Journal: Last of November/First Week of December

 

Nov.  28, Thanksgiving:  I am so proud of my youngest daughter.  She made her first holiday meal, and it was lovely!  She had the table set prettily, and she decorated a table for the children to sit at.   She'd dressed the kids for the holiday and told the men of her household they had to wear real pants and not stretchy jogging pants, lol.  Even Henry had little turkey poult moccasins and darling little onesie and pants with turkeys on them.    

She did all of the cooking herself which is a feat when you consider that all the adults in the household love to cook.  But they were only allowed to be sous chef and hand her things.

Y'all...The food was absolutely awesome. Her turkey was so moist and so savory.  Her sides were lovely.  She made far too much food as one does for a holiday meal.  And the funny thing is that Katie who loves holidays doesn't eat much of the holiday feast items.  She doesn't like turkey (only the crisp turkey skin).  She's not fond of sweet potato casserole nor of pumpkin pie.  But she made it all and then some.  

As a cook myself, I will tell you truthfully that I can be a little critical of how one cooks and am prone to offer suggestions to the cook if they think something wasn't up to par, but there was nothing to criticize about this meal.  Everything was absolutely wonderful.  Did she make it just as I would?  Oh no.  She went beyond what I'd have done!  I could only look at her at the end of the meal and assure her if I was giving grades out hers would be A++!

Everyone did her proud and ate all they could.  The men, who are prone to eat quickly and disappear, savored and stayed at the table far longer than they are wont to do as a rule.  I had to compliment John on taking his time to eat when we left later.  I told him, truly, the hardest thing about making a holiday meal is when everyone is finished in ten minutes, and you realize that you'd spent three days bringing that meal together. It's a bit disheartening.  No fear of that today.  Kate had people lingering at the table, groaning over how much they'd eaten and getting compliments left and right.

Caleb took one bite of his food and went "Mmmm!" then he said "Gramma!"  "What baby?"  "Thank you, it's good!"  I said, "Caleb, your Mama cooked this whole meal."  "Mama!  Thank you!"  The kids ate more than they left behind. 

Caleb was so wowed by the pumpkin pie, he picked it up and brought it over to Henry, trying to get him to taste it!  I explained that Henry wasn't quite up to pumpkin pie this year, but he could have some next year.  

Henry in the meantime had to explain to me that Mama was shorting him on formula, and he needed a bit more.  Even after taking his four ounces, he sucked on his fingers and attempted to suck on my arms.  I think Katie's going to have to increase his supply sooner rather than later.

We left this afternoon when other visitors dropped by.  Frankly I couldn't wait to get home and get into my nightgown and out of everything that was binding me.  John said, "I think you need a Muu Muu!"  I could have used one today for sure! Mind you he went right to the stretchy pajama pants himself.

It was a lovely, lovely time and one of the happiest Thanksgivings in memory. 

Meals:  Orange 'Danish', li'l smokie sausages.  This is a family tradition for us.  Ages ago when we were sorely broke, we decided that every holiday we'd have this treat for breakfast.  Back then we had to buy two cans of rolls and sometimes three and double the sausages in order to feed the family.  Now we can't even eat one can's worth, and a package of sausages will see us through two breakfasts.  

Mind you all, I do not care for canned crescent rolls or biscuits or cinnamon rolls, but each year when I open that can of Pillsbury orange rolls, all those happy holiday mornings with the kids come rushing back with the first whiff of the orange frosting.  It's the only tradition that has stood the test of years and I am loathe to give it up!

Thanksgiving Dinner: Deviled Eggs, Turkey, Dressing, Mac n Cheese, Mashed Potatoes, Gravy, Sweet Potato Casserole, Green Bean Casserole, Rolls, Cranberry sauce and Cranberry Celebration, Pumpkin Pie, Pecan Pie.  

last meal: I don't remember what John ate, but I had about 8 potato chips and a spoonful of onion dip.  That's all I could hold after that wonderful meal today.

