Making Progress

As I write this progress report post, I am sitting on our new sofa which is sitting on our new floor in our new (to us!) GA home. Granted, we haven't crossed the Finish Line of this move just yet, but we are indeed coming out of the Backstretch and are headed into the Far Turn of this interminable, slow-mo relo race. And because things are indeed progressing, we brought Winston and Ella Rae along to help them get accustomed to the new digs.

Winston: "Can we go to the new house? Hunh, hunh, hunh?"

Are you ready for this? The German Shepherd who lives behind us...see his legs on the other side of this hole in our fence?...is also a rescue named Winston! How unlikely is that?! Let's hope the two Winstons eventually come to a mutual understanding over the ownership of the fence. Ahem.

It hasn't all been projects that have progressed. Mr. T took delivery of our new sofa and ottoman this past week. This sofa is replacing one we have had since our previous move to Georgia...in 1997. We figured after 20 years and 4 moves, it was time to retire Old Faithful.

New Sofa and Ottoman (probably the last time anyone will see it without a cover...;-)

New Sofa and Ottoman (complete with covers and happy dogs)

So, about that progress report I mentioned...

1) The tile project - Mark this one complete, as of 5:00 Friday! Hooray! And both of us think it was totally worth all the trouble. Here are some "after" photos for you.

     1) a) Install two new toilets - Done...no thanks to the plumber, I might add. As both bathrooms were getting new tile flooring, and as both 15-year-old toilets would have to be removed in the process, we figured we'd get brand new toilets (tall and elongated, to replace the seemingly child-sized ones) while we were at it. Bought American Standards, complete sets and had them delivered. But, when the plumber arrived, he kept saying they were "European" and would require much more work...and $600 to install. And then he left (without installing the garbage disposal either because there wasn't an electric outlet box to contain the wiring under the sink), saying he would have their office call us to reschedule. Good grief. Here is a picture of the new box that Mr. T installed under the sink (another one done!), and a screen capture of the text exchange between T and me, beginning with a report of my conversation with the scheduler at the plumbing company...and his pithy response:

New outlet...ready for the new garbage disposal (which this house has never had!)

Texts about the toilet install (done!)

I laughed for several minutes after I got that text from T. 

2) New light fixtures, fans, and extra outlets - In progress. Mr. T is tackling some of these installs (most notably, that outlet under the sink and the new vanity lights in both bathrooms - pictured)...

...and has contracted with an electrical company to do the more challenging ones (most notably, two fans in the16' vaulted ceilings). That's what is on tap for this next week.

3) Outdoor Clean-up - Mr. T has spent a good bit of the last week wielding pruners, loppers, and hedge trimmers in the Great Outdoor Clean-up project. It was abundantly clear that the previous owners (a) loved plants and (b) stopped maintaining their landscape a while ago. Everything just looked shaggy. So T has been intent on taming the property...and it shows! 

4) More touchup painting - Yeah, I thought we were done with painting, too. But the tile guys only "install" the quarter rounds after tiling; they don't do anything to pimp it. So next week, it looks like I'll be rolling on trim paint to the baseboards and qtr-rnd and using the caulking gun to put a period to our painting projects. Oh, and there are a few nicks and dinks on the walls from the tile installation, so patching and painting here and there will also be on the agenda.

And how does that work with a walking boot, you might ask? Well, I'm thinking I can use a low stool in order to avoid involving my foot. We shall see....

5) Finish Line - Our move-in date is officially scheduled for 8/30. Conceding that my foot isn't ready for all the standing that the cleaning required to spiff up the house before the Four Men and Two Trucks arrive would necessitate, we've got Stanley Steemer coming to do the carpeted areas (three bedrooms and closets), and then the Molly Maids are coming to do a move-in clean before The Big Day. 

Yes, the Finish Line. We will be crossing it in 11 days from today. Tick, tick, tick! Now, how exciting is that?

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If there are glaring design errors with this or any of my posts, please know that I do the best I can when I set up my posts and pictures in Blogger. But because Blogger (a Google application) and my iPad (an Apple product) do NOT play well together, it is a jaw-clenching effort to even get a post loaded. And, though I cannot lug my laptop around, it isn't much better or easier to wait until I can get in front of my PC. Oh, and there is no plan to fix the issues on Google's part. Sigh.

