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Tuesday, September 2, 2008
7:56:57 PM EDT
Feeling Bummed
Hearing The Rifleman
A Whole Lot of Nothing
Well, I got up this morning, accessed the situation and called my boss to say I'd be in to work. Not a drop of rain in Beaumont today. But Pete & Bug had showers off and on here at home all day. It was breezy, but nothing as bad as a serious Norther.
Things in the office were remarkably calm. We had worked ahead so much in preparation. I'd say about 3/4's of our customers were open for business even though the evacuation order was only lifted this morning at 6:00am. Tomorrow may get a little woolly, what with trying to go back and catch up those that were closed today.
A skeleton crew on board. Many had evacuated and hadn't returned home yet. The company fed us a lovely lunch of sandwiches, some wicked good deviled eggs and chips. So I can keep my leftover dumplings for tomorrow. ;o)
About an hour and half after I got home today we get the hardest rain we have gotten in days!! Don't that just figure for Texas weather.....let the hurricane move out and THEN it'll get bad. Even lost the satellite reception right at the end of Maverick. Now I'll never know who got the real pearls.
You see reruns of Maverick on the Western channel and coffee is how I unwind every day when I get in from work.
I'm going to predispose this with a disclaimer; I do not want any wishes or cards out of this. Just noting that birthdays when you get older just suck. They suck a big toe that has been in open sandals all day. No cakes. Very few surprises. No flashy gifts.
Aw, but I've got Bug to hug and kiss. And a lovely note tied here to my computer screen. Won't open it until she gets inside. And hubby announced he'd cook us some breakfast for supper tonight.
And perhaps I'm forgetting that my 48th year could have been spent looking at the remnants of our home strewn from the pond to the woods. If Gustav had stayed strong and tracked just a little to the west, he'd of plowed right through here. At the start of the weekend I was thinking, "Gee, thanks Lord.....a hurricane for my birthday." Now I think, "Thank you Lord for placing your hand upon the storm and telling it to calm down now....for my birthday."
I'm cool, I'm comfy and I'm content. Maybe an old 1960 model woman doesn't need flash or fanfare for her birthday?!
Barbara
| Elizabeth, New Jersey |
1,325 miles from Caneyhead.......SALUTE!!!!!!!!! | Tags: birthdays, 1960
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Monday, September 1, 2008
2:51:10 PM EDT
Feeling Chillin'
Things Looking Up all Around
Well, things are looking up all around weather wise. For us here in SE Texas but also for those in LA. Not near as fierce a storm as it could have been. Coming in at an angle that will soften the blow.
It's currently 1:35pm here. Not a single drop of rain yet. A little breezy outside, but nothing worrisome. The local weather keeps improving our forecast. Less rain and lower wind speeds. The officials are meeting this afternoon to consider lifting the evacuation order for this area either this evening or tomorrow. So, I may be expected to work tomorrow. We'll just have to see. I won't venture out in driving rain or cross all the bridges and overpasses I have to in winds with strong gusts.
I thank God for holding back Gustav's furry. Of course there will still be many adversely effected that will need help and prayers. But it could have been so many more. Now we should begin to turn our prayers to the East Coast and whatever Hanna has in store for them. Hanna the storm, that is. Not my little, sweet Hannah. :o)
Been so absorbed by the storm I had forgotten to include a salute in the past couple of entries....so:
miles from Caneyhead.................SALUTE!!!!!!!!!!!
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Sunday, August 31, 2008
10:51:06 PM EDT
Feeling Pleased
Hearing Depesperate Housewives....just so we can monitor the scroll acros the bottom.
Just waiting
The good news is coming! First, Pete and Bubba got the little metal building all buried and ready to go. If it isn't needed this go around, it'll be there for any tornado or other severe weather that should come our way. That is if we aren't all bedded up and sleeping through it. Lord knows this bunch does their best sleeping in bad weather.
