Be Safe Tonight.

OK you are all grown up and know to be safe, but in my geezerhood I worry more about family and friends. So if you’re going out be careful driving, don’t drink and drive, don’t drink too much, don’t eat too much and if you’re in a public place be sure to put those little paper things on the commode if you go to the toilet. Oh and wash your hands.

So everybody have fun and party on, but be safe.

New Years.

Usually for New Years night I stay home. For me it’s to far to drive to get anyplace and I hate to be on the road during that time. I do miss when I used to live in cities and it was just a block or two to the local bar. Here where I live they have what’s called Blue Laws. One of them is anyplace that sells alcohol is closed on Sunday. So down here in the country where most people act like they don’t drink, there will probably be a rush on the liquor stores today. Nope usually on New Years night, Fmom, George, Cat and I will sit back quietly and observe another night gone by. Now since Tom is the outside cat, I’m sure he’s out checking out all the parties.

Last year my nephew stayed with us because where he lives you can’t shoot fireworks off on New Years night. So he and I went out by the pond and I watched him while he fired off all different sorts of fireworks. The fireworks he had were kind of small and that got me to think of when my brother and I were his age. My Dad would bring home a bunch of fireworks and then let us go. I was thinking kids now of days are so closely watched and supervised. Heck my older brother and I would get roman candles, walk off ten paces from each other, light them and start dueling. I know we were probably lucky not to get hurt, but I think if I had a parent right over my shoulder the whole time we were shooting fireworks, it wouldn’t have been as much fun.

I hope everyone has a fun, happy and safe New Years.

Added: OK I've switched over to the new version of Blogger. It also has what's called coComment. Has anyone tried that out, and what can those who know, tell me how the new version of blogger will help me?

Lazy

OK I’ve been lazy and haven’t posted in a long time. I blame it partly on so much family around during the holiday, but I really haven’t felt much like posting anything. You know when you get talked out. Well I guess I got written out for a while. I’m trying to get back into my routine so hopefully I will.

We had a good Christmas with about 34 people showing up out at the farm house. It was family, extended family and friends. There was so much food I can’t name it all. Each brother and sister had a present exchange at their homes and then there was another at the farm house. Fmom made out like a bandit with the gifts, as she should have. She started to get tearful and protesting saying “I shouldn’t be getting all this.” I told her not to worry that I would take it and sell it all if she wanted, but she wasn’t too agreeable on that. I did get some pictures of the inside of the house, but they’re not turning out like I want, so I’m working on it.


Hope everyone is fine, and I’ll be posting later.

Have A Good Weekend.

I hope everybody has had a good week. I want to wish Andi and Boran and all my friends that celebrate Hanukkah a wonderful holiday. Here on the home front my s-I-l has been putting up things for Xmas. We never go overboard with the decorating, just a few wreaths out front and the Xmas tree. If it weren’t for my s-I-l we probably wouldn’t put up anything. I think Fmom and I are getting over all our stuff, but damned if it doesn’t seem like every time I turn around something is happening.

The rels are leaving today, but will be back before Xmas. Besides putting up the Xmas stuff my s-I-l gave the house a real good cleaning. I can be thankful for some things.

Have a good weekend all.

Southern Delicacies.

I told Olivia I would put up some information of Southern delicacies. So to brighten your holiday cheer and give you a few ideas for holiday goodies here goes.

1. Chitlins: Wiki definition. You might ask where they come from. Well here’s the best picture I can find.

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Six pounds of chitlins.
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As one person says, if you can get past the smell the taste isn’t too bad. My father liked them, but I never could get past the smell.

2. Grits: Wiki definition. I can remember eating these from my earliest memories. Grits just seem to go with everything. From breakfast to supper. Just about anything can be mixed with them, but I'm more of a basic type person and prefer butter, salt and pepper.

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3. Pimento Cheese Sandwiches: Wiki definition. These are a staple. We don’t make it in this house, but we buy it at the grocery store. There are a bunch of different brands, but we buy one called Mrs. Strattons. Of course no pimento cheese I ever tasted compares with my Grandmothers. Although pimento cheese has mayo in it, we always add additional mayo onto the bread. Yum.

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4. Cornbread: Wiki definition. Cornbread was another staple we were never without. There was nohing better than hot cornbread with plenty of butter on it.

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5. Fried Okra - Couldn't find a Wiki definition of it, but it just breaded okra that's cut into about one inch pieces and deep fried. They're served as a side dish and eaten like popcorn sometimes. I like to dip them in ketchup.

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6. Deviled Eggs: Wiki definition. At any party or gathering there are always deviled eggs.

When you get a little time and would like to experience the taste of the South. Just go right ahead. When you get through consuming such great food, you just might start saying ya'll.

Wuss!

I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m a total wuss, a chicken, someone who can’t do something even when it’s in their best interest. What I’m talking about is giving myself the new medicine the Orthopedic Doctor prescribed for me. It’s to build up bone density. Now if it was a pill, I could do that. I take a hand full everyday for my health, but this is a combo pen. I have to put a needle on it and then jab it in my leg. I’ve had the medicine for over a week now and haven’t been able to do it yet.

