Umm: NOT Yum.

 Umm: NOT Yum.

 

Stouffer’s chicken and cheese enchiladas leave quite a bit to be desired. Full of pinto beans mashed up with rice, a bit of chicken, a tamale wrapper, and some cheese. Nope. Even the old woman can do better than that! Bought a big family-sized package and sent most of it except for two pieces home with Stephen and the boys. They worked about four hours and brought plywood, that insulation board stuff, and energy. Tomorrow my job is to go pick up flex seal, one sheet of corrugated tin, and some expanda foam. They—or Stephen—fixed all the places the stupid raccoon could get inside, so that was half the battle. And most of this stuff that will come from Sutherlands will be on that nice gift card! How neat is that?

 

The hens pretty well ignored the entire mess and just kept getting in the nesting boxes and doing their thing. It really was funny to see the boys banging away on the top and the hens just sitting there calmly laying their eggs. No biggie to them!

 

Went to the Feed and Garden Store and bought two bales of wheat straw—one for the bottom of the coop and one to put next to the place where the pipes froze two years ago. Also, asked them for a big bag of diatomaceous earth. Dear Hearts, they sent home diatomaceous FLOUR in my truck. It has something like 2% earth. So now my good sneakers are white along with that pair of black pants. Oh well. Called the lady and told her what had happened. She was trying to tell me that it was the right stuff. Ah, Darlin’, this old woman knows one or two things. Oh well.

 

Stephen nicked his hands in a couple of places, and since he is on blood thinners, he tried to gush a bunch. Dadgumit! He asked for some paper towels and electrical tape, but only had duct tape handy. Know the electrical is here, but the duct tape worked.

 

Been hoppin’ and blowin’ strong since 6 a.m. and just about ready to call it a day. Tried to get ahold of Sterling to see how things went at the sing along thing out in the workshop at his place, but he did not answer. Hope all is well. Ah, he just called me back and said the singin’, hopin’, and fellowshippin’ went well. Most of the folks there are not all that fond of the “praise music” at their church. Ya know, folks over 60 years old grew up with a hymn book in their hands and the songs FELT like worship! This tuneless stuff that some of the music directors want these days just doesn’t hit the target. Anyway, one of the ladies in their congregation asked Sterling and this other man if they could play a good rendition of “The House of the Rising Sun.” Now, if you know that song, the words originally were semi-risqué. But she wants to sing Amazing Grace to that tune. Guess what! Sterling said it was wonderful! So, experimenting is good sometimes—kinda like Leonard Cohen and his song that everyone and his cousin has been using to different words.

 

Tried to take the electrical box thingy back to Pinnacle today. The office must have moved. And they were closed today on top of that. Will call them Monday and see what has to happen to take care of this situation. Siri was not all that helpful, but it probably wasn’t her fault.

 

Thinking a good hot soak in the tub might not hurt a thing this evening. Jennifer said she had a massage booked this morning. Think she has pretty well been tied up in knots over this trying to figure out what was wrong with Gary’s blood count. Enough to worry just about anyone. Had to laugh at her. She said everyone is getting their Christmas in an Amazon box this year! Spending three or four days at the hospital would take up a bunch of “normal” time. Not that anything is all that normal, but still.

 

Really don’t know anything worth discussing or even cussing. The neighbors asked me to watch for packages being delivered, but they should return in a week anyway. Not much can happen in a week—or it would not in my mailbox! They are looking forward to seeing their boys. Their oldest in one year older than my oldest grandson. Funny world.

 

Supposed to get down past freezing tonight, so will have the cabinet doors open and the water dripping. Don’t need any frozen anything. Just peaceful dogs and hens and an old woman on this hill.

 

Let us remember that His grace covers us each day. Let us thank God for His love and His forgiveness. May He grant us the right attitude toward others.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.