A Little Adventure-Part 2

 So, this weekend we got it all done and decorated in the main living areas. 

Only snag was I still haven't located my Dept 56 Christmas Village in the basement Chaos from the move. Pretty sure I know where it might be(of course in the far corner under about 25 other bins and boxes) but I just don't have the heart to move all that stuff on the chance it's not there and it was all for nothing. As it is- right now-I have one of the churches I transformed into a Gingerbread house in the kitchen- it's proper placement in my eyes. Then I have the other two churches, a teahouse, a teashop and a nature scene with a waterfall, a moose, and a canoe on a pond - all surrounded by various styles of snow topped trees and bushes. Also- best of all- I have the animated flying Santa and reindeer flying over the small set-up I have done. Oh, how I wish I could put the photos on here to show you but alas- work computer and not allowed.

Anyway, the tree is up, the garland is placed, and the side tables have a small vignette set up on them. The coffee table has a basket full of shiny baubles and greenery too. 

Christmas Spirit still not arrived for us yet- it's been a tough year and we are struggling still, so I'm debating putting up the small bedroom trees. I think it might help, but then again it might just depress us even more.. IDK....... 

We'll be doing Christmas Breakfast for supper after I get home from work ..... easy and fast. I have to work the following day as well so it will be an early night for me. 

Christmas Supper Menu:

Biscuits/Brown n serve or crescent rolls 

Ham

Bacon

Hash brown casserole

Orange Danish

Cinnamon Rolls

Eggs(cooked upon request)

Soda-Coffee- Hot Cocoa!!!!

It's the same thing I used to make when the kids were little. No one wanted a formal dinner- that was a LOT of work and the grown ups just wanted to relax after a hard night of- "watching for Santa" -and the kids only wanted to play with the gifts they got.

Thanksgiving was the big huge family at the same time gathering. Christmas was the casual laid back -drop in as you can- gathering....

Anyway- We'll see how it goes.

Happy December y'all!!!!

A Little Adventure....Part 1

 So yesterday after work I drove home and picked up my Daughter and Grand-daughter. I was on a mission to bring a bit of Christmas magic back into our lives.

None of us can really get into the spirit this year and we arent really sure exactly why we arent feeling it.

Since we moved into the house, Julie, my daughter, has been constantly ill. She has COPD and  some other health issues. She will be sick for two or three weeks, then feel better for a few days(usually 3 or 4, then she's back feeling ill again. I'm convinced it's something(probably the black mold from the basement issues.  Alyssa(Grand D) and I have been ill a bit more than usual too, but she is out of the house at school most of the day , and I am at work about the same amount of time as she is in school. Julie is in the house all day and all night unless we nip out for a food shop or she has a doctors appointment or gets a chance to go see her grands for an hour or so. Maybe once a month for either of those- if at all. And when she is feeling poorly she  doesn't feel like doing those things either.

Anyway, We went to our old place and got the Christmas ornaments she had stored in a trunk we haven't had a way to pick up yet. Then we went by my Bezzie's to pick up my phone charger I forgot there. (Me and Bezzie-friends for 60 years and we have a girls night every Wednesday.)Then we rode around for a bit looking at the Christmas decorations on the houses in the town before coming home(a 50+ mile trip) , and we grabbed an order of Lil Caesar's Cheesy Bread for a treat. 

We all got a bit of our Christmas Spirit back. Not a LOT- but enough for now.

We're putting up the tree tonight and then finishing the garlands and other tabletop decor on Saturday. 

Right now our house is topsy-turvy with all the boxes and bins but it's okay. Come Jan 2nd we are going to have a huge purge and have a yard sale and  put a few other things on Marketplace for the deposit for the new apartment which I have to finish up paperwork on by first of the year. 

I have big plans for the new year- all of 2026!!!!!!!

This and That and maybe a Bit of TMI

THIS- So Here it is the first week in December and Lil' Miss Christmas here hasn't got much done at all in the decorating department inside the house...and only half the things done outside the house. 

The Inside decor Christmas Bins are brought up from the basement- but still awaiting being displayed so far. Outside the swags are made and in the windows but the trio of Tomato cage trees are still awaiting the greenery and lights to be added. Also- our neighbor, Beau, generously gave us a large round of wood from HELENE's Chaos because I said I wanted a natural side table for my Adirondack chair on my front porch. I got it rolled about 12 feet away from the woodpile- and was exhausted. So... me being the eternal optimist, Decided to go get my car that has a big wide hatchback so I could just back up, toss the thing in the back and drive it over to the front porch and place it. 

Ummmm hmmmmmm...yeah. So I drove the car over and backed up to it- and when I tried to "toss it in" I realized it weighed more than I do...prob twice as much as me at this point. So....Im going to have to wait on that project til a couple of my boys (adults all) can give me a helping hand. Meanwhile, I hope to get the rest of the inside decor and the tree up this weekend while my daughter and myself are there alone. 

