Nuggets! Piles of nuggets. I live in nugget heaven!

And – wherever there are nuggets, you will find the nugget makers – long-legged, knock-kneed, big eared and “so ugly they’re cute” as my Mom would have said.

There are nuggets in my yard – all year-round. During “the long dark” nuggets dot the snow. Each spring and summer nuggets make small mounds and hide in tall grass.

Moose nuggets are a part of Alaska living – offset by the wonder of seeing wild critters meandering through my neighborhood, or bedding down, even giving birth, under my living room window.

Alaska living is wild!

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This post is in response to Velvet Verbosity’s weekly 100 Word Prompt. The word for this week is WILD.

I am heading to bed – have to be up early to fix breakfast for a couple of the grandkiddos before Paw-Paw gets home from his overnight shift to take them to school.

Before I go, however, I just wanted to let you all in on some thankfulness I have tonight.

Hubbymoose and I have had some unavoidable medical expenses since July. We are insured through my employer – mine is covered, but hubby’s costs over $1000 each month. Add to that our deductible each calendar year we are spending $20,000+ before the benefits kick in.

But we are thankful to have the insurance – not many people these days have insurance at all – nevertheless, it does bite into the wallet.

Each October I have to have an MRI on my kidneys – followup on the kidney cancer from three years ago. This year our portion of the bill was over $2000. Last time I paid it off a bit each month and finished paying in late summer this year. I was grateful the hospital allowed me to do it in payments.

Figured I would have to do the same this year – and sent in a sizeable down payment to get things started. Then I got a letter from the hospital offering a 25% discount if it could be paid by Dec. 20th. Hubby and I dug deep and pooled some resources and took advantage of the offer.

Thankfully.

Hubby has been being seen by several doctors for his foot since July. We’ve had to make payments, but have been able to see them decrease. Awhile back one of the docs gave us a sizeable discount – we scrimped that month to pay it off.

It just happened again – got the bill Saturday with a nice discount offered.

We paid it – gratefully.

We have an awesome God – and His people are listening to His promptings. Tonight? Color me thankful.

Purple Meese . . .

Googled myself the other day – well, not me by name, me by blog name: PurpleMoose. Yep, I do that every once in awhile. Interesting the things you can find.

f’r instance . . . I always run across a saloon over on the other side of the US – plan to look them up sometime if I ever get to Maryland.

Now I see there is a pre-school, an espresso place, and a design place. But even more interesting is that there is another blogger who calls herself Purple Moose.

At first I kind of went . . . what? Hey! That’s MY name! I’ve had it for a long, long time. And, then I thought about it and decided that I don’t hold ownership of that name – or even of my own “in real life” name for that matter.

There is ONE who has ownership of my life, of my soul. He has known me since before I was born. He formed me in my mother’s womb (Jeremiah 1:5 – see also Psalm 139:13 – especially cool for knitters, that last one).

And so I welcome the whole moose family. Nice to meet you and yours. Come on in – we can share the browse.

As I wend my way through the greater web I am introduced to new people, new ideas, new words. Each of these expands my horizons and my life just a bit more. For each I am thankful.

So on this last day of November 2010 I decided to look up a word I see at the end of each of LouCeel‘s posts. I “met” Lou through the 100 Words project. He is a fellow poster and I always look forward to his take on the word prompt of the week.

I’d wondered what the word at the end of each post meant, but never used my fav search tool . . . until this morning.

The word? Ndinombethe
According to another blogger’s site:

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Ndinombethe

[African proverb] (pronounced “in-day-nom-bay-tay”)
Translation: “As I go, I am wearing you.” Referring to the indelible handprint we leave on the lives of others as we cross paths, whether intended or accidental.
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I may not use the word again – may not even think of the word itself – but I will enjoy the meaning of it. Each person I have met on my treks across the internet have left of piece of themselves in me. Some of those pieces have had to be tucked deep inside and away because they were jagged and rough and hurtful. Those I choose to leave in their hidden places in order to protect me and those around me.

But the others? Those are the ones who have shared their lives with me and in the sharing have made a real indelible print on my innermost being. Thank you for that. I hope to someday meet you. That seems unlikely given the distance (in miles) between us. Nevertheless, it is a desire of mine.

Many of you no longer post on the blogs you still have in your names – I tend to keep them on my linky list – just in case – but fb has taken over where ms never could. I see you there – know you are still kicking and living it up. You are still touching me and I carry you with me.

And, now I add Glen to that imprint. Only I cannot leave a message on the site (not a team member). This is what I would like to say to him, should he pass by my way:

Thank you, Glen. I found your piece while googling the word you so aptly describe.

What a gorgeous idea – leaving a mark on someone’s life and carrying them with you forever. You have now left a mark within me and I will carry it onward.

blessings

And, thank you, Lou, for introducing me to the word.

One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish

Lisa continued her count. The words were from her favorite Dr. Seuss book and she was proud to have learned most of it by heart.

Here’s one for you, Dolly. And, here’s another for you Mr. Bear. I love our tea parties, don’t you? Here, let me pour you another cup of tea.

Hoppity! Miss Jingles! Come to the table now. It’s time for tea.

One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish.

Downstairs in the kitchen Papa lifted the lid of the box and asked, “Did they forget the anchovies again?”

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This week’s 100 Word Prompt is ANCHOVIES from Chapter 6 of Ernest Hemingway’s The Garden of Eden.

Isn’t it time for YOU to try one of these challenges? 🙂