Random

So, did I tell you it's started?

Yes, we've been invaded by giant jars of pickles! Ok, not really, but the cuke's are starting to come on. Last week we had surprisingly cool weather for July. I think one morning it was 58 degrees, which, by the way, doesn't happen in July in Arkansas! Or at least it didn't use to happen. Just when the plants were kicking into high gear, it get's cold and slows everything down except the mosquitoes. I hope that everything recovers and we start kicking it again real soon.

I got a job,did I tell you? I'm a cashier at a convenient store. I have to admit this is the first job of it's kind for me and I'm excited to add it to the other 986 thousand things I've done to earn money in my life time. Yes, I'm over qualified for this but, what's a girl to do? I'd like to give a shout out to April and Anne..."You taught me everything I know about up selling!"

I ordered a new pair of running shoes on line yesterday. I know right! What am I thinking ordering running shoes on line? Well, it's like this, I can't find anyone to take my feet and go try some on! I was wondering why my feet were hurting me after I ran and then I looked at the bottom of the shoes... They are fixing to turn into work shoes.

Things have truly been calm around here lately! I think it's because my 20 hour a week job is working me close to 38 hours every week and all I can do is fall into bed at night and sleep. Through it all, this is still how I look at most things!

New Addition?

It's the strangest thing I've ever seen. If not ever, then in a really long time. I'm sad to say I don't know a lot about them except they're ugly and eat dead things. No not them, Turkey Vulture's! (I know what you thought I was going to say…) 

Preacher man noticed them first, but as I sit at my desk, look out my side window, which faces west, I see over 50, sitting in the pine trees, sunning themselves.

So what's the deal with them anyway? I looked up some stuff and when I learn something new, you get to learn something new! So here we go class:
In many areas these huge birds are also called 'Buzzards". They are called Turkey Vultures, not because they eat Turkey's but I'm sure they have and will, but because when they stand on the ground, they look like a Turkey! This Vulture is unique in the way it finds carrion, the decaying flesh of dead animals, which is by smell as well as sight. Here's the coolest part I found, when they feel threatened, they defend themselves by vomiting powerful stomach acids.

The top 2 pictures I took last night as the sun was setting here in the Valley. There were well over 100 of them floating around up in the air above our house. I had a thought that maybe one of the neighborhood barkers was being eaten, but I can't report on that for sure yet. 

This morning, I took the last picture from my window. Are they look at me, like I'm looking at them? If they can see dead carrion from way up in the air and doing a circle around it the whole time, surly they can see me sitting at my computer, reading what I'm writing about them.

So here's what I'm going to believe until I find out something different. They are warming themselves in the pine trees. In fact, they look as though they might be praying! Yeah, that's it!  I have praying buzzards, watching over me as I blog! 

Heres a few things I'm not going to do. Threaten any of them! I do not want to go to the hospital ER and explain that my skin is burning off my body because a Turkey Vulture vomited on me. They might say something like, Stop provoking them lady and this won't happen! I am also not going to go under the tree and watch them. They seem to poop a lot too!

So that's your new information about life here at Oasis in the Valley. 

Don't forget to keep looking up!

I crack myself up sometimes!!

Walk like a Penguin!

The last word you heard from me, I had worked out with Jillian. I would like to report that I am able to move more like a person today instead of a penguin. Yes, that's right, I have been so beyond sore since Monday that I really thought about using the wheel chair from the church to get around in. The problem being it won't fit in the Mini and we live in a tri-level house! 

I went out and got a massage yesterday and that helped so much that I soaked in a hot tub of Epson Salt when I got home. Low and behold, I am moving much better. I'm not kidding, I was walking like a penguin. Dang Jillian! I might try it again tomorrow!

I'm thinking about changing my web site up. I'm not getting any comments and Preacher man says it's cuz it's hard to do on this site. Is that true? I know one or two are reading this thing and surely I'm saying something that you can comment on! You know, if you find this commenting thing to be true, would you drop me an email and let me know? kimer.workman@gmail.com is my address.
Also I'm thinking about changing the title, take a look and let me know the one or two you like the best?! Here's the list:

• Little Wheels
• Preacher's Wife
• Pickles & Sauce
• Kimba's Calling
• The Call
• Healing Heart
• PW Wisdom (Preacher's Wife)
• Broken
• Oasis Mystic (Oasis is the name of our non-profit)
• Woman at the Water Pump
• Not Prefect
• Enough

Do you have an idea? Let me know your thoughts!
Looking forward to hearing from you!
Peace Out!

