A twist

Most people, by now, have heard of Elf on a Shelf. Chloe has been wanting one the last couple of years. John, however, saw the price and thought she was crazy. This year she decided she didn't want one because she didn't want one like everyone else has.

I was in Michael's last week and saw some elves in Christmas sweaters. Jesse had said a few weeks ago she wanted an ugly Christmas sweater but instantly changed her mind when she was standing in a store in front of them. The elves I found were in Christmas sweaters; I thought the two things would go perfectly, so I bought one. lol

Now, we have joined the fun of the elves watching over the girls. The first couple of days the girls were not impressed. They believe I'm improving as time goes on.

Yes, there are two elves (one Chloe made quite a few years ago).

Whoa!

"What kind of cookies do you see?"

Ha! Ha! Trapped you!

A little backtracking

I have not posted anything from Halloween this year. We had a homeschool Halloween party at the library.

For Halloween the girls had different costumes. Jesse made her own costume this year, including the wings. If you are a Dr. Who fan, then you will know what she is. I think she did a great job. Chloe is someone from Harry Potter (which I have not read; I'm sure she'll let you know who).

We celebrated my Mom's birthday too.

Thanksgiving has come and gone too. The girls helped Grandma finish up her potato salad.

Friday after Thanksgiving, we went to find a real Christmas tree. We went to Old Congaree Tree Farm.

 

We decorated the tree Saturday.



Thanksgiving...fifteen years ago

I was just thinking of Thanksgiving fifteen years ago. It was the first time I cooked a turkey, and the family was coming over. My Dad was right there behind me telling me what to do, making me do everything myself.

The dinner turned out great. But it took me about three days to clean. I was exhausted! John was giving me a bit of grief over the pans in the kitchen. I tried to explain how tired I was but even I thought it sounded lame. I told my friend Monica about it at work the following week. She asked if I was pregnant. Well. Hmm. I hadn't thought of that one.

Yep. I was pregnant. Two years later I would go through the same thing, but I knew before Thanksgiving I was pregnant (the test wouldn't show if for another couple of weeks). I told my Mom at Thanksgiving I thought I was pregnant and John didn't believe it. (I have it on video.)  Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays. These memories just add to that love.

A new way to see things

Not too many people know of my love of writing. Honestly, I haven't had, or taken, time to write since Jesse started walking. I started writing sometime late elementary school to early junior high. I do not pretend to be a great writer (you've read this blog lol) but I do find it very therapeutic. I have always tried to sit down with pen and paper when life gets complicated or emotional. My Dad always said my writing was "deep" and there was an English teacher at my high school who said it was "dark"; I think both explain my love of Poe.

I found myself on the 23rd of last month with pencil and paper in my hands. I also found myself unable to write a word. Somehow my old stand-by was failing me. Desperate to find some way to express myself, I decided to try something a little different.

If you recall, I believe it was this past spring when the girls and I wrote some haikus for the library. I thought I would try. Maybe a haiku would be my answer. This is what came out of that session with my pencil and paper.

 

Elusive

It is almost there

Then suddenly burst out loud

That smile makes me proud.

 

The Hand

The warm gripping hand

Reaching out to me for aid.

I gladly give back.

 

The Machine

The large grey box hums.

It creaks and moans during the day.

It bellows all night.

 

Sunset

The day is ending.

Darkness is quickly approaching.

Will the light reappear?

 

No, I am not a great writer. But there are days when doing something such as finding 5-7-5 syllables makes life more bearable. 



State Fair!

If you are anything like we are the State Fair means one thing: FOOD! Truly, we go mostly for the food. Chloe has had her "want" in mind for at least a month. Jesse didn't know until she arrived.

