As I begin the journey toward another ten years (I'm just saying that today because we're supposed to assume we'll be keeping at it, right?), I may throw in some new stuff to blend with the regular morning detours.
Who knows . . . maybe the Friday Fact Sheet will work. Maybe not.
I just know today that I do know a few things to be true on this snowy first Friday of Advent and December.
Did ya notice that I mentioned "Advent" in that last sentence?
Well, Cindy's book arrived with a UPS box yesterday . . . actually two of them, and I'm reading about Advent, actually using just one of the two books.
I think I'm ordering more copies too, especially now that I've seen the real thing. It's attractively packaged. The photography is both wonderful and moving, and the writing is superb and pleasantly uncluttered.
So far, I'm saying that Cindy offers us Catholics---whether we be fallen away Catholics, Recovering CATHoholics, devoted Catholics or Catholics with an inferiority complex---a review of the yearly journey taken through the Masses.
It's information we all know because it was drilled into our heads through Catechism, Sister School and attendance at Mass.
Cindy keeps the message and instruction simple and very pleasant to follow, dishing out fascinating little tidbits about Pope Francis from time to time.
In addition to its message, the book serves as a wonderful keepsake for all who love the Pope and especially for those of us who've known the writer.
Okay. With that "aside" taken care of, I must move on to those boots you see in the photo above.
I know today that the horse apples definitely lined up for both Bill and me this year.
Let me explain.
For years, Bill has given me an annual pair of LL Bean storm chaser boots. I've never asked for them; he just thinks I need a new pair each year, and he is so right.
Used to be they just showed up as a surprise in a nicely wrapped box under the Christmas tree.
Of late, as my old feet have widened and lengthened, Bill has gotten in the habit of asking me what size I want this year. I think that might have something to do with the fact that he's had to send a few pairs back to LL Bean because I could barely get my toe inside that year's set.
One year I gave the boots to Debbie, and he ordered another, bigger pair for me.
Well, this year the LL Bean boot decisions had to step it up a notch. That's because I had to wear last year's boots while cleaning the barn because the year before's boots had started leaking.
So, after about four barn cleanings, I came in one morning and told him the LL Bean boots would have to come before Christmas this year cuz I certainly was not gonna wear those smelly boots to town if it snowed.
Snow, rain, or sleet cannot remove the smell of horse apples and horse urine from LL Bean boots or any other boot.
Long story short, Bill had me order my Christmas present this year and then asked that I order him a pair too. He left the catalog out on the island, I made the call, and while calling, I decided that this year's boot for me would be black and not root beer brown like Bill's.
The lady said, "Oh, hubby and wife are not having matching root beer brown boots?"
I said no.
Well, when the boots came, both pair were black. Must be the lady thought we needed to wear matching boots after all.
Bill decided to keep his black boots, and, of course, I was glad to keep mine cuz they make my feet look smaller.
So, this is what I know this morning: the Spokesman had an article about LL Bean boots, stating that oodles of customers may have to wait until February to get their boots from the company. With 60,000 back-ordered, that number could rise to 100,000, so LL Bean is having to hire additional shifts to build the desired amount of boots.
And, that's precisely why I say the horse apples lined up, and we got our boots early, even if they are hubby and wife matching blacks.
Now, let's talk about what I know about the cat pictured below. His name is Festus. He's our head cat. Well, actually, he's our ONLY cat since we had two of the herd pass away over the past year.
What do I know about Festus?
I know that Festus is OBESE.
How do I know he's obese? Three reasons.
1. When Annie came home for Thanksgiving, she asked if Festus had another cat inside him.
2. When I took Festus to the vet's the other day because of alleged sniffles, she called him OBESE----about five times. She even said the scales there would not break if something weighed 55 pounds or less.
Festus weighs 18.5 pounds, give or take an ounce.
3. Late yesterday afternoon when Joey, the plumber, came to fix our toilet and our hot water heater, he commented on the "fat cat" sitting in the lounge chair on the deck.
In journalism, we're taught to dig for three credible sources before declaring anything as fact. Well, I've got my three, and so I feel comfortable declaring the fact that Festus is definitely OBESE.
FYI: The vet didn't lecture me. I think she knew that Festus' keep-fill food service would remain as is, regardless of what she said.
My final fact for the day is that it's important to use dope with the pipes when performing plumbing actions.
I learned that from Joey, the plumber, yesterday as he was fixing the leak in a pipe leading out of our hot-water heater.
I thought he was kidding, but he wasn't. He said people think it's glue, but it's really dope and if there's not enough dope where the nuts go in the pipe, the pipe may just leak some more.
So, he gobbed on the dope, tightened the nut on the new pipe and checked it several times.
This morning, things are dry in our hot-water tank room, and that's all thanks to the dope.
Guess that's enough facts for this Friday. Helen will be checking, and that blue jay that has taken up residence here is starting to tap on the side of the house.
If I don't get out there with the peanuts, the screeching will begin. This is pressure: having Helen sitting there waiting for the blog and the blue jay wanting his nuts---all at the same time.
Happy Friday.
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