How it is around here

Now that the hustle and bustle of the holidays is over we sadly must return to regular schedules. Schedules that include paying bills, doing laundry, and eating right. However, while the holidays were on, some folks around here had a really good time as evidenced by the police blotter blurb below. I wonder what they are regretting now that the cold light of day has come upon them? ;) No Christmas party stock room dalliance that can be kept secret, these folks awoke to their name in the news.

"Three arrested after riding on horses while drinking Three people were arrested recently in an unusual case of DUI, after a deputy reportedly found them riding horses on the road at night while drinking. According to the sheriff’s office and the incident report, Deputy Dennis Harbison found the trio riding their horses on James Adams Road after dark Saturday night with no reflective gear on. Harbison asked them to get off their horses and noticed the smell of alcohol and that they were unstable on their feet. He also found several cans of Bud Light both open and unopened in their saddle bags. They were arrested and taken to the Madison County Jail."

We awoke today to a cold morning here in peachy Georgia. Bright, but very cold.No, the photo isn't of Georgia, it's from Maine, but the sun was that bright, glinting off the hard grown trees and icy patches in the yard.

Wunderground reports this morning "Gusty winds will persist across north and central Georgia this morning...creating wind chill values in the single digits above zero. Strong gusty winds from 15 to 25 mph can be expected. Wind chill values will be between 0 and 10 degrees above zero generally along and north of a line from Franklin to McDonough to Danielsville...through 9 am EST. Anyone going outdoors should dress in layers. Those especially sensitive to cold temperatures should remain indoors until temperatures rise later this morning." Hmmm, OK!

The news says "Winter cold dominates country's eastern half""Brutally cold temperatures continue in the Eastern U.S., with snow near the Great Lakes."

Frozen pipes are a concern. Most houses around here don't have them well insulated or protected, there rarely being a long spell of below freezing weather. I don't remember it being this cold at any time in the four winters I've lived here. Mid-teens for an overnight low is pretty cold for anywhere, but especially cold for the people around here who think 45 degrees is a temperature assault on the bones. Above, Drudge Report home page today.

Yet, charmingly, the birds are back. I have heard more birds the last few days than I have in the previous two months. I think some of them are making their way back, or are-emerging with vigor. Anyway, it's good to hear them. They're active in the scuppernine fence at the back of the yard. They are swooping, playing, and chirping to their heart's content. It's great to hear. See the fat one in the middle of the brown foliage? They swoop across the yard and land there and then continue on to the next door guy's roof.

Yesterday I spent in one of my favorite ways, worshiping at church for the majority of the morning, and home cooking for the majority of the afternoon. The cooking and washing dishes after gives my hands a chance to be busy while I think and ponder the truths related to me from the sermon. I spent a long time considering what the Holy Spirit might want me to do to serve Jesus this year. As to the cooking part, I made brownies, baked a bunch of sweet potatoes, and made sweet potato casserole. Obviously I had a lot of potatoes to get rid of! I get them for free from an organic farm and I love them! Just love them. The casserole was a take on southern sweet potato casserole but I modified it for northern tastes. The recipe I was given was simple enough, steam or boil the taters as they are referred to here, mash, add salt, pepper, vanilla, sugar and butter. I omitted the sugar. I mean, they're sweet potatoes, they don't need more sweetening. The ladies of the south love their sugar. And I halved the butter. You just don't need that much with an organic product that has fantastic taste all its own.

These red berries are about the only thing that has color in the yard these days. Except for the occasional cardinal, the colors out back are brown and more brown. I can't wait for spring, which blessedly comes in March here in north Georgia, and not in May as in my former home of Maine. Then the yard bursts into color of all kinds as well as a chorus of noise from the returning birds.

I settled in for the final episode of Cranford last night on Masterpiece Theatre. Oh, what a joy to view great acting, sumptuous scenes, and stellar writing. It was wonderful, all snuggled up on my couch under a blankie and my two cats on either side of me, purring and stretching and kneading. Best of all, though things got pretty sad there in the middle of the run, all ended happily. I love Judy Dench...and Masterpiece. I can't wait for the series to continue with its sequel next week. And after that several of Jane Austen's books are made into series. It looks to be some nice Sunday night for the next few weeks.

So ends my vacation. Today I'm readying the apartment, the car, and myself for the hectic work-week. I'm making soup, vacuuming, doing laundry and bagging up 3 old canvas bags teachers seem to tote around, two with their ministry materials for Good News Club and Pioneer Club, which begin again, and the third for school for my lunch and subbing needs. I'm ready for the onslaught again! The question is, is it ready for me?