The Week Behind: O Christmas Tree

 

Saturday:  This morning when I went to put jelly in the pantry, I discovered that I'd made 11 jars of homemade jam which is pretty darned good for something I gathered up from odds and ends I'd saved  I won't make more this year, nor save fruit just now, either.  We are just two people and we can only eat so many pints of jelly.  Not to mention that John will want his favorite strawberry jam and I occasionally want a jar of Grape Jelly or Orange Marmalade.  I might try my hand at the marmalade if I can find a small batch recipe.

I made pizza for our lunch.  As usual I made one batch of pizza dough (uses about 3 1/2 cups flour) then I divided the dough into two pieces and put one in the freezer.  I think I might make up some pizza kits for the next family day we'll have just in case everyone stays for supper.  I want to be prepared this next time when we have our Christmas gathering.  I can grate cheese, and have toppings all ready in a separate bag in the freezer and then thaw in the fridge overnight as I usually do.  I don't have plans to have loads of food in the fridge this visit so there will be room to stash pizza kits.

This afternoon I had a piece of last year's fruitcake that I'd hoarded away into the freezer with my afternoon coffee.  It's made me more determined than ever to get busy making them, but I need to buy walnuts before I can start them.  Might as well make out a grocery list...

I plan to spend the rest of my day in making a list of New Year's resolutions of sorts and trying to get together a list of projects I want to tackle in the New Year and what I'll need to accomplish those projects.  I'll catch up on YouTube channels.  So many of the people I follow are doing Vlogmas or something close to Vlogmas.  

later:  For all that I've done nothing but sit in my chair, I've listened to YouTube videos and at the same time I've worked on my New Year Resolutions/Goals, made out a grocery list, ordered one Christmas gift (Amie) and have an idea for Katie.   I've projected what we'll need to get to give the kids their Christmas.

I've popped up and down to do various things, like feed the dogs and cat and make our supper.   While I was on the front porch feeding the dogs I heard the first geese honking away in the sky.   We saw two deep vees of them go over while we stood on the porch.  It was nearing sun down and they seemed to be heading towards the swamp, likely to find a nice still pool where they can.

Meals:  Buttered and Cheese Toasts

Pizza

Spaghetti Bolognese, Garlic Cheese Bread

Sunday:  Cue the rotten nights of sleep.  Third or fourth night in a row.  Ugh.  I lay awake last night despite filling well and truly tired last night.  I couldn't keep my eyes open, but neither could I fall asleep.  It was utterly ridiculous.   And of course, it was necessary to get up extra early this morning and naturally we woke about an hour or so ahead of time and then I fought to go back to sleep until the alarm actually went off.  I do dislike having an alarm.

Off to church this morning and I felt a bit put out when John let me out at the door...To be fair to him, I'd stumbled three times coming out of our favorite restaurant last week and I think it upset him a good bit more than it did me.  Truth, I was going too fast for my own gait and that was the trouble.  I've done just fine if I remember that my pace is a bit slower and I'd proven it by walking to Sam and Bess's on Friday without any incident.  I did take my old walking stick with me but I managed just fine.

Well wouldn't you know it, when we got inside the sanctuary the toe of my shoe scuffed the carpet and i stumbled twice.  Sigh.  Of course, I wasn't walking at MY pace, I was hurrying along, which I can't do at present.  John insisted on picking me up at the door when we left church, but stubborn will out...I walked slowly and steadily to almost meeting him at the car.   But yes, a can is in order and sooner rather than later.  

We ordered Gramma's Fried Chicken last night via phone to be ready when church was out this morning.  I came home and made the sides and changed those up.  I asked John to get me a bag of potatoes.  I've been out for nearly a week and doggone it I was missing potatoes in my diet.  

Once home, I opened up the bin with the plants on the porch and put the poinsettia outdoors once more.  The bracts are definitely changed to the proper colors but the plants aren't looking happy.  Reading up I find that it need bright sunlight for at least 6 hours a day which it hasn't been getting.  It's only been getting the same treatment I'd done to get it to change color.

Then I made my side dishes and stirred up some biscuits to go with our meal.  

Katie, Taylor and Caleb were quite happy here.  I did get rather tickled at Caleb who heard Taylor's video on her tablet and he climbed all over her in trying to get to it, lol.   And the little bubby is so sweet as he gets plumb excited crawling across the floor and chuckles continually as he's headed to the next spot to explore.

Katie left Caleb with us while she took Taylor back to meet her daddy.   He was meant to be napping, but he only dozed off and woke again and then dozed back off and woke again and wailed and wailed.  I can be rather hardhearted about taking sleepy babies up out of bed, but as it was just 30 minutes until Katie had said he must be up anyway, I gathered him up and the two of us sat in my rocker in the kitchen and had quiet time together.  He did very well, restless little boy that he can be.  He allowed me to snuggle him and we rocked a good half hour before I felt it was so close to his rising time that he might as well be allowed to play.   

