THANKSGIVING (the real one)

Many thanks to Paul and Sophie for having all us for the big day.  As always they are perfect host  and make everybody feel welcome.  Beautiful house and so many projects they have successfully completed.  More fun to come in due time.  We  had a big crowd with Tennessee people as a surprise.  The more the merrier!!  Such a lot of good food too.

I have a little problem this morning.  I will get help soon.  My heat ran all night and would not cut off, even with the thermostat set at 60.  I really got hot and opened the door to the balcony and tried to sleep on the small sofa.  Not real good.  As Truman would say when we had problems--"I didn't promise a rose garden."  But he did make me one.

Betty Boop

STRANGE THANKSGIVING

That dinner I had yesterday was not the real thing, Even though it was turkey and dressing and all the trimmings.  The real thing is today a day after Thanksgiving. Day.  With a bunch of family and at Paul and Sophie's house.  Now that is more like it.  I enjoyed having lunch with friends here yesterday. so it was a win - win. 

The day has dawned and is beautiful but cold.  My St. Catherine's pecan pie is going in the over to warm and since I did make the cornbread for the dressing, I guess I will have to be satisfied with my contribution.  Nothing like it used to be, but time does march on and things change.  In this case for the better.  I am so proud of my granddaughters .  They just took over like pros.  Well they were smart enough to observe.  Sophie, M. G. and Cary are the pros now.  I am sure If Whitney and Lindsay were close, they would shine too.  Gosh!! talk about giving thanks, I do--big time.  Well off to get ready for another big feast.  I hope I will take only small portions---of everything.

Betty Boop

THIS THAT AND THE OTHER

Started off slow. On purpose. The Activity room is being painted and no exercise this week.  Really gives me a lot of time.  Not a good thing.  I realize I am better off to have someplace I am supposed to go to on a certain time.  Well what are you going to do?  Well I changed my sheets after breakfast in my apartment.  Shampooed  my hair and Amy came a brought me a great box of decorations to borrow. I have the table at the entrance to my hall to decorate.  I will wait till after Thanksgiving to decorate.  I am ready to start.  Went down to check my mail and ran into friends who were looking for a 4th at lunch.  I had not planned to eat in the dinning room but what a nice surprise.  Because they were having fried shrimp and oysters.  Oysters I can not resist, even though they were fried.  I really enjoyed them and have been burping all afternoon,  OOps you did not need to know that.  But they were worth it. 

I asked Michael Buble  to start the season.  I love his CD's  With the Christmas Season coming--along comes those talked about memories.  I am trying to get a handle on them and not let them get me down.  I was remembering our first Christmas.  Since we had Thanksgiving with Mama and Papa Ellis, my Mother  ( a little jealous )  claimed us for Christmas,  I remember Truman putting together this filling station for Jack.  It was a real job.  But he did it.  After Jack went to bed.  That is about all I remember about that Christmas.  Funny.  You would think I could remember more. 

Betty Boop

BUSY BUT GOOD DAY

My wake up time is still off. since the time change.  I wake a little after 5:30 every morning.  I just got up at a quarter till six and slowly started the day.  Took my time with breakfast and had plenty of time to head out for Kroger before 9.  Nice on the road and in the store early.  I had not been to the grocery store in over a week and so I had more than a few things to buy.  Took my little buggy cart two trips to haul it all in.  One person even living here at St.. Catherine's can use a lot of "sundries."  It was not all food by any means. Amy called and said I made better cornbread than she did and would I please make the cornbread for her to make dressing for Thanksgiving.  Well I will do most anything for my girls that I can -----so-- between lunch and nap and choir practice I made 5 little cornbread pones.  Hope it is enough.  She will add white bread crumbs to it and I am sure with all the other good stuff, it will be plenty.  It felt good to be needed and to be able still to deliver!!!  Now I am getting ready to go to dinner with three of my  friends.  We always get together on Monday and eat together in the dinning room.  Other times, I prefer the Cyber and my own cooking.  Some may think that is crazy to cook but I still like it sometimes.  I hear they are having meatloaf tonight.  My favorite.  Well one of my favorites. 

The last DANCING WITH THE STARS is on tonight.  Can't wait to see who will win.

Betty Boop

DELIGHTFUL DAY

Breakfast at home and then shampoo.  Jan came and special visitor Cary and Mr, Brody for lunch/.  He enjoyed eating on the terrace.  He has such a sweet personality and is doing so many new things.  We walked down toward the Lake after lunch.  He found a pile of rocks too heavy for him to pick up.  He talked about that a while.  Then he had fun running on the croquet court.  He even lay down on the artificial turf.  Laughed a lot and cried when he was taken out the door to go home.  How sweet.  He spent the night with Jan and Tommy.  I remember those days of grand children spending the night.  I really loved that.  So does Jan.  How blessed to live close.

Heavy rain is predicted for tonight and tomorrow.  Think it will happen?  We will see.  I am reading Christmas books that they just put out during the season.  I have read a lot of them since I have lived here.  They pack them up after Christmas so you have to read fast.  I ate a turkey burger for lunch.  Very filling, so I may have soup and fruit for supper.  Thought you needed to  know that.  Ha!!I also unpacked one box of Christmas decorations.  Just getting ready for later this week when I will start to decorate.  My it stirs  up memories of Christmas's past.  Sweet memories.  I have told you how important they are--so make some and store them up.  You may need them some day--just like me.  But I am open to new ones too.


