Kizzie, our library had a book on making chocolate bombs. The variety was endless, and they looked quite fun to make. My granddaughter has made some. They seem to be all over right now and are probably a nice gift for some.
We have paid for insurance for years and years and years and have seldom had a claim. Some people seem to know how to take advantage more of their insurance claims. I am glad, though, that we have seldom needed to use it.
I hope your new appliances will serve you well, Jo.
Good morning, all. Busy night with lots of comings and goings and now all are up for the day. My dad’s mind continues to slip quickly. He asks if I know if his wife has passed away, several times a day. He asks how I know the family. He asks if I ever met his first wife or second. It does not bother me and it is interesting to watch him watch the old photos on youtube and recognize all of his children and both of his wives.
I finished my Israel write-up and now finally can work on the Christmas letter. I addressed the envelopes a week ago while watching the humorous The Man Who Invented Christmas.
We make cookies this morning, attend the final Israel Zoom meeting at noon, and then spend the afternoon at church running the Christmas event for SS kids, followed by a Christmas caroling sing-along, and the SS children presenting the Nativity story.
Hill will meet us at church and we’ll then take her to dinner at her favorite restaurant and tell stories.
(Italian! Really? Don’t you want something else?
“I’ve gone five years without Mary’s pesto breadsticks, I want them!)
Tomorrow is 9 am church, I teach SS for the adults, choir sings at second service, and then a voter’s meeting. If we’re home by 2:30, I’ll be thankful.
Our daughter wanted us to join her at a winery tomorrow afternoon but, thankfully, she scheduled the wine pick-up at 1:30 so we can’t go.
And then I go to work on Monday.
But, the major project is done. It’s nearly 170 pages long including I don’t know how many photos.
I’ve been on a real writing tear and I’m ready for something else.
But, back to the computer grindstone. More work to be done.
I’ve been so busy, I haven’t seen the Adorables since Thanksgiving–and they all live within five miles.
Last night, I left the house at 8:15 to attend an 8:30 basketball game–the first one I’ve been able to attend.
My 6’7″ (6’8” in shoes) grandson is the JV team center. He made a game-winning play with two minutes to go and his team pulled off a victory I didn’t expect.
I’m glad I dragged myself out, even though I hate to drive alone at night.
The Engineer’s retirement was announced yesterday. Emails of thanks are flooding in. Even my brother was impressed–though he had advice, of course. 🙂
Have a lovely weekend. We’re basking in the rain. It’s been so long since the winter felt like normal, everyone is puzzled.
My neighbor’s knee surgery was canceled literally at the very last minute — as after the IV was in her arm — due to a cyst that the surgeon worried might be infected. He didn’t want to even take a small chance, so the plug(s) literally were pulled and they sent her home with plans to reschedule when that cleared up.
Needless to say, she was extremely frustrated, but the call was probably wise.
I’m hoping they can get her rescheduled in a fairly short period of time — but of course it’ll mean going through some of that pre-op routine all over again, too.
I told her we need to get her into a perfectly sealed sterile bubble this time.
___________
Seems “the surge” has arrived in our county, it’s also hitting hospital workers who are beginning to call out in larger numbers again. Apparently the incubation time for the new Omicrons is very short, 1-2 days. They said folks were sick almost as soon as they’d gotten back from Thanksgiving events and trips.
____________
My December has been incredibly busy this year, rare as much of the usual “news” typically slows down with government bodies taking long holiday breaks. We’re usually scrambling to find things to write about this time of year.
But getting even just a day off seems nearly impossible. I was set to take Wednesday off this next week to go meet the prospective dog when I learned the port was holding it monthly presser that day and would be of big interest as it would include a shipping line representative and discussions about how LA is losing cargo and the ongoing impacts of what’s become lingering labor negotiations that now have everyone jumpy. Both sides have pledged “no strike, no lockouts” but those pledges are being doubted the longer this goes on, sending shippers and cargo to other ports on the East and Gulf coasts.
But … another reporter can cover it, my boss said.
We also have Croatia in the semi finals with a big public watch party set for Tuesday in our town (we have as many Croatians as we have Italians).
And we have a new city council rep being sworn in today for our port-to-Watts district. Overall, this will be something of a turnover in LA this year with 5 new council members (out of 15 in the city at large) and a new mayor coming into office.
Lots of new names to get used to and learn how to spell 🙂
I have a number of plans today, focused mainly on straightening up the house and (finally) getting some Christmas set up in here and on the porch. So it’ll be rummaging through the garage …
We’re getting rain tonight through tomorrow, also maybe Monday, possibly again Wednesday and then possibly again next weekend.
It will be, the local news weather forecast noted last night, “quite chilly” as well.
Are people wearing boots this year? I need to select an outfit to wear to a Christmas program assuming I get to go.
I have been trying to mail Christmas cards to all who send me cards. I use to send out so many. I have a few new to send since I am in a different church.
Oh, I love boots! I have a couple pair but haven’t worn them in a long time, not since the knee issues landed me in the clunky New Balance shoes. Another pandemic-era loss, now that I think about it.
But now? I think I can probably start getting my regular footwear out again.
Janice, yes, I also am down some years to replying to Christmas cards for the most part as well — and I also used to send out many.
