Black Friday

   When I typed in the title, it suddenly dawned on me that this should be called " Good Friday" and "Good Friday" could be called "Black Friday", I understand why that is not so.

   Anyway, have not participated in Black Friday in a lot of years, but this year I did, with a twist.

   I worked at a store. A cool store of fragrances and bath items.

   I did not have to work hard, just greet people and hand out bags. It was fun and I am happy it is only one day. The people were great to work with and the customers were nice. We were busy. But still people, I should say the men, since they were the ones who stood at the front and waited for the wives, girlfriends, daughters, were nice.  A lot were tired.

   Anyway, just wanted to update you on my Thanksgiving. Daughter and munchkin came for the day on Saturday and we had a great time.

   Have a blessed day.

Thanksgiving

     This morning I woke up and was thinking of what we don't have for Thanksgiving.

     No parents. They have been gone a long time. They are in Heaven having a  great Thanksgiving, thank you. Doesn't mean those of us waiting, can't miss them. We do.

    No company. Well, not yet. Our daughter is coming tomorrow to spend the day with us along with her munchkin, who lights up the area where ever she goes. Son-in-law is still in the sandbox, coming close to the time when he comes home and we can hug the bejeebers out of him.

   No turkey.  We will have that when the daughter comes. We have ham today and it was delicious.

  What we do have for Thanksgiving: Each other. Our health. Family and friends, even though we may not have them physically close, they are with us.

  A God who loved us enough to send His son to die for us and save us. Thank you, God.

  Have a great Thanksgiving and enjoy the turkey and the football.

Memories

I went shopping for some things the other day and looked at lotions. I tried several and then rediscovered Jergens. It was relatively inexpensive and I knew I had no allergy issues with it, so I took it home and used it that night.
  As I applied it, I found myself lost in the past.
 I found myself an eight-year-old sitting with my grandma on the sofa and she was applying the same lotion to her hands. She had probably just finished doing the dishes.

She and my family lived together for several years, first in her home and then in an apartment house we shared. I remembered that I used to make flowers out of facial tissues as she watched tv and I needed something to do. We had colored tissues. Kleenex was the only brand we ever had and they these wonderful colors: pink, blue and yellow as well as white and they were two ply, so you could pull them apart and fluff them to make the flowers more real.  You would take the tissues and stack them on top of each other and push a bobby pin in the middle, having one half the tissue on one side of it and half on the other. The pin would be a short stem for the blossom. Then you would tear some of the tissue off and then peel open the tissue. It was a lot of waste, but it was fun.

I had not thought of that in years until Jergens brought it all back.

Anyone else do that as a child or an adult as far as that goes?  Have a great day come back and visit again.

Doctor, The Continuuing Saga

  I had my first appointment with my doctor sometime back, and all went well.

  I think he even liked me. He found that I had fluid behind my eardrum, so prescribed some nasal spray and Mucinex to get rid of it.

   We got along well, and he has a nice staff.

   Managed to get out of a colonoscopy for another year. Got a smear test instead.  Not sure which is worse, but think the scope thing is.

   Everything is going fine, healthwise.

    Til next time, enjoy the beautiful fall weather we are having here in the Ozarks.

Writing

I come to my computer or blank paper with trepidation about what to write and whait I will do with it when written. I have read many things on writing and know that I am not alone. My problem is: I manage to give up when I look at the blank screen or paper.   My mind runs rampant with ideas and sentences when I am not near a writing surface.  I think I will remember it and put it down later, but we all know that "later" never makes it here.

I do love to write, but I have trouble coming up with a story to write.  I want to just put down words and sometimes, I do really wel. I have come across some stuff I have written over the years and discover that I have a neat turn of phrase.  Howver, I never seem to know what to do with it after it is neartly turned.  I have lots of those and they are toatally unrelated to each other.  I have a cool description of a lady lying on a beach that is almost erotic, What do I do with that?  When I try tell a story, it reads like a telephone book. Just the facts. No interaction, no action.

I get frustrated. I have a husband who is frustrated about it, because when he starts something, he finishes it.  Has no clue how I manage to start so much stuff and finish nothing.

