NEW YEAR RINGING IN

NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS come and go.  Sometimes we're successful in achieving our goals.  Sometimes not.  So no new year's res for me.  Instead here are some ideas jotted down about what I would like to come to pass in 2023.  LORD WILLING.  

NEW GLASSES in 2023.
Two card tables with 8 fold up chairs purchase.
Get my wedding ring fixed.  A prong broke and I have put off getting it fixed for so long I forget how long it has been.
Clear out and downsize clothing in closets.
Downsize Christmas decor.
GET PAPERS BACK IN ORDER.
New shoes purchased.
Write a book.
Exercise and downsize my bod.
Lose 50 more pounds.
Remodel the COTTAGE.
Box up items to be relocated to COTTAGE when the time comes.
New winter coat bought.
Read my Bible in a slow, meaningful way.
Research.
Deliberately take breaks.
Walk, talk, sing and dance.
Study up on nutrition.
Make copies of pictures.
Sell a house and get settled in the COTTAGE.

AND away I go.
Lord, Please bless these endeavors.  I dedicate this to you.  
In Jesus name I pray,
Amen.

~d

 

TALKIN' TRASH IS WORTH EVERY PENNY

TRASH IS USUALLY PICKED UP IN THE ALLEY BY SANITATION EMPLOYEES ON TUESDAYS, but not today.  Guessing it's because Monday was a carry over HOLIDAY.  Observed CHRISTMAS.  I imagine that the Sanitation Department LUVS seeing the trash after the CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY.  I telephoned the company and they will be here tomorrow.  

Going through so much paper products and throw away stuff over THANKSGIVING and CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS was eye opening.  I think our Christmas was a 12 bag event with a full trash container.  I can see the Sanitation workers grinning in this frigid weather.  It's a tough occupation and I'm thankful we have trash service in our alley.  It's worth every penny.

The week is off and running.  I believe Hubby and I will have a quiet New Year's Eve this year staying at HOME ringing in the New Year.  2023.  I will have a glass of wine for medicinal purposes.  Starting the New Year next Sunday.  I'll need to go grocery shopping for organic veggies and fruit this week to start the year out right.  The weather will be in the low 50s making it wonderful to get out to shop before the next arctic blast moves in.  Tomorrow, I'll work up a plan for menus to stay on target with health issues.

Bagels and cream cheeses for breakfast tomorrow.  Good bye starchy foods after tomorrow.  No chips, rice, beans with lard, cookies, ice cream.  

I have some lettuce, radishes, carrots, asparagus, blue berries, apples, green beans in the fridge that I need to use up before they go bad.  More bottled water is needed for sure.  Tea.  Sliced spaghetti squash and zucchini doused in extra virgin olive oil baked in the oven are nice together for pan meals. Broccoli and cauliflower make good companions.  More green beans, sliced almonds and carrots.  Spring greens, cherry tomatoes, spinach, cabbage, potatoes, peppers.  

Doing well on no soda.  Will cut back on pork products, breads and sugars.  With Christmas being over, I can begin AGAIN eliminating certain foods and beverages.  It doesn't seem as hard to me to do this anymore.  That's good because I need to eat a certain way ALL THE TIME.  I don't miss the coffee and I don't miss the soda pop and I don't miss the bread and I don't miss the milk and I don't miss the bacon and I don't miss the pasta.  It seems like I am a believer NOW for eliminating some foods.  It's the SUGAR that will be challenging to me especially this time of year.

I have to be PRO-ACTIVE and get back on the wagon.  I willingly jumped off the wagon during the Thanksgiving season and then Christmas came along.  I was nervous so much of the time leading up  to Christmas because of medical appointments.  I believe I have calmed down since it is now AFTER CHRISTMAS.  I don't even want to go to after CHRISTMAS SALES.  That's amazing for me.

I have all the CHRISTMAS decor I want for now.  As I work in the basement this WINTER, I will continue to thin more stuff out and give it some more thought about going NATURAL for decorating next year as well.  

I can bake more sliced oranges using two types for some color variation.  Blood red oranges and something else.  Maybe bake some sliced lemons and limes as well.  Apple slices.  Hang some wooden beads, pinecones, acorns, cranberries and popcorn.  I have burgundy colored jingle bells which I like the look of them.  Wooden hearts with twine that I got at Cracker Barrel for 50 cents a piece.  Cinnamon sticks.  Galvanized stars and word art with scripture on it.  Burlap ribbons, bows and burlap tree skirt.  Going country, early American and primitive.  Think I like that idea. Candles, greenery, ribbons and bows.  BUT and that's a BIG BUT, I hope to have the outside of the house decorated in November when the weather is still pleasant and have the tree up right away after Thanksgiving.  Tis a thought. 

I think I should have Christmas cards signed with personal messages written, addressed and stamped in July leaving the envelope open where I can insert a letter written in early December. Great idea.  Need to follow through with this. 

WRAPPING UP THIS YEAR by thinking about how the year has gone.  I didn't write a CHRISTMAS letter.  When I am better rested, I will compose one and print it out for my Christmas letter book and call it good.  

I think things have changed in a mighty way as people use facebook, email, tik-tok and so on to communicate with folks for the Holiday.  The Christmas cards are a bust.  I love 'em, but receiving them has dwindled down to ???  

