Oh, Christmas Tree.....

 We went out and bought a live tree on

BLACK FRIDAY!

Yes, we actually went to a store.

And it was PERFECT!

Rod and I put lights on it and then garland.

No ornaments.

It looked funny.

So on Saturday Kyle and I headed to Michael's

and bought a container of 50 unbreakable balls

for $12.00 (great sale!).

The majority of our ornaments are old.

And breakable.

And we didn't want to deal with it.

So we bought these new ones.

And I think it looks lovely.

I'll probably go back to a mix of old and new

next year, but this year I just felt like

doing something different!

She's a beaut.

And there is just something about a live tree.

We have to put her on cinder blocks and then

wrap it all in a Christmas themed blanket.

Beau likes to drink the water.

And then he stands under the lowest branches

because he likes the way they brush his back.

(Which is why we keep breaking ornaments...)

So, this year he has left it all alone.

Of course, there are no gifts under there yet.

He has been known to chew the bows off here and there.

Silly dog.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Have you started listening to Christmas music yet???

Back to Real Life

 The guys went back to work today.

And I went back to regular life.

Although I spent a good amount of the day

re-figuring ministering assignments.

There are 75 sisters identified as unassigned.

The ward is having a brunch on 12/10

and a special Christmas service on 12/25

and we want to invite ALL members to attend.

So we are trying to assign 2 (or 3) inactive / lost

members to each family to reach out to 

and invite them to join us.

But that means I have to figure out who lives

closest to these folks and which families

can reach out to them.

Meanwhile the EQ already assigned families

to the unassigned MEN (and a couple of the women).

I have several unmarried sisters, whether single,

divorced or widowed, but they don't have a

husband who would have been assigned by the EQ.

But MANY of them are elderly and driving around

to find a new family might not be something they

will be willing to do.

So... I'm trying to assign some sisters folks to visit

and other sisters folks to send a physical invitation

to through the mail. (I'm providing postage...)

Anyhow.

It's a HUGE project.

And they need to get the assignments out

to people no later than this Sunday.

And I'll be in Tampa.

So I have to have my part finished and

all organized before then.

We sort of started on this when we set up the

hurricane / emergency action plan zones.

But still!

So that's what I spent lots of the day doing.

And we have our first funeral.

So I've been coordinating with my compassionate

service counsellor to figure out a meal for after

the memorial. (I think we are just going to cater.)

We have a good bit of budget left, and there are

only 6 family members.

And it's Friday - which is coming up fast.

AND I will be out of town.

So.....

Anyhow.

That's what my day looked like.

I just finished teaching.

And I did a little online Christmas shopping.

Not much.

(And one of the things was for ME! hahahahaha.)

Anyhow.

Sunday afternoon Kyle and I went down to the beach

to watch a launch.

LOOK at the dunes!!!

We lost SO MUCH SAND to the hurricane!

That's the biggest dune cliff we've seen.

(It's probably 4 feet in most places!)

The beach is FLAT FLAT FLAT - and we saw people walking

all the way out to the last set of waves and were

still below their knees in water!

The launch was pretty though!

Lots of people came out to watch.

It was a bit chilly though.

We stayed for an hour and then

headed home.

Black Friday

 It's not REALLY Black Friday.

Because we don't do any shopping.

Although I think we are going to Tractor Supply

to return my birthday present.

Rod got me a yummy, warm barn coat 

WITH A HOOD!!!!!

Unfortunately, I'm bigger than I used to be.

So it was a little too small.

He also got me these great overalls!

They fit great, but are meant to be worn

OVER your jeans, and then they would

be a bit snug... so again we are going

with a larger size.

(See above...)

(hahaha)

So. Since it's Black Friday and everything is

on a great sale, he is getting them at an

even lower price!

Win / Win!

(And since it's 80 degrees outside today,

I'm not in a giant hurry to wear them...

I tried them on yesterday morning and

very nearly melted. They are going to be 

PERFECT in Kansas!)

(Where it is 27!!!! today...)

We had a really nice Thanksgiving yesterday.

We ate some yummy dinner and then 

sat and re-watched The Santa Clause and laughed

and pointed out things we hadn't seen before

and just had a good time with it.

Then we watched the first 3 episodes of the

new The Santa Clauses (tv shows on Disney Plus).

They were kind of cute, with the original cast.

