I rarely leave the JAARS Center.  After all, I have everything I need–and more!!  I’ve been “downsizing” (a subject documented in my other [older] blog: TabTeardropTravels).  Today, Praise the Lord!!, I sold some of my vast collection of plates.  (Plates depicting scenes regarding Jesus’ birth but looks like beautiful stained glass windows.)

Mid-afternoon, impulsively, I got in the car and drove about twenty miles to the Wild Bird Center.  I needed more whole peanuts for my fine furry friends.  Oh, how they love the peanuts from that new feeder!!  I browsed the store but limited my purchases to a twenty-five pound bag of peanuts and a book that identifies the birds in the Carolinas.  It’s time I learn the names of my feathered friends that visit my eight bird feeders.

Next, I went to an adjacent Walmart for two items on my list: Bulb for the night-light in the bathroom, and Aleve.  (I’ve taken pride in not taking even an aspirin for pain or headache, for decades.  I’m holistic in my health mentality.)  Then I browsed the store “for the fun of it.” Near the Toy Department, I found a section with small toys for $1, $2, and $3.  I bought a dozen items for Operation Christmas Child (for 2012!!).  I bought several Slinky.  (Slinky, made in Michigan; books published in Minnesota; peanuts grown in Virginia!!)

I prepared food “from scratch.”  I did some cleaning.  I perused two boxes full of new gift items—-and wrapped several gifts!! I’ve been invited to the home of a co-worker–for Christmas Day–and I want to take “thank you” gifts.  In early 2010, I donated several boxes of new gift items to the Shelby Senior Center (to be used for door prizes) .  For years, I was compulsive about buying things, “on sale,” for later gift giving.  It was so tempting to buy things the day after Christmas, or during “after Christmas” sales.  Frankly, I’m surprised that I still have two boxes of gift items in my possession!!

I’m not expected back at work until January 3rd.  I really don’t enjoy all this “free” time; I’d rather have a schedule and a reason to get dressed and leave the apartment.  Without a reason to leave the apartment, I stay in my pajamas and may not comb my hair.  Not healthy!!  I’ll be “talking to myself like a Dutch uncle“ to process through my downsizing projects.

I volunteered to take a Green Bean Casserole for Christmas dinner.  In the next few days, I need to decide whether I should unpack Pyrex and/or Corning, or buy an aluminum container.  (Perhaps borrow a baking dish from a neighbor?)  I’m reluctant to start unpacking things that have been stored in the area above the kitchen cupboards.  If/when I unpack… I’m back to the problem of “where do I put them?”  There is limited cupboard space.

The weatherman indicates we had more than one inch of rain “in some locations” (local locations).  The temperature was unseasonably high and a similar temperature of 70 degrees tomorrow.  Fifty-two is the normal high for this time of year.  Tomorrow is the first day of Winter but our weather does not resemble “winter”!!  ~~  According to the evening news, “treacherous weather” conditions in Montana and Colorado.  “No thank you.  I can live without snow, ice, and cold!!”

The squirrels were not stopped by the rain; six were feeding on the variety of food I have provided.  I didn’t hang the loop with whole peanuts because those greedy little critters can devour a two-pound bag in one day.  One aggressive little guy repeatedly bumped his head against the glass patio door to get my attention.  (He had my attention!!  They are so cute!!)

For many years, I searched and documented my family history.  (I published my maiden name as Frantz Families–Kith & Kin.) I’ve looked at many aspects of life over the past four hundred years.  Because of my keen interest… I ask you: DO YOU REMEMBER?

Do you remember hearing your grandmother tell
How she drew the water from the back yard well;
And how she boiled it in the kettle and big wash pot;
And milked the cows that were kept in the lot?

How she strained the milk in a crockery churn
And set it near the fire to make it turn;
How she made the bread in a big wooden tray;
And served it hot three times a day.

How she made hominy with home-made lye;
For there wasn’t any canned she could buy.
How the apples and peaches they carefully dried;
And in their home they felt great pride.

How she put potatoes in hot ashes to bake
And at Christmas time many cakes she’d make.
How she heated the irons by the hot coals, too,
While above them she cooked a pot of stew?

How she pieced many quilts in patterns so rare,
While grandpa fashioned a table or chair,
How she made tea cakes and pulled syrup candy;
And how everyone thought them fine and dandy.

How she scrubbed the floors in every room
With white sand and a corn shuck broom;
How she gathered straw to make her brooms,
And worked long hours at the wheel and loom.

How she spun the tread and the coverlets wove,
And brought in wood for the iron stove;
And how in a two-horse wagon they’d ride,
And how careful she was her ankles to hide.

How she wore a sunbonnet to protest her skin;
For no young lady wanted a sun-tan then.
How she drank water from a gourd with a handle
And wrote on a slate by the light of a candle.

