Happy Anniversary, Mike!

Wrapping up sixteen years...May year seventeen be our best ever!

 

Merry Christmas!

 

Merry Christmas from our house to yours!

Misplaced but not Forgotten

As I have aged, I've noticed that I misplace things more frequently than I used to. I am very guilty of putting something away for later and then forgetting where I put it. I've done that a quite a lot this past few years. My thought was that I would put something out of the way and then deal with it when I retired and had more time for dealing with things around here. Well, I've been retired for a year and those put-off-till-later things have not all been addressed - yet.

What's the rush? I mean, I have for the rest of my life, right?

During this first year of retirement, I also told myself I wouldn't wait till the last minute to get things done for Christmas. Well, I did do a lot better than I have in the past. In fact, I got a pretty early start this year. I had been scrolling through blogs, or Instagram, or some such online community and noticed an adorable umbrella. I had just thrown away a broken one at the ball park a week before. Plus, I think all of my umbrellas have that one prong that is broken or the clip has been lost or something. So, the umbrella has the one spot that is not rounded and umbrella-ing. Instead, it is a bit wonky - not a total loss and works in a pinch but a bit beyond faded but still serviceable. So, I ordered the cute umbrella and got a deal because it was on sale! Ding! Ding!

The new umbrella arrived and immediately, I knew that I had to know somebody else who could use such a cute umbrella. So, I decided to order one for each of the daughters and daughters-in-law. I discovered that the cute umbrella had been marked down a dollar or two more. So, I decided to order one for each of the high school granddaughters. I clicked the place order button and sat there a moment. Then, decided I'd order one for the three younger granddaughters as well. That was early in May.

When they arrived, I stood them in the den waiting for Mike to come in and see them. After dinner, he walked in there and shouted, what are you going to do with all these birds? Imagine eleven of these staring at you when you walk into the den...

We chuckled about them and I told him they were future Christmas gifts. He snickered and told me that I would forget about them in that length of time and asked me where I would stash them so the girls didn't see them if they popped in. I confidently told him I'd put them in the back bedroom closet. 

So, I have had those in the back of my mind all this time. Then, one day this past week I was wrapping up all my gift preparations and went to the closet to get them out. I couldn't find them. I poked all around in the junk stashed in that closet and could not find them. So, I went to the other guest bedroom closet. Not there, either. On to the primary bedroom closet. No sign of them there. Downstairs I went in my search. Still no umbrellas. How could I have lost an entire flock of flamingo umbrellas? 

When I returned upstairs, the neighbors had dropped by for a visit. I walked in the door and Mike asked me if I found my flamingos. Then, of course, I had to explain to the neighbors that I had misplaced an entire flock of flamingo umbrellas. After the neighbors left, we prepared and ate dinner and were chatting and it hit me. I recalled that the box was too big and wouldn't fit in the closet. So, I slid it under the bed. Mystery solved. I went right back there and drug the box out. I took a quick snapshot and sent it to the neighbor so she could rest in peace that my flock was not lost.

I stood there and thought about how I might wrap such a gift. Then, I decided that they needed nothing to be a cute addition to the gift pile. So, here is how the gift pile looks for this Christmas.

We are looking forward to all eighteen of the children, in-laws, and grands to pile in here. We will share a meal together, tear into the gift pile, and the children will run, rip, and play, and the adults will catch up on all the news with one another. We hope you have a wonderful holiday and time of fellowship with your loved ones. Merry Christmas!

Tweaks, Adjustments, Modifications and a Change of Direction

I had planned to jump on the dehydrated orange bandwagon this year and add those into my kitchen Christmas decor. Before Thanksgiving, I ordered a garland of dried oranges, expecting them to have a brighter, fresher look than the slices I had dried a couple of years ago. They didn't look much different from my own dried efforts. So, I tucked them away for kitchen decorating later. Granddaughters, Luci and Lydia, were a godsend on the weekend after Thanksgiving and drug our big tree and tubs of ornaments upstairs for me and decorated the tree in the den beautifully. I added the stockings and a few other touches of Christmas after they left and called the den festive enough.

