GETTING OUR HOUSE IN ORDER

Yikes!!!! Here it is Thursday night and I've only written one blog this week. That's a good way to lose readers fast. Jim IV and I are working hard to get everything done, but we have lots more to do.

What we've done so far is to get the downstairs bathroom painted and are almost finished doing the same with the adjoining den, which we are turning into a bedroom. We've had to hit Home Depot several times and are doing our best to see that they stay in business. We are changing furniture around, cleaning out closets, calling out Salvation Army to pick up our castoffs, etc., etc.

We still have to take a sofa and recliner out to Brenda's in Franklin, then pick up two twin beds BJ and I slept in as children (Brenda has been storing them for us in her attic). Those will go in the master bedroom on the second floor, and the bed in there will go into the other room we use as a bedroom upstairs.

(In reading over the above, I noticed that I used the first person plural in describing the work, making it seem that I am doing half of it. Not so; Jim IV is doing most of it, while I am cheering him on.)

Then I plan to refinish the bed we are moving into the downstairs bedroom after we finish the painting in there. I have made plans, shopped accordingly, and then changed my mind several times. But I am happy as a lark, getting my nest in order.

Of course, the genius is a little concerned about the many bills we are running up, so I have to slow down on the purchases for a while. But he seems pleased with the changes also.

The major change we will have is that the big screen will be in the large area of space between the living and dining areas of our big front room. We will buy two comfortable chairs for viewing, but the big drawback is that when the kids want to watch TV, we will be in the living area and will be disturbed by the noise. The answer I have found for that is to buy wireless headphones so the sound will be muted. Or they can go upstairs to one of the bedrooms to watch.

After all is said and done, we should have plenty of room to bed down folks when they visit. That's what started all the work in the first place.

But meanwhile, the place is a mess, so if you come before we're finished, you may not find a bed available.

WINTER IN NASHVILLE

I'm afraid I'm getting a little erratic about writing these days. I've been working too hard around the house to get much else done. When Jim IV gets here early each morning, we get started and go all day.

It's a good thing I have plenty to do inside because I'm surely not going to go out in the weather we've been having. It has been cloudy and cold (a typical winter day in Nashville) and today it's pourihg rain to boot.

People who live outside the South make fun of us when we say it's cold. But believe me, with the humidity the way it is down here it feels much colder than it is. And when that wind comes barreling in from the North, it cuts right through anything you have on in the way of clothing.

In order for me to stay warm during these cold days I have to put on hose, socks, jeans and boots on the bottom half of my body. And on the top I have to have a tight camisole, turtleneck shirt, and sweater or sweatshirt, etc. I know I sound like a wimp, but if I don't dress that way, I get chilled, especially if I have to walk the dogs several times a day. Then I add coat, scarf, gloves, and sometimes a hat.

I remember one of the coldest winters I ever spent was in Gainesville, Florida. The people in that part of the state ignore the fact that it gets cold in the winter and the house where we lived had inadequate heating. There was a big propane heater in the hall and that was it. I was always afraid that it was a fire hazard, in the first place, and it didn't come close to heating the entire house. Thank goodness, the winters were short, really only about 2 months.

I will say one thing about Nashville winters though. Sometimes we have a day where the temperature reaches into the 60's or even 70's. And we really enjoy those days, but then it's back to business as usual, freezing days and nights.

It got down to five degrees a week or two ago and that's when we have to be really careful. We have to leave the water dripping in the kitchen and bathrooms or we could have a mess on our hands. We learned that the hard way in our last house with broken pipes several times. Doing without water when it's freezing outside is no fun, believe me.

For now, I'll just keep busy on the house and try not to keep thinking about how I could be in Arizona where it's nice and warm.

GETTING THINGS DONE, AND HOW!!

I'm a very happy camper right now. I have an almost full time handyman getting things done that have been put off for years. Don't get me wrong; the genius has many fabulous qualities, but doing major projects around the house is not one of them. He doesn't like doing them so they often tend to get put on the back burner, and as a result, a few jobs have stacked up around the house.

