This Snowy Weekend

I’m so excited! I purchased Savannah’s Christmas present today! At least one of them. The big one! I talked to Mandy to make sure she didn’t have it and she said no, but she would LOVE it! So ordered it I did!

I finally got up my little Christmas tree. It was my Mom’s tree. I added a few more lights, my decorations, and tinsel and garlands. It looks lovely and happy!

Dec. 15 011

We got 14 inches of snow last night, with more expected on Tuesday. When the dackels saw all that snow they didn’t want to go out! But in the end they went out and then came rushing back in.

It took Hubby all day to clear our drive, but he got it done. He’d tired and I think I am too, even though I didn’t do the snow blowing.

Christmas Is Coming

On Friday night I sat watching a little TV, when suddenly at 8 o’clock I felt so tired. So I got my pajamas on and headed in to bed. I’d intended to rest for a bit and then come out and do a few more things. Instead I slept for twelve hours!

So, needless to say I didn’t get Dackel Princess written. Instead I slept. I guess I need to catch up on the sleep. My body has been just taxed beyond measure with this illness, and I think sleep is good.

Today I feel better, but still have that barking cough. In fact the cough is driving me a bit insane and tonight my back is sore from the barking.

I worked diligently on writing my Christmas Cards today and on Monday I will be mailing them all. Next week is  Mandy’s Birthday and then Christmas. So many things coming up to celebrate!

Feeling Better

I am finally feeling better! Yay, me! It’s been a long recovery. I’ve decided to take things slowly as I have already relapsed one time before this. And at this point, with Christmas and my vacation coming along, I certainly do not want to get sick again!

I’m doing well with my Christmas shopping. I only have two people left to buy things for and then I am done! Being sick and sitting in front of a computer where one can Christmas Shop, has been a very good thing!

I love Amazon!

I’ve started to write Christmas Cards. Yes, we’re sending them out, but without our usual Christmas letter. Just a small one explaining that 2013 has not been kind, with the exception of the light of our lives, Savannah Rose!

In order to print these up I need to get fresh cartridges for my 14 year old Hewlett Packard printer! It’s a great machine, but we’re having trouble getting ink for it now.

Hubby is off to the diabetic footwear shop tomorrow. It is very close to Walmart and I will have him get dog food and the printer ink when he is there.

Meanwhile, when he is out, I might just get that Christmas tree up! I keep saying I will do it and I haven’t. It’s time. Before Christmas arrives!

Snickerdoodle Cookies

Snickerdoodles

1 cup butter
1- 1/2 cups sugar
Creme with mixer thoroughly
2 eggs, unbeaten
add and mix well.
Sift together and stir in:
2 3/4 cups flour
2 tsp. creme of tartar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Chill the dough for about 1 hour. Roll into balls about the size of walnuts and then roll in mixture of cinnamon and sugar.
Place 2 inches apart on cookie sheet, gently press each cookie to flatten. Bake at 375 degree for about 10 minutes or golden but still soft.
Makes about 5 dozen 2 inch cookies

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. Are you doing anything special to mark this season of Advent? If so please share.

My sister gave me a Jaqui Lawson Advent calendar. Every day I rush to the computer to see the new play.

2. Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen…and of course you recall, the most famous reindeer of all…so, which reindeer name best describes you this week?

Rudolph. I still have a red and stuffy nose.

3. What’s worse-too quiet or too loud? Which have you had more of lately?

Too loud. I am one of those people who hates loud. I mean, hates it. I enjoy quiet. Sometimes even silent.

4. This question comes to you from Zoanna over at A Penchant for Pens-thanks Zo!

When you are administratively gifted, how often do you find yourself not trusting less gifted people to do what they’ve committed to do? If you are not so gifted that way, but are reliable, how do you feel when the stronger person (in that area) goes ahead and covers it before giving you a chance to come through?

I suppose I try to take everything over. But in recent years I have had to learn to let it go, and let others handle things.

5. What is your most dreaded task relating to the holidays? Your most looked forward to holiday task?

Putting up and taking down the tree.

6. Facebook has released its list of the ‘most talked about’ topics of 2013. Pope Francis took the number one spot. Does that surprise you? He was followed by election, royal baby, typhoon, and Harlem Shake. Your thoughts? What was your most talked about topic in 2013? (Facebook, around the kitchen table, or wherever it is you talk)

Love the new Pope. I think he’s a marvelous selection. I love the Royal Baby, as I am quite the Anglophile. I am so sorry about the Typhoon and all those that died or lost it all. Harlem Shake? Not even sure what that is. Our most talked about topic in this house was cancer, facial reconstruction and Agent Orange exposure.