The next week was when I tackled the kitchen decorating. If you are guessing that I don't know where that garland is, you are absolutely correct. So, maybe dried oranges will be a thing for me next year. I always loved the smell of the oranges we sprigged with whole cloves when I was a girl and thought I could add those into the mix but after the creeping crud hit our household, DIY efforts and decorating sort of went out the window. Maybe next year.

I did add some more fresh oranges to our grocery order because Mike has been trying the added vitamin C regimen to see if it will help him move beyond the creeping crud. I have some in the fridge and I added some to the mixing bowls sitting on the left of the Granny Cabinet.

Decorated Granny Cabinet 

I just got the grocery order and this is how the Granny Cabinet surface is decorated right now:

Fighting the Creeping Crud

When I ordered the orange garland, I also ordered a couple of boxes of faux greenery, some red berry picks, and  bundle of cabinet wreaths. My plan was to add springs of the greenery to the orange garland and drape it across the mantel, the vent hood, and on the Granny Cabinet. 

I revised my plan, since I have no idea where I stashed the orange garland. I added little sprigs of the greenery and cabinet wreaths to items already decorating the kitchen and I'm really glad I did. A bowl beside the mixing bowl of oranges is sprigged with greenery and berries and brought the Granny Cabinet into the season. 

I had planned to tie the wreaths onto the backs of my new dining chairs. Then, I noticed that the back of a couple of the dining chairs always seem to have a hooded sweatshirt or a flannel shirt draped across them when Somebody is in the house and I decided that I didn't want to fight that battle. Since the wreaths are so pretty and I love them, I began looking around for other places to use them. I knew I didn't want to put one on the front of each of my kitchen cabinet doors because that would have just been way too much - about 20 upper cabinet doors. Nope. So, I hung one on the Granny cabinet and added a little of the ribbon used last year and my decorating began. I was just a little ahead of time with the plaid ribbon and a Ralph Lauren look last year, I guess. I try to use the same ribbon for a couple or three years and it works well this year, too. 

Decorated Kitchen Mantel

I swagged the preserved boxwood garland across the mantel again this year, tied with the plaid bows. Then, I added another of the cute little faux cedar wreaths in the center below it. A few sprigs of greenery and berries and the tall, slender Santas I painted years ago as a college student and greenery and berries poked into a cream pitcher and the mantel is festive!

Holiday Cheer atop the Fridge

I removed some fall sunflowers from one of the pitchers atop the fridge and added some greenery and berries there as well. When something is working for you, why make changes?

The Kitchen Storage Corner

The storage corner of our kitchen got a little glow up for the season as well. When I stored away the beautiful turkey platter I had displayed at Thanksgiving, I just replaced it with one of my favorite blue and white treasures. 

A Favorite Blue and White Platter

The high-rimmed platter was an inexpensive vintage find I stumbled across one afternoon after Mike and I married. It features a beautiful snow scene and is rimmed with fruits. I usually place it in the center of the lazy Susan on our dining table but this year I decided this was it's home. I love how the under-counter lights sort of seem to spotlight it. Again, added a few sprigs of greenery and berries.

A Crock of Rolling Pins with a Seasonal Touch

The old crock sets on the counter holding our heirloom rolling pins. A couple of them belonged to Mike's grandmothers, one of them was a gift to me by a neighbor and the other is the one my Granny gave me when I set up housekeeping as a young woman. I wanted to add a little silvery look to the area without using glitter or metalics. So, I draped a lamb's ear garland within the rolling pins, added some greenery and berries, and called it decorated. 

Hard-working Kitchen Area

Now, over to the hard-working side of the kitchen. The cooktop and sink live over there and seem to be in constant use, especially during holidays. Above is a quick cell phone snap of that corner dressed up for the season.

Vent Hood Shelf with Seasonal Decor

The dried orange garland didn't make it to the vent hood but I love the look it does have. A few sprigs of greenery and some berries peeking out of the ceramic pitcher I painted more than forty years ago is just right for this year.

A Bright Little Corner

A beautiful cake stand is a perch for some flickering candles, a couple of cabinet wreaths, and some berries. It looks great beside my gifted canisters and my Granny's vintage spice rack. For some reason, years ago I couldn't throw out the old amber vanilla extract bottle and it sets on the rack with some egg timers. Funny that I notice the bottle since this year I am experimenting with making my own vanilla extract for baking and gifting as well!

