December 19, 2019 - Msg 113443: a quick hello to everyone on the porch I so how am I suppose to marry Christmas if I cant f find her. have a blessed day. papa bear was at va today and all the staff wished me a merry Christmas I told them I have searched 4 counties and never met anyone named christmas
December 20, 2019 - Msg 113444: Good sweep Pappabear Pipeman!! :)
Here you are, only back for a few weeks and you're already sweeping the porch! ha
That's a pretty good joke about trying to find someone named Christmas to marry!
I hope everyone is OK and just 'busy with the season.' We all know, of course, that Jesus is the reason, but a little shopping is good for the economy! :)
I'll keep it short tonight also.
Sweet dreams, (Asa :)
MDC
December 20, 2019 - Msg 113445: Good morning! Dang COLD here in SC,as our Rev. would say! Possum is hunkering down under her rock today for sure!
Wanted to just pop in and say thanks for the Christmas cards sent to me- it's so nice to be a part of this wonderful Porch family! The cards really help make Christmas special. Even got a letter from Pappa Bear yesterday,and that was a nice surprise! Thanks,Pappa Bear!
Y'all stay safe and warm and enjoy this special time of the year. Love to all..

************
possum u.a.r.
December 20, 2019 - Msg 113446: Down with the Gold Standard; Vote for the Single Tax!
December 20, 2019 - Msg 113447: HI Gang! Five sleeps to go!
Here's a little nostalgia for ya...anyone remember making these ornaments?? :)
https://www.dailydiylife.com/holiday-decorating-homemade-ornaments-polish-star/
Love ya,
MDC
December 20, 2019 - Msg 113448: I find it uplifting hearing stories of kindness and kind acts around the Holidays on TV...But don’t y’all find it sad also that folks can’t “Act Like Somebody” the rest of the year...Like what Romeena was talking about in the last page of messages...

I guess that’s why we spread Mayberry Spirit when we can Right Y’all?.....G-F

December 20, 2019 - Msg 113449: yes its sad that people only send a card or note on Christmas. it sure is mice to get a card in amongst junk mail and monthly bills. I wonder if we should take aunt bees recommendation a good freezer to put Christmas left overs in.. god bless each of you... papa bear
December 20, 2019 - Msg 113450: HI Folks, tonight's episode was about the hungry buzzard Don! Wouldn't you know his name would be Don! ha :)
FRANKIE, are you OK? Please check in when you can.
How is your granite stone skillet working these days?
POOR HORATIO? Are you out there also? Would be great to see y'all!
I went to a Christmas Tree lot today. Not to buy a tree as we have an artificial, but rather just to enjoy the pine scent! Smells so refreshing
PAPPA bear, I hope you keep up your letters. I always enjoy the news as
well as your little jokes!
Prayers,
MDC :)
December 21, 2019 - Msg 113451: Remember watching the Andy Williams Christmas Shows??
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63p36_E3f28

Enjoy,
MDC
December 21, 2019 - Msg 113452: Hello friends! Yes MDC, I remember watching the Andy Williams Christmas shows and any other Christmas specials that were on...John Denver, Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Cher, Donny and Marie, The Carpenters, and the list goes on. I watched and loved them all. By the way (off the subject) but thank you MDC for your prayers and for asking others to pray for my family. You are such a gift, as are all of you. How could I ever thank each of you for your support and prayer all these years? It means the world.

I had a busy day today! We had out Christmas luncheon for the nurses at work and I made a lasagna. It was a nice little gathering in which a few gifts were exchanged. We have a sweet group right now..small, but sweet. A funny note: the boss told us that Shoreline was giving turkeys to all of its employees this year (that is a first), and we needed to pick them up today because they were taking up room in the freezer. I went with my friends to the kitchen to take the turkey. They were the size of a chicken. lol. Figures. Oh well, it was a nice thought and I will cook it, regardless. It will be strange alongside our Mexican feast but that's ok.

After that gathering, I drove Erin to the mall to get a new pair of shoes. She has been wearing the same pair of vans for 2 years and they are a sight! She wanted some new ones for Christmas and the only place to get them is the mall. I braced myself...and much to my surprise, it wasn't so bad! It has been raining all day and maybe that kept some folks away. I got a decent parking spot and we got our shopping done without a hitch. It was actually enjoyable getting out there and seeing the decorations and such. I had a good visit with Erin, too, and I feel that she is doing better. Thank you for the prayers.

Well, Sean just walked in to talk to me so gotta go.. talk to you tomorrow.

Boo
December 21, 2019 - Msg 113453: Good morning all.