So far NOAA and our most trusted local meteorologist agree that we aren't going to get any of the really rough stuff here. Winds topping out at 40-45. A good deal of rain. But we are high and dry as far as flooding goes.
Pete and Bug are spraying a coat of white paint inside the shelter. So we can see easier in there. I have chicken & dumplings, peas and fried cornbread ready in here to eat. Bubba, being 19, just had to run see someone for a little while.
My stomach is growling! My, but those dumplings smell good! So, for now all looks really good for us. My thoughts and prayers are with those for whom it might not be so good.
Will continue to keep you posted. We could loose electricity over a hard sneeze around here...so it is always possible that even a gentle storm will leave us in the dark and me disconnected from you. So, please stick to the old adage that no news is good news. ;o)
If you are really curious, you can read our own local forecast here: KFDM Weather.
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12:47:58 PM EDT
Feeling Groggy
Gustav and I
Yes, looks like we are in an area to be impacted by Gustav. If it holds to the track and conditions that NHC is forecasting, we should just get rain and some wind. Winds that aren't any higher than you get for anything else. Of course these lovely storms are prone to have surprises.
Our county joined the crowd and called for evacuation today. We aren't going. Pete has buried a metal shed into the side of the hill. If we were to get anything approaching Rita force here or tornadoes, we'll sit it out in there. We have many and varied supplies. And are actually way better off and prepared than we were before Rita.
We have water put up and bought to get us through until Pete can get a generator on the pump and running. We have lots of good, easy to cook on the pit or in a pot on the burner food. Plenty of fried cornbread makings.
So I don't want anyone out there worrying. But prayers are welcome...for the whole Gulf Coast region. I'll be updating here as long as I have electricity. If we should be without it for awhile, then I'll post at my first opportunity. If you are curious or worried, check here. I'm sorry but I won't have time to respond to individual emails.
I want to take the opportunity to brag about my place of employment. It's a uniform service company. Everyone pitching in and working extra hard to get all paper work for the week finished and clothes ready for the upcoming week. Payroll done and in the bank so to speak so we don't miss a payday. You may think a uniform service company is not a very vital service, why all the commotion.
Well, here's the deal. We are in the heart of the petrochemical industry. After a storm the first thing, by executive order is to get those refineries on line. The manpower to do so is bound by rules that say they must be in fire retardant clothing. And where do they get it? Yep. Us and places like us. We are small but very important link in a chain.
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Wednesday, August 27, 2008
10:06:18 PM EDT
Feeling Cheerful
Hearing Noggin
The Itsy Bitsy Spider...
This entry started when I went to read my friend Jon's post in his blog titled: The Writin' Spider. For full effect I suggest you start there, too. Now Jon post's lots of huntin' and fishin' stories. Some funny antidotes, a little family history and such also dot his blog.
Anyway, back to my story. I read his entry and left the following comment behind:
My family calls any spider they find around our house my pets, because I asked them not to tear down every web they saw or try to kill every spider. The web really helps stop bleeding. I want some around in case of an awful emergency.
I have never heard of a writin' spider. But then I am East Texas. Best as I can see, it looks like what hubby calls a banana spider. When I saw the title I thought maybe you had Charlotte at your house! 'o)
And Jon sent me this reply:
We have lots of spiders up here and we have a lot of Black Widows. There
used to be a lot of Tarantulas too, but I guess that, like our Horned Toads,
DDT got 'em!
I have heard that spider web helps to stop bleeding, but have never tried
it.
So I responded by sharing this short story with him:
My Daddy always said when he was a boy about nine that his brother, Hightower, ran into a barbed wire strand and sliced his neck open. Way out in the country.....must of been around 1930. An old woman put spider web on his wounds and quoted a verse from the Bible. Daddy always claimed the bleeding stopped immediately.
