Friday, December 27, 2013

Notes on Christmas (Just) Past

Want to listen in on a bit of conversation from our Christmas dinner? The candles were lit, the plates were served, the wine was poured, and the rolls were hot out of the oven. Christmas music, courtesy of Missy M's on-the-spot creation of an iPad playlist, was softly playing in the background. Time for family talk:

Me: So, I wonder...
Mr. T. and Missy M (in unison): HERE!
Me: Well, I guess that settles that!!

OK, so you know how often we have moved, right? Right. Over the years, I just got in the habit of wondering where we would be celebrating the next Christmas. Wondering out loud. At Christmas dinner. And, after the rolling of the eyes would cease, we could chat about it. Now...we just do the shorthand version.

[For the record, I agree...I think we will be living right here at Casa 3917 next Christmas.]

Tree with presents
For the record, it was a great Christmas! Cold and sunny on the outside, warm and toasty on the inside. Even with 5 dogs in residence, we had a wonderful holiday. We watched our favorite movies like White ChristmasThe Bishop's Wife, Christmas in Connecticut, and It's a Wonderful Life on Christmas Eve, followed by the broadcast of the midnight mass from St. Peter's in Rome.

I fixed Monkey Bread (recipe below) for our breakfast, which we enjoyed with Kona coffee, hot chocolate, and cold milk between the distributing of the stockings and the opening of the presents. Unfortunately, the Monkey Bread...which looked so beautiful...was consumed before a picture was taken. Here's what the tree looked like after Santa had visited...photo to the right, taken by Mr. T.

I didn't get many Christmas day photos, for one reason or another: foremost, because the elves had confiscated my old iPhone 3, which I use(d) as a camera more than a phone, in order to get me a brand new iPhone 5...and get it activated. [Yeah!! That last part was a huge...let me repeat, HUGE...part of the present, because I detest dealing with "stuff" like that. Hate. It. And not only did the elves go to the ATT store and take care of all the activation rigmarole, the younger elfette set up the new phone, downloaded all my apps, and had it ready to use as soon as I unwrapped the box. All that...and it's a luscious yellow, too!]

Books to read...time to retire!

And even though I received 3 new books (first pic on my new iPhone...left) to read (along with gift cards for Amazon's Kindle and iTunes' iBooks for when I want to download some ebooks), I managed to make rolls and get dinner on the table before cuddling up with W is for Wasted by Sue Grafton. Since we are nearing the end of the alphabet, I'd better read s-l-o-w-l-y and relish every word.

I do feel a little funny, sitting down to read rather than picking up my knitting needles to work frantically on finishing a project for gifting. I have put more than a few hours this past month into stitching up gifts-to-go, as pictured below. One of the projects is not pictured yet, as the recipient hasn't received it...wouldn't want to give away the surprise, now would I?





Projects Completed for this Christmas:


Warm n' Wooly Socks...
knitted for Maredith
Panther's Pride Scarf...
knitted for Julie



















Blocking the points on knitted cowl:
yarn has silver threads!


 
ZuZu's Petals Cowl,
ready to wrap for Maredith

  
In addition to my new phone and books, I got many, many lovely things (sweaters, outfits, gardening-related gifts, etc.) that I will enjoy throughout the coming weeks and months. There were a couple of things I wanted to mention though:

1. Since Mr. T went back to work on Boxing Day, heading off to Raleigh to get the first of his Dealer Development Plans (DDPs) signed (he has to visit ALL of his dealers for DDPs between now and 1/17/14!), I took advantage of the quiet morning to enjoy some tasty Strawberry Jam on toasted leftover rolls. Missy M gifted us with the Jam, along with several jars of home-processed goodies like salsa and pickled tomatoes.



2. And, this is a gift I will be talking about in the coming months of the New Year: Mr. T gave me an "All About Cotton Spinning Starter Kit" complete with instruction DVD from Cotton Clouds



You may remember that for a couple of years, we have planted heirloom-variety Nanking Green cotton (original seeds from the 2012 Seed Exchange at Old Salem). The first year we had 8 seeds and got 8 plants. I hand-ginned the bolls and gleaned enough seeds to plant 32 plants this past year...with plenty more seeds to share at the 2013 Seed Exchange.

