Got up this morning to a 50 degree house and ice on my windows, on the inside! My steam boiler furnace is getting a work out. Have the thermostat on 90 but she can’t get out of the fifties. She’s working hard to heat this big old house. I’m not cold and the irony of 50 degrees is that it would be a porch sitting day if the dadgummit wind would calm down. She’ll make it up to the 60s as the day goes on. She’s gonna cost me a fortune on my gas bill but I’m grateful to have her!

Lots of birds out today! Can’t help but wonder if they’re cold and trying to fill their stomachs to keep warm. I enjoy an occasional burst of winter but it would be hard to have these temps for the winter months. The bird baths are completely frozen.

All my pansies are lying around the edges of their pots. I know they love cold but 10 degrees might have done them in. I hope not. Last year’s pansies were beautiful till April.

Stew and I sat down in the kitchen to have our Christmas Eve shrimp supper last night, looked out the windows to the deck, and a raccoon had climbed up a deck post making his way to the bird feeder. Scooted off when he saw us. Maybe that’s the last time Qwerty will visit. Named him after the keyboard. I think Qwerty is a neat word.

Oldest brother and his friend ate Christmas Day breakfast with me and Stew this morning. She brought big delicious biscuits and apple fritters. I cooked hot and mild sausage, country ham, bacon, grits and scrambled eggs, and melted some cheese. We love melted cheese on our biscuits. And had Handyman Mrs.’s homemade jelly, too.

Forgot to fry the apples! I love to cut up apples, soak them in a bowl of milk with a beaten egg. Then flour the apples and fry them. While the apples are hot sprinkle sugar and cinnamon on them. So good!

Chief loved our big breakfasts here when we visited on the weekends, specially when Thomas and his family were here with us. He always would ask Alexander to bring him another cup of coffee. After Chief died Alexander teared up and said, “Grandaddy won’t be asking me to bring him coffee anymore at our big breakfasts.” Such a sweet, tender hearted boy.

Santa brought me an Echo Dot. Penelope was scared of it at first and would bark when Alexa would talk. I love it and have tortured Alexa with questions all day long. Every time I woke up, last night I asked her the temperature outside and then asked her to play Christmas music for 30 minutes. I even asked her where Shady Oaks is located. I’m technology challenged and I’m amazed by this little “thing.” She can even tell me the temperature in my house!

Goodnight, Alexa. Play Christmas music for 30 minutes, please.

Hope all my friends are well and happy!