I really needed to close out 2006, but was just too sleepy last night, So now I'll just catch up, maybe.

I had my annual Christmas breakfast for my Sunday School class on the 23rd. Needless to say, that involved cleaning, decorating the house and a lot of cooking. As usual, when I try to cook using the coffee maker, the crock pot and my toaster oven; the breaker trips and I end up having to reset that over and over because I couldn't figure out what was doing it. Usually I can't use the hot shot and any other appliance, but I wasn't using that or the microwave. Don't know what's up with my wiring. Anyway, everything finally got ready and it was all eaten, so I guess it was OK. But, on Sunday when Cindy came she looked up at the light fixture in the dining room and remarked that she liked my decorations. I had done everything but dust the cobwebs off that.

Christmas Eve I went to church and then came home and started my cooking for The Day. Cindy helped me finish my gift wrapping sorta early (for me) and so I had a slow peaceful evening.

Next day I got everything ready because usually somebody shows up before it's all ready, but this time the oyster stew, potato soup and vegetable soup was all ready, the meat tray and bread was ready, drinks in place and nobody had showed up. So I ate some stew and finally the Adams family showed and after that the rest kinda trickled in and everybody ate. Tommy and Rebecca got here and opened their gifts and Sarah and Chad came down and the kids played the rest of the evening.

Tommy and Chad have alternated spending nights here and at Chad's house and on Tuesday, Rebecca's friend Jessica came up and stayed until Friday evening. All in all, a fun time!

Today we went to church and then back again tonight and after services we went to a church friend's house for a little party. Good food!! Tonight Tommy was at Chad's, so Rebecca and I had our own lil New Year's party. Sparkling grape juice and chips! And watched the ball drop.

Now it's raining cats and dogs and is supposed to all day Monday. I'm supposed to take the kids back, but think I'll call Ginny and put it off until Tuesday cause they don't have to go back to school until Thursday and I REALLY don't like driving the Berry Hill road in all that rain. Especially since a lot of the low lying parts flood in heavy rain.

So, to you all: I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and I wish for each of you a most joyous and Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was supposed to take Tommy and Rebecca back to Stoneville on Monday, but it was raining so hard and there was a flood watch, so I called Ginny and asked if I could bring them back today.

This morning I thought the roads were ok, so we left about 1PM. About halfway there, just about where the 9 mile sign to Eden is, there was a blockade and a sign saying road closed. However, the truck in front of me went around the barricade, so I did, too. When we got to the bridge, the truck stopped and the driver got out and looked at all the water covering the bridge and I just sat and waited. A monster truck came up and the driver said something to him and the big truck went on thru the water.Then the pick up sorta eased thru and then I did. The rest of the way the road was fine.

Coming back I followed a car from Danville until we got to the sign at the sharp turn on 700 that said 'Road Closed'. That car slowed and turned off, but I went on and when I got to the bridge, the water was mostly gone off the bridge.A little way down the road, a car going toward Eden stopped and motioned for me to stop and he asked how the bridge was. I told him that it was better than 2 hours earlier, so he went on.

Brittany and I got home about 4 and she had to eat again and then we played checkers and watched TV until her mom came. After we got all the way to Riverside Drive, she said "G'ma, all that water almost made me a little nervous, but it was OK."

Tommy and Rebecca were here this past weekend and stayed until Monday because of Martin Luther King day.

Last time Tommy was here he bought a BB pistol and Chad already had a BB gun so I took them to Linda's to shoot. When we got home we just left them locked in the trunk of my car.

They decided they wanted to shoot some on Monday, so I made a target in the basement and they went to the car to get the guns. Evidently they forgot the ammo on the first trip so they had to get my keys and go back to the car for a second time.

Later that afternoon, I asked where they had put my car keys. I was told they were in the basement on the counter next to the radio. Not there!

For the rest of the afternoon we searched for the elusive car keys. When Ginny got here about 4:30 to pick them up, we still hadn't found my keys.

When Kerri came to get Brittany I asked her if her Chad had a key to my car. He did and she brought it the next morning. In the meantime, I had gone back over the entire house and basement and even searched the yard where I had sat while Brittany played.

Anyway, as soon as I put my clothes on Tuesday morning, I went out to my car, opened the trunk, and there lying on some clothes was my car key. I was so glad to find them! I don't like to lose something.

I haven't written in so long, I think I've forgotten how. Where to start?

Last week I got a phone call from Todd, Anna's dad. (I babysat Anna for 5 years) He asked if I might be interested in babysitting the baby of a girl who worked with him. I told him I might, so he gave her my number and she called, we talked, and then she came by and brought the baby to meet me.

So, last Monday was the first day that I baby sat little Coby. He's five months old and looks a little like Rachel did when she was his age. I think it's his eye brows and the shape of his face and the way he laughs. Brittany is crazy about him. All day Monday whenever anybody would come in she would explain to them that G'ma was watching a baby..."a real baby and he's a boy"! She helps with him a lot and says she wants a baby brother.