Well, a couple of years ago we had a little dog that was like family. She was older and took blood thinner and heart meds. One day she jumped out of an old truck and her toenail got ripped off in a old spring in the seat. A weekend. All the vets closed. Bleeding profusely. Called the animal ER. Much too expensive for us to take her. Keeping it compressed was doing no good. And I remembered Daddy's story. And went and looked under the eaves of the house for spider web. Found some without a dead bug in it. Brought it in and applied it to her foot and within 20 minutes she was not bleeding. We kept her still and quiet and she never had anymore problem.
That's when Jon answered me with this note:
Wow! what a story! You ought to make a post out of it.
I reflected upon his words and decided I should share it here. So now you know the rest of the story. ;o)
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Friday, August 22, 2008
11:00:08 PM EDT
Feeling Mellow
Simple Reflections
So, here I am just chilling out. The front yard and porch is full of folks. But I just feel tired and want to relax and not think. Playing Mahjong Titans.
The past few weeks have took a lot of twists and turns. Blessings and trials coming seemingly hand in hand. I am so far behind on alerts that I don't even know where to start. Haven't decided yet if I'm even going to try.
School starts on Monday here. Hannah is ready for it as far as clothes and supplies go. I'm not sure about her, herself. She really hasn't spoken of it much one way or the other. She's not a baby anymore. Hardly even a little girl. I know I'm going to blink twice and then she'll be a young woman.
I look at our financial situation. And at Pete's unanswered health issues. The things we always are putting off until things "get better." And I don't really get depressed. But I do get very thankful that I have a Father who is preparing a place where one day I shall dwell and be totally contented. No aches. No weariness.
Then I look at friends, co-workers and acquaintances and the circumstances many find themselves in with their children, their health issues, aging parents, relationships torn, and even threat of homelessness and I know that I am truly blessed even right in the here and now! I have two fine, healthy children who are decent, caring and loving and helpful people. A little spoilt.....but who can blame me.
Where am I going with this? I don't even know. I just feel reflective tonight. Quiet, but not sad. Relaxed. Content.
I may start posting in my private journal again, Barefoot & Bra-less. So, if you were ever a reader you may want to update your alerts, find your link. If you are a regular reader or friend and don't have it, just email me and I'll get you set up.
Enjoy the J-land 5 celebration! There are many entries posted to the special journal: J-land Anniversary Blog. And we have the chats tomorrow! Guido has posted the times.
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Sunday, August 10, 2008
5:51:24 PM EDT
Feeling Relaxed
The Harvest
Stopped by Carolyn's blog today. As usual, she had a good, informative, thought provoking post. She mentioned in that post how the message of many Christians, Christian groups and churches are being watered down. Cleaned up to make them more acceptable. More palatable. Ignoring the fact that sin separates man from God, or that Christ's blood was necessary to cleanse us from sin, or that He is coming back.
Then I see this little story in today's Laugh and Lift. This is not my writing, my work. I share it here merely to cause some to reflect and to think.
The Harvest
(Author Unknown)
There was once a spider who lived in a cornfield. He was a big spider and he had spun a beautiful web between the corn stalks. He got fat eating all the bugs that would get caught in his web. He liked his home and planned to stay there for the rest of his life.
One day the spider caught a little bug in his web, and just as the spider was about to eat him, the bug said, "If you let me go I will tell you something important that will save your life." The spider paused for a moment and listened because he was amused. "You better get out of this cornfield," the little bug said, "The harvest is coming!"
The spider smiled and said, "What is this harvest you are talking about? I think you are just telling me a story." But the little bug said, "Oh no, it is true. The owner of this field is coming to harvest it soon. All the stalks will be knocked down and the corn willbe gathered up. You will be killed by the giant machines if you stay here."
The spider said, "I don't believe in harvests and giant machines that knock down corn stalks. How can you prove this?" The little bug continued, "Just look at the corn. See how it is planted in rows? It proves this field was created by an intelligent designer." The spider laughed and mockingly said, "This field has evolved and has nothing to do with a creator. Corn always grows that way." The bug went on to explain, "Oh no. This field belongs to the owner who planted it, and the harvest is coming soon." The spider grinned and said to the little bug, "I don't believe you," and then the spider ate the little bug for lunch.