Nov. 29, Friday:  Yesterday morning, when we were getting ready to go, I decided to sort through the mail on my desk.  I'd brought it in on Tuesday while I was out running errands and hadn't even looked at it.  I knew there was the phone bill and thought everything else was junk, but I always go through junk mail anyway.  So glad I did!

One of the 'junk' items was from my former insurance carrier.  I opened it up and it wasn't the urge to purchase insurance once more.  No, it was a letter addressed to me, and I scanned through it.  It said I would receive a refund for three or four years of unused benefits...And when I went to the next page, I found a nice-sized check!  

My eyes teared up.  That check will just cover the deficit of what I needed to give our family Christmas this year!  I'd sat at that desk Tuesday and figured how much we'd hoped to give to the kids and grandkids and looked at my savings which was woefully behind.  I recall saying "Well God, somehow in the coming few weeks I need to find this money in our budget..."  Yes, I do talk to God about money.  

I showed John the check, quickly added up what I had already and what we'd just gained and after tithing, I had just under $40 to cover the full figure I'd come up with earlier in the week.  And yes, I gave God thanks right then and there!  

Last night as we said our prayers in bed, I wept and wept.  There was so much to be grateful for, not the least of which was the sheer joy of having spent an entire holiday without one cross word, without one hateful comment, without any drama or angst.  

It turned off cold last night. Our winter quilt is a king-sized matelassé but somehow, it's way longer than it is wide.  It barely covers the mattress edges when it's put on the 'correct' way.  I typically turn it, so the rectangle of the quilt fits longer over the sides.  

I knew it was going to be cold and that the quilt had been adjusted the long way head to foot rather than side to side.  I should have known better than to think it would be fine that way.  John got cold during the night.  And since he sleeps on his left side, his right arm just naturally pulls cover his way...Need I say I sleep on the right-hand side of the bed? 

I kept waking up miserably cold and each time all my cover was over on him. I kept tugging it back and would doze off and then I'd wake shivering again.  Finally, I got up and looked at the floor on his side of the bed, and I saw just loads of the quilt warming the floor.  Ugh.  I adjusted it all, put an additional quilt on the bed and as soon as I got warm, I went to sleep and slept hard.

This morning when I remade the bed with fresh sheets, I made sure to turn that quilt, so the long pieces are on either side.  

I didn't share that yesterday when we were making the first moves to leave (does it take you an hour or so to say goodbye?  It always does us!), Katie asked me to take the turkey frame home.  I told you all that she doesn't care for turkey.  She'd put aside a good bit of sliced meat for her family, but that frame still had lots of meat on it.  I broke it up and Cody and I packed it into zippered bags.  She also sent home a big foil pan with portions of all the rest of the items served and the whole dish of sweet potato casserole plus the beautifully decorated second pumpkin pie.

This morning, I put my turkey breast in the oven.  I decided to make a mayonnaise roasted turkey which is herb-y and comes out so moist.  It smelled amazing while it was baking.  Then I slid the foil pan in beside the turkey to reheat for the last 45 minutes or so.  We were nearly crazy with hunger when that turkey got done.

I also put the frame on in the stock pot.  I stripped the bones yesterday afternoon, then took some of the broth and meat to make soup with.  

After I got the food started this morning, I sat down to write out another few posts for the Advent series.  It went well enough, but I've come to a halt once more.  I had just gotten stuck and was starting to frustrate myself when I got a messenger phone call.  Isaac and Josh will call me a couple of times a week via their tablets these days.  

I answered and Millie wailed, "Damma! My titty is torn... Please, can you fix it?"   Yes, she calls me Damma as she has a hard time with hard 'g' sounds and her titty is a stuffed kitten...So, the kids, all three, came over.  The boys came as emotional support for Millie.  Candy helped calm her and was a nice payment for her brothers show of camaraderie, lol.  I sewed up the hole in the kitty and looked it over well to insure there were no more injuries.  They headed back home.

 I went back to my post and finished another portion then came to a complete halt.  I don't know where to go from here.  I technically have 8 more days of posts to write but I have no clear direction from God about where I'm to take this.  I'm not even sure I like what I've written thus far.  Part of me wants to scrap it all and be done with it.  

