Thursday Thirteen

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The Skiing Edition

1.  I have not been skiing in two years. Today I go for the first time. Call me nervous!

2.  I decided that this year I would get a season ticket at our county ski area.

3.  It’s known for the most beautiful views in the area.

4.  It also has lovely Intermediate trails. Just my speed, next to the Bunny slopes!

5.  My skis are quite old. 9 or 10 years. I never worry that anyone will steal them.

6.  My ski poles are 24 years old! Ha! No one will take those either.

7.  I have a fabulously beautiful ski parka that I bought about three years ago. It’s a soft lilac color and I feel very pretty in it.

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8.  I have conned Hubby into taking me out for lunch after, as we have grocery shopping to do in the afternoon.

9.  I love my boots. I got them at a ski swap and they were all broken in. Perfect for me!

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10. I was so reluctant to go skiing again, but Hubby would not let me say no.

11. I had a ski accident 4 years ago and hurt myself. That really scared me.

12. I hope to overcome my fears this year.

13. Wish me luck!

Wednesday Hodgepodge

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1. Share your Christmas Eve traditions.

We don’t really have any. This year we are doing Fondue, just Hubby and me. I have gotten some bubbly, and plan to make my favorite pie (pumpkin) for dessert. Since we have no snow, I cannot go out and play with the dogs in it, but I think I will still have a warm fire in the hearth!

2. What was the best book you read in 2010? (we’re not going to include The Bible here)

I think it was “The Time Traveler’s Wife” by Audrey Niffenegger. I have had trouble reading with my less than perfect eyes, but getting large print books works. My biggest problem now is that there aren’t a lot of best sellers available in large print. In fact there is one I want so much, and it hasn’t come out in large print! Grrrrrrr!

3. Do you have pets and if so do you allow them on the furniture?

I have four dogs. There is just Hubby and me and they outnumber us. So yes, they do. Just the dackels, not Fritz. He has his own bed on the floor.

4. What event from 2010 are you most thankful for?

That my retinal surgery was successful and I can see. After having both of my eyes damaged by detached retinas, I am thankful each and every day that I can see at all!

That my cousin Janet completed her cancer treatments successfully,beat an serious infection and surgery, and found the most wonderful man in the world, Dave!

5. What did you do in 2010 that you’d never done before.

I made Julia Child’s Boeuf Bourguignon and I also made Julia’s Roasted Chicken! I think I made myself slow down with my cooking and enjoy the experience more. I’ve never done that before!

6. Brussel sprouts…friend or foe?

Oh, definitely friend. I love them just steamed, or cut them in half, steam them briefly, and then saute some bacon until it is done, remove the bacon from the pan. Add a little olive oil and saute some chopped onions, until the onions are done. Add sprouts to the saute pan. Toss in the bacon fat, onions and olive oil until done. Crumple up the bacon over the whole thing, toss and serve!

7. Who would you nominate for man/woman of the year?

Besides my husband? (Who puts up with me, each and every day of the year!) I don’t think any one person can be called “a person of the year”. I like to believe that it takes many  people to make this world work.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

It seems I recall all those beloved people in my life, past and present, during the Christmas season. I recall those precious moments spent with them, the laughter, the smiles, the brightness in their faces, and the warmth in my heart, and theirs.

I see all those Christmas trees, and dinners and presents opened. I hear the jokes and the laughter and can almost smell the cookies as they bake in the oven.

I can hear the choirs I’ve listen to and sung in, and hear the services I’ve attended all around me.

Ah yes, Christmas is such a multifaceted holiday, isn’t it? I can feel and see and hear it all around me.

Matching Up An Older Model With A New Model!

Those of you who are my regular readers will remember that we purchased a new television over the weekend. While this is good news, and we are thrilled beyond measure with our Christmas gift, we have run into a little problem.

You see, the TV is a 2011 model, our satellite box is a 2010 model, the DVD is a 2008, the VHS is a 2004 and the receiver is from 1995! So, where does this leave us? In a pickle!

I spent part of Sunday trying to get everything all connected and all I seemed to accomplish was locating an awful lot of dust in our TV cabinet.

I broke out the dust rag and a bucket of clean water and started cleaning. I worked and worked and I thought I’d done a pretty good job with the cleaning.

Monday morning when Hubby left to go and ski, I decided to take an hour and “hook up” the receiver. I opened the cabinet and there was almost as much dust as their had been before. This did not make me feel very good!

Actually there was less, but I had to use a dust gripping cleaner and cloth, and just finish, but after that I still could not figure out the system of connecting the home theater. (Several frustrating hours were spent trying!)

Shoot!

As Hubby was gone all day, I stopped torturing myself with the TV Sound System and started doing the Christmas cleaning and laundry. I made great headway with both, and about 4:30 sat down with a cup of tea, telling myself that I really didn’t want to make dinner.

