december 25th

happy birthday jesus! lit a candle in the window for all those i love that reside in heaven now…for all those in my heart…so many in my heart…i am so blessed…slept in bits and pieces! you can’t sleep on christmas! haha got a call…clothes on…bag of presents loaded in the frozen car…let it thaw a moment, santana on christmas morning…over the hills and thru the woods…the mountains towards dandridge are such a beautiful blue this morning, about 3 shades…the evergreens are majestic against the bluffs…such a fantastic, crisp morning…thank you Creator! enjoyed the ride and when i pulled up and parked, i could see the flash from robin’s camera going off inside the house through the glass on the front door! BIG SMILE…yeah yeah yeah…Merry Christmas! we had a grand old time! made out like bandits, jason got busy making a breakfast feast…coffee sure did taste good…g-bob and barbara down too and feasted with us…these sweet grandbabies are so excited and i’m such a happy woman! my heart is full of love! i got such AMAZING pictures of these grandbabies! MUSIC, mist, fudge, opened wonderful presents from ray and family in missoui! yippee, my favorite scent and from marty tate in florida! WOW a beautiful dreamcatcher necklace! i could ask for no more…gifts from around the world…gifts made with love. i am in awe, i am so thankful, i am humbled…thank you one and all…your LOVE is the BEST, ever! and you mean the world to me, 365 days a year! LYM big smile

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Christmas eve

up early, early, early…first light…thank you Creator for another day…what a fun day! got to be stealthy once again! yippee…this is fun…then home for a nap! haha up and car loaded with pie, 2 gallon bags of cookies…presents for gbob and grandma barbara and bell bracelets for all them sweet grandbabies and belle too!…stopped by robin’s house, quinn was bundled and ready so he rode up the hill with me…mmmmm smells good in here…food a bubblin’, the house looks beautiful…many tables added, this little family sure is growing! robin is all over shooting pictures…up, down and all around! haha…feasting and love…laughter and presents…we are truly blessed…i am so thankful to be here with my family…much love to MO and FL…too! smile

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i’m with you stevie ray…

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natives

good morning! baked all morning! presents wrapped and gonna go be stealthy…i love folks here in TN…i first met them at the powwow in morristown in april of this year…the east tennessee overhill cherokee descendants…they knew me before i knew them…several of them look into my eyes and see my soul…i like that…so over the hills and thru the woods to the boonies! i love the boonies, out in the country of sevier county, with the stream running beside you…that creek has turned into a river a couple of times this year…was so odd to see pictures of their yard all under water…but the beauty would keep you there, creek or river…i understand the respect for running water…i love the hills and curves and 1 lane road…it’s a nice ride from my house to theirs…by the cherokee dam, i have arrived, turned down the jams, pulled up between 2 rides, talked softly to the 2 kitties…sat the bag of santa’s goodies on the 2nd step, backed out, CRANKED the jams, smiled and headed back down the road…merry christmas my dear friends! thanks so much for taking me and phoenix to raise, i love the learning, i love the spirit, i love the goodness…ya’ll are a true blessing to me and mine…this story is for YOU with much love and respect…LATER! smile

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my baby girl

well, she is! the youngest of 3 girls…today is her birthday and she was born december 21, 1982…yep…29 she be! i’m so PROUD of this girl…she is very much like her brother marty! or shall i say, my son marty, is very much like his big sister…what i mean by that is, she improves herself each and everyday. she sets goals for herself and works hard to make SURE they DO come true…she’s a “go getter”…our children did learn a thing or two growing up with home based businesses…she’s achieving her goal in her education, she’s pursuing her dream in photography…she has a wonderful daughter phoenix joe mailyn and sweet son, the mighty quinn…you feel the love in her home the minute you step into her door. her and jason make it a home, not a house….she’s always full of ideas and ways to improve everything and everyone around her…such positive energy! i love it, i cherish it! so happy birthday sweet child and know how much i love you madly! and yes, i’m gonna be huggin’ on you too! BIG SMILE