I finally decided that I had planned to have time off this weekend and maybe I should do just that.  I'll keep praying and reading and waiting and trusting that God is going to finish this out.

Meals:  The rest of the Orange Danish and bacon

The whole dang repeat of Thanksgiving.  Groaningly full...

Turkey and Wild Rice Soup, Pumpkin Pie.

Nov. 30, Saturday:  I got up quite early this morning.  For reasons unknown to me, my alarm has gone off nearly every morning this week at 6:30am.  It went off again this morning.  I lay in bed for a bit after shutting the thing down and then I decided to get up.  I grabbed my clothes and pulled the bedroom door shut as I left the room.  It was too cool to sit around in my nightgown and robe.  

I had about two hours to myself before John got up.  No writing this morning.  I sat here with my coffee, read in my books, and realized as I sat gazing out the window that I had not put up my tree Thursday night, nor Friday...Who am I to forget my tree on Thanksgiving night?!

After breakfasting this morning, I puttered here in the house.  I unloaded the dishwasher and put away the dishes I'd handwashed last night.  I fed the pets some of the skin and grainy meat pieces from picking bones last night.  

Then I went out to the yard, accompanied by Sassy Cat and picked up sticks in the back yard. I dumped those and then went out to my shed with the wagon to get the Christmas tree.  I got it set up and lights working.  It could use more fluffing, but it looks rather pretty just lit.  

I am at the stage of the turkey game where I am wondering what to do with it all.  It's not that I don't have dozens of recipes to utilize it.  It's that we're three days into eating turkey and I'm feeling a bit done...  I got about 3 cups of meat off the frame Katie gave me and completely stripped down the breast I cooked for us yesterday.  And I have half a pot of that soup left, too.  I think I just need to intersperse turkey in the week ahead, so I don't feel quite so done with it.  

This afternoon, I got a bit chilly.  We're at that point where the thermostat is set to 68 and the heater isn't coming on, but I actually feel cold.  I put on a sweater and my slippers, and I'm fully dressed in weather appropriate clothing, but I felt the need of a good hot cup of tea.  I decided to take the last of the chocolate chip dough balls from the freezer and make a few Chocolate Chip Cookies.  Warm cookies and hot beverages (John had coffee) helped put the chilliness to rest.  

I sipped my hot tea and read blogs, catching up with various ones and trying a few new to me bloggers.  I've read a bit more.  It's been a fairly relaxed day.  

Meals:  Bagels/John, Croissant/me, the rest of the lil smokie sausages.

Turkey sandwiches, chips, dip, soda (hence my chilliness this afternoon!)

I'm going to pull something easy from the freezer I think, like chicken tenders and fries or Potstickers, or maybe that bit of hot dogs and pork n beans that is in a container.  Something easy but hearty and NOT turkey-ish.

Beanie Weenies, Cheese Toast

Dec. 1, Sunday:  What a beautiful day it has been!  It was cold, well below freezing, and the grass was deeply frosted when I looked out the window, but the sun shone on the frost making a thousand sparkles.  The Sweet Gum tree in the front yard was lovely with the sun coming through the flame-colored leaves.  It was a morning worth getting up to see.

Today's service at church was on fire, too.  There was a group of folks cheering throughout the song service.  The pastor's sermon was powerful.    

We went to the grocery store afterwards.  Technically I went in for three items: free eggs, sale priced milk and navel oranges.  I also bought some marked down meat, bread items and salads, a package of puff pastry and cocktail sauce.  But the important things were a Claxton fruit cake and a tin of Royal Dansk butter cookies.  These are prerequisite December treats to have with afternoon coffee/tea. Agreed?

We drove home in the sunshine with windows down for a little bit.  John was half playfully complaining about how he'd gotten hot, had indigestion, and suddenly said, "My ear popped!  What's that all about?!"  I said, "At our age, it's not what pops it's that we don't stop."  To which John said, "What are you talking about cops for?  That's not a cop!  I don't have to stop!"  I started laughing and said, "Maybe you should roll up the windows so you can actually hear what I have to say!"  After he rolled up the window, I repeated what I had said.  This time he laughed as hard as I did.  No kidding our conversations are getting more and more interesting as we are both slightly hard of hearing...