Neither do I.

All great writers say they are only story tellers.  Great.  When I stat to write a story, I see my daughter sighing,  and saying, " Get to the point.", and I just shrivel.  It does not have to be her, anyone I tell a story to seem s to do that. Am I too wordy?   Too slow?  Or just a terrible teller?  I have no idea, but will keep you posted on my progress. Maybe even post a story now and then.

Have a great day and thanks for listening.

Personal Relationship

I have thought about this subject a long time. I haven't done anything about it other that to think it through.

We have three children and only one of them has a personal relationship with us.

What does that mean? It means that she calls when she needs something, whether it is an actual something or just to vent. It means that she says she loves us whenever we talk, whether it is long or short. It means she counts on us to do what we say we will do.

The other two children, adults, now, will talk to us if we contact them and there is no personal relationship. They do not tell us about their day. If we ask they will share mundane, vague references about family and jobs and what they are doing.

We have seven grandchildren. We have a personal relationship with one. She is not an adult, yet, but still she will call and tell us she is eating our favorite Toaster Strudel flavor and giggle, because she is eating it and wecan't, because she is two hours away. She may save us one, or not, but she thinks it is funny to call and say she is eating it. It is.

If we contact our other grandchildren they will talk to us. But never call. We don't have a hateful relationship with any of these people. We just don't have a personal relationship with them.

This all comes back to my original thoughts on personal relationships with God. As a Lutheran, we don't really talk much about a personal relationship with God. Our relationship starts with baptism, which we do at birth or shortly after, and, yes, we baptise adults, and is put on a " personal" level at confirmation, when we re-afirm our vows made for us at baptism. Usually, after that you may see us in church once a month. That is personal enough for a lot of people. We show up at Christmas( His birthday) and Easter ( His feeling better day), just as our children show up for our birthdays and anniversaries. So, maybe I was a little optimistic on the once a month.

If God talks to us we accept the call and give him mundane answers to questions and say we love him and hang up.

Then something terrible happens and we shoot him a 911 call, and he answers. We say " thank you" and go on about our business.

Those of us who come to a personal relationship with God talk to him all the time. Whether you want to call that prayer or conversation, I leave to you. Personal relationship with God doesn't depend on how you got there: whether by baby baptism, confirmation, or adult belief after trying all the sins to the hilt. It depends on YOU talking to HIM and sharing all your cares, joys and sorrows. He is there for you whether it is a personal relationship or a passing one. Just cast all your cares on him.

Remember that personal relationships are, well, personal. You do not need to shout from the roof tops, just smile, giggle and cry with Him in your heart, home and soul.

5 Ways Going to New Doctor is Like a Blind Date

      1. Anxiety
          Will he like me? Will I act like a total nerd? Does it matter? He's my DOCTOR. I will not be having a meal with him, or introducing him to my family, probably. So why this anxiety?  Meeting new people.

     2. What will he be like?
         Tall, short, ugly, likable?
         The tall or short or even ugly, really doesn't matter, much. You really do want him to be personable, and maybe even funny.

     3. Will he like me?
         Really? Mostly I just don't him to run screaming out of the door, saying," Get me away from her!". It is nice if your doctor doesn't hate you.

      4. Will he be on time?
         I hate when I have to meet someone and we set the time and I am left hanging for a half hour wondering if they remembered we had made the appointment or if they are lying in a ditch somewhere bleeding.

       5. Will I like him?
          This is really important to me. It is at number 5 because it is the one I think of last and most.
I need to at least tolerate him, since he holds my health in his hands.

       Any of these can be a negative at the first meeting, but you only one try to make a great first impression.

      May I just say, my new doctor made a great first impression.

      He told me he would be around until at least Friday.
    

Writing

     I have for years considered myself a writer, becaue I am. I have only been published in a library newsletter and, of course here. The reason I have said "only" is because I have not been paid for it. Well, if you include comments and compliments, I have been paid plenty.

     I struggle with the idea of being a writer, because I truly, do not have a passion to tell a story. Perhaps one day I will have a fiction story to tell and feel passionate enough to do it.

