Meet Shylo

Dale took me to the Animal Shelter on the way back from Muskegon today so I could pick out my Christmas present. Shylo is 7 months old and a very nice kitty.

She's adapting to her new home really well.

Playing cutesy!

In EVERYTHING Give Thanks...

We have so much to be thankful for...the Lord has blessed us bountifully



According to true Hammond tradition, here's our main course. We do have the usual side dishes: turkey, ham, mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, stuffing, veggies and dip, cranberry sauce, etc., to go with it. And yes, every single one of those black olives was consumed.



We were reminded again that we are to give thanks for everything. As dinner was being prepared, we received a call from my parents who were due to arrive for the festivities at any time. They had been in a car/deer accident and needed someone to come pick them up. Here's what I saw when I arrived:

It was a bad enough jolt that their airbags deployed. My dad's legs were hurt a bit so I took my folks to the hospital.

My mom's hearing kind of went in one ear, so they checked her out, too. The doc didn't think anything real serious had happened to them, so he let them go after examinations and some x-rays. They are doing okay, but quite shaken up.

We are so thankful that they were not hurt worse.

We had such a fun time with all the family that was able to be there, The girls and I got up very early Friday and went shopping like all the rest of the crazy people in America--and we laughed ourselves silly.

I took a bunch of pictures, but can't post them because they were either of the kids (which I don't want to put out for public viewing) or blurry. Some have the dubious honor of both. It was so wonderful to get together with family.

It's a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

This next picture looks suspiciously like one I had posted several months ago as "Springtime in Northern Michigan". We could call this one "Autumn in Northern Michigan"

Out of the Mouths of Babes

Kindergarten Granddaughter this morning: "It's so cold in here!"

Grandmother: "Would you like Grandma to turn up the heat?"

Granddaughter: "You have heat??? I didn't know you have heat!"

Not Much New

I guess it's been kind of a boring week. Busy...but nothing interesting to write about. I've mainly been playing catch-up. You know...all those little things (and some big whoppers) that seem to hang over one's head until ya just gotta take the time to clear 'em out. Not done yet, but making progress.

Can't Get This Song Out Of My Mind

A couple lines from an old song keep going through my mind today. The song was written by Stonewall Jackson and was popular when I was a teen in the turbulent 60's. It was about the draft dodger/war protesting problem that was big back then. But somehow, it just seems so fitting today.

"They march in lines and carry signs protesters one and all
They'd rather go to prison than to heed their country's call
Get out of here, get out of there, let's have an end to war
I'm glad they weren't around to say get out of Valley Forge.
The Minute Men are turning in their graves
Washington and Jefferson are crying tears of shame
To see these men who'd rather live as slaves
The Minute Men are turning in their graves.

What's happened to our heritage, what's happen to our pride?
Since when do free Americans pull for the other side?
Did we send food to Hitler's troops or praise the enemy?
Did all our children die in vain defending liberty?
The Minute Men are turning in their graves...

I can't condemn a man who feels that taking life is wrong
But I fail to understand a man that won't defend his home
Dear Lord I've got one little prayer I pray in years to come
Don't ever let those kind of people serve in Washington
The Minute Men are turning in their graves...

Oh the Minute Men are turning in their graves
Oh the Minute Men are turning in their graves"

CERT

I received my CERT backpack and stuff tonight. (Excuse the dorky way I look; slept less than 4 hours last night.) I have added some other stuff since.

New Windows

New windows were installed in the upstairs here tonight. They are so nice! Here's what they found when removing one of the old ones. Guess that explains our frequent wasp problem.