The Perfect Gatester

Another Perfect Day......this time with the Grand Gatester. I hadn't seen him for a couple weeks so I needed my dose of silliness. We stopped by the Pig Man's on our way to my house. Now there are four small pigs, and about a dozen big pigs. The goats were goaty....one huge one with big horns reminding me of The Billy Goats Gruff. ( I don't have that book so I went to Burry Bookstore to purchase it. No could do. Amazon here I come.) This time there was a hen in a cage, cackling away, I think she said, "let me out, let me out!" The Rooster said, "Stay and Lay, Stay and Lay!"
Gates had a busy day planned for me. He seems to remember everything we have ever done while he was visiting and then he puts them on the agenda for today's visit.

• First off, clean out the sandbox. (For no reason I can see.)
• Baseball, Nana bat, Gates pitch; Gates bat, Nana pitch. Running the bases is a must. I did have a home run but he declared me out.
• Read Cinderella. Read Three Pigs; two different copies.
• Eat Yum Yum.....wearing his carpenter apron he got at Lowes.
• Play football....tackle not touch! Oh, can he tackle.....and pass and imitate the ref's on a foul.
• Play Golf....this 3 year old hit every ball at least 20 yards playing with clubs 3 sizes too big.
• And Basketball....he has all the moves....dribble, behind the back shot...too cute!
• A little husbandry.....get the babies out...walk them in the stroller 9 seconds....get on his car...and "go to work" (play set of car keys put in pocket when he gets off his car)
• water Nana's plants and whatever else is around
• rake the yard (make a pile of straw for jumping into on touchdowns)
• sweep the drive....Nana managed to run the Skill saw and cut down a broom so he would have his own
• have an ice cream cone (outside, Nana)

Well, that was another perfect day for me.....what about you? If you need a 3 year old, I might can find one to lend you.

A Perfect Day

Yesterday was a perfect day. It has finally gotten cooler......61 when I got up.....but 80 something later in the day. I did the wash, went to Pilates, browsed around Family Dollar and Dollar General. Our Dollar General is just SO ORGANIZED.....my little organizer self just loves going around looking at how well organized everything is :).

I bought a couple cards for Rip. I haven't told you about Rip (I don't think). Rip was at the Boy's Home (BHHB) my son runs. Wayne took a special interest him and he spent Thanksgiving and Christmas with our family. He has been in a foster home with the youth minister from Wayne's church and his wife for almost a year. A few weeks ago he was feeling overwhelmed and really doesn't have the interpersonal skills to know how to share these feelings with anyone due to his past life of abuse and neglect by his parents. So he attempted suicide.

Then Rip had to be admitted to a "Behavioral Health Center" after sitting in a room in the hospital for 94 hours because they had no where to send him. (Ya think we got a Health Care Crisis???). Today his Mother, who is a prostitute and on drugs is SUPPOSED to sign a paper relinquishing her parental rights. Please pray that she does so that she doesn't have to be involved in every decision about Rip's life.

Back to the Perfect Day.....I got to sit outside and read a totally terrific book while the birds twittered and cawed, the sun shone, a breeze breezed and leaves drifted down all around me. Later I quilted and then went back to my outdoor hacienda for more fall wonder.

Oh and we had turkey sandwiches for lunch....yummo!

What would be a perfect day for you?

Pushing over the Wagon, Day 5

The other day I got a wild idea; I wanted turkey and dressing. It dawned on me; I am an adult, I can have turkey and dressing whenever I want it. I do not have to wait until Thanksgiving.

I called my BFF, Nena, who makes killer cornbread dressing and asked her to make some. We'll cook the turkey breast, you make the dressing. Deal? Deal!

Of course, we had to have some good old turkey gravy to go with......Yummo! The diet wagon has been turned over!

This Kathy cartoon is so appropriate; I wish you could read it. The first sign says "Option A: go walk for a mile....she says it will make you feel energised, empowered, proud, accomplished and more....you with have more radiant skin, skinnier rear, stronger heart and a better love life.

Option B: One pkg of Potato Chips: will make you feel, cranky, bloated, and cause you to lose a week of you life......I'll have some chips. A girl after my own heart that Kathy!

Day Three of U No What or Over the Fields & Thru the Woods

Well, yesterday I fell off the diet wagon, kinda sorta, but today Scout and I were back on our running trail. We were sure our readers would like to see our scenic route.

First stop is the now brown soybean field in front of my house. Those beans were bright green ten days ago.

