The Christmas and New Years Holidays, the death of Jimmy Buffkin

 Thank goodness the holidays are over with.  They're just so hard and stressful these days, of course unless you have small children to keep the spirit alive.  Young children just get so excited about Santa and presents that it's hard for any adult with children to feel sad at Christmas, or at least it would seem so.  I may be wrong.

Rick baked the Christmas turkey and both of us had a very pleasant Christmas dinner all by ourselves...just the two of us.  On New Year's Eve we stayed home to welcome the New Year in with a bottle of non alcoholic sangria, and we watched other's on TV across the world welcome in 2023.  

Earlier on New Years Eve Rick had attended a Memorial Service for one of his co-workers, Jimmy Buffkin who passed away on Christmas Eve.  He was only 52 years old and such a nice and friendly guy.  I really liked him.  The holidays will never be the same again for his two sons and his wife.  Prayers for his family and his friends who will miss him very much.   

 On New Year's Day, Rick drove me to the new 16,000 foot house that they are building in London, Ky  It was very impressive, but having 3 finished floors with so many bedrooms, bathrooms and fireplaces is not my cup of tea.  It was beautiful, but for me I'd rather have something much smaller and only a one floor plan, because I don't like climbing so many stairs and this new home had staircases, and stairs everywhere.  Much too many stairs for me.  The basement level of this house is all I would need, and even that was really big, but actually that was my favorite floor of all.  The in-ground pool was on that level which made it even more perfect.  The lower level had everything I want in a house and at least 3 times the size of my house.  You could tell that this level was clearly made for entertaining lots of people, but then so was the next level up with its huge deck made for at least 50+ people.  Their parking lot outside their two large garages had ample concrete parking for about 40 cars to move about easily.  You could easily set up a large church revival tent on their parking lot, that was how big it was.  The house was set on 100 acres, with 3 fully stocked ponds, tennis courts, basketball court, woods and meadows with 3 deer stands scattered here and there.  Rick said that sometimes the deer would appear in the fields behind the house.  Their was a circle drive winding between the 3 ponds with a wooden fence and electronic gates to let you in and out of the property.  Below and beyond the pool area there was a large round fire pit.  These people had thought of everything.  I found out that they were moving into this house from their other home that has an indoor swimming pool, so I'm assuming that their other home isn't too shabby, but also a luxurious home as well, just maybe this home has more acreage.  I really don't know.

Anyway, this is how Rick and I spent New Year's Day at that new house under construction.  I walked up and down stairs looking around and exploring while he worked on the swimming pools with a long telescopic brush.  I don't know what he was doing, but that it has to be done everyday for a while to the bottom and sides of the inside of the pools.  It was the first time that I have been out of the house in weeks, other than to go out to feed the cat, and it was nice.

The week before Christmas we had below zero weather and on one of the coldest days our natural gas went out.  We got very cold but by evening the gas company turned it back on.  I worried about Squeak our kitty who got frightened by how I was bundled up when I went out to feed her and ran off.  I also scared her when I touched her plastic door and it snapped off making a large cracking noise.  That night it got to -21F with the wind-chill  and I didn't see her for the next two days which never got above minus single digits all day long.  I was very happy to find her one morning snuggled up tightly in her heated cat house.  What a relief that was to me.  She has a warm house in the backyard and a heated one for those extremely cold nights on the front porch.  She now has 2 heated water bowls because when she moved to the front porch I had to go out every 2 hours to give her fresh water and to retrieve the ice cube that was her previous water bowl.  Hopefully we won't have such frigid weather again, but winter is just getting started.  From one week to the next the temps jumped 100 degrees F.  We went from a -21 F to +69 F degrees in 24 hours and our daily temps have been nice since last Tuesday after Christmas.  Yesterday there were many motorcycles out riding, but today it's cloudy and 64 F degrees.

So far this New Year is starting out fine, and I hope it stays that way for the entire year.  I'm hoping all is well with everyone, and that Brandon & Krystal got moved in to her sister's without any problems.  Krystal now only has around 6 months to go in her pregnancy with my new great-grandson and their first child.  I know that Brandon & Krystal are extremely excited, and so am I.  I pray that all goes well with her pregnancy and with the baby.

I woke up very sore this morning from climbing up and down so many stairs yesterday, but now I'm feeling much better.  It doesn't take me long to recover with a couple of Extra Strength Tylenol.

