Friendly Fill-Ins

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Note: David's post will be up later today. It is nearly 11am and we are STILL waiting for his morning meds that should have been given around 9am. I've been to the nurse's station several times and they've paged her, but still no one comes. Please be sure to check for his post later.

The fill-ins: 

1. On New Year’s Eve, I ______________.

2. One goal I have for 2018 is _______.

3. In 2017, I accomplished ___________.

4. I _________________________ in 2017.

My responses: 

On New Year’s Eve, I will likely be very frustrated because 1. We are still in the blasted hospital and 2. Because the hospital’s firewall won’t let us do anything remotely fun, besides making my our blog posts, which means we likely will not be able to catch the live stream of the ball dropping on Times Square. Though we live here in Texas, we are from South Carolina, so we ring in the new year on East Coast time.

One goal I have for 2018 is to stay out of the hospital. But, if David’s pattern continues its cycle, we will be here again before 2018 closes. Here’s to breaking cycles!

In 2017, I accomplished the reading of several books, growing great relationships with various publicists, and increasing our library to a level that would make Thomas Jefferson proud.

I started a cake decorating blog and YouTube channel in 2017 that apparently isn’t meant to be. Every time I try to start something, something comes along to throw it off course. So, the message I am getting is that I am not supposed to even bother trying anymore.  I know some of you will see this as a negative attitude, but it is me being real with *my* feelings.  It isn’t a matter of faith, as some will likely toss out to me.  I have faith in Heavenly Father enough to know that sometimes the answer is “No” when it comes to things we want to do, that seem like a good idea at the time. In my younger days, I would have kept fighting.  It is increasingly difficult to tell when I am supposed to punch my way through something or when the answer is absolutely “no”. I just don’t have that youthful fight in me anymore. My energy is all going to survival mode these days.  Hopefully, something will happen in 2018 to revive it.

Image source: Pixabay

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Friendly Fill Ins - Merry Christmas

This is a fun meme co-hosted by 15 and Meowingand McGuffy's Reader. Be sure to visit and join in the fun!


Here are the fill-ins:

1. I can’t wait to see_________________________ open my gift to him/her.
2. I have had the same __________________ for _____________________.
3. I would not mind if Santa were to bring me ________________________.
4. On Christmas Eve, I always ____________________________________ .


Here are my responses:

I don’t have an answer for the first question as we aren’t able to do any gift giving this year.

I have had the same color eyes for my whole life. Well, okay, maybe they were blue for the first week or so. However, if they were like our Davey’s, the brown was set by the end of the first day.

I would not mind if Santa were to bring me a healthy husband, but that is not his department. So, how about a new house? He got one for little Natalie in the movie Miracle on 34th Street.

On Christmas Eve, I always wish that the whole bit about Santa Claus was true, even though I know there is no jolly dude in a beautiful red velvet suit waiting to descend into our house with a bag full of goodies.

There is a better gift, though, given about two thousand years ago for all of us – the gift of Jesus Christ. That is what this season is all about and all that matters in the end. Kids outgrow Barbies and Tonka trucks. They never outgrow the love of Christ or the gift of His birth or His sacrifice.

Merry Christmas, y’all!

Image Source: Pixabay
https://pixabay.com/en/nativity-scene-manger-jesus-mary-1939479/




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Friendly Fill-Ins

This is a fun meme co-hosted by 15 and Meowing and McGuffy's Reader. Be sure to visit and join in the fun!

Here are the fill-ins:

1. The best part of last week was ____________________.

2. The worst part of last week was ___________________.

3. _____ is a Winter project that I will be working on.

4. A holiday gift that I always buy for someone is ___.

Here are my responses:

The best part of last week was that David didn’t get admitted to the hospital, so didn’t lose his leg.

The worst part of last week was still worrying about his foot and what will ultimately happen with it.

©9 November 2017 Suzanne G. McClendon

One winter project I am working on is knitting and crocheting hats and scarves, some for family here, but others for our church back home in South Carolina.

There is no Christmas gift that I always buy for someone because we are not always able to buy Christmas gifts. It would be nice to be able to have such a tradition, but the commercial side of this season isn’t what it’s all about. Our salvation was bought by Jesus, but, thankfully, we do not have to buy His love or redemption. 

Have a blessed weekend, y’all!

Image Source: Pixabay Cross

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I respond to all comments on this blog, ideally within 24 hours.  Please check back here for a response to your comment.  Thank you!
 
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Friendly Fill-Ins

This is a fun meme co-hosted by 15 and Meowing and McGuffy's Reader. Be sure to visit and join in the fun!

Here are the fill-ins:

1. I can’t believe _____________________ is still sold.

2. I have ______________________________ on Craigslist.

3. Going into December, the weather outside is _______.

4. My current weakness is ____________________________.

Here are my responses:

I can’t believe Easter grass is still sold. Really, I didn’t have a good answer for this one, so this is as good as any. Easter grass was banned from our house many, many years ago. Once it gets in, you can never get rid of it, much like Christmas tree tinsel and glitter. It gets everywhere and it stays everywhere. If you throw it away, it finds its way back!

