NiftyNiblick (11-18-2021)
To your question about Christmas in the Heartlands...
We go to the in-laws for Thanksgiving. Since we don't return for Christmas we do our exchanging of gifts while we are there. Kind of a ... Thanksmas.
NiftyNiblick (11-18-2021)
Busy day. Home now getting a few things ready to go to KY. After church we’ll finish packing the Yukon so we can hit the road as soon as we get off work tomorrow afternoon. We usually drive to Forrest City, AR and spend the night. If we get away soon enough sometimes we go as far as Memphis, TN before we stop. We’ll see how things work out tomorrow.
This is a big hauling trip for us as we bring back half a beef from my father-in-law’s ranch. Then if I kill a deer or two … let’s just say we got to have three big ice chests. We’ll, one is a pickup bed toolbox converted into an ice chest. This is the first trip in 18 years without our son. Seems strange. He’ll be flying in to Nashville next week to spend time with his grandparents for Thanksgiving.
October, November, December … my favorite three months of the year. I get to see lots of family during these three months.
January, February, and March are my three least favorite months of the year,
but it's not nearly as bad now as when I had to go to work.
If I don't like the looks of a day now, I just say fuck it and spend it in sweats or a bathrobe.
Every phase of life has its advantages and disadvantages.
My wife and I used to have pretty large extended families when we were children, but we were both only children ourselves.
With our parents long gone, no siblings, no grandchildren, and not even any kids' spouses anymore, all we have on the planet for family are ourselves, our son, and our daughter, and our Welsh Terrier. (The kids never had aunts, uncles, or cousins of their own, obviously.)
We ourselves might have a few cousins scattered around with whom we have Christmas card relationships at best.
I loved the big family dinners and gatherings when I was a boy.
I'm cool with how it is now as well. As I said, every phase of life has its advantages and disadvantages.
Last edited by NiftyNiblick; 11-18-2021 at 07:22 AM.
Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel. Samuel Johnson, 1775
Religion....is the opiate of the people. Karl Marx, 1848
Freedom's just another word for nothin' left to lose. Kris Kristofferson, 1969
Resting in Forest City, AR. Traffic not too bad so far. The west bound lane of I-40 was clogged with trucks for about a 15 mile stretch between here and Little Rock. Every other TV commercial back home is advertising for jobs for truck drivers. I’d hate to think of what it’d be like out here if all those jobs were filled.
The missus is driving the last leg of out trip today. That frees me up to check in here while we’re zipping down I-40. The trees are beautiful. More evidence that the weather is behaving differently this year. We’ve been making this drive for 20 years now and this is the first time the leaves are still on the trees and still pretty.
We’re about 50 miles from Nashville…Go Titans! Got your find a place to grab a bit of lunch then on to Kentucky. The weather is great.
Edit: 2:13 pm. Driving through Nashville. Traffic slowed to a crawl. That’s the way it s every time we come through this city…and most cities. It is t even “rush” hour. I would absolutely hate to have to have to deal with this every day.
Last edited by leaningright; 11-19-2021 at 02:14 PM.
It's a tradeoff, leaning.
We do live with plenty of traffic.
But we can find around the corner something for which you may have to drive thirty or forty miles.
If we're all in the place that fits us the most comfortably, we're doing equally well, right?
Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel. Samuel Johnson, 1775
Religion....is the opiate of the people. Karl Marx, 1848
Freedom's just another word for nothin' left to lose. Kris Kristofferson, 1969
To the bolded above…absolutely. Been my motto all my life. I love going places and seeing the sights…and some have been worth more than one trip. I’ve traveled most of the US and visited a few other countries, but I love my home. I count myself blessed to be able to live where I want to live and wish for others the same.
Going to watch The Eternals tonight. We’ll go visit the wife’s grandmother (she’s the same age as Betty White), get a bite to eat at a restaurant of my wife and her mom’s choice then on to the movie. No popcorn for me … just a Coke Icee.
Glad to be here at the in-laws for the week. It’s a comfortable house on a farm just outside the city of Bowling Green. My father-in-law raises cattle and still works (he’s 77) as an engineer for Corvette … because he loves to work. I was in the woods before daylight this morning deer hunting and I head his tractor fire up promptly at 7:30. He was putting hay out for his cows. He did take next week off from the plant because his daughter and I came to visit.