Season Decor on the China Cabinet

On the opposite side of the kitchen, I tucked away the Easter bunny salt shakers that were still smiling out from a stack of plates in the china cabinet. (Yes, the bunny and egg were still there and nobody had said a word!) The dough bowl is carved from one of the logs that served as a floor joist in my parents old home and I added a beautiful strand of red wooden beads and some greenery to the Chinoiserie balls gifted by my bonus daughter-in-law. 

Dining Table Centerpiece

I washed the scarf that was on the dining table and just returned it to the center of the lazy Susan. I also left the beautiful dish garden there and wound garlands of eucalyptus and lamb's ear around it. I tucked in a couple of hurricanes with flickering candles tied up with some ribbon as well as a couple of antler sheds that Mike found behind the barn. I added the left-over berry sprigs and I think it is naturally beautiful. 

The Kitchen Tree

The little kitchen tree holds all the ornaments collected throughout the years that hold memories of children's crafts, gifts from friends no longer with us, and ropes of red wooden beads. It is over in the corner and has had a rough life. As soon as I got it set up and decorated, I bumped the perch it is set upon while plugging in the lights and knocked it to the floor. I thought I had it stabilized, redecorated it, and gathered up the tubs and empty boxes to return them to the basement storage area. I bumped it with the wagon and it tumbled to the floor once again. With frustration multiplied by two, I stabilized again, redecorated it, and set about my business. Then, while cleaning the floor, I bumped it just this past week and knocked it over a third time. So, it is now taped, wired to the blinds and set askew. The ornaments are flung onto it willy-nilly.  I am reminded of the Christmas morning that Mama threw our cedar Christmas tree out the back door - decorations and all - after it fell on my sister and I playing with Santa's gifts. Daddy came to the house from the milk barn an hour or so later and just grinned. I think he knew better than to say a word. Mike has sort of done the same thing. He came in the back door after one of the tumbles with a big grin on his face and said, "You're not going to let it whip you are you baby?"

I know that every year I tell myself that our Christmas home looks the prettiest ever and each year I am correct. We don't really need picture-perfect or glitzy and fancy. Sometimes reused ribbon and tumbling trees are really what makes the holiday decor the best ever.  Welcome to our kitchen where love abounds, old tales are shared, and you will always find something tasty to munch on when you are hungry.

Ornaments as Gifts

I try to do a little bit of Christmas gift shopping throughout the year. Sometimes there is something that pops up and an idea will hit me that it would make a good gift for the daughters and daughters-in-law. At others, I will see something that might be good for all the granddaughters. Then, there are little bits of inspiration for the grandsons or sons and sons-in-law. It might be a handy tool or a kitchen gadget or something for their hobbies and interests. Some of my favorite gifts are the ornaments I pick up each year.

When the youngest two granddaughters were born, they were infants at Christmas time. So, I included a beautiful Wallace Sleigh Bell as part of their gift. Each year I have added a new bell as a part of their gifts. I wish I had done something like this for the other grands but I didn't think of it at the time. Of course, I also wish I had landed on something less pricey for those two now that they are youngsters and have ideas of their own about what a good gift is and it doesn't really include a silver bell for their Christmas tree! Someday, I know, they will be thrilled that we included these keepsakes each year and appreciate their collection but now it is not really at the top of their wish list.

I do try to include an ornament in the other eight grandchildren's gifts these days even though I didn't think of giving them such each year from birth. Sometimes I stumble across something beautiful and sometimes I find something that might be meaningful relating to their current interests or accomplishments. This year, for example, the boys are each getting an ornament shaped like the animal they exhibited in livestock shows. 

     

One year, I ordered ornaments made from photographs of them on the ball field or in the show ring.

     

Both options have been fun ways to commemorate their efforts and accomplishments. For Luci, I try to incorporate the word joy into the ornament because her middle name is Joy and she truly is a joy in our lives.

Those have been whimsical and beautiful and fun to search for each year. For the older girls, I generally try to find something unique and beautiful. (Photos below are linked.)

