shops in a close area in Spartanburg, SC.
The first appointment was at 10:00 this morning. With our Starbucks wake-up drinks in hand we headed south. Everyone else rode with me in my Pilot.
The number of different styles of dresses was over whelming. Daughter narrowed it down with several personal style choices.

These two loved this kind of shopping and took advantage of the mirrrors and pedestals while daughter was in the dressing room.

El was a big help carrying the long trains of the dresses. (and by the way this is not the dress daughter chose) !!!

There was a dress on the manaquin in the window in this first shop that daughter asked to try on. It was a new style and she was the first to even try it on. It was a beautiful dress and suited daughter's figure perfectly.  Judging by EL's reaction to the dress you can tell how good it looked on daughter.

We left here and went to have lunch at Jason's Deli just down the road.
We made the 12:30 appointment at another shop and daughter found a dress there that she really liked also. It had a lot more designing in it and was really vintage looking, almost Victorian but it looked good on daughter. They didn't have it in her size so we weren't sure how it would really look in her actual size.
A more subdued group of advisors now !!!

After this stop Re and the kids came home to get a late nap in.
On we went to the third 2:30 appointment at David's Bridal in the same area.  I was very disappointed in the service here as we waited patiently until 2:45 and then had to ask someone to help us while about 6 or 8 other associates seemed to be having an in store meeting in the dressing room area, leaving one poor sales girl trying to wait on 2 customers.  Daughter didn't find a dress there she liked but did settle on a color and style of bridesmaid dresses. Since some of her bridesmaid live out of our area it will be easier for them to get dresses at the David's Bridal in their own towns and it will be the same dress.
Back we went to the first stop and the dress out of the window. She put it back on and the smile didn't leave her face as she decided for sure this was "the one ". The best part since no one else had tried the dress on and it was a new arrival and fit her perfectly except for being shortened when she picks her shoes she got to bring her dress home with her and at a 10% discount.

 Another wedding task crossed off the list !!!!!!
We made it home at 5:15 after a hard day of shopping but feeling very accomplished.
After showing it to her dad she took it to be stowed away in a secret spot until closer to the big day.
We did have to order the veil so we will have to make a shopping trip back to Spartanburg after Christmas.
Hubbie  and g-son had spent the day clearing leaves from the yard for the third time and #2 son, who was off today as well, came by and helped clean all the wire panels from the garden leaving it clean and taking away these three rooster's hiding places. Hopefully they are too big for the hawks to carry off.

These three roosters have really done their job since we put them in the rabbit guard fencing around the garden as they have scratched all the paper into the soil and scattered all the dead plants.
The green in the back ground is our Kale, Collards and Turnips we are enjoying.
After chores and supper I did weekly paperwork. I had some extra time tonight so I did the month ending paperwork for October. It was a pretty good month for me and for that I am very thankful.
Hubbie and I watched Survivor on TV and then I got things ready for market tomorrow.
I am tired tonight but it has been a great day.
As the sun goes down on this Veteran's Day 2015 I am humbly thankful tonight for our Veterans and for the blessings from our Heavenly Father as He is the one who has made America a great nation.

IN  GOD  WE  TRUST  !!!!
God Bless and Good Night

SUNSHINE RETURNS and a 1985 MEMORY

UHHHHH  !!!!!!  What is that bright ball of light I see this morning peeping through the trees !!!

Mr. Sunshine I haven't seen you in so long I hardly recognized you !!!!
As I dressed this morning my memory was jogged by this sweatshirt I was putting on.

I bought this sweatshirt for my mother-in-law Maxine a lot of years ago. We stopped with the kids at Strawberry Hill one year probably on the way to or from the cattle auction barn in Chesnee, SC and I bought the shirt for a gift from the kids to her. Probably for Christmas as I don't remember doing any other gift giving.  When I think back I never saw her wear this sweatshirt and sweatshirts were a big part of her attire. When she died I found it hanging in her closet,brand new. I wear it now regularly as it is very comfortable. Each time I put it on I think of her and wonder why she never wore the shirt ?
Maxine kept her distance from all her grandchildren. My #1 son and daughter spent one night each with this grandmother and I don't know of any visits from #2 son or my niece and  nephew either for overnight stays.
More memories as I get started on my decade series with a photograph from November 1985 of the three kids. #2 son did not like pictures !!!!

After chores and breakfast I called to check when the repairmen were scheduled to come work on my ovens. They should be here between 1:30 and 3:30. Now I need to decide what my schedule will be.
I decided to take the rugs and heavy furniture and bed covers out to the laundry since this is going to be a warm sunny day.
I had everything loaded and arrived at the laundry shortly after 10:30. I got the two bigger machines and even met a neighbor , Libby, there to chat with while our laundry washed.
I was home by 11:45 with all the covers dried. I hung all the rugs out on the clothes lines to soak up the warm sunshine.

After lunch I cleaned house until the repairmen came about 2:00. They replaced both heat probes in the ovens and re-calabrated both ovens.  They seemed to be working fine before they left. Hopefully this is the fix we are looking for.
After they left I finished vacuuming and mopping all the floors.
I walked around outside while the floors dried. The evening shadows get long early these days.

 Looks like my Burning Bushes may get their bright red color yet.

Love the weather of the next couple days but no so much the cold coming this weekend.