Oh I know I will, but just the thought gets to me. Before my heart surgery I could take imetrex self injectors for migraines. When you have a migraine, you don’t really care what it takes to stop it. But with this I’m not in pain and every time I get ready to do it, I freeze. Do I jab it, do I insert it slowly (that just gave me a shiver), or do I tape it to a door and back into it. If I could teach George how to give it to me, I would, but alas I can’t.

So today I’ll give it another try. But there’s tomorrow and the next day. I’m such a wuss!

Added: OK I did it. It took me 10 minutes to finally do it, but I did it. Actually I didn't think George could hold the combo pen and inject it with his little paws, but he's an exceptional dog. He's now saying there will be three dog treats in the morning instead of one. I asked him if my health is more important than dog treats. You know the answer to that. :)

Christmas Traditions

I was going to wait for awhile to post this, but I figured now is as good a time as any.

When I was a kid, we would always come home to my Grandparent’s house for Christmas. My Grandparent’s house had been built in the 1850’s, and we were the newest generation coming together to celebrate our family and the holiday. All of my Aunts and Uncles and Cousins would converge to this one place so that three generations could spend the holiday together. We would usually be the last to arrive either on Christmas Eve or the day before. Back then I can remember my Grandmother, Mother and Aunts staying in the kitchen cooking and catching up. My Grandfather would always wait until all of us were there and then we would go out into the woods and pick the perfect Christmas Tree. The tree was always put in the parlor, in a corner with two windows. It would sit there all day without an ornament or tinsel until just the right moment. After one of my Grandmothers big wonderful suppers and when the kitchen was clean, my Grandmother would pull out all of the cherished decorations. Some ornaments were made in the late 1800’s and had been my great Grandparents. Once my Grandmother had all the boxes she had packed so carefully the year before opened, we children were allowed to start decorating the tree. The grown ups would sit and watch and direct our decorating. As a child this was the most magical part of Christmas for me. The smell of the tree, the familiar decorations, the tinsel and lights. The tree was never finished until Grandma gave her approval. Grandma always approved our childish endeavors to decorate and I can remember the tree always looked different in the morning. I always thought Santa came behind us to make it look better.

Well being a child we had to go to bed right after the tree was decorated. Being told Santa wouldn’t come to the house unless we were asleep was enough for us, but once my cousins and I bundled into the big bed all we could do is talk and wonder if we would get what we wish for. Grandma would come in a couple of times and do the Santa/sleep thing, but she would finally hit us with Mr. Wilson. He’s sort of the resident ghost of the house. I think I wrote about him some time back. Anyway that was enough for us. As I grew up and joined the ranks, I found out the adults would stay up late in the night wrapping presents and putting together toys.

Next morning guess who was up first? Yep we kids would be dragging all the grown up out of bed. The door to the parlor was closed and we knew we couldn’t go in until everybody was up. Once everyone was up my oldest Aunt would always be the first to go in with all of us behind her. She was the presenter of the family. The adults would sit in chairs and the couches and we child would be on the floor around the tree. My Aunt would pick up one present at a time and call out whose it was. The anticipation sometimes was maddening, but it was so wonderful when your name was called. When it was something like a bicycle it was always saved until last and up until that time you thought Santa had forgotten about it. When just at the last it would be rolled in. When all the presents were opened my Grandmother, Mother and Aunts would start a big breakfast for all. We kids had no interest in eating at all, but the adults would get us away from whichever toy we were playing with and to the table. My Grandmother was such a wonderful cook that I think back and look at all the great meals I just wolfed down, but at that time it was THE TOYS!!!!

Every family creates their own traditions and every grown up remember those wonderful times of being young and the wonder and surprise. We still celebrate holidays at the old farmhouse, although no one lives there anymore. My Grandparents traditions run firmly in us and now my sister is the presenter of the family. We are now the adults staying up late into the night and the next morning sitting in the chairs and couches. I watch the newest generation and see the wonder and surprise in their young faces, and I remember.

This old house has seen my family through many good and bad times. I wished I knew more about the day to day lives of my ancestors, but I don’t. I do know that since the beginning, that one room, the parlor has celebrated Christmas and family for about 153 years. I hope that the future generations of our family will come there to celebrate and enjoy each other. It makes me feel good to know that past, present and future generations have and will enjoy Christmas in that house.

Just an added note. Since our last wedding reception there, a lot of repairs were made. This is an old picture and I can see the gutters on the porch need fixing. All of that was done and the house is back to it's old self. BTW on the ground floor, far left in the window with the lamp is where the tree always goes.

Sleeping Away

I didn’t think it possible, but I think I’ve slept for a week. This is definitely not in keep with the new exercise regimen. The only thing I can say is, thank goodness the relatives are here. At least there was someone here to take care of Fmom and George.

Hope everyone has been doing well and no we still have now snow.