     

This year I really was excited when I got the sparkling ornaments I'd ordered for them. I wish I had ordered one of each for my own tree! They are beautiful, faceted, crystal ornaments. 

As I am sitting here thinking, I just realized that I could have selected a different ornament with a lily flower on it for Lillie or one relating to a saxophone for Lydia. How fun would that have been? 

I guess I am thinking nostalgically about the different ornaments we have hanging on our tree and how I treasure each one. There are ones that are orange and relate to The University of Tennessee - I am an alumni and Mike is a rabid sports fan. There are ones with cows and a Santa in overalls relating to our farm and the many friends we have made during our involvement in livestock shows. There are all sorts of deer relating to the wildlife around us or gifted from long-time family friends. There is one with a piece of copper that was once part of the roof of the Library of Congress and one from Ellis Island that I picked up while traveling. Each of them were either gifted or purchased as a way to connect us to a memory from the year gone by. 

Sometimes a simple ornament is really a thoughtful and lasting gift that brings a smile to our face and makes us recall those who have passed through our lives leaving an imprint and a smile.

Today I noticed...Little Phrases of Encouragement.

I've been popping cough lozenges like a kid who just discovered M&Ms. If I don't have a cough drop in my mouth, I'm coughing - and sometimes even if I have a drop in my mouth, I'm coughing as well. Mike still has some respiratory congestion and coughs in the evenings. I'm just coughing constantly. I don't feel very congested - just a cough and general yuckiness. Plus, I'm T.I.R.E.D. from coughing in a chair instead of sleeping in a bed. Enough whining...

As I was peeling the wrapper off one of my lozenges, I noticed that there were some words other than the brand label on them. Little phrases of encouragement are printed there for those who are miserable like me, I guess. Here are some I've seen:

• Don't waste a precious minute.
• Flex your "can do" muscle.
• It's yours for the taking.
• Keep your chin up.
• Bet on yourself
• Buckle down and push forth!
• Get back in there champ!
• Power through!

I guess I should have noticed that right from the start and I would have been more inspired to get better. Instead, I spent at least a week or more trying to be a good nurse. I sort of felt impending doom the entire time I was stirring up the chicken noodle soup or adding honey and lemon to his teacup or wiping down the last thing he touched or washing all the clothes, coverlets, and linens Mike was coughing and moaning and feeling yucky in. I would sit across the table or the room from him and would swear I could see that green cloud of germiness depicted in television commercials each and every time he coughed. I knew what I was facing and tried to prepare but it came upon me anyway. 

We are finally wearing it out - I hope! Here's hoping that you don't have to waste a precious minute with the creeping crud and can flex your "can do" muscle to make the holiday the best ever. After all it is yours for the taking. Keep your chin up and bet on yourself! Get back in there champ. Just  buckle down and push forth! We are still powering through!

Just 3 Things | #12

The gifts are all wrapped and stacked near the Christmas tree. The Mister and I are snug here in the house as the bitter cold temperatures bluster outside. I'm content without having to go out, remembering the days when I did have to go out and tromp through the mud and frozen ground on the farm. Old age has started to catch up to Mike, I think. He makes a short trip out to check on his donkey and goats and make certain nothing at the barn has frozen or damaged and scurries right back in to sit by the fireplace. Now that he is feeling better, he is also making sausage. He ran completely out last week. So, he is scrambling to replenish before Christmas. I'm putting together a grocery order for next week and thinking grateful thoughts for those who are still delivering gift orders and groceries and such. Once again, I did every single bit of my gift shopping with online orders - even the tissue for inside the boxes and the ribbon tied around them, delivered right to my front door. Such is a luxury that I am ever grateful for - especially on days like these where the temperature barely creeps above the freezing point.

- What I've Been Watching -

We have been watching loads of Christmas movies this year. Mike had the creeping crud and felt rotten. So, he would sit in his recliner and watch and cough and doze and snore. I picked up a bit of the cruddiness from him but did not suffer nearly so bad. Maybe I headed it off before it tackled me completely. We've seen several of those movies where the main character saves the farm or the cookie shop or the candy store at the last minute with a miraculous feat and finds love with the most unlikely person. 

