Christmas Just Around the Corner

It was one of those mornings where you just know it's going to be a good day. The morning news reported that it was 27 degrees outside and that we would warm up to 50 or so by the time the afternoon rolled around. We were still snuggled in and not really ready to leave the warmth of the blankets behind. As most people do, we discussed what plans the day held for us and with that talk, we began to feel restless and before long we were dressed and downstairs preparing to head over to the meat market.

I went outside and started the truck so it could warm up while we got ready. Yes, it's that time of year for us here in middle TN. Each morning, the woods are coated with white frost and the ground sparkles as the suns shines down on it, gently melting the frost away as we watch. We park with our windshields aiming towards the rising sun so the frost there will melt too. This winter weather takes forethought, or at the very least, much extra time in the morning if you plan to leave the farm.

You don't even consider going outside without a coat, scarf and gloves unless you're just plain used it, which I'm not. Even if your only thought is getting the truck warmed up, you'll want to dress for the occasion. When you see your breath, you know it's coat weather! The dogs don't seem to mind the cold indeed they seem to enjoy it. They jump up and down at the sight of us and wag their tails to no end until we go give them a good morning pat on the head or scratch down the back. They don't know it yet, but we're on our way to get them more bones!

All bundled up, truck warmed up, heater on and ready to go, we leave the farm just a few minutes before 7:00am. The meat market opens at 7:00 and if you're late, you may not get a sausage biscuit - you don't want to miss out on those! Just ask Dizzy Debbie if you don't believe me! lol The trip is about 15 miles from the house, which isn't bad at all when you consider the haul you're fixing to bring home. The roads are empty, maybe one or two cars pass us - if that. Around here, one or two cars means someone left the gate open... lol!

There is a hunter on the side of the road, orange vest on and rifle over his shoulder. Whether he got a deer or not, we can't tell. We don't see one near him if he did, but perhaps he's just getting started on his hunt. The church parking lot is empty at this hour but later on we know it will be packed. As we drive by, we see smoke rising from the chimneys of the houses where a nice fire is keeping the residents warm within. I close my eyes and imagine I smell bacon frying...mmmm what a nice morning it is.

We turn on the dirt road that leads to the market and we see a horse standing out in the cold. He's as close to the shed as he can get but won't go inside even though there's room for him. I guess he doesn't like the tractor and boat that he has to share space with. Maybe he just wants to feel the sun on his back as it begins to win over the coldness of the morning.

There are mowed hay fields, split rail fences that keep the cows in their pastures, there are tractors and wagons and old farm trucks all parked and waiting for the work ahead that the daylight hours surely will bring. It seems like we're the only two people on earth at a time like this. It's not a disturbing thought lol!

The meat market doesn't disappoint us. We each have a sausage biscuit and move on down the line ordering the beef, pork, rabbit (well, not for me but others buy it), etc. as we go. For me it was hamburger meat, a nice beef roast, a package of stew meat and a small package of souse. Souse? Have you ever had it? It's kind of like sausage but not exactly. I don't know how else to describe it but it's good. Fresh off the farm is better than any souse I've ever tasted. My mom has had it and she likes it too so I'm not the only one who eats strange foods :) I bet Rebecca would love it. We slice it thin and put it on crackers or toast. You can heat it up or eat it cold - either way, it's good!

Because we bought so much stuff, the meat man threw in a free jar of molasses! It's way too sweet for the diabetic in our house, but I can enjoy it on pancakes, in bran muffins, or mixed with a little bit of butter on my biscuit. Oh the delights we get from the trip to the meat market! Once you've been, you have to go back! The dogs made out like little bandits as the meat man hooked us up with about 30 lbs of bones to go along with our purchases - pretty cool, huh? :) :) :) :) happy happy happy!

Back home on the farm, our purchases boxed up and a bag of bones in the back, we get everything unloaded, feed the horses and give the dogs their bones! They were so excited they were finding it difficult to sit still. They did sit still however, otherwise, they wouldn't get the bones. They're learning! Good boys!

Inside the cabin is warm as I begin to fix breakfast. We're not all that hungry after eating the sausage biscuits at the meat market so breakfast is light. We're having thinly sliced baked ham with mayonnaise biscuits - maybe just a drizzle of honey?? mmm oh yeah, on a hot biscuit - Any Day!!

Wally goes down to the barn to work on his truck while I get started on my chicken broth. I still make it every week and I still consume about a cup or so a day. I don't know if it's working or not but my joints don't seem to be having near the trouble they used to. Not only that but it's warm, warm, warm and that's a good thing on a cold, cold, morning haha! Brew yourself a pot and see if you don't start to look forward to it every day :) If nothing else, you'll think about me! lol

I had much to do in the kitchen as we were invited to Pee Wee's for a brunch of sorts. It actually turned into a late lunch but that's just the way things go sometimes. I brought some of our ham, green bean casserole, dressing and cranberry sauce. I had already cooked some turnips for Darryl so everything was set out by the time we arrived. On Sunday Pee Wee's doesn't open until 1:00pm so by the time we got there at almost 2:00, the place was packed. The word packed has a whole different meaning at Pee Wee's Place. If there are 10-15 people, it's packed lol!