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snellus

snellus lived in dunedin FL at 410 new york ave…’chelle and her family lived next door…snellus is i and i am snellus…back in, let me go look, may 2009, i was honored to be chosen ELK of the month at Dunedin-Clearwater ELKS #1525…when the newsletter came out, it was printed as cathy snellus…my last name backwards…haha i remember telling lynn that my email was my name backwards…sullenscathy@yahoo, so i reckon that stuck…haha it was funny and i got teased quite well for it…and my bossman, michael, that i love dearly, calls me snellus to this day…snellus enjoyed living in dunedin, danced and prayed on her patio each and every day…had a fire quite often in the firepit and listened to music until the sun came up, many a morning with family and friends…many a feast was cooked and consumed there, lots of folks from team 262! …and yes, i fed the neighbors to be able to enjoy the LOUD music day and night! i do believe i lived more out on that patio than i did in the house, my back door was always open! a six foot fence and 70+ plants, in pots, hanging on the fence, the patio was all concrete, except a bottom flower garden i made down by the fence…a glider, a few chairs here and there…it was my heaven…snellus worked hard and played hard…and danced in the moonlight…and found boo there… dawn always said she was gonna get a big, red flashing light so i would know when the phone was ringing! with the jams CRANKIN’ i never heard a thing!  haha some things never change! SMILE…so that’s the story of snellus, becky…a pisces dream! coming and going! hahaha big SMILE

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fly low

i did not wanna get up this morning…started the drumming cd…made coffee and breakfast…i’m sorry peachy, i gotta wake you up if you wanna get thru atlanta before afternoon traffic…she’s up, got the rest of her stuff packed and loaded in the truck…i took my toy and we went down to the shell station for her to fill up and to share the end of the “peachy oh my gods” with ronnie…laughter and goodbye hugs and i followed behind and watched her pull onto I-40…off to the store for more baking supplies…fly low peachy, Creator be with her…got a few texts and then rode the last 5 miles home with her by telephone…she’s safe and sound at mt vernon hill…come back again SOON, my sweet SISTA…i do sooooooo love you madly! big SMILE

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mars hill

up as usual…i was wrapping Momma’s presents and peachy made us her famous english muffin breakfast…it was delish! had made a pie last night when we got home…i had sat in the livingroom chair nodding out while it baked…peachy was done stretched out on her bed…then i woke up in the middle of the night and came and put it in the freezer…it had finally cooled down…so today, we took that french coconut pie, peachy wrapped jesse’s big pink comforter for GG and i had my bag of presents, her dreamcatcher too! off we go to mars hill NC…got to stop and show peachy my favorite spots to take pictures, the biker bar north of newport and the lookout just south of hot springs NC…we got some good pictures and on down the road to see Momma…today was not the best of days, but she looked up and said “terisa garrison” so she knew us right off…got to sit and help feed her supper…she’s drinking more milk than she’s eating food today…and when we sliced her a piece of pie, she only ate a few bites…but the rest is in the fridge for her to have some every day…i helped her open her gifts, she loved the pink gown…dreamcatcher, the perfumes, the lotion. we hung up her dreamcatcher next to the head of her bed, taped her christmas cards on the wall beside it…got her bed changed out to the new pillow shams and comforter…the bright pink colors sure brightened up the room…it was a good visit…she got hugs from all my children, from sweet deb and from boo, too. i didn’t take many pictures…it was dark out when we headed home…peachy was hanging on now! she didn’t remember all those curves on the way up…big SMILE…saw a fox on the way home…made me smile…what a blessing to get to visit with my momma once again…i treasure each and every trip…thank you Creator, for another day full of love…

