Happy New Year!

Things have been very quiet around the "ole mountain cabin" for the last few days.......you know the period of time when the Christmas crazies are over and you haven't really got into the new year spirit yet......your thinking of that new years resolution(s).....your taking down the remains of the last holiday......maybe your looking for all those receipts that you'll need for the IRS.....your pondering what you did and what you didn't do in 2008......and your fighting the fear of the unknown in 2009.....i'm trying very hard to count the blessing that 2008 brought to our family

My parent moving to the mountains

Their house being built up the road from us

Our son moving to the mountains and his return to school

Our daughters & SIL's move to GA .... the continued success of their business...plus the health and happiness of the boys

My new job with the park service

The view from our front porch

The good friends from FL that have stayed in touch and the new NC friends

But, mostly i'm amazed at the little everyday blessings that God keeps working in my life and yes, Lord i'm listening to that little nagging voice in my head........my goal for 2009 is to find a home church...

Like Mia in the picture...i've just been looking out the window.....in 2009 i'm going to open the door and get out there.......in this area .....that seems to be the buckle in the Bible belt.....i know i'll find a place in which to count my blessings..

Happy New Year..................................brboomer

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Back to the Norm??

Hope everyone had a great holiday........ours was very quite.......just a few friends and family........wish it had been a white Christmas......temp was in the mid-60's......had to open the windows while the bird was in the oven....City Boy was walking around in shorts and complaining .....this is why we left Florida!!!! Then he opened his new laptop and i've only seen him for meals since...........Here's Max getting a taste of the stuffed mailman from Grandma........

Here's Mia giving me that "Crazy Max....can you believe he's chewing up his mailman?" look....... What she doesn't tell you is ....her's has already been destuffed, chewed up and thrown away......

And I've spent the last few days........canning tomatoes and making more pickles......at least City Boy is not bringing home more eggs...............

Merry Christmas

Hey...Guys!!!.....I don't think he's gonn'a fit!!!!!!

Oh....Man!....now what do we do??!!!!!

Happy Holidays................................................

I Think, I'm Done

Well........I think I'm done!!!! Made it to the "Wal Marts" before 8am and bought the last of the loot........Now the real fun begins...................Cooking!!! City Boy just called and he's got another load of mini-cucumbers....sooo....I guess tomorrow I'll be buying mustard seeds.......
Anyway.........From Our House to Yours...............................


Happy Hanukkah!

Merry Christmas!!!

And .......A Happy New Year!!!!!

Enjoy your holidays.....brboomer, City Boy, Male Child & the 3M's

Santa Watch

OK...Max..........One more time.........he's fat and jolly, has a white beard, is wearing a red suit with a funny hat and is driving a Dodge 4x4.........now keep watching!!!!!

and try to be quite so the cat doesn't find us!!!!

I Win.......I Think!!

This seems to be the year of "scaling back"......we decided to lessen the Christmas crazies this year and just enjoy family, good food and friends!!! Christmas is not about who gets the most, it's about God's gift to us......
Anyway.....after last years disaster with a new house and a new cat........a cat that waged war with me about the Christmas Tree.....she loved to knock off the ornaments and try to climb to the top for that fake "Dove of Peace" resting up there......and i kept pulling her out of the tree and re-decorating....only to have her try again......and again......and again......
This year i'm trying a new twist to the "Miss Kitty vs Me" Xmas tree war.....two......count'm two trees.....she doesn't know quite what to do...Hee,Hee....Ha,Ha.....I think i may have won the battle this year!!!!

Does that face look like it's plotting a sneak attach???!!!

One Moment In Time

I don't know how things are at your homes ....but, the pre-holiday insanity has hit here with a big bang!! Everyday seems to bring another problem......another trip to town.......another gift to buy......another card to send......another cake/dozen cookies to bake......I know this is all part of what we call the "Holiday Season" and i'm not complaining......just some times it gets to be a bit.....much?

Sunday morning there was one moment in time that made me realize that there are bigger problems and bigger insanity than what's going on in my house......

These are vapor trails left by the jet jockeys from Norfolk Naval Base........they love to play Tic-Tac-Toe in the skys over my mountains........but, what they are really doing .....are training missions......it seems my mountains resemble the terrain in Afghanistan.......who knew!!??

Thanks to the men and women in the Armed Forces who send Sunday morning training to keep our country safe.....so that i can have my pre-holiday insanity......

I Love This Dog!! - Part II

OK....OK..... I finally gave in to the pitiful looks from the mountain Diva.....Mia May....she's my Jack Russell Terrier.....and is a little camera shy...but, allowed a few pictures so that she could get equal internet time........a little sibling rivalry with Max.....ya think!?
This is Mia looking pitiful...... can you tell she's got us wrapped around her paw?

Gott'a keep that Florida tan....even when it's 23 degrees outside.......outside not her!!

Now she's trying out the "Princess and the Pea" theory......

She's our sweet little, baby girl....just DO NOT get between Mia and her bowl at dinner time!!

I Love This Dog!!!

We've all heard the phrase....."the face only a mother could love"........

Well.......this is Max at his best....... When the camera appears Mia and Miss Kitty run for a hiding place......

But.....Max..... he just rolls over and smiles.......if he's awake.......maybe i'll teach him to wave and blow kisses!!!

Alert the Media!!!

For the family and friends that read my blog......there will be an announcement at the end that you may not be able to handle without strong drinks within reach......but first.........this year i decided to decorate the fireplace mantels with items i had received as gifts went i worked for the school district.....here's what happened........

Max supervising.....................

Mia hiding.....afraid i would put a bow on her...............................

Livingroom firepalce.....look at all those cookie jars, cookie plate, salt and pepper shakers, pictures, globes, candels.....Santa's (Who's the chick on TV??)

Fireplace in the master bedroom........stuff animals....kids like to give teddy bears......more cookie jars and a coke lunch box??!

An here's the big news.........................................after 32 years of marriage, 2 children and many, many holidays together.........................da...dah.......the May Family finally put up "outside Christmas lights!!!!!" Family....please don't faint!

Anyone have 1/2 Cup of Mustard Seeds??

Don't know why these pictures downloaded in the wrong order......any way....this is the finished product......4 quarts of Bread and Butter Pickles

Here they are cooking............................

Here they are soaking.....................................

Here's City Boy helping cut..........................

He did it to me again........!!!! Came home with a ..."DEAL"........44 mini cucumbers.......what'a do with 44 mini-cukes................can't eat that many before they go bad!!!!

Dragged out the "old, worn, torn" Betty Crocker cookbook.........pickles.......lets see........sugar...check, vinegar....check, salt.......check, celery seed......check, curry powder....check, 1/2 cup of mustard seed..... are you kidding!!??......trip to the store.......check!!!!

Trip to the store would not have been a bad thing....except it was SNOWING!!!

Snow quit just long enough to dash to the store and sign up for exercise classes at the Center for the Ageing......does this make me old!!??.......Hey....it's free...... that's a deal!!!

Now the next big question........do we keep them or give them away as gifts??!!