I have never made any transactions on Craigslist. I have looked at things that are offered there, from the safety of my computer, but have never pursued a transaction through them. I have, however, made several transactions through our local FreeCycle groups. 

Going into December, the weather outside is just wonderful! It is cooler than usual for this time of year in this part of Texas and it is great. The mosquitoes still haven’t figured out that they are supposed to be gone by now, but otherwise, it is great being able to be outside without totally melting.

My current weakness is...everything. Anemia has a good hold on me, so I am terminally weak. Going from being someone known as “Hercules” to a weakling is no fun at all.  

Another weakness is anything sweet. I have been on a sugar rampage lately, getting rid of the good stuff around here as we get ready to start a “no junk food” kind of lifestyle that we’ve been playing at for long enough. It is beyond time to be serious about what we’re putting into our bodies.

Have a blessed weekend, y’all!

Image Sources: Pixabay.com  Easter Eggs, Little Boy, Insulin & Sugar


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Friendly Fill-Ins

Xerxes, Christmas 2014 ©2014 Suzanne G. McClendon

This is a fun meme co-hosted by 15 and Meowing and McGuffy's Reader. Be sure to visit and join in the fun!

Here are the fill-ins:

1. I start to decorate for Christmas/Hanukkah __________________________.

2. I prefer a ____________________ Christmas tree because ______________.

3. The best thing about the holidays is ______________.                                           

4. The worst thing about the holidays is _______________________________.  

Here are my responses:

Our oldest daughter was born exactly a week before Christmas, though she was due on December 13. We wanted her birthday to get to be a birthday, not a combo-deal, so we put off decorating for Christmas until she gives the go-ahead. Usually she chooses to do it on her birthday. Last year, it didn’t happen until almost Christmas Eve!

I prefer a big Christmas tree, because they can hold so many ornaments and so many memories. Little ones can hold lots of memories, too. But, we only have the space for a small tree and the kids lost most of the ornaments when they took the tree down several years ago.  So, new ornaments a little along and along, and new memories.  It’s all good.

The best thing about the holidays is a wonderful meal with family members.

My daddy and Laynie, 7 December 1991

The worst thing about the holidays is missing those family members that are no longer around or that can’t otherwise be with us. This year marks the 5-year mark for losing my daddy and almost losing David. I am very blessed to still have David with me. I still can’t talk about Daddy without crying.

Have a blessed weekend, y’all!

Xerxes, Christmas 2014

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Friendly Fill-Ins

This is a fun meme co-hosted by 15 and Meowing and McGuffy's Reader. Be sure to visit and join in the fun!

Here are the fill-ins:

1. I can’t wait to eat _____________________ on Thanksgiving.

2. My favorite kind of pie is ______________________________.

3. This year, I am particularly thankful for _______________.

4. A funny holiday tradition in my/our house is ____________.

Here are my responses:

I can’t wait to eat ALL THE THINGS on Thanksgiving. My favorite Thanksgiving food is: turkey, dressing, cranberry sauce, gravy, mac & cheese, green bean casserole, squash casserole, rolls. We don’t usually have banana pudding or pineapple coconut cake, but they were features at Thanksgiving at Granny’s house while I was growing up.

I like apple pie, pecan pie, and pumpkin pie is okay, too.

This year I am thankful for the improvements in my vision. I know that Heavenly Father is healing my eyes and removing the cataracts Himself!

We don’t have any particularly funny holiday traditions that I can remember at the moment. Funny things happen, sure, but I don’t know of any that are traditions.

Have a blessed weekend, y’all, and a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Click the images to see these cool mugs and more on Amazon!

Image source: Pixabay.

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Friendly Fill-Ins

This is a fun meme co-hosted by 15 and Meowing and McGuffy's Reader. Be sure to visit and join in the fun!

Here are the fill-ins:

1. The best part of where I live is _________________.

2. The worst part of where I live is ________________.

3. If I had ________, I would _______________________.

4. My favourite article of cold weather clothing is _____.

Here are my responses:

I am not sure of the best part of where I live. Maybe the extra long growing season because flowers are growing here pretty much all year long. I saw sunflowers still out there shining away the other day while we were out.

The worst part of where I live is the fact that it is loaded with drunks all over the place. The crime rate here is higher than in New York City. According to http://www.city-data.com, the US average crime index is 286.7.  New York City’s most recent crime index was 234.8. NYC population in 2014 was 8,491,079. For Wharton, the most recent crime index is 335.6, just over 100 points higher than NYC... and the population here is less than 9,000 people!

Okay, the thing that keeps popping into my head for #3 is a song: “If I had a hammer, I’d hammer in the morning. I’d hammer in the evening. All over this land.”  But, my answer would be if I had my health & youth back, I would work on doing all those things that I put off for “some day”. Because I know now that those some days are not guaranteed.