He's a pretty good boy. Once he got used to my house he started taking his naps regularly. He loves his bottle and empties it every time. He doesn't miss a drop!

All day Wed. the weather people kept telling us that we would have snow and ice on Thursday. Well, I got up Thursday and nothing was happening, so we waited and waited. Brittany had brought her snow boots and gloves and hat and scarf and was anxious to go out to play in the snow. Finally, about 10AM it started snowing a little and about an hour later it started sticking a little. Next thing we know, it had quit. So Brittany put her clothes and boots on and went out on the deck where a little snow had piled up on the chairs. She played until she got cold and then came in and we dried her clothes. Today we went on the deck to feed the birds and Chris, next door, had his dog out and Brittany opened the toy grill and got her snow ball out and threw it at Chris.

Well, don't know any thing, so I'll stop and if I find any good buys at the two yardsales tomorrow, I'll let you know.

I'm up late because I was so tired and sleepy when I sat down to watch Desperate Housewives, that I went to sleep after the first lil segment and slept in the recliner until 12:45.

I guess the reason I collapsed was lack of sleep on Friday and Sat. nights. Tommy and Rebecca were here this weekend and Emily and Chad spent the night, so they were up very late Friday night. I think I got to bed at 5AM Sat. morning. It was a little better Sat. night, but not much.

In addition to Tommy and Rebecca, I was very pleasantly surprised Friday morning by a knock at my door and there stood Cindy and her beagle, Charlie. She had decided on the spur of the moment to come for a visit. Charlie is such a nice house guest. All you have to do for him is take him out for a walk every now and then, and with all the kids here, he didn't lack for walking partners. I even took him out once Sat. morning while every one else slept. He staked out a place under the kitchen table and when he wasn't sneaking the cat's food, that's where he was.

I cooked dinner and thought I'd have a bunch of hungry people, but Cindy ate a late breakfast/brunch and decided to leave before dinner and Tommy and Chad ate a late breakfast, but did eat the veggies and Tommy tried the roast pork. Rebecca and Emily ate at BoJangles, but went running on the trail so they were sorta hungry. Emily's friend, Carmela came with them and she ate a little.

I've been thinking about it all evening and think I'll quit cooking dinner on Sunday and just go out to eat with my friend Margaret after church. She invites me every Sunday, but I've never been cause I'm always cooking. Only thing about not cooking is that you don't have leftovers for Monday.Oh, well, maybe I'll just do soup and/or sandwiches from now on. I'm tired of cooking anyway!

Next Sat. evening I'm going to Greensboro to the dinner barn theater to see Smoke on the Mountain. A group of us from church are going and it ought to be fun. Everybody says that play is really good. I've never been before, but there's LOTS of places and things I've never done before. Maybe I'll start being a gadabout!

Saturday evening I did something I'd never done before. My friend Margaret and I and a few more folks from church went to the barn and dinner theater in Greensboro. We had reservations which were made early in January because the play being performed, "Smoke on the Mountain", is so popular.

We left the church at 5PM because the doors open at 6 and the food starts being served shortly thereafter. There was a huge line and once we got inside, there was a slight wait. But thanks to Elgin, our tables were reserved and we were seated pretty fast.

Once we were seated and our drinks brought to the table we were free to go thru the buffet line. WOW! Such a lot of and large variety of food. They had prime rib which really was beautiful, baked halibut, and baked ham for the meats. In addition there was chicken casserole and seafood salad and every veggie you could name from fried okra to corn on the cob. Also a big salad bar, a dessert bar and wonderful bread. Only thing. In places like this you never get a plate big enough. They really ought to have divided trays like they do at school! Then you could get enough in one trip to do you.

After the eating was over, about 7:30, the servers removed all the food and the thingys that kept it hot and the stage came down from the ceiling. Then the play started. It was hilarious.

A southern gospel group called the Sanders family was going to sing at a Baptist church in Mt. Pleasant, NC where gherkin pickles are made. I can't tell you about it, you just have to see it to appreciate it. It was so true to life and the daughter who came out and announced that, "I don't sang, I sign" stole the show. I just wish that all of you could see it and if you ever get the chance, don't hesitate to go. You'll be glad you did!

Yesterday morning I sorta slept late...8AM and so missed the call from Tommy and Richard about going to the only yardsale. But when I checked the caller ID and called him back, I was invited to go out grocery shopping and to Wal Mart.

Before we went to WalMart we went to DAV and I found two nice skirts and a pair of dress pants that actually fit and Tommy bought them for me. Then we went to West Main Goodwill and Tommy found him some jeans and bought me a beautiful blue fleece jacket. It's fun going shopping with him!!!

Going down the road Tommy looked at a red pick up truck that passed us and said, "Look, there goes a boy truck". Wondering what he meant, I looked and hanging on the trailer hitch was a pair of balls, nuts, scrotum or whatever you want to call a man's private parts. Bigger than life size, but truly identifiable.

We sorta pulled up along side so we could see the driver and it was an OLD man, just laughing like he'd made the biggest joke ever. Kinda sick!!!