I gave him his supper and bath and he played more.  At one point, he went to the table between our chairs.  He's fascinated by the lamp cord for some reason and we must tell him "No!" repeatedly.  He amazed me when I'd told him "No!" several times.  He turned and shook his head and plainly said "Behave!"   It seems that's what Katie says when she's told him No several times and I guess he was feeding me my next line.

When Katie and Caleb was gone it was time to haul plants back indoors and then I heated leftovers for supper.  We put away all the toys.   I washed a load of dishes...And the day was done

Meals:  Pancakes, Sausage

Gramma's Fried Chicken, Potato Salad, Green Beans, Biscuits

Leftover Pizza

Monday:  I always feel like singing a "Hosanna!" chorus whenever I sleep well.  I went to bed last night shortly after 9pm and I went to sleep right away.  I woke several times but always went right back to sleep.  John and I both slept soundly wonder of wonders.  We seem to take sleeping poorly in turns but not last night.

I had a breakfast plan, easily put together and giving me time for my first consideration each morning, which isn't sustenance but coffee.  I wrote in my prayer journal and sipped coffee while breakfast was cooking.  

I more or less followed a Monday morning routine with housekeeping today.  I cleaned and swept the bathrooms, stripped our bed and washed a big load of towels and sheets.  It was so overcast out this morning and cold so I put them in the dryer again this week.  I find if I do it in stages, with the towels going in first and the sheets second, I can get both loads fully dried in under an hour which is always my goal.

I moved from our bathroom to our bedroom and then picked up the kitchen and the main living area of the house.   

And then I allowed myself one hour to decorate.  I'd been displeased with my first attempt at the mantle.  I'm happier with it now.  I used part Pinterest inspiration and part making do with what I have and came up with something uniquely mine.   I hung a couple dozen ornaments on the tree.  I'm by no means done with the decorating just yet but honestly don't have plans to do loads more.  

I want to add more ornaments to the tree and I have to figure out what to do for a topper.   I want to add some touches to the bookcases.   I have a clear idea of what I want to do with my dining room buffet but need to go out to the shed and gather items for that project.  I'm going to concentrate first on finishing up the tree and bookcases since I won't do the buffet until after Chanukah.

I've been just longing for new things.  Anything, every thing, all I want is new.  Truth told I don't really want new, I just want something different.  Like coffee cups.  I want seasonal coffee cups.   It occurred to me that out in the shed somewhere is a box full of Christmas mugs.  I'm sure I can find one or two that will please me and give me that 'something different' I'm longing for.   

I sat down this weekend and have a plan for our family day meal, and gifts for all but Katie, Chad and Bess (these are just little gifts not big things).  I ordered something special for Amie and have it on it's way to her.   I have plans for Chanukah for us (little things, all little cost or free), and For New Year's Day at home.   

Well I wandered off track of the day's goings on, didn't I?   But our thoughts are all part and parcel of a day as well and it's natural to begin to think of what we haven't done and must for the holidays ahead.

I folded clothes and then settled to getting the fridge sorted out.  Every week is a new week where leftovers are concerned.  I have pretty much a plan or at least an idea for all but three items in my fridge.   Those I must think on.

After studying two or three sites, I combined a mix of instructions from The Spruce Eats and Three Rivers Homestead to try my hand at making Apple Scrap Vinegar.  We'll see how this turns out.  I feel confident enough in it.  It's just a matter of keeping my eye on it in this two week period and being careful that it's not in any way contaminated with fruit flies or mold.  

I've a big pot of soup on the stove.  I decided to make it Chicken and Dumplings when I realized how very much I had in the fridge to use and this seemed a good way to really make good use of it all.  It will be most welcome today.  The wind got up this afternoon and has blown cold and crisp out of the north.  The flag on the back porch has kept up a steady beat much like a drum as it's flapped about in the wind and gusts of wind keep sending leaves skittering down the yard towards the trees in the bottom.  It's one reason why we never worry about raking.  The leaves always end up in the wooded area at the foot of the drives.  I've been sitting in the kitchen working at my desk as I type out today's portion and my music has cycled itself into a Christmas mood.  It's hard not to start feeling the holiday feels when Judy Garland and Nat King Cole are crooning classic songs.  It almost inspires me to go put a second hour into decorating the tree and bookcases...

Meals:  Toasted Biscuits with cheese

Chicken, Potato Salad, Japanese fruit cake

Chicken and Dumplings (I add vegetables to mine), Applesauce and Graham Crackers.

