Good morning all. Here we are the last weekend before Christmas. Just doesn't seem possible. We will be starting a new year in a couple weeks. It is amazing how fast the year has gone despite staying home a lot.
This morning is a foggy and misty morning. It is supposed to warm to the 50's by mid week - then crash for Christmas day. It looks like it will stay in the 20's that day with a slight chance of flurries - then again warming a bit.
Tomorrow is the winter solstice and the shortest day (daylight) of the year - it is all upward from there!!! I hope everyone gets the opportunity to see the the planets align tomorrow evening - "the Christmas star". Hopefully the clouds will clear here. That should be awesome to see.
Well finally this week, Blackie has decided it might be a good idea to sleep in the greenhouse some. It got very cold and we had snow one day - and he finally decided to go in and sleep! He is definitely an outdoor cat and probably spent most of his life (before here) outdoors. I think he feels trapped being inside. I worry about him - but finally realized that he IS smart enough to get out the extreme weather. He and the girls can share as there is plenty of space in there for all!
Those crows were back this week. My goodness they are big - the size of chickens! If one were starving........well just saying! LOL! Big bird (hawk) was around a lot this week. I saw it several times - just sitting and watching and waiting by the bushes out back. Grrrr - leave my little birdies alone!
It has been real quiet here this week. I still haven't done baking - as I am waiting to know what might be going on for the holidays. No need to bake just me, as I don't need it.
My week:
- I ordered my jerky and summer sausage I get every year as Christmas gifts on Monday. It comes from Walnut Grove, OH and it has to be cold before they ship meat products. Surprisingly it was delivered Saturday. YAY! I was afraid to leave all week as I didn't know when it would come.
- I got my cards all addressed and mailed. It was kind of sad going through the address book. So many people are no longer here and many others have just gone their own way. I definitely need to make a new book!
- I cut my hair and colored it a bit from product I have on hand. No longer looking like Mrs. Claus!!!!
- Used all my leftovers in some new way or packaged and froze for later
- I got to talk to a friend from the other side of the country this week. I also talk with an old chum from high school. I love getting to catch up with people.
- Been doing all the normal stuff - using what I have, meals from home, cleaning and sorting
- NO grocery shopping at all again this week - only time I left was to drop cards at mail box up the street (it was so cold - I didn't want to walk)
- Cleaned out the frig and washed it all down
- Watching a new 'series' on YouTube - of Curiosity Inc. It is a channel from Canada - and he has purchased contents of 'another' hoarder house - he is calling this one the Musicians house. She was a very wealthy woman in her life and they have estimated that there is over a million dollars worth of clothes and accessories in the house! It sure makes you look at your own stuff differently!!! Watching other You Tube videos as well - love getting new ideas and perspectives on things
Meals this past week:
Taco salad
Beans and rice (with leftover taco meat added) and corn muffins from the freezer
Burritos using beans/rice and fresh veggies on the side
Turkey bowl - mashed pots, gravy, turkey topped with corn (like KFC chicken bowls)
French bread pizza - 2X - made with bread found in freezer and ingredients on hand
Oven fish and mac n cheese with peas added
Just using things from the freezer and pantry. It all tastes good and nothing goes to waste.
I suppose everyone is ready for Christmas (?). I know many celebrations will be small or delayed. It is OK - just let others know you love them. That is a huge gift - especially for those who are alone.
Christmas day festivities are my 2nd 'on hold' event this season. Two have been exposed - and for the sake of our 2 immune deficient babies in family - we will wait. It is all good - we are all well, Gifts will wait.
This coming week will not be regular type posts as many may be too busy to participate. I will still post - but it will be pictures/stories or fun facts of Christmas. Hopefully little things to make you smile.😻
I am wishing you all a safe and healthy holiday. Hold Christmas in you heart and bare in mind the reason of the season - it isn't about gifts and fancy get togethers.
In case you are off line this week - MERRY CHRISTMAS.
Blessings from my humble little home to yours.
Thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
Psalms 119:105
Merry Christmas to you, too, Cheryl! It'll be a quiet week around here, just some work needing doing cuz of my knee. We'll be washing down cabinets. They look awful, as does the oven. My friend's husband is a chef and he made us chicken pot pies for Christmas. They are so delicious. I'm going to add some veggies and cheesecake and we're done. We both are wanting to play board games!! We love Racko and Triominoes. Maybe some Phase 10, as well.