It's That Time of Year

The Christmas Waltz song keeps running through my mind today...

Frosted window panes, candles gleaming inside
Painted candy canes on the tree
Santa's on his way, he's filled his sleigh with things
Things for you and for me

It's that time of year when the world falls in love
Ev'ry song you hear seems to say
"Merry Christmas, may your New Year dreams come true"
And this song of mine in three-quarter time
Wishes you and yours the same thing, too

Right.  The candles on our window sills just went off on their timers, as did the Christmas tree, and I'm eating a candy cane as I type. Check, check, and check! But, honestly people, the only way our window panes would be "frosty" today is if I went out and soaped them! I think we may have hit the mid 60's again today, after 72 earlier this week. I don't want to sound all Scroogy, but I hate December weather that feels more like May. Bah! Humbug. Still, I hope that Santa will come our way...even if he has to leave the furs in the North Pole and wear a pair of Bermuda shorts!

Maybe we should be singing my favorite song from The Muppets Christmas Carol...makes me laugh every year when I watch it:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwahCM3mC9A. Put me in a better mood, just now.

OK! So, we are a week away from Christmas Day. How are things coming along? Well, I've most of my baking done, as you can see in these pictures of Hello Dollies and Delaware Butterballs; Banana-Cranberry muffins; and star-shaped Sugar Cookie cutouts:

 

 

 

Missy M made a batch of Nana's Nuts and Bolts (our name for Chex Mix) after Thanksgiving...which we consumed in record time. Maybe we can get her to make some more, please. Oh, and I pulled out Nana's recipe for Cheese Ball...simple but always tasty...and made both a cheese ball and a cheese log from the same batch. Must have the savories with the sweets!

We'll have M's Breakfast casserole on Christmas Day; and unless we are entirely too full (again this year), we'll roast a turkey breast with all the trimmings for dinner. Just need to make our traditional coconut cake for dessert...oh, and Monkey Bread for Christmas morning! I'll try to remember to take a picture of the finished product this year before we eat it.

I went to a wreath-making workshop a couple of weeks ago, and now my "masterpiece" adorns our front door. I'm really proud of this effort, because Missy M treated me to a similar workshop a few years ago in Louisville...and I was a complete klutz. This time, I had a better idea of what to do...and what I wanted the end product to look like. Plus, I wasn't afraid to use plenty of pins!

2015 Merry Christmas Wreath: I made it myself at Toms Creek Nursery!

We got the yard decorations out, the Sheepie tree up in the dining room window, and the aforementioned candles in the front bedroom windows:

We even got tickets to the NC Symphony's Holiday Pops, presented at High Point University. That always puts us in a festive spirit!

I've also got my annual newsletter typed, printed, and folded; and the cards are ready to be sealed and stamped (Mr. T's job this year) so we can make the mad dash to the P.O. tomorrow to barely meet the deadline. I do believe I have all my shopping done...and even more importantly, my purchased gifts are all wrapped and under the tree. I have one gift to finish knitting (so what else is new?), which should happen tonight. And then...I can sit back, relax, and enjoy the season, right? Well, it's a plan.

Why am I so far ahead of the game, you ask? Well, everything was accelerated because our Lunn Family Christmas get together was earlier than usual this year, meaning most of the shopping, wrapping, etc., had to be done by December 11. T&LaD drove down from KY, Missy M drove up from GA, and Mr. T. and I drove over from NC to meet up in Nashville last weekend. We had a wonderful time together! Breakfasts at the Bistro in the lobby of our Doubletree; dinner at Coco's Italian Market; and dessert and gift exchange at J&J's house. Superb!!