Here's wishing everyone who reads this a Happy New 2023!

It was a very, Merry Christmas this year

Dear Diary,  We had a very good Christmas.  We didn't exchange gifts, but we did have a very good Christmas dinner.  Rick and I invited Tommy & Brian over,  but Tommy didn't make it, so it was just the 3 of us.  We had a good visit with Brian, but had to call it a day around 2:30 p.m. or so,  because of a previous engagement with Harold & Callie.  That visit was good too.  While there we ate desserts and it was also Kathy's birthday.  She was born on Christmas day.  All in all it was a very good day for all of us, especially for Rick & I. 

Brian brought his new phone with him, but I was not able to set it up for him.  I just don't know how to do those things as I have always relied on AT&T to set up my cell phone for me.  Besides I tried calling the company who made Brian's phone but they were out for the holidays.  So Brian is without a cell phone for the moment.  He's going to try to get the young man at the electronic department of Walmart to set up his new phone if he will do it.  When Brian got his new phone the young man was off for the holidays and nobody there at Walmart knew how to set up a cell phone.  I hope Brian gets all of this straightened out.

On our way to Harold & Callie's we stopped by Tommy's apartment and gave him a very large plate of food and another container with pumpkin pie w/whipped topping and some dinner rolls.  I know he ate good last night!

Glad that Christmas is over.

WHEW!  I'm glad the Christmas holidays are over with.  I don't know about anyone else, but I just can't seem to muster up any Christmas cheer since the death of Jimmy.  I try.  I listen to Christmas music starting in early November, and sometimes I listen to it all year long, but it doesn't help when December 25th rolls around.  The Christmas Spirit for me is just not there.  

I did experience a bit of happiness while shopping with my son Brian for some components of some engineering project that he is working on.  It made me happy to help him in some small way, but that was just this week after the holidays.  It is so weird that now that the holidays are gone I am feeling happy again.  It makes me happy to spend time with family, but it is more than that.....it is because the stress of the holiday season is gone and won't be back for another 12 months.  I'm hoping that by then, I will be better adapted and more prepared for the holidays, and that they won't throw me for a loop.

HUMBUG

Before October 10, 2014 Christmas used to be my favorite holiday. I looked forward to family coming over and all of us celebrating Christmas day together.  Jimmy and I would go shopping for all the kids and grandchildren and we were looking forward to the new wave of great-grandchildren that were on the way.  Everything changed on Oct. 10th of that year and the joy has never returned.  Maybe one day I will feel different, but this year it is no different, there is no joy in my heart.

Merry Christmas to All....

....and to all a Good Night!!!!!

Although we had a wonderful Christmas celebrating with family, we did miss those family members that couldn't be here.  We had lots of goodies and lots and lots of food to eat.  Thanks to Sharon who baked us a tender and very good country ham, Sandie for her macaroni salad and broccoli cornbread and Linda for her delicious cherry dessert.  Linda transported her dessert for over 100 miles on ice, because it was made with whipped cream, yum yum.   I did a lot of cooking and baking myself, but my potato soup was a disaster and we threw it out just as soon as everyone went home....never, EVER substitute whipped butter for stick butter!  The end result is disastrous and NOT GOOD AT ALL. 

Also, Jimmy wants to thank Shane for fixing his bikini girl and making sure that she was properly clad for our 60 degree weather today.  Jimmy's indoor/outdoor thermometers are now working fine....Thank You Shane.

Today we got to really do some visiting and story telling.  Ron told of my many kitchen disasters and why I'm not normally allowed in the kitchen.  Linda, Ray, Ron and Jimmy talked horses and the rest of us talked about our babies and how smart, good and cute they are.  Little Kyra ran around here with a paper which she had divided into two columns, a good list and a bad list.  As she was making her rounds she stopped to inform me that I was on the good list and that's quite an honor because I saw a few names on the bad list, lol.  Three year old Noah knows sign language and this week he surprised Laura when she asked him if he knew how to spell CAT and he signed it back at her, then she asked him if he could spell STOP and he did.  They went on with other words and Noah would spell them back to her by using sign language so she turned on her cell phone and began videoing.  No one knew that he could spell that well.  We heard lots of Noah stories, too numerous to mention here, but I hope that Peanut and Laura are writing them all down because some are so funny that they would make a great book.  Little Miss Lilly walked around here like a little princess with her baby doll talking to everyone and just being her little cute self.  We only saw flashes of Dylan as he ran in and out of the house.  We had a nice clear sunny 60 degree day today.