Philly cheesesteak

Deep fried cookie dough

Bacon cinnamon roll

We started with Philly cheese steaks and Italian sausages. They were good, but I think there was too much bread to meat for the ratio to be perfect. My opinion though. After wandering the fair at bit, we had our snacks. I had the red velvet Oreos (deep fried of course!), Jesse had a bacon cinnamon roll and Chloe had the deep fried cookie dough. John had our leftovers. lol

We found out yesterday, Jesse won first place in the junior division of home and craft with her earrings. She is her usual understated happy. Chloe has decided to enter home and craft next year and already knows what she is going to make. Exciting!

If you have been to the theatre with us you should recognize this face!

No way! LOL

This little goat followed Chloe for awhile.

And of course there were the games!

We love the fair. It is one special day a year (not that we don't have a lot of those) that we truly can enjoy each other while totally relaxing and just having fun.



Happy birthday, John!

Today is one of those days we enjoy so much. Because it involves cake! LOL With everything going on John practically forgot about his birthday, though, thankfully, he remembered to renew his driver's license.

We took him out to dinner last night (we have plans for today) at San Jose. It was during this trip we discovered one of our roads is now open. They have not finished asphalting the new "bridge" but we can at least to that way be it slow over the gravel. I'm just glad I will not have to take another 40 mile trip to take the trash; once was enough for me. Anyway, John had his favorite: poblano peppers. He was happy.

This morning he opened his presents from the girls.

Hallmark ornament of Steve Austin

Poblano pepper!

The funny part was the pepper. John never quite gets what Chloe makes with her Rainbow Loom, but as soon as this was out of the paper he screamed, "Poblano pepper!" He loved the ornament too, but the girls knew he would. It even plays the theme song. He was a happy man.

If you are wondering how Hank and Winnie are getting along, I think pictures say it best.

Apparently, before this scene, Hank was trying to flip this bed (which is Rosie's bed) without knowing Winnie was napping inside it. I suppose he figured instead of dumping her out he would join her. He hasn't been chasing her aggressively either, just playfully. But she has found a new spot to hide and observe away from him.

 

 

All-in-all, I think life is going well here. John's birthday had a good beginning this morning. It is kind of calming hearing the tinkle of a tiny bell through the house.

Winnie

This post is about Winnie; however, it begins with Hank. Hank loves to play with is food. He is so adorable and simply cracks me up. First of all, we can't put his food dish in the holder because he enjoys tipping over the dish to dump the food. Then he slaps the food across the floor, with his booty in the air and tail just wagging! He loves it.

So that being said, this is why Hank's dish is not where it should be.

Winnie, however, loved his dish being on the floor. Winnie is a night owl. Even with her torn hernia, last night she decided to go for another nightly stroll around the house. She started with Hank's water. This is where she decided to sit while drinking.

The vet's office called and said Winnie came through surgery just fine. We will pick her up this afternoon.

Really need a break

In the last few weeks, we have spent more than I care to think about. My car alone has been in the four digit range (and is now making the same noise as before--don't get me started!). We were told Hank has a cyst that should be removed, but nothing urgent. And there have been a few other things too.

Today, we found out Winnie has a hernia. A very bad hernia that needs immediate surgery. She is going in the morning to have it fixed and she'll be "fixed" too. I just need a break from all the expenditures. I'm trying not to think about all of it too hard. But dang!

We also found out today the pond where the girls and John fish most often breached and fully drained at Fort Jackson. Also, Hwy. 601, south of us, is closed somewhere also. I am not sure if the road is there and needs securing or if it has collapsed.

Venturing out again

Today, we ventured out again. The State Fair changed their turn in dates for Home and Crafts to just today. So, we had to get Jesse's entry to the fair grounds. Getting to the fair grounds was easy. The problem came with going from the fair grounds to the zoo.

John wanted to take the girls to the zoo, since they have been cooped up for a few days and the zoo was going to be open. We were doing well until Huger and Gervais when we had to go right or left. John chose left. I don't know left. And that proved to be obvious. I think it took about twenty minutes to find our way to the zoo, which was three miles, tops, from where we turned. Oh, well. Lesson learned. Remember the old saying, "when you're lost, go right." We sort of forgot that one.