My favorite source of cards is now out of business (but I have a few extra packs of those in a box in the garage). I ordered a few this year from a vendor online, was looking for cards with the John 1:14 verse. Haven’t gotten them yet, but they were supposed to arrive quickly.
And what did I ever do with that online Christmas card list of addresses I once had? Pretty out of date. I have gotten into the habit of saving envelopes from folks who send me various cards throughout the year, so I can grab addresses off those if they’re ones I don’t now have on my phone (and I’m bad about putting them in there).
Boots – of course we’re wearing boots 😄. Snow is a foot deep.
I’m trying to put some pretty pale green sparkly leaf garland thing up on my kitchen window and it keeps falling apart or falling down. I’m covered in fine glitter. If I ever get it up, it will be pretty, but…
We used to send out over 50 handprinted cards to friends and family. Now we don’t do any. We just never got anything in return (not that we expect something in return) It just felt like a lot of work and wasn’t really appreciated.
But I still put the ones I receive up, I have a metal card holder in the shape of a Christmas tree that I bought years ago (Sundance Catalog?) — it has open/split metal star shapes, all sort of in a western/rustic look, dark metal, that you slip the cards into so it makes for a cute and colorful “card tree.”
I remember when a roommate and I got our own apartment for the first time in the late 1970s … and she, being Irish Catholic and from a family that was super involved in all that, a nun or two in there — well, that first Christmas she received more Christmas cards than I ever knew existed in the whole world!
She strung them everywhere, including over our little gas fireplace. I think I received maybe 5.
I think I was motivated, though, to start sending out more after seeing her collection every year. But I could never match what she got!
We finally got our new kangaroo hopper put up and tied down. It is a new trampoline which will hold 1500 lbs. Most trampolines only hold up to 200 lbs, so we are very excited. Our old trampoline grew wings and flew to the neighbors pasture during the strong spring winds.
I wrote out a post and poof it was gone! I had to go check on the roast and veggies so now I am back!
Pretty tree up there!! QOD….do ya’ll have a preference concerning colored lights or white lights? We have the color ones this year for Paul. He keeps commenting on how much he is enjoying the tree this year…it’s those little things in life don’t ya know?
I sent out about 20 cards and will send out more if I receive one from someone who was not part of the 20. I have received one card so far and am not expecting many more. No Christmas photo was taken of us so I just tried to write a short personal note on the card but my brain seems to have turned to mush!
Boots….I wear mine a lot and I always wear “booties”. They are comfortable and easy to get off and on, keeping my feet warm.
Rk I wager Trey is going to enjoy that extra bouncy trampoline! I have seen several around town that have been buried in the grown so they don’t blow away in our extreme winds….like today! 💨
While I was out and about this morning I stopped in at the local liquor store for some MacMurray Pinot noir. I had given a bottle to my best friend ( the wind bears her last name!) and her husband won’t allow her to open it because it is his favorite. When she comes over Wed afternoon I will open my bottle! I think that vineyard might be close to M?
Sounds like it was an exciting game. Congrats to the winners.
Flying trampolines! Woo! Now that’s some excitement.
Wine and trampolines … living it up in Colorado.
I’ve been doing tornado relief work in the house, honestly, stuff just multiplied in the living room after that surgery, especially paperwork from all the medical stuff.
I got the fall door wreath down and back in it’s box.
But no Christmas/winter wreath out just yet.
The rain starts around 1 a.m. and will last through Sunday noonish. But supposedly more to come later in the week, off and on.
My husband prefers coloured lights. We usually use those on the real tree. The rest of the trees in the house get warm white fairy lights. I do like to have at least one tree with coloured lights. I have tons of glass icicle ornaments and they are super pretty on a tree with coloured lights.
I like both the multi-colored and white lights, I seem to go back and forth.
And the LEDs are so pretty, love the darker colors in those as they’re just eye catching.
I read somewhere that older (more historic looking) homes should use all white. But for outside on the porch, I’ve tended to mix them up, maybe more white with some colored strings on some things, or the other way around.
One year I wound up with all blue lights as I didn’t have any lights from the previous year at the point and blue strings were all they had left at Target. but it turned out pretty.
I can plug in some outdoor lights be trailing the cord down through my mail box and plugging it into the outlet inside; but I have no front porch outlets so I rely usually on the battery strings and keep it simple, mostly around the porch railing, maybe around a window or two, on the big wreaths that hang off the porch railing.
We prefer the colored lights, especially with the larger bulbs (like the classic old ones, but now are LED or something). I do think that a tree with white lights in some other place, such as a restaurant, or as a second tree in a home, looks classy. But while white lights may look classy, colored lights say Christmas to me.
Having said that, I must admit that our new tree has white lights on it. It is a different look for us. The past few years, on our old tree, we had a combination of the colored lights that I mentioned above, and white lights. That looked nice. Nightingale said that we could string the colored lights on, too, with this new tree, but I suggested that we try it having it be different this year with just the white lights.
But my smaller tree in the living room has colored lights. 🙂 (The big tree is in the dining room, which is connected to the kitchen.)
I loved those cards, very artistic and unique, I bought them for years until the ministry (a college ministry) stopped producing them probably 3-4 years ago now when the artist retired.