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where the greens are

up until the wee hours of the morning! we got the packages all bundled up, the cards are DONE! peachy carried all the boxes in and stacked ’em up on the couch…she’s snoozin’ and i’m being stealthy and going out the door to the post office…they are only open from 8-11 and i made it there at 10:00am…i was hoping the cold air was not gonna wake her up…(she said she never felt or heard a thing!) took 3 trips to get everything out the door! hahaha so yippee, yahoo…everything that needed to be mailed.. got off today! finally! hahahaha wrapped on more presents and played around and then over to ronnie and eric’s house…he’s cooking on the grill, sweet potatoes and the biggest pan of greens EVER! biscuits in the oven…we be jammin’, visitin’, playin’, feastin’….everything was soooooo good! got to tell boyd happy birthday! and had some of their wonderful orange cake…then we watched the movie “festival train”…it was filmed in 1970…a train ride with concerts at every stop across canada…grateful dead, janis joplin, the band and many more…it was AWESOME! i loved it…then we had to laugh and enjoy the “mummies” hahaha we be jammin’…thanks ya’ll for the hospitality and the good times…SMILE

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just call me lightnin’

hahaha i am soooooo slow…i have been working on christmas cards forever, it seems…i do believe i will get finished up with them tonight…i had meant for everything to go out in the mail today, but i can tell you, that ain’t happenin’…hahaha wonderful lazy day…peachy took me out for supper tonight…i asked her where she wanted to go and of course, she said gondoliers…we’ve been trying to make an appointment to visit children and grandbabies…so after a wonderful stromboli for me and calzone for her and huge salads…we take our leftovers and away we go to west dumplin valley road! hey YA’LL…we are here! alex and phoenix were at the christmas party at kung fu, but jason, robin, jesse and quinn, peachy and i had a wonderful visit…that quinn is so funny and he talks up a storm! he was having such fun riding in his “boat” a cardboard box…got many pictures, of course…then later, the girls went after the kung fu children and yippee! miss phoenix is here! hugs and kisses! alexander! hugs and kisses! so we got to visit with everyone until we could go no more! what a wonderful evening! i do so love these sweet children! their jobs, school…keeps ’em all running in different directions and different hours and different days! they are busy devils…and i’m very PROUD of them all…love ya’ll madly! smile

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look out cosby

another late night, another noon adventure! haha good morning world, in the afternoon! hahaha off we go towards cosby…i got to ride shotgun and shoot pictures…stopped at several of the lookouts on the smoky mountain parkway…the view is lovely! then on down to the bookstore…looking for something for that robin for her birthday…found several treasures i just couldn’t live without…had a GREAT visit and went outside and gina and peachy smoked while we all sat and gabbed and laughed and read thru books out front…peachy was just amazed…to quote her…”here i’m in bumf’ked egypt and i have full signal on my phone”…hahaha they all had to share silly things off their phones, music, laughter…we were out front quite a while…i do sooooo love the view in cosby…then over the hills and thru the woods to gina’s house we go! her river is beautiful…stood where she shot many a picture here lately as the river was rising…it was fantastic to meet her family, supper was delish and we all visited for many hours…learned so much…whew…takes me days to decipher…never quite sure i understand…but it was truly wonderful to be here…lots of love…lots of laughter…good food…my kinda folks! what a blessing to have so many wonderful natives in my life…smile

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4 am

the first of many nights of playin’ until 4am…then wake up around 10:30 to do it all over again! good morning! SMILE…breakfast…off to wally world…got peachy another blow up mattress, got MY EARS PIERCED! haha (ouch, ouch) it has been many years since i wore earrings…time for a change…peachy gifted me a pair of beautiful earrings she’s had for 15 years or so…made by a Cherokee…we looked all over for a pink gown for Momma, did get her oil of olay lotion and some little perfumes…back to the house to start peeling spuds, browning the roast, cut up the celery, onions, carrots…supper is a cookin’…cut up apples after i remembered i had made a pie crust in the wee hours of the morning! hahaha we had baked cookies too around 2:00 am for the drummers tonight at the rose center…sittin’ at the table gabbin’ and looked up…oh my! ronnie and eric are walking across the yard…oops, time got away from me…it usually does! haha peachy meet friends…they got to visiting, i got to making cornbread, pie is done…supper is served…more visiting and then we all piled into the toy and off to the rose center…took 7 bags of cookies and lordy, i’ve never seen so many drummers! so instead of individual, the bags were opened up and everyone enjoyed cookies! tamara looked beautiful with her hair clip, thanks Nizhoni Jo…it was a FANTASTIC night…they got 2 drums a goin’…we all danced…the feelings were GREAT…it was a wonderful night…thank you, Creator for these many blessings…i am a happy woman…big SMILE…found Momma a beautiful soft pink gown “christmas rose” pattern at goody’s…now she can be pretty in pink…