A few days later, the spider was laughing about the story the little bug had told him. He thought to himself, "A harvest! What a silly idea. I have lived here all of my life and nothing has ever disturbed me. I have been here since these stalks were just a foot off the ground, and I'll be here for the rest of my life, because nothing is ever going to change in this field. Life is good, and I have it made."
The next day was a beautiful sunny day in the cornfield. The sky above was clear and there was no wind at all. That afternoon as the spider was about to take a nap, he noticed some thick dusty clouds moving toward him. He could hear the roar of a great engine and he said to himself, "I wonder what that could be?"
2 Peter 3:3-4 "In the last days mockers will come, following their own lusts, and saying, 'Where is the promise of His coming?'"
2 Peter 3:9 "The Lord is not slow concerning His promise, as some count slowness, but He is patient toward you, not wanting anyone to perish, but for all to come to repentance."
Whether you are a Christian or not, hold pre-millennial views, post millennial views or pan "It'll all pan out in the end." please take a moment to answer this simple little poll totally anonymously.
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Sunday, August 3, 2008
6:33:27 PM EDT
Feeling Lazy
Hearing Thunder and Lightening, by God
So, AOL made me out a liar!
I had just told Jeannette that I hadn't had any problems with alerts. I haven't posted an entry in a week....so I surely wasn't expecting any comment alerts. Then as I read one after another of you grossing over missed comment alerts, I thought, why not just check out my blog. Just in case.
And low and behold! I have had a number of comments. Comments congratulating me on being a Guest Editor's pick over at Magic Smoke! Well, blow me over with a feather!
I'm so far behind on journal alerts, as things have been so hectic around here and I've gotten in a habit of playing on Facebook. And Bubba talked me into updating my MySpace. So, I hadn't gotten down to the alert from Lynne's post at Magic Smoke.
All I can say reallly is thank you Lynne for your gracious and kind comments about me. And thanks to those of you who have been stopping by to check me out or wish me congratulations.
 Barbara
|
 |
United States |
Port Bolivar, Texas |
71 | Miles from Caneyhead. SALUTE!!!! I chose you because it always thrills me to see Texans reading my blog. And because this is the jumping off point to catch the ferry over to Galveston Island.
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Sunday, July 27, 2008
10:31:38 PM EDT
Feeling Exhausted
Just Popping In
(knock-knock) Well, hello! Bet you're surprised to see me! Yeah, been way too long. I've drank coffee all morning, but I will take a glass of cold water.
I'm on my way to town to get some things and just thought on a whim, I'd pop in and catch up. Things have been a little crazy as of late. Oh, we've had water pump troubles and cooling system troubles on my car. But all that's fixed now, thank God!
Yes, Bubba took a new job. More money and will be considered a full-time employee and eligible for insurance. Which that boy needs. He's a welder's helper, but once again is supposed to be trained in welding. At this shop it is all heli-arc. Would be another good craft to learn. But the drive is so long, and they are working 50 hour weeks....I hope it doesn't burn him out.
I hate you couldn't come to Hannah's birthday party. It was a blast! Plenty of food, water balloons, water guns, pinata. Not many little kids showed up. But she still had a blast. Those in their teens and twenties got to cutting up and playing. Ended with a round of tossing the football and Frisbee in the rain. I'm so glad she had a good time. As things were about to take a turn for her.
Saturday and Sunday she complained a little that her nose was sore inside. Well, that didn't raise too much suspicion as she'd had a little runny nose and allergies for over a week. Monday evening she went to vacation bible school. When she got home she said that near the end she got so cold and couldn't warm up. So, we took her temp, 100.4. Gave her some Tylenol.