I was hoping she’d gone on to restart the cards under a different banner, but doesn’t look like it. I notice her activity on Twitter stopped some years ago, too, wondering if she had a health issue which caused (what seemed like) the rather abrupt end to it all. 😦
Our Christmas tree lights are white, and they are very old. My husband has set one set aside to fill in the other sets as bulbs burn out. There are no replacements to be found in the stores, since they are no longer sold. We have many sets not being used. I really had no idea how many until they were all out in the room where they are being stored. We do put a couple of sets of net lights on a cedar bush outside, otherwise they are just on the tree.
I ordered a wreath from one of the fundraisers of my grands. I think I took the picture a little too literally and didn’t check on the size as carefully as I should have. It is beautiful but bigger than I thought. It also has some twigs that stick out. I almost poked my eye when looking out the door the other day! I was thankful one of my daughter’s delivered it and helped hang it on the door. That thing was heavy!
I tried to print my Christmas letter out and couldn’t seem to get the computer to recognize the printer. It kept insisting on doing it another way. I finally gave up. I need to try again but have been too busy. Computers can be so bloomin’ irritating. I need a child nearby to help me. 😉
Good morning, all. A beautiful day here. Restless night. Grandpa went down last night but had no idea what he was doing. We think he was sleep walking. We will see this morning if there was any hidden damage, I suppose but nothing evident.
After he settled, dad started getting up. I would put him back to bed but ten minutes later he would be up again. Finally told him he was welcome to go to the living room and watch the old photos on youtube. He fell asleep on the chair.
Migraine again this early morning, so missed church yet again. It is becoming a bad habit. Sigh.
In other news, we clipped Kootenay’s long hair yesterday and he’s still really cute. Looks like a black and white spaniel now.😀 We needed to get the hair from between his pads so that he wasn’t slipping so easily on the floor. He’s been drooling today, so we’re thinking some teeth are coming and going. The housetraining has been going well and we’re back sitting in the living room again on the newer more comfortable couch.
Since we have more flexibility to be in other rooms of the home, Christmas decorations are expanding to those rooms now. 😊
It was wonderful to go to my Sunday school class this morning. What a great group of people. I came home and listened to the sermon online. The class is having a potluck fellowship/Christmas gathering after church next week. It would be fun but I would have to remove my double masks so I won’t attend. One of the teachers was out with the flu and bronchitis. His wife was there. Hope she did not share germs with the class😳
Good Word spoken at church and now we are home. 55 degrees outside! Right before the “front” moves in tomorrow with brutal cold and snow for the week. Perhaps that type of weather will put everyone in a cheery Christmas mood!! 🎄
A few weeks ago we were asked to take an online survey at church. A link was sent to us after we arrived home. We could then go to the site to view the results. One of the questions was concerning if we believed Jesus was the only path to heaven “I am the way the truth the life, no man goes before the Father but by Me”. The results indicated there were a couple attendees who do not believe that. Causes me to be mindful of those around me even more. But it is befuddling to me as being in our church…. 😞
It’s colder in ATL than in the Black Forest! 52° here. Good weather for the Christmas concert tonight. I invited people from my forner church to attend and some will be there. Art plans to go with me, and we will be near a door in case he does not feel like staying.
I woke up this morning thinking about your neighbor, Dj, and that postponed surgery. How.Very.Frustrating. i felt like crying for her. To go through all the stress, and being pumped up for it for nothing . . . it’s too awful to consider.😒
Thank you, Janice, yes, I really felt bad for her when I heard that, too. 😦 She seemed to be coming out of the funk by evening when I texted her, telling we need to get her into a sterile bubble, guarded by their 2 big dogs, until the surgery happens and she laughed at that.
I’ll have to check in with them today to see if that cyst (which isn’t serious, just a thing that happens, ingrown hair causing it) is clearing up with the antibiotics.
I think they’ll likely try to get her in quickly, but with the holidays hitting right now it may not happen until after Christmas/New Years. We’ll see.
They are putting their usual decorations out on their front yard this weekend, they’d already gotten the lighted full-sized reindeer out but now have added Santa’s sleigh on the roof, just haven’t seen Santa quite yet … Maybe today.
They bought one of the nicer artificial trees a year or two ago, which comes with lights on it, and she was telling me how easy it us to set up.
We had a good sermon today as we continue making our way through the book of Revelation. We’re now embarking on Chapter 20.
Our pastor also made a good comment today about why our political landscape is in such a state: Politicians think they can control and overpower the evil in our society. Christ already has won the victory and, yes, there are ups and downs as history progresses. But as believers we need to remind our selves of where the real victory lies, not in the kings of the earth.
But we forget … And here we are, finding ourselves too often, over and over again, in a “state” of anger and frustration and resorting to a power grab to “fix” the nation or the world.
And on it goes.
But …
Joy to the World, the Lord has come!
Amen?
That’s where I choose to dwell during this season.
I woke up to snow this morning. Coming down just enough to make everything beautiful.
Now I am supposed to be moving. Most things are packed up, now to take them out to my car. Then do some more cleaning around here. Bedding is all washed and clean sheets put on all the beds.
I am so good at procrastinating that I should get an award.
When I went to my house yesterday the front door had been left open, but everything was okay.