Hey Boo, good to see you. Are you saying you got a turkey that had done a lot of flying? lol Debbie and I have a tradition of Cornish game hens we indulge in on Christmas eve. Just the two of us, and we watch "A Christmas Carol". My goodness, been doing that from year one, over 40 years ago. Glad to hear Erin is doing better. And you are correct. MDC is a real treasure.

Yes MDC, I enjoy watching those specials on youtube. Bring back very fond memories, don't they? Sometimes we will buy a real wreath just to get that pine smell in the house. We have not done a real tree for quite a few years now. I always worried about them catching fire.

Very nice card indeed Floyd. I enjoyed that. I hope you and yours have a wonderful Christmas.

Speaking of cards I got one from Lucy today. Thanks Lucy. I don't have your address on my list so I didn't get one to you. Same with Papabear. But please know that I am thinking of you.

I hope everyone has a great day.

Asa
December 21, 2019 - Msg 113454: For Boo
MARGO: "And why is the carpet all wet Todd"?
TODD: "I don't know Margo"!

Asa
December 21, 2019 - Msg 113455: Good morning, porch! Chilly today, skies look like pewter, and we may get some rain. I hope so. I just got a water bill for $508, but knew it was not right. No way do I use that much water, especially at this time of year. I called the water folks, learned that they had discovered a discrepancy in my meter. Seems it was stuck, only registering a little at a time. So the pleasantly-low bills I've been getting for the past few months were wrong. When they unstuck the meter, it immediately just ran and ran, registering everything that had not registered earlier. I have to say, I'm not exactly sure just how that would work, but that's what they said. I was instructed to go to the offices at city hall and work it out with them. So, I will do that. I'm going to try to get them to reduce the bill significantly, but if they won't, I have a plan B. I will remind them that if THEIR meter had been working properly, that bill would have been paid in small increments over the last few months. Therefore, I expect them to allow me to pay it off in small increments over the next few months. Seems only fair, don't you think? Grrr.

MDC, those homemade ornaments are really neat. I probably won't try to make any, I have three bins of ornaments that never made it to my tree this year, sent a dozen to my DIL at her request, and just don't need any more. Still, those ornaments reminded me of the homemade ones that are on my tree today, most of which were made by me and my daughters, on some cold December evenings. There are also little ornaments made by my children at school (imagine that!) and of course, in Vacation Bible School at church. I cherish those.

I got my cards mailed yesterday, finally. I have received several, and two of them ended up being unidentifiable. Shredder Teeth heard the mail slot clink, and I didn't, and she got the mail and literally made confetti of it. One I know was from Lucy. It was torn but not badly. On that same occasion, there was a check from Charlotte Tucker for a story of mine that she published. The check is chewed and tattered, but not too badly, and I think I repaired it well enough with tape that it will cash. I guess we'll see. That little brat is just obsessed with tearing up any paper she gets her little jaws on. She shreds it so thoroughly that I have to vacuum most of it up, it's too tiny to pick up.

The carpet cleaner man came about 6:30 last night, and apparently did a beautiful job. Squat & Squirt had anointed it about a thousand times, and it was beginning to smell (can't have that!) and now it doesn't. A few spots didn't come up completely, you can still see a little color, but he told me to wait a few days, then put a little hydrogen peroxide on them, let it sit a few minutes, and blot it up. The carpet is ivory-colored, so the bleaching effect won't show. She's doing much better, only an occasional indiscretion, and if I find it before it dries, I can spray it with Febreze Pet stain cleaner. It works very well on a fresh spot, and fairly well on a dry spot.

Boo, it sounds like things are improving a little. I surely hope and pray so. Sometimes we just have to wait for a kid's brain to finish maturing, so they can think clearly. It doesn't help if there's a toxic friend putting ideas in their head, and it seems there's always someone like that, but the Bible says in Proverbs 22:6, to "train up a child in the way they should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it." I think that wording leaves room for the trials of the middle years, before they fully mature.

Well, I think I'm going to spend most of today baking. Heather and family will arrive Monday morning, and stay through Wednesday morning. Then we'll have Christmas dinner (tenderloin) at Eloise's. Amanda and her fiance will arrive probably Thursday, and on Friday I'll cook a regular Christmas dinner (turkey) for everyone. It's going to be a wonderful, busy, fun and good-eatin' week! Blessings, friends! --Romeena
December 21, 2019 - Msg 113456: Romeena, is Charlotte related to the Buffalo Tuckers?

JM
December 21, 2019 - Msg 113457: Hello all. As often as I can, I share this song online. Simply best version of the best Christmas song, ever.