Trick or Treat!

That was the funnest Halloween I've had in a long time! We set up in the church yard and handed out candy to over a 100 kids. The really cool part was, these kids didn't belong to our church! So we did our first real outreach to the community as a church (since we've been here) and it was awesome!

When Preacher man and I were walking home, we kept saying how proud we were of our church! The men that showed up was something to cheer about! You know how they always say, "I'll stay home and hand out candy!" Well, they came and handed out candy! A big shout out to the Methodist Men! It was fun, supported and candy was eaten by all!

It was a perfect picture of the Body of Christ in action! People who could afford candy and decorations, got them. Those that can give of time, were there. We all worked together to love on our community, each other and it blessed God's heart!

It just goes to show that you can get a church to do new things if you show them how to do it. It was simple and we helped them see that. The best part is the people who were dragging their feet the most, had the best time!

Can't wait to see what's next!!!
  

Monday Monday!!!

1/2 of the Yard Sale

Holy Moly Batman! What a weekend of craziness! It's a dadgum good thing I don't have a real job! We moved the couch, chairs' and ottomans' out in the driveway for our sale on Saturday. If you look hard enough, you can see the furniture in the shade. By the end of the day, we had dropped the price so low, and still no buyers. Then we moved it back into the garage and this young couple pulled into the driveway. Long story short, they came with cash on Sunday for the couch and chair. We also are giving them this huge deal on my washer and dryer. We dropped the price, I keep it until we move. Hoping that's a deal. The long and short of it is, we sold everything but 3 small boxes! Gave a lot away, but the important thing is we aren't going to have to move it!

This is now what our living room looks like! So if you come to visit, you better bring a chair to sit on!

This is what the garage looked like after the furniture left. The sad thing is, it never stays that way for long. Preacher man climbed into the attic to get down the stuff from up there. Found 3 boxes of crap we should have sold, all my Christmas stuff, cut glass, moving boxes and other odds and ends. 

 This is now what's in that clean corner! The garage has now turned into what Preacher man is calling the staging area. We are really getting serious about all this! 


Mom and Dad will be coming up Thursday to help us with a flying trip to get the Bike and Chevy down to Sherwood. My plants, or most of them, will be making the trip and my plant setter, Rachel will be in charge of not killing them! 


Got my toes done today and go to the dang Endocrinologist this afternoon. Trip to Roaring River to spend the afternoon with Pat and dinner with Janice and Bob tomorrow. Followed by dinner with Anne on Wednesday, then Mom and Dad show up on Thursday, while I go see Sister Rachel in Ft Smith. Flying trip to Sherwood Friday and a Natural's game on Saturday! Next week we head to Ft Smith for Annual Conference, which I'm sure will be a thrill a minute. 


All this to say, my postings maybe strange until we get down to Sherwood for good. I find it insane that we have been here for 2 years and now people want to have dinner or lunch with us! (except Anne) 

On a sad note, this might be Yazi's last week here. He is existing, but that's about it. Preacher man is being the strong one and the smart one about this, cuz Lord knows I could keep him alive for another year or 2. It's about quality not quantity. He has been a great cat for 15 years.  

Healthy Dirt!

While I realize that today is Good Friday, I found a piece of news that I want to share today that made me smile. Girls who play in dirt grow up healthier according to researcher! I knew it!!! I also have to say that I'm glad to hear it.

I have hay fever, a little, and exercise induced asthma, other than that, I pretty dang healthy! I have noticed that tons of kids are getting autoimmune disorders and it could be because the girls aren't playing in the dirt! Click here for more! 


I've seen a picture that Daddy took of me sitting in a sand box with a hose and a worm with dirt on it in my hand, almost waiting for that first bite! When Daddy was stationed in Hawaii, and the monsoons would come we would all get out in the ditches and have a ball! Thanks to Momma for letting us play like we meant it! 


It's just sad that some many parents have their kids plugged in now a days and not out in the dirt having real fun! This is also where you learn to use your imagination and make some of the coolest friends. We didn't care what our hair looked like and if our clothes even matched. We knew how to have fun! Look at the expressions on these girls faces! Pure fun! Pure play! I bet they know how to carry on a conversation with people too! 


    

Stuff

Orchard

Yesterday was Preacher man and my 19th anniversary! Can you believe that? I thinks it's like the most awesome thing I've ever done! Next to trying to tie flies. There are two things that I want to try my hand at. One is raising orchards, the other is tying flies. 


