HERE IS A PICTURE OF OUR  $19  TREE AND $15  WORTH OF DECORATIONS.  NOT TO BAD I WOULD SAY!   WE DIDNT THINK TO BRING DOWN CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS FOR THIS YEAR.  TOO MANY OTHER NESSESARY THINGS TO PACK .  SO WE WENT TO OUR FAVORITE STORE (WALMART) AND PICKED THIS ONE OUT AND THE BULBS.  PRE LIT -HUBBY WAS  THRILLED HE DID NOT HAVE TO DEAL WITH  MINI LIGHTS.   NEXT YEAR I WILL BE BETER PREPARED.  WE HAD A LOVELY HOLIDAY WITH OUTINGS AND NEW FRIENDS TO CELEBRATE  WITH.  GRANDCHILDREN WILL BE INTERESTD IN SEEING THE TREE THAT GRANDMA PUT UP THIS YEAR IN FLORIDA, WHERE IT IS COLD ENOUGH TO SNOW HERE THIS YEAR.  GOOD THING IT IS NOT STILL RAINING OR IT WOULD PROBABLY BE SNOW!

OUR  OLDEST DAUGHTERS SON WHO IS IN THE AIR FORCE, GOT TO GO TO HIS GRADUATION AS I MENTIONED BEFORE.  FOR CHRISTMAS  SHE SENT US  MOVIES OF THE CEREMONY AND WE COULD PLAY THEM ON  MY COMPUTER TO ENJOY JUST LIKE BEING THERE. ( WELL, AT LEAST I GOT  1 OFTHEM TO PLAY   -   ONE OUT OF TWO  ISN'T BAD FOR ME WITH  THIS COMPUTER).  ANYWAY,  HERE IS A PICTURE OF GRANDMA- GREAT  ENJOYING THE PICTURES.  SHE THINKS HERSELF PRETTY SAVEY  OPERATING THE  KEYS.

stoney acres

WE HAVE HAD A SINKING FEELING  IN OUR DRIVEWAY WITH ALL THE RAIN HERE IN FL.  THERE HAS BEEN 11 INCHES IN JUST THE MONTH OF DECEMBER THIS YEAR.  THEY SAY THIS IS VERY UNUSUAL FOR HERE.  WELL,  WE MUST HAVE BROUGHT ON THE CHANGE.  ANYWAY,  WE ORDERED A LOAD OF STONES FOR THE DRIVEWAY BECAUSE THE WATER WOULD JUST NOT GO AWAY AFTER THE RAINS.  SOME DAYS WE FELT LIKE WE  WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF A LAKE.  LEAVING THE HOUSE  WE WONDERED IF WE SHOULD BE BUYING A BOAT TO GET TO THE ROAD.  THE STONES WERE DELIVERED AND BROTHER, HUBBY AND MYSELF WENT OUT AND RAKED AND SHOVELED UNTIL WE THINK WE FILLED IN THE LARGEST OF THE  PUDDLE SPOTS.  WE WILL NEED SOME MORE STONES IN THE NEAR FUTURE FOR SURE IF THE RAINS KEEP UP.

MULE DAYS

DURING THE MONTH OF NOV. BROTHER TOOK US TO  AN OUTING  IN GEORGIA CALLED MULE DAYS.  IT WAS  VERY INTERESTING TO SEE ALL THE VENDORS THERE BUT THE MOST INTERESTING THING WAS THE MAKING OF CANE SUGAR.  HOW THEY CRUSHED THE STOCKS AND EXTRACTED THE JUICE.  THEN THEY BOILED IT DOWN AND PUT IT IN JARS  TO SELL.  TOOK THESE PICTURES SO I COULD SHARE THIS FASINATING PROCESS.  THEY ALSO SOLD SHORT STOCKS THAT THE KIDS WERE WALKING AROUND  CHEWING ON TO GET THE SUGAR TASTE OUT.