Dear Diary.......

Well, here we are in late March and the weather is balmy when it is supposed to be blustery.  We missed out on winter.  Not even one snow or ice storm.  Mother Nature is just as unpredictable as any other woman, I guess.  Ha.

How is it that I continue to work out, lift weights, do my cardio and still manage to GAIN weight?  Must be old age.  My grandmother used to say "old age is a terrible thing".  She only lived to be a hundred years old, so I suppose she knew a thing or three about it.  I dunno---is it possible to be fat and in shape at the same time?

I see where more guns were sold in the last three months in this country than in all of last year.  A high percentage of the new gun purchasers are women.  I think I'll be more careful when I talk to the fairer sex from now on.  Ya never know, ya know?

Grandson Canyon is spending the day with us and I never saw so much energy in my life.  My gosh I'm glad my child rearing days are long since over.  I love my grandson but dogs are a lot easier.

I still haven't met one set of next door neighbors.  Wouldn't know 'em if I saw 'em at the grocery store.

While we're talking about neighbors, we've certainly got an eclectic grouping around here.  There are a couple of retired couples on our street---one couple spends their time gossiping about everyone else.  The other couple spends their time talking about all their possessions---their sun room, their boat, their new cars.  Gawd.

The next-door neighbors on the other side of us are so nice.  Their kids have MANNERS---totally unheard of in this day and age.  Same thing is true of the family across the street from us.  It's a joy to be around unassuming, accomplished and humble folks.

As I type this out, Canyon is going full speed ahead in the kitchen, yelling non-stop---sounds like jibberish to me---running all over the place.  He has driven Cindy into a state of exhaustion.  Ha.

I was embarrassed over the past three weeks...the unseasonably warm weather caused the lawns in this area to sprout like they are on steroids.  Especially the weeds.  Yikes!  I was the talk of the neighborhood, I am sure.  I called Tru-Green to come out and DO SOMETHING, but they haven't been able to apply any chemicals yet because it has been raining every day.  I will say, however, that we have some of the finest specimens of dandelions ever seen.  I may donate a few to the Knoxville Botannical Society.

I should do a post sometime on our bird feeder out back.  I keep it stocked with a blend of wild bird seed, and it has become the favorite watering hole in these parts.  It's great to sit there, not six feet away, from inside our den, and observe the shenanigans as the feathered creatures feed.

We got every kind of sparrow, dove, cowbird, blackbird, red-winged blackbird, grackle, downy and hairy woodpeckers, bluejay, oriole, wren, bluebird, cardinal, robins (the robins won't get on the feeder but instead feed on the ground underneath it), and so on and on.....  I love watchin' 'em.

Woman says we're having chicken casserole tonight.  Man, can she cook.  Her casseroles are just great.  And I saw her makin' some corn bread to go with it.  Oh, Lordy.

Selah....