Category: Life

It is cold! Yep, right now (Saturday afternoon) it is seven degrees (F) and expected to drop down below zero tonight. On Sunday we expect that it will not get any warmer than 9 or 10 degrees (F)! My hands are cold, my toes are cold, and the dackels look at me with disgust when I put them outside to do their business. Poor babies! They really freeze. I think I need to put their little sweaters on.

Fritz, however, loves this! He runs around like a wild deer, and I swear I see a smile on his face! Of course, with that heavy white fur coat on, he probably doesn’t feel the cold at all.

On Saturday I cooked the turkey that was hiding in my deep freezer. It sure smells good in here, as the turkey nears being done. We’ll have a regular turkey dinner tonight, and then I will bone the bird, cook the bones, and then make soup and little pot pies and slices of turkey for sandwiches. Hubby and I are trying to really buckle down and eat economically.

We’re trying….I must say, because after Christmas there was a tremendous jump in food prices around here! I told Hubby we will need to plant a nice bigger garden this year, to help supplement our groceries.

Not too much else happened on Saturday. I think I will ask Hubby to make a fire in the hearth, just to take the chill off the house.

Then we will watch the New England Patriots play the Denver Broncos!

PS: The turkey was great! I think I have discovered a secret. One our mothers and grandmothers already knew. Always use a covered roasting pan for the turkey and the bird will stay nice and moist! For some reason I thought an open roasting pan would be good, but my turkey was coming out dry. Went back to using Hubby’s mother’s roasting pan & cover and the turkey was perfect!

When I woke up on Saturday morning, I asked Hubby what he might like to do. He answered that he didn’t have any big plans. Great. In the last few days we’d been talking about replacing my chair, as I have previously mentioned, at 10 years of age, the thing is quite literally falling apart. We also wanted to do two things. Buy local (no chain stores) and buy made in the USA. I really want to support people in this country, their families and the furniture industry.

All that being said, off we went to a store where I’d gotten my “Snuggler” 10 years ago. A “Snuggler” is a chair and a half, thus giving me and the dackels plenty of room to sit together. The store is family owned, and has been in Plymouth, New Hampshire for over 50 years. Unfortunately, after looking at what they had, and pricing things, we left. I really felt bad. I wanted to buy from them!

We went and had lunch at a Chinese Restaurant, and the food was fine, but gave me terrible heartburn. Yes, I am getting old!

Then we were off to the next place. Also a family own business. There was a big sign outside saying that they were having a big sale on ALL their recliners. We walked through, but I saw nothing that even came close to what we both wanted or needed.

So, we left. We took the back roads home, and during the trip I mentioned that we should stop at the furniture store in our town (also family run). Hubby wasn’t too sure, because he has been in there before over the years and not seen anything. I, however, mentioned to Hubby that they were carrying several new lines of reclining furniture.

I guess I was convincing, because Hubby stopped and we went in to look. I knew where they kept the reclining furniture, but we picked up the salesman, and off we went.

I entered the room, walked about ten steps and there it was!

It is a loveseat, but a small one. Both sides do recline, but I doubt that Greta will care. It is made in the USA, and is so comfortable! Tennessee you make a comfortable seat! Since they order everything, I asked if I could get custom material. I am getting a light, leather “look” covering. This materiel is very durable, and should hold up well with the dogs. But this is the style.

Best of all Hubby found a new chair too, and because we bought the furniture together, we got a very good deal!

Hubby’s is a blue color and very nice. In the weave there is the same color as my light brown faux leather, so they do go together. The two chairs should be into our home in about six weeks!

I ended my day feeling happy. I was able to do what I really wanted to do. I bought from local merchants, and I bought items that are made in the USA!

Every day we hear about another factory closing and people losing their jobs. So, I think the next year I will “try to buy” USA made products unless there just isn’t anything offered.

And…here we go!

1. Discussions abound for our upcoming trip!.
2. It’s so hard for me to say goodbye.
3. I think it’s time for me to ORGANIZE!.
4. The ultrasound pictures of my grand-baby puts a smile on my face.
5. Maybe sometime I will finally deal with my weight issues permanently.
6. God gives me strength.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to a fire in the hearth, tomorrow my plans include taking down the Christmas tree and putting all the holiday boxes away and Sunday, I want to read, and relax!!

Our host is Gattina. Come join us and tell us what YOU did this past weekend! After all, you never know when you will need an alibi!