Monday, when I got ready for work and went to kiss her goodbye, I thought it seemed her nose was larger than usual right around the edge of the nostrils. Very strange. But I lay it off to some allergic reaction. Told her to take benadryl when she got up. When I came home Monday evening there was no doubt her nose was larger. Still had a temp hovering around 100. But she said she could breath well. So Tuesday I went on in to work. Hoping the benadryl would start to work, as she was beginning to look like W. C. Fields!
When I checked on them the middle of the day, no change. So I called to make her a doctor's appointment. Nothing at all open until 11 the next day. Then low and behold that very night, a co-worker's father was attacked in his home while he was asleep! Beaten badly. The bad guys had his wallet and keys. So she couldn't come in and I had to leave Pete to take Hannah to the doctor.
Her doctor said she had the worst infection in her nose he had ever seen. Appeared to be a boil. And he arranged for Pete to take her straight down to the Ear, Nose and Throat doctor. I met them there. By now, Fields nose was on Bug's face! He confirmed it was an abscess. Said it could easily land her in the hospital. Needed surgery to drain it, first thing Thursday A.M. Blood work done. Pre-registration at the surgery done. A shot of strong antibiotics and a prescription of cow sized pills.
The surgery went fine. The staff were all so wonderful! She came home and did splendidly. Of course mama had to do some round the clock nursing and dressing changes. Was afraid I wouldn't be able to be there for her on Friday, missing two days work in one week would hurt my pocket book pretty badly. But God provided! A gentleman Pete had done a little work on his truck for earlier in the month showed up Thursday night right at dark with exactly as much cash as the extra day would have cost me! God often does that....provides exactly what we need. Not more, not less. Exactly. I think that is so we recognize his hand in it.
Friday I took her down to get the packing removed. Monday she goes to get the drain out. And now she feels so well she is driving me crazy! We almost have to sit on her to keep her inside and quiet the way the doctor wants her.
The dry weather and heat has gotten the best of whatever garden we had left. It seems the heat has Pete feeling worse than usual. We finally got our stimulus check. But now the hard part of figuring out the best way to spend it on him. Which direction will yield the answers he so desperately needs.
Oh, by the way, my co-workers dad is doing well and the police caught the bad guys!
Here I am just a running on and on. Guess I just needed to get it out of my system. Thanks for the water. Do you need me to pick up anything at Wal-Mart for you? Or do you want to grab your purse and ride along?
|
 |
Mexico |
La Paz, Baja California Sur |
1,076 miles from Caneyhead
Salute!!!!!!!!!!!! |
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Monday, July 7, 2008
8:32:35 PM EDT
Feeling Grateful
Goodbye Mrs. Johnson
Folks there's an old saying around these parts: "If you want to know how a Christian should be living, go in any honky-tonk and ask someone there." Pure and simple, if you grew up around Christianity, church, religion at all you probably have a pretty clear idea of what is expected by and large from someone professing the faith. And the other point is that most sinners know they are a sinnin'. There's an old country song that goes about like this: "Goodbye, Mrs. Johnson. You self-righteous biddy. I don't need your loud mouth and I don't need your pity. So can go back to whatever you hypocrites do and when I speak to Heaven be nice and I'll put in a good word for you."
Now have I got everyone good and stirred up? Let's simmer down and I'll tell you what I'm up to. A dear friend of mine sent me a note today. Talking about the vast differences she sees in Christians and how so many times they seem not to do the things Christ did, and to do the things he didn't.
And that got me a thinkin' about my own walk with the Lord. And the many changes and, I hope, growth over the years. And I want to share a little of what I discovered as I pondered, here, with you all today. Reason being two-fold: to explain some of the discrepancies between us Christians to non-Christians and to give brothers and sisters in Christ a little eye opener as to what stage they may or may not be in. I'm not gonna sort out who's who. I'll leave that up to the Holy Spirit as He is significantly capable.
