Alphabe-Thursday "F"

I'm linking up with

Jenny Matlock for this week's edition of

ALPHABE-THURSDAY...

This week's letter is F...

Freestyle - I loved my car....a 2006 Ford Freestyle. It is by far the nicest car I've ever had!  Chuck ordered it from Meggs Ford, so it is a custom-made car just for me.  It was a good one, and we drove it for many years before we had to finally let it go...still sad...but I also love my new car too, a Mercury Mariner...

fingernails - Anyone who knows me knows that I was a nail-biter. I bit my fingernails from the time I had teeth up until about two years ago, and for some unknown reason, I just stopped. My nails are not beautiful, or long, or smooth, or strong, or perfect, but at least I can say that I'm not a nail-biter anymore! Hooray for me!!

firefighters - I live with two brave, loyal firefighters...Chuck and Charles. They are both on the Bennettsville and Wallace Fire Departments. I'm very proud of them and their work in the community. I cannot imagine what it would be like to walk into a burning building, and don't ever want to experience it, but thank GOD that there are those men and women who are willing to risk their lives daily to help others.

Facebook - What can I say? I'm addicted. I peruse the wall to see what people are talking about and usually find out something new each day. I love to look at the new pictures and the funny status updates that are posted. I have played the FB games like Farmville, Cafe World, etc., but really don't any more. I just suddenly lost interest in them. I think that Facebook is a wonderful tool that brings people closer together and makes communication and interactions more convenient, even when people are separated by distance.

Alphabe-Thursday "E"

I'm really ashamed of myself....

 I am linking up with Jenny for

ALPHABE-THURSDAY...

 a whole week late!

Last week's letter was E...maybe for "excuse me, please."

earrings – I love earrings! I got my ears pierced for the first time when I was in 5^th grade. I rode my bicycle across town to Dr. Godwin’s office and he gave me a tetanus shot and pierced my ears. My grandmama, Neenie, died a few days later, and I remember being especially upset because she never got to see me with earrings on.

Since then, I’ve had my ears pierced several more times….I actually have four holes in my left ear and two in my right ear….and I love to wear different earrings in each hole!

email – What did we ever do before computers and email? Oh yes, I remember…we wrote letters…on stationery…and put them in addressed envelopes and mailed them. But now, we depend on instantaneous messaging. Email is so quick and efficient. Thank you, inventor of email. I appreciate your contribution to the ease of everyday life!

eucalyptus – After Chuck and I bought our house, Mama gave us a eucalyptus tree to plant in the front yard. The tree is so tall and beautiful now, and its leaves give the whole front yard a soothing, comforting smell.

edelweiss – One of the best scenes in The Sound of Music (my second favorite movie) is when Captain Von Trapp sings “Edelweiss.”

education – My vocation, my calling, my life. Education is so important…it’s one thing that no one can take away from you once you have it.

Education is the movement from darkness to light. ~Allan Bloom

eBay– Just about anything you could ever want can be found on eBay. I started using eBay about 10 years ago when I was really into scrapbooking, but since then have purchased many things, and have even sold books, kids’ clothing, and other miscellaneous items. It is truly the “World’s Marketplace.”

Alphabe-Thursday "D"

Once again, I am linking up with Jenny for

ALPHABE-THURSDAY...

Today's letter is D, one of my favorite letters!

Davis - Growing up, I was so proud to have the last name "Davis." Although it is a common name in the Chesterfield county area, and there are lots of other "Davises'" around, very few were related to us because my daddy was from the Columbia area and that's mainly where the other kin people lived. Still though, I think "Davis" is a good, strong name, and I'm proud it's a part of my heritage.

denim - There is nothing more comfortable to me than a well-loved, worn pair of jeans (shorts or long pants). I grew up wearing both Wrangler jeans and Levis, but today prefer a more feminine-cut, as long as they are denim....

dictionaries - I simply cannot live without a dictionary available at all times. I love words! Several years ago, I told Chuck that for the next gift-giving occasion, I wanted a new dictionary. He bought me a wonderfully current Merriam-Webster with plenty of words in it to satisfy my vocabulary-craving, for a while, anyway....

Dial soap - Dial soap was a given when I was growing up. Sometimes the color of the bar would change, but never the familiar name, shape, or scent. Since I've been a consumer and purchasing what I choose, I've tried many different brands, but always seem to come back to the standard.....good, ol' Dial soap!