After arriving home, I went back to Porter and turned right. I was hoping to see why the road is closed. Is the road missing? Are there trees down? Honestly, I still don't know why. There is a barricade pretty far away from the second barricade (the plastic netting). There are actually two nets; there is some space between the two, but I just couldn't see what was going on. I did see some DOT workers (I hope they were DOT) and a DOT truck was behind me. So, I still don't know exactly what is going on, just that the road is closed.

A sunny day, but far from over

Today is beautiful! The first day in weeks the sun has shone. The temperature is wonderful and you just want to get out.

Roads are still caving. Where there were no problems with roads yesterday, roads are collapsing today. Not just sidewalks, but the entire road, all the way across, and five to ten feet wide. I believe I mentioned yesterday about Spears Creek Road collapsing. This morning a friend of mine posted on Facebook a second section of that road (all the way across the road) has crumbled, just a few feet above where it collapsed yesterday.

I worry about getting out on some of the bridges, that already worried me structurally speaking, because once people start getting out and traffic builds, weight on the bridges build are more bridges going to collapse? I told my Mom last night driving right after Hugo wasn't as scary as being out yesterday seeing all the roads washed away.

We have tried to keep our minds off of everything today. The girls rode their bikes today while John and I walked down the hill. We are also still trying to get Hank and Winnie closer. Rosie just wants to lick Winnie constantly, which Winnie does not really appreciate.

We have left Winnie's crate door open today. Hank has been more relaxed; he would go a bit crazy when he heard the squeak of her door opening. But she still is not adventuring out of her crate unless we take her out. John says she is the calmest cat he has ever seen. I agree...but don't tell him that.

A thousand year flood

A thousand-year flood is what they are calling what has happened to South Carolina over the last four days. They rarely mention we had rain for a solid week-and-a-half before this flood. The ground was already saturated. We, South Carolinians in general, were already tired of feeling like we were living in Seattle. Then it rained some more.

It even rained more today.

Last night Jim Gandy, meteorologist, said we had broken the one-day, two-day and three-day rain records all in this one event. I can believe it! We, our family, has been very lucky thus far. Yesterday morning our power was out for about an hour. Some people have had no power or water for two days now.

Friday, I bought a few food items. Honestly, I didn't think SC would be where it is today so I didn't buy many groceries. Today, we had to venture out to find food. I was nervous. It turns out I had every right to be.

I'll start by explaining something. A few weeks ago, just before my Tupperware party, the SCDOT started tearing up Percival Road. And I mean tearing it up. It was horrible! And that was before the week-and-a-half of rain. Then it became too much. I had to go that way the day after the Tupperware party because Porter Cross Road was closed due to a marathon. I almost hit a pot hole that was 3ft x 2ft and somewhere between 8-12 inches deep in John's Corolla. It would have been the end of the Corolla. Luckily I saw it just in time and no one was coming. That road, by then, was FULL of holes everywhere.  Last Wednesday they finally closed the road to local traffic only. The rain had done too much damage.

Now, you are caught up. When we left the house today, we went in the only direction we knew would be open, Porter Cross Road. We saw the bridge at the volunteer fire department, but it was what was before and after it that really caught our attention. The road just before the bridge has completely washed away. Just after the VFD was a huge tree lying across the road.

So, we turned around and headed toward 601 the other way down Porter. There was another road block. We are not sure what was going on there. It could just be a tree, but I didn't see one. It may be the road is missing there too.

We decided to check out Tower Road (the only other way we know out from our house into town). We knew it would end at Percival, but Percival would be open to local traffic (if it was still there). We were almost to the end when we saw the road was missing there too. Devastating.

Back at the house, we searched Google for another route. We knew of only one more road and we didn't know where it would take us. It took us, in a very round about way, to the other end of Percival that was not closed because of construction and rain (that we knew of). So, off we went.

We did finally make it into town and back with food. Now, we have enough food to last us until the end of the week. And that is the route we'll probably have to take for the next few months. I have no idea how long it will take to build the roads around us, nor do I know where they will be on the priority list.