But, in the middle of the night, I realized that sometime in the last month something had been taken. At the front of one of my two storage closets was a stack of the six drawers for my dresser. I remember seeing them and noticing a pair of fancy sandals that I had worn to my daughters wedding. Also a plaque another daughter won. I was checking through the drawers and they did not seem very full. In the middle of the night I remembered those sandals and that plaque that I had specifically noticed were not there. So soneone had been in and taken those things. Perhaps one of the painters?
Anyway, it just made me feel unsettled and rather creepy. I have noticed other things that the renters took over the years, but this was since I got the house and recently.
I have a jingle-bell strap hanging on my front door. That’s it for now when it comes to decorations.
We had some decent rain overnight, the sun is trying to break through now.
_______________
Image our pastor was using today about the devil’s role (limited now but still here).
He told the story of how he was running in his neighborhood one day when suddenly a large dog charged him, barking loudly. Pastor jumped back and then realized the dog was on a chain, guys on the front porch drinking beer laughed. (Of course, I thought.)
But the analogy he used for this story was that yes, the devil is still about and still a threat among us — but the only way our pastor would have gotten hurt by that dog, he said, is if he’d gone into the yard.
When we begin to give the devil a place, through our anger, through other sinful tendencies we may have, we then put ourselves in that danger and within his circle of influence.
Jo, that does sound creepy. Be careful. Doors I assume are all locked, and windows, but presuming your workers do have keys of course. But they should be trustworthy folks.
Still … maybe at least talk to them about what you’re noticing without implying they’re at all responsible, but just in a way that they can be on the lookout for you and your house, too.
Jo I do believe I would have a locksmith over to change the lock’s posthaste. Is it possible for you to get to the house to let the workers in? And let them know you have found your home opened a couple times upon your arrival? And a ring camera might prove to be beneficial as well. We have the doorbell camera along with two other tree cameras on our property. We have intercom capabilities with them so if we want to speak to someone outside even if we aren’t home we can. They have no idea we aren’t in the house in those situations.
I will be living there beginning today. Stove doesn’t come until Thursday. Yeah, it just feels creepy. And the handyman will probably be there finishing up all of this week.
I plan on changing the locks, but money is tight right now.
Our message was on Galatians 4:4-6 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”
I had to get a gift card today and went straight to the restaurant to get it. I told the server I had just popped in to get a gift certificate and she gave me a look that told me she had no idea what I meant. I repeated that I just wanted a gift certificate. I was met again with a look that she could not comprehend what I wanted. Suddenly the light went on and she asked if I meant a gift card. Lol. I didn’t even think that someone that young may have never seen an actual gift certificate. I guess that is a little lesson in communication problems between young and old.
I’m home, I was the poinsettia lady at Lowe’s today, I had a basket full of them and a few hanging off the side of the cart. Folks had to move to the side when I was coming through.
Poinsettias are my go-to seasonal decoration for the front porch.
I went to Joann’s today and realized I hadn’t been there in quite a long time. Last time I was there they were getting ready to remodel, I remember telling my friend Shirley, who died nearly 2 years ago now, about the coming remodel). Hadn’t been back since.
It’s nice, looks completely different, but seemed like they didn’t have near the selection of quality faux greenery they used to have. Lots of plastic, so that was disappointing.
Didn’t see any wreaths or garlands, but they may have been somewhere else (though seemed like all that kind of seasonal stuff was in the one section near the door).
Found some ribbon & a couple nice little mini-trees in burlap sacks that can go on a table or fireplace mantle, 70% off most of the Christmas stuff.
I think some schools around here have said there will be no more snow days. That is kind of sad for teachers and students. Parents will still have to deal with having the children home and making sure they are online for school.
We are predicted to get 11 inches Tues-Wednesday. Plus, cold and wind. My husband is expected to play music Wednesday thru Saturday, plus we have children and grandchildren traveling on the end of the week. It is always dicey around this time of year when planning for the holidays. Right now, there is a lot of illness going around, too, so we shall see if all those places will remain open for visitors.
Wandering Views 
Kizzie, our library had a book on making chocolate bombs. The variety was endless, and they looked quite fun to make. My granddaughter has made some. They seem to be all over right now and are probably a nice gift for some.
We have paid for insurance for years and years and years and have seldom had a claim. Some people seem to know how to take advantage more of their insurance claims. I am glad, though, that we have seldom needed to use it.
I hope your new appliances will serve you well, Jo.
Brrr, Dj.
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Good morning, all. Busy night with lots of comings and goings and now all are up for the day. My dad’s mind continues to slip quickly. He asks if I know if his wife has passed away, several times a day. He asks how I know the family. He asks if I ever met his first wife or second. It does not bother me and it is interesting to watch him watch the old photos on youtube and recognize all of his children and both of his wives.
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What day is Mr. P’s surgery? The 19th?
I finished my Israel write-up and now finally can work on the Christmas letter. I addressed the envelopes a week ago while watching the humorous The Man Who Invented Christmas.
We make cookies this morning, attend the final Israel Zoom meeting at noon, and then spend the afternoon at church running the Christmas event for SS kids, followed by a Christmas caroling sing-along, and the SS children presenting the Nativity story.