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answer the door

yippee yahoo! i was here in the office typing that peachy was 2 counties over…jammin’ and workin’ and the song ends and i hear “don’t anybody ever answer the door around here”? i reckon she had been out front ringing the door bell while the song had played! haha (if the house is rockin’, don’t bother knockin’) YEAH YEAH YEAH peachy is here! oh i am so very glad to see that woman…she is in TN! hahaha we settled down and got to gabbin’ and visitin’ and jammin and i got to cookin’…welcome to the sullens b & b….your room has been reserved for as long as you like…months would suit me just fine! we proceeded to have a good visit…so much to talk about, good and bad…high and low…and everything in between…this is my SISTA that Creator gave to me…and i am truly blessed…big SMILE…welcome home, peachy! love you madly, i do!!!

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peachy’s coming! peachy’s coming!

i am thrilled! my dear SISTA is coming from GA to visit and hang out and play with my family and meet my native family…yippee yahoo! i have known and loved this sweet woman for more years than i can remember! we’ve been separated over the years by me living in missouri, we’d visit when we came to see momma in GA…and i got to enjoy her company many times when i lived in dunedin, FL and she came down to her winter home…i just love this girl and she has been thru some shit this year…i hope i can help ease her mind, heal her heart and get many, many, many hugs in person! we will gab and jam and ramble and play and dance and feast and then, do it all over again! thank you Creator for giving me the sister i always wanted! SMILE

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the moon

peachy just called me…can you see the moon? not looking out my back window..shorts, tshirt, socks and now jacket and out the front door i go! OH WOW…it’s glowing! how beautiful…thanks for telling me or i would have missed this glorious sight from Creator…got to gab with that sweet woman for awhile, she’s brave and going to wally world…haha i’m back in the kitchen, heating up some supper…been a busy day with lots of winged friends…watching the directions they travel, seeing some eye to eye…just thrills my heart to begin to understand just a little…i’ve been busy writing stories, still working on cards, jammin’ with friends…my it’s cold outside! burrs! hope you stay warm, hope you stay fed, hope your health keeps improving and know that i love you, madly of course!! big SMILE

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destroyed but still kickin’

what can i say? a smell, a song, a story…how quickly they can bring the past back, just like it was yesterday…i found a story i had written a few years back, explaining a few things in my life…oh my, that was a mistake…the first 10 years of my life came flooding back and i was overwhelmed and it was NOT a good thing…but family and friends kept me sane and typed me thru it and here i am alive and kicking! the next day, a friend had posted this on her wall and it was my lesson of the day before…i DID survive, i AM nuts, but not insane…it made me who i am today and taught me things to teach my children…it was a hard row to hoe, but in the end…i still love gardening…it brings me peace now, not pain…thanks ya’ll, i do so love you madly!!!

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pj’s all day long

sometimes it just hits me that way…cleaning house, working on things for christmas, a foggy, soggy day here in east tennessee…computing, here it is afternoon and i still have on my pj’s….i ain’t gonna put clothes on for anybody! (knock on wood) the sun never did shine, the raindrops were beautiful to watch, i was nice and snug and warm here inside…don’t think i even opened my door and stuck my head outside all day long! hahaha got lots of stuff done, jammed all day…what a blessing! SMILE