Later:  I've got soup leftovers but not a lot thankfully.  Just about enough to serve one of us for lunch one day.  It sure did hit the spot tonight with the cold air blowing about the house.

Now we're enjoying a cup of hot cocoa.  I was inspired to add more ornaments to my tree.   I've got a blue, gold and silver color scheme this year with touches of red.  I'm afraid it's come up rather dark on my little tree.  I'm so tempted to add more lights to it simply because it's so hard to see all but the silver ornaments.

After supper, I got my Christmas cards ready to go out.  John's got a stack by his computer for him to sign.  I was very smart last year.  I bought stamps for Christmas and put them in my box of open cards.  I had Christmas stamps enough to address all my cards!  Now I'm thinking I ought to be just as smart this year and go on and buy a book or two to set aside for next year.

Tuesday:  The day started out well enough but the morning soon was a tangled wreck of a mess that four of us got involved in.  I call it all part of the seasonal crap show.  One person has a really hard time coming into this season of joy with any joy at all and is determined to spoil it for any and all that happen to be near.  It didn't leave three of us very happy and yes, like it or not, it negatively affected my day and John's.   The tantrum went on for well over an hour with a lot of accusations and threats and really all I wanted to do was swat someone's behind and send them back to bed to begin the day anew, but alas I couldn't do that.   The three of us involved on this side held tempers and were polite but refused to be drawn in, but honestly not being drawn in is a bit like having a tug of war with a bull.  You might well NOT want to be drawn in but you end up fighting so hard to just hold your place that it exacts a deep emotional and physical toll when it's done.

I soothed myself by tackling a long delayed project that was actually meant to be a Christmas gift for John in 2019...Yes, I can procrastinate, why do you ask?   My reason was that I had packed away the material and since I've done little or no sewing this year, I simply didn't see the fabric and therefore the project didn't enter my mind.  It wasn't until Bess was looking for materials for Josh's fancy New York dressed turkey that I found it and remembered why I had it on hand!

Speaking of Josh's disguised turkey, here's the photo Bess sent me when they were all done.  I think I might not have recognized this as a turkey...Not sure I'd have recognized him as being from New York, either, lol...  Liz and Dora...Look familiar to y'all?

As it happened with John's Christmas present I couldn't adjust the tension right on my sewing machine to do what I'd planned to do.  I was using a very thin felt blanket as the material and the project was to make a sort of blanket to cover his guitars in the hard cases.  I found in the end it was easiest to drape the fabric over the case, cut around between the inside edge and the guitars.   This took a lot more time than you'd think.  I wanted it to look nice and that meant trimming neatly about the edges and in some instances it meant starting over again from scratch.  In the end, I made five 'blankets'.  

 Please don't ask me what this is meant to do.  The hard cases are nicely padded and it's not necessary for the protection of the guitars.  I don't know if it's meant to help with moisture control or what.   John saw someone who had these over his guitars and he wanted them and I said I could make them easily and cheaply enough.  If it wasn't exactly the easiest thing (what is?!) to do it wasn't hard and it was inexpensive and he is happy.  I have finished a project that was meant to be done in December 2019.  I'm happy about that.

After lunch, John and I both sat down in front of YouTube and that's pretty much where we stayed.  Emotionally drained, we had no life in us for accomplishing anything further in the day and we didn't.  We hid out and licked our wounds!   I did get supper made.

Meals: Scrambled Omelet (aka an omelet that didn't turn out, lol) Toast

Chicken and Rice Soup, PBJ

Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans

Wednesday:  John said last night we'd go grocery shopping today.  I got up right away and put my list into my purse.  

When I got up this morning, John was signing his stack of Christmas cards.  After I made our breakfast, I fed the pets, made the bed, unloaded the dishwasher and then I settled to do bills.  I should have done this yesterday, in preparation for today but I didn't...So today I played catch up.  I put the Christmas cards, bills, savings info into my purse because there were things we needed to switch about from one bank to another.  

Despite my needing to do the bill work, we left home about our usual time.   We took mail, deposit slip, list for Christmas gifts, banking info needed, grocery list, bags, trash...It feels like we're packing up to move some days when we're leaving home to run errands.  We're still trying to get accustomed to going to a new location to dump trash but it's a lovely ride on that bit of road and I'm not entirely sorry we get to make the trek in that direction.

Into town to do a few things there and then on to do our shopping.  We stopped at the bread store.  John was really smart and looked at the calendar the other day to see when we'd be paid in January.  Turns out it's another of those five week months...These never occurred half so regularly when we were being paid bi-weekly...But because he looked I knew we needed an additional loaf of bread and a few other basics to make it through the month until next pay day.