Hill will meet us at church and we’ll then take her to dinner at her favorite restaurant and tell stories.
(Italian! Really? Don’t you want something else?
“I’ve gone five years without Mary’s pesto breadsticks, I want them!)
Tomorrow is 9 am church, I teach SS for the adults, choir sings at second service, and then a voter’s meeting. If we’re home by 2:30, I’ll be thankful.
Our daughter wanted us to join her at a winery tomorrow afternoon but, thankfully, she scheduled the wine pick-up at 1:30 so we can’t go.
And then I go to work on Monday.
But, the major project is done. It’s nearly 170 pages long including I don’t know how many photos.
I’ve been on a real writing tear and I’m ready for something else.
But, back to the computer grindstone. More work to be done.
I’ve been so busy, I haven’t seen the Adorables since Thanksgiving–and they all live within five miles.
Last night, I left the house at 8:15 to attend an 8:30 basketball game–the first one I’ve been able to attend.
My 6’7″ (6’8” in shoes) grandson is the JV team center. He made a game-winning play with two minutes to go and his team pulled off a victory I didn’t expect.
I’m glad I dragged myself out, even though I hate to drive alone at night.
The Engineer’s retirement was announced yesterday. Emails of thanks are flooding in. Even my brother was impressed–though he had advice, of course. 🙂
Have a lovely weekend. We’re basking in the rain. It’s been so long since the winter felt like normal, everyone is puzzled.
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Good late morning!
That is a beautiful tree in the header. I would enjoy one like that in our home.
I am still enjoying the Audible book, Jesus Continued, by J. D. Greear. Some books give one a lot to ponder.
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Hey, AJ: You probably know what happens later today.
🏈 GO NAVY! BEAT ARMY! 🏈
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I’m not going to dignify that with a response…
Because this year you may be right. 😦
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M, yes, the 19th.
My neighbor’s knee surgery was canceled literally at the very last minute — as after the IV was in her arm — due to a cyst that the surgeon worried might be infected. He didn’t want to even take a small chance, so the plug(s) literally were pulled and they sent her home with plans to reschedule when that cleared up.
Needless to say, she was extremely frustrated, but the call was probably wise.
I’m hoping they can get her rescheduled in a fairly short period of time — but of course it’ll mean going through some of that pre-op routine all over again, too.
I told her we need to get her into a perfectly sealed sterile bubble this time.
___________
Seems “the surge” has arrived in our county, it’s also hitting hospital workers who are beginning to call out in larger numbers again. Apparently the incubation time for the new Omicrons is very short, 1-2 days. They said folks were sick almost as soon as they’d gotten back from Thanksgiving events and trips.
____________
My December has been incredibly busy this year, rare as much of the usual “news” typically slows down with government bodies taking long holiday breaks. We’re usually scrambling to find things to write about this time of year.
But getting even just a day off seems nearly impossible. I was set to take Wednesday off this next week to go meet the prospective dog when I learned the port was holding it monthly presser that day and would be of big interest as it would include a shipping line representative and discussions about how LA is losing cargo and the ongoing impacts of what’s become lingering labor negotiations that now have everyone jumpy. Both sides have pledged “no strike, no lockouts” but those pledges are being doubted the longer this goes on, sending shippers and cargo to other ports on the East and Gulf coasts.
But … another reporter can cover it, my boss said.
We also have Croatia in the semi finals with a big public watch party set for Tuesday in our town (we have as many Croatians as we have Italians).
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And we have a new city council rep being sworn in today for our port-to-Watts district. Overall, this will be something of a turnover in LA this year with 5 new council members (out of 15 in the city at large) and a new mayor coming into office.
Lots of new names to get used to and learn how to spell 🙂
I have a number of plans today, focused mainly on straightening up the house and (finally) getting some Christmas set up in here and on the porch. So it’ll be rummaging through the garage …
We’re getting rain tonight through tomorrow, also maybe Monday, possibly again Wednesday and then possibly again next weekend.
It will be, the local news weather forecast noted last night, “quite chilly” as well.
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Go Navy, of course.
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Go Army, Navy, Air Force, of course. But mostly Go Boise. Anywhere.
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Yes, Go Boise, too! And Go Croatia!
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Go Go Boots!
Are people wearing boots this year? I need to select an outfit to wear to a Christmas program assuming I get to go.
I have been trying to mail Christmas cards to all who send me cards. I use to send out so many. I have a few new to send since I am in a different church.
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Oh, I love boots! I have a couple pair but haven’t worn them in a long time, not since the knee issues landed me in the clunky New Balance shoes. Another pandemic-era loss, now that I think about it.
But now? I think I can probably start getting my regular footwear out again.
Janice, yes, I also am down some years to replying to Christmas cards for the most part as well — and I also used to send out many.
My favorite source of cards is now out of business (but I have a few extra packs of those in a box in the garage). I ordered a few this year from a vendor online, was looking for cards with the John 1:14 verse. Haven’t gotten them yet, but they were supposed to arrive quickly.
When is Christmas again?
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And what did I ever do with that online Christmas card list of addresses I once had? Pretty out of date. I have gotten into the habit of saving envelopes from folks who send me various cards throughout the year, so I can grab addresses off those if they’re ones I don’t now have on my phone (and I’m bad about putting them in there).