I don't recall the name of most of them and they all seem to run together and are predictable. I think that is part of the beauty of it. When one is feeling yucky, just turn on a feel good movie and let it run. If you doze off and wake up in the middle of the following movie, the story line is about the same. We haven't subscribed to a streaming service. So, whatever we have seen has been via Amazon Prime or Dish TV. 

- What I'm Loving -

I have subscribed to One Dish Kitchen. The author has posted a series of Small Batch Christmas Cookies. I have tried a couple of the recipes and it has been a good thing. The recipes are intended for one person and often there is enough for two. This works out great for the Mister and me because we don't need an entire batch of cookies anyway. It has been fun to give some new recipes a try and not have loads of leftovers.

   

I'm inspired to try some more of her recipes for one or two people. I highly recommend the two recipes linked to the photos above!

- What I've Been Working On -

Since we have both been feeling poorly, I've done a lot of scrolling through Pinterest, Instagram, and different blogs. I've seen some beautiful holiday decorations. I've discovered Homeworthy videos. (Of course, I speed them up to at least 1.5 speed so I don't sit through a 45 minute video - only about a 20 minute one. I can always pause, rewind, and rewatch. I've wrapped gifts till I could hardly stand. I'm so out of shape that bending over the table like that is hard on an old gal's back. I'm also working on finishing up reading the Callahan Garrity book series by Mary Kay Andrews. I've got an entire stack of books beside my bed, another virtual 'stack' lined up on my Kindle app, and I've even dusted off some of my old Southern Living Christmas books that I've collected over the years. 

I got quite a chuckle when talking to my son and daughter-in-law. They mentioned that Linley's wish list included loads of books this year and that she spends time reading books. They marveled at it but it really made me one happy grandmother. She is a second grader and I'm just hoping that her love of reading is never squelched. I was so fortunate to have folks who encouraged me to read all of my life - my parents, my teachers, friends. It feels like such a luxury now to be able to spend time with books after years of having to be a part of the rat race of work and not having time to read as much as I would like. If there is one thing I could do as an educator, I wish it would be to encourage and inspire folks to read more and more. I value how it expands horizons and perspectives. I appreciate how reading provides ideas that stick with the reader and can never be taken away. I love escaping to different places and meeting different folks all within the pages of a book.

I hope you have the opportunity to escape into the pages of a book within the next few days. I know that the scurrying and hustle and bustle of this time of year can really get to folks at this time of year. Even just a very few minutes might be helpful if you can fall into the right book. Stay warm and read on!

Today I noticed...Christmas decor makes me smile!

I plopped down to catch my breath after a gift wrapping marathon on a cold day this week and was pleased to see Christmas all around me.

The Christmas tree and its twinkling lights was warming up one corner of the den. The silver beaded garland and sparkling silver, blue, and white ornaments bring a high level of glam to the room. The handmade and yearly collectible ornaments add some sentimentality to the mix. 

The snow globes, ribbon, and candles on the ottoman remind me of the friends who gifted the snow globes to the children years ago. The friends have passed on but their warm hugs and love shared with us will not be forgotten. 

The Santa on the hearth was a gift from a coworker years ago. I love that he is peaking out from between a couple of giant pinecones on the hearth. One of the pinecones was transported from the west coast by my mother on a return trip from a dairy conference out there. The other one came from Mobile, Alabama where my Great Aunt Mae lived. (She was a riveter who crawled up into the nose of airplanes as a young woman.) 

The tall, slender Santa on the mantel was painted by my mother one year when I was home from college and we were crafting in ceramics. We made several of those and gifted them and kept a few. I have a couple that are similar on the mantel in the kitchen. He looks out at us amidst sprigs of greenery and red berries.

The thing that provides the wow factor each year is the mantel full of stockings. Once we have them strung across the fireplace, it seems like the Christmas season has arrived. I always loved the beauty of needlepoint stockings seen in magazines my mother and grandmother collected. So, for the first Christmas after I completed my Master's in Education degree and went to work as a teacher, I ordered one for my two children, my son-in-law, and me. Then, when Mike and I married, I added some for him and his children. Then, along came grandchildren and those were added one by one except for the year that Luci and Levi were born and we doubled up. Each one is uniquely different in design and image stitched as well as personalized with each person's name. 

