The Ever Elusive Goatman

This past Halloween Chuck had an idea to create a pop-up Pumpkin Patch on our property. He send me on a mission to locate pumpkins, and some spooky decorations for the occasion. (FYI You can get really large pumpkins at Aldi for only $1.99 a piece.)

That weekend we made our way there with three good sized pumpkins, and an array of bats,

pumpkins and spiderwebs to create a spooky ambiance for the boys. We arrived a day early to set up the patch. 

At the time our son-in-law was running cattle on the property, and if you know anything about cows, they are extremely curious. While we decorated the area about twenty sets of eyes followed our every move. 

We tried to arrange our pumpkins in the least conspicuous way as possible hoping not to arouse their curiosity even more. After all, a pumpkin is edible, and who knows what a hungry cow might do?

Well to make a long story short, when we arrived the next day we saw that one of the pumpkins had been rolled down the hill a bit, and one other had been pushed aside. All in all, the patch was still in good shape,  but we did get a good laugh imagining the cows having a pumpkin rolling contest!

When our grandsons arrived they were thrilled to see our little Pumpkin Patch, and ran from tree to tree checking out all the different Halloween decorations hanging from the trees.  

It was then that Chuck decided to up the ante with the introduction of the Goatman who mysteriously lived somewhere in the trees found on our land. As he chunked rocks into the bushes he would ask the boys, “Did you hear that?” Remarkably the boys were not the least bit afraid, only enthralled by the idea that a Goatman actually lived on their grandparents’ property. 

Looking for this elusive Goatman has became an actual thing each time we return to the property now.  On a whim I decided that maybe the Goatman needed a name so I told the boys his name was Cabrito , vaguely remembering that Cabrito had something to do with goats in Spanish. 

Chuck decided that the throwing of rocks could be improved upon by using an empty coconut to simulate the sound of hoofs in the distance. My next mission was to pick up a coconut from the grocery store. I wasn’t sure how seasonal coconuts were, but I was successful at finding one at my local Walmart. 

The next time we returned about a week or so later after naming the Goatman, I heard the two year old in the back seat mention something about Brito. Oh my, he’d remembered the name! 

So although, we’ve never actually seen or met Cabrito it appears he is a beloved member of our family now. Leave it to Chuck to make all things fun!

What’s That Tune?

It’s that time of the year again. You know the pre-Thanksgiving Christmas music listening time!

Today as I headed off to do my grocery shopping I dug through my console to find an old Christmas CD that I keep there just for emergencies. Actually, it is my favorite Christmas CD, and before I bought it as a CD I owned it as a cassette tape. 

Yes, I think I’ve been listening to this Christmas album since the early 90’s. I’ve memorized every word, and although I have collected many more Christmas CDs over the years, I always return to this one. 

What I have noticed over the years though, and what has become a game to me each holiday season, is predicting what song will play next on the CD.

Now if my life depended upon it there is no way I could ever tell you the order of the songs on the CD. Yet remarkably I have some sort of music memory muscle that automatically knows what song is next when I’m listening to it. 

This happens every year, and I get the biggest kick out of predicting the next song. Now this favorite Christmas CD of mine is Amy Grant’s Home for the Holidays, and I highly recommend adding it to your collection. 

Of course, today we stream our music, but it’s a great one to request from Alexa. 

While I was at the store I also picked up a cute red Christmas barn for the mantle and a Seasons Greetings pillow for the living room. 

They both have been tucked away until after Thanksgiving because although I will cheat and listen to Christmas music ahead of time I always wait until after Thanksgiving to decorate. 

Wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!

November

 

Well we are almost to the end of another month, and I thought I’d check in again. 

November has been a month of visiting my grandsons weekly to help out Brittany, and to do a little schooling with the boys. The almost five year old is beginning to learn to read. 

It’s been fun having a hand in helping him do so. Tuesday afternoons are spent with him while his younger brother naps. Then on Wednesday both boys join me in our little closet classroom to do “school work.”

We've seen quite a bit of progress on our property this month. We have water, a beautiful new gate, a driveway, the forms for our foundation, and a concrete pad for our barn. By the end of the month we should have the concrete poured for the foundation, and the pipes ran up the hill for the water. 

We are still waiting on the electricity, and are hoping to see progress there soon, as it has been over three months since we applied for a transmission permit. 

We have met our neighbors who remarkably are related to one of my Yee Haw high school friends. What are the chances?

We are looking forward to celebrating Thanksgiving with Brittany, Will and the boys at our house this year. The food has been bought, and chocolate turkey surprises for the boys have been nestled in the ceramic turkey centerpiece on our dining room table. 

We are blessed to have our health, and each other along with our constant canine companion Cooper. We’ve taken several walks along the lake at our old apartments as we have contemplated our future. The water stirs my soul during these trying times of the pandemic. 

After our pop-up pumpkin patch in October we have convinced the boys that the goat man is real, and the two year old amazed us by remembering his name, Cabrito. Or Brito as he likes to say. 

Each time we are out on the property I can’t tell you how happy it makes me. As I anticipate our future closer to our daughter and her family I feel truly grateful for the opportunity to do so. 

God is good!