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Food Holidays People Shopping Weather

Tuesday Night Grab Bag O’ Thoughts

It’s the final weekly edition of 2008, and it goes a little something like this:

1.  It’s the 365TH day of the year. 75% of the time that day is New Year’s Eve, but this was a magic year – one of those rare leap years that only occurs whenever we have a Presidential Election – and a Summer Olympics. Tomorrow is Day 366 of 2008, and at the end of it we can put a bow on it and wrap it up and place it within our vast archives of Life. 

2.  My Grandmom would have been 93-years-old today. She joined her Creator in 2004. My Granddad would have been 97-years-old this Saturday. He’s been with the Angels since 1994. I have nothing but good memories of both of them from the 1970s into the 1980s.

3.  I believe that this month will go down as one of the warmest Decembers here in South Florida America’s Riviera over the past 100 years – just as last month was one of the chilliest Novembers in modern recorded history. If this trend keeps up then cold weather should return to us in January. It’s all about the jet stream kid !

4.  I got a lot of nice Christmas cards and gifts over the past month. Apparently I have a reputation of a dude who adores shopping at Publix (where shopping is a pleasure) because I received several gift cards from the joint. Word has obviously leaked out that I shop at Publix more than any other store in the entire universe !

5.  Criticize them all you wish, but I can never get enough of KFC‘s Sauceless Hot Wings and Potato Wedges. That’s what I enjoyed for Lunch today. I could have eaten double the amount that I did of wings and wedges. In fact they should make a bucket called ‘Wings & Wedges’ where they just fill ‘er up. I’d buy it up dude !

Those are my thoughts, and I thank you for allowing me to share them with you.

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Animals Driving Food Travel

Christmas Morning Stocking Full O’ Thoughts

Here’s what I’m thinkin’ ’bout on this Glorious Christmas Day Morning:

1.  I left work at exactly 9 AM yesterday (Christmas Eve) morning, and I arrived at my parents’ home at exactly 3:30 PM. It was a rather uneventful 6½-hour drive from Homestead to here. That included about a 30-minute stop-over in Fort Pierce along world-renown State Road 70 for Gas and Lunch.

2.  I’m currently in historic Clay County Florida – about halfway between the historic river cities of Orange Park and Green Cove Springs (the county seat) along historic U.S. 17. F.Y.I. – U.S. 17 extends from the foothills of Northern Virginia to the Gulf Coast of Southwest Florida.

3.  My last visit up here to the First Coast of Florida was during the Labor Day Weekend at the end of August 2008. I’ve been coming up here once or twice per year for the past 12 years to visit my parents (and my brother when he lived up here). 2009 will probably be my parents’ final year here. They’ll be moving to the north of Dallas Texas in a few months. They’ll be living just a few miles away from my brother and his wife.

4.  Of all of the cats that have been in our family over the past quarter of a century my parents’ current cat – Pumpkin – has the most beautiful fur ever !  She’s brown and black with hints of orange and tan – perhaps even a bit of burnt sienna. One time when Pumpkin was a kitten she was totally terrified of me, and she nearly tried to end her own life by jumping at least 20 feet to the ground below when she was absolutely frightened by an unintentional sudden movement of mine. Now she adores me and comes running to me whenever I spot my petting hand. Pumpkin loves me so much now that she even licks me at times. Even she has realized that cats all over the land adore me.

5.  Last night we enjoyed a MASSIVE Dinner at the local Longhorn Steak House. This afternoon we’ll be enjoying a traditional (also MASSIVE) Christmas Day Dinner. Don’t you know that I like totally dig that dudes and dudettes ?  SHYEAHZZZ !

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE !

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Animals Driving Food Holidays Weather

Tuesday Night Grab Bag O’ Thoughts

‘Twas the night before Christmas Eve, and all through my mind – were these thoughts that I’d like to share with you – if I could be so kind.

1.  The entire state of Florida from Pensacola to Jacksonville to Daytona Beach to Orlando to Tampa to Fort Myers to Miami to Key West will be basking in the 70s and even some 80s over the next 4 days from Wednesday through Saturday. It’s a continuation of a December that has been as warm as November was chilly.

2.  I’m driving over 350 miles tomorrow, so that means that I should encounter at least 525 crazy drivers on my way from here to there. Wish me luck that I don’t get involved in a firey car crash.

3.  TODAY I enjoyed a MASSIVE Lunch at Shiver’s BBQ (in Naranja Lakes), and it was my first visit there in several years. I used to eat there on a near-weekly basis. I need to go back there more frequently. I delighted in a stack of meat, sweet potato fries, and juicy collard greens. That’s what I’m talkin’ ’bout Willis !

4.  Homestead Air Reserve Base is hosting a MASSIVE air show in less than 11 months over a two-day weekend, and you can read all about it at wingsoverhomestead.com. It’ll be our first air show since 1992 !

5.  Exactly 25 years ago this morning on the 23RD of December in 1983 me and my little brother discovered a cat wandering around our backyard deck. We took her in, gave her some milk, named her Fluffy, and the rest is history. Read what I wrote about this momentous event one year ago here on this blog.

Elderly Fluffy
Elderly Fluffy
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Blogging Food God Holidays Life

Bedtime Stories

It’s been awhile since I did an edition of ‘Bedtime Stories’ on here. I’m surprised that my dear friend of the past 23 months Ela O. hasn’t complained in public about that fact.

So it’s the end of the 18TH day of December in 2008. Christmas Eve is just 6 nights away, and a week from now Christmas Day will be just about done and over with. But let us all remember the reason for the season. It is to celebrate the glorious birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ – not just on December 25TH, but every day before and after that. It’s a joyous event that means so much more to me now than it ever did before this journey began for me.

I’ve just about wrapped-up the preparing and the sending of the Christmas Cards for this festive season. I’ve sent out more cards this year than in any previous year. Thank You Lord for all of these new friends that you have blessed me with to share Life on this fantastic journey that you’ve created especially for me.

Although I will be going out-of-town next week I will not be missing any Sunday mornings at Life Pointe Church. Anne J. wouldn’t allow me to take church leave. 😆

If I don’t see you between now and then I wish each and every one of you reading this a very Merry Christmas. May it be safe and peaceful with yourself and your loved ones. Remember the reason for the season.

Oh yeah – and also REMEMBER THIS !

Me And The $8 Turkey Leg - A Feast For The Beast
Me And The $8 Turkey Leg - A Feast For The Beast

Thank You Patricia for taking this shot of me via your cell phone. I had no idea that you were doing so. That’s how I always look when I eat MASSIVE turkey legs !