Clearing the river bank

Sheila's Monster Fire!

Jamie striking a pose!

Jer in the bucket cutting a dead limb. I LOVE being up high in the tractor bucket but Ferd ususally puts me up there to pick Mustang Grapes. This was definitely not a berry picking job!


The guys hard at work!

We had a great day today! The sun was shining and the weather was perfect! I LOVE days like today! We went to the river and Alfred cut brush and Jer and Jamie helped him stack it for a big fire later on this week. If you look to the right while sitting on the cabin porch, there "was" a massive thicket of vines entangled in thick brush and it completely blocked the view of the river. Alfred has been wanting to tackle it for some time now so today was the day. When it is all cleared the view will be amazing because the river makes a big turn right past the cabin and it is really, really pretty.

We went to Happy Days restaurant tonight and ate supper and then went to McClains and got some cabbage and black eyed peas for tomorrow! New Years Eve is here and Alfred has been in bed since 8:30! He is a "party animal" to be reckoned with! I oughta go light a firecracker under his behind but then I'd probably ring in the New Year in the hospital after he got through with me! :) Me & Jer fried some jalapeno cheese balls from a recipe I got off Food Network and Jamie helped us eat them. They were wonderful!

God has been so good to us this year! Looking back over this past year, I can see where things tried to get a bit rough but we kept the faith. My family is alive and well and for that I am more thankful than I can begin to express. Thank you Father for the blessings of a family more precious than gold, good friends, good jobs and good health. And thank you that 2009 will be a better year than I can even imagine! Happy New Year friends and may God richly bless you and yours.....

It's been a while...

I haven't posted in a while so I figured I would write a bit tonight. Christmas came and went and now the New Year is upon us. Everyone was happy with Christmas.....Alfred got his porch swing for the cabin and I got my pistol so I think it's official! You might be a redneck if all you want for Christmas is a gun & a porch swing! HA! As my sister says, "We just swing & shoot!" Life is good at the Burt's!

I am taking the last day of my vacation tomorrow and then me and Alfred are off the rest of the week. Hopefully the sun will shine and we can get outside and do some things. It has been so rainy and gloomy the last couple weeks and I am ready for the sun to come out and stay for a while. I love rainy days but enough is enough.

I guess we'll just watch fireworks from the upstairs deck this New Year's eve. You can see the big fireworks display on Lake Livingston from our bedroom window so it's really a pretty cool, AARP sort'a thing to do! We've been going to the Yeager's every New Years for about 10 years. They decided not to have their shindig this year so we'll be staying home. Speaking of AARP, did I tell you I'm a card carrier now? I looked up AARP to see just exactly what it stands for and there were several choices but two I especially liked......the obvious, "American Association of Retired Persons" and, the not so obvious "Animal Accident Recovery Patrol." OUCH! I would rather be a member of a Retired Person's organization than have membership in the "Animal Accident Recovery Patrol!" Jeeeze! What in the heck would one have to do to join their club?!?

I've rattled on long enough and need to get ready for bed. Remember to keep God first and everything else will simply fall into place. Wishing you all a blessed 2009!

Look out! Sheila's got her wheels back!

How's that for a title? Alfred and Jamie got out in this awful cold tonight and put my drive shaft on. We took it for a spin and she sounds great! MAN! If you only knew how good it feels to know I will be driving myself to work tomorrow! Jeremy and Jamie headed to Pasadena this afternoon and bought the part off a wrecked KIA so we didn't have to spend the $700 for a new one. I thank the Good Lord for that! We sure couldn't afford it at this time of year. HEY! I can actually go out and get some lunch tomorrow! Being the scatter brained individual that I am, I forgot to take my lunch to work today. No problem......I'll just call Pizza Hut and have them deliver me a personal pan pizza for lunch. No such luck! They had over an hour wait for deliveries so I thought, hmmmm.....I'll walk over to the next block and get a barbeque sandwich! It was so cold but I thought, I can handle it for a few minutes! So, I locked the office and headed down the street......guess what? They were closed! OH MAN! This had to be a conspiracy! Surely, someone didn't want me having lunch today! Oh well.....I walked back to the office and had a piping hot bowl of Ramen Noodles! YUM! YUM! I just closed my eyes, pretended it was pizza and all was well with the world! HA! But really though....I am so very thankful to have my vehicle running again. You don't realize how much you depend on something until it's not there! Thank you Father for blessings too numerous to count! And, thank you Alfred and Jamie for loving me enough to get out in this miserable cold weather, and Jeremy for driving to Pasadena today when he had to work all night! All just so I could have my truck back! They're the best!
God bless....