ReplyDeleteAll is well but I need to revisit the ortho in Jan to see what's next. I'm guessing surgery... GAHHHHH.
I have the same reaction to the Grackles and Starlings that you have to crows. They're bullies!
It is a good way to end the year - just cleaning and making fresh. Why not?
DeleteYour pot pies sound so good. That is a wonderful gift to receive. Your day sounds like it will be fun even if quiet.
I will be praying you don't need surgery. I am so sorry you have had to go through all of this. Keep smiling and plugging along - it WILL get better!!!!
Merry Christmas and prayers for many blessings in your life during this holiday season and the coming year!
ReplyDeleteThank you dear. The same to you. I look forward to our exchanges and all our learning from one another in the new year!!!!!
DeleteYou did your hair. -smile- Happily, we have hair trimming appointments on Tues. Seems that allllllll will be closed down again, after Dec. 25th. So we are just 'sneaking' in. -smile-
ReplyDeleteI always look like Mrs. Santa Claus, so no coloring worries. -smile-
Yes, tomorrow is the Winter Solstice Yule. I love to pay attention to it too, as well as Christmas. In this dark time of year, we *need* all the Joys we can find. So Happy Eve of Yule!
Do hope your Christmas will be safe. We have to do, what is safest. No gathering here... For our family... This year.
Happy Christmas Week!
Greetings from the "North Pole"!
🌲🔥🌲😊🌲🔥🌲🔥🌲😊🌲🔥🌲
I have been cutting my hair for years -sure came in handy this year! I just had a lot of gray showing again - and well I know my age - I am just not yet ready for totally gray hair.
DeleteYes every little thing that brings joy is a good thing. We all find ways to make joyful!
Happy Christmas week to you as well.
Merry Christmas to you, too, Cheryl! I'll be sure to check YouTube - for Curiosity Inc.
ReplyDeleteIt is fun to watch. He did a series called the Potter's House a year or two ago - another hoarder house. Pretty interesting and kind of addictive!!!
DeleteHave a great holiday!!!
Merry Christmas!!
ReplyDeleteHope your sister is doing ok, and I hope the other family members who have been exposed will have no problems.
I just found out that the nursing home where I used to work had an outbreak with 180 cases and 26 deaths. So heartbreaking.
Stay safe. You will have a wonderful family celebration when things are better. I know they are going to love their baskets, and the jerky and sausage sound awesome. I'll have to remember walnut grove for jerky for my son next year. Thanks.
Sis is doing fine - thank you. Basically she and most of her family had it and it was like cold symptoms - they were all lucky.
DeleteThat is so sad. I do wonder about the number of deaths reported at nursing homes. Here all people who die in a nursing home has that on death certificate. I know people who never had it and didn't have it and died and that was listed.
(not saying that people don't die from it - I just don't trust the numbers)
The jerky is Uncle Mikes jerky - I get them 2lb. bags each. It is a favorite of all. Best jerky I have ever had. They have regular and spicy.
So glad your sister and family are doing ok!
DeleteUnfortunately I have been with people struggling to breathe. It is not an easy way to die.
Thanks for the jerky info. I'll remember it for next year since I have some jerky lovers in my family.
Stay well and have a blessed Christmas.
I can't even imagine nor do I want to. That is just so sad.
DeleteYou are welcome. It is good stuff
It was another quiet week around here. We got over 11" of snow. I went to Aldi last Monday before the snow arrived. Went to the local grocery this morning, mostly to get Husband a newspaper, but also picked up a few items so I don't have to go to Aldi again until after next weekend.
ReplyDeleteI felt especially domestic (nesting?) last week before the snow arrived and made a no-bake cheesecake, a dozen scrambled egg & sausage muffins that I froze for breakfasts, and nine bean burritos that I froze for lunches. A meatloaf is in the crockpot (and smells wonderful!) for this week.
We've had a higher than usual volume of birds at the feeding station this week, of course. We've been chasing away the doves just so the little birds can get to the seed. I hate grackles and starlings, too, but so far, they have not been much of a problem, though they will be come Spring.
I've been making Project Linus quilts in the other room while Husband watches old movies. Since the post office is so backed up, he hasn't been receiving his magazines regularly and is bored, so he is weeding out his DVDs. The TV hadn't been plugged in in nearly three years. I'm surprised that it still works!
