Thanksgiving Feast

Both the ham and turkey were tasty last night, along with a ton of wonderful side dishes:



And tasty desserts galore:



Pound cake, pecan pie, pumpkin parfait, peanut butter pie, custard pie, caramel pie...I am probably leaving something out, since I stopped at the peanut pie when I discovered it. Yummy luscious!

And yes, Peaches, there are leftovers today. Come help us finish them off. Please, since all the crowd left this morning to go to their homes. We do expect Haley and her gang back tonight for round two.

Towels are in the wash, and the house is quiet. Well, except for the washer and dishwasher. I miss the little peeps already, but two kitties are happy to be alone again! Two little girls wanted to give them lots of loving.

Safe travels, everyone. Come back now, ya hear?!

Life is so good with family and friends around. And sweet kitties.

Check.

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Turkey day!

Nan and I are doing last minute chopping and stuff. All the family be gathering around 5...at Amy's house!



The ham is on a rack above the big bird in the smoker...constantly basting the bird...good planning. And even better eating! Talk about flavor!!!

Sunny but cold here in Mayberry today, but life is mighty good. We are blessed.

Happy Friday, y'all! Have yourselves a ginger peachy day. We sure will.

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Flurries!

Hello, snow shower. This won't be a problem for sister Nan driving up here today, because it won't stick. The ground is too warm, and with all the traffic, it certainly won't stick to the highways. This is the best kind of snow, in my humble opinion. Here, then gone.

Global warming...yeah, right.

So most of the boring chores are now done, thankyouverymuch. Haley is preparing dinner tonight, and the kids will all be here at our house. Tomorrow, the rest of the gang arrives. Beds are ready. Bring on the chaos!

It's a good thing I checked on the turkey thawing process yesterday. It was still a hard bird, even after 4 days in the fridge. Oh nooo! MM discovered the spare fridge was set way too high. Holy moly...frozen birds are not good! Thaw, baby, thaw.

It's all good. Bird will be ready by Friday. Disaster averted.

Life is never dull in Mayberry. Well, except for when we are doing pesky chores.

Happy hump day, y'all!


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Rainy Tuesday

This poor crane looks lonesome.



Yesterday was a good one. I went to Will's preschool to watch the Thanksgiving program and have lunch with the kids...



But first, I had to help the buyer of old Freddie get a wire transfer sent to us. Seeing Freddie hooked up with his new owner and watch the taillights depart was a very welcome sight!



Enjoy your new home, Freddie! Bu bye!!! Safe travels.

So I have been missing in blog action. I have been busy with boring, non-newsworthy stuff. Important stuff, to be sure.

We have lots of family coming for the holidays, so that means a bit of cleaning and (boring) stuff. Folks begin arriving from So. GA tomorrow, then from central GA and Virginia on Thursday. Friday is our turkey day, because that is what worked best for our kids visiting with their other family members. Thanksgiving is a movable feast, set for whenever we as a family can gather. We are expecting 28, but there is always room for a few more here around our table(s).

MM will be smoking a ham and turkey, and everyone is arriving with side dishes. No one goes hungry! More details and photos to follow...in between talking, laughing, and a whole lot of BettyDamnCrockering.

Life is rainy but good in Mayberry, y'all, especially when friends and family can come together for a special, fun occasion. Blessed!

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Wonderful Wednesday

Yes, I know today is Thursday, but I want to tell y'all about my adventure yesterday...Wednesday.

Joan, Dinah and I enjoyed successful morning retail therapy, a nice lunch at the Olive Garden, and then this:






Image credit for the fabulous high kickers is from the Internet. No photos were allowed.

What a performance! These gals are incredibly talented. I learned something I did not know--they are NOT touching one another when they are doing that fancy kicking! Who knew???

And not just dancers in the program, but singers...Santas...a cutie young ballerina...dancing bears and toy soldiers...and a virtual backdrop that was pure Christmas magic. I want a re-do.

We all had big smiles throughout the whole performance. And we wanna see it again next year!

After another fine Italian dining experience at a different location, we safely arrived back in Mayberry, making plans for another outing.

Girls just wanna have fun. And so we will.

Life is good in the chilly mountains, Peaches!

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Monday's color is brown

Brown leaves



Brown blanket for a gray boy



...who escaped and got locked outside all night and is now enjoying his beauty sleep...

And brown leftover cake!




Maybe it will be an awesome Monday after all, especially with this blue sky. Forget the color brown (except for the cake). The new color for today is BLUE...and in a good way, not a sad way.

Come have some awesome happy cake!

Ciao, y'all!

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Saturday in Mayberry

We had a lovely dinner and visit with long-time friends the other night.  Brian said he expected a photo on the blog, so here it is:

Anne and Bob (retired Delta captain) visiting here in Mayberry with Leslie (a private pilot).  We had a great time reminiscing about when we all lived in the W Palm Beach area (where Leslie still lives), catching up on kids and grandkids.   Anne and Bob are enjoying life on a private airstrip south of Atlanta.