And we even got to attend "How the Grinch Stole Christmas!" at the Opry, with Stewart cousin Scott starring as Old Max (the Grinch's dog...all grown up and doing the narrating for the stage play). He has a fabulous singing voice, which he got to showcase on the song "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch." What a great performance! His dad, cousin Mark, even joined us for breakfast, making it an all-around family weekend. Check out the interview and pictures of SS in character here: http://www.broadwayworld.com/nashville/article/BWW-Interview-Bringing-THE-GRINCH-To-Life-At-The-Grand-Ole-Opry-House-20151130

Missy M will be taking some vaca days next week, so she'll head her Mini up I-85 on Sunday to join us for the Holidays. Her dogs, Ella Rae and Dixie, have been with us since she was here for Thanksgiving (they stayed with us due to her travel schedule in early December). Mr. T., who is still catching up on work after being out for 8 weeks, isn't planning on taking any days off, but neither is he planning on leaving town for business either. It should be a joyful and peaceful approach to the Season.

I do need to head to the grocery store for this n' that, but we aren't making ourselves crazy with last minute preparations this year. It has been so hectic for the past few months (all year, really) that we are relishing a more laid-back approach.

Fingers crossed that we achieve it. Toes, too! After all, it IS that time of year. Right?

+++++++++++++++++++++

Here are a few photos from the past weekend. And don't forget to check out my final post for the year plus pictures, over on our gardening blog. Click here to go there!

Terry joins us for breakfast at the Bistro

Dessert and gift exchange at Jack and Julie's house

Cousins Mark and Scott Stewart with Patricia

Leaving the show...heading to dinner at Coco's Italian Market



Thomas, Julie, and Jack showing off the Christmas Cracker prizes: xylophones and crowns

Make That a Double

Coffee. I need coffee...lots of it. Keep it coming. Grind some of those 100% Columbian beans, baby...extra strength. Biggest mug we have, please. Make it a double. It's been a long night. 

Let me catch you up with the story.

Missy M and the grand dogs made the 8-hour journey over the river and through the toll booths, arriving late Wednesday evening. Since Mr. T and I are housebound this Holiday Season, we are hosting both family celebrations here...so she and the mutt-mutts are traveling the Turnpike twice.

Both of her dogs did fine on the long trip, although Dixie simply will not sleep in the car. She's not disruptive (like Gussie could be at times); she sits quietly and watches...watches, the whole way. Ella Rae is more active, shall we say? Jump in the front seat, take a nap. Back to the back seat, look out the window. Back to the front, try to help drive...and so on. But, since ER does nap occasionally, she was ready to roam when they pulled into the driveway.

After a frantic meet & greet with Abbie (Duche$$ cannot be bothered for such mundane matters), they ALL chowed down on some nibbles of kibbles...as we pet parents scarfed some supper. Then, off to our assigned beds...Thursday was going to be a big day.

Wait a minute! Haven't I got the wrong week? Thanksgiving is next Thursday, you say? Yes, but Missy M has miles to go before she can take those vacation days. She had a business trip to take to Dallas and made arrangements to fly out of and back into Piedmont Triad International in Greensboro.

 

PTI sounds impressive...and sports some mighty fine, long runways thanks to FedEx...but names can be deceptive. Service to/from is limited, forcing a choice of small aircraft (that I call Pretend Planes) or a long layover in (where else?) Atlanta. M decided on an American direct flight to Dallas, meaning she choose a Pretend Plane. Oh, I know, that's my personal problem with the noise (causing a loss of hearing for a couple of hours after the flight) and the lack of space (there's just something wrong when they ask you to gate-check your carryons 'cause there's not enough room in the cabin for both people and their packings)...she's happy to deal with those issues in exchange for a direct flight.

 

About that direct flight business...right.

 

As Snoopy would say, "It was a dark and stormy night." Oh, no...not here. There was a beautiful, purple-pink-and-orange sunset, splashed over NC Highway 68. No, the storms lay in two flanks between her Departure and her Arrival gates: one stretched along the Mississippi River, centered over Memphis; the second, more powerful system headed directly for...drumroll, please...Dallas. I began to chew my cuticles almost the moment I returned home from PTI and pulled up both the WFMY Weather ap and Flight Tracker on my iPad. [An aside: PTI may be a disappointment in flight choices, but they are top-drawer on their website, offering a direct link to Flight Tracker...an excellent tool for nervous parents plotting the course of their flying offspring. Click here to go there:  https://www.flyfrompti.com/airline-service/flight-trackers/]

We watched her flight head south in order to avoid the Memphis air space...good plan! But then along about 9:20, after crossing the Mississippi into Arkansas, the little black Flight Tracker airplane following the little white route-line turned and headed north. What?!

