Blue Skies

As we say goodbye to twenty twenty-one, I refuse to relive, what most of us would call, a year certainly not worth a nickel. (A nickel is what several useful items used to cost)......before gas started costing us around four bucks a gallon, and Jello, going for over a dollar a box!

Instead, this old lady is going to look at the future and focus on her many blessings.

• I am electronically modified, thanks to my hearing aids, but other than that, I am relatively healthy. Unlike that odd commercial, currently running, I can "still do my own hair and play with my grandkids". Meaning, I assume, that I can use a comb and get down and up, from the floor.
• I have been blessed with a plethora of wonderful friends, and many of them are healthy and active. The pandemic and old age has taken a few of them to better places, but for now, for the most part, we are still enjoying each other's company.
• Finances may be becoming more precarious, but with a little belt tightening, we can make ends meet. "Refrigerator Soup" may be on the menu, more often, but we're not going hungry.
• Grandchildren, and we have ten, are the best blessings, ever. And, their parents aren't too bad, either.
• I take a couple of prescription drugs, but so far have avoided any and all of those continually advertised drugs (with made up names) that have more side effects, than possible cures.
• I can pursue my hobbies and joys. Give me anything resembling a string, and I will crochet something sort of pretty or useful. Also, I'm researching family history, and increasing my detective skills.
• I write. I drive. I look forward to the future. 

Life in 2022, promises to be good for all of us. Happy New Year.

Precious Lord. Keep my eyes on the prize. I am blessed and I know it. You are my constant.

Ancestry on a Platter

 One of my interests, this past year, has been genealogy research. My attempts to locate ancestors, on several family trees, have led me to discover people and places, that have been surprising and fascinating. I've located births and burial places of many relatives, at least 4 generations, in the past. In my search, I have learned the difference between 1st cousins, once removed and those cousins who are not. 

My German Immigrant Grandparents, with information supplied to me by a friend and fellow genealogy buff, were actually German speaking Slovakians, from an area close to the Adriatic Sea! My American Indian great-grandmother probably wasn't Indian (my DNA shows no Native American sequences) at all, and I know that I descend from several generations of English coal miners through my maternal grandfather's family. My forbearers were all laborers and peasants. I have no Royal Bloodline, in any country, on any continent.

All of these details are of great interest to me. Much to my dismay, this ancestral enthusiasm has not sparked the same excitement, in most of my immediate family. Our children are less than excited about being the future caretakers, of four huge notebooks, recording our family folly.

Most recently, I have discovered a website of the National Archives (datalog@nara.com), that lists  citizen collections of unusual subject matter.  Among the items cataloged, is a book of Bess Truman's recipes! The recipes are hand written, obviously from Bess's personal cookbook. For years, I have served my family, "Bess Truman's Ozark Pudding", but I honestly didn't know if it actually had anything to do with the former first lady. I just thought it was tasty, easy to make and I always get compliments, especially when it's served with ice cream. 

Well, the first recipe given in this archive was the very same "Ozark Pudding", I've been serving for years. And, Bess, actually suggests that you serve it with ice cream. TA DA. Who knew genealogy could be so tasty?

Great and All Knowing Father. We thank you for being ever present and everlasting. You are our only 
Constant, through the centuries. Your steadfast love endures forever.

CATASTROPHE.......

 Let it be known that I enjoy all kinds of animals. I loved visiting the Kansas City Zoo, as a child. My favorite animals to watch were the monkeys and the bears. I've viewed animals, in the wild, from the Midwest to the Alaskan glaciers. 

We have a plethora of wild animals in our suburban back yard. Deer transverse our property in herds of up to nine. We have raccoons, groundhogs and turkeys wandering around on a regular basis. We've been the owners of several dogs, but currently, we have no resident pets. 

What we do have, much to my disgust, is a large, multi-generational residency of feral cats. I'm guessing that we have, living in the the mini woods, at the edge of our property, a herd of 30 or more cats. They are everywhere. They climb on our deck, sit on our front porch, peer in our windows and travel across our backyard, so frequently, that they have created a visible "cat path", from North to South (and vice versa) across our back yard. (Did I mention that I am seriously allergic to cats?)

Remember that Dr. Seuss book, The 500 of Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins?  (Just change that H to a C!) Well, I think that is happening to the Kincaids! I used to tap on the window, when I saw one on the path, and it would scamper away. Now, they don't even turn around. This morning, while typing this post, I've seen 3 black ones and two grey ones. 

