This Week In My Home: Christmas Week edition

We had a lovely Sabbath yesterday.  We went to visit at John's work partner's church.  Andy asked John to come be a guest and play as one of the worship service participants which was to be all musical.  I'm not unfamiliar with that little church.  My children attended Vacation Bible School there for many summers.  I've been to funerals there.  I lived in that area for nearly 20 years and the faces are familiar to me, hometown folks in a way that I've never been at home here in this little community.  It is an unusual looking church and the congregation considerably smaller than in years past.  The faces I was most familiar with are older than they were before.  Bittersweet, at first, was that visit.

But then the ones performing for the church came forward one by one and I was astonished and amazed by the talent in that small congregation.  Piano solos and songs, accordion, banjo, guitar.  There was a lovely old fashioned sort of appeal about some of it as older music was played and lovely new pieces were added to the mix as well.



I've said before that each year I look for that defining moment when Christmas becomes real for me once more.  It's happened alone here at home with a cup of hot cocoa, and twinkling tree lights.  It's happened around a table laden with good foods and family gathered all about.  It's happened at a third grade Christmas play in a school auditorium, on a night when we've been out and rode home among the glory of outdoor Christmas lights.  This year it happened in a tiny little church in a small town where a diverse group of worshipers came forth and made their offerings of song.  I felt it settle down upon me and gave a deep sigh of happiness.

Not a lot to say about the week ahead.  I'm off today to meet up with family in another town to see that newest grandson have his photo made with Santa.  There's Harvest this week and grocery shopping to be done.  I plan to make a few Christmas cookies even though it is just us at home.  I'll have dinner with Mama Christmas Day at a very small immediate family gathering and John and I will celebrate the next day here at home with a special meal.  And then this lovely rushing towards the end of the year season will be very nearly over.  Sigh....It does go fast, doesn't it, Christmas and the week and the month and the year, I mean.

It hardly seems worthwhile to post a full menu when so much of my week is going to be spent eating elsewhere but I shall need breakfasts, suppers and a few dinners so I'll do my best to provide an idea for those of you who are eating all meals at home.

Breakfast: 
Eggs/Toast (X2) for John's work day mornings
Canned Cinnamon Rolls and Cocktail sausages (Holiday morning after breakfast)
French Toast, Bacon
Grits with Spam and Cheese (Turkey spam cubed and fried in a small amount of oil), Toast
Toasted Cheese biscuits
Croissants with marmalade, boiled egg

Supper:
Toasted Pimento Cheese Sandwich, Hot Cocoa
Hot Roast Beef with Gravy over Toast, Chips, Apples
Chicken Rice, Peanut Butter and Crackers
PB&J, Creamy Tomato Soup
Leftover Bean Soup, Cheese and Crackers
Egg Salad, Chips
Sausage Gravy over Biscuits

Dinner:
Out

Meatloaf, Mashed potatoes, Green Beans, Pear Salad, Corn Muffins

15 Bean Soup, Corn Bread, Baked Apples
I will save some of the corn muffin batter to make a small pan of bread.  The 15 bean soup will be seasoned with summer sausage we bought for the family party earlier in the month.  I want to use that up and not let it go to waste.  It will also include carrots and celery from the work party.

Sweet and Sour Chicken with Stir Fry Veg, Fried Rice, Ambrosia
Broccoli and Snap Peas left from party platter.

Christmas Dinner with Mama

Rib Roast, Yorkshire Pudding, Roasted Vegetables, Green Peas with Pearl Onions, Fruitcake
Our 'after holiday' meal to share together...There will be leftovers...

Roast Beef Hash, Green Salad, Rolls
Sabbath Day meal will be easily prepared from leftovers.

Job Plans for this Week

last week

Work on Mama's Christmas Gift. (Ack!  Got locked out of the account where information was stored and didn't get it unlocked until too late to order...Plan B in operation)

Prepare food for EMS party

Wipe out, declutter and arrange the upper cabinets on the sink wall. (Succumb to a light bout of the Crud.  I stuck with basics all week)

Get out and look for a vanity for the guest room/thrift shop hop. (See wipe out...)

Plan belated Christmas dinner for John and I.

Spend at least 30 minutes each day playing piano.

This Week:

Finish the last minute bits of shopping for Christmas for family dinner

Make cookies

Wipe out those two cabinets, declutter, organize

Bills, Groceries, errands

Savor the last of this lovely season