Now with Jim IV to help out for a few weeks, I am scurrying around finding all sorts of things for him to do. Right now the living room is full of items to go to the Salvation Army as soon as I get them added up for tax purposes. So our living arrangements will be a little cramped for a while.

One of the best things about working with my own son is that we are very compatible, so it is pleasant spending so much time together. And I don't know why but it seems like when the genius and I work together we can't agree on how to do each project. But Jim IV and I are doing just fine.

The genius likes all this too because 1) he doen't have to do them, and 2) they get done anyway, and 3) my nagging will stop (at least for a while).

Of course, there was a time when I did all this myself. In our old house I painted all the rooms at least once and several more than once. I cleaned out closets regularly and hauled all kinds of stuff up and down stairs. I even moved the furniture around by myself.

But those days are long gone what with my arthritic back, knees, and hips. So it's nice to tell someone that I need this piece moved here, or that carried there, etc.

The only "downside" is that my days of lounging around all day are over. I find myself working much harder than I've been used to.

But, as I keep telling myself as I fall into bed at night exhausted, "A LITTLE WORK NEVER HURTS ANYONE!"

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF RUFUS
(As Told by Rufus)

This morning I awoke at 5:45 ready to get up and start my day. I first began to wiggle a little to see how Y’mommy would react. All I got was a moan. So I began to stretch and lick myself hoping the movement would wake her up more fully. I knew Y’daddy was already awake and I NEEDED to go OUT!

My stirring around worked; she got up, picked me up and took me into Y’daddy’s study where he was working hard on his preps. At least HE was glad to see me. He said to Y’mommy, “You look grouchy.” She ALWAYS looks grouchy in the mornings. Anyway, he took me outside for my morning’s business and I felt much better.

I grabbed my Greenie and ran back upstairs to eat it on Y’mommy’s bed just so she won’t get her feelings hurt that I wanted to leave her. Then when I finished I returned to the kitchen to eat my breakfast. At first I thought Y’daddy was already gone, so I howled my disapproval, but he appeared and calmed me down with some turkey meat leftover from Christmas.

Again I snatched my after-breakfast bone and raced back to be with Y’mommy. This time she actually awoke enough to try to grab my bone away, but as usual I was too quick. Only after “the morning routine” was I able to settle back down while she finished her nap.

This morning turned out to be a better day than usual because Jesse came to spend the day. After we romped around the rooms and chased each other all over the downstairs, we were both ready for our walk.

I love my walk because I love to sniff along the side of the street to see who has been visiting our street. First, I buried my face in a pile of leaves to smell where Hulk had been; then, I definitely found a spot where Mr. Fox had been last night. Finally, I discovered that that black dog from the other street had passed by and left his markings. None of this suited my fancy to leave my own scent.

Jesse, meanwhile, likes to trot down the street occasionally leaving her own mark, and Y’mommy is caught in the middle of us, me dawdling and Jesse hurrying along, with her arms stretched out each holding a leash. Finally, she reminds me that I have a treat waiting for me if I would only get down to business, so I reluctantly finish and turn around to go back.

Then Jesse and I could get down to the real business of the day, alternately guarding the house and napping.

NEVER TOO OLD TO CHANGE

We're have a nice holiday here with snow pouring down outside while we are snuggling up inside. Both dogs are sitting on my lap while I'm writing this (Jessie is trying to lick my hand) and I am making innumerable errors trying to type. So far it is sticking only to the grass, but if this keeps up, we could have a real snow. I always like one good one a year and then I'm done.

I've had a change of plans for my winter months. I was going to Phoenix for several weeks in February, but I'm going to postpone the trip until May when two of our grandkids are graduating (again!). Jordan will get her degree from Grand Canyon University in nursing while Tom will get his Masters in Electrical Engineering. There were several reasons for the postponement.