After hubbie came in from work he helped gather all the dried rugs off the lines and get them put away then we did chores.
Hubbie has a sore shoulder today from a fall he took early this morning. Annie and Flash, our outside dogs who stay in lots at night woke him about 4am with constant high pitched barking. He went outside to see what they were barking at and saw three stray dogs in our yard. He yelled at the dogs to get out of the yard and turned to come back in the house. He slipped on the wet steps and fell onto the porch. He said he couldn't believe I didn't wake up as he knocked everything off the porch and made a huge noise. I slept through it all , even the barking dogs, which is a bit scary !!!!
Hubbie is taking tomorrow off to stay here with g-son while daughter, d-in-love, Re, and another of daughter's bridemaids,Kendra and me go wedding dress shopping in Greenville,SC. At least he will get to rest his shoulder as he and g-son relax for a day off.
I baked 4 pound cakes tonight so I won't have to bake tomorrow night unless an order comes in during the day tomorrow.  So far my ovens worked great with no shut offs !!!!!!
I am thankful tonight for the opportunity to help daughter in the plans for one of the happiest days of her life.  Praying for traveling mercies for tomorrow.
Good Night and God Bless.

RAINY MONDAY

Awakened by pounding rain at about 5:30 this morning I knew this was the beginning of the wash out day that was forecast.

G-daughter arrived at 7am and went back to sleep for almost 3 hours.
Hubbie and I did morning chores. As I passed the rain gauge there was already 2 inches in there since the rain began after midnight.
#2 son who is off again today came by to borrow a wrench to change the oil in his jeep. Lucky him, as he has a large carport to work in today.
Hubbie and I watched the creek rise all day as the rain continued to come down heavy at times.

What better way to spend a rainy cold day than to snuggle with Pawpaw and look out the window !!

My Christmas cactus that the kids gave me for an anniversary present several years ago is in full bloom now and so pretty.

While hubbie and g-daughter watched the rain (and the TV) I did 3 loads of laundry and put all of last weeks clean laundry away.
After we all had lunch she went to sleep for the afternoon and hubbie went outside while the rain is slacked off and worked on his wood pile. I set up my laptop and finished my blog book for the months of April thru June of this year.  Now I just need to preview it and it will be ready to order.
G-daughter was still asleep when d-in-love came to pick her up.
Today has been a cool day with highs only reaching 51 degrees with the rain. Our rainfall totals tied the record for our area today with 2.3 inches in the gauge this evening at choretime.

Another weather note , the 11th tropical storm in the Atlantic ocean was named this morning . She is Kate and she has brought lots of rain and wind to the Bahamas today before this same front that is bringing us rain today pushes her out to sea away from any land.

Daughter called tonight and she said she has 14 girls on her JV team this year. She sent 3 of her sophomores to varsity to make them a total of 11 girls. This is more girls than they have had come out in 2 years.
#1 son called hubbie tonight in search of a tool to repair a broken shower head at the double wide he is renting to my nephew Mark. He had to go to Lowes when hubbie didn't have what he needed.
At least the work is inside and not outside tonight.
Hubbie and I spent a restful evening.
Thankful for the blessings of this day and very thankful for the ability that God gives me each day to do the things I want to and need to get done.
God Bless and Good Night.

NO POWER SUNDAY

Getting used to these dreary mornings as I did the chores and the animals were all out and about early since I forgot to shut any of the doors when we got back late last night. I try not to make a habit of letting them out at sunrise because of all the early morning predators we have around here. I lost an entire flock of guineas in the early morning to foxes who sat under the roosting trees waiting for breakfast.
Church was good today, I got there a bit early as I was a greeter this morning.
The sermon was from Habakkuk chapter 2.
After church we got a surprise when we got home as we had no power at our house. Hubbie went to look for a fallen tree or limb on our line and found a poor fried squirrel under our main transformer.
I called for a repairman to come flip the breaker on the transformer and they said it would be fixed by 4:30.
We already had 2 pounds of hamburger browned for spaghetti sauce earlier this morning so we moved lunch to Aa and Re's house.  #1 son's family was there also. Daughter went to watch one of Josh's nieces get Baptized this morning and then out to lunch with them. #2 son was still getting unpacked from his Florida trip after they got in late last night. Thankful for safe travel for him and  g-friend Tiffany.
We finished the spaghetti and everyone ate then visited for a little while. The kids ate very well and then they all played so well together it was fun to watch.
The boys ............ G-son and BB

G-son even let EL style his hair without complaints.

G-daughter slept through the entire time we were there.
Hubbie and I came home around 3:00 to find the power already fixed, thanks Duke Energy !!
Hubbie buried the poor squirrel and we looked and saw a nest just above the power lines so there maybe more of these mis-haps.
Hubbie watched a race on TV while I caught up reading my blog books and did some other small tasks around the house.
#2 son came by later and watched the end of the Panthers/Packers football game with us. Son  had a great time in Florida but it was really hot, in the 90's everyday.  He was sore from the 10+ hour drive home yesterday.
After he left we did evening chores and got things ready for more rainy days.

Under the dark clouds of this day the temperature only got into the lower 50's for a pretty raw day.
The winter storm names for this season were released but none have been used yet.

Thankful tonight for the love of Jesus Christ and for the strength and good health to start a new week.
Good Night and God Bless