     I do like to write and when I don't get to I get a bit grumpy to say the least. The whole world looks black to me. It may take a week or two of deprivation for the real grumps to set in, but set in, they do.

    Sounds as though, through all my protests I am a writer.

   Thanks for listening.

Doctors: Part II

    Well, I have made an appointment with another doctor. We shall see how this turns out. After I had made the appointment , I discovered that he was DO rather than an MD, but since he is in a clinic that is affiliated with the hospital where my surgery was done, figured it would be okay. And he is in network of my insurance.

    When I told my daughter that he was a doctor of osteopathy she had no idea what that meant. I tried to explain, but discovered that I'm not sure what that is. At one point, they were considered to be alternative medicine. More along the holistic side. Since I seem to be sending md's running for the hills, perhaps I can keep this doctor, providing that my insurance doesn't change much next year.

    Ah, keeping healthy should not be this hard.

   Until next time.

Doctors

     I returned from vacation to find in my mail a notice that my primary care doctor has moved on to greener pastures. Now, I am aware, that probably I had nothing to do with this, but, this is the third doctor to leave me in a year.

     Last year when I got back from vacation, I had a notice that my pc had left for another position in the same hospital.

    Found a new one.

    Then it was time to get my after-surgery check up. Yep. He left for a job in Pennsylvania.

    Maybe doctors don't like me.

    Have found another doctor. We will see.

Suummertime

     I live in the Missouri Ozarks in southwest Missouri. When it is hot and muggy it is hot and muggy. We have been promised rain for the month of June and it has not materialized, much. A dampening here and there, but not much else.

    It is again hot and muggy this mornin'.

    We have planted tomatoes and cucumbers and they are doing pretty well. We fight with the critters to keep them growing. Deer love our tomatoes and flowers, and the bunnies like our cucumbers. We have tried fencing them, but you must fence to the ground and to the sky, and then not close to the fence.
We are now going to try red pepper. The problem with that of course, is that the rain, when it comes, will wash it away. Ah, the problems of the gentleman farmer!

    We have discovered that the deer won't eat, or haven't yet, hens and chicks, the plant. I have an old cast iron boiler in my front yard that we fill with flowers each spring, and usually the deer go, " SALAD BUFFET" and clean it out. We have now had the hens and chicks in there for over a year and they have left it alone.

   If I have flowers and weeds in the same bed, why don't the deer the weeds? They very deftly go around them and eat my irises or tulips. They love tulips. The rabbits love yarrow. I have tried both several times. We will try tulips again this fall. If we string fishing line around and over our flowers that seems to keep the deer away. However, you have to do it early in the season, and as we take it down each year, we sometimes miss the early part of the year. Therefore, losing some plants to the ever vigilant deer.

    We love flowers and the animals, so guess we will just have to live with each other the best way we can.


    

Husbands

     That title is a bit misleading, because I only have one and only one. That is all I can handle, I think.

     I have a terrific husband. He does all kinds of things that other women tell me they would like their husbands to do. He does the laundry. Carries out the trash.  Does dishes. Cooks. And takes care of me.

     Now, let's look at some of this. On the surface it looks really cool. It is. But he wants to do it his way.Anyone see a problem with that? I do.

    For over forty years I was the cooker, cleaner and dishwasher,well, after the kids were grown. So, if he now takes over all of that, and only because he wants to, not because I can no longer do it, where does that leave me, exactly?

   Supposedly, it leaves me free and easy. I have no idea how to feel about that. I do nothing really well and then I can also do a lot, really well. But to do nothing all the time is boring and not very edifying.

   This also comes under the heading of " retirement".  He likes to be near me and with me, which is nice and I love it. Love it. But, back to self esteem and hubby doing my job, I guess I have to say that I had to find another job. So, I do the housecleaning, you know, ye ol' toilet and beds and spring cleaning. I like it.

    I have also taken up doing some writing, which you all know about.

    Back to the " he does everything", and the ladies who want their hubbies to do it too, let me just say, that if you want that to happen, you will have to let him do it his way, and not redo everything he does, or I can guarantee he will never do it again.