One is that Ashley's father-in-law had heart surgery in California and Mike, her husband has been there for over a week helping out. It looks as if he will be spending quite a bit of time there over the next few months. So my visit would only complicate matters.

Another is that Jim IV has signed a contract to be the tennis pro at a local country club and is waiting for that job to begin in March. So he is available to help the genius and me get some major things accomplished around the house. And I really need to be here for that. So my plans have changed, but I am looking forward to getting this place in shape here.

We are all happy for Jim's switch in jobs; he's always loved tennis and excelled at teaching. The club where he will be is about a mile from his house, so things just couldn't have worked out any better for him.

And meanwhile, I will have a great handyman for a while!!

MY BUSY WEEK

This is my full week that I wrote about a few blogs ago, and so far it is going well.

Monday was bridge club and I was back in the winners' column after finishing at the bottom last month. My partner and I tied for first place this time. I had a delightful time and I also discovered another woman who is interested in pistol target shooting. So we took each other's phone numbers and we'll see if anything comes of it.

Tuesday was my coffee at a church friend's house. I arrived at 9:35, thinking I was five minutes late and realized I was early since there were no cars. So I just sat in the car for a while talking on the phone to BJ. I had gotten the time wrong, of course -- it started at 10:00, but I had a great time talking to old friends and meeting new faces also.

Yesterday I went shopping and got my hair cut, so today is the first day I am spending at home. It is verrrrry cold outside and I don't look forward to walking the dogs. But tonight it is supposed to get down to 5 degrees; I definitely don't look forward to that. Makes me want to go on to Phoenix now!!

Just took a break to walk the dogs because Rufus was making signs he couldn't wait. I was so bundled up that I was actually starting to break a sweat --- until I stepped outside. Rufus and Jesse didn't like the cold either; they did their business quickly and came back in, thank goodness. I looked at the thermometer and it was 17!! For Nashville that is COLD!!

Tomorrow is Burro Babes day and that's worth braving single digit temperatures!!!

BLOG STATS

I've been writing this blog now about a year and a half and have enjoyed it immensely. I have a way to look on Google Analytics and tell how many people are reading the blog and where they are reading it from. Today I want to report on what the numbers are.

Most of my readers come from the Nashville area, and that it to be expected since most of my family lives here. The other big numbers area is in and around Phoenix, where my daughter and family live. That too is understandable. The surprise has been that apparently I have some people who check in regularly from different parts of the country.

One is in California. Right now West Hollywood is currently number three on the list of places who have opened the blog for the past month. I thought for a while that this was my son-in-law's father because they live in that area, but he didn't even know I was writing a blog. So it must be someone who just happened onto the column one day and stayed. Whoever it is is certainly welcome especially since he/she has been a visitor now for some months.

Another one is Knoxville, and I assumed that was MA, my sister. But then I see Crab Orchard on there and know that is her address. So I don't know who Knoxville is. Others who regularly show up are Antioch, Tennessee, and Grayson, Georgia. I'm sure that Grayson are my friends Larry and Betty, but I have no idea who Antioch is.

And of course, there are the one hit wonders (or maybe I should say wanders), the ones who are just passing through. I get those from all over the world. They just happen into the blog, don't like what they see and keep going never to return. Or maybe they do, I've had three hits from a city in the Philippines. And Manchester, England has visited a few times. In the last month, I have had visits from five different countries, most of them in the U.S. of course. The total visits have been 235 for the last 30 days.

Maybe I should start marketing the blog and see if I can make some money out of this space. I'M KIDDING!!! That's the last thing I would want to do, bring pressure on myself to get a blog out on a regular basis. No, I think I'll keep writing for pleasure and hope that everyone who reads it will get a laugh or two or get a whiff of what life in the South is like.

Or what life is like for an old grandmother of eight!!

AND THEN THERE WAS ONE

I've been thinking about friendships and how important they have been in my own life. There have been many people, both male and female, who have been very meaningful to me throughout the years. Some I still have, but I especially remember three friends I had in my twenties on into my forties: Sylvia, Terry, and Julie.