Yesterday, Preacher man walked through the door with a beautiful orchard and said, "I remember you said you wanted to give these a try. Happy anniversary!" I am so excited about this. I need to email a dude named "Z" and get the low down on these bad boys. It just plum crazy that I get so up in the air about plants, but I do. Would much rather have this than cut flowers! 

Me and my Wooly Booger

Teacher Bill

The other thing I want to try is tying flies. When Preacher man and I live out in the desert of Arizona, our neighbor was a fly fishing tour dude and he would pay folks to make flies. It always looked so fun and I thought I would do that someday, if I could find someone to teach me. 


Bill is not only a church member, but he's also a Master Gardener. A few weeks ago we were manning the hotline at the extension office together and he brought out his fly tying stuff! Now Bill had just taken his first lesson the day before and really couldn't remember what he was suppose to be doing, that however, didn't stop him from teaching me! It also did not stop me from making a wooly booger!   I don't think there is a fish in the world that would put that thing in it's mouth, but it was sure fun making it! In fact if a fish did get this thing in it's mouth, I bet it would choke! Bill's looked only slightly better!

Organized...Not!

Packed Boxes! By Me!

I have a confession to make, I'm not very organized, like at all! I know this might throw some of you into a hysterical fit of laughter, but it is so true. If it weren't for Preacher man, I would, well, I don't know, sit around and get nothing done?


Preacher man left this morning for a mission trip in Rio Bravo, Mexico. The group is from our Northwest District and I believe there are 15 of them going. They will be building a school, a process that different mission teams are doing at different times during the year. It has done my heart good to see him get excited about doing mission work again. However, this is the first mission trip that I haven't been able to go with him and I going to veto this ever happening again!


Now, on with my lack of organizational skill. Last week, I packed 3 boxes, all by myself! I even have proof! OK, that's only 2 or the 3, but I really did 3! Here's is how these 3 boxes got packed. I sat down in from of a book shelf in the spare bedroom. This book shelf has my books on it and some notebooks that I filled up in seminary. Oh, I love books and some of these I had forgotten about and had to go flipping through them and the notebooks. An hour later I texted Preacher man and said, Houston, I have a problem! Preacher man replied, Put down the books and just pack the top shelf in the closet! Closet? Oh, yeah, I see that, OK! See, I have issues, but at least I know about them. I need direction and a set goal placed before me and I can get it done. Left to myself, I get side tracked and follow Alice down the rabbit hole! So people, when I say I've got 3 boxes done, it cause for celebration!

Now, I have all week to pack boxes! So, I walk into the room and I look around. I nod my head and I take a drink of coffee. I walk out to the garage to get a box and come back in and walk out to the porch and see that I need to fill the feeder and change the bird bath water. The dogs need rubbing and I sit down to enjoy the morning. The birds are singing up a storm this morning and as I look up at the trees to check the progress of their leafing, I see squirrels jumping from tree to tree! I love to just watch them...Crap!!! I was doing something wasn't I? I get up and get back in the house, and think on my way to the room, I should check emails before I get involved with this project. 


Pray for me!
       

Think

Why doesn't he ever listen to me?! So I asked this question of Preacher man yesterday right before I left for work, so I could get the last word in or stick out my bottom lip and get some stinkin' sympathy!


You know I have to talk things out, why won't you talk to me about this?
Which time?
What do you mean which time? (blink, blink. Try to look like a deer)
Are we talking about the Soup Kitchen, Seminary or now?
You just had to go and get historical on me didn't you?


The deal is, Preacher man does listen to me, bless his heart. I've come to the conclusion, that I have to talk something to death before I make a move. I've come to this conclusion after much research and long hours of reading... ok, I just talked to the girls at work and they are the same way, so I can say with somewhat confidence that most women, that I know, and talk to regularly, and I work with, do the same thing.


Then on top of all that great advice and knowledge, I'm listening to God and getting his input on the situation. So it's the girls I work with, God, Preacher man and now YOU!


It's not like I haven't been down this road before. I mean, ask Preacher man, ever few years we have to go through the same conversation and he always says the same thing! I guess I'm waiting for him to change his answer! Let me explain.


Soup Kitchen means; when not yet-Preacher man wanted me to slow down and start taking care of him and the house. I found this part time job with the soup kitchen for $7.00 an hour, 20 hours a week. It lasted for 5 years, became a 60 hour a week consuming passion! Then not yet-Preacher man got his calling to go into the ministry and that was pointing to seminary.