Much'a nothing!

Don't you think this is a pretty picture? I call this the haunted tree because it looks spooky at night! It was so gorgeous against the blue sky today!

SUPPER'S READY! Smokehouse Pork Chops!

Can you see the Eagle?

Today was a good day and we had a really good time fellowshipping with our brothers and sisters in Christ this morning. It has been a good day all around but like the title says, we did much of nothing the rest of the afternoon. We ate a bite of dinner, put some pork chops in the smokehouse and then Alfred and I took off on the Gator and rode all over the place. We put the game camera back out and baited up the deer (and raccoons and crows and whatever else happens by & likes to eat corn!) Then we went and sat on the porch at the cabin. It was so unbelievably peaceful down there. The wind was blowing and it was definitely a snoozer kind of afternoon! We didn't take a nap but OH how I wanted to! Of course I was armed with my camera and I am forever trying to get a good shot of the Eagles that fly up and down the river. They are such amazing creatures and are SO gorgeous so naturally I would love to get a good picture. WELL......while we were sitting there, one flew right up next to the tree in front of the cabin as if he/she might have been considering lighting there for a spell! Of course, I GASPED and Alfred said I gasped so loud, I scared it off!!! :( OH MAN! I could see the toenails on that bird and didn't get a shot! THEN, another flew by, and another and another AND another!!! FIVE IN ALL! I was about to have a stroke! I did get a few pictures but as you can see from the one I posted, it didn't turn out very well! It is so difficult to focus when they are flying. Anyway, we had a good, relaxing day.

See that "big ole pile" of smoked pork chops? We put them in the smokehouse all afternoon and they were ready in time for supper tonight. Alfred used to tell me he loved me a "big ole pile!" I guess that's a good thing, coming from Alfred Burt! :) Anyway, the chops were so tasty! We plan to smoke a bunch of pork chops and ribs over the holidays and I'll put them all in the freezer. Then we'll have lots of good, ready-to-eat meats for a while!

I didn't get my truck fixed this weekend. After I chewed up the FedEx guy and spit him out and then chewed him up again, we discovered the part I ordered doesn't fit! I really do have to get the entire drive shaft! Can you hear me crying now? It is SO frustrating when you can see this little bitty part you need but NO ONE has it! As Alfred says, "They should take the china-man that built this piece of junk and put him in front of a firing squad!" He's passionate about foreign vehicles! I wish I had a 1980 FORD pickup! Just give me an engine and a transmission (AND A RADIO & AC) and I'd be just fine! Oh, and I'd need a heater too! Oh well....the vehicle saga continues...I will be SO happy when it's fixed and we aren't running around like chickens with our heads cut off, trying to get everyone to different places at different times! UGH! This week I will be getting dropped off at work and picked up in the afternoons. It's highly likely that I will experience some WalMart withdrawal!!! Please pray for me! :) God bless you guys!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow......

Looking across the hill from the upstairs deck. It was so pretty this morning!

Looking down the driveway from upstairs!