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QofD:
Is “Die Hard” a Christmas movie?
(Can you tell I drank 2 cups of coffee today?)
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Die Hard is a holiday movie. https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10228406061196011&set=a.2097961688038 or at least so my nephew says. 🙂
Boots – of course we’re wearing boots 😄. Snow is a foot deep.
I’m trying to put some pretty pale green sparkly leaf garland thing up on my kitchen window and it keeps falling apart or falling down. I’m covered in fine glitter. If I ever get it up, it will be pretty, but…
We used to send out over 50 handprinted cards to friends and family. Now we don’t do any. We just never got anything in return (not that we expect something in return) It just felt like a lot of work and wasn’t really appreciated.
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I think the Internet killed the card industry.
But I still put the ones I receive up, I have a metal card holder in the shape of a Christmas tree that I bought years ago (Sundance Catalog?) — it has open/split metal star shapes, all sort of in a western/rustic look, dark metal, that you slip the cards into so it makes for a cute and colorful “card tree.”
I remember when a roommate and I got our own apartment for the first time in the late 1970s … and she, being Irish Catholic and from a family that was super involved in all that, a nun or two in there — well, that first Christmas she received more Christmas cards than I ever knew existed in the whole world!
She strung them everywhere, including over our little gas fireplace. I think I received maybe 5.
I think I was motivated, though, to start sending out more after seeing her collection every year. But I could never match what she got!
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Some excitement yesterday at one of our local cliffs and beaches:
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Wow, land slides.
We finally got our new kangaroo hopper put up and tied down. It is a new trampoline which will hold 1500 lbs. Most trampolines only hold up to 200 lbs, so we are very excited. Our old trampoline grew wings and flew to the neighbors pasture during the strong spring winds.
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I wrote out a post and poof it was gone! I had to go check on the roast and veggies so now I am back!
Pretty tree up there!! QOD….do ya’ll have a preference concerning colored lights or white lights? We have the color ones this year for Paul. He keeps commenting on how much he is enjoying the tree this year…it’s those little things in life don’t ya know?
I sent out about 20 cards and will send out more if I receive one from someone who was not part of the 20. I have received one card so far and am not expecting many more. No Christmas photo was taken of us so I just tried to write a short personal note on the card but my brain seems to have turned to mush!
Boots….I wear mine a lot and I always wear “booties”. They are comfortable and easy to get off and on, keeping my feet warm.
Rk I wager Trey is going to enjoy that extra bouncy trampoline! I have seen several around town that have been buried in the grown so they don’t blow away in our extreme winds….like today! 💨
While I was out and about this morning I stopped in at the local liquor store for some MacMurray Pinot noir. I had given a bottle to my best friend ( the wind bears her last name!) and her husband won’t allow her to open it because it is his favorite. When she comes over Wed afternoon I will open my bottle! I think that vineyard might be close to M?
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Don’t look now, but Army just took a td lead in OT.
HOO AAAAH!
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And that quick it’s tied at 17.
Suddenly no defense.
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Double OT coming. 😀
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Army wins!
Army wins!
20-17 in double OT.
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Sounds like it was an exciting game. Congrats to the winners.
Flying trampolines! Woo! Now that’s some excitement.
Wine and trampolines … living it up in Colorado.
I’ve been doing tornado relief work in the house, honestly, stuff just multiplied in the living room after that surgery, especially paperwork from all the medical stuff.
I got the fall door wreath down and back in it’s box.
But no Christmas/winter wreath out just yet.
The rain starts around 1 a.m. and will last through Sunday noonish. But supposedly more to come later in the week, off and on.
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My husband prefers coloured lights. We usually use those on the real tree. The rest of the trees in the house get warm white fairy lights. I do like to have at least one tree with coloured lights. I have tons of glass icicle ornaments and they are super pretty on a tree with coloured lights.
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Lots of “weather event” snow also coming to the western US, and then moving off toward all the rest of you.
And outdoor tornados.
As for the indoor ones here, the walkers, at least, are all gone. That’s a better look in here by itself.
One walker went back at Thanksgiving to the cousin who loaned it to me, the other is now folded up in the spare room.
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I like both the multi-colored and white lights, I seem to go back and forth.
And the LEDs are so pretty, love the darker colors in those as they’re just eye catching.
I read somewhere that older (more historic looking) homes should use all white. But for outside on the porch, I’ve tended to mix them up, maybe more white with some colored strings on some things, or the other way around.
One year I wound up with all blue lights as I didn’t have any lights from the previous year at the point and blue strings were all they had left at Target. but it turned out pretty.
I can plug in some outdoor lights be trailing the cord down through my mail box and plugging it into the outlet inside; but I have no front porch outlets so I rely usually on the battery strings and keep it simple, mostly around the porch railing, maybe around a window or two, on the big wreaths that hang off the porch railing.
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And definitely the warm white lights (rather than the cool white).
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We prefer the colored lights, especially with the larger bulbs (like the classic old ones, but now are LED or something). I do think that a tree with white lights in some other place, such as a restaurant, or as a second tree in a home, looks classy. But while white lights may look classy, colored lights say Christmas to me.
