Once upon a Christmas, there was a dog named Truman. Truman was the sweetest black lab who was adopted by the Perry family from the SPCA back in the early 2000s. Truman quickly fell in love with his new family, and you know what else he loved? Christmas lights. Every Christmas, the Perry family always had their house lit with beautiful Christmas lights! Truman had a doghouse surrounded by a decent-sized fence that he could run around in when they first got him. He would always sleep in the house, but sometimes Truman would be a bad boy and leave their two-acre yard to explore the neighborhood. So, then his outside doghouse would be where he would have to go because his dad would be very upset with him.
Well, one night, something happened. His sister spent all this money on buying mugs, hot cocoa packets, beef jerky, and other snacks for a group of men she waited on at an old job. She had them down in the basement on the floor in a box. That next morning, her dad woke her up, not very happy. Truman had gotten into the gifts she made and had eaten all the beef jerky sticks and hot cocoa packs. Truman had a very big mess in the basement. Dad was mad. The girl was sad, and the dog was bad! So that day, into the evening, Truman stayed out in his doggie house. But something was wrong. Truman kept barking, and barking, and barking. That wasn’t like Truman. He typically only barked if something was wrong. Dad got out of bed, looked out the bathroom window facing his house, and yelled for him to hush up. He noticed something as he yelled.
Truman’s house was all decked out for Christmas. Just like Snoopy, Truman had it all. Bright colored Christmas lights all around his house. Dad lit it up every year, even though Truman was an inside dog at that point. Truman’s dad wondered if he was barking because his Christmas lights turned off with the timer. So his dad trekked into the night to turn Truman’s lights back on. He was quiet after that and slept like a baby. All hims wanted was his Chrimas lights on! Sweet boy.
This is a story I will never forget. The girl in this story is me. The dad is my dad. Truman was our very first family dog at our new country home. He had a love for us and Christmas lights, just like his sissy. And boy did he poopy out beef jerky paper for days!! Poor bugger.
Our dog Bear is the same way, too. I have a video of him looking out the window at Candy Cane Lane, not missing one house as we drove by. His head rested on the edge of the door, and it was like watching a child look at Christmas lights. Remember that dogs or any pets are only here with us for so long. Give them that joy! Take them to see Christmas lights. I promise it will make you smile!
PREMIERE OF ANDREA’S COUNTRY HOME COOKIN’ COOKBOOK: “The Grateful Table”: Volume Two
Come see me on Friday, December 12th, from 3-7 p.m., or on Sunday, December 14th, from 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. at Rust and Shine in Williamsport. (My son’s Christmas band concert is at 3 p.m. that day, so I had to change the time for Sunday.)
Rust and Shine is located at 600 Cemetery Street in Williamsport. If you have never been there, boy, are you in for a huge treat!! You can find a gift for anyone in your life. The place is wall-to-wall with the most unique, antique, homemade, beautiful gifts! Plus, a new cookbook is about to hit the market!
My cookbook has over 125 recipes, eight chapters (including a holiday chapter that I had so much fun making), 50 colored photos, bible verses, sprinkles of inspiration, family stories, my testimony, and more. Every page number, every design, every word was made by me. Now, you will find a few blank pages, just like in my old cookbook. You are supposed to have a blank page to separate a new chapter. I learned a lot making my own book and not having someone else publish it like I did my first one. My cookbook is also in large print for easy reading!
God walked with me and TALKED to me through the process. He laid everything on my heart. I share more about that in my book. I just didn’t want it to be just a cookbook. I wanted it to make people feel good, bring hope, and see the love of Jesus. Bring families around the table with easy, delicious meals. I want it to be a cozy book you can cuddle on the couch with and surf through. Each page has something new to look at. You’ll never know what will be next.
The cook is $25. Cash is preferred, please, if you can. I will be at my own table at Rust & Shine. I will also have a QR code to scan or a PayPal link for debit/credit, but I prefer cash if possible. I hate even to ask that, but it would make everything so much easier.
Thank you!
My kids and hubby want to stop in, and maybe even a few other guests may pop in too! You don’t know who you may see when you come to see me, but I am so excited to see you and meet you in person! I only have a limited supply of cookbooks for Christmas. I will have more sales next year, but for Christmas, this will be all I have available. These ones will also be signed! I will also bring some copies of my first cookbook! They are $17. If you buy both books, I’ll do a bundle package for $40!
I have been dreaming of this day for so long, and I worked for an entire year to make this cookbook happen. I can’t wait to hear people’s feedback on it. I appreciate it so very much for the love and support. I’m blessed with the best readers. I can’t thank you enough.
Hope to see you in a few days!
