Newest Additions

These are the latest additions to our cat family.  These have to be the most unusual patterns that I have seen on local cats.  Freckles (1st photo) showed up first and a couple of weeks later Buddy came around.  Freckles is the wildest and will only hang with Cathy and I but Buddy is everybody's friend.  Someone owned him cause he's real people friendly and feels right at home in the house.  While they both usually stay outside, they've both been fixed.  Right now Buddy is staying on the back porch while we administer antiobiotics for some wounds he has from fighting.   This is his second go around with fighting but I guess we'll just have to get used to it.

 

Christmas Time

 

Well it's that time of year again.  Time to get ready for this years celebration and, for us, to remember Christmas's past.  I took this pic of Jim on Christmas day 2007.  He's been gone a year this past August and boy do we miss him.  I'm about ready to put up the outside decorations and yesterday, saturday, Cathy and I went to a Christmas tree farm and looked at trees.  We're gonna get one about 14 December.  Looks like the kids/grandkids won't be here this year so it'll just be Cathy and I.

 

We've always enjoyed ourselves.  I've invited Ken, my work buddy, to spend Christmas with us and I'm pretty sure he'll be able to make it.  Cathy already has the meal planned and I know it'll be great, it always is.  Doesn't look like we'll get snow but we'll keep our fingers crossed.  Ain't nothing like a white Christmas.  So - Here's to all our family and friends -  May you all have a safe and very merry Christmas and a happy new year.  God bless all

Controversy

This cement statue was given to me by someone when we (Ken and I ) renovated the inside of their horse barn.  It was left by the previous owners and the current owner wanted to get rid of it.  I offered to purchase it but they gave it to me instead.   It's commonly called a "Jocko" or cement lawn ornament.  The people who gave it to me felt it was extremely racist but I think of it as an antique.  My research reveals that the original "Jocko" could have been tied into the early horse racing days when almost all the jockeys were black.  Another theory is that these or similar statues were used in the 1800's to mark the way for blacks to find the underground railroad.  Still another theory but
totally undocumented is that the a similar statue was erected by Pres. Geo Washington at his home to commemorate an young black boy who froze to death guarding Washington's horses when they attacked Trenton, NJ during the Revolutionary War.  This reinforced cement statue is 40" tall and stands on a 3" base.  Interestingly, the features are  caucasian and not what you would consider "black features."  I've found similar statues on ebay, one of which is very close, that is still manufactured by a company from the 1960's selling for around $140.

Its a Beautiful Fall

I haven't written on the blog in quite awhile. Seems I have been busy canning the last of the tomatoes. Going to miss those garden tomatoes. Didn't know there was so many ways to can tomatoes.  I have canned tomatoes, tomatoe sauce, tomatoe juice, spagetti sauce, green tomatoe relish, marinara sauce and tomatoe jam. Tomatoes in the vegetable sou0p even.  The last of the tomatoes are ripening up on the front porch. There are probably tomatoes up there still at the neighbors garden. He has greens going now.

The leaves are beautiful here this year and it won't be long and they will be turning brown and dropping off the trees then winter and cold weather will be here.  This week there is to be 79 degree weather until Saturday then hit hits the low 60's. Hope to get out on the boat a few more times before we cover it for the winter. With the knee surgery and Chuck working so much this summer, we didn't get out on the boat as much as in previous years.

I am so glad that the bathroom is done it turned out just like I thought it would.  Next will be the master bedroom, just chair rail and paint. We want to redo the closets in all 3 bedrooms to maximize storage I am looking into designs for that. A good winter project. We have decided to try crown molding in the bedroom if it turns out good will do the living room as well.  Plan to do wainscoat, chair rail and crown molding in the livingroom as well.

I have been reading quite a bit but must get back to my cabin quilt.  Its a good winter project. Its for the guest bedroom. We have been thinking of building a murphy bed in the 3rd bedroom which would give us extra guest space.  I have my desk and computer in here and Chuck has his computer and desk in the guest bedroom.  Wish the bedrooms and main bath were just a little bigger.

Heading to Dallas, TX to visit some old friends they were here the end of June and plan to come back again in May.  They would love to move up here someday as they love the area.  We have been thru Dallas a couple of times passing through but never stopped.  We plan to spend the night in Memphis at the navy base there and hope to arrive with time to go to the exchange and commissary.  November we head to FL to visit with son and wife.  Hopefully it will be much cooler there in November. Hope to see the 3 gradaughters and daughter while there as well.  The two oldest girls are in high school now and youngest will be 5 this month.  They have  grown up so much.  They didn't make it up for a visit this summer maybe next summer. 

Finally feel recovered from the knee replacement surgery I had in May.  I spend mothers day in the hospital. I am waiting to see how the cold affects it this winter.

Hubby celebrated his 66th birthday today. Steak salad and ice cream cake and a box of his favorite chocolet covered cherries and pjs for the upcoming winter. 

Not alot going on here. So I will sign off for now.

Masterbath Finale

Finally - Cathy's master bathroom is finished, complete with floor warmer, which is really great in the winter.  I must admit her idea of wainscot and choice of colors really dresses it up.  The flooring system has a wall mounted control that lets you set the floor temp between 68-82 degrees.  Well, now onto the master bedroom.  Let's see what she comes up with for it.  Stay tuned......... 

October on Dale Hollow Lake

Today was a super day for October so we had to go out on the lake.  Dig Cathy's hairdo.  I must say it was a bit windy and cooler than onshore but we had a great day.  Got the boat cleaned up and ready to button up for the winter.  We'll wait a bit longer to see if the weather stays warm enough to go out some more like it did last year.  We were still on the lake in November.  We're still finishing up the bathroom.  Should get the wainscot and all the trim done before the week is out.  That heated floor woworks like a charm.