Too tired!

However, I kept going and tossed a couple of white sweet potatoes in the oven, washed the spinach and when the time was right, grilled the meat, and boy, was that a good meal!

Things still need to be sorted out with the wiring, but I think I will wait until after Christmas. I do not want to torture myself and lose sleep. I need to sit back, and relax and allow the Christmas spirit to come upon me.

Songs, food simmered over a warm stove and the love and caring of my family and friends.

How wonderful!

Happy Birthday Mandy!

What was your best Christmas present ever? Mine was a number of years ago, when I delivered my first child into this world!

My labor wasn’t too bad (I think. I don’t honestly remember.) and when she was born and I saw her beautiful face, I knew that God had sent me an amazing gift.

The gift of a healthy, happy, beautiful and brilliant daughter!

Amanda’s Birthday from Dackel Princess Maribeth on Vimeo.

There have been many Christmases since that one, and I have gotten many gifts along the way, but none have been as wonderful or special as the day that my daughter entered this world and my life!

Happy Birthday, Mandy. I love you with all of my heart, and I always will.

What Men Really Want

Hubby and I ventured out into the vast madness of Christmas shoppers on Saturday. Hubby and I had decided that we would buy ‘our gifts’ for each other, together. I don’t need very much to make me happy, and certainly a lot of gifts don’t tell me how much I am loved, but I figured I would go to keep Hubby from doing something truly silly, like buying me a new set of pots and pans or something.

We went to Sam’s Club first and started looking at their TV’s. We’ve been wanting to upgrade for a while and today we thought that we would get a TV.

We looked and there it was! Our new TV. We didn’t want to get it….but we couldn’t not get it. We did, in fact, go to two other stores before returning and buying our ‘dream‘ TV.

As we stood in line, several men started talking to Hubby about the TV. I could see he was enjoying talking about our new purchase.

Every man in Sam’s Club wanted that set and it made me happy that this was what we chose to give each other as ‘our gifts‘ for the next three years! LOL!

Did we have our station wagon with us? Nope, the sedan! So we put our new TV in the trunk, tied it down and then I badgered Hubby all the way home to drive safely, so we didn’t leave the new TV on the highway!

We got it home and switched out the TV’s and Hubby worked setting the stand up for this TV. We have a lazy susan on our TV stand and he had to drill new holes for it.

Eventually we set it up and turned it on! We both stopped breathing for a few moments! It was that beautiful!

I still need to figure out how to connect my DVD player to the TV, but the VHS player and everything else is working, and Hubby is one happy man, and frankly, I am one happy woman!

The TV is fantastic!

I haven’t been this excited about a TV since my grandfather  bought my parents their first color TV back in 1968! Oh, my goodness! Pure joy and excitement!

Engage Brain!

Friday I raced around, trying to get a lot of things done, and by 4 o’clock in the afternoon when I sat down to catch my breath I realized two things.

I have to slow down and engage my brain.

Hubby came in from his eighth day of skiing, at noon and we sat and ate lunch together. Hubby is very good at calming me down.

I’ve been under this imaginary deadline to get reports written and filed, rooms cleaned and laundry done, when the fact of the matter is…none of it has to be done this very second.

So I stopped. I fixed myself a cup of tea. Grandma always said that there wasn’t anything that a cup of tea couldn’t fix, and perhaps she was right. After all, while sitting there sipping my tea, I was finally able to relax for the first time in a couple of days.

During my tea time, we talked a little about the holidays and he helped me realize that I was being far too hard on myself. Gotta love that man!

So I finished up the paperwork slowly, made dinner, slowly, and then walked the dogs one by one, slowly! Hubby made me a wonderful fire in the hearth, and I’m sitting here enjoying the dogs, and Hubby and the fact that I’m just about done for the night.

“Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas”!

Friday Fill-Ins

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1. What in the world was I thinking when I lost my grocery list.

2. My dogs are always well fed.

3. Go tell it on the mountain, over the hills and every where. Go tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born.

4. The box of precious books arrived and then was sent to a friend, far off in another land.

5. I keep praying and praying.

6. Christmas is coming ready, or not.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to a fire in the hearth, tomorrow my plans include a trip to the mall (groan) and Sunday, I want to finish some paperwork, and read the Sunday newspaper!

Making A List

Thursday morning, Hubby suggested that we go out for lunch, and then do our grocery shopping. This was good planning, as over a period of the last 10 days I had made a good and detailed list. I made sure that I carefully folded the list into my purse, along with a pen, then off we went.

At lunch I pulled out the list and added three things that I had thought of. Then we finished our lunch and headed off to the grocery store.

As we pulled into the parking area, I hopped out, while Hubby went on to fill up the car with gas, and then park.

Once I got into the shop, I opened my purse to get my list, the only thing was, I HAD NO LIST!!!!!

