Well…

Zee Reads, more Richardmas and end of the year stuff

I know I know, it’s Mancandy Monday, but I’m in a state with a lot on my plate, including packing to leave tomorrow and getting things arranged. The last load of laundry is done, shirts and bras are hanging up and I’m praying I won’t need to go to the laundry mat for ANYTHING until February 1st. Hope to get out of here early enough to get home before the drunks get on the road.

Happy Saturday!

Me gnawing on bones among other things. Proceed at your own risk.

Merry Richardmas 26th

And Richardmas STILL goes on!

How was everyone’s Christmas? I came home to find nothing dercorated and decorations scatter everywhere. I helped get the trees together and couldn’t find the top of the tall tree – at all. No where to be found. We squished them together, tossed things on and around and said DONE!

We asked my dad to put lights on the wreath and hang it up.

Folks, you can’t make this stuff up! Yes, it’s plugged in and was lit!!!

11 people came to dinner. My dad did the grocery shopping. God help us. The man bought 2 decent hams (thank God) but then only bought a 13 pound turkey! It was so small. I looked it up and told him it would be done in under 3 hours, so it didn’t need to go on early. I bought a few things, including a creole butter marinade to inject. I figured we’d put it on around 9 and it would be fine.

That man WOKE me up banging around the kitchen at 6 AM! I got up and he had the turkey on! Wouldn’t not put it back in the frig. I injected it in the roaster and turned it down. He turned it back up. Needless to say, it fell off the bone at 9 AM. We didn’t slice it. It shredded itself.

Mom made her famous green beans and I realized around 10, she hadn’t started on anything else. So I put the hams in the oven, made the carrots (glazed with brown sugar and butter) mashed in their skins potatoes, rolls and got out the chocolate cake and Christmas cookies. I was horrified to realize as we’re setting the food out, that I had forgotten the stuffing and the yams. But no one was poisoned or went to the ER and I was told dinner was very good and it’s now my job.

Next year, I make a list, check it twice, and make sure everything is made.

I’ve tried to be very good. I’m taking my meds, haven’t drank any cokes, and my blood sugar has dropped 150 points in 2 days. It’s STILL over 300, but it’s DOWN 150 points! So we’ll take what we can get.

I’m sure we’ve all seen this…

---

Sweet Baby Jesus!

Also this

I think this is one of my favorite messages from him. He hit the nail on the head – what can one person do? When you look at the big picture, it’s overwhelming. But then again, you never know WHO you affect, how you affect them. Whether it’s planting a tree or touching a small life in some way, shape or form. One person alone is a small ripple, but that ripple can go far.

My son’s Christmas was the best in some years. We’ve had some lean years the last few, but I had an ‘relief’ month (one credit card paid off the previous month and no car parts bought this month) – granted, this paycheck has to last until the end of January, but we have a full pantry and freezer and we’re good. I hope. Either way, he’s gained some weight, thanks to the meds he took after his pulmonary valve was replaced so I got him a few shirts, as well as some games for his XBox. Ninetendo is discontinuing the 3DS, which he loves, so we’ll be buying games at the used game stops. I’m not buy a switch and he’s saving for a car. He has a job interview coming up in a few days. Cross your fingers.

I’ve read how many of my friends haven’t been in the holiday spirit and I understand that. I’ve had several in recent years, where I put on a big smile for everyone, but was in fact, just going through the motions. Even this year has had its tough moment. A lot of death. Another one in my circle passed away today. I’m having another wake up call with my blood sugar. Just lots of painful things and mountains to climb.

But I’ve had a lot of blessings this year as well. I have a new and improved job – one where I’m part of a team, and not just a babysitter. I didn’t think we’d find a home we liked as much as the last one and we have. Spawn needs to find his nitch and we’re hunting for it. I have friends who love me, family that love me. A girl can’t ask for anything more.

Well, yes I can. Dear Santa, why wasn’t this hunka burnin’ love under my tree???

Sweet Baby Jesus…

Merry Richardmas Day – MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful day! This is a post-dated greeting!

Merry Richardmas – day 24

Merry Christmas

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David, a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.’

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.’

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Luke 2:8-20

 

Somewhere

I missed 2 days of ChRistmAs wallpaper… and we’re getting out VERY late so chances are good that I’ll be exhausted when I get into the Interior.

So here. Plus one.

They comfort me – from The Shepherd

rough, unpolished. Merry Christmas.

 

The Shepherd

Chapter 9B

They Comfort Me

December 25^th

3:24 AM

Genevieve rolled over, ear automatically tuned to the sound of her son’s breathing. Or crying. Automatically, she reached behind her, realization that Guy’s familiar body was not spooned against hers. If anything, his side of the bed was cold. Looking over her shoulder, she saw his familiar outline, shadowed against the back window.

He was hugging something, or someone, close to his bare chest.