Thankfully, at almost the same instant we received the following text:

"Hello from the beautiful state of... Louisiana"

Her 'direct flight' had just made an unscheduled stop in Shreveport. "Better on the ground than in the air," were the first words out of Mr. T's mouth. No truer words...

Here's what the Weather ap shots showed (below). Not exactly comforting, eh?

 

Future forecast

Screen capture -
Dallas area, 9:35

She was on the ground for a little over an hour, and then we got a text she was back on the (refueled) plane. I knew I wouldn't be going to sleep until she was tucked up, safe and sound in her hotel room. But, I had to try to settle her pups who had shifted into searching mode: where is she? Where is she? Can't find her. Where is she?  So I took them to the front bedroom...and they seemed to accept that I was to be their bed-bud for the night. I turned on ESPN to mask the noises of a resting house...first we saw basketball, then football, and finally water polo (I kid you not!). Here are a couple of shots of sleeping dogs lying...

Dixie, settled for the night
(See her heart...on her head?)


 

ER, first nap of the night

With much tension, I watched the little FT plane make its way on my iPad from Shreveport Regional to DFW...first to the south, then turning north into the gap between the two waves on the Weather ap. 

With great relief, I read the first text when she landed. With even greater relief, I read the last text when she assured me she was safe and sound, all locked in her room. 2:45 a.m., our time. Turn off the TV, turn out the lights! Let's get some sleep.

Not to be. Abbie couldn't understand why I wasn't sleeping with Mr. T where I was supposed to be, so she divided her time between bedrooms...with long stop-overs on the den sofa. Up, down, up, down...repeat...

And no time to nap, as Mr. T has PT today. Of course, I might catch a few zzzzz's before I head to PTI to pick-up our traveller who is scheduled to return tonight, but I kinda doubt it: she texted that Dallas is expecting ICE later.

Yeah. Better make that a double. More coffee? Naw...it must be 5:00 somewhere, right?

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

UPDATE: 9:45 p.m.

Missy M's plane is in the air and on the way. I'll be starting back on caffeine soon since a delayed departure from Dallas (weather...what else?) means a late arrival in Greensboro (now projected to be 11:43 EST). Here's the screen capture of Flight Tracker, showing the little black plane leaving DFW and beginning to follow the little white route-line, weaving its way through the weather, to GSO:

Double-double espresso, anyone?

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

UPDATE: 11:43 p.m.

Travel girl is home again, safe and sound. Let the Thanksgiving begin!

Garden 2012 Roundup

It was a bea-u-tee-ful weekend here at Casa 3917. Sunny and warm enough to be outside in short-sleeves, no jacket, at least until late afternoon. So, after a run to Tractor Supply for bird food and to Soviero's Tri-County Garden Center for bags of this and that (more in a sec), we took advantage of almost every moment, working mostly in the Kitchen Garden.

First, we finished removing Summer from the Warm Season garden. Mr. T had already pulled up the tomatoes and the okra last weekend, and I dug the sweet potatoes following our first frost... leaving just the peppers and the bean and pea fences standing. While he removed the fences, I weeded the asparagus bed and snipped all the yellowed ferns.

We'd decided to build a box for this bed, as we wanted to build up the soil around the crowns and make it easier to weed during the year...both important to the health and optimum production of asparagus. [You may or may not know...or care to know...that asparagus is a perennial vegetable, coming back year after year from the roots (or "crowns") you plant only once. It also hates to share space with anything, especially weeds...a real loner.] Mr. T had a couple of 8' boards for the long sides, but he had to cut two 3' boards for the ends. He screwed them together with deck screws, then nailed them to the corner braces he'd sunk into the ground. It ain't going nowhere!

We then emptied out the 'used' soil from the potato bags and spread out a good dose of mushroom compost. We will cover everything with a layer of straw after it has settled a bit. I can almost taste those tender spears that will pop us next Spring, can't you? Here's a pic of Ella Rae checking out our work.

Ella Rae approves of the new asparagus bed...but she'd really like to roll around in the compost!