I used my cell phone to call Hubby, in the car, to see if I had dropped it. I hadn’t. It was sbeven miles back at the restaurant, on the table, or by then, in the trash! Great!

Well, this required me to use my superior brain to recall all the things that we needed. And I did try. I think I may simply have forgotten a flashlight and a fresh can of light whipped cream.

Oh well, over the weekend I plan to get my recipes out for the holiday meals so I can make sure I have all the ingredients that I need, and make a final list out.

This last list I will then glue to my forehead!

Christmas & Family Stuff

What’s Happening This Week…

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  1. Down 2 pounds at Weight Watchers this week. I like their new program, but like all new things, there really is a large learning curve…
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  3. It is COLD right now. Seriously! I have long underwear on under my jeans, a turtleneck, a heavy wool sweater, and each time I go out, I bundle up with a down jacket, heavy gloves, and a Sherpa hat!
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  5. And trust me on this. The dogs think it is fun to go out with me as often as they can, thus requiring me to dress up and then undress and then dress up and undress in all my heavy outside clothes!
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  7. My menus are planned for the holidays. I have even decided on a great New Years Eve Dinner for Hubby and I, if we decide to stay in.
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  9. Anneliese is feeling better today. She had gone out and eaten grass in the back yard (because we have NO SNOW), and this caused her to have a bad tummy for a couple of days. Anyway, today she seems to have turned the corner and is back to normal!
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  11. Santa Paws was shopping today for Fritz and the dackels. Looks like it will be a good year for the beasts!
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  13. Hubby skied again today. We have no natural snow, but thank goodness for snow-making machines as there is snow on the mountain ski runs!
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  15. The office is nearly done. I’ll be dusting, vacuuming and finishing the last of the filing tomorrow. What a project! No one is allowed to go in there for any reason! LOL
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  17. My next project is the formal Dining Room, which became our catch all room during the Christmas Card writing. Time to get the cards put away and wrap presents before I clean the room.
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  19. Hubby decided to groom Fritz today inside. I mean, after all, it’s COLD outside, right? Well you should have seen the white fur flying around my house! I think I filled up a vacuum cleaner bag, just with his fur!
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  21. I’ve been enjoying the Christmas Cards that have been coming in. I feel so blessed in my life, to be able to call these people friends.
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  23. I’m sitting here watching Wheel of Fortune and I knew the puzzle loooog before the actual contestants! (Oh wait, that has nothing to do with Christmas and family does it?)
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  25. My cousin Janet and her boyfriend sent us the most awesome Christmas card. Dave is a talented artist and he drew it! The card shows Janet and Dave in a sleigh with their dogs, Wolf and Max. It is the very best drawing! I can’t share it yet, because I must get the artists okay, but man, I wish I had that kind of talent!

Wednesday Hodgepodge

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1. What does it mean to have the ‘holiday spirit’?

You know, peace on earth, goodwill toward men (and women). I believe it is a time for reminding ourselves how blessed we are to have the family and friends that we do, to celebrate the reason for the season and all the blessings in this life.

2. What sits atop your tree (s)? Why?

I have a glowing star and a porcelain china red-haired Angel.

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The Angel is for my daughter Katie, who (I like to believe) is watching over me, just like this beautiful Angel.

3. When was the last time you gave yourself a pat on the back?

When I mailed my Christmas cards at the end of November! I was so proud of all my work, all of Hubby’s work and the fact that this year, I was organized!

4. Which of your senses is most sensitive this time of year?

My husband says my sense of cold…Haha…I think probably my emotions. It doesn’t take much for me to well up with tears. A TV ad, a Christmas movie, a picture from the past. So yes, my sense of feeling emotions.

5. What do you have too much of in your kitchen?

Pfaltzgraff! I have Pfaltzgraff’s Folk Art pattern dishes and I think I have almost every piece known to have been made! It really is beautiful and fun to be able to set the table with all the pieces!

6. What do you do for meals on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day? Big meal? Breakfast tradition? Open the cookie tins and have at it?

We’ve decided to have fondue on Christmas Eve. I’ll also make a nice garden green salad and roll some deli meats. For dessert I will make a pumpkin pie.

Christmas Day Morning we will eat scrambled eggs, with bacon and German Stollen Bread! (The Stollen is tradition.) About 2:30-3:00 I will set out some appetizers and then I plan a Rib Roast of Beef for about 6 PM, served with twice baked potatoes, butternut squash, green beans and pearl onions. Will also make apple pie for dessert.

7. What is the best thing about winter?

Fires in the hearth! Skiing. Playing with the doggies in the snow. The silence of snow when it is falling.

8. As the days draw closer to Christmas, I am actually pleased to say that this year I am ready for it! Last year I was not prepared and then had surgery on December 20th, so I never really finished preparing for the holidays. Maybe this is totally crazy, but there is less stress when you are prepared early on.