Alas poor Tom, I knew him not well!!
But let me proclaim he tasted swell!!

At Halloween we sit in a patch waiting for “The Great Pumpkin” to deliver toys.

At Easter we hunt for eggs hidden by the Easter Bunny—We don’t know yet if he or the chickens are responsible for production.

At Christmas it is Santa Claus we are looking for.  Fingers crossed that he hasn’t reviewed the infamous list lately…

So what about Thanksgiving? Who do we look for? Is there anyone to wait for on this holiday?

Well my friend I have solved this problem!  I am going to sit up all night so I can hear the scratching on the porch.  He is going to be here because he is hiding from “Butterball” and Honeysuckle White” 

Of course I’m not going to guarantee he will be safe here because we love turkey too.

Living in the Genesee County Triangle means cell phones don’t work, kids and friends don’t visit as often, and you get a little lax on the household cleaning chores.  So there ain’t nothing as stimulating as company coming for dinner!!

Lord knows you wouldn’t want anyone to think you had just lost the ability to detect a dirty toilet bowl, a dusty TV screen, and a sticky kitchen from the cleanliness is next to whatever it is!!!

  So it is make a list on Sunday. Start upstairs on Monday, even if no one does go up there!!  Tuesday it’s scrub and scour anything that you scrub and scour.  Wednesday it is haul out the vacuum (that is the size of small garden cart) and drag it all over the carpets.  Then you can re-dust the furniture, assemble the good tablecloth, silver ware, and leaves for the table. 

A quick check of the pantry says the cranberries and crescent rolls are still on the shelf in the grocery store which is only 10-15 miles away depending on which direction you go!!  So haul your butt to the truck and retrieve the necessary staples to assure a fantastic meal!!

When Thursday comes you stand in the middle of your semi-sparkling home with the wonderful smells wafting across the room and think—did I clean the top of the fridge?  Is the bed made with the special pillows that usually stay in the closet on a shelf?  And, most importantly, did I comb my freakin’ hair this morning!?!

Happy Thanksgiving every one!!

I glanced out the kitchen window this morning and saw frost on the truck windshield and the old phrase from my childhood came flooding back…  That there is frost on the pumpkin, which meant the the walk across the bridge to the outhouse was going to be a challenge this morning.  We really hated the winter in the morning when you had to go so bad you could taste it.  And you would swear that everything had a yellow tinge because your bladder had overflowed into your eyeballs.

The baths in the kitchen in a round washtub with your feet and legs hanging out over the side!!  We bathed in the kitchen because there was no bathroom and the heat from the stove kept you halfway warm!!  We didn’t think about a bathroom because we knew when our Dad could finally get enough money together we would have one!! 

Funny how that was a given and we never worried about it because we were warm, well fed, and loved.

So I’m sitting in the Doctor’s office with all kinds of questions and in he walks.  My first question was which one is it?  He replies, “You have a lazy gall bladder.  The pain you experienced was caused by that.  Have you had any more pain?” “No” I said.  “Good then we are not going to do anything any further than to suggest losing some weight, a low fat—low carbohydrate diet, exercise, and a calcium supplement.”

But what about the COPD—which one is it?  “Oh, it is emphysema—very first stages,” he said.  “What do I do about it?” I asked.  “Normally I say quit smoking, but you have.  I want a cat-scan in 3 months to get a handle on how it is progressing.  Keep in mind you are in the early stages.  Let me worry about treatment when it is needed and you worry about the weight, exercise and attitude.” 

So there we have it.  The lazy gall bladder was his primary concern and I was getting ready to hide the little tank under my left tit . 

Another fact—Sweet Thing’s husband has started the long road to smoke free living and I am proud as punch for him!!!

It is time to think of turkey and pie.
Leaves on the ground and snow in the sky.
Who visits where and who is gonna cook.
Grab that old cookbook and lets have a look.

Turkey in brine is the big thing this season.
Stuffing in the bird or a pan what is the reason?
That each year we discuss the pros and the cons
When we know the outcome, what will go on!!

Dad wants it outside ‘cause the turkey cooks faster,
The stuffing is not sloppy or too moist says the master.
But mom wants it inside to soak up the taste,
Stuffing without turkey juice—boy what a waste.

Then there is the pies—pumpkin or apple—home made is best.
You start with canned pumpkin, apples, and a box crust.
You mess up the counter and spill flour on the floor.
When with “Mrs. Smith’” you bake it when it comes in the door.

Oh yes Thankgiving is a most joyous occasion.
When the dishes are done and we are all lazin’

I stated that if everything got converted in one day it would be a small miracle!!

Consumers Energy was here at 9AM this morning and tied the house to the yard line (gas).  Shortly there after Holland Heating showed up and converted the furnace to natural gas.  Consumers then came in and converted the gas cook top to natural gas.  At 3PM this afternoon an installer brought the new water heater in and connected it to the line.  Everything was working by 5PM this afternoon. 

It is a miracle when three different business can coordinate and accomplish everything in the same day.  My thanks to all who made it happen.

Well maybe more like a bush whacker. 

Consumers wanted a barberry bush moved because when the meter is set to read it is to ask for trouble. 

So with my trusty loppers and my shovel I attacked this poor defenseless bush.  Well not defenseless because it will scratch the hell out of anything, or one, who comes within a foot of it.

Less than one hour later I had it out of the ground, on and off the pickup and out on the brush pile behind the shed.  Eehaw!!!

Damn I’m good for a 68 year old broad!!!!

32 years ago I buried the father of my children in North Carolina.  He died of cancer when the youngest one was four months old.  He loved his kids but he loved drinking more.

Did I love him , Yes.  Did I respect him, No!

That is the reason for this title.

Gas that is.  I went to the street to kiss the subcontractor on the forehead this morning.  They were out there pulling the main line to the front of the house. 

They said they would have gas to the front by tomorrow .  Now all we need is for Consumers to bring it up to the house, another crew to set the meter and do the inside conversion on the appliances.  Then call Home Depot to deliver and install the new water heater because you can’t convert the old one. 

It promises to be an exciting week and we may stink a little before everything is complete.  But hey after Monday’s Dr. appointment we got no place to go!!!