Dear Reader:

“What goes around does come around.” Last week, Wednesday, January 11, I wrote the story of how the Clemson victory came about as a “direct” result of three little orange balls that were really clown noses….honking us on to victory. (That’s my version of the story and I am sticking to it!)

You might remember my concern was that Donna and I had put on red (Alabama) ball noses the year before and come up just a little short for the victory. So I figured if we wore orange (Clemson) ball noses and added Sam to the equation/photo (instead of taking the picture) it would take us over the top. And guess what?

2016                                                 2017

I left the two orange nose balls with Sam and Donna at half-time and told them to honk away the second half and then save them for next year!

Donna and I texted back and forth the whole second half until the delirious last second of the game…I feel sure I could hear the screams of delight from my house to theirs and back. Then came all the phone calls and the orange balls just became a memento from the past, a relic from our personal Clemson history.

Until last Friday…I had two of my orange balls in the plastic envelope they came in and when I glanced at it…it said 5 orange clown noses. Five? I thought there were only four. Ummmmm? There had to be another one around the house. I looked under the sofa cushions where I had made my tent for the second half…then under the sofa itself…I swept the den…nothing showed up.

I remembered squeezing the dickens out of my orange ball those last two minutes of the game….I would squeeze, then cover one of my eyes with the ball and peek out with the other as Watson methodically began his pass throws to glory. Where could it be?

Then when I woke up Saturday morning…I felt like something was stuck to my face. I sat up in bed and felt something foamy stuck to my cheek…I turned on the lights and looked in the mirror. There was the foam orange ball squished beyond recognition since I had been sleeping on that side all night.

I wouldn’t even have dreamed of trying to take a picture…I care about all of you readers too much…it was terrifyingly ugly…me first thing in the morning with no make-up and a red splotch where the ball had stuck to the side of my face while I was sleeping.

Apparently I had accidentally pushed it back under the other pillow sham and then reached for the other pillow sometime Friday night and slept right on top of it. I must have slept hard and never turned over for it to still be stuck to my face.

You can’t really tell from the lighting and angle I took this photo…but the top two (right) balls are perfectly round and larger while the bottom left ball is about half the size and flattened out from my face lying on it all night.

And so it is over….It would be nice to ‘keep the ball rolling’ (or honking) but I doubt my heart could last through another game this season. There truly is a time for everything and it is time to say good-bye to a magical night that fairy tales and pixie dust are made about…when Clemson sent one stone flying at the giant named Alabama and brought it down with a resounding boom!

I will tell this story so often that I am sure one day the grandchildren will be able to tell it on their own…and it will always begin like this: “It  started with a little orange ball.”

And I am off today! It is our mid-winter Pawleys Island retreat for the Ya’s and for once it is not freezing like the last two years with record-breaking low’s. We think this is a good sign! We can stay out on the porch and solve all the world’s problems in five days. (I am sure everyone feels better now…just knowing this!)

This popular bait shop (preserved for historic reasons) is right across the street from Carolina Corner, the beach house we use each winter for our retreat…thanks to Linda, Libby’s sister! We love you Linda!

I will be back Sunday afternoon with Tales of Pawleys and the adventures that ensued.

So until tomorrow…’Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.’ (Helen Keller)

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh

Here are some more “perfect” words for 2017 sent in by our wonderful readers!

Patty Knight:  Loved Trog’s story! You are so right about listening!!!! I need to do a better job myself. My word for this year is grateful. At this point in life, I can look back and be ever so grateful for all that God Has done in my life

Carolyn Sweat: Listening better is on my 2017 Intentions List. The others are Family, Self, Release Fear. I know God will help me!! Thanks again!!!!

Linda Carson: I’m going to pick the word smile. Not very original but I want to try to give more of those this year. I ran into two patients from a long time ago at different times last week. Both of them said they weren’t sure they knew me until I smiled. I was always bashful in my younger days but not as much now. My smile may not be beautiful but it’s meant to convey warmth friendliness compassion and joy of life. So if I can help one person by smiling I will keep smiling! Have a wonderful day. Keep being you cause you are wonderful! 🙂 Linda

Anne Peterson: Mine might have to be ‘reboot’ b/c you have to shut down/unplug in order to reboot, don’t you? Hopefully, by ‘rebooting’ or stopping and taking frequent pauses throughout my days, I’ll see more and make more of the opportunities that arise.

*Gin-g Edwards sent me this message this morning after reading this blog and since it is still early I am adding it….because it fits here and I had not heard or read about this…a Dabo God Wink!

Too funny about the orange ball. Hope you have a wonderful time at Pawleys. ..sounds absolutely wonderful. I am sure you saw where Dabo said it was no accident that #4 threw to #13…then he referenced Proverbs 4:13…I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me…Love you.