Seminary means; when I had to work in order that preparing to be-Preacher man could do school like it was a job and we could get in, and get out! I found a job at the seminary and after 2 years, some bad changes (for my team) happened and I was being asked, without words to leave. Preparing to be-Preacher man said I needed to rest before we got into ministry and I listen...sorta.


The soon to be called "Creek" time is going to mean now, as we prepare for our next step in ministry. Do I keep working at the Creek which doesn't pay enough to make a difference, but keeps me entertained and away from cleaning my house and taking care of the now, Preacher man.


SO there you have it! The points being: 
1) I really am not making enough money to change anything for us.
2) I get a good discount on clothes.
3) I need to take care of this Preacher man and house.
D) I need to write a talk for the walk to Emmaus and prepare for my last 2 classes in Spiritual Direction and try not to get blown away by the Spiritual Exercise that won't be done until May!
6) I'm good at my job and love the girls I work with.


Your input is welcomed and if you don't give it to me, I will talk this puppy to death!       

Attachments

I have this habit of getting attached to the strangest things! Right now, it happens to be our Christmas tree. I get so excited to see it come into the house! I love when Preacher man get's all the ornament boxes out and I start hanging them on the tree, remembering where we were when we got each one. But after the presents are gone from under the thing I'm ready for it to be out of the house...sorta.


I love a live tree! I think it's one of the things we will always have, mainly cuz they smell of Christmas. I know, they are a mess and you have to remember to water them and blah,blah, blah, but I love them. 


Yesterday we took the tree down. Preacher man is awesome at putting things up, I'm good at getting things out. As an example, I was looking for a book to read yesterday so I sat down in front of a book case and started reading about four books at the same time. Anyway, as Preacher man was loosing the screws up that were holding the tree up, I was holding the tree. I started to think about how old it was and all the trials it had gone through just to end up dead in my house! It had stood in our house for well over a month and even though I hadn't named it, I was going to miss it when it was gone.


I had read in my bird magazine that you could take your tree and place it outside as a bird shelter! Oh joy! Preacher man was wanting to take it to the city recycle area so it could be, well, recycled. I on the other hand had other ideas. We have a Holly bush that the birds love to hang out in and it's close to one of the feeders. The other feeder doesn't get as many birds and I have decided it's because they don't have shelter close enough to the feeder. So Preacher man took the tree and placed it laying down sideways by the back fence. It just didn't look like birds would want to hang out in a tree laying on it's side, so I had him stand it up right. 


I am happy to report that the squirrels have checked it out and still don't know where it came from! I also have had some snow birds hanging out around it and that is promising! I encourage you to think about ways you can recycle the things you get attached to, or as Preacher man reminds me by asking the question, "Why can't you throw anything away?"

Retail!

The sweetness of Christmas is over and we now jump back into the way it was before we had to act like we cared about each other. That's a little harsh, but I see it day in and day out and have to call a cow a cow. 


I have decided that working in retail has given me a window into the world that I would not have gotten any other way. Don't know yet why I have to live through this hell, but I'm sure I'm learning something that I haven't been able to pin point just yet. The really funny thing is I really do like people, mostly, or did. 


I am considered an extrovert by, well everyone that knows me. Extroverts get their energy from being around people. I need to talk to the folks that came up with this and we need to retool it some. Or I need to talk to Dr. Johnson and let him know I'm at the place where you start to cross over to the other side. 


I'm finding that I like to be left alone more and more. This is weird for me and hard to understand from my side of the fence. You might know what I'm talking about, you go along for years doing the same thing and enjoying it. All of a, what seems to be sudden, your not so crazy about it any more. I enjoy spending time with Preacher man not talking and just being in the same space together! I enjoy the aloneness there is in running, even if I look like I'm about to die or blow up! The quietness of the morning, before everyone starts rushing by the house on their way to work, has a sweetness to it that I find so uplifting that I want to move out into the country somewhere so no one can find me.


I want to share with you how we look when we go out to the shops on the day after Christmas. You know who you are, and chances are you don't read this blog, so I should say, you know who they are cuz you stay away from those places. There is a new trend in Rogers Arkansas that I have to say, I hope get's shot in the foot. We get three to four generation's together and we go shopping together, all of us, at the same time, into the same store, and we call it fun. News flash: This is a nightmare for your retail buddies. 