Betty Boop

NOT A DULL DAY

Be careful what you ask for.  My day was not dull .  Started off good with a lovely coffee for ladies.  Then we heard the speaker got sick over night.  I really wanted to hear story teller Diane Williams.  But could not be helped.  Coffee, juice, muffins, strawberries and pineapple was very good.  I had to help my committee, MAKE GOOD THINGS BETTER, finish up the Christmas decorating.  All was going well when I was told to go with two men to decorate Marion Hall entrance.  Let us go in my golf cart, said one.  O. K. sounds like fun.  He was a speedy driver and away we went.  He decided to take a short cut and go through a small ditch.  Bad idea, since we did not know it rain water logged!!!!  Yes we got stuck right in the middle.  We had to climb out into slush.  I sank up over the bottom of my jeans.  I got stuck and they pulled me out.  I was glad I had on old shoes because they are gone.  We trudged up the hill to do the lights while two trucks came to pull the cart loose.  We found the electricity would not come on.  Called maintenance for help.  Meanwhile a portion of the ceiling in the Cyber fell through due to a leak in a hot water pipe.  Only one person was in the Cyber so that was good.  Now the Cyber is closed for repairs.  All maintenance people were busy.  We waited 15 minutes and no help.  I told them my feet were cold and wet and I needed to go home.  They said--GO--and I did.  It was still early  and I just did not  go back. There was still work to do on the Courtyard but I just did not want to go back.  I washed my feet and changed my jeans and socks.  Shoes are a  loss but they are old anyway.  Not a dull day?  I just ate  Bourbon pecan pudding----thought I deserved it.  Hope the sugar wont go up.  That would be anything but dull too.

Better Tomorrow
Betty Boop 

DULL ME

For some reason, nothing I have been doing is very exciting.  Oh yes, Linda and Joe were here and she and I did have a good visit while Joe went to a wood turning event.  That was good.  I can't keep up with everything, so Linda and Amy did some things together.  I got in on the lunches and that was fun.  We really had a lot of rain on Sunday and I hated to see Linda and Joe head home in it, but they called when the got home and tired but safe.  Sun is shining but it is very cold.  I think I will stay inside and look for something to do.  I know what I need to do but keep putting it off.  I need to interview a new couple for the VILLAGER and it is something I don't really like to do.  I never feel like I do then justice.  I had breakfast in the Cyber and none of my breakfast buddies came, so I ate alone.  I should be used to "alone" but I am not.  I like my space, always did, but somehow it is different now.  Lord, I miss my man.

Betty Boop

STAY HOME DAY

Sometime a day at home is just what you need.  Want to hear about mine?  First I had a great breakfast with my Breakfast Friends.  Coffee, scrambled eggs, ham and biscuit.  Was so good and lively talk.  One man ate cookies for breakfast.  He said he could now eat what he wanted to.  O. K.  with me.  It was linen day so I changed sheets.  I love clean sheets.  Shampooed my hair, did a load of wash for myself.  Cooked my lunch of purple hull peas, cornbread, beets, a funny concoction of whole wheat pasta and cheese and a fish stick.  Very good.  I now will have a nap and then go pick up mail and then do a little ordering of diabetic supplies and so you see, it goes on and on and really nothing you want to hear.     The weather is so strange.  Warm today but they say we will get a little rain as a cold front moves in.  The weather guys get so excited about cold weather here, that they have been known to scare it off. 

We are having a big Egg Bowl celebration here and they are looking for cheer leaders for both sides.  Ole Miss and MSU.  Think I should volunteer?  No not me, I am staying away from the whole celebration.  Also time for another big Closet Sale on Friday.  They seem to come around often.  Think I will go to that.  I do need some more stuff!!!!Well off for a nap.  Thanks for reading.

Betty Boop

POEM FOR VILLAGER

ROLLY-POLLY

 

Dot Ellis  2014

 

As I was strolling down the street,

With nothing on my mind.

A strange sight I did see.

I'm sure it was "one of a kind."

 

A block away-it looked like a ball.

Red and plump--not very tall.

Merrily it rolled toward me.

Oh! what a sight to see.

 

The closer it came, I could see,

It was headed straight for me.

A fat little man in a red suit.

He gave me a wink and a snappy salute.

 

He said, "You are on my MAYBE LIST."

Sometime you are almost bad!! "he hissed.

Then with a mischievous grin, as he rolled away.

Saying, "Don't worry dear, it will be O. K."

 

Just for fun

Betty Boop

WHAT NEXT?

When something as big as the wedding happens, and it is  done, you wish  you could do it all over again.  Well really you do in your mind and believe me I have been over it more than once.  Of course My part was mostly to observe and encourage, but even that was a big job.  As I sat on the porch of The Cedars, I observed everything from music, to eating good food, the beautiful tables, banners, laughter, the day turn to night and the lights showing up, to  cutting cake, drinking toast, sparklers, and most of all, throwing the brides flowers.  And you know my best thought?  "Half of these people are my descendants !!!  It was so good to have all but Brody (too small)  However he would have loved the music and I can see him with his cousins dancing.  Now down to earth and everyday living, which can be a good thing too.

I have written a story for the December  VILLAGER.  It is about  the little bear ornament with one arm missing.  Now I must come up with a poem.  This idea of a little short fat round man in a red suit comes to mind.  As he rolls down the street before me I must think of some lines to go with him.  Do I make it funny, sweet or profound?  We will see.  Maybe some of all??

Betty Boop

NO, NOT OVER ALREADY?

With three daughters weddings and I lost count of grandchildren too. I always get the feeling that the weddings are so beautiful that you wish you could just run them through again.  How about you ?.  Yet we have these beautiful and sweet memories to keep.  I imagine you are tired of me saying "make memories"  because they are a treasure to have.  M. G. and Ryan's wedding was so beautiful and unusual just like the both of them and I will always treasure the memory of it.  But you know something that is so important is this--everyone had a part in preparing for it and  that made it "special."  So I also say as the poet said so much better than I could "Come grow old along with me, the best is yet to be."  Who said that?  Browning?  I think so.  Whoever, it is true.

Betty Boop