Then Mr. T emptied out several bags of leaves* and ran the mower over them to give 'em a good chop. Next up, he got the big tiller running and turned the whole area under. I kept busy with the Mantis(r) tiller to dig new beds for daffodils behind existing daylily beds. When the Mantis conked, I continued pulling up the frost-singed zinnias and snipping the last of the rose-blooms. (Yes, the roses are STILL blooming)

So what's left, you ask? The cool season garden is hosting broccoli (pictured), cabbage, lettuce, a few carrots, fewer still beets, turnip greens, and collards. There are also a couple of rows of garlic that will overwinter and be ready next July.

Grow, baby grow!  Will you be ready for Thanksgiving?

We went out yesterday in the early drizzle (goodbye, good weather...:) and measured and marked the rows/paths for next year. We'll add amendments like lime (per our Soil Report), and North Carolina's own Kickin Chicken and Pete's Cow Manure before we put the baby to bed for the Winter.

You probably won't be surprised to learn that I took the measurements and spent the evening drawing up the Plan for Garden 2013. One can't be too prepared, can one?

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Leaves* - Hello, my name is Patricia...and I am a Leaf Thief. I admit it...I see leaves bagged up on the curb, headed to the landfill, and I can't help myself. I load those bags of once-and-future gold into my car and head home to the shredder. Nuthin' better to help loosen and build clay soils!

This year, though, I may have made the best deal yet. Our across-the-street neighbors have a beautiful front yard, lush and green...and they are fanatics about getting the fallen leaves off their lawn, sooner rather than later! I asked if we could trade all the veggies they want next year from our garden for their bags of leaves...and we would return the bags, too. We've had a similar deal with our next door neighbor...and our lawn guy, who brings us BIG bags of leaves that he "vacuums" from his customers' yards with his monster riding lawn mower. With all these contributions this Fall, we may not need to make the rounds of the neighborhoods the day before the HPNC yard waste truck does.

Still...I may hear the siren call...

Rewind

Don't you sometimes wish you could hit the REWIND button on your life?  Maybe to go back to the moment before you made a huge decision...that you now see was exactly the wrong decision to make.  Possibly to go back to before you said something you wish you hadn't said to someone.  Or, just to go back to the moment you thought "I don't have time to stop for gas this morning; I'm running late already.  I'll stop this afternoon on the way home."  Yeah, right.

I downloaded some photos from a couple of weekends ago, and it allowed me to hit REWIND on my own life...if only for a brief period.  Back to before we had gotten the news about Mom's lung cancer...and our whole focus changed.


Ella Rae and Dixie in the garden

Missy M was here then with my grand-dogs her sweetie-pie-mutt-mutts, Dixie and Ella Rae.  They are both such bundles of energy...and make it almost impossible to snap a decent photo.  Believe me, I tried!  All I had to show for my efforts was a half-frame shot like this (right).  They loved being able to get into the garden...but, they didn't seem to get the concept of walking/running on the paths, NOT on the nice rows.  You should see the row of lettuce I planted with Dixie's help that weekend:  it now has tiny plants growing in these huge Basset-sized paw-prints, right in the middle of the row!




Maredith and Thomas
warming up on the deck on a cold night
in early February



We had some steaks we wanted to grill out, and we didn't let a little (hahahahaha) cold weather stop us. Bring it on!

We opened a cold bottle of Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling. (I toured that Washington State winery before Missy M was born...and I still love their wines.)  Mr. T got the grill going, and then he rounded up the little firepit and the fire-starters we use as mini-logs.  Missy M raided the hall closet for jackets and gloves and hand-knitted scarves (photo, left).  The night was remarkably clear, and the stars were out in force.  It was just lovely.



Trimming the boards for the Piano Bar Veranda

That was the same weekend that Mr. T built us a new deck onto the garden shed.  It was designed as a simple rectangle, about 6 x 8...just big enough for a couple of chairs and a small table, where we could enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning...or a cold beer, after a long day working in the garden.  Well, he's constitutionally incapable of building something as designed...even if he is the one who designed it!  By the time he'd finished, he'd re-worked the deck-top into what we are now calling The Piano Bar Veranda (imagine:  the top of a baby-grand piano...:).  Amazing!