They are not going anywhere, because we have a neighbor, two doors down, who feeds all the wild animals. As long as she keeps putting out food, they will continue to hang around and travel back and forth, across our yard. I have contacted the city and they are only willing to come and pick them up...if I catch them and pay to have them removed. (Make that 4 black cats, this morning.)

Any suggestions for a humane solution?

Dear Lord: I keep repeating "I shall not want.", and I know that I am blessed. I just wish someone else would be blessed with these cats. 

 

There is a reason......

 We have three, themed Christmas trees decorated, in our home. The table is set with the Christmas China and the living room mantle and all other flat surfaces, in every room, (including the baths) are decorated with holiday knickknacks.  In, other words, we love the Christmas Season, around here.

What I don't love, and never have, is baking for the holidays. I'm not a great baker. Half of every cake, I've ever baked, has ended up in the trash, because no one wants to eat it. I'm the queen of dry cakes. My children, growing up, thought that all cookies had black bottoms. I am, for sure, not just a baker, but an over-baker! 

So, my least favorite activity, of the season, are those damned cookie exchanges. I don't want to waste my time baking bad cookies. My kitchen experiments make Dr. Frankenstein's monster, look good. Blessedly, I have avoided such festivities, for many years. Surely, I reasoned, cookie exchanges are out of fashion. 

But, no such luck. Someone, somewhere, has brought them back! This year, I am invited to a cookie exchange. No excuses, I have to attend. I'll do my best and bake the requested two dozen cookies. They will taste and look awful. I can't help it. My nightmares, for the past week or so, have consisted of thousands of women grabbing handfuls of cookies, off a smorgasbord of gorgeous sweets. while my lonely plate remains untouched.

I know that I am over thinking this, but my past experiences have distorted my reasoning. I can't simply put two dozen Oreos, on a fancy plate! Keep me in your thoughts and pray for those, who unfortunately, chose my contribution.

Dear Lord. Your birthday celebration is curious, for sure. We love to celebrate the season, and wise persons know that You are the reason. Merry Christmas.

  

The Daily Journal

 I would like to encourage all of my followers, friends and relatives to start journaling, in the New Year.

When I was a teenager, I had a diary. But, I often found myself too busy to write in the thing. I think it had a blue plastic cover, but now that I think about it, that might have been my autograph book. Anyway, most people, at some time in their life, attempt to write about what they are doing and how they are living. That's keeping a diary or journaling.

My current journaling experience consists of two exclusive musings. One part of my journal list things that I do for or give to other people. It's not a tally of my wonderfulness. I keep the list so that I will remember to make a deliberate effort, to give to my fellow life travelers. Giving, my mother tried to teach me, is better than receiving. However, sort of to the contrary, some folks find that a journal of their daily blessings is very meaningful. Writing words of thankfulness, is valuable and humbling.

The other part of my journal is my written account of daily events. Now, you and I know that most of my days are uneventful and pretty dull, but things do happen. I try to write every day and when I miss a day or two, I go back and fill in the particulars, as I remember them. Recording events can help all of us remember, especially as we age.

Have you forgotten when you last visited the beauty salon, or had an appointment with the eye doctor? If you journal, you probably wrote it down, on or near the date it happened. Lots of information, very valuable information, will be right (pun intended) in your journal.

So, buy a cheap spiral notebook or a fancy leather bound journal. You could even use your computer. Start writing. You'll be amazed at how it will enrich your life.

Dear Lord. You are with us every moment of our lives. We do not reflect enough on our blessings, short-comings and joys. Reflection often visualizes, for us, our need to change. Show us Your way.

"Oh, There's No Place Like Home, for the Holidays."

Just when you think you might have a handle on the seasons of your life, your spouse says "I can't believe it's Wednesday, already. It came earlier than usual this week." 

I didn't have anything to say, in response. On what planet am I living?

The same spouse says, "Are you putting up the lights, on the house this year?" Now, the last time we (I) put up lights, on the house, was about 10 years ago. Those lights were the big, fat, multi-colored kind, that we bought, in the last century. They predated twinkle lights, LED lights and solar lighting. They were only one step up from candles! I don't know where they are, anymore. Plus, I am 75 years old, a bit over 5 feet tall and I am not, voluntarily, ever getting on a ladder, again! 

So, today, I bought a red light bulb and a green light bulb. I screwed them into our two porch lights. Consider our lights, hung, Mr. Claus!

Merry Christmas!

Good Lord. I love my life. Growing older is a unique experience. Thank you, Lord, for taking me there.