John Berry-Oh Holy Night
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UPar71vybk

Billy Ray the Postman
December 21, 2019 - Msg 113458: Asa, I was watching Home Alone today and remembered that we haven't been doing our usual Christmas quotes! I was happy to see your's today, and it is from Christmas Vacation, of course. :) Here's one for you: "Does someone need a hug???". Hey, I love that you and Debbie have that tradition all these years. That's beautiful, but are YOU cooking the Cornish hens? Just asking. lol

Gotta run..things to do!

Boo
December 21, 2019 - Msg 113459: Oh, Ro, funny about LB! She is shredding the mail like Sugarplum!

Boo
December 21, 2019 - Msg 113460: Buddy...From Elf
December 21, 2019 - Msg 113461: 45 years ago on Christmas eve 1974 I asked Cecile if she would marry me, and darned if she actually said YES! :)
Now our Christmas eve tradition is getting a What-a-burger! Yup. Here's the story: We had plans for me to arrive at her apt and she was going to cook a Christmas eve dinner of chicken over rice. But... her ditsy roommate at the time was still baking cookies to give as presents, even tho she said that she would be gone from the apt by 4 PM. Since there was no way that Cecile was going to be able to use the oven to bake the chicken, and since we were also planning to go to my folks house later for gift opening with my sibs, I suggested that we just go to the What-a-burger down the street a ways.
So we did just that, each ordered a What-a-burger with fries, and after we finished, we returned to her apt, her roommate was finally leaving, and I popped out the ring and the question. :) And that is why we now get a What-a-burger every Christmas eve.
PRAYERS,
"Dashing thru the sunshine MDC" :)
December 22, 2019 - Msg 113462: On the 12th day of Christmas, Mayberry gave to me...

Twelve Andy prospects,

Eleven tipsey ladies,

Ten quarts of pickles,

Nine carp a-leapin',

Eight Tucker spark plugs,

Seven calls to Juanita,

Six singin' Darlings,

FIVE YEARS FOR BARNEY!!!

Four merry men,

Three baby birds,

Two empty cells

and a sheriff with his dep-U-ty!

HO, HO, HO MERRY CHRISTMAS!
December 22, 2019 - Msg 113463: ....And as they say MDC....”The Rest is History”....
..AND you held it down to $1.25 because you didn’t get the shrimp 🍤 crocktail...Lol.....G-F
December 22, 2019 - Msg 113464: Good Sabbath all and Merry Christmas.

I enjoyed the 12 days of Mayberry Christmas whoever posted it. Thank you.

That is a lovely story MDC. You should send it in to What-a-burger. They might decide to make a spectacle of you and Cecile. Then you'd become rich and famous. :) Bet you're glad you didn't order snail and brains trying to impress her. HA! Seriously, that is awesome that you have kept that tradition going.

Boo, yes, I do cook the hens now. And they come out pretty decent if I do say so. I make a wild rice with them, along with an orange sauce with raisins in it that I cover the hen and the rice with. (one of the few times I don't mind my main dish being concealed in a heavy sauce). And a veggie with it.
I got your card in the mail yesterday Boo. Thank you for the kind words. And the weiner dog decal was appreciated. :)

Billy Ray, I love that song. It brings back such fond memories for me. My Mom was the music director in our Church when I was but a wee lad. And every Christmas she was in charge of the music for a Christmas show. That song was always included in the program. And there was a feller, who very much looked and sounded like Rafe Hollister who sang it every year. In fact he was a farmer and drove a school bus part time. My Mom would take us along to the Church when they were rehearsing. So I heard it a lot over the years.

Romeena, So glad that Trinket is getting with the program. I bet you are too. I could use her mail shredding talent here. I am getting tons of mail adverts because I turn 65 next year and will be filing for Medicaid. Boy, the companies wanting to sell me supplement ins. is huge. I feel so needed. lol

Well off to get ready for preaching. The Sunday before Christmas, so it will be crowded.

Asa

GF, You folks getting much snow back there? This has been such an odd year here so far. A big storm around Thanksgiving dropped almost a foot of wet heavy snow. But several rain storms since then has washed most of the snow away here in the valley. And they are calling for more rain on Christmas eve and day. And snow in the mountains. Works for me.






December 22, 2019 - Msg 113465: Not sure how I signed off before I hollered at GF up there. I must have 10-4'd myself before I was done.

Asa
December 22, 2019 - Msg 113466: Love the engagement story and the 12 Days of Mayberry poem, MDC! Happy Anniversary to you and Cecile!!

Happy Birthday, Spot!

Welcome to the Big 6-0 Club,my friend! Hey, I heard that O'Malley went to DEE- troit for the holidays,so let's have a birthday bash for our old porch dog later at the cabin! Asa or G-F,be sure to bring a fire extinguisher in case all those candles on Spotty's cake get outta control!!