There are four curved stocking holders designed to slide over the mantel board and hold a stocking. We have a sturdy metal curtain rod that slides through the curved piece and slide the loop of each stocking onto the curtain rod. I fill them full of odd treats like lip balm, hand or foot warmers, head lamps, soaps, toothbrushes, etc. as well as snack cakes and candies for little treats. It has become a ritual that we open the wrapped gifts and then take down the stockings and check out the last little treasures hidden there. Thinking about each person represented brings a warm feeling to my heart and a smile to my face. I love the look, collecting the little surprises, and love what they represent even more. Family is truly what our Christmas celebration is all about.

Doing the Sofa Shuffle

We have been doing what I like to call the Sofa Shuffle. 

A couple or three weeks ago, a long-time family friend and her siblings were clearing out her parents' home and settling the estate. They took some family heirlooms home, listed some items on Facebook Marketplace, and gave some items away. The sofa below is one of the items that was offered as a give--away. I happened to be scrolling through social media and saw the photo and had a fleeting thought: Hmm...that would make a good napping couch.

I scrolled on by without commenting. The photo popped up again a little later and I noticed who had posted it. So, I messaged her and asked when I could come pick it up. She responded with a time and the address. Then, she noticed who had asked and responded again that I knew the exact location, since I had been there for sleepovers as a kid. And, off I went to pick it up.

Coincidentally, I had ordered some fabric a few weeks before with intentions of making a slipcover for the floral sofa in the basement. So, while my give-away sofa was on the truck, I called a local upholsterer, made an appointment, and hauled it over there the next day.

The sofa in the den is one I had picked up by shopping Facebook Marketplace back in 2019. It is still a fabulous sofa. I love it! However, the cushion needed a little plumping and fluffing and it had picked up a stain or two from where I put my feet up on it and wallow around on one end of it.

I really wanted to put it in the downstairs den. However, the young men who were here to help me in the Sofa Shuffle and I could not figure out a way to get it through the basement entry doorway. We took the feet off of it. We turned it up on end, we tilted it this way and that. Nothing made it where we could squeeze it through the narrow opening. So, away it went - donated to the local Goodwill. Somebody else will soon have a real treasure.

In its place is my newly upholstered give-away sofa. I love it, too. I think it will make a good napping couch. It is quite comfy for sitting and wallowing with a book or while watching a movie. I've already road-tested it! Plus, the new look perked up the upstairs den. 

I barely had enough fabric to give it a new look. The yardage estimation charts suggested two to three more yards. The upholstery guy did a magnificent job. Like most sofas, the fabric under the cushion is a solid cream color and so is the back side that is against the wall. Both parts really look as if we planned it that way. The upholstery guy did a fabulous job of matching up the checks going across as well as from top to bottom. He was even careful to try to have the exact same look on the front of the rolled arms as well. I could not be more pleased. As much as I hated to see the beige tufted friend go, I really am pleased with the new-to-me one. Plus, there is the sentimental value of knowing that it once belonged to a close family friend.

The Sofa Shuffle certainly made a great impact on the upstairs den in more ways than one. Right now the space is a wee bit naked, though. The black and tan ottoman shown in the second picture with the tufted sofa has been delivered to the upholstery guy to get itself a fresh new look. I am anxiously awaiting the transformation and will share an ottoman reveal when it returns.  

So, the Sofa Shuffle took place here, causing sort of a domino effect. Stay tuned for the next update!

Just 3 Things | #11

After taking some time away from my computer, I'm back and ready to share what's been going on around here. Doesn't it seem sort of like the world is turning a bit faster right now than usual? Everybody I know has been busy, busy, busy! Tis the season, I guess.

- What I'm Reading - 

I've been reading another Mary Kay Andrews book, Irish Eyes. This follows on the heels of reading three short stories that are within the Callahan Garrity series, Killer Fudge, Fatal Fruitcake, and The Family Jewels. 