We're enjoying these later services at church, but the downside is we don't get out until nearly 1pm.  That's not a horrible thing but if we also run by the grocery then we end up eating lunch closer to 2:30 or 3pm.  Today we were nearer 3:30pm, despite my having a ready item to reheat for our meal.  

On the other hand, it's so late by the time I get lunch ready, and we've eaten that I can easily say, "Oh it's too late to start any task today...I'll just wait until tomorrow!"

Meals:  Mini hash brown casseroles, Bran Muffins

Turkey and Wild Rice Soup, I had a salad, and John ate a turkey sandwich, Apple fritter.   I bought two of the individual servings size Taylor Farms Citrus Crunch Salad.  I LOVE the lemon vinaigrette they put in those salads.  No cauliflower in this one though, just broccoli slaw added to the lettuce, carrot, and red cabbage mix.  Still good.  

The soup was leftovers from Friday.  It was good then, but wow it was better today!  And it's gone.

We ate so heavily and so late that we don't need a thing to eat this evening.

Dec. 2, Monday:  I knew last night that my absolute today wasn't housework, but tackling the fridge and sorting out all of the leftovers tucked therein.    Because of that I made sure to pick up my clothes and put them away, pick up the living room and at least put all the dirty dishes in the sink and wipe the counters yesterday evening.

I woke really early this morning.  I could tell that I was awake for good and there was no going back to sleep.  I looked at my clock and thought it wasn't so terribly early.  So, I got out of bed, dressed and made coffee and then settled to read my Bible and Sarah Clarkson's book which is being used as inspiration and devotion all in one.  And then I pieced out two more posts for this Advent series I'm doing.  

I was shocked to look at the clock a bit later and realize, after all that, that it was just 6am! How early did I get up?  Apparently somewhere before 5am...

By 7am, I went to the kitchen where I began my day.  I made biscuits and started bread.  I took all of the foods from the fridge and put them on the counter.  Then I started planning what I'd do with each one.

Yesterday I'd meant to buy a package of slider rolls but instead I found some lovely burger buns on the clearance bakery shelf.  So, I decided to make the oven ready ham and Swiss sandwiches using the discounted Jarlsberg cheese slices I got yesterday, too.  I made the butter mustard sauce to go on the inside and tops of the buns.  This netted me four large sandwiches.  I wrapped all four in foil and put two of them in the freezer for a future meal.  I had just shy of a cup of ham left that I cubed and put in the freezer.  I'll use that to season bean soup or something in the future.

I shredded turkey and cheese to make the White Turkey Enchiladas.  This netted me enough for lunch and a pan to go in the freezer as well.  The 'white' sauce calls for 2 cups of broth, so I used turkey broth made on Friday to make that.  I had some of the Green Chili sauce leftover and found the Mexican lasagna in the freezer and poured it over that.  

The rest of the turkey was divided into a packet of sliced and two packages of chunkier pieces that will be used to make other casseroles or salad for sandwiches in the future.  All of that went into the freezer.

I put the last two apple fritters in the freezer. 

I had cranberries in the fridge, and I was determined to make that old fashioned fresh cranberry upside-down cake.  The cranberry cake makes just a small square cake.  I reduced the sugar in the recipe by about half so it's not a terribly sweet treat.  I like the sharp little bite of the cranberries which further helps to cut the sweetness.

This doesn't sound like such a lot of work written out, but it took hours this morning to get it all done.

While we ate lunch, John put on a vlog we enjoy.  I was sitting there watching and then I was waking as the program ended.  I guess I needed that little nap.

Meals:  Sausage Gravy and Biscuits

White Turkey Enchiladas

Hot Ham Sandwiches, Salad

Dec. 3, Tuesday:  Feeling less than tops today.  I still got a few things (very few) done.  We were having a late breakfast when Sam ran by.  I was glad to see him as I wanted to see if I could borrow something and save myself a trip to town.  He ran right back home to get it for me.  I was pleased about that as I really hadn't felt like going to town at all.

