Need some Christmas money? I know how to earn some in just a few, short hours.

Denny Leigey, proprietor of the famous Denny’s Beer Barrel Pub in Clearfield, Pa. is the home of the 15 lb. Hamburger appropriately named Zeus.

Whosoever shall finish the Belly Buster within six hours, decreed Denny, will receive $350 cash, a t-shirt, and a spot on Denny’s hall of fame. Of course, Denny will also pick up the tab for the burger.

$350.00 dollars, a t-shirt that will make mom proud to open on the big day and hey, you will have money from the tab pick up to repurchase Zeus and share him for Christmas dinner.



Here are some thoughts that come to my mind.

"Does this restaurant have a defibrillator?"

"Does it come with fries?"

"Would it be easier to eat 60 quarter pounders?"

"Why is everybody looking at me?"

"Does your soda come with free refills?"

Tell me your thoughts!

I recognize life is short, and I know that I don't want to spend it by having a victim attitude.
I have adopted a 'we can make the best of everything' attitude for my own survival and it has paid off.

It is habit of our family to sit around at the dinner table and share stories. This is a blast for the children because you learn stories you may never have heard about your parents. (Sometimes because we never wanted our child to know you dressed as Little Bo Peep for a parade and have the fire truck run over the tip of your shoe. Yes, it's true.)

The joy of this share time is that I have learned the girls happy times have now extended past 'the bad year', when the family broke. That was most important to me. When I left I had to live in a humble dwelling and I drove a 'rescued' car. It was an old tempo that my dad had parked in his yard for 3 years, and the girls wanted to be embarrassed of it.

Instead I gave the car 'feelings' by saying,"shhh.. old Timer came alive for us, we should only thank him for giving us a ride." This made the girls defensive when someone poked at our car.

Our rental abode had much to be desired and I was given cans of white paint and putty. I tinted the colors and went to town, it was the ideal of 'any ole post looks good painted'. It inspired others within our little block to clean up and do the same with their homes.

My first Christmas at the rental, I was given an tree from a relative and we decorated with one of the few things I brought with me. Two boxes of home made ornaments the girls made over the years. I purchased just one box of glass ornaments to go with them, but it made all the difference, we felt at home. We decorated and talked about each of the ornaments and stories I never knew came forth.
We then learned how to string popcorn for garland, an event I did as a child but was new to the girls.

Christmas was going to be rough, I was already budgeted to the very limit, and on top of it all, a deer ran smack dab into 'Old Timer'. I already was unsure how I was going to purchase anything for my little ones and now my car was disabled and I had to rely on a friend to ride to work.

I spent night after night trying to figure out how I was going to be able to get at least a gift for each and get my car back on the road.

God is good and He sent us a messenger named Matthew. Matthew and I were just friends, and I never told him my situation. Somehow he learned of it and a check to cover the cost of the deductable arrived from his parents, along with Matthew. He had driven 9 hours to say, "Let's go Christmas shopping."

The girls never even knew the gifts came from him, he insisted that they should all be signed from me alone. They did not know about Matthew's existence at that time because we wanted the girls to adjust before I introduced anyone new. Matthew bought far more than I imagined and I will never forget the feeling I had while wrapping the gifts with Matthew.

I wouldn't let him purchase a gift for me, so he hid it before he left, then told me on Christmas where it was located. He did this without glory and as a friend, our future was still in the making.

Sitting at the Thanksgiving table this year, gathered around my table with my girls and parents, I listened and heard their voices sharing wonderful joys and delights with my parents about a bleak time in my life, and I was ever so Thankful.

How wonderful that the hardest time in life for me was a grand adventure for them.

How Thankful I am for my wonderful family,my sweet girls, and for my loving Matthew.

Matthew had suffered his own hurts and pains in life. I cannot imagine why, or how someone can inflict such on another after asking to be a part of their lives and declaring love, but it happens and sadly, sometimes without repair. But Matthew did not become bitter all those years, he just became secluded, he never dated and never planned to be with anyone else. He had been that way for ten years.
I am so grateful that he learned to trust me through a simple on line game.

Maybe our life is not typical, but I can honestly say I am so very Thankful for it.

So, I started THE shopping.

Yeah, I know Ho-Ho- Ho and all that Jazz.

I have the lists, the PS3 is not on them thank goodness.
There are a great many other things though.
Having 4 girls and a hubby to buy for is a challenge, so I thought I best glean for advice.

I did a google search and I found a list.

It's the Top Ten Worst Gift Items To Give:

1. Exercise Equipment -*scratches off Thigh Master* - I guess it's like saying, "Hey, I hear thunder when you walk."

2. Anything Used - Darn. *reopens the BIG can of pop corn and grabs a handful* I thought one handful from each flavor wouldn't hurt.

3.Gifts That Require Work - Okay, no leaf blowers. *sighs* What does every gift have to bring 'love and enchantment?"

