APPROACHING THE EVE OF CHRISTMAS UPDATE (published 12-22-2019; updated 10-3-2022)

10/3/2022, Monday, note: today, I happened to check my website analytics. This 12/22/2019 article had a few views, in the last 24 hours. I wondered what I had written. This article still gets views, at times. Viewership spiked in August and September of 2020, for some reason. Until today, in 2022, this article had been viewed three times in February and three times in July. So, today, I updated my 12/22/2019 article for style, and I added the sections. I didn't change one word.

Introduction

 

Today, at sundown, is the beginning of Hanukkah, the Hebrew Festival of Lights. The Maccabean Revolt and the rededication of the second temple is a historical fact to research and read.

Life, Such as It Was, in Historical Heritage

12/14/19, Saturday: I took Molly "doggy," at 9:30 AM, for her annual physical exam, immunizations, and acquisition of more once-a-month pills (flea/tick and heartworm prevention). She is doing very well -- except for a minor yeast infection in both ears that we’d been trying to cure for a while. Her veterinarian doctor will cure it!

In the early afternoon, in on and off again rain, Mrs. Appalachian Irishman joined me, bravely, to “hunt” our first Christmas tree, since after her mother went Home, on 4/30/2017. We decorated it later, but here is the photo before decorations. This is one of the best Christmas trees that I’ve ever “hunted!” I always ask the tree if it wants to be our Christmas tree. The trees, over the years, always indicate “yes.” I then cut the trees, to take them home, as Christmas trees.

 

As a boy, I enjoyed “hunting” a Christmas tree in the fields and woods around our home, just off dead man’s curve, as it was called, on old Highway 11W. Later, in my teenage and young adult years, I always “hunted” Christmas trees to decorate our new homeplace. I often drove Dad’s old truck to the ancestral Ferrell homeplace, where part of the foundation to the home was still visible, to find a tree. The last tree, for many years, that I “hunted,” with Dad joining me, was for our Knoxville apartment, on Monday, 12/13/1999. (We had returned from Russia, on 9/30/1999.) Mom and Dad drove down to visit us that day. That was a fine memory! Of course, that was before Mom’s eventual journey Home, on 12/27/2000, which started on 12/28/1999. Mom was completely well on 12/13/1999.

Sunday, 12/15/19: I decided that the best thing that I could do for my “bionic” joints was to stay indoors, rest, and recover from the prior week, before another 12/16-20/19 work-a-day work-a-day world that I endured, once again.

Saturday, 12/21/19: I had my seventh, every-four-week, deep tissue massage, at 11 AM. Of course, I hauled trash before, and I got 100% gas for my new, ol’ truck afterward. That was enough for the “bionic” joints!

Well, at least Mrs. Appalachian Irishman is on her two-week Christmas (not “winter”) vacation from her teacher/vice-principal school job. I’m “burning” a few days (as I call it), on 12/23/2019, 1/2/2020, and 1/3/2020. Us long-suffering State employees get Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day off.

Conclusion

As we approach sundown, the following is a historical memory photo, from my “fun” days in 2016.

 

The black item is the brace that I wore on my right leg, to keep my knee immobilized. The boot is what I wore on my right foot, to also keep it immobilized. Those were “fun” days! I happened to be placing a drying rack under the bed, when I noticed these items. I thought, “why not have a little fun with a photo!”

Well, Merry Christmas, y’all, for the RIGHT and TRUE meaning of the reason for the season! The Word became flesh, dwelled among us, died as our atoning sacrifice, and rose again, to return one day (soon, I hope). The divine Scheme of Redemption was accomplished -- only to await the full accomplishment by the return of Christ and the conclusion of this temporal realm.

TRISKAIDEKAPHOBIA: 12/7/2016, Homeplace Visit & Rolling Walker Gone! 12/7-8/2019, Two Hikes in Two Days! (published 12/13/2019; updated 10/3/2022)

10/3/2022, Monday: I updated the title, added the section titles, and added a few sentences, to explain the photographs. I didn't change any original words or sentences.