Cotton, you ask? Why are you growing cotton? Well, because I want to...because I can (it's plenty hot enough in NC/Zone 7b)...and because I want to grow enough to spin enough yarn to knit...something. What, I don't know yet. A scarf...a hat...a vest...maybe even a sweater. The growing I can do...the knitting I can do...it's the spinning I don't know how to do...yet.

Hopefully, by the time Christmas Future (2014) becomes the new Christmas (Just) Past, I will have learned to spin my homegrown cotton and completed a Christmas project of a knitted cotton...something! Fingers crossed...toes, too!

Oh, one final photo to share...of Duche$$, who claimed the sofa as her refuge from all the activities and all the chaos created by the other Droolers in residence. Five dogs, indeed, says the Diva!



++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Recipe for Monkey Bread:

Please, please, please...don't use a recipe that calls for biscuits. You will sacrifice both flavor AND aroma.
 
Ingredients:

To make bread "ring:"
  • 12-16 frozen dinner rolls (I used 12 Rhodes-brand frozen rolls...plenty to serve 4)
  • 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, melted (not margarine...or any kind of substitute)
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1-2 Tablespoons cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup pecans, rough-chopped
Icing:
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 T. butter, melted
  • 2-4 T. milk

Directions:
  1. The night before you wish to serve, micro-melt the stick of butter in one bowl; mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon in another bowl. Pour a couple of tablespoons of melted butter into the bottom of a greased Bundt pan, and sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of the cinnamon-sugar mixture and the pecans over the butter. When you invert the "ring," this will make a nice topping.
  2. Then dip each frozen roll in the remaining butter, followed by rolling it in the bowl of cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place each prepared roll into the pan, starting with the bottom layer of 6 rolls and staggering the placement in any subsequent "stacks". Pour any remaining butter over the rolls and sprinkle with remaining cinnamon-sugar mixture. Cover with plastic wrap, place in a cold oven (do NOT heat!),and let sit overnight. (If you use more than 12 rolls, put a cookie sheet pan underneath to catch any drips, as the rolls WILL rise during the night.)
  3. In the morning, remove the plastic wrap, and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 30-35 minutes. To prevent over-browning, cover top of pan with foil during the last 10 minutes of baking.
  4. When done, remove pan from oven and immediately turn over onto a plate big enough to catch all the syrup that will drip out of the pan. Make sure you get ALL the syrup and nuts from the bottom.
  5. Combine the icing ingredients (powdered sugar, 2 T. melted butter, and enough milk to get the right consistency) and drizzle over the bread. Enjoy warm!







Friday, December 20, 2013

Christmas Lite

Somehow, I find myself just five days from Christmas Day...and I'm way behind on my blogging. That's the bad news. The good news? I'm pretty much on schedule with just about everything else on my list.

So how's that possible, you ask? Well, part of it is...my list went on a major diet this year. Items dropped off it like pounds do on the Atkins plan. Because of other priorities, I realized we would have to trim more than a Christmas tree or two.

Oh, we managed to get two trees up and decorated: the one in the dining room, which mainly has sheep-themed ornaments (uploaded a pic on last post); and the "main tree" in the great room. Here is a photo of that one:



A few of the Christmas bears are on top of the quilt-covered bookcase behind the main tree. And, we got 10 of the 50+ nutcrackers up and the mantle decorated. See what you think.


The Advent calendar that I made when Missy M was a little girl made it down from the attic, as did the handmade stockings(shown above). The Christmas china that Daddy gave us made an appearance...well, some of it did...and the Waterford "Twelve Days of Christmas" wine glasses will be put to good use.

All of this is possible because Missy M dragged boxes from the attic when she was here for Thanksgving. She even brought down boxes with some of the outdoor lights, but that's where we had to draw the line.

Beyond a wreath on the front door and a couple of poinsettias in pots on the porch (weather permitting), we are foregoing any outside decorating. No lighted reindeer. No inflatable Santa rising out of his chimney. No "landing lights" outlining the planting areas and sidewalk. No wreaths on the windows. Sorta feels like The Grinch was here. Bah humbug.

