Introduction
At 3:28 PM, I begin to write. Thanksgiving was two days ago. The weather is clear, sunny, and seasonably crisp. The wind will bring a little rain in a day or two.
Earlier today, the Georgia Bulldogs triple-stomped Georgia Tech, 45 to 0. Hopefully, this evening, the Tennessee Vols will stomp the Vanderbilt “Commode Doors.” We will see. The college football season doesn't last too long. I enjoy it very much. Go Dawgs! Beat the Alabama Elephants in the SEC Championship on Saturday, 12/4/2021, at 4 PM, in Atlanta, Georgia!
The latest new, “better,” costlier, and worse “five-year” front porch light bulb blew last evening. Al Gore was one of the instigators, with nefarious results, who changed the type of light bulbs that we are “permitted” to use. That was decades ago. I used to have a stock of the older, better, and inexpensive bulbs that I used to be able to use. I used all my stock over a few years. (Please research the details if you are bored.) I installed the latest bulb about a year ago or less. Mrs. Appalachian Irishman bravely helped me replace the bulb earlier today. It is easy enough using a stepladder. I wonder if this new, “better,” costlier, and worse “five-year” front porch light bulb will last at least a year. I have, however, digressed into the mundane.
I hope that you enjoyed my two articles (one and two) from yesterday. I wrote them with sadness and joy as the earthy, mundane sorrow became everlasting joy. I still wonder if I can take what's left of my 7/17/2021 birthday lemon pie to my father, who is in heaven. Will it keep that long? Can I take it with me?
Fearghail Clan Thanksgiving, 11/25/2021
My youngest brother, his wife, and their two teenage daughters arrived here at about 11:20 AM. We enjoyed seeing each other again. We last saw them on Sunday, 10/10/2021, during Rogersville Heritage Days.
Molly Stood Her Ground!
Imagine the following. I could not reach my video camera quickly enough! Before Thanksgiving dinner (at about 12 PM), my brother saw Molly (our “old puppy”) run at Mach 5 speed toward a buck deer (a six or eight pointer). I saw Molly defend our “back 40” against the intruding buck! It had jumped the fence. My brother saw it jump. Molly stood her ground! The buck stood his ground. It was a tie. Eventually, the buck ran off into a neighbor's backyard. Molly 1, buck 0. My 6/8/2021 article mentioned Molly's victory against a yearling deer! Molly is 2-0 against deer. Molly is holding her own as she keeps our fort secure! Good old puppy! Yes, all six of us enjoyed playing outside games with Molly after dinner! We had fun and burned off calories.
Dinner
Mrs. Appalachian Irishman had worked hard on the Thanksgiving dinner menu. The six of us ate quite well. Thanks, dear! The conversation was along the lines of humor, family heritage, and current life. I'm glad that my youngest brother and his family drove the one-hour-and-ten-minute drive down (not up) here. (My brother still says “up” when we are “down” from him. It's a decades-long family joke.)
I do not photograph food. We eat food around here. We do not photograph it. Well, see my lemon pie photograph.
Basketball
The elder daughter of my youngest brother and his wife is a sophomore at Cherokee High School in Rogersville, Tennessee. She is on the girls' basketball team. The Rogersville Review, Weekend Edition (11/20-21/2021, Saturday–Sunday) included a photograph and article about the team by Jim Beller, Sports Editor. (You must have a paid account to access the website.)
I corrected the capitalization errors in the following title: “PHOTO GALLERY: Lady Chiefs [B]egin [N]ew [E]ra with [U]ptempo [A]pproach,” by Jim Beller, Sports Editor, The Rogersville Review, Weekend Edition (11/20-21/2021, Saturday–Sunday). The photograph below was by Jim Beller.
Ariel Ferrell, our niece, is number 32. She is in the back row, farthest to the left.
The following is a quote (with my editorial correction) from the article referenced previously:
Airel [Ariel] Ferrell is a new face who brings a lot of energy to the floor, Lawson said.
Ferrell played junior varsity last year and, along with the Houcks, was part of the 2019-20 Bulls Gap team that advanced to the state tournament.
My article on the 2019-20 Bulls Gap Middle School girls' basketball team is BULLS GAP MIDDLE SCHOOL LADY BULLDOGS: STATE FINAL FOUR!! (published 2-9-2020).
That great team placed fourth in the state tournament. See my article FOURTH IN STATE: TRIBUTE TO BULLS GAP MIDDLE SCHOOL GIRLS’ BASKETBALL TEAM (published 3-15-2020).
The anniversary of the birth of my paternal grandmother (Molly Gertrude Archer Ferrell, 11/30/1892–6/11/1971) is next Tuesday, 11/30/2021. The Cherokee High School girls' basketball team will play the Gibbs High School girls' basketball team here, about 2.5 miles away from our house, on 11/30/2021. The game will start at 5 PM. Mrs. Appalachian Irishman and I plan to be there, if we have power in our bodies. We have the will in our spirits! We will encourage the Cherokee High School girls' basketball team to beat the Gibbs High School girls' basketball team! My voice will be the loudest when Ariel Ferrell is on the court! Play ball! Win!
The youngest daughter of my brother and his wife is now a member of the Bulls Gap Middle School girls' basketball team! She is following the tradition of her mother (Carson Newman University girls' basketball team) and her older sister (as stated previously). The Rogersville Review needs to publish the schedules and rankings for local sports teams. They do not do that very often. I still have the current Bulls Gap Middle School (Bulls Gap, Tennessee) Basketball Schedule link. It is not very helpful. My brother and his wife update us on how their youngest daughter is doing!
Beckner-Gordon Clan Thanksgiving, 11/25/2021
I ate only one serving for dinner. I knew that I would need to save room for supper. At about 4 PM, the Beckner-Gordon clan gathered for Thanksgiving supper at the Beckner home. My aunt-in-law is 99 years young, soon to be 100. Her son cares for her at home. He had his medical problems, but he honors his mother. They are getting along well enough. Mrs. Appalachian Irishman and her Gordon clan help them. I help as needed.
My father-in-law decided not to attend. He has his own health problems. I wish he could have attended.
Those present aside from me were my wife's aunt, her son, Mrs. Appalachian Irishman, her two younger sisters, and the daughter of the middle sister. (Well, Pepper, our niece's dog, was there also.) We engaged in the usual family conversation. I interjected the following “poly-ticks” joke as I had done at dinner with the Fearghail clan: “Poly,” from Greek, meaning “many,” plus “ticks,” known bloodsuckers. That was my “poly-ticks” humor twice on Thanksgiving!
My wife's aunt had fallen at home recently. She is still able to walk using a rolling walker, as she has been doing. The fall did not hurt her physically. It did scare her. I encouraged her. I trust in the Lord that she will live to be 100 or beyond. We will see. See my article, Memories: Aunt Mona and Uncle Bobby, 1/18/2020; Dad, 1/25/2020; But Life Goes On with a Touch of Humor! (published 1-26-2020).
Conclusion
At 5:38 PM today, Saturday, as I type, darkness has fallen. Thanksgiving leftovers will be ready in about 22 minutes. Molly is ready to come inside now. She had her supper. She knows that she must wait until we have our supper. Molly is patient.
Another Thanksgiving has come and gone. Over the decades from childhood until now, I recall many Thanksgivings.
Heavenly Thanksgiving will not be one day annually. It will be everlasting. I look forward to heavenly Thanksgiving. Hey, the Tennessee Vols are beating the Vanderbilt “Commode Doors!” That's good.
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