** Little Man Winter**
An Alfred & Jamie Burt Original!

Alright! I've had enough snow for a while! I don't do the cold very well but if it MUST be cold, then it might as well snow! When my sister and I were very young, it snowed really hard one year in Mississippi! I remember mama bundling us up all warm and then she sat us at the window and her and daddy threw snowballs at us! I never quite figured that one out! She SWEARS that NEVER happened but it did and it scarred me for life! If any of you wonder why I am the way that I am.......well......NOW YOU KNOW! It's my mama's fault! I still get teary eyed at the sight of snow and for some reason, I just stand at the window and look out at it! Must be some deep seated, emotional trauma in my sub conscience! I AM exaggerating a little bit because my mama and daddy were/are the greatest! I suppose if she did that then she must have been afraid we would get sick. OR, maybe we were already sick and she didn't want us in the cold getting sicker. Who knows.......OH YEAH.....speaking of mama......lemme tell ya another one......I have had a mole on my mid back as long as I can remember and as a child playing in the woods, as I always did, I would get redbugs on me. One time one bedded up beside that mole and it began to get bigger and bigger! I didn't know what the heck soooo.....I asked mama what it was! She replied, You're just growing a third "BOOB" on your back!" DO WHAT!?!?! Little did she know, I believed EACH & EVERY word that came out of her mouth and walked away in a state of shock! Of course she was joking and thought I realized it, but I didn't! I worried and fretted and lost sleep over the thought of what was happening to me! How would I ever go out in public? How would I ever get a boyfriend? How would I ever find a bra that fit? Maybe I could join the circus! OH ME! Well....as you've probably already figured, it didn't happen. At some point and time mama dug the redbug out and I went back to eating and sleeping normally again. I'm not sure how I managed to get grown without having to be on medication! I LOVE picking on my mama! Stay tuned and I'll tell you some even better stories later on........Maybe I should write my memoirs...."The Life & Times of Sheila Burt" Hmmm......? Kinda catchy huh?

God bless.....

Snowing in East Texas!

EAST TEXAS SNOWBALL!

**Jamie eating a Snowball**

He didn't really eat it! It's Wednesday night and the snow, yes I said snow, is coming down pretty heavily. AND, it's actually sticking! This is so cool! Or should I say COLD? The last heavy snow I can remember was probably in 1985. We have pictures of the boys and Jamie looks to be around 1 year old. It was a good snow and everything was covered. Before that, we had heavy snow in 1979, the year Alfred and I married. I have pictures of that one too and we even had a pretty healthy snowman that year!

I have jury duty in the morning and I wonder if they will still have it. I haven't gotten a call saying it was cancelled so I guess I'll go and see. I hope Jer doesn't have to go to Conroe tonight because they say the bridges are starting to get icy and he has to cross several on his way. I went to WalMart and bought him some long johns, gloves, moisture proof socks and a sweater beanie cap. We aren't very prepared for this type of weather, especially staying out in it for any length of time. Feels like we ought to be outside making molasses in big cast iron kettles! I can remember my grandparents boiling down the sugar cane outside and it was SO COLD! I don't know who the people were but I can see them in my memory and I remember watching the steam from their breath when they would talk. It was colder than a well diggers hiney in Romania! Kinda like it is tonight! Anyhoo.....I must cut it short and get my goggles and snowboots ready for tomorrow! HA! Bundle up and stay warm out there. God bless....

It's FA-REEEZING out there!

Holy cow...it's FA-REEZING out there tonight! The weather man said we may have snow flurries in East Texas tomorrow! WOW! Now let's talk about that issue of global warming!

My windchimes are playing a tune on the front porch! Have you ever heard Corinthian Bells? They are the most beautiful sounding windchimes ever and Alfred bought me some last Christmas! I want another set in a different key. Oh yeah....they are tuned to certain keys so you can get them in high, medium or low tones. You should go online and listen to the demos of the different ones they sell. Just type Corinthian Bells into Google and look for the site that plays samples. The short ones are higher pitched and of course the longer they get, the deeper the resonance. You'll be hooked!

Jeremy just left for work and he has to be outside in this weather all night! Man, I can't even imagine! I gave him several shirts and a sweater cap thingy to try and keep his head warm. He's going to have a long night for sure! I'd freeze up like a Klondike Bar if I had to be out in this for more than five minutes! Why can't we just have Spring & Fall all year round! No cold winters or hot & humid summers! Just a good thunderstorm to break it up every now and again! That would be absolutely perfect!

Well I'm just rattling on about much of nothing.......I guess my brain is plum froze up! I rekon I'll put on my long johns and head up to bed for a long winter's nap! Wait....! I think I hear Santa......! :) Nite y'all and God bless.....