THAT- I think Christmas is going to suck this year- but there is always NEXT year to look forward to, Right?

A BIT OF TMI- 

Bathroom Etiquette!!! If that topic icks you out-move on- that being said; there is nothing graphic in what I'm about to write. Up to you.

So something that really annoys me is at work there are seven stalls in the ladies restroom. Large handicapped ones on each end and five regular sized ones between them. Now I can usually head by there after the morning rush, and I always choose the center one because I like my personal space- so to speak- and that leaves allllllll the others in case anyone comes in- and they inevitably DO that very thing. 

And for the love of all that is stupid and annoying- no matter which one I'm in- that someone chooses to "go" into the one directly beside ME!!!

If I go in and someone is in one of the stalls- I would NEVER choose the stall directly beside them unless it was the only one free and there was no time to spare.

I just don't understand peoples brain processes sometimes. Or maybe their lack of brain processes..... I don't think I'm being bitchy wanting to not be up on someone else (or them being up on me)when personal business is being conducted.... 

And another thing- for God's sake why are women constantly having a phone conversation while in the stall doing their business?  Surely it's not always something of great importance that cant wait!!!!!! 

I cant tell you the number of times I've gotten calls from my boss (or from anyone to be honest)like that and declined to answer the call.  Then I pull up my pants and wash my hands and THEN call him(or whoever) back after I step outside the restroom. 

SMDH....

and that's all for today, y'all.....  Rant Over. :)

 

December? Already???

 I swear, It was May and I was moving into my new place, soon to be followed by my Daughter and Granddaughter when school session ended.....

I blinked twice- TWICE and now it's December again??? How? What happened in those other months?

I usually start my Christmas shopping in May- and am completely done by the Sunday before Thanksgiving. I've written about it before- I laugh at people who wait until the last minute and think the holidays are awful because they are so stressed out because they have procrastinated.

Well, Madam Karma has certainly bit me on the butt this year!!!  I literally have two gifts bought. I'm sooooo behind.

And literally have a handful of Christmas decor up. Mostly various sizes of  Santa/Kris Kringle/St. Nicholas portraits hung on the wall, although there are a couple of Red Truck prints up as well. HUGE fan of both.

What I would love to have(and will probably end up painting myself) is the scene of St. Nick kneeling over the Baby Jesus in the manger. 

Anyway- we finally got a few things up from the basement for Christmas decorating. I don't want to do a full blown Christmas house as we hope to be moving again in a couple months. My daughter has COPD and has been sick ever since she moved into this place- and I wont stay here because our landlord's suggestion to the flooded basement issues continue to be-"Get some pallets to put your stuff on"....and that isn't helping with the water and mold issues that are exacerbating our health issues.

UN-effing-believable!!!!!

Anyway- a pack of gum and an apple makes for a pretty awesome gift- don't you think?????  :D

To B(ald) or Not to B(ald)?

 For years I have wanted to buzz my hair. I'm seriously think I'm going to do it now that I don't have a husband to Ghost me over it(and so many other things...)

One of the main bones of contention for me and him was My sister, Baby Darlene, was diagnosed with Stage 4 Kidney Cancer a couple years ago. She's been going thru lots of therapies(as I call them) but she has always had the most beautiful long, thick Raven Black (with a natural blue sheen) hair . She gets it from our Native American blood. She asked me and my sisters one day if she did Chemo and started losing her hair, would we buzz ours too. She literally said it in jest- she would never truly ask us to do that in reality- but I immediately said YES- absolutely I would!!....Husband overheard me and when I got off the call with my sisters, he .. FORBADE ... me to even think about it. 

After all the stupid ways he had his hair cut and all the stupid styles he's had his beard and 'Stache  that I never said a word about, but let him enjoy his choices in peace. He's an adult- it's hair- do what you like with it. 

I told him I absolutely WOULD support my sister in whatever way I chose and that was the beginning of his "ghosting" sessions. I think that one lasted about a week and a half and was the beginning of our real troubles.

Time has marched on and many different types of treatments later, my sister hasn't  lost ALL her beautiful tresses, but there is a significantly less amount of it- and of all things it's started to turn a corn tinted blonde on the underneath and edges of her temples. It doesn't look bad at all- it's just not the norm for her.

So it's got me thinking again- why don't I just go ahead and DO it????? Who's going to stop me now?

It's A BUST!!!! and Happy Thanksgiving Y'all!!!!

 Sorry about the delay in posting y'all. Last week was week from hell at work and as I have a working computer in my office, that is generally where I write my blog posts on my lunch. Alas- there was no such thing for me last week. Honestly, I went home every day so tired I fell asleep as soon as my behind hit the chair and there I stayed until around midnight when I would drag myself out of the chair, down the hall only to fall asleep literally before my head hit the pillow. 