   Thanks to my wonderful man and thanks to all of you who read this.  Have a great day.

Being a Writer

     I have told people that I am a writer. I have told myself the same thing. I am a writer.

    I have written for a library newsletter, I have written stories, unfinished, and I have written letters.
It is hard to think like a writer. I really don't know anyone that profess to be writers. I really don't read like a writer.

    When reading like a writer you should ask how they got the words to go where they want and how they got the characters to do what they do. In all of the how-tos that I have read writers usually say that the book, story, article wrote itself. Now, what they mean by that is that when you write you have the facts, actions and reactions in mind, but the characters choose the where and when this all takes place.

    I was trying to figure this out while sitting one day, and decided that it is like a dress. When you ask a dressmaker how she does her work, she will tell you that you start with the basics. A pattern, thread, material and pins. Sometimes she knows how the dress will turn out, sometimes not. If you are a dressmaker, as opposed to a designer, you follow the instructions and the dress will pretty look like the picture on the pattern. If you are a designer, you start with an idea, and run from there.

    Writing is pretty much like that, too. You can start from a template and add your indredients and come out with a pretty good story. It may not be new, but will be unique. You learn what works and what doesn't, for you.

     However, practice makes perfect. No matter what you write.  Write.  Write. Write. And then write some more. In that writing, you have to edit. Make decisions on what works and what doesn't. What puts your dream out there.

    Now, if you will excuse me, I will go write some more. Have a great day and follow your dream.

Memorial Day

     When I grew up in southwest Missouri, we called it decoration day.  I don't have a lot of memories of going to the cemetaries and putting on flowers. I do have a memory of going to a little creek to gather watercress in the Spring. It was Clear Water creek and I think it was near the cemetary where all my mother's family is buried. I could be wrong. But that is how I have thought of that creek all these years.

    My next favorite memory of decoration day is when I was about 12 or so and we lived in Lebanon, Mo. I had gone to my aunt's out in the country for the week-end. They made crape paper flowers and dipped them in wax, to make them last, and then, we sorted through them to decide which ones went where. They had a dinner on the grounds of the cemetary, where we had gone to church earlier, that day. After dinner, read that lunch ( I am a country girl), we went to each of our relative's graves and placed flowers. My uncle was buried there close to his brothers and sisters. I remember my aunt always spending time by his gravesite and we went with other kids and played. Leaving her time to tell him whatever she wanted.

   My parents are now buried in that same cemetary, and we make the trek there at least twice a year to place flowers and remember. We always make it the week before Memorial Day, but usually not Decoration Day which is the week before Memorial Day, I think. They still have their dinner and decorate the graves. I find it really nice that someone always puts some flowers on my parents grave before we get there. It is nice to know they are remembered by someone other than our own family.

  We should always try to remember the person to whom we are delivering flowers. It seems that we just put out the flowers and say, " Well, that's done for another year." When you think of those gone, try to remember their lives. If they served in the military think on their sacrifice, even it is only the time they served and not their lives. It was a special time to them. Maybe they hated it, maybe they loved it, but it was special to them. It is special to us.

   Have a blessed Memorial Day.

Storms

     It seems there always storms in our lives. Whether it be physical, emotional or spiritual. Sometimes they converge and affect all levels. Here, in Missouri it has been pretty miserable weather since December. There was a tornado in December, snows in January and February, cold weather in March until May. Then we started the rainy season with floods and dam gates having to be opened and causing more floods. Now, we are dealing with tornadoes and thunderstorms.

     We all know the suffering of the people of Joplin, Missouri. They are dealing with putting back together lives and their town from scratch. You do it one step at a time and pray for the wisdom and endurance it will take to do it.

      We sometimes we face similiar circumstances spiritually when all of our stuff is gone. We think all is lost. It isn't. Stuff can be re-accumulated and happy memories are made again. God is with us. He will give us the way to do all this. Even if, as my granddaughter says, " I don't hear his answers." They are there. Lift up your heart and praise him. Lift up your voice and say, "Thank you,". Lift up your hands..... and work.