Introduction

Well, happy fear of the number 13, especially if it falls on a Friday, y’all!

Today, on the dreaded Friday, December 13, 2019, I took a day off from the bureaucratic, psychobabble, work-a-day world! I “enjoyed” the need to see my chiropractor at 10 AM. Then, at 11:30 AM, I “enjoyed” lunch at a local eatery with my work colleagues, who thought that the round trip, from work in a next-door county and back, was a great idea. (I, of course, did not, so I took a day off! I ate with them anyway.) Afterward, I got my every-four-week haircut, from my fine barber of many years.

Finally, in the still pouring rain, my ol' truck and I got in “the barn” for the rest of the day. So, here I “sot” writing to my “millions” of readers, once again!

12/7/2016: Homeplace Visit & Rolling Walker Gone!

Wednesday, December 7, 2016, 75th Anniversary, Pearl Harbor Day

Wednesday, 12/7/2016, was my first drive, in my new, ol' truck to the homeplace, since my acquisition of three “bionic” joints! I wrote about it, in my article of 12/8/2016, which includes the same photograph, as below. My new, ol' truck still had the dealer tag.

Also, on 12/7/2016, I gave back the rolling walker that a good neighbor, Stan, had loaned to me. I did NOT need it ANYMORE!

My 12/8/2016 article was despondent and pensive in nature. This article is not!

Saturday, 12/7/2019, House Mountain Hike #162!

Three years passed. I published 37 articles, between 12/8/2016 and this article today.

Saturday, 12/7/2019, was my House Mountain hike #162! (Hike #26 since “bionic” body parts.) Enjoy the photographs!

The above photograph is at the west bluff, looking southeast. I'd hiked up the ridge. I took off my shirt, so my sweat-soaked T-shirt, still on me, could dry.

 

The photograph, above, is is near the west bluff, heading back down. The view is southeast. A man has to stop to take a leak somewhere!

The above photograph is on the west trail, below the ridge line. I'm looking east and heading down.

My new, ol' truck still looks the same! He likes to have his photograph taken after these hikes!

Sunday, 12/8/2019, House Mountain Hike #163!

On the next day, Sunday afternoon, 12/8/2019, I hiked House Mountain again, for hike #163! Yes, two hikes in one weekend! The temperature was too warm both days, but both days were sunny. I had to get into the woods, since I still have power in my body! My spirit will always have the will. One of these days, I won’t have the power in my body, but not on that weekend! Enjoy the photographs!

The above photograph is on the west bluff, looking southwest. Again, I had to remove my outer shirt, to let my T-shirt dry, while still on me.

The above photograph does not do justice to the steep rocks that I must climb up and navigate down, on the trail below the ridge line. I’m going down here, looking east. Going up is easier, about the same as before “bionic” body parts. Going down is as a “lame mountain goat,” not the “mountain goat” that I was before “bionic” body parts.

The above photograph is a few steps farther down, looking eastward. It is more realistic of the challenge. Do you want to try to go down at this “gravity defying” spot? I do, every chance that I get!

My new, ol' truck told me to photograph the information board, instead of him, so I did. The left side, middle photograph, with the snow, is one that I’d taken years ago. I had been on the middle bluff, on the north side of the mountain. The photograph looks west.

A park official – years ago, when they were improving the parking area – had asked me to submit a few photographs. She picked the one that you see on the information board. My name is on the photograph. I touch it after every hike.

Of course, recently, some idiot(s) shot holes in the board and shot yellow paint balls on it. I’ll hunt them down myself and “educate” them if I can! I am sending this photograph to the State of Tennessee folks, to see if they can stop the idiot(s)! Leave my photograph and the information board alone! You got paint, on the protective plexiglass, over my photograph, but you didn’t put a hole in my photograph! Yes, my “Irish” is up on this one!

Conclusion

Good evening, y’all! I hope that your Friday the 13th was not too bad! Mrs. Appalachian Irishman and I survived.