**************
possum u.a.r.
December 22, 2019 - Msg 113467: Asa, It has been a odd season here too. Little snow and it’s supposed to be around 50 got Christmas 🎄

I too got Boo’s card too ...Thanks to everyone else too! As Barney would say...”You’re the Cat’s”.....G-F
December 22, 2019 - Msg 113468: Happy Birthday to SPOT, our talkin dog of this here porch! :)
ASA, that was me with the 12 days. It has been several years since i posted it, so thought I'd give 'er another go 'round. Glad you liked it. I could have also ended it with "and a dumb mayor up a big tree!" haha
I finally got all my ash tree leaves raked up today!
We are suppose to get some rain here also. We are skipping Midnight Mass this year on Christmas eve
and going to the 6 pm service cuz we're having 20 folks over for dinner at 2 pm on Christmas!
It is only going to be about 55 degrees with some scattered showers, nice and cozy!
Hey to POSSUM! Good to see ya. I too got porchster cards and i thank you
for all the wonderful sentiments! You all are INDEED the cats! :)
Have any of you ever watched The Avengers? The series is on ME-TV in our area. I cant think of the star's name but he plays a character named David Vincent.
All--I was looking for a Christmas CD today, and came across Rocky Morris' cd, The Winning Side. Played it with a tear in my eye.
Let's remember all our porchsters who are now with the Lord.
Also, my goodness we lost many other good folks this year like Tim Conway to Bart Starr.
Love and prayers,
MDC
December 23, 2019 - Msg 113469: Good morning all.

I hope everyone had a good weekend.
Spot had another birthday? My goodness, they seem to come quicker each year. Happy Birthday Spot.

Possum, thanks for the card and the message you sent. You are a sweet possum.

55 in Arizona MDC? Wow. We actually hit 50 today they say. Just seems odd for us. But I ain't complaining. Sounds like a big feast at your house for sure. You guys doing a leg a lamb?

Stacey called me yesterday to tell me this story. On Saturday they woke up to find two deer in their backyard. Looked like a mother and a yearling. So the kids went out to try and pet them, but the Mother took off. The yearling tried to follow her but instead dropped down. At first Matt and Stacey were wondering what was going on, and then quickly realized it was deceased. Not sure how or why. But Mariah has been crying her eyes out since, thinking she was the reason. They didn't even get within 40 yards of them when they went to run off. Oh well. Now they have to call DWR to see how to dispose of the remains.

Last night I stumbled across the Bells of St. Mary with Bing Crosby and Ingred Bergmen. So I watched it. Pretty good little movie. Then later I found a 1 hour version of Miracle on 34th Street on YouTube. So I watched it. I was surprised to see the feller who played LT. Tragg on Perry Mason played the part of the Judge in this movie.

Well off to go pay some bills I reckon. Never a shortage of bills it seems.

Asa
December 23, 2019 - Msg 113470: Asa...Medwin, Bill Medwin said he’d take a $100 💵 while you are paying “BILLS”...teehehaha!....G-F
December 23, 2019 - Msg 113471: Happy belated Birthday to SPOT!

Asa, I have already watched "The Bishop's Wife" twice during this holiday. Cary Grant's one of the best! "Bells" is pretty good too!

Boo, have you looked up those Julia Cameron books for Erin? You really should. Her "The Artist's Way" series have helped a lot of people with different issues. They might help her with involvement. A lot she can do on her own.

Hey to Romeena, possum, Medwin, MDC, G-F, Billy Ray, Frankie and everone else that went to Founder's Day. Hopefully you weren't there for more than just fun if you know what I mean!

John Masters



December 23, 2019 - Msg 113472: You used up...all the glue..on PURPOSE!

NOT A FINGER!!

JM
December 23, 2019 - Msg 113473: "All is well in Mayberry" (:
December 23, 2019 - Msg 113474: Oh boy, I've been busier than a cow's tail in fly season! Its that time of year and I started out behind on everything since Thanksgiving. I cant believe tomorrow is Christmas eve! As some of you who are on facebook saw, I unexpectedly spend a good part of the day yesterday decorating two trees! I decided to have Bruce bring down our artificial tree from the attic because I want things to be more festive for the family on Christmas. Poor Bruce drug that heave thing down in three separate trips, finally got all the lights working and the thing together, when Sean came home to surprise me with a real tree. He wanted me to have a tree and had no idea dad was putting up the other one...SO, St Susan helped me decorate the both of them. One is the usual white with all the family ornaments on it, and the other has colored lights. I have to say the real tree is the most beautiful one I have ever had. It is perfectly shaped and just the right size to fit in the space I wanted it in. So, things are looking more festive around here, at last. I made a big pan of enchiladas and some refried beans so I will just have to put the enchiladas in the oven tomorrow and heat the beans, then I will make the Spanish rice last of all so it wont be too sticky. We will be going to the nursing home tomorrow evening to pick up mom in law, then family festivities will begin at 6pm. I still have to make all the gift baskets for everyone so plenty still to do.