But very 2022 (as opposed to 1994!)

And then we were all exhausted and headed off to bed.

This morning I had to teach a zoom to ONE STUDENT!

So I pretended there were others.

Good job Zelda! You got the right answer!

Excellent question Steve - yes, that would work here...

Hahahahahaha.

If you gotta be here, you gotta make it fun.

Now that I'm done, we are going to have a 

Rhodes Roll turkey sandwich (or 3) and then

head over to Tractor Supply to make the exchange.

And then?

Who knows.

Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving.

Looks like Rozann and Greg are enjoying New York!

(Although the weather isn't what is was yesterday...

at least they didn't get rained on at the parade!)

HAPPY BLACK FRIDAY!

GO EAT SOME LEFTOVERS!

Thanksgiving Eve

 Goodness Gracious!

What a week this has been!

Started it out at the 4-day class in Tampa where 

we were having a cold front and I nearly

froze to DEATH!

Both outside AND inside the classroom!

I even went to WalMart and picked up a 

new sweater!

Cute, eh?

I'm s sucker for polka dots.

(And stripes.)

It was a good class.

And then I got up EARLY Tuesday morning

(4:30) and was on the road by 5.

Filled the gas tank right there across the

street from my hotel and then headed east.

It rained most of the drive back, but not a

hard rain, just enough to keep the wipers on.

Got back into town at 8:30.

Just enough time to stop by the house and unload

Rod's truck and then head over to the church

to meet the Bishop Storehouse truck.

They had 59 orders and some of them didn't make

it onto the truck. So after helping those who did get

their food and organizing what to do for the next day

I finally got out of there about 10:45. (The truck was

supposed to be there at 9:30 but got held up at the

Cocoa ward building so didn't get there until 10.)

Stopped at UPS on the way home to ship something

back to home office and then off to the house

to stick a turkey in the freezer and then do all my

paperwork for the class. And THEN headed to 

the office about 12:30 (after their lunch break.)

Since I was LATE I stayed until 5 and then

headed home.  Kyle went with Jim on a couple

house inspections (took the day off from FIT)

and so I got to visit with them for a minute.

Once I got home from work we fed the animals

and then headed over to Walmart to do the last

of the Thanksgiving shopping.

The shelves were looking a little bare!

There wasn't any milk, or cream, I got

one of the last tubs of sour cream...

looks like the dairy truck didn't make it.

So we went to the real grocery store next door

and picked up canned sweet potatoes and 

marshmallows. 

Then it was time for dinner and bed!

This morning I got up and headed back to the church

to pick up the rest of the missing turkeys.

Stopped by the house to drop them off

and then again to the town.

Once I got there, the Empty Nester group was

having their Friendsgiving meal at the church

at noon and the sister in charge texted and said

she couldn't get into the church.

Turns out she has a key (has had one for 2 years)

but never learned how to use it!

(You have to turn the key and then push a button...)

My counselor lives 2 blocks away so she went

over to let her in and showed her how the key works.

Meanwhile the sister's non-member husband, who Rod

has befriended was texting Rod that they couldn't get

into the church, so Rod was also texting me.

And then Wendy was texting me that NOBODY CAME.

But meanwhile our newest little elderly convert

was calling, concerned that she had her food

ready but just found out they were supposed to bring

a white-elephant gift, so I had to calm her down.

Told Wendy that I knew of at least 4 sisters who were

planning to attend.

Meanwhile Stewart was texting Rod that there was

nobody there and they were leaving and going home.

So Rod was texting me.

Meanwhile, I'm at work trying to help citizens

who are trying to get permits issued before the holiday.

AAAAAAAAARRRRRGGGGG.

LOL.

So I left the town around 3:30.

And then I texted Wendy to see how it went.

And, sure enough, they had 14 show and had a lovely time.

(Until the end when little Barbara fell on the way out

and cut her head and they had to call an ambulance.)

I'll call and check on her tomorrow morning.

Home.

Made 4 tubs of dog food.

Read my book for a bit.

Came into the zoom room to start my evening class.

Glanced over at my zoom calendar.

I'm scheduled to teach MORNINGS this week.

OOPS!

So I visited with the night instructor for 20

minutes while we waited for students to show up.

And now I'm all caught up.

And I'm going to stick a pizza in the oven

and then I just might call it an early night.