We had two new babies here for Christmas this year, Myles and Carson.  Myles is about 4 months old and Carson is 5 weeks old, and both are good and very sweet babies.  

I could go on with all the stories that were exchanged and shared today but it's getting late and well after midnight so I must say, Good Night.  I think we all had a very good time, and we even got an added bonus of talking to Jerry and David in Nevada today.  Hope everyone had a Very Merry Christmas!    

A Day of Surprises

As Ron and Linda were passing through they called and treated us to a buffet meal at Ryan's today.  I think I forgot to say THANK YOU when they left and I'm so sorry about that.  My mind was pre-occupied on something else that I forgot my manners, but Jimmy and I want to thank you two very much for the meal and for your company.  We always love seeing you!  We also got your Christmas Card this afternoon after we got home and YES! it will be wonderful having you here to enjoy Christmas Day with us.

All four of us got another treat at Ryan's when Sharon and Scott dropped in to say hello.  They were across the main road at the movies when they found out that Ron and Linda were still at Ryan's when the movie let out.  Sharon and Scott refused to eat, but at least they stayed and visited until we finished our meal.

And of course Jimmy jumped up and surprised everyone by taking a couple of pictures of us.  He would have taken more but the battery died on his camera.

Did I mention that I put up my Christmas decorations sometime last week?  I got inspired when Suzanne walked in the door with her small 3 foot fiber-optic Christmas Tree and said, "Where do you want me to put it mom?"

My Christmas decorations aren't much but
the cats like them because they haven't knocked
any thing over or down.

And Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without Moosey

Sunday Dec.17 2011 Early Christmas

On Sunday, December 17th, Peanut and Laura had their annual Christmas gathering with a wonderful feast prepared by Peanut and Laura.   

Jimmy's side of the family has grown by leaps and bounds and there was a houseful of excited little children with one more on the way in early April of 2012, thanks to Sarah & Aaron.  

Below are a few of the many pictures that Jimmy and I took.  As you know, Jimmy is getting quite comfortable using his camera and doesn't hesitate in taking it out to snap pictures when you least expect him to.  More pictures can be seen by looking in my sidebar under SANDY'S PHOTO ALBUMS

or you can just CLICK HERE to see the rest of the pictures.

Some of the Great-Grandchildren.
All of the little ones are Great-Grandchildren

Julianna loves sitting on her Papaw's lap

Peanut, our hostess, with her dad (Jimmy)

Laura our other hostess

Glen and Sandie, Jimmy's younger daughter.
(Jimmy only has two daughters)

Julianna and Kyra
(Great-Grands)

Granddaughter Valerie with husband Jimmy.
Their daughter is Lillian.

Lillian, Peanut and Noah.
Lillian is Valerie and Jimmy's daughter.

Julianna

Kyra
 with her brother Dylan in the background

Jimmy with his Granddaughter Valerie and Daughter Sandie

Kyra and Dylan getting help from their mother Erica.
Erica is a Granddaughter

Aaron and Granddaughter Sarah.
Sarah is expecting in April and they are also the parents
of Juliana.

The kids playing with their Christmas Gifts

Peanut, with the help of her grandson Noah,
handing out Christmas gifts

Laura with Eli, who is Stephanie's baby.
Steph has two children, Noah and Eli.  

Valerie and Stephanie

Sandie, Dylan, Jimmy, Erica

Glen relaxing by the Christmas Tree

Stephanie with her baby Eli

PLEASE STAND THERE!!!
So we can take your pictures.
(You see how that went over, Lol)

Noah having a chat with his Great-Papaw.
Noah is 3 yrs. old and knows how to do sign language.

Noah loves black olives

Christmas Dinners & Christmas Shopping

Brandon

On Monday night Brandon invited Jimmy & I to attend his troops Boy Scout Christmas & Awards Dinner. The parents & grandparents all brought their favorite homemade dishes, so everything was very good and tasty. Although Reva was there, Brian wasn't able to come join in on the festivities...He was home sick with Bronchitis.

The boys, along with several parent volunteers got up and sang the 12 days of Christmas song, and of course, boys being boys, hammed it up a bit...or maybe I should be truthful and say they hammed it up a whole lot. It's always fun to watch everyone having such a good time together and these boys are still of the age where they love having their parents & grandparents around.

