Cards, letters and a gift!

 Yesterday the mail box was full of mail...15 Christmas cards and many other misc pieces of mail. 

There was news of people in the Nursing Home and a spouse living by himself, some reports of covid, many reports of social distancing, trips cancelled and some trips taken.  There was a bit of history on the name Andrew...a most enjoyable read.

Two obituaries were included in the mail.  My Obituary Box is over flowing.  I plunked the two new obits in the box and it is mounding so the cover doesn't fit anymore....note to self...put this on your list of things to do.

I double check the Christmas card addresses and mark them received on my master list before the envelopes are shredded and the cards tucked inside the saddle bags that hang near the stairway. 

Thank you Sam for the cute Christmas Pillow...I have it in my tray on the dining room table. 

Jinx has a pillow! 

I shoveled, it wasn't a big deal. I like to keep the patio cleared of snow. 

 It was a fairly cool day with temps hovering just below and just above zero.  A little nippy. 

If the snow stays we shall have a white Christmas. 

I was busy with odds and ends all day long.  Seemed like there was one thing after another that required my attention...except when I was shoveling. 

Far Side

Hanging around

 We figured we would just kinda hang out yesterday. Ended up making two trips to town...ordered some stocking stuffers and misc stuff and could not get suet for the birds...ordered that from another place to pick up later in the day.  Lots of people in town Main Street was packed.

We always have deep conversations while in the car. 

How much was an issue of Grit back in the day.  Was it weekly? yes... Far Guy says he was almost a Grit Delivery Boy but  he had to be gone for the summer so that didn't work out for him. 

 The conversation turned to other Newspaper Delivery Boys like the one who showed up at our home in North Moorhead every Friday night to collect.  Far Guy said his friend Danny delivered for the Star Tribune and got in big trouble when he spent all the money on some kind of candy that was in a chocolate cup that had a paper square with points on that you could collect...and Danny had a big box full...was that Valomilk??  or some other candy...??

Anyways I recall reading Grit from front to back sometimes more than once before the next issue came.  I read where in the 1960's it cost 20 cents and the sales boy got to keep 7 cents.  On the application it says are you a boy?   How sexist is that?  As if girls couldn't sell as well as boys. 

  

Ha! It looks like Jinx is standing on the windmill blades when in fact he is hanging around waiting for the flag . 

So much for our exciting day. 

Far Side

Update: The candy was Mallow Cups, they came with a cardboard piece that could be saved up for more candy. Far Guy says "A five cent coupon now sells for ten dollars on ebay."

No time for a nap

 I was very busy all day...good thing I can multi task,  Laundry, cleaning the bathroom, waiting on "hold" with horrid music twice...someone else was not doing their job...so I got that straightened out over the phone.  I ran some papers up to she who sees robins first and she faxed them for me....so that saved me a trip to town.  I mixed up more yummy peanut butter and black sunflower seeds for the birds. Took care of a number of things that were just loose ends...I got them all wrapped up.  Late in the afternoon I went for a ride on the trails and down to the lake.  The temperature was in the 30's...a nice day!  I came back to packages stacked by the door.  Cooked a beef roast and baked carrots for supper...Far Guy did the mashed potatoes and I made the gravy.

This photo is now a puzzle! 

Jinx had a nap on the empty dining room table...the sunflower table runner is gone as are all the odds and ends that collect there from time to time.  I also took down the sunflower valance in the kitchen...time for a flannel valance with loons. 

I have a Christmas table runner that my Mom made for me.  I do have a Christmas basket someplace or maybe I packed it up for a garage sale...anyways I found that the mesh tray shows off the table runner just perfectly!  Jinx is keeping my woodcarved Santa company...that Santa is the largest piece I have ever carved. 

I heard there was an armed robbery in town...another good reason to stay out of the stores. 

Far Side

He is baaack!

 Jinx escaped out of the Christmas decoration box...

He was lounging in the empty wreath next to the door...soaking in some sunshine and wondering if he should chop something down. 

I am certain he had nothing to do with the tree in town that sadly is too damaged to be raised from the street.  

Our mild December weather continued one more day...the shady spots still have snow. 

I did some laundry and then we both worked on Christmas cards...writing a few notes in some of them.   I delivered a Christmas card and an ornament to one of the neighbors....they were not home but will find a bag attached to their door knob when they return.  Then I headed over to the nearby cemetery and got a few photos...it is at 96 % photographed right now.  There are still 13 graves there that are difficult to find.  I am going to have to give up and phone a friend who might have a map of the cemetery. 

Far Side

All Boxed Up

The last of the gifts have been boxed up.  These are special “from the heart” gifts to be revealed at a later date.

 

I made one last trip to the Post Office…the guy that works there looked at me and sighed as I dumped more packages on his counter.   There was a long line...it was longer when I left.

I have made the list and checked it twice.  Everything will be checked off by the end of the weekend…I hope.  I have gifts to deliver and last minute errands to run.

 

Santas

I have a few Santas in the kitchen this year.