On to Aldi.  I didn't buy anything that wasn't on my list.  Nor did I buy holiday foods.  I tried merely to buy for the month ahead.  My plan for the family day will come from our checking and not from the grocery budget but there's only one item we'll be buying elsewhere.  All the rest is on hand already.  But there are still Christmas Eve, Christmas, and New Year's days to be planned out.  I wanted to leave a good portion of my budget for those days if we choose to buy any extras, find we have plans, etc.  I decided this month was the very time to use that Aldi gift card I've carried around for the past year.  It had a nice balance on it and boy did it come in handy.  I now have a bit extra I can use to buy anything special we think we might want.

After Aldi we went to Publix but at the last moment, I decided not to go in.  I told John I'd wait until next week when I know we will be going in for a special pick up for the family party.  I can buy the few items I was going to get at that time and there's simply no need to go in until then.    We went on to run one last errand and then I pleaded hungry.  

We had half our dining out funds leftover and today we spent half of that.  We went to Dairy Queen and had a nice hot lunch.  It was so good.  We took it over to the fair grounds to eat in peace and it was awfully nice.

It was late when we got home, because in addition to all the things we did and our late and leisurely lunch, we had to detour for paving once and then found ourselves on another road sitting waiting because of ongoing paving there, too.   It was nearly 3pm when we finally came in. 

Once  all groceries are  hauled indoors, John's work is done and I put away and take note of what I wish I'd remembered, etc.  That takes me roughly a half hour or so.  Honestly it feels like putting away takes as long as shopping!

I tussled with the government insurance website and am all set for next year.  I dislike the angst involved in getting this task done and though I was assured that I was all set to go for next year, our income dropped after John left work and I had to correct that amount.  At least all the websites worked with me today.

I had a leftover mashup prepared in the fridge for supper tonight and since we'd had a late lunch it was just the right amount for us.  Another night it might have seemed too little.  

It was as pleasant a day as one could hope for today and as always putting away our month's worth of groceries makes me happy.  I love seeing my pantry filled afresh each month.

All that said, aside from buying dairy, bread and produce, I hope to do a pantry freezer challenge in January.   I do this at least once each year and I especially like doing it after the holidays when it feels we've been indulgent in both funds and foods.

Meals:  Oatmeal, Toast with Peanut Butter

Burgers, fries, soda and sundaes (meal deal)

Sloppy Cheese Spaghetti, 3 Bean Salad

Thursday:  I had plans today.  I was going to blast ahead in my work as I'm going out tomorrow.  I was going to get bread started early, run do a little shopping on my own, make fruitcakes and do the last of the current lot of decorating.

Well...Plans...  No shopping though it would have been a great relief to get it done.  I couldn't leave the bread machine running and though I'd started it early, I underestimated my times.  Which means I also didn't get to the bank.  Or  the taxes paid.  Or the extra mail sent out.  

And then I had to deal with some more of the same upset that's been ongoing all week long and I was done in.

I did put the last touches on the Christmas tree.  I'm not sure I really like this year's tree or the theme I went with.  I find that I don't have a lot of the things I thought I did and what I did have just doesn't show up on this tree as well as I thought it might.  But I refuse to do as I've done in the past and undo the whole thing and start over.  It's fine.  It's enough.  I'm not going to make anyone happy, including me if I let the obsessive side take over.

I went out to the shed and brought in the things I mean to use on our buffet but I won't put most of them out until next week when Chanukah is over.  Right now the Chanukkiah is the star of the show so to speak.

I put away the fall things and took the last of the Christmas decorations out because I don't plan to use those.

I made bread and did some cleaning and got the fruitcakes in the oven this afternoon, but no Christmas shopping was done.  John assures me it can be done on Monday.  Fingers crossed.  We'll see.  

The truth is that I'm still struggling this year for various reasons.  I can't find my Christmas spirit though I keep digging down hard inside looking for it.  

I need a haircut.

Yes, it all does go hand in hand, as you may know.  

The fruitcakes, which will be aged about mid January are out of the oven and they fell apart.  I smooshed them back together again.  They'll be fine.  Bright side, you can tell if a cake is well and truly done when half of it stays in the pan so you can clearly see the middle.  Ho hum.

It's been a tough week for various reasons and I'm ready to end it as soon as I can. 

I'll be out tomorrow with Katie, mostly keeping Caleb entertained as she runs a bunch of errands.  I'll do some minor shopping while out with her and we'll likely go to lunch but I don't expect to have time to write tomorrow so I'm calling the week done right here today.  

I think what I need is a good dose of Cheer.  Hot chocolate and tree lights and happy Christmas Advent videos from favorite bloggers and maybe reading another Jan Karon Christmas book.  

And how was your week?