I went in yesterday at 11, I should have been called in an hour earlier, but I'm sure it was dead then. Retail has a way of becoming unmanageable in 3.6 seconds. This happened 10 minutes before I walked in the door. I was stationed in the fitting room, which is where I excel and do my best work. There are 6 room, all full, with folks waiting, a little upset that they had to wait and the world wasn't revolving around them. They made sure to let me know how they were in such a hurry and had other places to go. Then the four generations came along and wanted all 6 women and 3 girl children to fit into our one big room. They also wanted the 5 women who weren't trying on clothes to stand in the doorway of the fitting room to give their expert opinion on everything that was tried on.


I am all about group shopping, but don't do it the day after Christmas. Go skating or to a bull fight or a truck race or even Wal-Mart, but stay away from anywhere I am! This stuff is not good for Preacher man! I come home and yell orders at him for hours and wonder why he get's upset. I am not made for retail, even though I could sell a nut driver to a woman who doesn't even know why she would ever need one. I need to be about doing what God made me for and if it doesn't happen soon I may have to check out and go camping for about 8 months. That would be a scary thing, me with no reason to shower for 8 months! 


       

Another List

Why do things have to get so crazy around Christmas? Was it a surprise that it was coming this year? Did it not appear on your calendar? Then why didn't you plan ahead? Oh that's right, you've been busy. Well, shame on you!


As I'm sure you all know, I work at Coldwater Creek. It's not the best job I've ever had, or the best paying, but it fit's right now and that's the best way I can say it. Do I want to do this for the rest of my life? NO! I have a half a ton of education and none of it is on selling clothes to women or men who want to buy something for their women. However, this job has taught me a lot in the last year and I want to share some of that with you!


One - Children do like like to shop for anyone but themselves, so leave them at home with someone else! Children are now everyone under the age of 20!
Two - Yes, I am always this happy! Do not come in here making it your duty in life to change me and my attitude, you will loose!
D - Yes, there will be a bigger, better sale sometime in the future, but they are not going to tell me bout it cuz I would blab it to the world!
5 - I would love to help you find something that not only looks good on you but is on sale, IF you would but ask. I can not read your mind and I will speak mine!
G - I do know that Christmas is in a few day's and I'm sorry we no longer have that size. IF you would have gotten in here a week ago, you would have gotten that size!
And last but not least 14 - I will tell you the truth, so if you don't want to hear it, don't ask! 
I call a sack a sack and if I think you look great, you do! 

Bourbon Balls!

When we lived in Kentucky, I fell in love with Bourbon Balls. I had no idea how yummy they were or how few you can eat before you start to feel sick! 


Someday, when Alex has his own church, I want to open our home up for folks of the church and have an open house. I feel it's important that the folks of your church, know their pastor and see that's he's human, just like them. Even if he happens to have a crazy wife that does strange things! I'm under the impression that when you have an open house, you have food that people can snack on, while they are standing around making small talk and checking out your stuff. All I really know how to make is Chex hot mix, BBQ sauce and pickles as far as finger food goes, so this year I tried my hand at bourbon balls.


I had no idea that they took 3 days to make, so if you ever try to do it, don't be in a hurry! 


The first day you chopped up your pecans and put them in a sealable jar topped with your bourbon and let them set over night in the frig. I guess it takes longer for nuts to soak up bourbon than it does most folks.


The second day you take your butter and confectioner sugar, which I had to call momma to find out that it's also called powered sugar. Don't laugh, I am not a baker! You mix the dry stuff real good, then add in your soaked nuts and make small balls out it and put back in the frig for another night.


The third day is the day you might want to some how skip, but then how would you get your balls? You melt up your chocolate, and you roll your balls in the chocolate and place back on the wax paper and put them back in the frig. Serve and all is wonderful.


Let me enlighten you on a few issues that people like me have with baking and making bourbon balls. Do not double your nuts without doubling your butter, sugar mix. Why you may ask? Because the balls will flatten out in the frig and you will have really potent flat balls! When melting your chocolate, figure out a way to get the balls in and out without using your fingers. Why you might ask? Because melted chocolate burns, and the ball part melts on your fingers and you end up with this build up of chocolate and ball on your fingers and you get it everywhere! I am still finding it in strange places in the kitchen!


There you have it, the things to watch out for when making your very own bourbon balls! Also, before you eat one, you might want to let it sit out for a little while so the chocolate will warm up a bit, or it might break your teeth. Have fun and if this is more than you can handle, you can always google them and have them shipped to your house!

Dang Doctor!

I didn't tell you what happened when I went to see the thyroid doctor did I? Let me start off by saying he's a punk! I'm sure he's around my age, but while I was visiting with him I felt the urge to smack him. Know it all doctors that think they know me! Of all the nerve! I guess I need to explain don't I?


