Wednesday already?

Time really flies when you have Monday off. I was especially busy yesterday so I wasn't able to get back on here and finish up with the weekend activities. So, in no particular order, this is how it played out...

First - Neccy came through her surgery like a champ. She should be resting peacefully at home in anticipation of returning to work pain free.  ha ha ha we all know she can't sit still and is probably out running around with Jack :)  That's okay so long as she doesn't do any damage to herself. From what I hear repair is worse than the surgery itself. She did comment that she wanted to eat my squash casserole so I'll try to remember to bring the recipe tomorrow and put it in at the bottom for anyone else who so chooses to print it.

Sunday we were out of power for a couple of hours. Wally lit the kerosene lanterns that belonged to his grandma. We set them on the kitchen table. They were so pretty with their gold lamp oil in the bottom and their orange flame burning just enough to give us light. The globes say "Home Sweet Home" and that's just how we felt.

I went through more boxes and came across some pictures of dad in his garden. I should hope to have one as bountiful as his always were... but that will take some time as I haven't even started yet. With the rain on the weekends there's not much I can do outside. I remember seeing a picture of him in the garden, reaching up as high as he could to the top of the bush. I'm not sure if it was a tomato plant or a bean plant or what but it was tall. I would love to have that one to go with the others if anyone has it or knows where it might be. He had on his plaid bermuda shorts, of course, and no shirt, of course again. Even if you keep the picture, a copy would be nice. I have a frame that holds three pictues and that picture would complete the series.

We did venture out on Sunday so we could get a feel for the damages. We didn't find anything severe in our area but the outlying areas definitely had some issues. If you know where the Keg Kounty Cowboys camp is, imagine going just past it and towards the bridge on the right... that bridge was completely under water and the water was rushing so fast it had whitecaps. A huge tree had fallen across the road as well and it took with it a power line. We got a couple pictures but I'm still waiting for Wally to send them to me so I can post them. Tomorrow maybe?

Our route to Pee Wee's was a mess too. Trees didn't fall onto this road, the land was so saturated that it actually gave way and the trees and land slid down to the road. It made for an adventure on a road that is already iffy as you go around curves with no guard rails but with trees in the way, well, everyone had to be on their best behavior. Considering there were no cops to direct traffic (ha ha that just doesn't happen in this area) around the trees, the people of the community were very polite and courteous for the most part. Reminded me of how we had to go about the roads during the hurricanes.

We couldn't get to Pee Wee's as the road was closed. Someone did put up yellow caution tape from one side of  the road to the next, thus blocking our way. We weren't about to chance it figuring this was probably a local who knew danger around the next curve when he saw it. So since we had a couple of 12 packs in tow, we kept touring in other directions.

We rode by a place called Rubies, they were closed but since the parking lot was empty it looked like a good place to pee. Naturally I had to go really bad, I've never been a good pee holder, so I rushed to the back of the building, found a good propping spot (girls work with me here) and proceded to let go. Unfortunately the rain decided to let go at the same time and came pouring off the roof, down the backside of me, which up until now was quite warm, and froze my behind like ice!!  Yeah, yeah, yeah... whatever.

Back on the road we drove over the bridge of the Duck River. Wally said it was about 3 times as wide as it normally would be and the water was way, way high. We could cross it since it hadn't come up over the bridge and I took a couple pictures. A few more roads later and getting low on beer, we headed back home to see if we had power.

The power was back on so we got going on our chores. Wally cleaned off both porches so he could pressure-wash the next day. It looked all nice and shiny when he got done so of course the dogs climbed up and got dust right in front of the back door... lol  Well, we have to rinse it off before we stain it anyway but still.

I picked the meat off the turkey and started the carcass to boiling so I could freeze the broth and meat for soup at a later date. I also boiled the giblets down so I would have a starter for my gravy for dinner. I cut up some of the leftover turkey and warmed it up in a pan. Then I made gravy with the giblet juice and added that to the meat (I cheated and used Wondra instead of regular flour). I added some of the leftover stuffing (there wasn't much) to round it out. I don't know what that dinner was called but Wally called it warm, filling and wonderful tasting. I'll have to write it down so I remember for next time. There are so many things you can do with leftover turkey dinner but alas those suggestions will have to await another day.  I'll get around to it though, rest assured, because I love trying to come up with new ways to use leftovers!