He is definitely in the “place that fits” him and I hope he can spend the rest of his days here. He would be miserable if he had to come stay with us.
NiftyNiblick (11-20-2021)
I’m adding this post for no reason other than to remind myself this time next year. Mr. Niblick’s MySpace (or whichever it was a while back) comes to mind.
At my in-law’s in KY. Went to church with them yesterday. I’m always struck by the more formal setting in larger congregations. Same beliefs, same practices in worship, but our congregation of 45 or so is much less formal than theirs of 300+. Nothing wrong with it, just different. Their singing is definitely much better with more people participating.
We have eaten at a restaurant for almost every meal since we left Oklahoma. Not good for my waistline. I have pumpkin bread in the oven for my mother-in-law. Went driving around in the Mule with the father-in-law to look at cattle this morning. It’s cold here. Enjoying our visit.
Into the Night (11-26-2021)
Finally had one walk up and surrender this morning. Kentucky bucks taste good too.
Our boy is flying in today. Worried about him to say the least. Driving to an unfamiliar airport, finding long-term parking, but mainly hoping he doesn’t get stranded somewhere between here and OKC. Supposed to pick him up at 9 pm in Nashville. Then it’s an hour and a half drive north back to the in-law’s.
I got all of my errands done this morning.
Took the dog to get her stitches and miserable Elizabethan cone removed.
Biopsy on the growth was negative.
Picked up my own meds at the pharmacy. As a 75 year old, I'm a walking chemistry set. Thankfully have a good prescription plan.
Got all the necessary last minute things that the Gestapo said we need for Thanksgiving.
And brought home take out for lunch.
I was like Mr. Efficiency. It felt like playing a round of golf without making a double--usually my definition of a great day.
Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel. Samuel Johnson, 1775
Religion....is the opiate of the people. Karl Marx, 1848
Freedom's just another word for nothin' left to lose. Kris Kristofferson, 1969
Ok, we fly a lot, but never during the holidays. My son navigated through the 3 airports he had to go through just fine yesterday and for that I am thankful. But every year I hear about how crowded and packed the airports are and the need for patience. I always thought, “I have to exhibit extreme patience no matter the day when I go to airports.” Nope. I was wrong. Good grief Charlie Brown, I’ve never been through what we went through last night to pick our boy at Nashville airport. It all worked out OK but we did have to circle the airport twice and communicate (really glad for cell phones) well with him to make the connection. No short term parking anymore, just cell phone lots. We learned on the fly. It was … educational. Got back to grandma and grandpa’s house at 12:30 am.
Will rest today. May go on a short squirrel hunt before dark…may not. I have to make my wife a pie crust at some point today so she can make a pecan pie for tomorrow. Lazy holiday times. I love it.
I have said it many times.
Commercial flying was a much more palatable industry sixty years ago than it is now.
It's become a horror.
Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel. Samuel Johnson, 1775
Religion....is the opiate of the people. Karl Marx, 1848
Freedom's just another word for nothin' left to lose. Kris Kristofferson, 1969
leaningright (11-25-2021)
Made that pie crust for the wife. I’m still waiting to try the pecan pie though. At too much chicken and dressing ant trimmings at lunch.
There are 5 of us here today…My wife’s folks, our son, my wife and I. Thankful for health and well being.
Got up and started helping the wife and my father-in-law cook at 8. Traditionally I fry some chicken livers and gizzards to graze upon while we cook the rest of the meal. No turkey…a single hen is plenty big enough for our group. We’ll eat leftovers for supper then do Christmas tonight. In the meantime, I’ll watch some football. Can’t believe we’re having to catch the Bears and Lions this year. It’s like the NFL thought, “What game would get the lowest rating if aired on Sunday. We’ll air that one on Thanksgiving to a slightly captive audience.” Oh well, it beats the Hallmark channel by just a little bit.
"When government fears the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny."
A lie doesn't become the truth, wrong doesn't become right, and evil doesn't become good just because it is accepted by a majority.
Author: Booker T. Washington
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