Because tomorrow I will be OLD!!!!!!!!!

Tampa (again)

 I'm Baaaaaaaaaack.

This time I'm doing the 4-day in a row class.

Friday, Saturday, Sunday & Monday.

I drove over on Thursday afternoon.

Left my house at 12:15 and got here at 4:20.

I'll be testing students until 9pm on Monday night

so I'll stay the night and leave EARLY (5) on Tuesday.

Hoping the trip goes smoothly because I MUST

be at the church by 9:30 to pick up

the Thanksgiving turkeys from the

Bishop's storehouse for some members.

I have a couple of older gentlemen who 

might appreciate a meal, so we will

probably cook them for those guys,

but everybody else is on their own.

Anyhow.

Then.... while I was driving, my boss called

and asked how I liked the Tampa class and

how the drive was (brutal) and if I had any

interest in taking over the site.

I said no. And I'm not even sure I want to do

the Boynton Beach class I had already agreed to.

Bottom line, I would need to buy a car.

We don't want to put that many miles on Rod's

new truck since we might sell it before we move.

And I am just not interested in buying a car.

He said, so rent one.

I said, I tried! It was going to be $318 for 

ONE WEEKEND and I need it for two each month!

And he said, so? The company has to pay

for the rental AND the fuel.

Just keep receipts and the rental agreement.

Oh, by the way, stop staying in Days Inn.

Find a NICE hotel!

(Nightly rate cap is $250!!!!!)

So, yeah.

I'm going to teach the 2-weekend class in

December because he is desperate and I

am incapable of saying No.

And then starting in January, I'm going to do the 4-day.

The 3rd weekend each month, so it doesn't

interfere with RS (2nd and 4th Sundays).

And I get to rent a nice car.

And I get to stay in a nice hotel.

And I still have to do the brutal drive,

but books on tape make it less awful....

So.

2023, here we come!

Wow. Just Wow.

 It's been a whirlwind and its still blowing.

HA!

Monday I drove back from Tampa and then

spent about 2 hours getting all the paperwork done.

Next, ran to Sam's and WalMart for some groceries

for us and some silverware for the church kitchen.

Home to put everything away, eat a quick lunch/dinner

and sit down to teach my night zoom.

Tuesday morning when I got to work, Denine

(my co-worker) wasn't there. She got sick on her

way to work, stopped at our fire department and the

chief put her on an ambulance to the hospital.

So I stayed and took care of everything until 5.

As I pulled into my driveway at 5 I remembered

we were having our first Homemaking for the year

and I was supposed to be there at 5:15 helping with

set-up, etc.

So I pulled back out of my driveway and

headed over to the church.

We had Friendsgiving with haystacks

(rice with a choice of about 25 toppings,

salad, and LOTS of yummy desserts...)

The cultural hall looked really nice.

And I didn't take a single picture!!

I wandered from table to table and visited

with most everyone who was there.

We generally get about 18 women in

Relief Society on Sunday and we had about

28 there last night, so we were pleased.

Everyone seemed to have a good time.

We had no theme, no lesson, no .... anything.

Just an opportunity to sit, visit, eat (carbs) and

RELAX before the busy season kicks off.

(Which is how it was advertised...)

We got everything finished and cleaned up

by a little after 8:00, so I headed home,

ate a bowl of cold cereal (I didn't eat much

because I was wandering / talking / etc...)

and then we headed off to bed.

Only to be awakened at 1:45 to watch the

Artemis rocket FINALLY launch. (try number 2,148,357... lol).

It was BEAUTIFUL.

And worth getting up for!

And then back to bed.

To get up and head back to the Town to cover

for Denine again. We are super busy right now,

between the usual new permits, end of fiscal year

and all the reports, and of course, the hurricane

put everything behind. 

We had quite a bit of damage to the many docks 

on our river coast, so I expect lots and lots of

dock permits to come in.

And we lost a big chunk out of one of our roads

that borders the river.

Not sure how we will pay to fix that... but I'm not

the Town Manager, so I will let him figure it out.

Poor guy.

Just left there, came home to do some more paperwork

for my classes last weekend and this upcoming one this

weekend, and then I need to get ready to start this

evening's class here in an hour.

So....

that's what I've been doing.

Whew!

Beau. All ready for Zoom.

Hello from Tampa!

