Saturday for Sure

It has been "one of those days" that I'm really not sure exacly what I have done...but I feel like I have kept busy all day! This aftrrnoon I went to Hobby Lobby. I needed one skein of embroidery floss and some gold spray paint and was looking for a tall board/sign to go outside next to my front door. I found all I was looking for. The board is reversible. Once the holiday season is over, I will turn it around and it says welcome and has some cardinals on it...perfect considering the doormat and yard flag I chose have cardinals on them. I sat in the living room with my morning cup of tea and enjoyed the tree and some Christmas music. I played a little with my camera and took more close-up photos of some of the ornaments. I made cornbread this evening to have to eat with my supper bowl of chili...ate my slice of cornbread...now not sure I've got enough room for the chili! My plans for the evening are to sit and stitch...story of my life at this time of the year...well, usually have stitching to do...but don't always have deadlines...'tis the season for deadlines! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Full Friday

It was a busy day, but also a bit slower paced day compared to the days earlier in the week. Things are settling down for Christmas preparations. Going to Melany and Wade's for our family Christmas makes things easier on me. I am ready to sit back and coast through the rest of the holidays...stitching, reading, watching Christmas movies, etc. Speaking of Christmas movies, I watched an up-to-date Christmas movie today...very rarely do I see a current movie. And, I wouldn't have seen this one, if it hadn't been released for streaming about a month after it came out in the theaters. I probably wouldn't have even known about it if it hadn't been for an ad on TV for Farmer's Insurance. Anyway, I saw Red One...not "my kind" of Christmas movie. And the only reason that I saw it was that it was offered on Amazon Prime. I will stick the rest of the season to "feel-good" Christmas movies! I did my Krogering today. Picked up a couple of items that I needed for my next party that is coming up next week...more about that later! I also tried to get some things that sounded good to me to fix for my lunches and dinners during the weeks leading up to Christmas and after Christmas. I think I am good to go, as I have several meals planned, at leasat in my head! I did realize on my way home that I had forgotten one item...so I will have to go back when I am out running errands one day or another. I made chili this evening. After I publish the blog, I plan to have a bowl of it...a late, for me, supper tonight. I hope to get in a little stitching tonight. Last night I was too tired and fell asleep in the middle of a stitch and also missed the last part of one of "my shows!" I will have to depend on reruns to be able to see what happened at the end of Elsbeth! I woke up and the news was on. Oh, well...'tis the season! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Thursday = Party Day!

I invited Linda H. over for my first Christmas party at my house. We had a fun afternoon...didn't get too rowdy!!! We always enjoy getting together. We text often, but don't get together "in person" a whole lot...so each time we see each other face-to-face is always a good day! Our lunch consisted of items that I have made for the parties earlier this week and then for Melany when she came earlier in the week. So...not any cooking on my part for this party...except for reheating. This evening, I am going to sit in my recliner and stitch while I watch "my" shows...Matlock and Elsbeth. I had really forgotten what day it was and was very glad when Linda reminded that "our" shows were on tonight. I have a few more small items to stitch and then for sewing them into their final state for gifting. Then I will be done with Christmas gift stitching for 2024. Plus I do want to do some sewing. I am waiting on a new sewing chair that I ordered. The other day when Nathan was over here, we analyzed what type of chair I needed. I need one that raises higher than a "normal" rolling desk chair. I'm trying one for a tall desk. Crossing my fingers that what we chose is right! I got word that it is expected Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday. We'll see...not holding my breath! Oh, I didn't finish as to why I "have" to have a sewing chair. While Nathan and I were checking out the height of the chair at its highest, I also showed him how low to ground it would go...well, that low spot was the last time that that chair moved up and down. It broke in the lowest place...and would not rise up to the highest. So...I had Nathan carry it to the curb and we went out chair shopping. We checked out several and then checked some out online and we decided that online was a better buy and I had more choices...of course I haven't sat in this so don't know "how it sits"...hopefully well. It looks pretty much like ones I tried at the store...so fingers crossed. I told Nathan that whoever puts it together better keep in mind how it goes back in the box, if we have to return it! I think it is going to be fine. And, the city picks up things at the curb once a month and I never know when that pick up will be. Our timing was perfect. It got picked up very quicklky. Time for stitching and relaxing. 'Tis the season! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

‘Tis the Postal Season!