I am grateful we are safe, our animals are safe, and we have food and water. Others are far less fortunate. And now, damns are breaking all over Richland County. Two damns so far tonight and I believe a third one is being watched very carefully. They believe it will break, just don't know when. So the flooding starts all over again.

Porter Cross Road

Porter Cross Road-different angle

Porter Cross Road-2nd direction in attempt to leave

Tower Road

A rose by any other name

Our beloved new family member has been renamed. Chloe has now decided her name will be Winnie (from Winnie-the-Pooh). John and I like it so much better than Tuna. Jesse is really hoping Winnie does not stay an indoor cat. lol

Hank is doing...better. He is so funny. Whenever we take Winnie out of the crate, Hank is right there wanting to see her. He likes to tug at her fur with his teeth. He used to do that to Rosie, but she stands up to him so he has stopped. Now, he is doing it to Winnie. Last night the little two pound kitten hissed like a big cat when he did it. We are taking baby steps with Hank. I think he'll get there, but it is going to take awhile.

I have been slipping further and further behind with my side of schoolwork. I am hoping I will spend the next two days working on catching up with school; however, with this icky weather I just want to sleep!

Jesse is about to finish "The Last of the Mohicans" and I am about sixteen chapters behind her. I know. I know! That is ridiculous. I also have not created their October spreadsheets showing what work they will do each day. I have a stockpile of math, science, English, Spanish and papers to be graded. It is rather depressing just thinking about it. I WAS DOING SO WELL!

Last Monday we took Chloe's submission to the state fair. Jesse's is due to go this week. Chloe submitted another picture. This one is of a goat. When she turned it in, Mrs. Betsy laughed. She loved the picture. I hope Mrs. Betsy is there when we turn in Jesse's earrings. She should like those too. We did hear that because there were so many student submissions this year that only the finalist will be displayed.

We finally decorated for Halloween today. I had told Chloe we would do it on Thursday, but it didn't happen. And we'll have to decorate outside after all the hurricane rain passes.

A funny thing happened on the way to Homeschool Wednesday at the library

Today started like most other Wednesday mornings. Except this morning the girls woke up early to watch the season premiere of "Shield" before going to the library. We usually watch it during lunch when we return, but since the library is having a Homeschool hour we watched the show before we left.

We left the library after Jesse volunteered, fully intending to return after lunch and running a couple of errands. But Target through us off. We were actually leaving Target heading to the car with all of our focus on the library. Then. Well, then we weren't. There, to the left of the door, in the corner, was an orange kitten. So small! But something didn't seem quite right. I handed my pocketbook and bag to the girls, then slowly approached the kitten. I remember why we call M.C. M.C. Because of how mean he was as a kitten. So, I approached cautiously.

The kitten panicked trying to run up the wall of Target, then back down to the ground again. And it wound up laying in that same strange position. After talking the girls a couple of minutes, and several other people stopping to see the kitten then moving along. I sent the girls in to ask for a box with a lid. As I was waiting, an older lady stopped by. After we talked about the kitten a couple of minutes, I told her our plan. Honestly, I didn't know how in the world I was going to get that hissing, adorable orange thing into a box without getting ripped to shreds, but I couldn't leave her. And Chloe clearly was not going to allow me to leave her.

With the lady still looking on, I slowly approached the kitten as it hissed, baring all its tiny sharp teeth. I rubbed its hind leg gently. The hiss roared and paws flew! I pulled back my hand with no injuries at all (whew!). I put the box on the ground with the open end toward the kitten slowly moving it closer. Un-expectedly, it raised up slowly walking right into the box. I closed each flap slowly hoping not to startle it, then gently turned the box with the flaps going up.