I couldn't pull anything over on this guy. I asked him about drugs, he gave me the right answers. I told him I wasn't sleeping well, he told me that was because I wasn't exercising. "Can't you just up my script doc?"
"After a blood test, if that's what's needed, yeah."
I want to weigh 135 again.
I don't want you on the scales any more. I want you to go off of the way your clothes are fitting.
I want back in my 8's then! 
There's a marathon in Bentonville in April, I want you to run it.
WHAT?!?!
I'll send you some info on a training program, we'll work on your med's and you need to start running again!


So I got to thinking about it. I've been thinking about it for two weeks now. So yesterday I went out for a run. Can I just take a minute to tell you just how out of shape I've become? I mean, I remember being able to run 13 miles before that dumb dude tore my hip flexor and I was in size 6 pants then! 


2 miles. That's what I did. I had to come in a hit my inhaler too cuz I have exercise induced asthma. 25 minutes to do 2 miles. Now there was walking in there too and I was glad to make it back to the house without having to go to someones house and ask for a ride home. I don't even know anyone to ask, but I'm glad I didn't have to do that!


I also found a penny on my run. Now those of you that have been following me for a while probably know about the penny thing. For those of you that don't, let me explain. When I was running the soup kitchen in Durango, Bubba was one of my clients. He did a lot of walking and he would ask God to give him dimes when he was doing what he was suppose to be doing. He would save them up and give them to someone or use them in some way, but God was faithful in always giving him dimes.


One day last year, I didn't know if I should be running any more or not and asked if God would give me a sign to let me know. I found a penny. Every time I start to question if that's what I should be doing, I find a penny. 


Yesterday, I was huffing and puffing down the road, thinking about how I'm 20 pounds over weight, my running clothes are starting to rub my underarms and I looked down and almost fell! There is was, a penny!


So I guess I better get that training program in print huh?
Dang doctor! Think he knows me! Of all the nerve!

Everybody Sing!

Kookaburra taken by Sister Macrina!

Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree
Merry, merry king of the bush is he
Laugh, Kookaburra! Laugh, Kookaburra!
Gay your life must be

Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree
Eating all the gum drops he can see
Stop, Kookaburra! Stop, Kookaburra!
Leave some there for me

Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree
Counting all the monkeys he can see
Stop, Kookaburra! Stop, Kookaburra!
That's not a monkey that's me

Kookaburra sits on a rusty nail
Gets a boo-boo in his tail
Cry, Kookaburra! Cry, kookaburra!
Oh how life can be


This is an old song I learned long time ago in Girl Scouts, I do believe. What struck me was the part about Oh how life can be. It doesn't say Oh how life must be, but can. 


So often I think we feel stuck into this life we have when God is wanting to give us Freedom at every turn. To live in His freedom is to be free from the holdings of this world. 


How is it with your soul today? 

Smells like Taco's!

As much as I want to write a really spirit filled post today, full of holy learning moments and "hey I see myself in that" things, I must share with you the morning Preacher man and I had.


Sam, who is our oldest Golden Retriever cross, has had to cut back on his walks in the morning. He just can't do what Gracie can do, yet wants to walk so badly! So we are now taking Sam for a short walk, followed by a longer one for Gracie. Upon our return, I begin to make breakfast for Preacher man.


Over the weekend, Pamela and I stopped by Serenity Bread and I picked up 2 loafs of sourdough, one for me and one for Anne. This is the bestest bread for making French Toast and Grilled Cheeses that you have ever tasted! So this morning I thought French Toast was in order!


I get out the big skillet, which I think we really only use anymore for making taco's in, and slice the bread a little on the think side. Mix up the eggs with a little milk and slap it in the pan, topped with a sprinkle of cinnamon, yum! I dish up Preacher man's and start on mine. "I smell taco's" Preacher man says. I start fusing about the skillet and how it must be time for new pots and pans! (Yeah!) I sit down to join Preacher man for a plate of French toast goodness, I take my first bite and shake my head and do the "get it out of my mouth" 4 year old thing. It really does taste like taco's! Mexican Toast, if there is such a thing, and if there is, they should stop it! I started saying "O-lay!" (Give me a break on the spelling! Its been a long time since I took spanish) It was so bad, I really didn't want to eat it, but Preacher man kept telling me, it got better as I ate it. He lied!