     We will all get through this with love, laughter and tear.  Remember us all in your prayers and do what you can to help, even in your own back yard.

Wanting and Getting

   We all know the phrase:"What you see is what you get." That may true, but what really is is that what you want is not what you get.

    Everyone has wanted something really badly and when they get it, wonder what the attraction was in the first place. When the kids rush to open the presents that they just know contain what they asked for and twenty minutes later leave the gift, and the paper crushed on the floor, we say they are ungrateful.

    This may not be the case. It may well be that they got what they wanted, but it was not what they wanted.

    You have seen the commercials for baby dolls that blink, cry, eat, poop, and giggle. When Susie gets said doll, it does all that stuff. Susie is not happy with the baby doll. Why? Because Susie wanted a doll that reacted to her. None of this is reacting to Susie. It is just doing what it was meant to do. Sometimes that isn't fun. That may well be why Susie prefers a doll that does nothing on its own. She make it do, at least in her mind, what she wants it to do. She can make it cry, make it stop, and be happy doing that.

    When we ask God for things, we are asking for things to be the way WE want them.

    You all have been there. You asked for nightgown and got hammer. Neither of things has anything to do with the other. Except, if you have a husband who is going to build you a new bed and wants you to help. It works out well and you get the nightgown, too.

    I have had people ask me if God answers my prayers. I simply cannot tell you. Mainly because I don't keep track. I pray believing that God will answer my prayers and that is all I need to know.

    I have asked for a loving husband. I got one. I asked for a 5 foot 6 inch blond, curvy body. I did not get that. Did I get a body? Yep. Do I like it? Sometimes. Am I grateful for it? Yep. I just know that I am really looking forward to heaven where I can endure cold without covering my head and seeing without glasses. Both of which I have had to do/have since very young.

   The point to all this wordiness is to accept what we are given, make the best use of it and giggle now and then with wonder of it.

   

Do I Matter?

   That is quite a question. I know that I matter to many people and God. Perhaps that should read God and many people. I know that I matter to God. He sent His only Son to die for me and I accept that with gladness.

   However, the other day I was visiting with a couple of ladies and of course, talking. We hit a great many subjects, but what got my attention was when I chimed in on the conversation, they went back to their comments. You know what I mean.

  " So, Sally, how are the kids?"

  " Oh, doing well, Nancy."

 " How are you're kids?"

 " Oh, the other day my daughter called and told me the cutest story about her daughter. Breath.

" Nancy did you say you were going to Branson next week?"

   You will notice that when I introduced my daughter, they went to another subject.

 Perhaps, I was not supposed to introduce family names. Anyway, the conversation continued.

" Nancy, where have you worked?"

"Oh, no where, acutally. I was a stay at home mom when the kids were little, and now, a stay at home wife." Nancy said.

" Where did you work, Sally?" Nancy asked.

" Oh, I was an admin til I retired and now, I  do part-time secretarial." Nancy replied.

" What did you do?" and they both looked at me.

" I was an alligator trainer." I replied.

" How nice."

" Nancy, where would you like to go for lunch?"

 I held my tongue.

We went to lunch at a nice little restaurant where they serve specialty sandwiches.

Mine was a tongue sandwich.That way, I could talk with tongue in cheek.

Birthdays

  This past week was my birthday. Now, with a birthday at the end of the month, I tend to claim the entire month of March as my birthday.

   It did not start that way. It used to build until THE day, and then it was done. I was queen for a day.

   Well, that's not enough. As someone told me this week, " At my age I start at the beginning of the month, in case I don't make it to the end!". That is not entirely the reason I like to take the whole month.

   Have you ever felt you had failed the person you really liked just because you forgot the DAY of the birth? Well, I am just trying to make you all feel better if you happen to forget the day of my birth, but remember it sometime. Trust me. Sometime is better than never.

   Did I have a good birthday? I had a great birthday. We have a tradition in our family between me and my hubby. We go to Presleys' show on each other's birthday and anniversary and also to Circle B Chuckwagon. If they are both available on the day we do both, otherwise, we go when available. That is what we did this week and we had to do it on two different days, which brings us back to the longer celebration of birthdays. Several people commented on how much I celebrated my birthday. Just enjoying being a year older.