Was that really just two weeks ago?  Sigh.

Ah well...moving forward. 

Mom's had a good week, with more good days than bad.  Her pain meds are working well, she's tolerating the increased dosage, and we are thankful for that.  We are baffled about nerve pain in her feet that wakes her in the night (no other symptoms).  And, while her good humor is present most of the time, her energy level is low.

Bro T will be with us through Thursday when he heads back home to KY...although I really don't know what we'll do when he's gone.  He has brought such a ray of sunshine that we will all miss terribly...until he returns in April.  We've got fingers (and toes) crossed that SIL LaD's health is improved and can come back with him.

And, I must say that all the cards and messages that have arrived here at Casa 3917 have made her (and us) feel so loved and supported.  "Thank you" seems so inadequate...but it's all I can think of at the moment.

Thank you.  From the bottom of my heart.

What a Christmas!*

*To explain the significance of the title: 

...as said by the incomparable Sydney Greenstreet, playing Mr. Yardley,  at the end of one of my all-time favorite Christmas movies, A Christmas in Connecticut...the 1945 original, starring Barbara Stanwyck as Elizabeth Lane.  Don't even speak to me about the remake; it doesn't exist in my universe.  BTW, I really want to be Elizabeth Lane when I grow up.

Anyway.

I do hope you've had a wonderful, marvelous, heart-warming, and soul-restoring Christmas, too.  One that just took your breath away.


Coconut Cake with Ambrosia Filling

I finished up my baking with a three-layer coconut cake (photo, right), made with 7-minute icing and ambrosia (pineapple, orange, and coconut cooked in a sugar-syrup) filling.  My step-great-grandmother, Ner (who was married to Nananny/Ed Lee Stewart and whose "real" name was Nelle Rhea Stewart) used to make fabulous coconut cakes and ambrosia at Christmas, and I inherited this labor of love.  I just can't grate the coconut by hand like she did, so I've modernized the recipe by using the Cuisinart to do that part of the chore.  Thank goodness for progress!

Missy M, who had to drive her Honda-sleigh down the toll-road and over the mountains, arrived on Christmas Eve.  As the temperatures dropped after dark, I heated up some apple cider, and we sipped the comforting beverage from the Christmas china cups (you remember, I wrote about that Christmas china last year)...knowing that our child was home safe, our family complete.



Christmas Tree on Christmas Morn
...and Gus with his toy

Christmas Day 2010 began with the smell of Creme Brulee-laced coffee and cinnamon rolls, hot out of the oven.  We traditionally "open" our stockings first, then have coffee/hot chocolate, juice, orange slices, and rolls before distributing and opening our gifts from under the tree.  That's a "before" shot of the tree (left), along with Gus and his toy that Santa brought Ella Rae:  you see, in Gus' universe, all toys are his toys.  You'll notice a multitude of sacks on the hearth:  those are the stocking-sacks, since the stuff is just too heavy to put in the stockings and still have them hanging from the mantle.  Santa was very generous indeed, and we were all in a festive mood when I went in the kitchen to preheat the oven for the sausage casserole for brunch.



Ella Rae on the deck with the first flakes of
Christmas Day snow

As I paused at the back door to open it for Ella Rae to go outside (right), I shouted "it's snowing!"  A real, live White Christmas was coming to life, right before our eyes.  When Brother J called from Nashville, he said they already had 2 inches on the ground...and more falling at the moment.  Brother T, who lives in Northern KY, said they were still snowed in from the last snowfall, and that it required a 4-wheel drive vehicle for them to drive down their mountain.  For the first time in years, we were all going to enjoy (more or less...:) a Winter Wonderland, regardless of what state we were living in.

Well, by the next morning, we were living in "a state of emergency," as Gov. Perdue declared the Old North State.  We never lost our power (thank goodness) like many did, but it didn't stop snowing at two inches for us.  Or, at three or four inches either.  By the time we called it a night, we knew we were headed for a pretty deep "dusting" of the frozen stuff, as you can see in that photo I took, looking out the bay window in the back, over the deck steps (where Ella Rae had been sitting in the earlier photo) toward the swing (below, top).