After I chose the photo for tonight, and came in to write the blog, I thought that I should have posted a photo of an ornament that has a stamp on it. Oh, well, not going to back out and start over...too late in the day! It has been a productive day and one with the end result that I wanted. I got the package ready to go to AZ AND got it to the Post Office...so that job turned over to the government!!!!! Gulp! The way Christmas cards are traveling this year, very slowly, I'm not sure that I really want to leave it up to the government. I mailed my cards the last couple of days of November and they are still wandering around out there. It took a week for my card to get to Shelbyville...6 days...I can drive in there a little less than half an hour! It took my cards a week and a half to get to my sister and my niece...neither of their stamps had been cancelled...a bonus Christmas gift for them...a stamp! Today I received a card from friends in San Francisco area...post marked November 25...so more than two weeks! Oh, well...as long as they get there eventually...and preferably before Christmas!!! By the time I got home from the Post Office, it was almost time to head back to church. I called my sister for a "'Tis the season" call to let her know that my package was finally on the way...of course, we talked about more than just that! I will explain about "'Tis the Season" calls. Back in "the olden days" when phone calling was not as easy as it is today, we did not call as often as we do now. And, it was always difficult to call as we would try to call when the rates were down...with a one/two hour, depending on the time of the year, it was sometimes hard to pin down a good time to call. I'm trying to remember if we tried to talk to each other once a week or it was every two weeks. But the way we worked it was that we traded off weeks...one time it was my parents turn to call and another time it would be mine...alternating. BUT during Christmas time we made exceptions and called more frequently and we always started off the calls with, "'Tis the season!" And, my sister and I still do that...sometimes we have more than one 'tis the season call...an example was today. I called her again on my way home from church, too. So...that is the origins of our 'tis the seasoning each other! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious! 'Tis the season!

Party, Party!

We all had such a good time at the ESL Christmas party. I think it was enjoyed by all from those trying to learn English to those of us who have spoken English all our lives. Fun Christmas activities, good food both foreign and American, pretty decorations, good fellowship. And the ESL students seemed to really enjoy getting together. I came home and almost right away got busy on supper, as Melany was going to come this evening. She had to drop off some papers at a lawyer here in town and then came for a visit and supper. We had one of our favorites, again, a recipe from my mother, Turkey Olé. I had frozen turkey just for the purpose of making this casserole. I still have some slices of turkey to make a sandwich or something. Thankful for a freezer to make the Thanksgiving leftovers last a little bit longer! Melany got here around 4pm. She headed our way right after her school dismissed. We enjoyed visiting. She brought me another pretty that she made.

Now my dilemma...she has battery operated candles inside this box...these candles can be turned on and off with a remote. Well, she has given us a remote, I think two remotes, in the past. I know that I came across the remote when I was decorating and I was glad that I had found it. I told myself that once I was decorated I would activate the candles in various decorations she has given me so I could turn them on and off. Well, till tonight, I had not thought about the remote/s again. And, can I remember where I put the one I found...nope! Not a clue where it is. I know it will turn up, but...'tis the season! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious! Oh, the wooden egg shaped Santa head if a gift Melany brought me back from Alaska a couple of years ago...guess tonight's blog photos pertain to Melany!

Busy! Busy!

My head is sort of spinning, even I have told myself that I won't get caught up in the hustle and bustle! Yesterday, we had our Sunday School Class Christmas party after church. We had a good time...good fellowship and good food...lots of food! I came home and got busy on my stitching again...not for long, though as a nap did overtake me! I didn't doze for long and got back to my stitching. I went to the Christmas Music Program at church in the evening. And, came home and did more stitching. Stitching is finished for the current projects. Now to get them totally finished...that is on the roster for this evening. After I blog, I am going to "close down" the downsstairs and head up to get busy in the sewing room for the next step. Time is going by fast...but what I need to do seems to be going slowly...those two fast and slow...just don't end up being very effective in actually getting things done! Today I have spent a good part of it cooking. I made Cranberry-Orange Bread for the English As A Second Language (ESL) party in the morning at church. Our church has a weekly class for those wanting to be more fluent in English. This is their annual party. Our class has been asked to arrive early and set the tables and provide centerpieces. I have my centerpiece "parts" in my laundry basket to whisk off fairly early in the morning. Those helping with the tables, etc. have been asked to stay for the party and eat with them. The ladies in the ESL classes bring their families and share some of their countries food for the lunch. I wanted to take something Christmasy to eat and my Mother's recipe for Cranberry-Orange bread seemed to fit the bill. Before I head out in the morning I will slice the bread and spread some of the slices with cream cheese and make little "sandwiches." Some of the slices I will leave plain. I have a cute Christmas plate to serve it on. This evening I went to prayer meeting at church and have been back for a while, but got busy and suddenly realized that I hadn't blogged yet. I also made Chex Mix this afternoon...the old fashioned kind that cooks for a long time in a low oven...stirring often! Like the title says, BUSY! BUSY! 'Tis the Season! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Sunday Favorite