Having said that, I must admit that our new tree has white lights on it. It is a different look for us. The past few years, on our old tree, we had a combination of the colored lights that I mentioned above, and white lights. That looked nice. Nightingale said that we could string the colored lights on, too, with this new tree, but I suggested that we try it having it be different this year with just the white lights.
But my smaller tree in the living room has colored lights. 🙂 (The big tree is in the dining room, which is connected to the kitchen.)
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Anybody remember the CCO Christian card ministry?
I loved those cards, very artistic and unique, I bought them for years until the ministry (a college ministry) stopped producing them probably 3-4 years ago now when the artist retired.
I was hoping she’d gone on to restart the cards under a different banner, but doesn’t look like it. I notice her activity on Twitter stopped some years ago, too, wondering if she had a health issue which caused (what seemed like) the rather abrupt end to it all. 😦
https://www.facebook.com/ccocards/
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Went to the house and carefully carried four dining room chairs up. Also some other things
Handyman even started work on the stairs. And got all of his tools downstairs so the upstairs is mine
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Our Christmas tree lights are white, and they are very old. My husband has set one set aside to fill in the other sets as bulbs burn out. There are no replacements to be found in the stores, since they are no longer sold. We have many sets not being used. I really had no idea how many until they were all out in the room where they are being stored. We do put a couple of sets of net lights on a cedar bush outside, otherwise they are just on the tree.
I ordered a wreath from one of the fundraisers of my grands. I think I took the picture a little too literally and didn’t check on the size as carefully as I should have. It is beautiful but bigger than I thought. It also has some twigs that stick out. I almost poked my eye when looking out the door the other day! I was thankful one of my daughter’s delivered it and helped hang it on the door. That thing was heavy!
I tried to print my Christmas letter out and couldn’t seem to get the computer to recognize the printer. It kept insisting on doing it another way. I finally gave up. I need to try again but have been too busy. Computers can be so bloomin’ irritating. I need a child nearby to help me. 😉
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Good morning, all. A beautiful day here. Restless night. Grandpa went down last night but had no idea what he was doing. We think he was sleep walking. We will see this morning if there was any hidden damage, I suppose but nothing evident.
After he settled, dad started getting up. I would put him back to bed but ten minutes later he would be up again. Finally told him he was welcome to go to the living room and watch the old photos on youtube. He fell asleep on the chair.
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Migraine again this early morning, so missed church yet again. It is becoming a bad habit. Sigh.
In other news, we clipped Kootenay’s long hair yesterday and he’s still really cute. Looks like a black and white spaniel now.😀 We needed to get the hair from between his pads so that he wasn’t slipping so easily on the floor. He’s been drooling today, so we’re thinking some teeth are coming and going. The housetraining has been going well and we’re back sitting in the living room again on the newer more comfortable couch.
Since we have more flexibility to be in other rooms of the home, Christmas decorations are expanding to those rooms now. 😊
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It was wonderful to go to my Sunday school class this morning. What a great group of people. I came home and listened to the sermon online. The class is having a potluck fellowship/Christmas gathering after church next week. It would be fun but I would have to remove my double masks so I won’t attend. One of the teachers was out with the flu and bronchitis. His wife was there. Hope she did not share germs with the class😳
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Good Word spoken at church and now we are home. 55 degrees outside! Right before the “front” moves in tomorrow with brutal cold and snow for the week. Perhaps that type of weather will put everyone in a cheery Christmas mood!! 🎄
A few weeks ago we were asked to take an online survey at church. A link was sent to us after we arrived home. We could then go to the site to view the results. One of the questions was concerning if we believed Jesus was the only path to heaven “I am the way the truth the life, no man goes before the Father but by Me”. The results indicated there were a couple attendees who do not believe that. Causes me to be mindful of those around me even more. But it is befuddling to me as being in our church…. 😞
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It’s colder in ATL than in the Black Forest! 52° here. Good weather for the Christmas concert tonight. I invited people from my forner church to attend and some will be there. Art plans to go with me, and we will be near a door in case he does not feel like staying.
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I woke up this morning thinking about your neighbor, Dj, and that postponed surgery. How.Very.Frustrating. i felt like crying for her. To go through all the stress, and being pumped up for it for nothing . . . it’s too awful to consider.😒
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Thank you, Janice, yes, I really felt bad for her when I heard that, too. 😦 She seemed to be coming out of the funk by evening when I texted her, telling we need to get her into a sterile bubble, guarded by their 2 big dogs, until the surgery happens and she laughed at that.
I’ll have to check in with them today to see if that cyst (which isn’t serious, just a thing that happens, ingrown hair causing it) is clearing up with the antibiotics.
I think they’ll likely try to get her in quickly, but with the holidays hitting right now it may not happen until after Christmas/New Years. We’ll see.
They are putting their usual decorations out on their front yard this weekend, they’d already gotten the lighted full-sized reindeer out but now have added Santa’s sleigh on the roof, just haven’t seen Santa quite yet … Maybe today.
They bought one of the nicer artificial trees a year or two ago, which comes with lights on it, and she was telling me how easy it us to set up.
We had a good sermon today as we continue making our way through the book of Revelation. We’re now embarking on Chapter 20.