Then, check out the same location-shot I took the next morning (above, bottom).  We had over five inches on the ground in HPNC then, with more falling.  By Sunday night, the final official total was given as "between 7 and 10 inches."  Yowza!  A white Christmas, for the first time in over 40 years.



Rudolph Cake, made for the Reindeer Games

The Christmas Day Snow topped off a wonderful holiday season for us.  We had had such a good time a weekend earlier when we journeyed to L'ville for the Lunn Family Christmas get-together, hosted by Missy M.  She had sent out invitations for all to join her for "Reindeer Games," and we had a blast playing Scrabble, doing a Christmas movie quiz (for "fabulous prizes") and Christmas-themed scratch-offs with Brother J and SIL J, who drove up from Nashville.  M made two big pots of chili (one hot, one mild...:), which we enjoyed before a roaring fire...courtesy of the Yule Log channel on DirectTV!  (Brother J said he'd lived to see it all...:)  I made a Rudolph cake for dessert (left), and we baked reindeer slice-and-bake cookies, too.  For favors, M created tins of "extra reindeer noses," which turned out to be little red-hot candies.  So clever!



Lunn Family Christmas at M's in L'ville
12/18/10

Unfortunately, Nana/Momma/Edith couldn't make the long trip, and then Brother T and SIL LaD couldn't join us as the cold and snow aggravated her breathing issues...and we missed them all terribly.  Still, it was so good to be with J and J and have such a great time.  As Mr. T said, "we need to get a photo of this (right)!"

I have a few photos of Finished Objects (FO's) that were given as gifts.  Plus, the snow has provided us with hundreds of opportunities for photos.  And, one of Mr. T's presents was a Bird Camera, which is now set up outside, clamped to one of the feeder-poles...and set to automatically snap shots when it detects motion (and warmth).  We should have mountains of photos generated by that! 

I do believe I'll save those until the next post...or two.  I wouldn't want to bury you in pixels.  Tee hee.

So, until then, a Merry Christmas to all...and to all a good night!

We Give Thanks

What a wonderful day it was!  Even though the weather outside was not the best (drizzling rain, cloudy, etc.), we were dry and warm and well-fed inside.  For these and all our many blessings, we continue to give thanks.



Table Turkey

 Anyone who knows me knows I love to decorate for the holidays...pretty much any holiday.  I have color-coded plastic containers in the attic for practically every special day...and Thanksgiving gets two boxes.  Mr. T got them out when he put the Halloween boxes (3 of them...:) back up, so I've had the mantles and the dining room table decorated for several weeks, adding a touch here and there.

As you can see in that picture (right), the centerpiece on the table again this year is the stuffed turkey I made 20-25 years ago.  There are also matching placemats, napkins, and aprons.  I add lots of fall colors in the leaves, the flowers, and the candles...and I sprinkle leaf-shaped confetti about on the tablecloth.  A pain to pick up...but a fun touch nonetheless.



Publix Pilgrim salt 'n pepper

  Also, on the table are the salt and pepper shaker set we call the Publix Pilgrims (left).  We got our first set when we lived in Duluth, GA, and shopped at Publix...still one of my favorite grocery stores.  I also have a set of napkin rings to match.



Pilgrim Hat Pots

 This year's addition to the tablescape was Missy M's Pilgrim Hat Pots (right).  She is so creative!  She got some black spray paint for two clay pots, which she adorned with cardboard "belt buckles."  Then, she added some beautiful potted mums she found on one of her trips to Home Depot...running errands for us while we were working on the Garden Shed (yes, I'll get back to that topic in the next post, I promise...:).  They fit right in with the turkey centerpiece and all...and were a sure hit.

For Thanksgiving Day 2010, I got up early to get started on the To Do List.  Each year I write out my menus, who joined us for dinner, and on the back, I add both the To Do's and notes on What-I-Should-Do-Differently-Next-Year.  With that first cup of coffee in hand, I noticed that I had written on my list for 2004 to "remember to spray the inside of the oven bag with Pam, so it won't stick to the turkey."  A really good idea...and something I seem to forget every year.