After he left, I cleaned up our room and then started working on Christmas cards.  All of those I send out alone are signed, in my purse, and ready to mail tomorrow when we go out.  I am hopeful I shall feel a lot better tomorrow.

Nothing to brag on where meals are concerned today.  I have no clue what's for supper.  The plan I thought I was working with is too much work to suit me today.  My back-up plan isn't sounding good to me either...I don't know what we'll end up with for supper.

Meals: Sausage Egg Biscuits

Chicken Tenders and French Fries

Dec. 4, Wednesday:  our final meal of yesterday: Chicken cobbler, beans and potatoes, fruit salad.  I had the chicken cobbler portion frozen.  It was an easy meal to put together.

John said yesterday that if I felt better today, we'd go out to run a few errands and have lunch.  It was good incentive, but I promise you I felt just shoddy enough last night I wasn't sure I'd feel any better at all this morning.  I took my time testing how I was feeling, let me assure you.  I found I did feel better enough to manage an outing.

We mailed off all the Christmas cards this morning.  I got them addressed and signed mine yesterday and John finished off his own cards this morning.  The post office was our first stop today.  Then on to pay the electric bill and finally a long leisurely drive to go to get haircuts.  

I've grown out my hair only a very little bit so far.  It's still a short pixie, but not nearly as drastic a cut as what I've had for the past year or so.  I explained to the stylist working with me today that I wanted to grow my hair out but felt it needed shaping today.  She made some suggestions which we couldn't do today because frankly I hadn't grown nearly enough hair to cut it at the longer level, she thought would be helpful, but my hair does look nicer and better shaped.  She put the new instructions in the system so the next time I go in I don't have to explain again that I'm growing out my hair.

After that we ran by the drugstore to pick up a product I needed and didn't have on hand while I was under the weather.  Lesson learned.  I'll have it on hand from now on!

Lunch was lovely.  I opted to try one of the appetizers along with a salad as my lunch today.  As always, we brought home enough leftovers to have supper tonight.  Then I asked to get a coffee, that lovely specialty holiday coffee I had a few weeks ago.  Yum!  Today it was cold enough to warrant having hot coffee and it's just as lovely hot.

Sam texted that he'd left me a pair of pants on the back porch to mend.  I am official mending station for the family!  The boys go through the knees of their jeans fairly rapidly.  In fact, the repair needed on this is a hole worn through the last patch I put on those jeans.  

I haven't done much here at home since we returned.  I cleaned up proper before we left, and I have done nothing but sit here and ruminate over how to proceed with this Advent thing...

Meals: Cheese Grits, and Toast for John

lunch out

leftovers from lunch out

Dec. 5, Thursday:  I received notice from Social Security this morning that I could view my new benefits.  I confess I had little hope we'd get a sizeable increase, but I'm completely disgusted.  I did not receive enough to cover the additional amount they will charge for Part B in the coming year.  I will earn less this coming year than I have now.  In a year that has been hard hitting with bill increases and cost of living, in which we have already trimmed and cut and regrouped multiples of times, to know that we will lose money in 2025 is not helpful.  Mind you we're not losing gobs of money but still, if we can't quite manage on what we have, then how shall we manage to live on even less?  That's the question that has been pressing in on me all of these last six months.  And if we're struggling a bit, how much more so are others struggling?

Somehow, we shall manage, but if they couldn't balance things out why didn't they just leave it alone and not give out a raise nor increase the other?  Even that would have been a slight help.  Never mind.  This is where we do the very best we can and pray a lot, right?  

Never mind.

I've had a struggle of sorts today.  I am feeling better than I did yesterday.  I've gotten small things done.  All those things are good.  But my mouth has been absolutely the worst today.  I shared at the start of the year that this year, one thing I wanted to conquer was my foul mouth.  I've done well for long stretched and then I get up one day and it's a struggle to say a sentence without using a foul word...and I'm not even upset or in a bad mood!  Fortunately, John holds me accountable and after the third or fifth sentence will point out that I should be more on guard with my speech and yes, he does say it just like that.  It's disheartening to make so much progress and then boom, it's back four steps.