I decided to start a tradition with Bruce, like Asa and MDC. I told Bruce from now on the night before Christmas Eve is our night to go out and eat at our favorite little local diner, so we did. Unfortunately, the food wasn't great this time, so hope it improves. It was nice to go, though.

If mom in law is up to it, we will be going to my niece, Tara;s house for supper on Christmas Day. It will be a good opportunity for mom in law to see her grandkids and they aren't going to come here, so, we will try to get her there.

What will the rest of you be doing?

Thanks for the reminder about the books, JM. I had forgotten to look them up. I appreciate the tip. Oh, and that quote is from A Christmas Story.

Boo
December 24, 2019 - Msg 113475: BOO--we are hosting 20 people, so have been busy. We set up the long table (borrowed some folding tables from neighbors) today, and even did the place settings. Two turkeys, all the fixin's in the works, so we are going to 6 PM Mass Christmas eve instead of Midnight. All the best on YOUR new tradition. Also, I saw your trees on FB, very cool! Still praying daily for your family.
God's blessings upon all!
MDC
December 24, 2019 - Msg 113476: Merry Christmas Eve everybody.

MDC, I am going to break etiquette here, no simple dare, or double dare. But straight to a TRIPLE DOG DARE! That's right, you heard me. A TDD! Tomorrow at your shindig, I TDD you to holler MEAT, TATERS, and BREAD during your feast. And lets see the reaction you get. lol Naw, I wouldn't do that to you buddy. But at least think on it when your plate needs filling, and smile to yourself. I hope your turkeys don't turn out like Catherine's on Christmas Vacation did though. And no cat food in the jello buddy. :)

JM I just love the Dad on Christmas Story. He loved his light. The exchange out in the street with his neighbor when he tells them he has won a major award, and the neighbors obvious stunned and envious reaction is hilarious.

Boo, sounds like you are getting into the mood at last. That's good to hear. I have been watching a lot of the holiday cooking competition shows on food network this month. My goodness, those gingerbread artists and cake artists are something to behold. And to do it in the time restraints they have is amazing.
Glad you and Bruce are starting a tradition like that.

Romeena, I got your card yesterday. Thank you. I hope you are doing ok. How is your back pain doing? Improving I hope.

Well I hope everyone has a wonderful day, especially today and tomorrow.

Asa


December 24, 2019 - Msg 113477: And now...a brief word about Christmas from beloved Mayberry store owner, Ol' Ben Weaver:

"Christmas. HEH!!"

JM
December 24, 2019 - Msg 113478: Asa, your triple dog dare to MDC is hilarious!!

You shoulda' thrown in for him to point out a food and say "They twang my buds!"

JM
December 24, 2019 - Msg 113479: Very funny ASA!! But you may win the dare, cuz if I did that, I'm afraid I'd get a good spoon bashing a la Aunt Bee from my wife! haha
Only on this board would anyone figure out these comments! :)
The table is set, the mood is up, simply having a wonderful Christmastime. I even bought the guy's lunch who was behind me in the McD's drive thru yesterday! :)
Jolly old MDC
December 24, 2019 - Msg 113480: Enjoy! After all, "Christmas" begins with Christ." :)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rl1Kq8bGLfI

mdc
December 25, 2019 - Msg 113481: Do it,MDC! For the love of Mike (Asa),just do it!!

Ha ha,yep,if anybody just happened to "tune" in here and read some of our comments,they'd be pretty baffled! At least we get our Mayberry "Porch-isms"!

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas!

Thanks for all of the wonderful Christmas cards-love to all!

***********
possum u.a.r.
December 25, 2019 - Msg 113482: Christmas Card from The Newsome's 2019

https://youtu.be/qDNTf1cKUB8
December 25, 2019 - Msg 113483: I pray the Lord will bless you in this amazing season as well as in the coming new year.

Merry Christmas!

