Goodbye, Yellow Brick Road

I mean, goodbye, 2015. I'm thankful to have made it through, with help from my friends.

 

If I ever had to jump out of an airplane, I would holler "Great-Great-Grandfather!" even though I was scared to death.

*

There are some things I'd like to do this year. I'd like to go to Ireland, and I'd like to end up in Israel. Maybe get scattered by a bomb, or rammed by a truck. But no knives, please.

Good Times

The past week has been wonderful. Jed came over on Wednesday. On Thursday we had Christmas Eve dinner here with my sisters, nieces and great-nephew Reed. Jed and I watched several good movies on Netflix, etc., played games, put up lights and worked around the house a bit. Then on Sunday, Susan, Pat, Jed and I had lunch at Carraba's to celebrate my birthday. My folks are so good to me! My Christmas and birthday gifts are wonderful, including enough wine, candy and cookies to last at least until Valentine's Day.

Coming 'Round the Mountain

I've been playing with my train set.

Jed phoned this morning, and he'll be here sometime this week. I've invited the family here for Christmas Eve midday dinner, on Thursday afternoon. And this afternoon, Susan and I plan to go to the Tower of Prayer Church to hear them preach and sing.

*

This month I have requested information about adopting seven different dogs, and haven't heard a mumbling word about a single one.

Ain't funny, McGee.

Last night about 8:30, someone knocked loudly on my door--BANG! BANG! BANG! When I checked, no one was at either door. So I called the police, and asked them if anyone else in the neighborhood has complained of such goings-on, and they said no. I asked them to check the neighborhood tonight, and they said they would.

So, about 4:30 this morning, something woke me. Of course, I had to get up and check all the doors and windows, drink coffee, etc.

I'll do something about it today. I don't know exactly what, but by the end of today, at least the motion-sensitive lights on the deck will be working, and any other outside lights that I or Dave M. can reach.

Same Song, -nth Verse

The doorbell rang and woke me about midnight, so I got up and checked the doors and windows. After an hour or so, I went back to sleep. It could have been the rain and wind that woke me just after 3:00 a.m. I notice one house across the street has four lights across the front, not Christmas lights. So maybe I'm not the only one being bothered.

Tomorrow--today--I'm going to take one of my burnt-out bulbs down, and go to Lowe's or somewhere and buy a bunch of them. I'll call Dave and make him come and install the new bulbs. I don't know if more lights will fix the problem, but maybe it will help. We should light up the whole neighborhood. My neighbor next door, in Jared's old house, has Christmas lights strung all around the roofs of his house and garage.

I've got 13 short-stories in my head and started in notebooks, so I plan to finish writing some of them this winter. That's how I fall asleep recently, working out one of these stories.

This Is the Dog I Want.

A. Oliver - Great Pyrenese - male 3 y.o. - Talladega, AL

B. Rogan - Collie mix - Male 3 y.o. - Columbia, TN

 

 

C. Jacob - Irish/English setter mix - Male 18 m.o. - Remlap, AL

 

Of course, you know the one I want most. But I'm not sure. Rogan makes me smile, and he "looks like us." Jacob looks like a real dog. But Oliver! Oliver! Oliver!

They're all listed with Pet-Finder. I'm reluctant to inquire about any of them; it's so hard to get someone to talk to me about a dog. Dave wants to get me a 6-m.o. German shepherd named Carly, "the prettiest dog you ever saw." But I don't want a GSD if I can get one of these (above).

These are all large dogs, but all three seem to be content with a minimum of exercise--especially Oliver. If I succeeded in obtaining one of them, I would take him to the best vet around here, find out what's best to feed him (prime rib? filet mignon?), and price getting him groomed regularly. He would be my hobby from here to eternity.

I Call Him/Her "Bob."

What would you call him?

 

I have mixed feelings about this.

 

***

 

Well, after he partook of refreshments, I let him out but left the screen door ajar so he could get back in the house if he chose. But he apparently had other fish to fry, and he disappeared. If he comes back, okay, and if he doesn't, okay.

Always Something

Yesterday I made the rounds of post office, Walmart, and the Wiz's office where I finally got my problems resolved for the time-being. At Walmart, I found (praise God) that my four Rx refills cost nothing, and the fifth one hadn't been filled because Dr. G. hadn't called in a new prescription, so I'll have to make another trip. At the P.O., I mailed a handful of Christmas cards to the family and a couple of close friends.

Also mailed a complimentary copy of my poetry book to Mike, an old friend from our Huntsville days.

By the time I got home, it was nearly dark, and I like-to-didn't make it up the basement stairs. I ate my second meal of the day, than lay down and slept until 10:00 p.m. Then I watched a no-account French-language movie about two females who killed a whole family--with shotguns. At least they didn't set 'em on fire, which was their prior M.O.

This is too much!

I've been up since 3:15 a.m., walking around the house with the telephone in my hand, looking to see if I was awakened by a window breaking. Meanwhile I've drunk two mugs of coffee.

***

I've requested information about this dog, a lab mix. Have received no response about Fluffy or Bella.

I Lay There Like a Log.

But didn't sleep at all last night. I should have found a picture of a Yule log, but I'm not that cheerful.
Last night I drank a glass of wine before going to bed, and I felt pretty good and brave. To heck with the burglar. But I couldn't sleep.

*

Yesterday I cleaned out a cabinet where I could store stuff from my laundry closet. It may take most of next year, but I'm determined to clean that space. I also shopped for a few groceries, at Food Giant because I know where everything is. I can only shop for half an hour or less before I go back and collapse in the car.

Today I plan to address a few Christmas cards, renew a few prescriptions, and pay a couple of bills online. If I can stay awake till 8 or 9 p.m., I'll go to bed early.

*

I watched part of "The Wiz" on TV, whichever night it was on. The film was visually stunning, but the sound was so loud and confused, I finally gave it up. It's wonderful for people who like noisy musicals.

Still Looking

It looks like Fluffy Puppy has already been adopted. The email and telephone listings don't respond.

*

I just put in a call message about Bella. She's a golden retriever, six years old, but her adoption fee is pretty high. Maybe I can plead old age--the site says senior citizens can adopt senior dogs for free. So maybe I can connect up with this or another Golden.

I really wanted that Fluffy dog. I like Bella because she "looks like us--" that is, she reminds me of Ginger, the Chow-Chow mix that I grew up with, and Buck, the shepherd/retriever that I kept for 24 hours a few years ago. She also favors Wilbert, and Monty, and Pat's dog Weezer.

Jingle All the Way

Yesterday I went to Walmart and picked out a Christmas tree, white pine pre-lit 6.5 ft. Then I had to have help lifting the box, so I knew I couldn't carry it up the stairs at home. So I cancelled the sale. By the time I got home and toted the groceries upstairs, I was beat, so I didn't go to the poetry group meeting.

We had a good time at Thanksgiving. Jed spent three days here, and Ramey invited us for turkey dinner, with India, Buffy and Phillip. After dinner we played a new code-guessing-game that Jed brought.