 Here I sit... in an empty classroom.

It will fill up shortly.

It's a nice facility and the people are super friendly

and accomodating.

But it's WAAAY too far from my house.

They are looking for an instructor,

but they are going to have to keep looking.

I think I'm headed back down south to Boynton Beach

to teach a 2-weekend class starting in January.

Of course, I have to get to January first.

Next weekend I'm back here for their 

4-day Friday thru Monday class.

Those are a KILLER!

Add a 4-hour drive on both ends of that

and its more than I'm willing to do

more than once to rescue them.

But, here I am.

I stopped at McDonald's this morning and had

the first egg mcmuffin I've eaten since covid.

Last night I ordered fish and chips at Applebees

on the app to just pick up, but it didn't seem to

go through, so I went in person to check.

After nearly 45 minutes of "I'll check".

Different person "I'll go see what's happening".

Different person "I'll go get a manager".

Different person "I'll see what's happening".

Different person "Here's your food".

No bill.

I don't know if I paid for it or not.

Sheesh.

I'll be eating at Wendy's tonight when I get

done here - which won't be until 9:30.

And then back on the road early in the

morning to beat the traffic and get home!

Tampa

 Sun is shining.

The weather is gorgeous.

Good thing.

I have to jump in Rod's truck and drive

across the state to Tampa to

substitute teach tomorrow and Sunday.

I just finished teaching the morning class.

I cut it short by an hour so I can get on the road.

So.......

See y'all!

Checking out the beach mid-hurricane.

The waves were BIG. (You just can't tell...)

And the tide was HIGH (and it was "low tide"...)

The previous high tide went all the way to the dunes!

Our poor banana tree post hurricane.

My poor sleepy husband post hurricane.

(grin)

Hurricane Nicole

 Remember the other day when I said we were

done with all the hurricane stuff for the year?

Surprise!!!

Introducing Hurricane Nicole.

She just sort of popped up out of nowhere.

We had Lisa and Matthew, but they

were headed down to Mexico.

And then, boom. There she was!

Right at this moment she is still a tropical storm,

but expected to be upgraded to a hurricane in an hour or so.

She looks pretty impressive, but we aren't expecting 

much from her here.

The properties on the beach are going to take a beating.

It's a full moon.

So high tide with a hurricane storm surge

is likely to be brutal.

Daytona is already loosing sea walls and property.

We are a little smarter down here and don't build 

right on the beach like they do, so we will loose some

sand, but just did that giant project last year where they

brought in $3million worth of sand to replenish our beaches.

And in other news.....

We re-elected the best governor we've ever had.

By a land-slide.

AND, we (and by we, I mean they, since I can't vote...)

finally replaced our Commissioner of Agriculture with

a man who ACTUALLY owns/grew up on a RANCH.

What a concept.

Sheesh.

So, yeah.

We're having a hurricane.

But whatever.

Everything is right with the world.

(grin)

Random Stuff

 This is what Kyle does when he's waiting

for them to cut more trees...

Silly man.

He was supposed to share some pictures he took

of a GIANT tree... I'll try to remember to get them tonight.

I followed this truck home from church yesterday.

The window sticker has an arrow and the words

"Position Open".

Hahahahaha.

I thought that was sad / funny / ingenious.

(I took the picture at a red light...)

The Elders helping clean out the storage unit.

Typical guys... lol.

They are all coming for dinner tonight.

I think I'm making Cowboy Grub.

And if I'm going to do that, I'd best get on it.

Gotta tidy the house (not that they will notice...

but hey, their Mom might ask... lol.)

I just finished teaching the morning session,

and then I did all the admin stuff, so now I'm

going to make some macaroni and cheese and then

tidy. 

(OK... really THIS is what I'm going to do...)

I'm nearly finished book #8.

(The final book in the series written by

my RS teacher, Trish Mercer.)

If you are looking for a good series to read,

check it out!

It's on Kindle Unlimited for free.

Or if you don't have Kindle Unlimited,

you can go to her website www.forestedgebooks.com

She says the book was a gift - she didn't write it.

It "wrote itself". She sat at her computer and 

typed as fast as she could because she wanted to

hear the story as much as the rest of us.

And because of that, she is giving it away as a gift.

You "can" purchase it on Amazon, but she 

donates all that $.