Once we were in the car, I called our vets office. I remembered they closed early on Wednesday and was really hoping it was not at noon since it was 12:02. I let them know what happened and that we were on our way. I think it took about two minutes for the kitten to stop meowing in the box.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, "I LOVE Dr. King!" She is fantastic. Not only did she treat the kittens ear mites, worms and fleas for free, but she also made two x-rays for free. We found out the kitten is a girl. She weights 2.4 pounds and had eaten a bird sometime recently (very cool x-ray!). Then Dr. King said, "congratulations, you are now the proud owner of a kitten." Then I told her how many we have at home. Our cats go to the shelter for shots...too many of them for a vet, which I told Dr. King.

Chloe was given the privilege of naming the kitten. Right now she is going with Tuna (another cat named after food).  Her broken bone is lined up perfectly, so the doc said she'll heal fine on her own. However, because Tuna has ear mites she cannot be around the other cats. So, she is having to stay inside for a couple of days. Not sure how John's allergies are going to react, but Hank is going a bit crazy. I'll be working on calming him down until she goes outside I believe. I hope not, but right now it is looking that way.

So, we didn't make it back to the library today but there is always next week.

Can't believe I forgot this!

John found muscadine vines in our backyard last week. Apparently, they were filled with ripe fruit. Yesterday, John thought it would be a great idea to pick them and do something with them. They made some jelly. Honestly, I think they all believed it would not set or taste bad. But it set and tasted really good!

It has been awhile

We've have been through quite a bit since my last post. However, I'm not ready yet to disclose to the world all the dirty details of our lives. We have to learn to deal with things first.

That being said, we'll move on.

This weekend was quite full for us. Saturday I had a Tupperware party. The first I've ever thrown, but I can tell you they have changed a lot since my Mom sold Tupperware. Now, you cook! We had eight adult women, two kids under 10, one tween and three teens! The dogs were happy...they were getting all kinds of attention. I think Hank was too excited (and hot); he tossed his cookies once on the floor right between Stephanie's feet and none of us noticed. Poor baby! He hasn't done that in awhile.

Sunday was another family reunion. It was good, but again people just like to eat then leave. I remember when I was little (younger than Chloe) it would be an entire day's event! You would eat. Talk. Eat again. No one wants to stop and smell the roses anymore...not even for family. I feel like I don't know most of them. Well, honestly, I don't. I think it is very sad.

This week should be a bit calmer. Last week was crazy. I didn't know John had asked off for last week (it wasn't on my calendar), so when he told me the middle of the week before I just looked at him. We have missed so many days for school. I told the girls we may have to make up a few weekend days. We are going to have to get used to doing our school work when John is actually home. Not sure how we'll manage that task, but we need to work on it.

Our schedule this week has been thrown off by other people. Master Mike decided to have taekwondo graduation on Wednesday (rather than Thursday) at the other location. And Thursday night we are having an instructor's training class. Yes, we'll be gone three nights this week for taekwondo.

Then the theatre contacted me about our homeschool group's viewing of the play this week. The theatre had other schools cancel and change their times, so our group was all that was remaining, less than twenty people. They wanted us to come another day. Fine. We changed days, but my cousin and her boys couldn't come that day. The boys were so excited about seeing the girls again, third time this week, that we are planning on still seeing them on Thursday though we have not worked it out yet as to who is going where.

We enrolled Jesse in Level 2 of her animation class last night. She'll start in January. Her final grade for Level 1 was an A. We were so proud. She learned so much and she was looking forward to being in class with a few of her former classmates in the spring. I'm glad we could work it out for her.

Now, I have papers to grade.

Threatt Family Reunion 2015

Honestly, I was worried about the weather on our way to Rock Hill today. We were getting misted on most of the way up the interstate. Luckily, the park playground equipment was still dry and no rain there. The girls would have been very disappointed, along with a couple of cousins, if they couldn't go out to play.

We didn't really have that many at the reunion this year. My cousin Phoebe counted ten other family members besides our own aunts, uncles and cousins. Most of my mother's cousins were not there. Some have not been for years, which I find very sad.

Anyway. Here a few pics!

That is for tormenting me when I was little.

Baby Liam and Dad Will

Cousins!

The family! (not everyone is seen here)