   Have a great day.

Being Positive in a Negative World

     I just reaad an excellent newsletter put out by C. Hope Clark on negativism and writing.

     The point was we are all hit with negative news all the time, whether it is national or personal. News people thrive on the horrible and worse. We get to where we seem to be looking for nothing but the bad news.

     I have always thought that I was a positive person.

     However, recently, I have been listening to my conversations with people and think that I see only the irritating habits in people. Why is that?

     I have an amazing God who has given me an amazing life and, even though there have been rough spots and dreams not realized, He has been beside me and held me up. That alone should keep me on the positive side of life.

    I have had family that have not behaved the way I want, or treated me with the respect I THINK I deserve. That is no reason to see only the bad in people.

   I have been trying to remember the little boy who cried when his kite flew away and allowed me to hold him and comfort him. Kind of hard when said little boy is now a man who tells me he doesn't feel like part of my family. Well, he is part of my family and how we feel really doesn't change that. I will love him and his family no matter what.

   I have a grandson who thinks that he does not want us around for his special days. That is his option. We will still love him and remember the little boy who stood in a restaurant and said," Tol' you I'd be here." He will be in our prayers and thoughts as he has always been.

   Do I have a special relationship with my granddaughter who looks at me and says, " Grams, I remember the snow."? I kept thinking she wouldn't remember. Yes, ma'am, I do. Can that relationship go the way of the others? No. It is a different day and I have learned what I did before and will not repeat that. Now, could something happen, oh, yeah, but you don't go through life worrying about that. You enjoy the day you have.

   Will I try to "fix" my relationship with my other grandchildren? No. I will continue to love them, pray for them and remember the good times.

   In a negative world people would think that all is lost with our grandchildren and children, but with God all things are possible, and they will enjoy their lives and I will enjoy mine.

    The daffodils are blooming and the woods are bright with purple of the redbud trees. The dogwood cannot be far behind. Spring is here.



  

Down Sizing

     Down sizing has come to mean something you don't want to do or have done to you: as in: " The company down sized and I lost my job."

    So, when my husband brought the idea of downsizing our lifestyle, I wasn't sure I wanted to do that. It sounded as though I might be out of a job. He really didn't say that he was wanting to downsize to one person or even that we needed to do less than we are right now. He just wanted to move from ownership to perhaps rentalship. If something needed fixing, someone else would be responsible for getting it done. Taxes would also be someone else's problem.

I could go along with that.

Then he started talking about getting rid of stuff.

I really have always said, and believed, that stuff was just stuff. It could be replaced or not.

When we first talked about it we talked about selling everything and moving into an rv and travel. We both really like road trips and seeing new things.

That didn't seem feasible. We would just be taking this lifestyle on the road and gaining nothing in the money department.

I really kind of liked the idea of gettting rid of everything and buying back what we needed as we needed it. A clean slate. I have been here before. God decided that perhaps we could use a clean slate, so we had a house fire and lost everything, but a really ugly hassock, and a few personal things.

We cleaned house. We started over. We had managed to save our pictures, which was nice.

Twenty some years later you would never know we had gone back to having nothing. We had something, now. Lots of it.

So, we decided to sell most of our stuff and downsize.

We are trying to downsize, just in case we decide to downsize the size of our living space.

Yep. This is lots of fun.

I will keep you posted on how this is going.

Jeans

   I, like thousands of others, hate to shop for clothes. It is however necessary from time to time.

   A more accurate statement may be,"I hate trying on clothes." I really have a problem with jeans. I grew up being told girls don't wear pants, and especially jeans, out for dates.

   So, here I am in my mature age, shopping for and wearing jeans. I have worn them for a few years and enjoy them.

   I lost some weight and needed some new ones. This was after surgery and my tummy was not wanting tight. I found some that looked nice and felt good. The problem with them was that after fifteen minutes of wearing them, they were falling off me. I tried a belt. That worked. I didn't like it. So, that meant wash after each wearing.

   I then found some that were perfect in the fit department. A bit snug when first put on, but thought that they would stretch, as most do, after wearing.