The four of us met in our mid twenties and all of us had a connection of some kind to each other. Three of us had husbands who worked for IBM; a different three had boys the same age who played together once a week. Sylvia, Julie, and I played tennis together, while Terry and her husband attended the same church the genius and I did. We were all about the same ages and we all played bridge together in a group with our spouses. We spent many happy hours together, sometimes taking vacations, other times just visiting with each other.

The first thing that happened to splinter our little group was that Terry and her husband moved to a town about 2 hours away. The genius and I still kept in touch with them, traveling up to see them often or vise-versa. Several times Sylvia and I went to stay with Terry and played in a tennis tournament held in a nearby town. We still had many happy times together, just not as frequently.

Then Sylvia and her husband began to have troubles and eventually they separated and divorced. She moved away to pursue a career in nursing and the genius and I lost touch with both of them, much to our sorrow.

About the same time as all this was taking place, Julie became lost while driving home one day. She was eventually diagnosed with a brain tumor and her prognosis was bleak. Sylvia, who had finished her degree and had moved back to town, helped care for Julie until her death.

As the years went by, Sylvia moved to Florida and about five years ago I read in the paper that she too had died. The genius and I attended her memorial service where we saw Terry and her husband. We had still kept in touch but our paths had gone in different directions and we rarely saw each other.

A few weeks ago the genius and I drove to Terry's small town to attend the visitation with her family; she, too, had passed on.

It's a strange feeling to be the last one left; I can't really describe it. I'm sad about the losses, of course, and the end of happy times. But I can't help but be realistic about my situation either: I'm almost seventy and the grim reaper could be close. (Of course, any of us could go at any time.)

Still, it's very sobering to dwell on these things, but since there's not a thing I can do about it, I will just enjoy whatever time I have left.

And keep writing my blog!!

SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE VS. THE REST OF THE WORLD

It's a great day here at our house. The Gators did it again. It wasn't pretty, but hey! we're satisfied to be the national champs for the second time in three years. We had a wonderful time watching Superman and his teammates hold on and win!!

I guess I'll get out the car flags today when I go out. Might as well show my colors to the world, even though I run the risk of car damage with all the U. of Tennessee fans around. Surely not!! They've got to be happy that the SEC held up so well in the bowl games. Final record was SEC 8 wins and 2 losses.

Oklahoma was a good team -- they had a very precise passer as a quarterback -- but let's face it; the Big 12 just doesn't have the depth of the SEC and that's why they were able to come into this game with such a high scoring average. The SEC teams, on the other hand, beat each other up week after week and the scores are lower.

A great case in point is Ole Miss (the announcer, obviously not a Southerner, actually called them "Old Miss" last night). They had some losses (one to Vandy) but they beat Florida and then in the Cotton Bowl beat Texas Tech, a highly touted team. We just don't get the respect here in the South we deserve.

Oh, I know; most of the South is conservative and the media is not. But records tell the story and it's an accurate story. So, I hope the news people will come around. But I won't hold my breath!!

So, how do you all like this soap box, dear Readers? Some of you are not interested in football at all, and I promise not to belabor the point.

BUT WHAT WILL THE GENIUS AND I DO ON SATURDAYS FOR THE NEXT EIGHT MONTHS??!

THE TEMPORARY STATE OF CLEANLINESS

Ahhhhh, a nice clean carpet!! Whoever thought that putting in ivory colored carpets would be a good thing must have been off his rocker! Or it could be that they weren't going to live on it, just put it in to sell the house. It was new when we moved in 14 years ago, and it lasted all of a few weeks in that pristine condition. And then later Rufus came on the scene and you can imagine what kind of state it is in now.

I have fought the battle with sprays especially made to "remove" dog stains until my hand is limp from pushing that button. I even purchased a rug shampooer and keep it out to go over the spots as they occur. Today I had the professionals in and it looks great -- for now. Until the genius tracks in leaves and mud, or until Rufus does his thing. And he will; the only way to keep him from ruining this rug is to move.

