I vow to be totally intolerant of bullshit of any kind from anyone. I will, for the first time in my life, call it as I see it. I will try to be as nice as I can be as I tell each and every asshole I encounter every bleeping thing that goes through my mind as I marvel at their ignorance. I will act correctly and give little leeway or slack to the stupidity of others. I will not accept bigotry to myself or any other person. If your God is a bigot then he is just as much of an asshole as you are for believing in him. I have spent a lifetime listening to what constitutes "the rights of others" and I will spend this year letting the world know how I percieve my rights to be. I will no longer apologize for existing. I will love the same person I have spent the last 17 years with and will honor him, as I always have, by being a good and true partner, without needing the approval of others to qualify my relationship.
I will love the lovely, weep at tragedy, learn from experience, and become informed by investigating. I will know truth by living it. I will understand how you are feeling by giving you the opportunity to tell me. I will always root for the underdog. I will take great pride in the accomplishments of others particularly when I admire what they accomplish. I will defend the timid and the meek and will risk safety to myself defending the defenseless. I will not tolerate meanness of heart, darkness of spirit, or lack of empathy to the suffering. I will simply try to be the best person I can be but without thought or care of what anyone thinks of me. It has gotten to the point where what I think of myself is just as important. I will revel at the joy of others and be jubilant when applicable. I will not dole out kindness in portions but will give all I have and replenish to give more when I'm able to.
I will be immature, light hearted, vulgar, and a smartass. Oh, wait a minute. I just realized something. This is just how I am already. Oh well, business as usual. Another year without resolution. Dammit. I'll never get this right. I'll never make progress. I'll never try to be anything other than what I am and I thank you all for being what you are. Oh, and all the stuff I said about not taking any bullshit.... I was just kidding. If you can dish it out, I can take it. Looks like it's gonna be another great year. Praise Jesus.
Mississippi State just won the Liberty Bowl. Zola's mom plays the Trumpet in the band. There was a minute left in the game and she texted Kevin right from the field! The game was in Memphis. We were hoping they would be in Nashville for the Music City Bowl tomorrow because then she could have seen her baby Zola. Isn't this the cutest picture of her that I stole from Kevin's picture folder? She's a big gurl now. Time for Zola Senior to put her Cowbell away for a few months. Her school is playing Vanderbilt next year and one of my employees conducts our Marching Band so perhaps we will have a band party for the kids. Nah, we're just too old for all these college kids. Kevin and Zola Kathryn always send each other messages during major sporting events,lol. Kitty is named after her.
Okay, so we keep her under the house but she can pluck a chicken in under 10 minutes if you give her a pack of menthols. She brought that home with her. She went to the petting zoo today at the mall. I could swear I saw a Lllama walking around out back. Wonder what that smell is? Smells like burning hair. Oh, and BTW, Make love, not war.
Landen, Miss Jessie's first great Grandchild.
Kevin and Landen spent the day driving.
Not only does Lauren make great babies but she makes a heck of a Stromboli.
But that isn't a Stromboli in the oven. It's Great Grandbaby number two.
Verginia introduces Landen to The Baby Jesus.
I made a mountain for Landen for Christmas with the Grinch on top and Max hanging off the front of the sled. There is an ice cream maker inside the mountain for Landen's mom and dad.
While we were opening presents a red fox ran through the back yard. Miss Jessie spotted it and we all tried to get pictures. Mine didn't come out so we'll ask the others if they got a few. We had lots to eat and a very nice time. If I could hire a family to spend the holidays with this would be the one I would hire. We always have a great time. We got tons of great presents. Kevin's mom got us Pajamas for Christmas and a big Casserole dish. His sister got him Wheat cups and saucers because he collects Wheat dishes. We got a pewter bread tray, candles, pillows, a poinsettia, beautiful prints from Paris, and Kevin's sister Charlotte got Kevin's Wall Street Journal article archivally framed for him and it is gorgeous. We also got some Louisville pottery, bags of almonds, and new pillow cases. That was on top of just getting to spend the day with our favorite people. Miss Jessie made Key's Delight dessert and I ate way too much of it and then brought some home and ate some more. Kevin baked a turkey, we had chili, devilled eggs, cheese and veggies and way too many desserts to list. Lauren made Pepperoni Stromboli and we brought some of that home also. Lauren and I are Yankees but they treat us just fine,lol. She cooks all the stuff I would have had if I got to go home for the holidays. Miss Jessie and Verginia just got back from San Jose visiting Kevin's brother Shawn and his fiancee Kim. While they were there they went to Trader Joe's and brought back a Cranberry Stollen. I ate most of it and could eat two more. I miss Shawn and Kim and Trader Joe's while we're at it. It was a lovely day with a great family. How lucky we both are.
Great Grandma got Landen a Kowasaki trike and he wanted his daddy to build it all day. His Uncle Eric got him a Monster Truck and he got a John Deer tractor set from Uncle Shawn and Aunt Kim. Shane and Maggie are here with Miss Jessie. Maggie is an Anthropologist who is studying Horticulture. Shane is into concrete. Kevin did ultra-lite concrete for free form buildings when we lived in New York.
Kim from the Freedom Farm picked up three large bags of dog and cat toys and a few supplies. These were all donated by Voxers and she was very, very happy. She is the volunteer coordinator for The Freedom Farm and genuinely lives the life of an animal rescuer. We met her at the Kroger because I just couldn't bring home another baby for Christmas. I have no self control when it comes to little animals and we have a full house already and feed strays in the neighborhood. Kevin got Zola a big ole bag of catnip. Her first ever. She will be leaving for Betty Ford right after Christmas. Your generosity was overwhelming. Kim wanted to have her picture taken and posted on the internet about as much as any of us do. She was a real sport and flashed the TIG sign just for you wonderful Voxers and your kindness and selflessness. Of course I took a lousy picture but in addition to these three full shopping bags there were hundreds of toys sent and I will deliver the blankets and towels next week. I didn't realize they need little round baskets for kittens to sleep in and all manner of other things I can give throughout the year to help them save these beautiful animals. As for Zola....I think we may have to change her name to Courtney Love. She is searching for the bag....uhm, I myself have never experienced that. We gave Kim a Vox button from our Vox Party over the summer. I wasn't about to give her my Vox t-shirt. From my family to yours I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I am so proud to call you all friends. Beyond the moral support you always give us, the laughs, the thought provoking insights, the views into your lives, families and homes, you give me hope. Just knowing you are all out there is enough to sometimes just get us through another day. [ TIG ].
A special thanks to all you donors. Two of you have been going through huge situations at home and the fact that you were kind enough to make this effort was beyond a "Gift of the Magi" moment for me. Others are just cool people who just won't stand to live in an awful world. A few others are rescuers, foster's and just lovers of the four legged ( and thumpy back legged ) critters we live with and love. What made me even happier was that so many people said they would do the same thing on a local level. You are the best of people. The kindest. The exact type of people I call friends. I feel like I did when I ran down the stairs to look for my presents when I was a kid. Well, I'm a kid again and my stocking is full thanks to all of you.
Shouldn't I have better things to do you ask? Not really. I'm a dullard and a slacker. We just still have tons of herbs left in the garden and they taste and smell so good.