And yet...

We may be scaled back this year, but we haven't let the Spirit evaporate. We are welcoming Missy M and the grand-pups on Saturday, and that alone will make the Spirit(s) soar. Then Bro J and SIL J will join us for Lunn Family Christmas on Sunday. Put the seasonal music on...joy still lives at our house! 

We have plenty to be joyful about. Mr. T saw his ortho surgeon today and got the OK to return to work on Monday. Since the full recovery period is 4-6 months, he will still have to go to physical therapy for a couple more months. But progress is progress...and it feels good!

So, as the Holidays surround us, we will celebrate with happy hearts. And toast to our good fortune: with so few decorations up, we will be un-decorated in record time! 

Ah...the beauty of Christmas Lite!



Friday, December 6, 2013

A Good Week

It's Friday night...and I'm finally sitting still. Unless you count my fingers tapping on this pretend (iPad) keyboard. Nah...don't count that...not a lot of motion there. That's good, cause not a lot of energy left over from this week. Deep breath...forging ahead...highlights include the following:

Missy M left us on Sunday for her long drive back to the 'Ville. But first, she dragged Christmas decorations boxes out of the attic and into the dining room for us. Sweet ❤️! Of course, it has taken me all week to get the Sheep Tree up and the table decorated in the DR (below). Slow but sure...



Monday meant physical therapy for Mr. T. He's transitioning from prescription pain meds to OTC, so that makes the lovely ice-down period following the exercises something to look forward to. Still lots of pain...but he's making lots of progress. Since he's shed the scrips, he'll be cleared for driving once he sheds the sling. It's a process...

Tuesday was the Master Gardener Holiday Pot-luck Party...always a fun night for all. As our contribution to the buffet, I fixed some spicy cocktail sauce to serve with the two bags/4 pounds of shrimp, boiling them in some homemade "Old Bay" seasoning and then chilling them for 6 hours or so. I was asked to do "a dramatic reading" for the program...and took great liberty with what that request meant. I fiddled around with 'The Twelve Days of Christmas'...rewriting the verses to match up with things that are meaningful to Guilford County EMGVs...like, "and a cardinal in a NeighborWoods tree."

Wednesday found us at High Point University. First, we attended the candlelight Lessons and Carols service at the Hayworth Chapel...both meaningful and beautiful. After the recessional, we gathered next to the huge outdoor Christmas tree for hot chocolate and cookies.


Then, we headed to the Hayworth Fine Arts Center for the Holiday Pops concert by the North Carolina Symphony. We even got to sing-a-long with the orchestra on several seasonal songs. Fabulous! This photo (below) was snapped by a helpful student, as we strolled along the decorated promenade.


Thursday took us back to PT...and me to the library, which is just down the street. A great place to wait. Again, Mr. T had a good session. He is definitely benefiting from his daily at-home exercises, which he does without reminders. That's a good thing because he's having to take the pups out into the Way Back at least a couple of times a day to work off all that puppy energy. Here are some play-play-play shots:





Before we knew it, Friday rolled around and found us focusing on our finances...specifically on our 401k accounts. I read recently that, as retirement approaches, couples should have quarterly "Financial Checkup Meetings," in order to be better prepared. So, we made a date for lunch at Panera, packed up the iPads and the 401k statement binder, and gave it our best effort. Covered a lot of ground...learned a lot, most importantly: hold our next quarterly meeting in a quieter location...😋

And that finds us at the end of a busy week...trying to catch our collective breath. Oh, sure...it's been busy, but the main reason we are "panting" is probably because (unlike the rest of the country) it is so HOT here: 76 on December 6th...whew! I took this shot (below) tonight at 6:30.


OK, that's the update from HPNC. We'll rest up over the weekend and be ready to roll again come Monday morning. And maybe, just maybe, we can find some time to get the other tree and the rest of the decorations up.

Come to think of it...what did Father Tim and Uncle Billy always say in Jan Karon's Mitford series novels? "There's no rest for the wicked...and the righteous don't need none!"

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