It has been sort of relaxing to go through a series like this. I haven't done so in a long, long time. I sort of feel like I visit old friends or binge watching a series on television as I'm reading. I've also been reading several blogs that fill my email box. I have enjoyed several virtual home tours, lots of shopping suggestions, and just reading what is going on n the lives of other bloggers.

- What I'm Loving -

Mike and I have enjoyed a neighbor's handywork a couple of weeks in a row. One of our new neighbors is a baker, crafting and selling sourdough breads. The first week we got a traditional sourdough boule from her. We enjoyed ham and cheese sandwiches, a hunk of bread with our stew, toast, and more. The next week we tried a sourdough loaf and a sourdough loaf with Rosemary. Both were absolutely delicious. 

First Try Farm

If you are in our area, I'd recommend her yummy bread. It is a special treat. We feel fortunate to have her as a neighbor and I look forward to trying the Jalapeno Cheddar and the Everything Bagel flavors. Of course, it is hard to beat the traditional loaf. Yum, yum.

I remember having a sourdough starter years ago when the children were young. It was always a delicious treat on bread-making day. I recall trying the dough out as rolls, sweet rolls, loaves, and all sorts of ways. Then, I noticed the pounds creeping up on the scale each day and decided that I didn't need to be a sourdough baker anymore!

- What I'm Working On - 

Since the last Friday, Just 3 Things post, I have been Christmas shopping, gift wrapping, and tracking packages. When you have eighteen folks in your immediate family - children, spouses, and grandchildren - that's a lot of gifting. I do love it, though. 

I like it best when each one gives me a list. That helps me to know their tastes, their sizes, and their interests. I have the opportunity to pick things directly from their list, especially when they send me one with links - the best way to get a list! I also have the opportunity to pick things that are not on their list but might fit in nicely with their interests. 

We try to follow the gifting 'rules' of including the following:

• Something they want
• Something they need
• Something to wear
• Something to read

I also like to include surprises as well. The grandchildren seem better at getting their lists to me than their parents. But, the grown up lists have been so helpful this year. I hope the concept has caught on and they like the system as well. I love that they give such a broad variety of items for me to choose from and price ranges to pick from as well. Even our little second grader created her own list and sent it along to me using her mother's phone. Hers was the first list I worked through and selected items from and I think she's going to love the things I picked from it and the things I added as surprises!

Ribbon Central

So, the delivery trucks have been rolling in here for the past couple of weeks like we were a main thoroughfare. Mike jokingly told somebody that the Amazon truck ran into the FedEx truck and the UPS truck got stuck trying to go around them. Of course, it hasn't been quite that busy but we have had as many as five deliveries per day sometimes. 

Boxes

All that means that I've been doing something I really don't like - wrapping. Oh, I love the look of a pretty wrapped gift. I love giving them. I love seeing them all stacked together. I love watching the recipients tear into it with excitement and the look of surprise and happiness on their faces when they discover what is inside. The wrapping, though, tends to cause back aches and is very time consuming. At this point, I am well over half done. So, the downhill slide is enjoyable and below is a quick cellphone shot.

The Stack - So Far

It has been really cold here. So, wrapping gifts has been a good thing to do on these cold, rainy, sleet-filled days. I didn't want to be outside anyway! Hope your week has been cozy and warm and dry.

Today I noticed...I'm not a good nurse.

Mike has had the creeping crud. He has really been sick. At times I thought he was going to cough up a lung. One time, after blowing his nose, he asked me if I thought whatever it was in the handkerchief was part of his brains. 

It has been bad.

For the first week, I was doing all the cooking, cleaning, washing clothing and bedding and everything else he touched with a religious vigor. Now that we are way into week two, I'm not as diligent. I was serving him his meals with tenderness and caring and patience. Not so much anymore. I was pampering and petting and listening to his moans and groans. Sort of wearing ear plugs now.

Bless him. Neither of us has really been sick for the past five years or so. We've both had surgeries but not been sick and feeling cruddy. So, it has been sort of a new experience for us oldsters. Plus, we are now senior citizens. So, the creeping crud hits a bit harder than it used to do.

I've never been a good nurse. I think I may have gotten even worse at it over the years. I'm certainly not a good nurse today.

Send up good thoughts and prayers. 

