Basically Betty

Today was the first time I have been out in over a week. The reason for this is two fold: my hair needed a permanent, and the weather was not such that you would want to venture out.

So, with an appointment for a permanent I bundled up and away we go to the Beauty Shop. The Beautician is a lovely southern lady. The Shop is in her basement. It is decorated very tastefully. Beautiful plants everywhere. The Christmas Cactus blooming. We travel about 10 miles to get to Polly's Shop but it is well worth it because she gives a great perm all the while giving you her undivided attention.

Joann and I think of Polly as a friend. She has promised to come visit us very soon.

Now about the leaves. Going down our mountain side the leaves have been blown to the side of the road but in the City there is not a leaf to be found. So my question is: where do all the leaves go.

The mountains surrounding us are smoky looking with all the color gone. A little mysterious. They would make a great back ground for a Detective Show on TV.

Love and prayers from here to there

Well, yesterday (Monday) was good news day for me. I phoned our family back in Steubenville and got caught up on the news in their part of the world.

Florence and Lori are relatives you would choose. Whenever we went to Steubenville the first stop would be their home. They always made room for us. They had a huge dining room that housed a table that always had room for one more.

You could forget your diet there because on this table Florence would put more food than we could eat in a week. I remember the Cantaloupe she used to slice it was so good I used to hope it stopped at my place and everyone would find something else to munch on.

The table was very large, good because in came a Brother and Sister-in-law, then a Sister and Brother-in-law, then a Cousin or maybe two, and Uncle and an Aunt. Everyone would be talking at once and it was always such a delight to spend an evening at their home.

Even though Pete is no longer with us his memory will forever be in our hearts. Sometime in the near future I will write more about Pete. He was a treasure as a friend, very colorful and willing to help out whereever needed.

So Florence and Lori if you are tuned in Joann, Bill, James and Veronica and I send our love and hope you will come visit us sometime soon.

The weather people would not appreciate my saying that because they say we need the rain. Well, I have had enough.

The day started out in the 40s but it is now in the 60s. The news report said the temp will continue to rise because the winds shifted from the south. This reminds me when I lived on the southside of St. Petersburg every afternoon two of my neighbors and I would sit out, winter or summer, and without fail at 4 PM the wind would shift and we would feel a cool breeze. My Aunt Minnie used to say when the wind blows in Florida it does not go through you it caresses you.

At least it was cold when Veronica and Matt were here. That made Veronica very happy. Guess it was a welcome change from the heat in Florida this past summer.

Well, don't know what else to say about the weather so I will say bye for now. Joann is making me a Hamburger sandwich for dinner. Hopefully, she will put a slice of cheese on it and a big chunk of onion.

Love and prayers from here to there

Today has not been the best of days for more than one reason. Veronica and Matt left this morning early to go back to St.Pete. Each time they come I find one more reason to believe they are made for each other. I wish them the best of everything for their life together.

I looked out the window several times while cooking dinner and thought we had somehow been misplaced and ended up in London. It was so foggy and dreary. Well, Joann came down and asked had I looked outside lately?

Of course I had, but it took her to point out that what I thought was fog was actually clouds. We are so high that the clouds act as shrouds in these mountains. I have never had my head in the clouds before. She also pointed out the rain drops on the leaves that are left on the trees were shining from the outside lights. They shone like lights on a Christmas tree. The natural beauty in my new home is so amazing. If it wasn't right there before my very eyes I would not believe it either.

Love and prayers from here to there

It began early about 6:30 AM. I woke up with the sun shining in the Dining Room window. They had predicted rain for today but instead we got sun shine. Good thing too because it was very cold. As the sun moved farther west the temp. dropped fast.

I was already with coat on waiting when Bill drove into the driveway. It was time for the gathering for Thanksgiving Day Dinner. There were nine of us at the table.

That's family Joann, Bill, James and Veronica, Veronica's love Matt who is like family, and me. Guests, Nancy and her two Daughters Erin and Casey. I say guests but really they too are more like family. I had not seen Nancy and Erin and Casey for several years and it was a delight to be at the same table for this special meal.

We each said what we are thankful for and I heard love for one another from all eight and me too! So that love warmed our hearts and the food warmed everything else about us.

Good thing too when it came time for me to come back down to my abode it had cooled even more and the wind was blowing something fierce. I hurried into my warm little nest and put my cozy robe on and that's where I am at this moment.

So that is why I say "The End of a Perfect Day". Hope yours was perfect too!