--Allan and Jan Newsome
MayberryBarber.com
e-mail: floyd@iMayberry.com
©2019

If you'd like to travel back in time and see the "ghosts of Christmas past" and see all our past online Christmas cards going back to 1997, visit this link:
http://imayberry.com/christmas

You can also "play all" our animated cards in one easy to play list on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXciS96DNOqOTMyGDiNbUuVvy9beVwluN

December 25, 2019 - Msg 113484: "MERRY CHRISTMAS you wonderful old Building and Loan!" :)
December 26, 2019 - Msg 113485: Merry Christmas Porch
Hope you all had a wonderful day.
Frankie
December 26, 2019 - Msg 113486: That green Ben Weaver is bout to give me nightmares!😜 merry Christmas Floyd!

Boo
December 26, 2019 - Msg 113487: That green Ben Weaver is bout to give me nightmares!😜 merry Christmas Floyd!

Boo
December 26, 2019 - Msg 113488: What happened??

Boo
December 26, 2019 - Msg 113489: Otis spike your eggnog, Boo??!! Hee hee!

Thanks,Floyd and I hope everyone had a nice Christmas.

Y'all ready for another party out at O'Malley's? Today is MDC's birthday,so let's do it up right!

Happy Birthday, MDC!

possum again
December 26, 2019 - Msg 113490: ....Hey Boo...I guess it’s like Kermit the frog 🐸 used to say “It’s not easy being GREEN”...I’m thinking it was because he drank that jug of “shine” that Sam Muggins made to brighten up Christmas?....O’l Ben got lit 💡 alright!

I had the pleasure meeting 3 of the cast members of that episode...Ellie, Bess and Effie Muggins and had my picture made with all 3 of them they were really nice people...

G-F
December 26, 2019 - Msg 113491: Merry boxing day porch. :)
Anyone remember the episode of MASH when they do the duty switcharoo. It was fun to see Winchester, the food critic extraordinaire become Winchester, the slinger of hash. lol

GF, Bess Muggins sure seems like a real sweet gal. That is neat that you got to meet them. So often when you get to actually meet actors and actresses, they are so different from the characters they played, and it seems like usually not in a pleasant way.

Happy Birthday MDC. My goodness, I didn't realize you and Spot's birthdays were so close. I hope you are having a good one. And I hope your dinner party went well. And I hope you passed, and didn't heave the taters.

Possum, Did you have a nice Christmas? I hope so. We went to Matt and Stacey's for supper. And of course got the full rundown on all the toys the kiddo's got.

Boo, how did your Christmas go? Good I hope. Are you getting much time off of work during this week?

Romeena, you doing ok? Y ou sure have been quiet.

Well it's snowing here. Big fat lazy flakes. But it's warm enough that it's not sticking. The kind of snow storm I like best. Looks pretty, warm enough you can even be out in it and not be uncomfortable, and yet you don't have to shovel it.

I hope all is well with everyone.

Asa
December 26, 2019 - Msg 113492: Happy Birthday, MDC!

Well, here in mid south Missouri, I am wearing shorts and sitting outside in my lawn chair.......on December 26th. Something is way wrong with this picture!

Hey to Asa, Boo, Romeena, Billy Ray, possum, Frankie, G-F, PH and the rest of you that helped Barney with the cave rescue!

John Masters
December 26, 2019 - Msg 113493: HAPPY BIRTHDAY 🎈 MDC....It’s 60 here today, crazy weather but I’ll take it!...G-F
December 27, 2019 - Msg 113494: Hello porch people!

Nice to see things on the porch haven't changed too much. Sometimes it's nice to see a familiar face/thing.
I hope you all had a blessed Christmas.
On Christmas eve I watched the Christmas episode of TAGS. That bit at the end there with Ben always makes my eyes a little wet. I wonder what causes that?!

-Sterling Holobyte

December 27, 2019 - Msg 113495: Hey to STERLING! My goodness, so good to see you back. I have tried emailing, and have done a lot of praying. Merry Christmas, glad you are OK!
Hope you hang around and set for a spell. :)
THANK YOU TO ALL for the birthday wishes!
After our family shindig on Christmas, I got to sleep in today, then went to the gym, then Cecile took me to Cracker Barrel where
I appropriately ordered the Old-timers Breakfast! ha
We had a marvelous gathering on Christmas, and celebrated both Christmas and my 70th birthday.
My older brother handed me a cartoon of the wise men kneeling before Jesus in the manger. One of the wise men is saying, "Now just to be clear, these are for BOTH Christmas AND your birthday." ha (That happened to me a lot!)
BOO--I hope all went well at your place. From the FB pics it looks like it did. Prayers continue.
FRANKIE, thanks for checking in. MAUDIE, you doing OK?
God's blessings upon all,
but I need some help cleaning up O'Malley's place before he gets back
from DE-troit! :)
MDC :)

December 27, 2019 - Msg 113496: Sterling!! So good to see you on the porch! How is the wife? And the children?