Roger

She struggled from the bed. It was getting easier to move; the pain of childbirth, now three weeks past. She didn’t waddle as much, and the bleeding had slowed to a nasty discharge, but she still had occasional periods of discomfort. It was worth it.

She took her bathrobe from the post and made her way around the bed. “Guy?” Her husband turned her, his sharp profile carving shadow on the wall. “Is he hungry?”

“No.”

“What are you doing?” She tossed the robe about her, struggling to get the sleeves on before belting it.

“Getting to know my son.” He kissed the crown of Roger’s head, a tiny head covered with black, inky curls. “Watching the snow.”

With that statement, Genevieve chuckled. “Guy. This is the South! We don’t get snow. We get leaves.”

“Hmm mmm.”

“Really, we get le-” she came alongside her husband and her son. “-aves… what the-” her voice trailed off.

In the small, meticulously landscaped (by Bradley, no less) backyard, thousands of brightly twinkling snowflakes danced about the wintering bushes. There was no accumulation, but the moon shone bright and reflected off tiny wings.

“Fairies,” the Lord of Gisborne whispered. “The fairies of Nottingham.”

Genevieve’s hand slipped to her husband’s elbow. “That can’t be fairies. There are no such thing!”

“Shh. They will hear. They’re quite sensitive.” He looked down at her. “Next you’ll tell me there are no such thing as angels.” With this, he tucked the baby under his chin. “They’ve come a long way to greet the next Earl of Huntington.” He nodded behind him. “Angels have come as well.”

Wide-eyed, Genevieve turned to glance over her own shoulder. “Val?”

Her office manager was dressed in officious long robes, wings tucked behind her, along with several others, before fading and winking out.

A familiar little blue-haired angel giggled, before waving her fingers and disappearing, leaving blue glitter swirling in the air, before flickering out. Without realizing it, Genevieve realized she was waggling back. She dropped her hand. “Uhm… Guy?”

Roger snorfled in a way only babies could. Guy repositioned him on his shoulder and inhaled sweet baby scent.

Leather. My children smell of leather.

For a moment, he thought of the merchant’s daughter Queen Elizabeth gave him to wive. The young woman brought a thriving business, money, and Ripleys into that marriage.

She was also a whore and attempted to pass off her third child as his, but the girl didn’t smell right. At least he did get a legitimate son and daughter out of that union. And with Elizabeth giving him the ruins of Ripleys, marrying the whore was worth it.

He shook his head. He’d not thought of her in at least two lifetimes.

“Guy?” Roger, even though asleep, had grasped his mother’s finger. “He’s beautiful.”

“Of course he is,” the man whispered jovially. “He looks like me.”

Even Genevieve snickered.

“Go back to bed.” He nodded toward the the place she just rose from. “He’ll be hungry in an hour or two and our home will be busy and noisy soon after that.”

“Our home is already full,” she retorted. This much was true. Her grandmother and Guy’s mother had been in residence for three weeks, since Roger’s birth. Archer was ensconced at Genevieve’s condo, but he and Frederick were due for dinner at noon, a meal she was told not to worry about. Their family room tree was over-burdened with Christmas gifts for Roger, gifts not only from his parents, his grandparents, but from family, Genevieve’s friends and employees and Guy’s relatives and fellow solicitors in England. There was even one from one Lamar Robencourt. Twice, Guy tried to ease it out and toss it, but Genevieve stopped him both times, wagging that finger he threatened to bite.

Personally, Guy thought it ridiculous to wrap so much under the tree for a three-week old baby.

But Genevieve insisted and she typically got her way.

Badsubbadsub…

He watched her shrug from her bathrobe, hang it on the post, and crawl into bed. As her breathing evened out, he turned back to the view in the back yard, fairies dancing and flitting like fireflies. He buried his nose into soft baby flesh again.

Leather

fini

Happy Guy Day@!

And how are we all????

I just finished the most AWESOME Christmas singalong! I’m so pleased! It was definitely unpolished, some bumps, but everyone sang and had a good time!!! Even the adults! I’m just… WOW!!!!

I’m heading into the Interior for a week on Monday. Spawn and I are doing some SERIOUS room arranging this weekend and when we return a week from Monday, we are designating a room a day. Furniture in place, books on shelves, pictures hung. I’m ready for my house to look like a home. We got no Christmas decorations up this year, and I’m sad about that, but the Christmas decorations are against the wall in the garage with about 5 more rows of boxes in front. Wah!!!

Are you ready for some Guymas and Guy Day???? I sure am!!!

 

Yes, I do. Can we set the date???

There will not be any ManCandy Monday and there may or may not be GuyDay next Friday. Chances are good there will still be wallpaper MOST days.

I’m getting ready to watch a massive stream of children bolt the doors in about 45 minutes. Our cafeteria is then feeding the staff lunch. And then – home again home again, jiggity jog.