Old friends and good food are always a welcome combination.  We need to do this again.  Any time.

Today is overcast, but at least we have warmer, fall-like temps…until the next cold front arrives on Tuesday.  I am firing up the oven and baking this today, and finishing up a few chores:

Oh boy oh boy.  Yummylicious, but not to be touched until tomorrow night.

Happy Saturday from Mayberry!

This old pot

After a lot of effort, this cast iron pot is ready for use:






The apple cider soaking, Brillo scrubbing didn't work well, and I definitely did not want to spray oven cleaner on an item that would eventually contain good, despite that being a suggested restoration method.

Instead, I used (for the first time) my self-cleaning oven to remove the years of rust. It was just an old yard sale find, but it is a nice size and worthy of being restored and loved again.

Three rounds of lard baking later, a thorough cleaning with only water, the pot is drying and ready for business.

And will be properly stored between uses.

In other exciting news, Mayberry is above freezing and getting a bit of rain. I am cleaning wood floors. My two assistants are napping. Naturally.

MM is repairing a solar panel. The fun just keeps on keeping on around here.

We both need goals as inspiration to get (crappy) chores done. Friends are coming for dinner Sunday night. Yes...deadline! Check.

And now back to my grocery list. Break is over.

Happy Friday, y'all!

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Chilly Wednesday

Brrr...18 here in Mayberry this morning. That is just not right. This is NOT December, Peaches!



I am not ready for this. Even MM said last night that it is time to put the electric blanket on the bed. He is right. At least we are grateful for no white stuff...yet.

I am beginning to dream of Christmas, not for presents, but because that will mean some palm trees will soon be in our sights! And flip flops. Hallelujah!

But first, there is Thanksgiving, and I certainly am looking forward to that, with lots of family coming for the holiday. Love it.

A big happy birthday today to BFF Joan! It is great growing old with you, dear sista. And Dan. BFF...the four of us. Cool. We'll rock the nursing home when we all move in!

Stay warm and have yourselves a ginger peachy day, y'all! Birthday Cake served on Sunday. Be here.

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Saturday in Mayberry

Will just scored! These kids are a hoot. WYWH!












Oh, and it was 26 this morning. Brrr...

Which way, coach???

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Chilly Friday in Mayberry

It was 34 when we got up this morning. Brrr. Thankful for sunshine!

I am not thankful that who knows how many blog comments I have written have NOT posted. Y'all haven't been ignored, I assure you. This seems to be an iPad problem. Not an iPhone problem. Sheesh. Easiest solution is to merely use the laptop. Yeah. I'll do that.

Macey invited Grumps up to school for an assembly honoring service folks this morning. Sweet. I will bundle up, since it will be outside. Come on sunshine!

Then we get the boys later. It's kids day! I may need more caffeine.

Have yourselves a ginger peachy day. We sure will!

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Life is good!

Marriage has brought out our son’s true colors.

Unka Brownie is quite the uber manly man, thanks to his new stylist:

Look what Eden’s Auntie Sarah made:

Now that’s a work of art!

Thanks to Faith for posting these photos so I could “steal” them. 

These photos are much prettier than our current outside view…overcast, after last night’s rain, and now more rain.  We have lots of nekkid trees  dotting the landscape.  Yep, our leaf peak was last weekend, such as it was. 

We are getting some projects done around the house, hence no blogs.  I mean, who wants to read about exciting paint touch-ups, ladders and light bulb replacements?  Balancing bank accounts?  The excitement builds daily…NOT.

But the good news is that we are healthy, have a roof over our heads, have a great family and wonderful friends.  We live in a little bit of paradise, and we’ve had at least 3-4 calls on that ambulance.  May it find a new home soon and color it gone!

Have yourselves a ginger peachy day, filled with smiles, y’all!  Life is normal…and good.

Proud grandparents!

Macey got to participate in Young Harris College's Tri-state Honor Band clinic yesterday. About 230 middle schoolers from 26 area schools performed in one of three fantastic bands. They all received their music at 9:30 in the morning, then performed for family and friends at 5:00. Macey had a small solo in one of her group's three numbers.

What does she play? Percussion. And loves it.




We are especially proud of our girl, but also for all these amazing, young students.

Oh the places they will go.

Blessed. Absolutely!

Life is good in Mayberry, y'all. Have yourselves a ginger peachy Sunday!

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Hello, November!

With apologies to the crane that I scared away. Sorry, buddy. I didn't see you or I would have opened the door a little quieter. He was hanging out by that fallen tree.

It rained during the night, so we are still overcast, but the rain means more leaves will be falling. I'm not sure that we will have a true peak fall this year. Bugger to that. I am grateful for the color we have, but of course want more AND sunshine so I can get some photos. That's not asking for too much, right?

So we had 14 for our Thursday foodie night. Good crowd. All the servers were dressed up. Our "waitress" had a mighty bass voice. Cute
...well, different.

Live, love, and laugh.

Life is good on this All Saints Day, y'all! Enjoy, and remember fondly those who have gone before us. I sure will.

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