Just 3 Things | # 10

We've had an busy week! Of course, we had a holiday parked right in the center of things but we have been getting things winterized and spruced up a bit around here as well. I haven't had as much down time to sit around and read as I usually like but all is well and I will be back to lolling around some next week, I'm sure!

- What I've Been Reading - 

I guess I am a worry wart. I know that worry is just borrowing unnecessary trouble. So, maybe I should call myself a thinker instead of a worrier. 

When I learned that the US Department of Education was in an upheaval at the beginning of this year and in jeopardy of being cut out altogether, I was astounded. After all, an open, free, and equitable education has always sort of been one of the strengths of our country. I have been doing a lot of worrying thinking about this. Of course, as an educator, that topic is one that is close to my heart as well. But, I also had concerns about the funding cuts to research that are happening at universities, hospitals, and all over our country. So, this week, when I stumbled across an interesting read, I continued by going down a rabbit hole and reading more related to the topic. 

The article that started off this whole rabbit hole visit and train of thought was this one: A Battle With My Blood by Tatiana Schlossberg. She is the daughter of Caroline Kennedy (granddaughter of JFK) and, ironically, I read the article on November 22. What really spoke to me is her raw honesty. Oh, there's also the fact that here is somebody who is far more wealthy than most and her family could probably buy most anything they desired. Yet, all the riches in the world cannot really buy her health and a long life at this point. All throughout my life, ours has been a country that is cutting edge, most knowledgeable, problem solvers, ahead of the curve. I am concerned that all of this is going away. I am deeply disturbed.

- What I'm Loving -

I absolutely love giving gifts at Christmas. Every year I request a Christmas wish list from each member of the family. Some are better list makers than others. For example, the teenagers are great list makers and hey send their list along shortly after I send out an all-call requesting lists. They have shared Google Docs, Amazon lists, and links. They include little notes telling me which colors or what size. Some of the adults provide pretty good lists as well. They generally are not as punctual as the teens but I mark that down to the fact that they have more responsibilities. Some of the littles generally get me some good lists once they have a chance to work with their parents on them. Then, there are others... So, I have to ask spouses for ideas and Mike and I brainstorm and come up with something for them that fits a general interest that they have. Plus, with 18 family members, having lists just makes things so much easier for me!

The beauty of those who send me a good list is that I have lots of choices that way. I truly do love that. Plus, I know exactly what they like and what size they currently need in the way of wearables. Our gifts tend to follow the following rule: 

• Something they want
• Something they need
• Something to wear
• Something to read

My shopping actually started months ago for some of them. I stumbled across a couple of cool items that I thought the girls would like and added them to my virtual cart. They've been delivered and I even think I know where I hid them away! The stocking stuffers for the girls were delivered Tuesday and I am just loving those. So, I'm already getting excited about Christmas and I'm loving the lists I'm getting from family members.

- What I'm Working On -

Since the crew is coming here for the Thanksgiving feast, I've been working on getting the feast ready for us all to eat. I worked on it a bit on Tuesday - making cornbread for the dressing. That's about all I did on Wednesday. I've done a bit of straightening and tidying up and Mike has been helpful - blowing the leaves away from the porches and chopping the leaves in the yard. Since this is set to be published on Friday, I'm sure I will be resting from all the excitement. 

I've taken on a couple of other projects this week but I will share more about that later. Hope black Friday, Shop Small Saturday, and whatever other things that are going on this weekend go well. Plus, I hope to goodness The University of Tennessee can pull out a win on Saturday!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Here at our house, we have so many reasons for being thankful. Robert Brault once said, "Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things." What a statement! I hope you and yours have a day of enjoying all of those little things in your life right now.

The children and grandchildren are coming in tomorrow and we shall share a feast together. It seems that the funny thing about life is that once we begin to take note of the things we are thankful and grateful for, we begin to lose sight of all those other things.

We are ever grateful for our many blessings. 

Today I noticed...Even the unexpected is sometimes welcome.

I recently got a random message from one of the older granddaughters. 

Since I knew she was not in class or at practice or someplace else where it might not be appropriate to accept messages, I sent another response and we had a whole mini conversation!

Even a buttdial can lead to a good conversation and put a smile on this grandmother's face!