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charlie brown and lucy

ok, ok, so that’s really not their names…it’s greg and becky and they are crazy friends of mine…he’s been busy all day with a big crock pot of vegetable soup a cooking! the weather is warming up today! got my sandals back on for the trip to their house! and you are right, folks try to run over you when you are turning left onto white school road! haha i FOUND you! greg was out sitting in the swing to direct my driving right up to the front door! how wonderful to be here! these folks have become very near and dear to my heart these last few months…when i visit with becky, it’s like seeing myself 20 years ago…smile…ok, maybe 15 hahaha tunes a cranking, i brought corn bread muffins to go with the soup…we feasted and played and feasted and gabbed and just had a good old time…it still AMAZES me how much their son, dylan looks like my son, marty…they could be brothers…WOW…started raining by the time i left to head back home, why of course, i had on my sandals! it HAD to rain! hahaha can’t believe i only missed 1 road on my way out and knew the name as soon as i crossed the intersection…did a u-turn at a church, could see well cause of the blue lights flashing in the church yard…hahaha yep, someone had gotten stopped…off i go down the road…i mean it is pouring rain, had the wipers on high all the way back, had blues traveler crankin’ in the toy…what a wonderful visit, what a wonderful day! thanks for the KEYS to add to my dancin’ stick! ya’ll are the BEST! big SMILE

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road trip

ok, ok, car is full of gasoline, my bag is packed, peachy, am i coming to get you?? waited as long as i could and finally called…i know this sweet woman has been up day and night…wanted her to get some sleep but i’m all antsy to get on down the road…change of plan…won’t be running to GA today…well…got lucy in knoxville just chomping at the bit to go somewhere, i’m the same way…throw in charlie brown and away we go! i got to be peppermint pattie today and we took off over the mountains and thru the woods to cherokee, nc we go…i got to see kim’s beautiful maggie valley! oh yes! no wonder you like it so well…and is that the restaurant where popcorn ate every day? i do believe it is! hahaha how wonderful, greg took me up the mountainside to his aunt’s place…got to see his old stomping grounds.. was looking for jonathon and tony and didn’t find either one! got some grandbaby gifts in one of the tourist shops, had a little supper and guess what? the cherokkee christmas parade starts at 530…we couldn’t have planned it any better! got bundled up a little as it’s getting cold when the sun dropped down behind these gorgeous  mountains…i smell sage! i hear drumbeats…yep…we got to shoot pictures and eat candy that was tossed…had GREAT fun! these two nuts are such fun on a road trip! i drove the way up, thanks charlie brown for driving on the way back and of course, you know lucy kept us entertained! first time i’ve been to cherokee since i was 6 years old…i WILL be back! SMILE

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sing it now….”on the first day of december

my friend kent came to see me”…are ya still singing? hahahaha what can i say? christmas carols are in my head while i work on cards…yep, have not see the professor for quite a while…he brought the whole display of ribbons and pottery disks with images stamped and glazed on them. he also came with a beautiful loaf of bread, still warm from cooking! we proceeded to “get the butter out woman!” haha and try a piece……..mmmmmmm truly delish! off we go to cosby tn to the carvers apple orchard…got 1/2 bushel of carousel and 1/2 bushel of pink ladies…thanks so much, kent! some of the best tasting apples i have EVER had in my life and we use to grow a few apple trees back in missouri…mighty fine stuff…also stopped in their candy store this time, i got a few pieces of chocolate covered almonds, peanuts…we tried those out on the way to the book store ronnie was telling me about, turn at the fireworks store beside where they had the powwow in cosby…now where is it? don’t know the name, just a mile or so down the road! this has to be it! OUR PLACE! we found it! oh my my my! i could stay here forever! found the music section, the owner told me where the native section was…books all the way to the ceiling! hey kent! so glad he’s a tall, tall man! i need that one way up there, please! and a gazillion books for children! haha santa is gonna be good to so many this year, the kind lady even threw in one for me too, from santa! WOW…thanks! i will return! off down the smoky mountain parkway to watch the beautiful sunset and take some pictures at the lookouts along the way…what a nice ride! back home for me to make fried chicken and all the fixin’s…what a wonderful day! thanks, kent, i had GREAT fun! and thanks for leaving the necklace making supplies, i will add to my dancin’ stick and sweet grandbabies will be able to make a thing or two! BIG SMILE

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