Next stop, Pooh Sticks. This is where the grandkids and I would mimic Pooh and his pals and throw sticks in to water on one side of the "bridge" and see whose came out first on the other side. However, there has not been any water going under this "bridge" since 2002; but we still refer to it as "Pooh Sticks."

This mass of trees hides where there used to be an old tenant house. Wisteria is all over the trees in the spring and it looks lovely. Also a few daffodils and narcissus remain to greet us in the spring. I once transplanted wisteria from here to the pine trees outside my bedroom; this led to the great septic tank adventure of 2009.

This is the only "humanity" Scout and I glimpse on our run. The dog's name is Buddy and occassionally he comes out to bark at us. There is an invisible fence; I am sure, because he never ventures outside his territory no matter how attractively Scout wags her tail.

Gateway to "Byrdland." So named because the Byrd's own this land. See how green these late soybeans look. I'm not sure who that is in the shadow. Oh, Scout with her camera!

Scout and I refer to this leg of our journey as "the desert." No shade!

The last leg of our 10 mile run. IF you look hard you see Scout looking at me saying, "come on slowpoke we are almost there!" I am yelling, "Scout stay out of the road!"

Yesterday Hubs took the $1.00 coupon I cut out of Sunday's paper and actually found this new product. I was so excited; 100 calorie Nabs; until I opened the package. Ten teeny tiny little crackers. Wow! I think I'll run all over again so I can have another package! (NOT)

How are all you readers out there faring on your diet/exercise plans?????

Day 2 of the No Back Fat Fitness Plan

Well, you know how it is when you go on a healthy eating plan....the next thing up is fixing 1700 barbecue plates.

Here is the CEO of the Billie Hardee Home for Boys working on the line fixing plates. I had a picture of all twelve of us on the line but it turned out to be a video...and they take way too long to load. This is our son, Wayne Gates Chapman)

These are the faithful workers from the Hartsville YMCA who come and pick up plates so that the people in Hartsville can get theirs at the Y.

I thought you might like to see one of the boy's rooms in the Boys Home. They have 16 boys in residence and 16 more who come for school there.

For those readers who commented with questions about yesterday's post. The photographer had me hold Hubs over my head which scared the Bejesus out of him and revealed my back fat. They are digital pictures so you can see them ASAP. I don't think you have to pay then but we just got the "cheaper chicken." (AKA as free) I used this phrase to the salesperson who must not have seen Father of the Bride and who then wondered why I was ordering chicken from a photographer. She tried multiple times to get us to order copies for our children. I kept assuring her our children didn't want a good picture of us much less a bad one. She suggested we give them as Christmas gifts....."they will be mighty disappointed to just get a picture of us," I replied. "Oh, you can get them something else too," she rejoined. She really doesn't get the cheaper chicken concept.....as in it would take all we budget for a Christmas gift to get them the dang picture.

Forty Days to a Fat Free Back !?!?

Last night Hubs and I went to get our picture made at church for the new directory. I wore one of the new tops my daughter, Gabby, helped me pick out on a shopping spree at TJ Maxx. I was sure I looked as good as I could. Fast forward to looking at the proofs. UHHHHHH...not looking so good with what appeared to be ten pounds of back fat hanging over the back of my bra. Yuk! No we will not be buying any of the photos (even though the one of me alone did look pretty good, hubs looked like a chipmunk caught in head lights).

Yesterday on Midday Connection the program was on self talk, healthy eating, and exercise.
I'm sorry that all the other listeners have to be reminded of these things just because I fell (I mean jumped ) off the diet exercise wagon in May.

Regular readers, Gabby and Mary, may remember last March when we went on the house sit in Hillsborough, NC I got started on an exercise plan by visiting their health club and seeing how out of shape I was (am). I came home and joined our Y and went in April and May until my back went out. I continued to pay dues to the Y for June, July, and August, thinking I'd go back any minute. Oh, so, not, so....

When I retired (six years ago....can it be), I took an oath that I would NEVER let my weight get above 170. And I haven't. Until lately. Something has to be done! I am now officially on my Forty Days of Fitness even though I am so tired of this whole cycle. I really prefer being a couch potato, who reads a lot, runs a little, eats dessert whenever its offered, popcorn frequently, and six candy bars a year. Is that so much to ask?

I am trying Danna Demetrie's strategies to turn it all around (AGAIN)

• Write down everything I eat
• Count the calories and stay under 1800
• Ramp up the exercise
• Drink water instead of iced tea

So I went back to the Y today. Back to Pilates II. And I will be accountable to YOU my fair blog readers. Warning: Do not let me off the hook. Do NOT tell me back fat is attractive. Do not tell me I look good for my age or that I am fit for my age. (Two people in Pilates are older and fitter than me :(

I need some encouraging words. Like, "you will feel terrific" "your clothes will be loose" "you are forming habits" etc....etc....