Maybe a better way would be to put in hardwood floors. That's certainly something I'm going to investigate in the next few months (I have to hurry before the genius retires). I'm tired of fighting it!! And besides, putting in new floors would be much less trouble than moving.

On another subject, have you ever noticed that certain things seem to occur at one time? I sit at home for weeks at a time, even on the weekends, and don't go anywhere. Just listen to my schedule next week:

On Monday I play bridge, Tuesday attend a coffee at a friend's house, and Friday have lunch with the Burro Babes (my high school classmates). Then the next weekend we have parties on two consecutive nights after being idle for several weeks. Why does it always happen that like that? I'll be exhausted!!

I can hear my sister MA chuckling as she reads this. She does this every week!!

DREARY DAY THOUGHTS

Oh, what a wet, rainy day it is here; it has been raining steadily since yesterday morning. I had visions of going to Walmart today to grocery shop (Annie and I ran out of time yesterday), but that has been put on the back burner. I'll just have to use regular milk for the cornbread for supper instead of buttermilk. Just can't see getting out in this stuff.

On the real back burner of my stove top is that good old Southern favorite, a pot of white beans, simmering away. I hate to do this to the genius because he is on a diet and can't eat bread, but he is being very brave about it. He loves the beans so much that he told me to fix it anyway. Obviously, I can't eat a whole pan of cornbread, so I'll have to have something to go with it again tomorrow night.

Jim IV and the genius are in a contest to see who can lose the most weight by April 1. This little challenge will spur them both on because I don't know anyone more competitive than those two. The winner will treat the other one to a "blow it all out" dinner, and thus negate three months of dieting! I'll be in Phoenix for three and a half weeks during part of this starving process so will miss out on any moans and groans about hunger pains, etc. Oh, darn!!

And speaking of Phoenix, or more specifically Glendale, what a great game that was last night between Texas and Ohio State. I was pulling for Texas all the way because I believe that the Big 10 is so overrated, but that was an exciting finish. Now on to the REALLY important game, Florida vs. Oklahoma. The genius and I have waited for this one all year!! I hope we can pull another one out for the SEC whose current bowl record is 7 and 2.

And then we will begin the long dry spell of waiting for the 2009 season to begin!!

THE END OF A GOOD YEAR

Soooo, I took a little vacation from the blog. With the genius home, and me scuttling around trying to keep him busy with "house stuff," I decided to take a break from writing. But now I'm back with itchy fingers.

Today Annie is spending the day with me (she doesn't go back to school until tomorrow) and we will take time for some pampering. The nails place is calling to us for some attention to our fingers and toes, so we will do that first. Then it's on to Walmart (my new best friend for groceries).

I also need to go to PetSmart for a doggie backpack for me and Rufus. I plan to use that to take him on the plane to Phoenix in February and I want him to get used to it first. That should be an interesting experiment, his being bundled up on my back like that. I'm sure he won't like it at first, and maybe not ever, but he will have to do it anyway.

We had a great New Year's Eve celebration with the sisters and husbands in Fairfield Glade this year. The "girls" all went shopping during the day while the men worked out and/or watched football. Since we were so close to the Eastern Time Zone we celebrated at midnight their time instead of ours so we could go on to bed. (I don't know what our excuse will be next year when we are back in Nashville!)

MA fixed us an excellent lunch on New Year's Day of pork roast, turnip greens (freshly picked and frozen last summer), black eyed peas (of course! You have to eat at least one for each month of the new year, but we all ate lots more than that!), BJ's sweet potato and corn casseroles and her delicious cornbread. There was red velvet cake and boiled custard for dessert.

You may wonder what my contribution was to this wonderful feast. I was the drink fixer, the dish washer, and general flunky. I know better than to try to compete with my sisters in the cooking department. And oh yes, I bought the roast.

We had a great time, but maybe not as good as the Phoenix side of the family who were vacationing in Hawaii at the time!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OF YOU!!!!