Sunday Night

This weekend has gone by entirely too fast! Yesterday Alfred and Jeff worked on my truck but it still isn't fixed. Jeff found that what I need is a universal joint and KIA doesn't sell them separately! You have to buy the entire drive shaft and it costs $700! Jeff just couldn't accept that so he took one off and headed to the parts house to see if they could match it up. They weren't successful but he DID manage to get a part number and after calling every parts house in two counties, I looked it up and found it online. Hopefully we will have the right parts by mid week and I can get my truck back! Thank you for everything Jeff Yeager!

Jeremy is back home and I really do enjoy him being here. He works nights and sleeps days so, with our schedules, there isn't much time to visit. He's a bit down on his luck right now and has never asked us for help. It is extremely hard for him to be in this situation but we are more than happy to try and help him get back on his feet. He's just too independent and too proud! I am believing good things for Jer so please mention him in your prayers.

One of my cousins from Mississippi wrote me many years ago and she said, and I quote, "CHRISTMAS IS JUST THE CORNER!" My sisters and I laughed about that for years and that's how we always say it now....."Christmas is JUST THE CORNER!" HA! But really......IT IS just around the corner! Has anyone started/finished their shopping? I haven't even started! Every year I have the best intentions and I am GOING TO start early but I never do! I find myself doing this last minute rushing around and making myself crazy because I've waited too late....AGAIN! UGH! Why do I do this? Here is is, 2 1/2 weeks away and I have to start shopping! I even have to mail gifts to my sisters and their families on the East coast. WOW! I amaze myself! I always manage to pull it off but I lose a lot of sleep doing it. I did a lot of online shopping last year and loved it! Everything was delivered to my door and with the exception of clothing items, I didn't have to do much shopping at all! I didn't go to the mall a single time! I am a strange bird according to most ladies I talk to. I despise the mall! If I never had to go to a mall for the rest of my life, I would be happy! I haven't been shopping at a mall in 3 years now! If there are any other women out there that share my sentiment, can I get an AMEN SISTA?!?! I'm a WalMart, HEB, LOWES and Tractor Supply girl myself!

I hope everyone has a blessed week! I heard a pastor saying that if we want good things then we should expect good things. Get up and say out loud that you are going to have a great day! Speak it over your life! The tongue is a powerful weapon that we can use for our good or for our own self destruction. Choose to use it for good brothers and sisters! God bless you all!

Catching up....

I haven't posted since Saturday so I've got some catching up to do. There hasn't been anything much to write about so I just haven't posted. Since Alfred's gone back to work, life is just plain dull around the Burt house. No wild and crazy adventures to report!

I was sick all night last night so I didn't go to work today. I have to feel pretty awful to be missing work! I usually go in even if I am sick but I had a rough night so I didn't think I would be able to make a whole day.

I guess our weekend will be dominated by repairing my truck! I have a carrier bearing that is going out and I didn't think I would make it home from work Wednesday night. I finally had to park it and I'll have to drive Alfred's truck until it's fixed. Jamie went to Kingwood today and picked up the part from the Kia dealer. That little bearing cost me $96! Of course I am so thankful that my truck is one that you can replace JUST the bearing. Some models have to have the entire drive shaft assembly and that little number costs over $600. Jeff Yeager is supposed to come Saturday and help Alfred put it on. Jeff is, hands down, the best mechanic around these parts but his back just won't allow him to do that type of work any longer. He's helping because that's the kind of person he is......always unselfishly lending a hand. Shooooot.....I may have to give him another haircut for free! For some reason he shys away when I talk about cutting his hair anymore......I don't know why.....I only made him bleed ONCE! Some people! Anyway, back to the car repair.... Have you ever seen the movie "A Christmas Story" about little Ralphie and all he wants for Christmas is "an official Red Ryder carbine-action 200-shot range model air rifle BB gun?" Remember when his dad goes downstairs and works on the furnace? All you hear is loud rantings from the basement. Ralphie said "his father dabbled in profanities like an artist dabbles in oils." Well.....that's a bit what it's like when Aflred works on a vehicle! He's a good man but something happens to him.......his head spins around and he starts speaking in tongues! YIKES! Time to go to WalMart!!!! I might be exaggerating a teeeeny bit! But seriously, he can handle just about anything and will take on most any job that needs doing, however, auto repair is definitely NOT his calling! Thank you Jeff Yeager!

Man! Aren't you glad I didn't have anything to write about? HA! God bless you guys!