Saturday Scurryings

A lot of today has been spent in the kitchen...cooking and cleaning up. I think that everything I am responsible for gathered together except for the cheese ball in the refrigerator and the rolls on the kitchen counter. When I finish blgging I will put the foil over the rolls. I have notes reminding me of things that aren't in the basket that I have packed to take to church in the norning. Abigail stopped by late morning and got her dress...so...that project is finished. After tomorrow's party I will start concentrating on getting tge package ready to send to AZ. Then Tuesday is the ESL (English as a Second Language) party. Our Sunday School class is helping with that party. Our job is to get the tables set and provide centerpieces for each of the tables. I have "my" centerpiece planned out...so it will just be getting the items to the church in one piece and make it look like it does now at my house! After Tuesday's party the next Christmas event for me will be our family Christmas gathering. I feel like after Tuesday I will be able to catch my breath. I came in to sit while I waited for the last rising of the rolls and nodded off...woke up and they were ready to go in the oven...I think they got a little extra rising time! I think that I am pretty much through for the day except for sitting and maybe stitching. I do have clothes ready for the dryer. I'll probably put another load in, after all, I can stitch and let the machines do the work for me...till it is time to put them away! 'Tis the season! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Fa! La! La! La! La!

Beginning to look more like Christmas around here...lots of ingredients bought at Kroger today to get me started on cooking for various Christmas activities. The first thing that I need to make things for is our Sunday School Christmas pot luck luncheon. I started getting things ready to make rolls tomorrow...my potato rolls...had to make mashed potatoes to go in them...so did that and that part of the task is finished. I will make the rolls tomorrow. I am also taking a cheese ball...the cheese is grated and is on the counter awaiting the rest of the ingredients. I will complete that tonight, as it will taste better if the the flavors blend a bit before our party on Sunday. I bought other ingredients to make more Christmas goodies...probably next week...but we'll see how much time I have tomorrow...for baking...have other time sensitive tasks to do, also. This morning besides getting groceries, I stopped and got gas for the car. A tank of gas, these days, lasts me a lot longer than it used to when we were going back and forth to dialysis and other doctor appointments. I came home and got the groceries sort of put away. Some things I have left in their bags near the pantry, since I will be needing them soon and it is hardly worth putting them away...much easier when the time comes to use said ingredients if I don't have to hunt down the spot that I put them away in! As soon as I got through with the groceries, I headed upstairs with the piece of fabric that I cut from Abigail's dress. I first got my serger set up to stitch the hem and then practiced on the scrap from her dress. Then I brought her dress up and I got the hem done quite quicky since I could do it with the serger...took longer to prepare the dress to be hemmed than it did to hem it this time. It is done. I have informed Abigail and she plans to come get it tomorrow. Tonight's ornament photo is of a little china bell that Mother bought years ago to use to decorate the packages we were sending to Massachusetts (where her sister and famiy lived). We always wrapped the packages, but tried to decorate them as flat as possible so more would fit in the shipping box...also didn't do bows because they would get crushed. Oh, how fun it was to wrap the packages and get the box ready to send...usually a pretty big box (I wonder what it would cost to send such a package today!). But the best for Cheryl and me was when the package came for us from Massachusetts! Mother must have gotten quite a few of these little bells as when she made us a tree skirt, she sewed one of these bells on each of the points of the star. Most of the bells came off over the years...I still use the tree skirt that, I'm guessing, she made for us in 1970 or 1971. Anyway, I think that either she or Cheryl sent me one year when one of them found it tucked away in their decorations...or maybe it is one of the ones from the tree skirt...not sure...but for some reason, I think that I was given this one at a later date. Anyway, it is a memory of my childhood and then of the tree skirt in its original condition! Well, back to my cheese ball making! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious! Nathan stopped by today and changed a door knob and took me chair shopping...my sewing chair gave up the ghost today...so I am in the process of making a decision...still thinking about it. I didn't really find what I wanted at Office Max and we didn't search any farther afield...except for realizing that perhaps I would order one...still thinking.

‘Tis the Season to Sew, Sew, Sew!