First things first:  a second cup of coffee.  Second things and so on:  get the turkey out of the brine (my recipe calls for the bird to spend the night in the cooler, submerged in brown sugar, salt, spices, wine, water, and apple cider), into the bag (I use one of those handy-dandy Reynolds Turkey Oven Bags), and ready for roasting.  While the oven preheated, I headed out to the garden to pick lettuce for a salad, and as Ella Rae was so eager to join me, I let her dash through the gate...without giving it much thought.  Soon, she was joined by The Drool Gang:  Duchess, Gus, and Elmo.  Oh boy, let's go play in the Way Back!



Lettuce protected by row cover

 While I was busy removing the row covers from the rows of lettuces (right), they were busy rolling around in what we've been descriptively calling The Stinky Grass:  some grass clippings our neighbor had saved for us in black bags, that have been sitting in the hot sun all summer long...and that were in the last stages of composting when Mr. T spread them on the newly-tilled areas a couple of days ago.  Now, grass clippings for the garden are really a blessing, I assure you.  Having the dogs dousing themselves in the scent is something else entirely.

I could smell Ella approaching me before I saw her.  Good grief!  Mr. T wiped the Houndz down with the Baby Wipes, while Missy M had to give her poor pup two baths...the second one in diluted vinegar.  That little chore wasn't on our original To Do List for the day, but you do what you have to do, right?



Salad greens washed and ready for fridge

 While the others were attending to the cleaning chore, I put my apron on and got busy in the kitchen.  With the turkey in the oven (and the ham ready to go in after 90 minutes), I washed my salad greens (left)...including the nasturtium blossoms (yes! they are indeed edible, as well as pretty!)...and bagged them up for the crisper.  BTW, I do so love the salad spinner Missy M got for me last year...love it, love it, love it!

The last of the green tomatoes that were saved before the first freeze had turned red and would provide the color for the simple salad.  Other garden contributions to the Holiday meal would be: 

• peas and lima beans for the Three-Bean Casserole;
• yellow and zucchini squash for the Zippy Squash Casserole; and
• sweet potatoes for the Sweet Potato Souffle.

All of these casseroles had been made earlier in the week, so all I had to do was get them out of the extra fridge in the garage and ready to finish off in the oven:  get them hot and bubbly, then add the toppings to each.  I had made up the Crock Pot dressing (use the link to that basic recipe, which is similar to mine...only I use only one can of Cream of Chicken Soup, along with one can of Chicken Broth...and only 2 eggs...and I add finely diced carrots for some color...:) on Wednesday night, so I just plugged in the Crock Pot and turned it on "high" for two hours...then down to "low" for the rest of the time...just a few stirs required...and it doesn't take up a burner on the stove!  Those would be needed for the gravy, the mashed potatoes, and the rice.  Hey, we've never met a starch we didn't like in this family!

I had also made up my Potato Roll recipe the night before, so I got that bowl (it's a huge Tupperware bowl that takes up way too much space in an already crowded fridge) out to let the dough reach room temp and start its second rise.  After that, I rolled up 90 balls of dough to make 30 tri-cornered rolls.  Yummmmm!  They would be the last thing to go into the oven, just 15 minutes before dinner was served.

Things hummed along, and we were ready for Brother and SIL J&J when they arrived at around 11:00, bringing along a lovely three-pack of wine from the Biltmore Winery.  We had a nice visit while the meal continued to cook...and soon, it was 2:00 and time to eat.  Judging from the kind comments, I think we can call Thanksgiving Dinner 2010 a success.  Oh, and my note for this year's list?  "Remember to bag up some ice on Wednesday so there will be plenty for dinner."



Mr. T with J & J at Oak Hollow after dinner

 While N/M/E took a little nap after dinner, J & J, Mr. T, and I took a little stroll through the neighborhood, down to the lake (right)...and when we returned to the house, Missy M was just finishing up with the first round of dirty dishes.  Now, that's really a blessing!

I hope each and every one of you enjoyed a bountiful meal and all the blessings of the Day, surrounded by family and friends, and then drifted off to a peaceful night's sleep in a warm bed on clean sheets.  And, if you did, remember to join me and take a bag of canned goods and non-perishables to the local food pantry sometime this week.  We'll be glad we did!