And how her “Pa” made syrup from sorghum cane
And her “Ma” dried lard with the moon on the wane.
How her “Pa” killed hogs and cured his meat;
And hunted rabbits and quail for the family to eat.

How they called the farm hands by ringing the bell;
Or rang it loudly for fire or danger to tell.
How they planted the garden when the moon was right;
And started to work before it was light.

In those days there was little time for play
And no one had heard of an eight-hour day;
I’m sure there are many other things you can recall
But time won’t permit us telling them all.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this glimpse of the past
And that memories of today, long will last.

~~~~~~~~~~~ Lucy Clark ~~~~~~~~~~~

I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned (in earlier blogs) that I have a dozen (or more) large boxes of genealogy (family history). Several boxes are specifically devoted to the material required to prove the copyright on the books I published. That is so burdensome!! Large, heavy boxes!! One thing I speculate: Those boxes will be the last ones I “do” anything with.  ~~  Meanwhile, I’ll continue to “downsize” memorabilia and collectibles.

I’ve been going 35 miles per hour working on “downsizing.”  (I’ve slowed down now that I am “three quarters and counting”!!)  A comment about my new blog, from an RVing friend, prompted me to stop and prepare another message. I found the following in some old correspondence.

THE TURKEY POPPED OUT OF THE OVEN

The turkey popped out of the oven
and rocketed in to the air;
It knocked every plate off the table
and partly demolished a chair.
It ricocheted into a corner
and burst with a deafening boom,
Then splattered all over the kitchen,
completely obscuring the room.
It stuck to the walls and the windows,
it totally coated the floor.
There was turkey attached to the ceiling,
where there had never been turkey before…
It blanketed every appliance,
it smeared every saucer and bowl;
There wasn’t a way I could stop it;
that turkey was out of control.
I scraped and I scraped with displeasure
and though with chagrin as I mopped,
That I would never again stuff a turkey
with popcorn that hadn’t been popped.

~~~~~~ written by Jack Prelutsky ~~~~~

I’m encouraged because I can see some progress (downsizing).  Three empty boxes will go to the dumpster.  I have emptied a two-drawer file cabinet that I will advertise for sale.  One day very soon, I’ll go through the file folders and toss (shred) a lot of old material.  Slowly, things are moved to the box that contains donations for the Boutique.  However, too much stuff is laid aside because I’m not ready to part with it yet.  Over two dozen books are now on the bookshelf “because I want to read them before I give them away.”  ~~  Plenty of time for reading, and downsizing, because I learned this morning that my building–where I volunteer–will be closed until January 2nd.

Gotta tell ya: Eight squirrels in my yard this morning!!  This is the first time I have had so many at one time.  The word is out: “There’s a ‘nutty’ old lady in an apartment near the woods.”

Bah, humbug!!  I don’t like this time of year!!  Everything geared to family.  In an effort to banish the blues, I’ve kept very busy all weekend “getting my ducks in a row.”  In my earlier blogs (TabTeardropTravels) I talked about “downsizing.”  I’ve made progress but I won’t make the self-imposed deadline of December 31, 2011.  I hope, and pray, to get the project done before another year passes!!  I emptied several boxes yesterday, and a couple today.

Today I shifted boxes so I could get to some that have been packed since 2004.  (Yes, 2004!!  Before I left Lancaster, California.)  I thought I’d move pictures and decorator items from one box to another.  From an old box to a box that will be a donation to our Boutique (Thrift Shop) on the JAARS campus.  Inadvertently, I opened a box with framed family pictures and I was overwhelmed with emotions, and memories.  It was 2 o’clock and I cried out “Oh, God, I can’t stand the pain!!”  I tucked the pictures back into the box and stacked it against the wall (again). 

I fixed lunch and sat, eating, at the computer reading details about uploading pictures to this new-to-me blog.  There will definitely be “a learning curve” because there are many differences between this format and the Google Blogspot format.  Again I say “Bear with me while I learn the features.”  ~~  Note: With time spent reading instructions, and experimenting with pictures, this blog took three hours.  ~~  

For over three years I’ve used Google’s Blogspot.  They have made several changes this past year and it has become extremely difficult to create an individual blog.  Today, without any warning, while working on a message, things changed radically!!  I attempted to regain the former format–to no avail.  I went to the “help” menu and read everything I could find that applied to my dilemma.  There seems to be no immediate resolve so I searched for another place to publish my blog messages.  ~~  At first, I’ll be experimenting with appearance, etc.  ~~  Bear with me; allow this old lady some latitude.  After all, I’m “three quarters and counting.”  ~~  My most recent blog messages can be found at TabTeardropTravels.    ~~