I did something that I haven't done in some time...pretty much dedicated the whole day, so far, to either sewing or cross stitching. The first thing I did was baste around the hem on Abigail's bridesmaid dress twice...once close to the fold at the bottom and then the depth of the hem. After I got that done, I moved on to Chrstmas stitching. I did get finished stitching the one project...now to make them into ornaments. My goal today was to have the stitching done for the AZ package. I "think" that I have accomplished that. It has beeen quite cold all day today and is supposed to get down to 16°F tonight. Brrrrrrr! I have faucets dripping and have opened the cabinet doors under the sinks. I decided to stay in all day...never opened the door. I have it set up so the USPS lets me know what mail I will get each day. Today's one piece is fine to stay in the mailbox till tomorrow. Just before I stopped to blog, I cut off the extra fabric from Abigail's hem. That means that I have the piece I cut off is ready to be experimented with on mu serger before I do the actual garment! I hope that get the hem finished either tomorrow or Saturday. The wedding is a week from Saturday. This evening's task is to make the grocery list. I have to get items to make for our Sunday School Christmas lunch this Sunday. And, I have another party next week that I need to decide what I am making and get ingredients for that. Plus I guess I need to decide on some things for me to eat...since Thanksgiving leftovers are gone...except for the soup that I made yesterday. 'Tis the season for Christmas cooking, sewing, stitching, etc. I just can't believe that Christmas is only 20 days away! Time is flying by. I am so glad that I decorated early. And, I am really enjoyig being surrounded by all the festive decorations. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Well, It’s Wednesday?

Today is one of those days that I had something planned to do this morning...and, at this point of the day, I still haven't gotten around to it. It's my Christmas stitching. Hopefully here in a little while I will be able to pick it up and work on it. I was about to sit down to stitch this morning and my doctor's office called...wanting to know if I had taken my blood pressure this morning. And, since I hadn't could I go do it then. I said that I could, but that it would be good for her to call back in a little while since I had to go upstairs and find the BP machine, etc. She did call back about an hour later. She said that she would call back again next week...so guess I had better be better about checking it!!!!! Don't want to add that into my schedule!!!!! I think this is the young college girl who works for my doctor during the summer and when she is out of school for other breaks. I don't get these calls very often...figure they were having her do some jobs that rarely get done! I did have a couple of medicine questions that I asked and I did get a call back from my doctor's nurse with answers so that was a help! I did make Turkey Rice Soup this afternoon. And, I went to Bible study at church this evening...those are my accomplishments for the day. Now to get busy with my stitching! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

It's December…It's Tuesday…It's Cold

I've done a little of this and a little of that today. I got up planning to do Christmas stitching and then realized I had planned to write some more Christmas cards. After lunch, I headed to the church to work in the library. We got started with the first couple of steps in processing our new order of books. We got to the point we needed to be and then headed home. i got some more cards off in the mail today. I'll check and recheck the Christmas card list and make sure that I have done all the ones that need to be mailed. I started a movie that I had never watched all the way through...It's a Wonderful Life. I did better getting through it this time...lots of parts that I don't remember ever seeing before. I never really cared for it...I think it is that I don't care for angels coming to earth to help someone. But I think that I can now say that I have seen it. It was okay...but not one that I want to watch every Christmas season. I know...many of you love this movie. Just not my "cup of tea!" I have been enjoying Christmas movies on TV while I write cards, stitch, etc. I have watched some that I have never seen and watched some that I have seen many times over the years. Now I am going to watch Life With Father...I have read it, but don't think that I have ever watched. I will watch it while I stitch...stitching and watching can be problematic...something is often missed...stitches and sometimes scenes. But I can usually catch on to what scene I missed and can compensate for missed stitches. 'Tis the season! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

A Story of Leaves

We knew that the leaf truck was in the area, but didn't know exactly when it would show up. Well, today was the day. We had a lot of leaves along the curb various neighbors had seen to that. But at this time of year the leaves are never long out of the yards. We always try to get as many along the curb prior to the leaf pickup. This morning, I heard something and thought that it might be the leaf truck, but instead it was a neighbor out blowing leaves. I believe that he ended up blowing at least six yards so there would be as many at the curb as possible. My yard was one of the ones that he gifted his time and effort to get more to be picked up. So for the moment the yard and curb are pretty much leaf free...that will probably change by morning...but at least the first pick up has happened and lots were vacuumed up. Good neighbor! I stitched this morning getting closer to some finishes. This afternoon, I ran a couple of errands. I needed some more cards and stamps and a few other things. I made a WalMart run...the first in a long time. Our Walmart renovation is complete...first time I had been in since it was finished...not all that impressed...mainly because I no longer know where anything is. But I did find most of what I needed. I have been to prayer meeting and am back into the warmth of my abode! The temperatures are more typical for this time of year. We have seen 20s the last couple of nights. Brrrrrr! And, the high was only in the 40s. The chill makes it seem a little more like Christmas...as did the busyness of the stores. 'Tis the season! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Sunday Favorite