Anybody out there want to join me in this?

A Night On the Town?

Yesterday, Hubs and I drove down to Calabash for dinner. We like to eat at one of the restaurants right on the Little River.

The ambiance just makes you know you are seaside.

After we feasted on shrimp, crab and salmon we drove south to our primary destination.

Back last spring, hubs won two free tickets to the Carolina Opry (worth $86). It had been quite a while since we'd seen a show there, but it did not disappoint.

In fact, I am proud of the professional quality of our Myrtle Beach Shows. So if you haven't seen one, go on line now, and pick a date to go. Last night's, Monday show, was sold out......here in September.

Have you seen a show, performance, or play you would heartily recommend?

I also would recommend two books: Prayers for Sale by Sandra Dallas and Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Weiner.

Now and Then

Today's paper had news articles with the following headers:

• Former sheriff's deputy accused of murdering his mother, stepfather
• Two die in poisoning at German therapy group
• Pregnant teen shot at own birthday bash
• 5 children, woman found dead in apartment
• Two Colorado men, NYC man arrested in terror probe

When I read this in our local Morning News, I am tempted to think. OMGoodness, things have gotten so bad. Surely, it IS the end times. It just keeps getting worse and worse. What's next?

Fortunately, I read my Bible before I read the newspaper. Today's reading, 1st Chronicles 33:1-14 tells what was happening in Jerusalem way back then:

When Manasseh became king at age twelve he reintroduced all the moral rot and spiritual corruption that had been scourged from the country when God dispersed the pagan nations in favor of the children of Israel.

• he rebuilt the sex-and-religion shrines that his father Hezekiah had torn down
• he built altars and phallic images for the sex god Baal and sex goddess Asherah
• he worshiped the cosmic powers, taking orders from the constellations
• he built shrines to the cosmic powers and placed them in both courtyards of the Temple of God
• he burned his won sons in a sacrificial rite
• he practiced witchcraft and fortunetelling
• he held seances and consulted spirits from the underworld
• he placed a carved image of the sex goddess Asherah in the Temple of God

Pretty bad for a twelve year old, huh! Well, God was not overcome by his evil.

"God directed the leaders of the troops of the king of Assyria to come after Manasseh. They put a hook in his nose, shackles on his feet and took him off to Babylon. Now that he was in trouble, he went to his knees in prayer asking for help--total repentance before the God of his ancestors. As he prayed, God was touched; God listened and brought him back to Jerusalem as king. That convinced Manasseh that God was in control."

So, if you are discouraged when you read or hear the news today. Take heart! God is still in control and able to do exceedingly, abundantly, more than we can imagine! I love the fact that God had mercy on Manasseh and turned him around. God can do that! Think Charles Colson, Madylyn Murray O'Hair, and others who opposed him.

If you like the Bible translation I used, it is The Message by Eugene Peterson. Every time I read through the Bible I like to read a different translation to give me a slightly different perspective. When I have wondered about Peterson's accuracy, I have checked it against my NIV Study Bible and found him to be right on.

Have you read or heard the news lately and wondered if God is aware of what's going on?

Finding Jon Cook

Last Sunday, I got an email from Sharon Elton, a fellow Cokernut asking if I'd heard from Jon recently. Jon (and brother Mike) went to Coker with us back in the early 60's. Jon was drafted (I think, he might have joined) into the Army and went to Vietnam. Right before our wedding Hubs and I found out he was in Walter Reed Army Medical Center. We went to visit him the day after our wedding and carried him my wedding bouquet.

Jon is a paraplegic due to injuries in Viet Nam. I think they gave him a couple of years to live. He will be 70 this Sunday. So much for medical prognostications. He lives alone in Kershaw, SC in the house he grew up in. He has two caregivers who come in to assist him but he can drive his car (hand devices) and is pretty self sufficient. Every now and then C. and I go by to see him. The Internet has been a great asset to Jon. He is in touch with former comrades in the Army, family and friends.

Jon always asks about Coker "girls". Like my husband, there were only a dozen or so males on campus (day students) and most of them dated many of the girls. A few years ago I suggested Sharon email Jon and they have been corresponding ever since. Sharon lives in Ft. Worth so she asked me to find out why Jon hasn't been emailing.