Evening came and we were tired from all the work we did so we headed upstairs to bed. We watched the news and found that I would be unable to get to work on Monday due to the roads being closed due to flooding. I left  message for my boss and fell soundly to sleep.

No one told my body clock that I didn't have to go to work so naturally I was wide awake at 4:30 in the morning. How nice, how very, very nice. While this does allow for a full day, sometimes I just want to sleep like other people do, you know - just another hour, heck I'd be happy with just another half hour... lol  My night typically consists of about 6 hours tops. Anymore than that means I'm either sick or hungover. Neither of which happens too often these days. Visitors always impact that however...

Monday dawned beautifully with bright sunshine, a light breeze and temps from a low of about 59 to a high of about 78 degrees. It was a perfect day for being off work whether I had a choice or not. We went out and got some pork chops because we were tired of poultry and needed something new to hit the tastebuds. While we were out we fueled up the black truck and the gas cans (we always need gas on the farm from what I've learned).Wally cooked the chops on the grill along with a basket of onions, peppers and mushrooms. He also put some peas on to smoke with cedar. I know it sounds weird but they taste really good this way. He made them one time on a lark and they turned out so good, we do them this way whenever possible. I eat a lot of peas so the opportunity presents itself pretty regularly :)  When you come visit please be sure to indicate whether or not you like them, otherwise you might find them on the table 2 or 3 times a week. Don't worry, I do vary the types; black eyed, sweet green, field w/snaps, etc. So back to dinner, I heated up the squash casserole and we were set. While I was waiting for the chops to get done, I peeled and seasoned some shrimp for dinner on Tuesday.

Obviously I made it to work yesterday. It was a very tiring day for me since I had all the work from Monday and Tuesday's yet to come. I didn't actually finish until today so that's why I have more time to write my post. Today I had to take the interstate again - yuck, yuck, yuck is all I can say. The traffic moves fast enough but the view just isn't the same as my little two lane Hwy. 100 with the deer, the turkeys and the flowers and trees. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it'll be open by next week. You do the same, okay?

Tonight we're supposed to go to Pee Wee's Bar. We'll see if we make it because Wally's been shoveling gravel since yesterday trying to get the driveway back in drivable shape as indeed all that rain washed out a big portion of it. Sunday he parked my car at the top of the driveway just in case I would be able to go to work. As that didn't happen, at least it was ready for Tuesday and I didn't have to navigate that mess. I know I say this often, but if you've been here, you can just imagine!

He really did a good job because I came up the hill like it was nothing this morning.

When I woke up one of the dogs was barking his head off. I looked out the back door but didn't see anything (duh, wild animals are pretty good at not being seen lol) so I went about my morning routine. After my shower I heard him out there still barking like crazy. I got ready for work, packed my lunch, all the while he was barking. I kept looking out but still saw nothing. I walked out the back door to get in my car when what to my wandering eyes did appear but both Smokey and Rebel all the way up here!! They came up of their own accord. Rebel was muching away on all that crunchy, sweet, spring grass and took just a second to look at me. Smokey was laying down facing the bottom of the hill and of course wouldn't even acknowledge my existance. He'll learn to love me - I'm learning how to make sugar cubes to bribe him into it. LOL  I thought it was the way to a man's heart but apparently horses fall into the same category.

Imagine if you will seeing a big black horse laying down in a lush, green yard and a red horse standing not 10 feet away, grazing like there's no tomorrow. The half moon stage is bright enough to light my way without electrical assistance and the mountains in the foreground are surrounded by mist. I'm telling you it is close to impossible to leave my home. Come see for yourself.

Ahhhhhh that about says it all for today but I will leave you with this -


"Don't knock the weather: nine-tenths of the people couldn't start a conversation


if it didn't change once in a while."

- Kin Hubbard