Administering the Oath

Here's a group picture of the boys and their leaders. It's a small scout troop from a very small town, but the boys all possess VERY BIG HEARTS.

One of the scouts entertained us with Christmas Carole's on his guitar. He's just learning to play and was very excited about sharing the music with all of us.
Brandon was awarded a star and is on his way to becoming an Eagle Scout along with one other scout. Two other boys earned badges and received them at the ceremonial awards table lit with candles. Brandon administered oaths because, and you'll have to forgive my forgetfulness here, he was selected leader of his troop...it's called something and maybe his mom can tell us in the comments what his title is. I was so busy having fun and taking pictures that sometimes I wasn't listening when I should have been...I also should have brought a notepad with me to write the important stuff down because I knew I would be blogging about it and I would have blogged sooner, but I caught a cold and just today started feeling like my old self again...which might not be such a good thing, hehehe.

***

On another note...Last week Megan & I went shopping and I bought, her first Christmas tree to go in her first apartment. I also bought her a beautiful angel to go on top, but honestly I thought it was way too big to sit on top of her skinny 6.5 ft tree, but that was the one she liked and wanted. I also had to beg her to take home a large fluffy white battery operated reindeer, that wags it's great big snout while singing, "grandma got run over by a reindeer." She thought it was stupid looking and I told her to put him under her tree and think of me every time she saw or heard it sing...I like silly stupid looking things myself. Later Sharon & I tried to get Megan to show the reindeer to some of her mom's co-workers, but Megan said she didn't want them to know that she liked stupid looking stuff like that. We had lots of fun shopping and it was just the two of us. Afterwards we went out to eat along with Sharon and a good friend Bobby Sox.

I called Jimmy to come and join us for supper, but he doesn't like to take me to Cracker Barrel because of what comes after dinner....the stroll back out through their marvelous gift shop! It seems that I can go "in" okay, but I can't seem to get "out" without buying something or two or three. And of course, this time was no different except that I also bought some of their cute Christmas ornaments for Megan's new Christmas tree. You noticed that I said "also" didn't you? I found this cute stick moose (like a stick horse that children play with) and I just had to have it. It has great BIG teeth, sings Jingle Bell Rock and on its antlers are those round dingaling things that jingle while the moose sings and sways it long snout around. It's so goofy looking that Jimmy rolls his eyes every time I press the button to turn it on. I'll post a picture of it some time later. Cucoo has taken a liking to it and they became good buddies from the minute the stick moose walked in.

I think my Christmas shopping is done and all is ready to be wrapped. I may spend some time doing that tonight after I finish playing with the toys. I have to make sure that the toys are all in working order and nothing is broken...that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it. hehehe.

I gave Jimmy his Christmas present early...like yesterday, and it was a good thing that I did because it didn't work as expected so we promptly returned it. It was an iPod docking station with FM Radio, Clock, Charger & Speakers. It was for his workshop. The speakers sounded awful...nothing nearly as good as his headset or even his bike speakers. It also required you to reset your iPod settings everytime you put it on the docking station. It seemed like a lot of trouble just to listen to good music through bad speakers.

I have always liked giving Christmas presents each day starting with the week before Christmas and ending on New Years Day, but the family has gotten so large that I have had to abandon that except that I sometimes sneak gifts along the way. Of course I always saved the big ticket items for Christmas morning. Jimmy & I have already purchased our Christmas present and it's something that he has been admiring all year...an HDTV flat screen that can be easily mounted on the wall. Our old tv was working just perfect until this month and then suddenly something happened to it...MIGHTY SUSPICIOUS don't you think??? And only the day before Jimmy & I had agreed that we would ONLY buy one WHEN our old faithful tv died. Coincidence? I don't think so! We'll never know now because Jimmy immediately sent our old tv to be crushed in a crusher for disposal within the hour that it supposedly stopped working. I wanted the repairman to take a look at it, but that didn't happen. Oh well.

I still haven't put up my Christmas tree or any Christmas decorations and pretty soon it will be time to take them down...so I'd better get on the ball. I'll get them up this week and by next week I'll start my baking and candy making. That's always fun because Jimmy gets right in there and we make the Christmas candies together...each making our favorites. Hope no one is on a diet this Christmas, and everyone comes hungry.