   Yep. Wrong. They do not stretch. Next size is too big. So, I wear them and they are okay.

   The question I would like answered is how do you get a good jean fit? I would like it snug, but not tight around the waist and tummy with loose legs and long, to the ground. I guess just try them on.

   I have even bought two pair of the same brand, design and size, at the same time and have each fit differently. Have no idea why.

  I was told once by a sister-in-law that worked at a garment factory that it depends on where the material is located in the stack they cut. The cutters angle in from top to bottom, so that the ones on top are bigger than the ones on bottom. Now if they would just label them for me, I could find the ones that fit. Maybe.

  Here's to great fitting jeans.

Wsitresses

     Waitresses fascinate me. Some are so good. Some are so bad.

     I know that they depend on the tips they get to make the amount of wage they get make ends meet. What I don't quite comprehend is why they think that tips are mandatory. Tips are voluntary. They are usually calculated on service.

    Now, that may be a new concept to some. I know that in most large cities it is expected and almost demanded, but here in my world, the small town USA it depends on the service.

   Where I live we have a lot of buffets. Those of you who know Branson, know that is a given. It is nice. It is an opportunity to have a large variety available to everyone, and you really don't have to try to clear the buffet of food. You should take only what you will eat and, clean your plate, but that is up to you.

    A buffet does not require much of a waitress, as in, taking and remembering orders and where they go and all that. They are to bring some drinks and keep the plates picked up when dirty and bring clean ones.
They should also wear a smile and a friendly voice. It doesn't take that much to say, " Y'all doin' okay? Need water, pop or other?" and pick up the plates and go on.

   The last two times we were out to buffets, our waitress did none of those things, unless shouted down and asked.

   I would like to say right here, that we are tippers. And good ones. The amounts may not be much to some, but the per centage is good. When you are only two people and you drink water, the bill isn't much, so we increase the per centage so that the tip is good. I have never figured out how to let someone who is waiting on me know that I tip for good service.

   I know that at one time you could leave a penny and that would let the person know that with good service comes good tips and with bad service, bad tips. I think now, they would just think you dropped a penny.

   It doesn't ruin a good meal, but it makes it less enjoyable if you have to ask for a refill on water or another napkin or plate.

  Hopefully,our next foray into the buffet or restaurant will net us a great waitress.

  Remember, smile, say thank you and be kind to your neighbors.

More SNOW

     I got up this morning and looked out the window and what do I see? Snow. They had promised that it would come and come it did. There was about an inch on the ground and more coming and did it all morning.

     I have decided, however, that this post will not be about how horrible, how boring or how disgusting it is to have more snow.

     I will focus on the beauty of it. On the ground in gentle mounds covering hibernating bushes ( do bushes hibernate?) and the landscape timbers we have seperating our drive from the lawn. It was not one of the prettiest snows coming down as the flakes were really small. There were however, a lot them and they added up.

     My cedar tree at the front of my house looks as though someone has again, frosted it with fluffy white frosting. It is evenly covered from top to bottom and is just lovely. My other trees have a light coating on each branch and are stately in their height.

    I can be all caught up in the beauty of it all, because I don't have to go out in it and they have promised us 60s all next week. Yep. It will really be pretty then. Pretty and GONE. Thank you God for the beauty of snow and it's gone-ness.

Winter

     We very rarely have had this much snow stay this long and now, they are predicting more for tomorrow, but they are not going overboard with the prediction. Only three to five inches this time.

    I had to cancel two doctor appointments last week. I rescheduled them for this week. Apparently, my crystal ball was not working well in the weather department. I had to keep one on the same day of the week, and I moved the other to a different day. The different day may work out, the same day one we will have to see about.

    We got about 4 inches of snow on Friday. It was a surprise. However, it was very pretty. There was no wind with it and no ice, so the trees just looked frosted with marshmallows. It was not heavy, so, there was no damage to the trees. Just very Christmas card looking.