No major frugalities last week, but the Aldi bill was less than $60. I got a rate reduction of $66/six months from State Farm on my car insurance.
Got out and walked down the hill to get the mail a few times. I needed the exercise, fresh air, and what passes for sunshine around here this time of year.
Hope everyone has a safe week!
Well I guess you were Miss domestic. That all sounds so good.
DeleteMy doves never get on the feeder - the eat off the ground (whatever falls). I will have starlings come spring - pests.
No TV in 3 years - wow! I would be bored out of my skull in the winter. Glad it worked and he has something to occupy his time!
It sounds like you are doing great. Have a great one.
Frances, do you still have an active blog? I couldn't find it on google. If you could reply below, I'll click the notify me button. :)
DeleteJust a reminder not to miss 'The Christmas Star' tomorrow eve!!
ReplyDeleteYep - mentioned that above. I hope it isn't cloudy here - I think it would be awesome to see.
DeleteThanks
Duh. I knew you mentioned it, but I thought you hadn't mentioned when. I get a D for reading comprehension lol.
DeleteLOL - you are too funny. Of course it is raining this afternoon - odds are I will not get to see :(
DeleteYour comments about the crows being as large as chickens make me think of the nursery rhyme about 4 and 20 black birds baked in a pie, lol. Have a joyful pre-holiday week. Things look different here this year, but it is still a happy occasion. We are grateful for health, home, and our many blessings.
ReplyDeleteI forgot about that nursery rhyme - so I guess they could feed the hungry!!! LOL
DeleteYes things are different - but like you - I have health, home and my family and friends all OK. We need to be thankful for WHAT we DO have and remember the reason and blessing of the season.
Thank you!
I live in Western PA on the Ohio line and the crows around here make the chickens look small. They are noisy critters but sure act like they own the place. They don't bother much around here as we have the bussards to do the clean up. The birds have been SO active this week. The Blue Jays love my front Kousa dogwood and love to visit it daily. The birds just seem to love everything. And I love watching them. I hope your week is peaceful and like you mine is going to be very quiet. But that does not bother me. I always have plenty to do. I love reading your blog as your life is so similar to mine. Have a wonderful week and enjoy this Christmas season.
ReplyDeleteThe crows don't really do any harm here either - just clean up birds. But yes, they are noisy!!!! You can hear them blocks away.
DeleteI love the birds - I have so many cardinals and blue jays and just love them - lot's of finches and smaller birds as well.
I am used to quiet - so nothing new. Like you, plenty to do.
Have a blessed week!
Thank you!!!!!
Glad your kitty is trying to stay warm. It will definitely get colder later on. Today is gloomy even tho it is relatively warm. Won't be long actually until we start seeing buds on the trees. Looking forward to more daylight.
ReplyDeletePraying for good health for your relatives who were exposed to the virus. My neighbor is bummed because her son-in-law was exposed and they won't be at her house for the holiday. I remember when I was little that we stayed away from anyone who was sick and folks were more respectful about staying home or isolated from the general public. Seemed to work and there was no mask wearing.
Your meals always look so yummy! We had a pot roast yesterday with potatoes and carrots roasted in beef broth. Had some cranberries left from the giant Costco bag of cranberries purchased before Thanksgiving and made the rest into relish/salad. Surprisingly they were in good shape and had to throw away only a few. Had some oranges that needed to be used so that worked out. I need to check my supplies for our street taco dinner for Friday. Think all I need is some cheese.
Too bad the crows don't go south for the winter...ha!
I know people used to stay home if sick - I think the big difference is the kid in all of us - YOU CAN'T MAKE ME!!! LOL
DeleteI think when someone says you have to - no matter how old - it meets resistance.
Roast sounds really good. I haven't made a beef roast since the weekend before Glen passed. He always loved it and that was what he had last.
Really they could go south and stay there as far as I am concerned.
I tried to see the Christmas Star tonight and it is just too cloudy. I hope your luckier.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
I got to see it for just a couple moments in between clouds. It was brighter than anything else - but not that bright because of the haze. I hope others had luck.
DeleteMerry Christmas Cheryl. I need to update my book also..people have moved and sadly people have also passed.
ReplyDeleteIt was just so sad addressing cards - so many passed on. Story of life I guess.
Delete