More often than not when someone accepts the Lord Jesus as their Savior they are floating on a supernatural high for some time afterward. This can make new converts extremely willing to share their experience with anyone and everyone. They are thrilled and, by golly, you should be too! They'll hound you to go to church with them. You'll find there is not a topic under Heaven they can't tie into needing to be saved. Now all of this may make them very annoying. But it's only right and natural as they have just found their One True Love. It's an exciting time! Try to be patient and just let what you don't want to hear go in one ear and out the other.
After one has been a Christian for a time, some sooner than others, the Holy Spirit will begin His reconstructive work in their lives. (Although a few fall away before ever getting here or once it starts.) See Jesus loves us all as we are but He does love us too much to leave us that sorry old way. This time can be very painful, because the crux of it is to get the person to see sin as God sees it. OUCH. Not pleasant. God Almighty can't even look upon it. It's vile and revolting. But necessary to see it. Why? So that we can recognize it in our lives, confess it and allow him to take that filth away and replace it with some good pretty stuff. The problem area is that while we are becoming more sensitive to sin of our own, we are also becoming much more sensitive to all sin. And like a child who has just learned a thing is bad to do, we go around trying to correct or stop everyone we see doing it. So that person who always just took you as you were may suddenly seem down right fed up with you. And no one wants to be around anyone who finds them disgusting. So the best you can do is try to avoid these sin policemen and be on your best behavior when you do by chance encounter them. God have mercy on the man trapped with his wife at this time. (Pete said AMEN)
Oh, but after God is through sweeping up the dirty old house of a soul He's now indwelling, He begins to teach the disciple all about love. Real love. God's love. If you are a Christian please don't miss this step! You'll begin to see those around you as He sees them. He has John Conlee's rose colored glasses in one hand and mercy in the other. He looks at folks with love. He understands why and how they went astray. What's wrong grieves Him as he only wants the best of them, expects the best of them. Motivated by love and mercy He wants to lift them up and fix all that is wrong. He wants to show them kindness and compassion. At this stage the Christian may be strangely quiet. As they know God cares more for everyone they know more than they ever could. As they realize that it is God's Holy Spirit who reaches men and women, not our contrivances. You may not be talked to nearly as much about spiritual matters, but you can bet you are being talked about a lot! In prayer. In intercession. That aggravating Christian is on their knees in front of their Heavenly Father crying and praying for your soul. Loving you more than you may ever know. This is the time of sowing. Every Christian is missing the most beautiful burden they will ever bear if they do not get here. So, enjoy the peace and allow them to reconnect to you. You'll be glad you did.
On down the road a Christian comes to realize they are mostly tending their own garden. Busy working on and refining themselves. They are kind without thinking. They are giving without reason. They occasionally have to put their foot down and say not in front of me or we don't do that here. But over all they are welcoming. Inviting. Pleasant to be around. They are trustworthy. They hesitate to say anything harsh, but when they do they try to temper it in love. They are doing the things God has been refining in them without effort, without pondering. Above all they are acutely aware of how far they have come and that it is only by the grace of God that they have. This makes them very humble about it all, not proud. These are those people who have the "glow". The very glory of Christ seems to rest upon them. If you have some in your life treasure them! Oh, that I would be there. Oh, that I will get there by His grace! Have no fear of these Christians. They are leaving it all up to His Holy Spirit. Trusting God to do all He can to call you to Him while there is still time. And lovingyou deeply in the meantime.
Remember, Jesus spent His time here among the sinners. That's part of what led to him being cruxified. The "Mrs. Johnson's" of his day didn't like the company he kept. And the only harsh words he ever spoke or hollering he ever did was at those "snakes and vipers", the chief priests, sadducees and pharisees who should have known better.
Please take note that some of this is tongue in cheek. And whether you be calling yourself Christian or not, I hope you see the love I have for each of you. I know this is not the entry I promised you next, but Someone had a change of plans.
Love,
Barbara
Seattle, Washington.........1,904 miles from Caneyhead.....SALUTE!!!
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