Alphabe-Thursday "C"

Once again, I am linking up with Jenny for

ALPHABE-THURSDAY...

 

Chuck - my husband

Chuck and I met in an arranged meeting around Thanksgiving of 1990 at Frank and Aileen's house. We've been together ever since!! 

Chuck has so many wonderful attributes including being a good daddy to our three children, a wonderful teacher, a fair assistant principal, and a loving husband. He is a brave, knowledgeable firefighter and instructor for the SCFA. He's also an adult Sunday school teacher and usher at FUMC. He coached football for 20 years at the high school level and was a positive role model for his players.

I'm proud to say that he's my soul mate, my life partner, my husband....and I love you!

Charles - my son

When Charles was born in August of 1993, life changed forever! He is a wonderful person who is well-rounded and interested in many, many things. 

It is so hard to believe that he has graduated from high school!  He is in EMT school, plans to study for his CDL, and is working a few odd jobs here and there.  He wants to leave home after this year and go off to school, and with God's help, he'll mature enough and will be ready for that huge step.  If not, he's got plenty of time to make a life for himself.

Charles, I'm very proud of you and all that you've accomplished in your short life. Keep pushing ahead, and always do your best. You will go far. I love you, son!

Cheraw - my hometown

Cheraw, also known as "The Prettiest Town in Dixie." was a picture-perfect town to grow up in. Everyone knew everyone else and looked after one another. It was a safe, friendly, beautiful town and I would not trade my childhood years there for anything in the world.

Caramel Frappe

OMG...what can I say about McDonald's caramel frappe except YUM!! They are probably full of sugar, caffeine, chemicals, and fat, but I LOVE THEM!!!

Communication and Cooperation

Life for everyone would be so much sweeter if there were effective communication and cooperation between groups of people. When people fail to communicate with each other efficiently and effectively, many times cooperation goes out the window. I get so aggravated when others think that I'm a mind reader and automatically know what they are thinking....FYI - I failed that class! Just tell me what I need to know, and answer the questions that I ask, please. Let's talk things out and come to an agreement to settle problems. Also, let's all just get along with one another. Don't argue for the sake of argument. Don't intentionally stand in the way of others' progress. A lot more can be accomplished with cooperation.

Cooking

Yes, I follow in a long line of cooks in my family. My mama was a great cook as was my grandmama, Neenie. I enjoy cooking, but hate to follow recipes and measure! I'd much rather read a recipe, and then make it my own. I'm a "substituter" and an "approximater" when cooking. Chuck has laughingly said that if I ever cook by a recipe, you may as well get out the pimento cheese and bread because whatever I made will not be fit to eat!! He's also said that if you like something that I cook, you better enjoy it because I will never be able to make it exactly like that again! He's about right, but he hardly ever turns down anything that I cook either!

Alphabe-Thursday "B"

Once again, I am linking up with Jenny for

ALPHABE-THURSDAY...

(go link up and play along)

beagles - my all time favorite dog breed

Growing up in Cheraw, we always had two beagles, Pete and Sam. When something happened to them, we got two more, Pete and Sam. We had others too....Martha, PD, and Marty. All of them were good, sweet dogs who brought our family a lot of pet pleasure.

After moving to Bennettsville, I continued to have beagles as pets. The first, and probably the best dog ever, was Pal, a beagle-mix. We got her from an abandoned barn out in Wallace when L and MJ were around 4 years old. Pal was a loyal, constant companion for all three children up until the day she died. She went with them wherever they went here in the neighborhood. Everyone knew her, and grew to love her. She was definitely considered a member of our family and will always be remembered and missed.

Over the past few years, our home has been a refuge for reject beagles. What I mean by reject beagles is that hunters don't want beagles who won't chase rabbits, so we've had several who have come to live with us...Spanky, Little Bit, Lemon, and a brief lay-over by Copper. That's OK though, they are welcome here!

Birkenstocks

Call them what you may, but Birkenstock shoes, clogs, and sandals are the most comfortable shoes ever made. I probably have 15 or so pairs, and wear them year-round.

blueberries

When Chuck and I bought our house, we dug up a few blueberry bush sprigs from underneath Larry's blueberry bushes and planted them along the sunny fence line in our back yard. The bushes are now over 6 feet tall and produce quarts and quarts of fat, sweet blueberries each summer. I've used them to make pies, cobblers, jams, pancakes, muffins, and salads. We've eaten them by the handfuls and on morning bowls of cereal. I've even bagged and frozen the berries for later use....just think about a warm blueberry cobbler on a cold winter night....YUM!

