The Beauty of Clean Sheets!

 The Beauty of Clean Sheets!

 

Could there be anything nicer at home—other than being well loved—that makes us feel better than clean sheets on the bed? Well, let me give you a hint: two dogs on a freshly cleaned couch in the living room with sunshine warming their hides. They both just came into the kitchen to sniff around my chair while my eggs, sliced tomatoes, and toasted bun was filling the empty spot in my middle. Yes, they both had a bite of toasted bun. Then Thompson checked out the fresh water in the water bowl, and Sylvia licked her lips and checked to see if there was anything in their feed bowls. A smile on my face happened when the tomatoes were sliced and seasoned slightly. Those things may be small, but they were out in the green house getting ripe and ready to eat just a few days ago. Cari Guidry’s mom brought me an entire sack of green tomatoes. Sister-in-law took a few home with her along with a few green ones to fry. Love getting produce that will wait until it is ready to be consumed!

 

Have “started” on the floors this morning. But it probably won’t get finished right away. Still have one book by Steve Riggs to finish. The tension and humor are both just balanced out in his work. Right now, the book is about a cross dresser who was kidnapped because the guy thinks that he is a woman. The man who was kidnapped is named Jane/James, and he woke up to find himself bound and gagged in a room with nothing except a bed. So far, he has managed to get his hands back in front of himself, the gag removed, and his feet freed from the duct tape and rope. His hands, however, are still bound tightly. At this point in the story, he is UNDER the bed where a snag in the metal frame might help him to eventually tear the rope apart so that he can free his hands. Scary. But the story would not be any good whatsoever if he were to die at the hands of this horrible man who calls himself the Sandman. Anyway, the floors will wait until that book is finished.

 

The hens are happy this morning and enjoying “dusting” themselves out in the back flower bed. That bed used to be full of irises, but last fall Jerry moved them out front for me. Whether or not they do well, they will always remind me of Jerry—just like the dressed stone walkway out to the hen house. Miss that guy. He was as dingy as a three-dollar bill, but he had a sweet way and a good heart. Know his mom must miss him.

 

Received the sweetest card from my daughter this morning. It is a picture of Jennifer and her family including all four dogs. No cats included. The boys look more like Gary every year. And Jennifer is as beautiful as ever. Now the dogs all have attitudes. Osiris and Marty look as if they are brother Huskies or whatever that breed is. Luna looks as if she could sneak between them and find a way out of the fence. And Pepper looks as beautiful as she has always been. Pepper is a long-haired Chihuahua and is about 20 years old. She is, just like the others, well loved.

 

The mailman also brought my new concealed carry license today. They used my driver’s license picture. Yuck. Oh well. Long haired hippy person! While Michelle Malay was here the other day, she picked up my purse to move it out of the way and was shocked at its weight. My explanation: “my gun” raised her eyebrows. Not much sense in having a gun if it is not going to be carried.

 

Thompson just moved to the floor. Guess the sunshine got a little warmer than he appreciated. It just makes it nice for a few days while everyone—well, almost everyone—has a few days off. Of course, January and February are just around the corner. We can pray that this next February won’t be as horrible as it was this year. Wow! If the gas had gone out in this house, everything would have frozen solid. As it was, the pipes for the washing machine froze and burst. Such fun! At least the plumbers made some extra money this year.

 

Thinking about plumbing reminds me that this place has still been blessed to have good gas lines now. Patty had to have both gas lines and water lines replaced this past year. My gas lines had to be replaced, but so far—other than the ones to the washer—my water lines have held. Everything on this hill is pretty old. This house was built back in 1951, so if the gas lines had to be replaced, well, that is not too bad. Lewis replaced all the water lines some years ago, but everything had to be replumbed anyway when he rebuilt the kitchen and the bathrooms. It would have been wise to insulate the pipes on the east side of the house, but it never occurred to me. Hate to ask Lance to do that sort of thing. If the lines freeze again this year, it will mean that the insulation WILL be applied. Should have asked the plumber to do that when he repaired the lines, but he did not even replace the bottom end panel of the house correctly. Oh well. He did not have to live with it, so maybe he did not care that the wind or critters could get in there. At least Lance was able to put a couple of boards up there to close the gaps to keep critters out.

 

Keith let us know that he is back home where the ice is not the least bit uncommon. He posted some good pictures, too. So glad that he likes Robert Frost. Had to memorize some of his work years ago. Still think of those poems. Frost, Whitman, and Dickinson were some of my favorite poets. Most of the ones we studied in college were the ones that required more thought: Yeats, Auden, T.S. Elliot, and Wordsworth being some of those. We read some of Neruda’s work in one of my classes. Sat there and listened to some of the students trying to make sense of his work. Finally, Dr. Taylor looked at me and said, “Any thoughts?” My answer just made some of the students angry because they were trying to make more of his words than what was intended. Of course, no one can ever definitely say what a writer “intends,” but these were simply love poems. Some things are just obvious.

 

Guess the stuff in the dryer needs to be folded and put away while the washer finishes the next to last load of stuff to be washed—and all the loads so far today have been couch covers, dog blankets, and sheets! Still have one small load of my clothes to wash—which may not even happen today! Lazy ol’ woman. Roger Thonton told me that Susan stays busy keeping their house clean. That is easy to believe. She has such a pretty way to decorate. Bet her house does not need the fan blades dusted or the window sills cleaned! My fans got dusted with a really neat duster that Michelle Malay brought to me. It bends a couple of ways and is a LONG thing that can be adjusted. Did not even have to get on the bed to dust the fan over my bed! She and Connie Cooke watch that channel that has things like this for folks who need extra-long reaching wands.

 

Guess things won’t get done around here unless the old woman gets around to doing a little bit more today. Hear the dryer calling.

 

Remember those who are alone right now or those who are fighting assorted illnesses. God knows who needs our help and our prayers. And He knows why we depend so heavily on Him. May you all rest knowing of His grace. You are loved.