Ten cards.  Some letters and pictures.  So glad to receive them.  10 is a far cry from what I use to get back in the day.  People kept in touch with cards and letters and I enjoyed hearing THE NEWS how the year went.  I suppose the cards have left the building along with Elvis.  

On New Year's Day, I will reread each one and utter a special prayer for the ones that sent one to me.  I am saddened that so many have stopped sending cards.  I do remember one lady I met in Omaha that had moved around a great deal and she told me that after a while the cards stopped coming.  Which bothered her.  I get it.  

I saved my CHRISTMAS CARDS from way back until a few years ago when I thinned them out. Instead of having 25 cards from Aunt and Uncle, I kept just one and cut the cards apart to use as tags.  It's time to thin them out again.  When we are moved into the COTTAGE, I think I will fix garlands in the rooms hung along the ceiling that will hold Christmas cards on them.  That would have been really pretty in this old 1883 house.  I love this house and I will miss it.  She is like a family member to me as well as a long lost friend that I have never had an argument with.  

What will the new year bring?  Time will tell.  I will continue to pray big and small prayers.  

~d

2022 HAPPY CHRISTMAS AND MERRY NEW YEAR

HAPPY AND MERRY am I as we had a household of loved ones, food and fun over the week-end.  Company is slowly disappearing.  By the end of the week, we'll be empty nesters again before the new year rings in.

Snow on the ground being bitter cold outside where the upstairs heater has decided to act up. Hubby and son are having a bonding moment as they work on trying to figure out what to do to get it up and going again.  Youtube is a teaching moment.  

Thankful we got through CHRISTMAS and didn't have to camp out on the floor downstairs because the bedrooms are upstairs where the heating unit is messing up.  Of all times to have issues with the heater.  An arctic blast blew in and IT IS BITTER COLD.

The CHRISTMAS decorations will stay until after 2023 rings in.  TIS QUIET AROUND OUR HOME.   

Eating left overs.  Veggies will be pushed this week as I have to cut sugar out of my diet once again.  HUGE SALADS here I come.  I'm ready as I can see a huge woman staring back at me as I look at the Christmas pics.  She is me and I am her.  

The treadmill over at the COTTAGE will get lubed this week when the weather warms up a tad and the walking HAS TO BEGIN.  I'll journal the miles in a notebook.  My food intake will be kept track of as well.  New Years will begin.    

Monday is here and I'll rest a bit before clean up kicks in.  Dishes and pots 'n pans will be put away, run the vac, clean the bathrooms, launder the sheets, put extra chairs away, settle in for the WINTER as a New Year approaches.  

Not all of our FAMILY was together.  A few were missing.  We managed to snap a few family pics. Kind of like herding cats as we smiled for the cameras.  Glad to have some smiles.  Here goes.

Overkill on the pictures, but this way I have a virtual album to look at.

A miniature tree holds small pics of our grandchildren.  First year to have all their pictures in small frames.  Sweet memories displayed to warm my heart in the quiet of the HOME.

Grandma's CHRISTMAS TREE.  Hello!

We baked up our turkey a few days early so our time and energy would be available while our company was here.  The turkey was carved and placed in the freezer until we needed it on Christmas Day.

First round of company rolled in on Friday evening.

Second round of company on Saturday.

ON SATURDAY another round of company came in time for celebrating HUBBY's 68th birthday where we ate Chili Nachos then ice-cream and German Chocolate Cake for supper.

I had a time making his cake as it burned a little on the bottom and sides.  Doing my best to salvage the cake, I slathered it up with coconut pecan frosting.  It tasted alright, but this was THE WORST cake I ever made.  As it sat on the cake stand, it began to fall a part and shape shift right before my eyes.  whaah.  

We managed to celebrate by singing HAPPY BIRTHDAY, eating a meal and birthday cake.

CHRISTMAS GIFTS WERE OPENED.

Shell brought a large assortment of cookies and goodies with her to share.  We had plenty to eat this festive season.

Hubby read THE CHRISTMAS STORY from the Bible.  A quiet moment.  Christmas With The Kranks was watched then we shut down for a RESTFUL NIGHT so Santa Claus would come TO TOWN.

Merry Christmas!!!

MORE COMPANY CAME IN on Christmas morning for Breakfast and fellowship.  We'd eat and visit then off to the kitchen Hubby and I would go to prepare our large meal at 1PM.

We managed to each have a place to sit with plenty to eat.  Slightly cramped, but very casual.  I don't believe anyone went hungry and if they did, that was their choice to be too picky of an eater.  There was a variety in the foods.  Not to hurt anyone's feelings, but there was plenty to select from.  

Thanksgiving was a dress rehearsal for the Christmas meal,  A few changes, but just the same a dress rehearsal.  Turkey with cranberry sauce, baked ham with pineapple bits, dressing, mashed potatoes with gravy, buttered corn, green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole with marshmallows, dinner rolls with butter, Asian salad, sliced pears, applesauce, relish dish with celery, cherry tomatoes, peppers, baby carrots, whole pears, grapes, strawberries, olives, pickles.  Coffee, water, root beer, Doctor Pepper, Ginger Ale, Iced Tea.   Christmas cookies for dessert. 

    Merry Christmas,

~d