Family, Friends and Home Life of 2024

Happy New Year! I feel good about the coming year, don't you? My last year was pretty good. I finished up all my therapy and both knees are holding up nicely. I don't anticipate more surgeries for a while, if ever. I am still a bit limited in some movement, like getting down on the floor on my knees, but I'm not to bothered by it.

I enjoyed watching the seasons change. My entire back yard is still filled with Autumn leaves. I can see more of the amazingly beautiful sunsets now. They are totally hidden by the trees in the summer months.

The 3-month holiday season has just finished. We haven't had trick-or-treaters since we built the house in 1991, so we didn't miss anything there. Thanksgiving was held next door and was very small with just six of us.  While the FL kids were here for Thanksgiving they helped us get rid of the huge scrap wood pile that evolved after we redid our deck in 2023. It was almost as tall as I am, but it's all gone now! They hauled multiple loads to the dump and we burned the small stuff in the 'crematorium.' 

Christmas was at our house again this year. It's just easier to do it here when the kids come. This year it lasted for two weeks because the girls came in at different times. My Georgia kids came in for a week starting the Thursday before Christmas. They left the Friday after Christmas and a couple of days later my Florida kids arrived for a week. They left the Saturday after New Year's Day. It's always a great time when they all come home, but it does seems like a storm has blown over when everyone is gone again. Ahh... the peace and quiet is a pleasant change. We don't do presents any longer. Back in the old days, getting gifts was a once a year event. Most people just get what they want when they want it these days. So, I had a hankering for a hand-held chainsaw. I showed Danny a cheap-o and kinda knew he'd take over from there on the research. We ended up with a Ryobi with a 6 inch blade. It works so nice on our pruning needs!

Shortly before Christmas I reached out to some of my cousins and passed along some of the vintage quilts I had inherited. These cousins were all descendants of the same women who made them between 1830s and 1890s. I was nice to also visit with some of them that I hadn't seen in a long time.

Also before Christmas I attended my first Tea Party at a local church with my wonderful friends. It was really cool. I even won a raffle prize. I really do love being among people who love God.

Our journey to a new church home is still going. We had a bitter taste in our mouths from previous church experiences, but I refuse to let Satan win by keeping us out of church forever. Meanwhile, we read our Bibles daily and watch various sermons media and TV on Sundays when we don't attend a church. We pray for God's guidance as to where He wants us and we covet the prayers of others for us.

Our home downsizing has continued throughout the year. We're now getting to more of the 'small stuff' like what lives in your back closet and attic. Some of these things that haven't seen daylight in decades. On some I have to psych myself up to let go and send them to new homes via the local thrift store.  I got rid of some kids' blocks right before Christmas. I had a bunch of stuff I'd saved for my grandchildren, but alas, we never got to that milestone. My dolls are next as is all the record albums I haven't played in 30 years. Meanwhile, it seems that my yard is getting fuller. Danny recently bought a(nother) boat trailer that lives here. It was a I-gotta-have-this purchase. It's not just a little trailer, it's for the sailboat so it's fairly large. I try not to say anything, but I sure do think it LOL! I hope the sailboat goes away one of these days and takes the trail with it! We are currently updating the RV and hopefully that gets a new home this year too. I'd like to see a few cars leave as well but I'm not holding my breath.

Kitty Pepper has made herself at home, spending her days indoors with the rest of us and sleeping in the garage at night. I made the mistake of letting her inside early this morning when I couldn't sleep. I though she'd just eat her breakfast and sleep near my desk while I worked on my computer. But no, she cried the entire time because her fella, Toby was still asleep in the dog cage with little Abby. They get up at 6:50am when Abby (the queen) decides it's time. As soon he came out today, Pepper was happy again and never whined again all day! Needless to say, she won't be coming in early again.

I have finally finished doing my own personal genealogy research. I have pulled together all the ancestor reports, photos and resource documents into something I am proud to pass on. I have been working on this since the late 1960s. I had a great start because of all the family heirlooms of furniture and other items, letters, and tin-type pictures that my grandmother had. I was lucky that I was able to ask my grandmother many questions that most people don't even think of asking until their loved one is gone.

Late last night we discovered a broken pipe in the garage spewing water everywhere. So, today we have no water until the plumber arrives after lunch. I know we'd already planned to replace all the pipes in the house later this year. I guess this one just couldn't wait. At least it didn't break while everyone was here!