7. What’s something you consider a necessity that others might view as a luxury?

Getting my hair done. I need that so much. Many people would and probably do consider it a luxury. But if my hair looks bad, I feel bad!

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I’m planning to set up my Christmas tree today. I just need to get one box of ornaments and one box of bubble light down from the attic. Since we’re using the smaller, pre-lit artificial tree it shouldn’t take me too long.

Fevers Gone

Sunday found Hubby and I doing better. Our fevers were gone and although we felt tired, we agreed that the germs are finally departing.

Not that either one of us was out dancing, but at least neither one of us was coughing our brains out. This is progress.

One good thing about being sick was that I have done a lot of Christmas shopping on line! The best part of this is, as an Amazon Prime Member, I don’t pay for shipping on most items. Also I went on the German Amazon site and was able to order gifts there and will not pay for shipping just a small fee to convert the dollars into Euros.

I took a nap later in the morning and before I knew it Greta and Arnie were in bed with me. But here is the funny part, Greta went over to Arnie where he was cuddled up next to me, and growled at him until he moved! Then she climbed under the covers and snuggled close to me! What a girl!

Starting on Monday I want to slowly start to do house work in a few rooms. Nothing dramatic, but I need to clean my top junk drawer in my bedroom, and get together the travel size items for our trip. Just a month to go!

By the end of the week I want to finish the organizing of my office filing. Regular readers will know that I have been trying to get the office under control for years. Well, I am actually getting there!

I’m not planning to put candles in the window this year. In fact I am only putting up a small tree. We leave so soon after the New Year that it just does not make sense. So a small tree (artificial) that was my Mom’s will do the trick. I sure don’t want my house/dog sitter to have to deal with the tree coming down and making a mess.

What are you all doing for Christmas? A big tree? Real or artificial? (I do artificial as I’m allergic) Lights in the window or outside?

A Box Of Slippers

I was in my kitchen today and as I crossed the floor to the mud room something caught my eye. Under my china closet is a box. In this box are various sizes of slippers.

It brought me back to a time, about 4 years ago when this house was alive with children! I had a young teenager named Em who had found me a few years before when she was eleven. She all but lived here. She loved the animals, loved being taught to cook and we had a great relationship.

Every afternoon I’d hear the middle school bus stop out front and a few moments the door would slide open and Em would arrive from school, carrying her book bag. She’d take off her boots, and get her slippers out of the box and get a drink and snack.

The rules were always the same. She had to do her homework, and then we worked making dinner together. During that time, she talked and talked and talked! And I loved it.

There was another young girl, Jacqui who often came with her. She had slippers here as well, and loved the doggies.

Later twin girls moved into our area. They were in kindergarten when they first got here and were tiny. Sarah and Kimmy had been preemies at birth and at 6 years old were still catching up with the height and weight. They also lived under stressful conditions, and often came here with out coats or even boots in the winter.

Yes, they had their slippers and sweaters to wear as well. During that time, with all four girls, the house was alive with laughter, projects and for me, a lot of happiness.

They are all gone now. The two older girls have moved far away. One is in Florida and the other Wyoming. The twins, well I do not know. Suddenly they were gone. I know DYS was watching over them, they may be in foster care.

I wish I lived closer to Savannah so I could do things like I did with the other girls. Maybe someday.

I left the box with the slippers under the china closet. In hopes that maybe someday, some neighborhood girls will find me. I love mentoring kids.

SPENDA & Spice Cookies

SPLENDA® and Spice Cookies
6 tbsp. vegetable shortening
6 tbsp. margariner
1 cup SPLENDA® Granular
1 large egg
1/4 cup molasses
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves

Mix together shortening, margarine, SPLENDA®, egg and molasses.
Sift together and stir in dry ingredients. Mix thoroughly.
Chill dough in refrigerator until firm, about 2 hours.
Form into 16 balls. Place on cookie sheet and pat down gently with fork.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes at 350° F. Do not over bake. Cookies will look chewy when they come out but they become crisp.

Friday Five

Friday Five

Since this week has been a long one, I opted to go with a Friday Five, short list.

  1. Sunday was a bad day. A temperature of 103.6 will just knock the heck out of you!
  2. All I did was lie under a mound of covers and shake, and drift in and out of a troubled sleep.
  3. I have not had much of an appetite. But my thirst has been shocking. I suppose it’s from the coughing, and breathing out of my mouth so much.
  4. I saw my doctor for the second time, and he switched the antibiotics and said if I am not worlds better by Monday, He’ll be referring me to another doctor.
  5. So over the next few days I plan to rest, watch my Christmas movie and sleep a lot.