It took a bit of sleuthing but God was on our side. We couldn't reach his brother Mike even though the college gave us his number.....disconnected :( So we tried what we thought was his church, First Baptist of Kershaw. No answer in the am; no answer in the afternoon; an answer at 6:30PM (Hey, it is Wednesday night in the south....Baptists gotta be at church!)

Turns out it wasn't his church it was a black first baptist church (a first for sure) BUT the lady who answered had taken care of Jon once upon a time and knew his current caregivers and promised to go see them after church and call back with a report.

She did. Jon has been in the Veterans Hospital in Augusta, Ga. since June. He woke up one morning, his caregiver took one look at him and said, "we gotta get you into the hospital," he doesn't remember anything until July. He is well now, expect for a bedsore, and hoping to go home soon.

If you'd like to thank a Vietnam vet....or send a B'day card (He'll be 70 on the 20th) his address is:

Jon Cook 1H122-2
Veteran's Hospital

1 Freedom Way

Augusta, Ga 30904

Thank you God for finding Jon for us! Heal him, please, and give him a Happy Birthday!

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Does Your Life Have A Purpose?

The Bible Study that meets at my house will gather here tomorrow to wind up our study of The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren. Most, if not all, of us had previously read the PDL when it first came out but Brenda had the DVD that goes with and we decided to do it as a group. And the video is good; short 15 minute talks that add to the chapters read each week.

I really love this book. It pretty much says everything I believe about the Christian Life after 38 years of reading the Bible, listening to sermons, going to conferences, being in Bible Studies, and listening to Christian radio. So if you haven't read it I highly recommend it. AND if you haven't read it in a while, how about revisit it? (I plan to keep it on my shelf and come back to it every year or so.)

For those of you who read this but are NEVER going to read it, I will give you a synopsis of the Five Main Points. (Donnamo Notes if you will)

1. Love God With All your heart. God so loves each one of us. We are each his totally unique creation and He delights in us. Think about how gaga we get about a baby; that is the way God feels about YOU. You are his "baby" whether you know it or not.

2. Love your neighbor as yourself. We are to love others through serving them. (A neighbor is anyone you know.)

3. Go and Make Disciples. As a Christian we are made for a mission. This was Jesus commandment (not suggestion) to his disciples before he left them on earth. It is not optional.

4. Be baptized into the family of God (aka the church). You can't go it alone successfully...why try? Paul said, "forsake not the assembling of yourselves together" I know its icky and prickly to be in a church fellowship. People get on your nerves, the pastor steps on your toes, "they" don't do things the way they did at your last church or your first church....get over it...God calls us to be in fellowship with other believers. Its called a sandpaper ministry....we become more Christlike as we rub up against other believers who annoy us and challenge us to become like Jesus.

5. Teach them to do all things.....we are to grow to maturity...no 80, or 40 year old "baby Christians" allowed. In the world, we call people who don't grow to maturity...RETARDED.
If you are not going forward in the Christian life....guess what? You ARE going backward.

Selah (Biblical word that means, Pause and think about what has been written.)

My prayer is we will all be about fulfilling God's purpose for our lives. Amen.






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This is a visual representation of our visit with 3 year old Gates. He came yesterday at 2:30pm and will leave around noon today. So Far we have......

1. watered Nana's plants
2. Turned Pop Pops mulch pile
3. made a castle in the sand box
4. played baseball outside
5. driven the golf cart (aka Barbie jeep)
6. gone to see Granny
7. ridden on the lawn mower
8. played golf
9. played football
10. played cars
11. taken a bath
12. gone to get an ice cream cone
13. watched baseball on tv until Nana fell asleep (Gates stayed awake and upright until 9:30pm when PopPop brought him to bed)
14. gone to Walmart
15. painted
16. read Goldilocks, Red Riding Hood, Good Night Moon, Runaway Bunny and Mr. Littles Plane
    twice each

He awoke during the night wanting his Daddy. I assured him Dad was coming at lunch time and we would do fun things in the morning like paint.

6:30 am he walks in the den and says, "let's paint" a mind like a steel trap!

by 7:30 am we have done that, eaten from scratch grits, played football, played cars,
read all the books listed and had to be bribed to go to Walmart with PopPop so Nana could drink her coffee.

The expression "Never a Dull Moment" could not be more applicable! At noon we hand him off for Cissy (Hannah); we'll see what she thinks up to keep Nana busy! :)

PS....outside yesterday
Gates says,"I pee in the yard....boys do dat"
Nana: "does your Daddy do that?"
G:"No, just boys"
N: Who told you you could do that?
G:I tell me I could do dat!