We've been working on several projects at work and I'm managing two of them. It's very odd- I don't claim to be a supervisor(Ye Gads how I detest that title-but not the pay)... but my manager has referred to me as such, plus put me in charge of a couple of projects so I suppose I actually am- whether I like it or not. 

 If I could live off the money I would retire and work only part time like so many others are doing, but alas- I fear I will be working until Lunchtime the day of my funeral and only get the time off approved  then if I can find someone to fill in for me. (Fat Chance)!!!

Anyway- I'm rambling- so yesterday morning I woke up with a horribly scratchy throat and all the classic cold/flu symptoms except running a fever- so I'm assuming it's just a common cold. Not really surprising as my Granddaughter who lives with me was ill with the same thing the week before last.  Infection timing is spot on too. My daughter and I had taken on the chore of re-arranging Granddaughters bedroom while she was at her dad's for the weekend. She's been asking for a change for several weeks now so we finally had a minute to do it for her. There were some used tissues that had fallen in the floor at the foot of her bed and I gathered them up and threw then in the trash bin, and waited until we finished re-arranging her room to go wash my hands. Apparently, sometime in that process, I touched my face with my tissue-germy hand and my immune system , not being the fighter is was when I was younger, allowed the cold germs to invade my system. I swear I'd rather have the full blown FLU than a common cold. 

 As I have told before, we have a family one pot meal almost every Sunday- and I tried to cook yesterday even tho all I wanted to do was crawl back into bed. 

I made a big crockpot full of Pinto Beans and they turned out fine- I mean how could you possibly mess that up???

Then, I tried making a pone of cornbread- somehow managed to grab the A/P flour instead of the cornmeal- BUT- I realized what I had done before finishing it up- so I poured about 2/3 of it out and then added in the cornmeal- which in THEORY should have worked- but when it can out of the oven, I swear if I made more of them they could have been put in the garden and used as stepping stones.  It was so bad(hard) that my cats, who will eat a rubber tire if given the chance, wouldn't touch it. Then I made a pan of cathead biscuits- and overcooked them- almost(but not quite) to the inedible point. 

My sister Nina and her son came to dinner and luckily Craig had made a big pot of stew and  brought it with them so we had a lovely supper anyway.  I'm thinking I might start doing those dinners only the first weekend of the month... it's hard for everyone to get there and leftovers go to my fridge to die- or become a long term science experiment. I don't like wasting food, but I cannot force myself to eat the same leftovers 3 days straight after a no show dinner for 9 ppl. I freeze what I can, tho. That has come in handy a few times when something came up and we didnt have time to cook a proper meal. 

This weekend I had written down a whole list of Prep to do for Christmas decorating next weekend, but suffice it to say- not a single thing got done there either... so this entire past week has been a BUST.

Seems to be an ongoing theme for 2025. 

Next year will be better tho. I can feel it in my bones!!!!

Have a Happy Thanksgiving Y'all!!!!

I've Been Waiting All Year for This!!!

 So it's finally happened! The first frost of the season!!!

This is OFFICIALLY the beginning of the holiday season for our family-the first frost of the season !! We wait for this event all year long!

It's almost as anticipated as the first snow of the season- or even Christmas Eve!!!!

Halloween is great for the kiddos, but for the adults, we watch/listen to the weather forecasts from mid-September onwards. Anticipation builds week after week. We never know when it will be!  We've had first frosts as early as September 20th- and as late as December 11th. 

Our family Tradition for the weekend after the first frost is to all get together for  a Bonfire Night! We make a huge pot of Texas Style Chili(with beans of course) and have all the usual toppings on it- 

Cheese- some like sharp, some like medium, some like mild. I usually have mild and sharp  and everyone can  mix and match to their taste. 

Sour Cream. ( I like Greek Yogurt as an alternative- it's got a similar twang to it and is a little healthy- but again- I usually have both.

Diced onions or chopped spring onions. We are a family divided on this one. Exactly half like one and half like the other. We have both.

That's all the toppings.

We usually have a few big family sized bags of Fritos too. Chili is NOT Chili without the Fritos. We all agree on that point.

We all grab a bowlful and there is rarely any left because everyone goes back for second and third helpings. 

Afterwards, we light the bonfire(or firepit depending on the wind) and we make S'mores for dessert for everyone. The kids run around in the leaves and climbing trees or riding bikes while the adults make smores and trade stories of days gone by. No one is allowed to be stuck to their electronics on Chili Night! It's all about the simplicity of life and interacting with Family.

Honestly it's my favorite event of the year with  my babies... and Grands, and now Great Grands!!!!

I'm so Blessed to have this in my life again.