So I get up from the table and start cleaning up the dishes. Preacher man get's us both a cup of coffee and that's when he saw it! It was not cinnamon that I had sprinkled on the French Toast! It was cumin! Holy Taco's!! I can still hear Preacher man laughing and saying "Smells like Taco's!"

Did I mention that I didn't have my contact in or my glasses on? 


Note to self! That was gross, do not do it again!

   

Mary and Hot water cornbread!

What a week! By the way, what the heck happened to October? It seems like just a few days ago I was burning up and school had just stated. Now, the first frost has come through and the squirrels come knocking on the back door when I forget to feed the birds.


I have a new Spiritual Director named Mike. Met him on Friday and I still had to go to Fort Smith! This time however, Preacher man had the day off and he went with me. That allowed us the opportunity come come home on "The Pig Trail"! For those of you who are not familiar with this trail, it is old Highway 71, which use to be the only way to get up in this corner of the state. They found an old pig trail, poured asphalt on it and called it Highway 71. Ever seen how a pig makes a trail? In the mountains? This is a motorcycler's dream road! Colorado can top it, but how often can you ride in the mountains without snow! 

So we came into Fayetteville on the south side and passed by a place called "Mama Dean's Soul Food". I screamed out to Preacher man "SOUL FOOD!" He did a U-ey, and we headed back to the spot. Now, I feel like we know Mama Dean because she came and sat down with us at our table and carried on a 45 minute conversation. She is 1 of 16 kids that was raised on a farm in Hope Arkansas. We ate fried chicken, greens, purple hull peas, okra and hot water cornbread! Have you ever had hot water cornbread? I remember watching Grannie making it when I was little! The best part was eating it and I gotta say, my Grannie and my Mama never did make enough of it to make me happy! All that's in hot water cornbread is corn meal, salt and hot water! Fry it up and goggle it down! Grannie always made hers round and flat, like a prefect patty. Mama's are shaped like a serving spoon and Mama Dean's look like the palm of her boys hand that was making em. I think you could take bread away from me and I could live on hot water cornbread! 


Did my heart good to find a place like that up here in Wal-Mart land! You can find Thai food and steaks, sea food and Sonic, but look for a good home cookin spot and you gotta get out of this county! 

Wanted to share one other thing with you before I say good bye for the day. I go to St Vincent de Paul for my Retreat in Daily Life classes and when I was walking into the church this past week I saw this picture of Mary that I put at the top of the page. Do you see what it says under it? "Haiti" As I walked closer, I started to think my contact was messing up cuz it started to look strange. By the time I got up next to it this is what I saw! All these pictures of people from Haiti. They have been over there I don't know how many times, but someone made this picture of Mary out of them and it blew me away! Now that's a mission field!   

List of things

OMG!

A.  It went and happened! It just couldn't wait until I was more ready or prepared in a better way...it froze, or is it, it freezed? All I know is Preacher man and I put sheets on my tomato plants, pulled the house plants into the house, which made Gracie mad cuz they are taking up her floor space under the window, put the basal under the eve of the roof and waited. Now I am writing this the night before the big freeze so I don't know if anything has died yet. It's like pre-freeze in my head right now, but by the time you read this, plants could be dead.


B.  Did you know that everyday thousands of plants die because of vegetarians? Why are we not hearing more about this issue?


2.  I'm just not ready for the cold, I like whining about how hot it was today and I stuck to stuff when I was wearing shorts.


Did I tell you that Gracie's breath smells like something died in there? 

Yazi has an idea!

 3C.  Anne broke her lawn mower so Preacher man and I went to pick it up cuz Preacher man is the handiest man I know and she fed us a pizza for our trouble. I got home last night from my Bible study and opened the garage and walked in and almost died from gas fumes over load. I had started to get back on the tread mill, but NO! I can not run on a tread mill inhaling gas fumes, it's just not right!


2b.  The dudes are still hammering on the house behind us that had the music going the other day, from south of the boarder way. I don't hear the music so much with the windows shut up ready for a freeze!


D. I miss the sun of Colorado! Do you know that the sun shines 360 day a year out there? 


4.  It's not just people in Kentucky that can't drive. People in Arkansas drive way too fast up here and they think the are the reason roads were made in the first place. People in Missouri, drive like they have all the time in the world.


5.  The cardinals are starting to come back! I don't know if they left, but I'm starting to hear them and see them at the feeders again! 

Z.  I go to the specialists next week for my thyroid, been waiting to do that for about 6 months. Got to make a list of the stuff that my body is doing to me that pissen me off. Maybe the thyroid is the issue with waking up at 1:00, gain a bazzilion pounds, hair falling out, no energy, but right now I do have great looking nails!   