Bath and Body Works

Oh my goodness! B&BW is the best store ever!! Lawren, MJ and I have to limit our visits because we spend way too much money every time we go there. Lawren's favorite scents of late are a part of the summer vanilla collection, White Citrus, and Mandarin Mango. Mary Jo is Sweet Pea and Cherry Blossom kind of girl, preferring the more floral scents. Personally, I prefer Sea Island Cotton, Dancing Waters, Rain Kissed Leaves, and Orange Sapphire. Really though, in our opinion, all of their products, lotions, creams, sprays, soaps, etc. are super!

Alphabe-Thursday "A"

I'm linking up with Jenny Matlock for

ALPHABE-THURSDAY!

Here are a few thoughts and some of my favs that begin with

A...

• attitude – “Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.” ~Winston Churchill

So many people today are walking around with negative attitudes about, well, anything and everything! Our whole personality would change if we would just change our attitudes about some things. Society needs to learn to be more tolerant of others and their differences, learn to accept responsibility for their own actions, and make the best of whatever is handed to us. Be thankful for every day, every experience, and every one you touch or who touches you.

Attitude: It’s up to you!

• avocado – My mama grew up in Jacksonville, FL, and avocados were a staple, fresh fruit in her household….she said they even had an avocado tree in their yard! Growing up, I enjoyed cool, creamy avocados cut into small pieces, sprinkled with a little salt and pepper, and moistened with a splash of vinegar on hot summer nights…and still love them to this day!

• asparagus – Another vegetable that we enjoyed at our home, thanks to Mama. Even though the asparagus was usually out of a can, we would get much pleasure from the refrigerated spears on a bed of lettuce, and topped with a dollop of cold Duke’s mayonnaise! Yum…

• “aver” – (v) to assert positively; declare; state as true

In The Wizard of Oz, the coroner sings, “As coroner, I must aver,
I’ve thoroughly examined her,
And she’s not only merely dead,
She’s really most sincerely dead.”

For years and years, I did not know this word. My brother Frank and I had many discussions as to what the coroner was saying. Well, probably about 1999 (the 50th anniversary of the movie), Chuck ordered a collector’s package that contained a DVD, several photographs, a CD of all of the musical selections, and a SCRIPT! I could hardly wait to open the book and find out the coroner’s EXACT words….my hands were shaking….I was sweating….my heart fluttered (seriously!)…

I read the words, and felt immediate relief! Sadly, I found that my excitement about the words to the song was not shared by many. Some people didn’t care; some people had no clue what I was talking about; some said they knew all along what the coroner was saying; some people looked at me like I was crazy! Imagine that!

• Anne Anderson – my favorite aunt…

Anne Evans Anderson was my mama’s younger sister. She was married to George Anderson, and together they raised two daughters, Jane Anne and Sue. Anne and George both had their faults (as we all do), but they were loving, caring, wonderful people. Anne was a quiet, soft-spoken person who loved children, especially her grandchildren. She loved to watch the Miss America pageant on TV, and got a variety of catalogs in the mail…Spencer, Lillian Vernon, Hickory Farms…I could go on and on. I thought that those catalogs were magical! I can remember pouring over them for hours on end when my mama and I would visit them on Sunday afternoons. Another good memory was that she lived on High Street, and on that street in Cheraw, there were sidewalks! I’d take my metal, adjustable roller skates and skate up and down the sidewalk in front of their house while the grown-ups sat in rocking chairs or on the porch swing and talked. Anne was diagnosed with cancer of her lymph nodes in her neck, and had surgery to remove the growth. Eventually, her cancer spread to the other side of her neck, and once again, she had surgery. After all of the surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and years of pain and suffering, she lived the rest of her life with a tracheotomy and a feeding tube. Her faith kept her strong and she stood as a shining example of love and inner beauty up until the end of her life. I loved her so much, and still miss her to this day.

Alphabe-Thursday

This is my first time linking up with Jenny for

Alphabe-Thursday...

and I'm very EXCITED!!

Autumn colors are very vibrant here in the Carolinas....

..beautiful mums,

..pumpkins and gourds,


..rosy NC apples,


..changing leaves on the Blue Ridge parkway,
and


..college football!

Blogging Thru the Alphabet - G

Every day or so (it's been a while, I know), I’m going to blog about things, people, ideas, concepts, places, etc. that start with a different letter of the alphabet. The letter for today is G….