My favorite article of cold weather clothing would have to be my beautiful, velvety knitted red and black sweater. But, I can’t wear it now because something snagged the heck out of it and tore it.  I am considering making something out of what is left of it, but I’m not exactly sure what yet. I have no need for mittens, but I’ve seen several tutorials on how to make those out of old sweaters.  Maybe I’ll turn it into Christmas stockings.

Have a blessed weekend, y’all!

Image source: Socks the Cat  Sunflower

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Friendly Fill-Ins

Happy Anniversary, David. I love you!

This is a fun meme co-hosted by 15 and Meowing and McGuffy's Reader. Be sure to visit and join in the fun!

Here are the fill-ins:

1. My favorite part of November is __________.

2. Every November, I ________________________.

3. For me, peace ____________________________.

4. So far, my upcoming holiday plans ________.

Here are my responses:

My favorite part of November is today. Thirty-three years ago today, David and I were married after being engaged for about three years.

Every November, I/we have an anniversary, though it isn’t always celebrated in a way we would have chosen. Five years ago today, we were in a hospital room in the city, with David recovering from an amputation. He was literally on death’s door when he went into the hospital on 2 November 2012. He smelled like a corpse. They said he would have been dead within two days had I not gotten him there when I did. I tried much sooner, but he felt so rotten, he didn’t want to go. Then, once he was convinced to go, the doctor’s office was refusing to see him. I stood my ground and they saw him and sent him straight to the ER at the hospital in the City.

For me, peace is generally elusive. I have the peace that Heavenly Father has it all under control. No problem there. It is this whole earthly bit and some humans that mess with the other levels of peace. But, it is all good. I know that He is growing a rose in the messy garden called my life.

So far, my upcoming holiday plans are totally up in the air. We don’t know who to expect, when, if anyone, ever. David, Laynie, and I will be here. It’s anybody’s guess on anyone else.

Have a blessed weekend, y’all!

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I respond to all comments on this blog, ideally within 24 hours.  Please check back here for a response to your comment.  Thank you!
 
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Friendly Fill-Ins

This is a fun meme co-hosted by 15 and Meowing and McGuffy's Reader. Be sure to visit and join in the fun!

Here are the fill-ins:

1. I would like to interview _____________________.

2. I would like to be interviewed by _____________.

3. Halloween night _______________________________.

4. Once Halloween is over, _______________________.

Here are my responses:

I am not sure who I would like to interview. I am, in most instances, a very shy person. I am having communication difficulties at times and it would be embarrassing to have those difficulties while interviewing someone, especially if it were being recorded.

BUT, if I did not have these challenges, (and if I can choose someone that is no longer living), I would love to interview Johnnie Cooper Roberts. She is one of David’s great-grandmothers. She died due to complications of childbirth after the birth of her only child, David’s Grandpa Roberts. He was 8 months old when his young mama died.

She has been the elusive ancestor in David’s family, like my 2nd great-grandpa Oliphant Williams has been for me. We know these people existed, but it is like all record of them has vanished off the face of this planet.

So, if I could interview her (and Grandpa Williams, too!), I could maybe get answers to the questions that I have and which it seems I’ll never get the answers.

I can’t think of anyone that I would like to have interview me. I wouldn’t have much to tell them of any value or interest.

Halloween night can be a fun adventure but, unfortunately, it can be a very bad night for solid black critters. :(  

It is fun to see the little ones in their costumes. Some of them are really cute.

Once Halloween is over, I predict that my blood sugar level will be having the battle of its life!

Have a blessed weekend, y’all!

Image Source: Pixabay
Ghost Dogs
Merry Halloween
Spider Candy


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I respond to all comments on this blog, ideally within 24 hours.  Please check back here for a response to your comment.  Thank you!
 
Please subscribe to David's YouTube Channel. Thanks!

Friendly Fill-Ins

This is a fun meme co-hosted by 15 and Meowing and McGuffy's Reader. Be sure to visit and join in the fun!

Here are the fill-ins:

1. If I was a ghost, I would haunt ___________________.

2. I always __________________ when __________________.

3. My favourite scary story is _______________________.

4. I will be so glad when ____________________________.

Here are my responses:

If I were a ghost, I would haunt the bathroom. Folks would know it was me due to the constant flushing. Why not haunt the place where I spend the most time?

I always tingle when David hugs me.

My favorite scary story is Crybaby Bridge and I enjoyed very much writing a derivative work. David made a video of my adaptation of the story. You can view that video here. 

I will be so glad when I can get the time to practice cake decorating again. I used to bake and decorate cake years ago when David’s daddy was still alive. After he died, I started having problems with shaky hands and stopped decorating cakes. My hands are still shaky, but it is something that I want to do anyway, as well as have a YouTube channel chronicling my baking/decorating adventures.

Have a blessed weekend, y’all!

Image sources: Pixabay

Wedding cake

Bridge

Frog

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Please be sure to visit David over at Random Thoughts and Observations.

I respond to all comments on this blog, ideally within 24 hours.  Please check back here for a response to your comment.  Thank you!
 
Please subscribe to David's YouTube Channel. Thanks!