I think I'm going to return to the habit of having our bigger meal midday.  I seem to sleep a good bit better if we eat in that pattern of a good breakfast, the larger meal and then a lighter less labor-intensive meal at night.  Not to mention clean-up is easier.  There are too many good reasons to switch them up once more.  

I had hoped to do a freezer inventory this week.  I know it wasn't on my goals list, but I'd thought I'd like to do one, sort of straighten things out and then I'd have a better idea of what I might look for at Sam's Club this month.  I just don't want to lift those heavy bins at the moment.  I might get John to take them out for me.  He'd be more than willing.

I don't know about others but just of late, I've seen less, and less clearance marked items to boost our supplies since November.  The next best thing is Sam's club.  Besides I'd like to go through all the aisles we missed during our first visit in October.

Sam came by this morning and stayed quite a little while talking.  He promised himself the whole day off today of doing nothing.  Coming here was part of his assurance that he wouldn't do anything.   He's done with his semester of college, and he was quite pleased with his overall grades.  He won't go back until January.

I spoke to Bryan yesterday.  Haven't talked to him or Virginia in ages upon ages.  I'd actually gotten a birthday card off to my honorary grandson which arrived before his birthday.   We agreed that though we seldom speak, we all are often part of family conversations, just as though we all spend time together frequently.  In fact, Katie and I had just mentioned Bryan in conversation over Thanksgiving Day.  It was lovely catching up with the boys yesterday afternoon.

I'm just being completely random here today so I shall end.

Meals: Toast

Pork Chops, Sweet Potatoes, Brussels Sprouts.  

Split Pea Soup, Grilled Ham and Cheese Sandwich

Dec. 6, Friday:  I know...I'm terribly late today finishing this posting.  I have no excuse.  Mostly I did my usual Friday work, made meals and sat around doing nothing.  No reading.  No computer.  No phone.  No tv viewing.  I don't know why I felt so unlively today, but John asked me later this afternoon if I'd had a bad dream this morning.  I told him I didn't recall one.  "Well, you were crying out in your sleep, "No! No!"    Perhaps the residue of the dream remained even though I don't recall it.  Perhaps my soul just needed a quiet day.  

Sam ran over this morning just before noon.  I was puttering around the house cleaning but listened to him chat away with half an ear.   He's enjoying being free of duties, but he is definitely my son. "I guess I'd better start making out a plan for my days...Or it will be time to go back to school and I won't have anything done!"  He'd actually worked all morning and only came down here to bring me leftovers of his Mississippi pot roast and two Hoagie buns so we could make Italian Beef Sandwiches.  I thanked him and assured him we'd have the sandwiches for supper tonight.  And we are!

I have pushed myself ever so slightly to act alive this afternoon.  I walked outdoors to the shed to gather the ornaments for the tree.  What I didn't find was the other leg to Caleb's little tree, nor wreaths for the doors.  So, I'm thinking they may be right smack at the back in the big old barium powder tub that served as bedside table in my room all through my childhood and well into my second marriage.  Now I must debate if it's worth my time to dig through the stuff to get to the back of that shed...Right now, I'm definitely thinking negatively about it!

Later this afternoon, I dragged myself into the kitchen and did a partial freezer inventory and admitted that the broths I put in the freezer way back in 2021 aren't going to be used and I might as well free that space up.  Now the clean kitchen has a mess of empty containers in the sink (and quite a few full ones that need to thaw so I can pour them out).

The week is done.  The sun is getting ready to set, and supper is almost ready to put into the oven to melt the cheese on the sandwiches.  

Meals:  Oatmeal  (and toast for John)

Beef Pot Pie, Salad

Italian Beef Sandwiches, Mandarins.  This is salty-ish so I won't serve it with chips as I might otherwise.  

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