Dear Reader:

A quite surprising start to this New Year began about 7:00 a.m. yesterday morning. I woke up and moved to the sofa lugging my blankets and pillow with me…and snuggled back up…muting the television so I could watch but not hear.

I was still semi-asleep. But a few minutes later I decided to check my bank account on my iPhone to see if any of the monthly bills I had written (checks for earlier) had cleared.

I noticed that a couple of bills had… yet I had more money in my account than the day before. Hum? I shook my head and sat up on the sofa and then recognized and solved the “mystery”….an additional $600 had been deposited in my account overnight.

Still somewhat ‘out of it’ it took me a moment longer to process the fact that it was the ‘Stimulus’ money sitting in my account!

Immediately (as only a southern woman would) I thought….Prosperity has come before I have even consumed my hoppin’ johns today for good luck and prosperity…Isn’t it supposed to be the other way around? 🙂

So I have decided that 2021 is already off to a fun and prosperous start! Let’s hope it continues…defining prosperity, of course, as just not monetary gains…but giant strides in healing and health issues, wellness, well-being, security, and happiness.

When I went to the Piggly Wiggly store to pick up my plate of hoppin’ johns ( too much to cook for one person)…I told the clerk I wanted the rice and black-eyed peas…but no collard greens (one of few vegetables I don’t like)…I then added, with a wink, that I  already had my “greens” for the day and mentioned how I was surprised by the stimulus check deposited in  my account.

The clerk immediately put my plate of food down…pulled out his phone…to check… and then let out a scream you could have heard all over the store. It was so funny and everyone was so happy for him…Though I did notice… in the line behind me…suddenly everyone was checking their bank accounts…some grinning and nodding…some shrugging.

I added mac and cheese and my corn bread, of course, sweet tea, to my plate and I was one happy camper yesterday…chowing down!

I also had a lot of happy memories left-over from Eloise’s first family birthday party late Thursday afternoon and evening…her third birthday…with the theme of FROZEN.

A neighbor loaned Walsh an Olga the Snowman (character from the movie) costume to surprise Eloise…and was she ever surprised at this very tall snowman coming in the house!

When she realized it was her daddy…she put a party hat on him and gave him a big smooch….too sweet.

So until tomorrow…Let’s take time to think back on the good memories of 2020 and use them to rebuild our confidence, faith, and trust in the New Year! No matter how tough things get…Hope never deserts us. So here’s a toast to hope and love…Never forget that love always wins in the end.

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh

*** Exciting news! Yesterday afternoon Mandy called me and asked if I could watch the kids while she and John go to Effingham, SC to pick up the family’s new addition….a toy poodle…they have named Winnie!!! Today!!!!!!

Originally it was suppose to go down January 10 …I already had it marked on my calendar…but the call came yesterday and of course the family is beyond excited!

So happy I will be there in the first moments Winnie comes home to witness it all. I met Tigger (before he even got home) after John and Mandy picked him up 12 years ago and they stopped by my house on their way home to show me that little ball of fur. So many nostalgic memories…

Kaitlyn has taken Tommy for his birthday to the Dewberry Hotel in downtown Charleston on Marion Square. It used to be an old federal building commissioned by JFK…now it is a beautiful hotel with a fantastic roof top view. Have fun you two!