This morning when I opened the drape the sun was so bright I was blinded. Had to hide behind the drape to look out to see the temp. It was 40 degrees. How could that be? Well, it was just 6:30 so the sun though very bright had not been up long enough to affect the temperature. Before sitting down to write this I checked the trusted old Thermometer again and it had reached the magic number of 60 degrees.

Did not get to Church this morning. I was up before 5 AM for some unknown reason could not sleep last night. Crazy clock went into outer space again last night. When I realized sleep was not on my agenda for the night I checked the clock and it read 2:00 o'clock AM. The secret to reading this clock is knowing when to add 3 hours or subtract 3 hours.

My reason for not sleeping is probably the excitement of having my Grand Son James and Grand Daughter Veronica and their friends here for the holiday.

When they all get here I am sure restful sleep will return and that way I can enjoy all the festivities and be ever so thankful for all my blessings on this Thanksgiving.

Happy Thanksgiving to one and all

Love and prayers from here to there

If you have been on line for even a short time you probably have received a forward that reads:

For every Season there is a Reason

Today looking out the window while my slice of bread was toasting for my egg salad sandwich which was to be my lunch I realized the Reason for the Season we are in now.

I was bemoaning the fact that the leaves are all off the trees and we have monster sticks in the back lot. But now I see the Reason for the Season -- I can see the sky now and it is a beautiful blue. I can see the top of the Mountain we live on and there is still color there. On the 24th when the Moon is full I will be able to see it in all it's splendor.

Wish you all could be here to see the beauty of nature that we live with everyday.

Love and prayers from here to there

Guess what temp the thermometer showed this morning upon arising? 60 degrees. Oh but by noon it was in the 70s and it kept going up almost to 80. The record for this day was 80 but we did not quite make that. One more warm day and then the cold front that is approaching will be here.

Southern Baked Chicken

We had a neighbor when we lived on 58th Avenue South in St. Petersburg that taught me how to cook chicken. She fried hers but I bake mine. You coat the chicken pieces with flour and then dip in melted butter. Well, I decided I was going to have baked chicken for dinner this evening and then the fun began. I got what I thought was flour out of my refrigerator (I had borrowed some from Joann the last time I cooked chicken). It did not coat just right and It was not fine like flour so I tasted it after I had coated the chicken with it and it was Powdered Sugar. Under the faucet goes the chicken. Can you imagine what that would have tasted like had I gone on and dipped in the butter and baked it. Maybe I should have gone on and coated it and created a new dish. Maybe even send the new way to cook chicken in to Martha.

Oh well, I never have professed to be a good cook. I don't tell everyone this but I have never cooked a turkey in my life.

I should tell you the chicken just dipped in butter was not bad -- a little dry but edible. The baked potato I had with it made a very enjoyable meal.

If my fingers are not frozen with the cold coming tomorrow I will be checking in again.

My reason for not visiting with you for two days, well there are two reasons - one my fingers were so cold I could not write and then I bumped my head on the kitchen cupboard door and the brain froze up.

Well, so today the temp got up to almost 70 degrees and my hands are back to normal, can't say the same for the brain though. You see Joann put an ice pack on my forehead as soon as she saw what happened and it will take a little more time for it to thaw. Good that she did because there was very little pain.

Well, we were so thrilled to have the Deer visit last Thursday and in hopes that they will come often Bill got two Deer Licks. You have heard of Cow Licks well this is the same thing only made with the things a Deer likes (molasses, corn, and salt). It is a solid block of the three ingredients and Bill says it is like an Ice cream cone to a Deer. They have been placed on the property so that we can see the Deer enjoying their meal from either side.

Hope we can get together again tomorrow.

Love and prayers from here to there.

It was so cold today I did not even peek out the door to count the leaves on the patio. When I looked out the window to check the temp the wind was blowing so hard the leaves did not stay on the patio but blew into the yard and huddled up with the leaves that Bill removed with the Blower on Friday.

Our friends Barbara, Denise, Pat and precious Annarita came to visit today. It made having to stay in out of the cold pleasant to have friends stop in.

Remember my telling you last year this time about the different seasons up here. One of those seasons was the Static Season and we are in it again right now. I will spray my hair with Hair Spray in the morning before going out. I have a Drs. appointment and the weather is supposed to be even colder tomorrow.

I will tell you how cold it is -- Joann went to town today and bought an electric mattress cover. I have one on my bed and they keep your bed cozy warm. They rarely turn their furnace on and might even have a window open but not tonight.

My Daughter Rebecca is back in Seattle after spending two weeks on the East Coast.

Well, to borrow a phrase from Daughter Joann: I will be with you tomorrow "Be the Good Lord willing and the Creek don't rise".

Love and prayers from here to there