Our pastor also made a good comment today about why our political landscape is in such a state: Politicians think they can control and overpower the evil in our society. Christ already has won the victory and, yes, there are ups and downs as history progresses. But as believers we need to remind our selves of where the real victory lies, not in the kings of the earth.
But we forget … And here we are, finding ourselves too often, over and over again, in a “state” of anger and frustration and resorting to a power grab to “fix” the nation or the world.
And on it goes.
But …
Joy to the World, the Lord has come!
Amen?
That’s where I choose to dwell during this season.
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I woke up to snow this morning. Coming down just enough to make everything beautiful.
Now I am supposed to be moving. Most things are packed up, now to take them out to my car. Then do some more cleaning around here. Bedding is all washed and clean sheets put on all the beds.
I am so good at procrastinating that I should get an award.
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Okay I am a little reluctant to move.
When I went to my house yesterday the front door had been left open, but everything was okay.
But, in the middle of the night, I realized that sometime in the last month something had been taken. At the front of one of my two storage closets was a stack of the six drawers for my dresser. I remember seeing them and noticing a pair of fancy sandals that I had worn to my daughters wedding. Also a plaque another daughter won. I was checking through the drawers and they did not seem very full. In the middle of the night I remembered those sandals and that plaque that I had specifically noticed were not there. So soneone had been in and taken those things. Perhaps one of the painters?
Anyway, it just made me feel unsettled and rather creepy. I have noticed other things that the renters took over the years, but this was since I got the house and recently.
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I have a jingle-bell strap hanging on my front door. That’s it for now when it comes to decorations.
We had some decent rain overnight, the sun is trying to break through now.
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Image our pastor was using today about the devil’s role (limited now but still here).
He told the story of how he was running in his neighborhood one day when suddenly a large dog charged him, barking loudly. Pastor jumped back and then realized the dog was on a chain, guys on the front porch drinking beer laughed. (Of course, I thought.)
But the analogy he used for this story was that yes, the devil is still about and still a threat among us — but the only way our pastor would have gotten hurt by that dog, he said, is if he’d gone into the yard.
When we begin to give the devil a place, through our anger, through other sinful tendencies we may have, we then put ourselves in that danger and within his circle of influence.
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Jo, that does sound creepy. Be careful. Doors I assume are all locked, and windows, but presuming your workers do have keys of course. But they should be trustworthy folks.
Still … maybe at least talk to them about what you’re noticing without implying they’re at all responsible, but just in a way that they can be on the lookout for you and your house, too.
Shiver.
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Jo I do believe I would have a locksmith over to change the lock’s posthaste. Is it possible for you to get to the house to let the workers in? And let them know you have found your home opened a couple times upon your arrival? And a ring camera might prove to be beneficial as well. We have the doorbell camera along with two other tree cameras on our property. We have intercom capabilities with them so if we want to speak to someone outside even if we aren’t home we can. They have no idea we aren’t in the house in those situations.
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I will be living there beginning today. Stove doesn’t come until Thursday. Yeah, it just feels creepy. And the handyman will probably be there finishing up all of this week.
I plan on changing the locks, but money is tight right now.
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Our message was on Galatians 4:4-6 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”
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I had to get a gift card today and went straight to the restaurant to get it. I told the server I had just popped in to get a gift certificate and she gave me a look that told me she had no idea what I meant. I repeated that I just wanted a gift certificate. I was met again with a look that she could not comprehend what I wanted. Suddenly the light went on and she asked if I meant a gift card. Lol. I didn’t even think that someone that young may have never seen an actual gift certificate. I guess that is a little lesson in communication problems between young and old.
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Jo, and get a good dog? 🙂
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I’m home, I was the poinsettia lady at Lowe’s today, I had a basket full of them and a few hanging off the side of the cart. Folks had to move to the side when I was coming through.
Poinsettias are my go-to seasonal decoration for the front porch.
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Oh, gift cards, those also are great go-to gifts.
I went to Joann’s today and realized I hadn’t been there in quite a long time. Last time I was there they were getting ready to remodel, I remember telling my friend Shirley, who died nearly 2 years ago now, about the coming remodel). Hadn’t been back since.
It’s nice, looks completely different, but seemed like they didn’t have near the selection of quality faux greenery they used to have. Lots of plastic, so that was disappointing.
Didn’t see any wreaths or garlands, but they may have been somewhere else (though seemed like all that kind of seasonal stuff was in the one section near the door).
Found some ribbon & a couple nice little mini-trees in burlap sacks that can go on a table or fireplace mantle, 70% off most of the Christmas stuff.
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It is snowing here, and Boy is keeping an eye on how much we’re getting, hoping for a snow day tomorrow.
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Oh to be a child again with the wide eyed expectations of no school due to snow! ⛄️ 🤍
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I think some schools around here have said there will be no more snow days. That is kind of sad for teachers and students. Parents will still have to deal with having the children home and making sure they are online for school.
We are predicted to get 11 inches Tues-Wednesday. Plus, cold and wind. My husband is expected to play music Wednesday thru Saturday, plus we have children and grandchildren traveling on the end of the week. It is always dicey around this time of year when planning for the holidays. Right now, there is a lot of illness going around, too, so we shall see if all those places will remain open for visitors.
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