This evening the weather is perfect. . .a pretty good breeze is blowing and the temp right now is 86*! We ordered pizza tonight and went outside to play with the kittens (they are 6 weeks old now) and Pepper. Betsy was riding the 4-wheeler while Katie was online talking to. . . . . . matt. The saga continues. . . . a little. They still talk, but she is officially back with Mike. (who is mad at her right now) Who knows. Robert and I were laying (yes, I said laying) out in the front yard in the grass looking up into the oak trees at the spanish moss blowing in the breeze, while Pepper, Dizzy Kitty and Bootsie laid near us. I lasted about 15 minutes before a big black and red spider crawled on my arm. I got up quick!
Well, Katie is baking chocolate chip cookies and they are coming out of the oven and I can't wait another minute! Wish I could share!
What a fun evening we had working the cows. Three times a year we cut out of the herd those cattle that we are going to sell at the market as well as the young male calves that need to be cut. Today we only cut one calf as the other 2 young ones were heifers. We are taking one mean and nasty bull to the market and a good sized steer as well as three young steers. They should bring a few thousand dollars as beef prices are way up right now. I had fun staying up in the cat walk taking pictures. The mean and nasty bull tried to jump the 7 foot wall of the pen and that was pretty scary because last time he made it over the top! He has gotten quite a bit bigger and heavier and wasn't successful this time, thank God! It was a little hairy for a minute or two and when Robert yelled at all the girls to "get your asses in the truck! right now!!" We didn't need to be told twice. . .we all ran for the truck and practically clawed our way inside! There were 5 of us running for our lives trying to scramble into the cab of the pick up, but we did it in record time! After the danger was over we all went out to dinner at our favorite oyster bar. There were 7 of us and we put away 8 dozen raw oysters and 50 buffalo wings! Then of course we hit the Krispy Kreme drive thru for dessert. The "hot donut" light was on and there's no way to resist hot glazed donuts! We still have 3 left for breakfast! 
Look at Rosie's coffee. . . what's missing? Cream! I am drinking black coffee this morning. I don't like black coffee. I like extra creamy coffee. Not a good way to start the week.
It is soooo good to be back! It is amazing how "lost" I was without my journal! I think the kids and I will be sure to unplug "every" cord during all future storms from now on.
A massacre happened in the barn last night. Our three remaining chickens are. . . no more. They decided to visit our mama Bassett Hound, Abbie. . .well that was their last mistake. Abbie killed them, unlike Elvis, our daddy Bassett, who ate them whole! So their twisted chicken carcasses are lying all around Abbie's pen. They were able to fly up and over the 6 foot chain link fence into the dog pens. They had the entire barn! So why did they want to go into the dog pens! Well, we are now officially out of the chicken business. And to tell you the truth, I'm sort of glad. I was tired of walking down there finding one or two missing or dead. 
I was thinking about what to put in my subject line today. Nothing special. That's what I came up with, until I began thinking about that. It is such a beautiful day today; that's special. I don't have a headache or feel sick; that's special. Robert is having a good day at work today (or a change); that's special! We have money in our bank account; that's really special! SO, I added the question mark, mostly for my own benefit. I don't ever want to take "normal" for granted. I don't ever want to overlook the mundane. There may come a day that I pray for normal and mundane. God has blessed me with so much. Saying "nothing special" is like giving Him the cold shoulder, like sticking my tongue out at Him. Have I become that insensitive? Have I become that person who doesn't see the forest for the trees? I hope not.
Barbara
It's that time again. Where has my day gone? I have been so busy today that here it is, after midnight and I am just now sitting down to write my journal entry for today. 
Today the girls and I spent the entire afternoon at the mall. We all got a little something. Katie racked up the most (as usual). But in her defense, we had to buy her 2 more tops for "Idol" and another Karoke CD for Monday nights competition. She has to sing an R&B song and didn't like anything that she already had. She is going to do "If I Ain't Got You" by Alicia Keys. It sounds great! She also got a new bathing suit (because it was on sale), a pair of Hollister ripped up jeans, 5 pairs of Vicky Secret thongs and a cheap pair of flip flops. Betsy only got a new top ( I offered in every store! I asked her if she needed any panties while in Vivky's Secret and she said "Why don't you say it a little louder mom, I don't think they heard you in CHINA! She's really modest. LOL) Anyway, she wants a few CD's so we will go to Wal-Mart after church tomorrow and get them. I got a cute black knee length skirt with a flippy bottom, a light aqua sweater set and another dressy sweater in pink and navy to wear to church. (It is freezing year round in my church!) Oh, and a cute pair of high heeled, pointy toed mules. Amanda went too. She brought her own money to buy herself a couple of do-dads. We finally headed home about 6:00 and met Farmer Brown at a restaurant for dinner. Matt is due to arrive any minute, so Katie is all excited. Amanda and Katie are so funny, they are trying on their new stuff while listening to Conway Twitty. They LOVE Conway. Katie wants her first born son to have Conway for a middle name and Matt said that would be fine, hehehe ;) 