Gayle - Gayle is my sister-in-law, married to my oldest bother Larry.  I've known her all of my life, or at least all of my life that I can remember.  She is the most gentle , kind hearted, loving soul that I know.  She is a wonderful wife (she'd have to be to be married to my brother for almost 43 years!), a caring mother, and a selfless grandmother to her 4 grandchildren.  The world is truly a better place because of her!  I love you Gayle...

Green - my favorite color.  Go "here" to see all things green that I love!!

Grits - I know that grits are a southern food and some people say that they don't like them, but my  questions is...what's not to like??  Warm, buttery, soothing and comforting...the perfect food!

Giraffes - I've always liked giraffes.  I remember when I was a teenager, my mama bought me a tiny porcelain giraffe, probably about 3 inches tall.  It was so delicate and sweet.  Also, when the kids were about 3 and 5 years old, we took them to Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia for a class/workshop called "Gigantic Giraffes."  After classroom activities, we had the opportunity to walk down to the giraffe barn to see where the giraffes stayed when they were on display.  It was a great experience for the kids....and me!

God - Where would I be without Him?  He is my rock and redeemer.  Thank you God for Your unconditional love and Your saving grace.  None of us deserve Your mercy, but thank You for bestowing it upon us anyway.

Blogging Thru the Alphabet - F

Every day or so, I’m going to blog about things, people, ideas, concepts, places, etc. that start with a different letter of the alphabet. The letter for today is F….

Freestyle - I love my car....a 2006 Ford Freestyle.  It is by far the nicest car I've ever had and I've been totally satisfied with it.  Chuck ordered it from Meggs Ford, so it is a custom-made car just for me.

fingernails - Anyone who knows me knows that I was a nail-biter.  I bit my fingernails from the time I had teeth up until about two years ago, and for some unknown reason, I just stopped.  My nails are not beautiful, or long, or smooth, or strong, or perfect, but at least I can say that I'm not a nail-biter anymore!  Hooray for me!!

firefighters - I live with two brave, loyal firefighters...Chuck and Charles.  They are both on the Bennettsville and Wallace Fire Departments.  I'm very proud of them and their work in the community.  I cannot imagine what it would be like to walk into a burning building, and don't ever want to experience it, but thank GOD that there are those men and women who are willing to risk their lives daily to help others.

Facebook - What can I say?  I'm addicted.  I peruse the wall to see what people are talking about and usually find out something new each day.  I love to look at the new pictures and the funny status updates that are posted.  I have played the FB games like Farmville, Cafe World, etc., but really don't any more.  I just suddenly  lost interest in them.  I think that Facebook is a wonderful tool that brings people closer together and makes communication and interactions more convenient, even when people are separated by distance. 

Blogging Thru the Alphabet - E

Every day or so, I’m going to blog about things, people, ideas, concepts, places, etc. that start with a different letter of the alphabet. The letter for today is E….

 

earrings – I love earrings!  I got my ears pierced for the first time when I was in 5^th grade.  I rode my bicycle across town to Dr. Godwin’s office and he gave me a tetanus shot and pierced my ears.  My grandmama, Neenie, died a few days later, and I remember being especially upset because she never got to see me with earrings on.

Since then, I’ve had my ears pierced several more times….I actually have four holes in my left ear and two in my right ear….and I love to wear different earrings in each hole!

email – What did we ever do before computers and email?  Oh yes, I remember…we wrote letters…on stationery…and put them in addressed envelopes and mailed them.  But now, we depend on instantaneous messaging.  Email is so quick and efficient.  Thank you, inventor of email.  I appreciate your contribution to the ease of everyday life!

eucalyptus – After Chuck and I bought our house, Mama gave us a eucalyptus tree to plant in the front yard.  The tree is so tall and beautiful now, and its leaves give the whole front yard a soothing, comforting smell. 

edelweiss – One of the best scenes in The Sound of Music (my second favorite movie) is when Captain Von Trapp sings “Edelweiss.”

education – My vocation, my calling, my life.  Education is so important…it’s one thing that no one can take away from you once you have it. 

Education is the movement from darkness to light.  ~Allan Bloom

eBay– Just about anything you could ever want can be found on eBay.  I started using eBay about 10 years ago when I was really into scrapbooking, but since then have purchased many things, and have even sold books, kids’ clothing, and other miscellaneous items.  It is truly the “World’s Marketplace.”