AND she sits in her walk-in closet of an evening

and is narrating it!!! It's available as a free audio book

through her website - you can download it and 

listen if you prefer.

It's about a mythical land - but very gospel centric.

Her premise was what did the gospel look like

on another planet - NOT earth where the Savior

reigned but didn't come personally?

And this was the outcome.

I found the first book a little slow, but I told

her I was reading it, so I couldn't quit.

And now I CAN'T quit.

(Just ask my poor husband!!)

I told her the other day I was really mad at her

because I'm having to stay up until 1 in the morning

and getting NOTHING done.

And it's all HER FAULT.

(grin)

She also wrote some really fun blog posts on her website.

A really insightful post about climbing Mt. Timp

before they moved away (again).

And now....

Off to finish the book.

(Not really, there's still 10 hours left according

to the little counter on my Kindle...)

And I'm GLAD!

It's one of those I want to hurry and read because

I want to hear the story, but I'm dreading finishing

because then it will be FINISHED.

Quite A Day!

 Friday was quite a day!

We started with a surprise rain shower.

Followed by a BEAUTIFUL rainbow!

It expanded to a FULL bow.

And if you look in each picture carefully,

it's a DOUBLE!

Rod was getting ready for work.

The back door was open all morning

(because the girl dogs were already in the dog yard)

and he said "Where is Beau?"

Who knows... he might be out back somewhere.

He'll be back in a minute,

but he never goes out the gate, so Rod left for work.

Then Kyle got up.

Then we chatted for awhile.

Then I took the trash can out to the road.

Then I visited with a neighbor for a minute.

Then I came back in.

Then Kyle had to go do a mulching job.

Where is Beau?????

We searched.

We looked out in the front yard.

(He sometimes "catches" a gopher tortoise and he

will stay and try to chew on it for EVER...)

We looked in the barn.

We looked in the back pastures.

We checked the garage.

(He sometimes gets shut in there by accident.)

We checked the tack room 

(I got some freeze dried food out and sometimes

he gets shut in THERE by accident.)

We went out and checked with the neighbor who

was still out there walking her dog.

We panicked.

And then Kyle found him.

He got locked in the dog yard with the other girls

by accident.

Sheesh.

There are negatives to having a dog who can't bark.

He can "chuff" but it doesn't make much noise....

Poor dog was all freaked out because the people

were calling and calling and calling and he was

trying to answer and he couldn't and he couldn't

get out and .... oh! the TRAUMA!

He was VERY happy to be rescued.

So Kyle left him and went to do a mulching job.

And then we left him and went to Walmart. (hahahaha)

And then we left him again and went to the BEACH!

Poor dog.

We have been going to the same beach for 3 years now.

And we often comment we should stop and

try out the Big Beach Burrito place.

So we did.

HOLY TOLEDO!

It was a BIG burrito!

And delicious!

And then we came home, did some stuff

around the house, Kyle got packed up for

this weekend's hurricane recovery (last one)

and then Rod got home.

We had dinner and then, at 10:55 Kyle said,

where did you put the meals I bought?

Ummmmm.....

(He bought a couple of Mountain House

freeze dried meals because I only did 3 kinds and

he wanted some variety... and they are EXPENSIVE!)

And yes, we left them at the store.

And the store closed at 11:00.

This morning I'm subbing for another instructor

who went on a CRUISE!

And now.... I'm going to the grocery store to 

see about getting either the meals or a refund or whatever.

FUN DAY!!!!!

TV Watching Dog

 Aunt Karen's dog, Riley, watches Bonanza!

(I'm pretty sure that's his favorite....)

(It's one of those old westerns...)

Beau has never been interested in the TV.

But yesterday I caught him watching!

He didn't watch for very long,

but Master Chef Australia caught

his attention for a few minutes there...

And then it was back to his nap.

This is where you find him when I'm working.

If I head down the hall to my office,

he dashes down there (so I don't close the door

and lock him out...)

and up into his chair for a snooze.

Those were 'Cille's chairs in her living room.

She would likely be appalled to see a DOG

sitting in them.

(And he likes to chew the buttons on the back...)

His chin spot is FILTHY.

But he's happy.

I only kick him out if he is snoring TOO loudly.

My students sometimes comment on the

"sleeping student".

I keep a picture of him in my power point

so I can share with the class... lol.

Silly dog.