4.Socks - What if they are sewn into monkeys?

5. Homemade "Trinkets"- You know how long I had to collect my McDonald's straws to make this? *glances over at the poor sock monkey*

6. "Weird" Items - *tucks away sock monkey* My one daughter's whole list is made of this adjective.

7. Clothing - Okay with 4 girls, that's 80% of their list!

8. Lingerie - Yeah guys! Naughty Nighties in front of the kiddos stuns the Christmas spirit.

9. Items That Could Hurt (or Annoy) Others - Yeah, that's true. *grins evilly and leaves the drum set for the nephew on the list*
"You'll shoot your eye out, kid."

10. Novelty Gifts - *sighs*
All that collecting at the rest areas all year long for naught.

Now,
If you could receive ONE gift, and the world is open to you as far as size and price, What would it be? (to play fair, it has to be able to be purchased)

I would love a cruise to the Greek Isles.

And there off.....
Yes once again I leave sunny God's country Maryland and head up north.
I have been separated and divorced from my ex since 2001, yet on my phone text yesterday I received a message where he was asking if I knew where the cookbook with the sausage recipe. He never ceases to surprise me.
No, I did not answer him. I decided my silence will answer the question.

When I left him I ran to a safe house, got an order of protection, and 6 months later the man called me and asked if his girlfriend could borrow my bowling ball.
[No, I am not joking, he really did.]
I said , "sure."
He said, "Really? Can I drop by and get it?"
In which I replied, "Oh don't bother, I will toss it to you as you drive by."
He says, without hesitation,"So we can't borrow it?"

Once again, with a soft click of the phone, I let silence be his answer.

I have come to realize I married an 18 year old boy at 18, the difference is, he stayed there.

So, my advice today?

Marry with some wisdom behind you.
Marry someone with wisdom.

Okay boys and girls, I will catch you on the flip side.
*waves and dashes off*

I have to tell you . This little town that I now am a part of has it's own dialect and a rare type of people that are genuine home town folk.

First of all, everyone evaluates each other on a mental scale. In other words I can be talking to someone and when they walk away, the other bystander will say, "Ah don't listen to him, he is about 60%."
Everyone here does it, and I have learned to calculate and consider averages now.

Also these wonderful sea-farers live a lifestyle completely unbeknownst to my NY way of living. They have this delightful way of 'letting people be'. This is a true conversation.

Me: Hi Mom, what are you up to today?
Mom Riggin: Not much, waiting to see if Aunt Ollie is showing up.
Me: Oh are you expecting her?
Mom Riggin: Well she mentioned coming by for lunch but with her memory she up and forgets where she is going sometimes and heads back home.
Me: oh...
Poor Aunt Ollie at 87 is only 70% these days.



This soft shelled blue crab town is now not only located on the map but since every other bay property has been taken over, the condos are pushing into our quaint little town and have taken over the 'strip'. The Strip is a mile and a half split highway that ends at the pier and bay. It is the main street of the town. Today's the strip's pier is flanked by two larg condos and four more are on the rise. Crisfielders regard this as a intrusion, but temporary, which humors me.

Billy Jean, a local gal explained it to me and Matthew this way.

Matthew: Yeah, they are putting in 4 more as we speak.
Billy Jean: Now Matthew, who do you think is gonna buy them things at $500,000 a piece?
Matthew: Someone who wants to see the view that was once ours.
Billy Jean: Well you just wait til they face a storm in one of them things, it is gonna rock like a cradle.
Matthew: I imagine.
Billy Jean: Well now you know they have gone and done us a favor Matt.
Matthew: How's that?
Billy Jean: Way's I see it, we've got us here a million dollar wind wall.

I love Crisfielders. I have come to enjoy their outlook, their love for each other, and the way even the wealthiest among them live gently. They unite and withstand, that's why this little town survived as long as it has.



I watched an interview once with a couple of our many crabbers were featured. The interviewer asked one man what he thought of crabbing, in which he replied I love it, that it was what his daddy did and his grand daddy did. The interviewer asked how old he was when he started. He said he was about 7 and he had gone and caught himself a crab right off land near his house in his own crab pot. He said that when he reached in the crab got him next. He then said he had to pound that crab off of his finger. He was so mad after that he returned every day for three months to stomp that crab. He said it inspired him to become one of the best crabbers yet.
The funny part was that every time I tell a Crisfielder the story they laugh and before I can tell them who the crabber is, they say, "That's old Tyler's story!"

I felt this was a necessary post today, because for years I been an 'outsider' to Crisfield. Certainly not indigenous to the area like my Matthew and folks, but today, an older gentleman at the store, Mr. John was introducing me to a friend and said "This is our newest here, She's a transplant." Now if that don't warm the cockles of your heart, I don't know what would.

I still can't help and wonder what percentage they give me though.