Don't be scared of the scary nails!

     

Smells Good!

When Preacher man and I lived in Wichita Kansas one of the houses we lived in was in the older part of town. This was around the time I was working third shift. By the way, have you ever worked third shift for any amount of time? It makes your brain soft and your thinking becomes strangely clouded. It's also not normal to get off of work at 8 in the morning and drink a beer with your husband who is drinking coffee. Strange! Anyway, working this third shift was something I didn't really get use to and I heard one of the reasons yesterday and it took me back in time and space.


Living in the older part of town, our neighbors were from south of the boarder. How do I know this you might ask? Well, I'm glad you asked cuz this is how I figured it out. On Sunday's, there is always a party south of the boarder. The music is real loud, I don't understand any of the words and there seems to be a squeeze box going in all the songs, almost polka like. The next big give away is something is cooking and it don't smell good. I have found out that this smell is coming from boiling cow intestines also call ma-new-doe. It's enough to make you pack up and leave the state, which we did. One other thing is going on too, lots of beer being drank and lots of yelling going on.


The reason I bring this up is cuz I was sitting on the back porch reading yesterday and the music started up. I could feel my skin start to crawl as I sniffed the air almost out of habit, waiting for the smell. I waited all day for the normal thing to happen, that south of the boarder thing that happened every Sunday in Wichita, and it never came to be.


Isn't it funny how sounds and smells can transport you back to a time in your life when your brain wasn't firing on all cylinders. Life may have been simpler but it sure didn't smell as good.  

South!

I saw this and felt compelled to pass it along. The reason behind it? It Preaches!

Things I have learned living in the South!

General Rober E. Lee

Possums and Armadillos are flat animals that sleep in the middle of the road.

You learn that "down the road a piece" could be a mile or 25 miles, and you know to make sure you're looking at the person who says it's "over yonder" so you can see where they point.

There are 5,000 types os snakes and 4.998 of them live in the South.

There are 10,000 types of spiders and all 10,000 of them live in the South, plus a couple no one's seen before.

Skeeters are big enough to tote you off and eat you somewhere else.

If it grows, it'll stick ya. If it crawls, it'll bite cha.

A true Southerner knows the car with the turn signal flashing is probably not going to turn.

Onced and Twiced are words and "gimme some sugar" does not mean the white stuff you put on your cereal.

It is not a shopping cart, it is a buggy!

"Jawl -P?" means did all of you go to the bathroom?

People actually grow, eat and like Okra!

"Fixinto" is one word, meaning I'm getting ready to do that.

There is no such thing as lunch. There's dinner and supper.

Sweet Tea is a little bit of iced tea in a glass of sugar, and the only appropriate drink for all meals. It is referred to as the Wine of the South and true Southerners start drinking it when they're two.

"Backwards and forwards" means I know everything about you, it or whatever.

"Jeet?" is actually a phase meaning 'Did you eat?'

You don't have to wear a watch, cuz it doesn't matter what time it is. You work till you're done or it's too dark to see.

You don't 'Push' buttons, you 'Mash' them,

Y'ALL is always plural!!!

You measure distance in minutes.

You switch from heat to A/C in the same day.

All the festivals across the state are names after a fruit, vegetable, grain, insect or animal.

You know what Dawg is.

You know the difference between a Redneck, a Good ole Boy and Po white trash is.

You know when you hear someone say "Bless her heart" it is the Southern way of saying, she's slow, stupid or just doesn't have a clue to what's going on or how she ought to be acting.

You only need five spices: salt, pepper, mustard, Tabasco and ketchup.

Flip flops are acceptable footwear everywhere, even church.

The local paper cover national and international news on one page, but require six pages for local high school and college sports, motor sports and gossip.

You think the first day of deer season and football season are national holidays.

Football isn't a game, it's a religion and Bear Bryant is a patron saint. (sad but true)

You find 100 degrees Fahrenheit, a bit warm.

You know the difference between a hissy fit and a conniption fit and that you don't "have" them you "pitch" them.

You know exactly how many catfish or turnip greens make up a mess and all fizzy carbonated beverages are "Cokes" no matter what it says on the bottle.

You describe the first cool snap (below 70 degrees) as good stew or chili weather.

Fried Catfish is the other white meat.

We don't need no dang Driver's Ed. If mama says you can drive, you can drive!!!
The only real way to say I'm sorry for your loss is with fried chicken, mama's squash casserole and a pound cake.