    I know that the entire country is having a hard winter, but when it is in your backyard, it feels worse. Of course, we don't have the equipment to move the amounts of snow that the northern states have, so it takes awhile, but I have to say that Missouri and Branson did a great job of getting the main roads cleared. There were some back roads that still had spots of snow cover on Friday before the new snow came, but all in all, the road people have done a great job.

    It is kind of fun to go out right after a storm, when not many people are there, and just enjoy the stores and the scenery. Not so much fun walking in some of the parking lots, but being careful, you have no problems.

    Well, have a blessed day and enjoy your time wherever you are.

Snow

     It has been a while since I posted and thought that today would be a great day for that.

     Here in the Ozarks we have been waiting for a HUGE storm for days now, and it finally arrived this morning. It started by raining, freezing, sleet, then almost sleet and finally, snow. We probably have about five inches with more to come sometime today.

     The last storm we had I was at my daughter's taking care of munchkin while she took care of some things. We got about three inches of snow at her house and schools closed for two days, so we got to do some snow fun. Munchkin made a most beautiful snowangel. I got to clean off the driveway. Ah, well, at least one of us had fun.

      It will be a day of two before I try to clean off my drive here at home.

     We spent several years in Minnesota when our children were young and had plenty of days of snow, but not much school closings. I remember one in particularly that the boys, mine and a neighbor, made a snow fort with tunnels and mazes and all kinds of good stuff. Fun times for all.

      The nice thing about snow in the Ozarks is that it doesn't last long. We may have snow cover for a week this time, but probably not longer than that. As far as I am concerned, a day would be just fine. Come on back sun and melt that snow.

      Enjoy your snow if you have any, and enjoy the warmth if you have it. 

Remembering Codes

        Recently our daughter and family went on a family trip. She had set her alarm for instant response.
When you do this, you have to cancel it before entering via the remote. It may not be the only way, but it is the safest. Otherwise, you will have the phone ringing and the police arriving.

        They had driven all day, were tired, grumpy and ready for a night in their own house and a good night's sleep in their own beds.

         When they got ready for staying in daughter set the alarm.

         And punched the wrong button.

         Seconds later her phone rang.

         "Hello?"

         " Mrs. M?"
        
          "Yes?"

          " This is the alarm company. Is everything okay? Are you in a hostage situation?"

          "What???????????

          " No,no, no.  I just pushed the wrong button." said Mrs. M with a laugh.

           " What is your clear code word, ma'am?" the voice asked.

           " Sorry? What code word? Crap. Code word. What is the code word?"
    
           " Ma'am, you have a four letter code word that gives us the all clear. I need to know that word."

           " Well, crap, so do I. The only four letter I can think of right now is crap. There are others, but pretty sure you don't want to hear them."

           " Is there someone else who knows the code word? Shall I call the next person on your list?'

          " Okay. And I will try to find the word." Mrs. M now calls her mom, who was there when the alarm system was installed and is the back-up contact.

           " Mom? You are going to get a call from the alarm people wanting to know the all clear code word. I hit the wrong button and if I don't tell them the word, the police will make a trek to my house with guns pulled, because they think it may be a hostage situation.
           " Please tell me you know the word. Crap. I looked everywhere and the only four letter word that comes out of my mouth right now, is crap. Pretty sure that isn't it."

           Mom with cell phone in her ear, saying, " Code word. What is the code word" and daughter on phone is saying," I DON"T KNOW".

           This conversation goes on for a bit and the house phone rings.

           Dad picks it up. It is the alarm people.

            He walks into room and says, "Honey, ?"

           Mom looks at him and says it is the alarm people, right? He says yes.

           " They want to know what the all clear code is. I don't know what they are talking about. What is the code?" He asks with a puzzled look.

           Mom is still on the phone with daughter and is saying," Code. What is the code?" and daughter is yelling,"I don't know. I don't know."

          Mom is trying to think of the word, when, miraculously, the word comes to her.

          She tells dad. Dad tells the alarm people. They are happy. Police do not show up at daughter's door. She is very happy.

          Code word is NOT changed to crap. She figured that if she was ever in a situation to need help and the alarm people called that would be all she could think of to say, and they would clear the call and the police would not come.

          It is always nice when your back-up comes through for you.