This Friday the 13th (12/13/2019) was wet and rainy. My “bionics” endured the day. Writing this article, with memories of two hikes in two days, helped.

FIRST DAY OF WINTER WANDERINGS (published 12-1-2019)

Introduction

Well, howdy, y’all! The reason for the title will be evident later. Keep reading!

I missed a point, in my last post, regarding 11/21/2019, the anniversary of Papaw Ferrell’s passing. On 11/21/2016, Monday, I arranged the purchase of my new, ol' truck. On 11/25/2016, Friday – the day after Thanksgiving and Mom’s birthday (same day of week in 1932) – Mrs. Appalachian Irishman and I got my new, ol' truck. I liked the timing of it.

Wanderings (“Life, Such As It Was”)

Thanksgiving, Thursday, 11/28/2019: My youngest brother, his wife, and their two daughters came here for Thanksgiving dinner. They arrived a couple of hours before we ate, at noon. (Noon, by the way, is the scriptural time to eat Thanksgiving dinner. Grace extends to 1 PM, but not later!) We had a fine time together! They left a little after 3 PM. Then, Mrs. Appalachian Irishman and I drove, separately, again, as usual, to her paternal aunt’s home, for the Beckner/Gordon/in-laws Thanksgiving supper. (Ok, so if it’s Thanksgiving supper, the scriptural start time is 5 PM to 6 PM.) We ate, again, at the 5 PM scriptural time. I left a bit earlier, to get home, feed Molly doggy her supper, and to get Molly inside for the evening. We had a good time. I helped “cat-dog” be a dog out in the yard a while! For hiking, Thanksgiving was the best day to have done so. My “bionic” body, however, did not feel its oats.

Friday, 11/29/2019: on the cloudy day, I drove to the homeplace, for the first visit since summer. I did what I needed to do. After about two hours, I drove home by means of Main Street. Now, that was a great day! My youngest brother burned leaves, in his yard, so we missed each other. About 7 PM, Mrs. Appalachian Irishman and Molly doggy were both hard asleep on the couch. Mrs. Appalachian Irishman was worn out from her holiday cooking, etc. Molly was just worn out. So, what did I do? Enjoy the photo!

 Saturday, 11/30/2019: Granny Ferrell was born this day, in 1982. Well, the overnight rain had ended by morning. The next rain hit at 2:30 PM. It lasted the rest of the day and into the night. Before the rain hit, I did the usual haul trash and get gas routine. At the dumpster, I was behind a Vietnam veteran and his granddaughter. I got out, walked to him, looked him in the eye, shook his hand, saying “thank you!” The veteran expressed his thankfulness. We “man hugged.” I had a tear well up, as I walked back to my truck. Afterward, I joined Mrs. Appalachian Irishman for a visit with her folks, five cats, and one “cat-dog.” (Don’t ask! It’s usually three cats and “cat-dog.”) Being who I am, I had to place a Band-aid on “favorite” sister-in-law’s car. (It had received its injury on 11/18/2019.) Here’s the photo!

After I arrived home, being hungry, I opened and ate a can of Vienna Sausages! I had three cans. Now, I’m down to two cans. Give me a couple of years, and I’ll have the other two cans eaten!

Sunday, December 1: the rain has ended. The sun is out. The wind is blowing. The weather pattern knows that today is the first day of winter! I know it. Do you? Winter does NOT begin on 12/21/2019! That the solstice, not the start of winter!

Well, my next to youngest brother was supposed to have been here 37 minutes ago, at this mark of time, while typing. I guess that I’ll stop now, to call him, to see why he’s not here yet. He’s probably on “Ferrell time;” you see.

Conclusion

Tomorrow resumes the five-day, hit-a-lick, workweek. Perhaps, I’ll get House Mountain #162 on December 7^th, Pearl Harbor day. 12/7/2016 was the first time, post insertion of “bionic body parts,” that I'd driven to see the homeplace, in my new, ol' truck. I must endure a work-a-day week first, before I can get to #162.

I’m 10-10 on the side!