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This past weekend was more than just busy. You can read yesterdays post to find out about my shopping day with Mandy, but here is the part two of that day.

Once I got home I made our dinner. I had absolutely no idea what I was going to cook, as I drove back home, but somehow, threw together a scalloped potato and chicken meal with broccoli.

Then I sat down to write up the Minutes for the Library meeting we had. Four and a half hours later, I saved my work, turned off the computer and went to bed.

Hubby and I slept late on Sunday morning and then we had a lazy day. It’s really cold up here right now and we stay warm by cuddling a dackel, and wearing an additional sweater.

Monday will find me running errands and finishing up the Christmas mailing. Then I want to do the Christmas wrapping. Hubby is going skiing, so I’ll be footloose and fancy free!

Have a great Monday, Everyone!!!

Our host is Gattina. Come join us and tell us what YOU did this past weekend! After all, you never know when you will need an alibi!

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As you read yesterday, my weekend was a busy one. I’d hoped to get the Christmas tree up, but as I was putting on lights, I noticed that half the lights were out. I tried the next set, and those had the same weird problem. So on Monday, I will go get two new strings of lights.

I wrapped and packaged up my over seas packages. Very late, I know, but better a little later, than never.

So tomorrow in the morning I will go to the Post Office fist, and then the dollar store for some cheap lights.

Since I basically wrote everything yesterday,  I will leave you with this picture of Arnie on my chair, sitting in his dish, which he has brought to me!

Have a great Monday Everyone!

So, I was sitting here thinking that it was Saturday and it was, in fact Friday. This means I still have Saturday to live through tomorrow before getting myself ready to drive down and pick up my cousin, Janet and take a road trip to my sister’s house to celebrate her 40th wedding anniversary!

I so wish we had more time, but we will go down on Sunday, attend the dinner to celebrate, sleep and return Monday morning. Janet has work and I have a meeting to attend that I can not miss.

Life. It certainly keeps you on the go!

I made the most wonderful turkey stock for soup. I boned the turkey, placed all the bones in my crock pot with an onion, celery, carrot and a little sea salt, and enough fat free chicken stock to cover the bones, and I put the control on low. I then proceeded to simmer the bones for 24 hours. I’ll skim the fat off in the morning and then make the turkey soup.

I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving, or a nice Thursday! And an equally good Friday. I somehow feel that all that turkey has made me very sleepy! LOL!

So, what did I do the day after my birthday, where the day seemed to be one wonderful day? Well On Friday, it was back to reality, laundry, dusting, bath room cleaning and vacuuming! I also took my slip covers off and washed them up, before starting our dinner.

Oh, it was a special meal, that is for sure! We’d gotten a beautiful roast beef and I made it basted with poupon mustard, and then pressing a mixture of herbs into it and then roasting it.

Hubby also wanted mashed potatoes and asparagus. Anyway, it was so good, and I felt good I could chalk up another “good meal” because I’ve got just as many “bad meals”.

Tomorrow I’m working again for my friend, and then Mandy and Matt are coming up. I can hardly wait to see them!

And…here we go!

1. As you can see I love life and I do not mind getting older.

2. Surprises soon!

3. I love to buy fresh produce.

4. I’ve been buying Christmas gift(s).

5. What’s up with the NBA. Seems like too many millionaires trying to get richer, to me!

6.I think the new cell phones require you to use more of your fingertips.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to quiet, tomorrow my plans include working and seeing my daughter and Sunday, I want to don’t know yet. May be a surprise!!

I was getting together some pictures for my annual Thursday Birthday Post. I put them together and then ran them through a slideshow and as I grew from tiny babe, to the middle aged woman before you, I realized a few things.

First, I’ve led a very challenging life. I have know crushing sadness, but I have also known the most wonderful happiness a person could hope for.

I decided a while back to concentrate on the happiness part of my life and as I went through the pictures, that is what I saw. A truly happy, at peace woman.

I would tell people who may be facing challenges of great pain and sadness, “Don’t Give Up”! You never know what life has in store for you, or what is just around the corner.

Believe in your right to find peace, and then go for it!

Hubby, Mandy, Matt and the doggies, have centered me, and helped me to find my way back, and as I sit here thinking about another year gone by, I am so very grateful that I have my life!

Life really is good, especially if you believe that it is.