Boo
December 27, 2019 - Msg 113497: Hey to Sterling..Welcome Back to the Porch....
Let me get my Foster’s furniture polish & dust off your rocker for you Buddy....G-F
December 27, 2019 - Msg 113498: Hey to Sterling! Would you like a drink while G-F is polishing your chair? Some Huckleberry Smash? How about some mulberry squeezins? Apple cider?

MDC, I'll see if I can get the mop and bucket from Barney's "Bank Job" disguise, Ellie's window rag, Aunt Bee's sponge and we should have the place clean in no time!

Hey to Boo, Romeena, Asa, GF, Frankie, possum and everyone else buying from Bert Miller's stand.

John Masters
December 27, 2019 - Msg 113499: Good afternoon, porch! Sorry to have been so scarce, but I've been as busy as a one-armed paper hanger! Heather, Edwin and "little" Trip (he's now as tall as I am, but then, who isn't?) came up from Fredericksburg, along with Teenie and Max, their furkids. Both bigger dogs, around 40 lbs. but sweet as can be. Amanda and her fiance, Dale, came and brought Wylie, their furkid. He's a hoot. His head and face are clearly Chihuahua, but his body looks like a pug! Then David and family came, bringing Diesel, so along with Trinket, we had five dogs in the house. All are well behaved, very sweet and loving, and were so much fun. Wylie is very adept at unwrapping gifts. He pulls all the paper off, then believe it or not, he slit the tape holding a box closed, just like he had a knife, and opened the box as well. Also, Heather's middle son, Travis, came and brought a friend, and my brother and SIL were here. Eloise's other daughter, Terri and her daughter, son and granddaughter came. So, we were 19 and 5 dogs. Fortunately, I can seat 19 easily, 23 if I put two more at the kitchen and dining room tables, and 27 if I break out the card table.

The dogs were hilarious. Trinket and Teenie played fetch, with Trinket throwing a toy and Teenie bringing it back to her. Max sat at the back door and watched the five squirrels that were in the back yard all day. Diesel and Wylie hung around whoever was eating something, didn't matter what. They eat anything.

I was not allowed to do anything toward the meal. I finally managed to peel the avocados for the guacamole before I got caught. Heather had cooked all the basic stuff for a superb Mexican meal before they came. They put it in coolers and brought it here, then she finished it in my kitchen. All the stuffing for enchiladas was ready, she just rolled them, put cheese on top and baked them. Caldo (soup) was made, and a pot of chili, just had to be heated up. She brought a jug of peanut oil and a stack of tortillas, cut them into quarters and fried them so we had fresh "chips" for the dips and salsa. David and Brittney brought tamales, and all in all, we had waaaay too much food, I have a lot of it in the fridge, and won't have to cook until Sunday, at least. We moved the turkey-cooking from today to New Year's Day. So today I went out to Southlake and bought an 18 lb turkey and four extra thighs, and we will have turkey and dressing and all the fixins on Wednesday. That was the only day when everyone was off work, and it suited me just fine.

Welcome home to Sterling Holobyte. Long time, no see. I hope you'll stick around, we've missed you. Also missing several other regulars - you know who you are. Please at least check in!

Well, guess I'll go get in my wheelerette, get Trinket in my lap, and relax for a while. Blessings, friends! --Romeena


December 27, 2019 - Msg 113500: Sounds like a wonderful Christmas celebration, Ro! Fun! We had Mexican food, too, and so did many of my friends and family, interestingly. We had it on Christmas Eve, then went to my niece, Tara's house on Christmas Day and had more of it. lol

Christmas was pretty busy for us, hosting the family gathering on Christmas Eve, which only amounted to 10 of us this year. It was just about right. We ate, exchanged some gifts and the kids did some karaoke...bad karaoke, I might add. It was funny! My mother in law was with us and we noticed a marked difference in her since Thanksgiving. She has Parkinson's/dementia, but it seems to have progressed. She did fairly well until Christmas night. We took her with us to my niece's house and she was ok, but when we got home she wanted to go to bed after her meds. She fell asleep for about an hour and then was up with the light on saying something about having to do something for work. Bruce told her she hasn't worked in 25 years! ha..poor thing was disoriented and was trying to go through kitchen cabinets looking for scissors and we were afraid she would try to get out of the wheelchair and fall. We decided that unless we wanted to sit up all night to supervise her we had better take her back to the nursing home. We took her back at around 11pm. When we went to visit her today she was much better. I guess from now on we will just bring her here for the day and take her back to sleep there at night. Safety first and she needs supervision.