We had a good time. The food was good, the people were having fun and everyone seemed to be feeling the holiday spirit. With our bellies full and the bad news about the Packers losing their first game of the year, we headed on down the back roads to home. Football isn't as big here as NASCAR is but when the racing season is through, everyone seems to like football - you gotta have something! What else is there to watch on Sunday? During racing season our Sunday's revolve around what time the race comes on. We want to be in front of the tv for every mile of it :)

This is one of my last three days of working this year. It's Tuesday and I'm off tomorrow. I'm working Thursday and a half day on Friday then I won't be back with you until January 3rd. WOW!!! I'm really looking forward to the time off and while no snow is predicted for Christmas, it will at least be frosty. I'm quite content with frosty!

I tried a new recipe folks and it's one we'll enjoy for many years to come providing the budget allows for it. My girlfriend Kris, the one who signed me up for FB (we'll go there later) told me about her mom making a prime rib dinner for Christmas every year. It's their family tradition and I thought it sounded wonderful so I asked how she went about it. Talk about easy! Yes, this hunk of meat is costly but if you add up what it would cost to eat prime rib in a restaurant, you'll see that you are actually saving money. As Daiana would say, "you have to consider the savings!" LOL

I went to Pulix and purchased a 5 pound prime rib roast. Since it is a roast, it does cook in the oven and it cooks at a low temperature for a long time. We seasoned ours with salt and pepper as instructed by Kris' mom and then into the oven it went. No cover - it's not necessary.

When that hunk of meat came out of the oven all I could say was WOO HOO!!!! It smelled wonderful, it looked picture perfect (although I actually forgot to photograph it) and the taste was out of this world! It was so tender a butter knife cut through it. mmm mmm GOOD!

Now you may have noticed that I started this section by telling you it was a Christmas tradition for Kris and her mom and that we would make it our tradition too. Well, I bought the prime rib for Wally and I for Christmas but it didn't make it that far. I bought it on Thursday and we ate it on Friday. hahahahahahahaha That's just how we are. It looked too good to wrap it up and freeze it and besides, we needed to do a trial run so we could make sure we were doing it right LOL hahahahahaha Seriously, it was difficult to pass up :)

The next day, I was back at Publix getting another one that DID make it into the freezer and WILL come out for our newly defined Christmas tradition :) Don't tell Rebecca and Jarrett or we'll never get another bite of one of those roasts!! lol

Our compliments to Publix! They were the least expensive of the other grocery stores and that doesn't happen too often. Food Lion's cost was $2.00 more per pound so we left that one there. Gotta love Publix!

As this will be my final posting for the year, it only seems fitting to tell you another little story about our Christmases at home growing up...I believe I was in my early teens and I was big time into Rock-n-Roll music. I loved Peter Frampton, Fleetwood Mac, Jimmy Buffet, Steve Miller Band, Rod Stewart and, of course, Elton John. I loved all those good old bands and many more...

For Christmas I asked for the "Fampton Comes Alive album,"who didn't? I asked for the Rod Stewart album, "A Night on the Town" and Steve Miller's "Fly Like an Eagle." I couldn't have been more excited than to see every single one of them under the tree that Christmas morning!!! Not only that but I got the Fleetwood Mac album too!! My parents had somehow managed to afford all those things when I knew good and well that money was very tight.

That wasn't the end of my presents either...I got some of those fluffy, tall, weed-like things that were so popular back then. You stuck them in a vase or jar or bottle and they were died all sorts of colors from purple to red to blue and green. They stood about 4-5 feet tall and kind of resembled a feather. Do you remember what I'm talking about?

Oh it was the best Christmas ever for a teen aged girl. I could decorate my room and listen to my favorite music for hours on end. I did too - I replayed those albums over and over, never getting enough of "Do You Feel Like I Do?" or "Fly Like an Eagle."

Of course it wasn't just my room. At this point, Neccy and I shared a room as did Dougy and Davey. Being so close to the same age, Neccy and I liked the same things when it came to music and room decor. We hadn't quite caught the cleaning bug so our room wasn't always the tidiest it could be but when we got stuff for Christmas to decorate it, man we got the cleaning wheels rolling and had it looking ship shape in no time!!!

My mom probably wishes she had bought us room decorations years before LOL!!!

Forever fondly in our hearts remain my grandma, Gene Graffuis, our dear and loving friend, William Pattishall and our big man with a big heart, Sam Tanner. Aunt Karen's brother Ronnie, and my sweet and ornery friend Lori Jo McKean and above all, my Dad. May they all rest in peace.

In the hopes that all your Christmas wishes come true, from our country cabin to you and your families, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!! and thanks for still reading my ramblings :) Love to everyone!

"Christmas is forever, not for just one day,
for loving, sharing, giving, are not to put away
like bells and lights and tinsel, in some box upon a shelf.
The good you do for others is good you do yourself..."
~Norman Wesley Brooks, "Let Every Day Be Christmas," 1976