I went back to work yesterday and worked the evening shift alone. It was a busy one! We have a couple of kids with fractures to the hand from punching walls and one had to be scheduled for the ortho, etc, to have surgery, and I had a new admission, scheduled and PRN meds, and anything else that came up. I was running in circles. They are looking for another nurse to hire, but no one has applied yet.

I was so tired when I got home last night and was just about asleep when the phone rang at 3am and Erin's friend was calling because Erin had gotten drunk at a party and was freaking out. She was vomiting and I thought maybe she had alcohol poisoning so I went all the way into corpus Christi, which was a thirty minute drive and picked her up. Turns out she wasn't really drunk but had drank some alcohol at some friend's house and got very sick from it (hello! she has serious stomach issues so she drinks straight vodka, stupid). She threw up what she drank, which she said amounted to 7 shots and had an anxiety attack. I picked her up, made sure she wasn't dying, and dropped her in the front yard of the house she is living in. I'm too old for this nonsense. I was too tired to lecture last night but she got one today. I don't even know what to say.

Well, Bruce and I went to talk to visit his mom, then took a drive in the country and had dinner out this evening. I am sleepy from not sleeping much last night. I guess I will curl up on the couch and rest since it is too early for bed. Love to all,

Boo
December 28, 2019 - Msg 113501: HEY PORCH! I'M HERE!
Sorry....just had a Jeff Pruitt moment there.

Boo, it sounds like you need a rocking chair, a knife and an apple too. Just don't wake Mr. Tucker.
Best wishes to you, Boo!

John Masters
December 28, 2019 - Msg 113502: Good morning, porch! It's gray and rainy here today, not cold at 68°, but it looks chilly out there. It was a surprise when I opened the door to toss some stuff out for the squirrels and realized how warm it is.

Boo, I'm glad you and Bruce took some time to relax and be together. I'm sorry Erin is giving you such grief, but it happens. Just be sure you're not enabling her. That's a hard thing for a parent to do, you always want to help them, but sooner or later, they have to grow up and face reality. You did the right thing by just letting her out of the car that night. You had made sure she was safe, and then tossed the ball back to her. She may have to hit rock bottom before she wakes up. My parents had to let my brother sit on that "rock bottom" for a while, until one of his "friends" nearly choked the life out of him because he wouldn't surrender a credit card. He couldn't, because he didn't have it anymore, it had expired and my dad didn't give him the new one! His "friends" had been using it, and got mad when he didn't have it anymore. That was a wake-up call, and shortly after that, he came home. He turned things around, and is a fine man today, with a loving wife and two grown and married sons, and a thriving jewelry shop, where he designs and makes some beautiful pieces of fine jewelry. Just love her, pray for her, but don't enable her.

I actually went to bed at 11 pm last night! I'm usually up until 2 or 3, but was sleepy and hit the ironing board early. Slept until 8. Sure felt good, and I feel great this morning. Maybe I should consider making a habit of an earlier bedtime??

I am happy to announce that Trinket has not piddled on the floor in three days. She has used her potty box every time, sometimes with me reminding her, and several times completely on her own. I see her get up and trot toward our bedroom, and when I go to check after she comes back, there is a new wet spot on her pad. Then I dance around, praising her in a high and excited voice, and give her a treat and lots of hugs and ear-scratches. I think she prefers all of that to me yelling at her and scolding, so she's getting the idea.

It's harder to train a puppy to use a pad, rather than going outdoors. The difference in location is not as dramatic, and they just don't "get it" as easily. However, I can't do the outside thing. Eddie uses a mulching mower, and my lawn looks great, but there is a lot of fine, chopped up grass down in there, and it clings to her fluffy little legs, and follows her in the house. Also, it's cold and wet at times, and I don't want to stand out there holding a leash. I can't let her go out alone, she's too immature, will want to explore and walk through muddy flowerbeds. Toye Starr couldn't go out because of the hawk that lives here, and she was small enough to be carried off. Trinket, I think, is too big, but still it scares me. So, it just works best if she has access to a designated spot, and I change the pad daily. Any solids are picked up and flushed, of course. It worked for The Plum, and Toye Starr, and apparently it will work for Trinket. Another plus is that she's used to the pads, so I carry one when we travel, and she can always have a safe place to potty. David and Eloise keep a little package of her pads at their homes, and put one down in a bathroom for her, so no worries there, either. She's the only female dog in the family, so all the boys go outside, but she doesn't. She doesn't even want to! When the door is open for the boys, she makes no attempt to follow them. It works for us.

Well, guess I'd better go clean up the kitchen. I left it a little messy last night, didn't feel like unloading the dishwasher. Blessings, friends! --Romeena