“One of these things is not like the other, one of these things just doesn’t belong.”  From Sesame Street a long time ago.

I carved the Santa on the right.  The other two might be inspiration pieces for a carving someday.

Cards

The last of the cards finally made it to the Post Office.  I had some special envelopes to mail and the postal worker had to see if they would go through some card board thingy…one at a time.  I think I made his day.

Not sure what I will attempt next…perhaps I should make a list….and check it twice.

Just a interesting thought about Christmas Cards….one of my cousins puts lights on her tree and then decorates the tree with Christmas Cards as they come in the mail.

How do you display your cards?  I have ours on the table for a few days, double checking addresses, crossing them off my master list and then I tuck them away in the saddlebags until after Christmas when I will read them again.

Nativity

Making very little progress decorating for Christmas.

The important stuff comes first.

The Nativity Set made it to the mantle. Yeah me!

This is a ceramic set that I made back in the 1980’s.  Far Guy made the stable for me.

Gift Bags

I like gift bags, they can be reused.  I remember when all the gift wrap was saved from one year to the next and it was flattened and ironed.

 

These bags contained Chokecherry Jelly, Christmas Ornaments, a tin of Turtles and a Christmas card…for my parents and my brothers….homemade Christmas Gifts the very best kind.  My sister lives far far away…but I sent her an ornament and some scrubbies!

 

Red Lights

Last year we bought new lights after Christmas.  Neither of us could remember what color lights we bought…we knew they were not blue….cause we have had blue lights on our trees for many many years.  We needed a change of color. All our light stringers were old and needed to be replaced.

I can see now that a few lights should be rearranged.

So far we only have lights…hey it is a start!

We had a busy day on Saturday, I ran errands whilst Far Guy was enjoying breakfast with classmates.  I joined them after my errands.  Then I made more Turtles…and worked on Christmas cards.  Made supper for my parents and my brothers and their brides….pizza, salads and you guessed it Turtles for dessert.

Snow

We got some fresh snow.

Busy week…had friends over for supper….we cooked ribs, baked potato, corn and squash.  We don’t entertain too often…and I think they may be better cooks than we are!  We had lamb when we were invited to their place for supper…our first time eating lamb and it was really good.
To town to do errands three days… I worked on Christmas Card envelopes. We ordered some “stuff” that we needed from Amazon.
So far Christmas decorating is at a stand still. Time seems to go by faster everyday.

Confused?

December is here.

 

I think he would like to skip right to Easter.

One look outside and you are convinced that winter will be far too long.

Almost a Wrap

One more gift to pick up and wrap and then I am done. 

All the pumpkin bread and fudge has been delivered to relatives and neighbors.  A few 2017 woodcarved ornaments to special people have been delivered.  Not sure what I am forgetting.

I have one “from the heart project” that may or may not be completed…I will give it my best.

I am tired.  It is cold here…and snowy.  I could use a long winters nap…or hibernation til spring.

I should dust…shovel snow…sleep…stress makes me sleepy and then nothing is accomplished. 

A long time friend has a birthday party today…she is 100 years old.  I hope to attend the party.

Our niece Megan and her husband Frank have had a sad week.  Frank’s father died  suddenly last Tuesday he was 68 years old.  The funeral is today. We will send a card to let them know we are thinking of them.

Anniversaries, birthdays, deaths, Doctor’s appointments and Christmas preparations…what a week.

White Christmas

We got about 5 inches of new fluffy dry snow.  That makes the total at the snowstick 7 inches.

Far Guy shoveled some, I shoveled some…and my brother came along and cleared our driveway and yard.  There is still some shoveling to do.  I like to clear the patio of snow…right now it is covered.

I took this photo out of the kitchen window.

Sunset was really pretty on Dec 21 the shortest day of the year.

This is a sunset view I had as a child. The wind would rip through that field and the snow used to settle in our driveway.  This is where I would stand and wait for the bus. It is just two miles from where we live now. The view of the trees in the distance and the field have not changed in 64 years….I find it comforting that some things stay the same.

The downstairs tree is finished.  Jinx the Lumberjack is visiting there for a few days.

Christmas List

I finally made a list.  I had to.  With less than a week until Christmas I need to see that MOST of the bases are covered.

The Christmas Cards have been mailed. 

The downstairs tree is done.  The Shiny Brite tree upstairs still needs some work.

The Christmas Morning menu has been determined.  The Christmas eve menu is in progress depending on who and how many people are here.  Today we will make Seafood Gumbo to put in individual servings for the freezer and we may have it on Christmas eve…well… I will only have it once in a week so I will have Vegetable Soup instead.  If I get real ambitious I will make Garlic Knots…we will see how my time goes this week.  We are busy all week…something happens everyday except Saturday…which may be the day I finish everything that didn’t get accomplished during the week.

All gifts and stocking stuffers are in progress. 

I will make two batches of pumpkin bread, one regular and one gluten free….hopefully!

I think that Jinx The Lumberjack tried to make a collect call and got hung up.

Monday before Christmas

I made some more white chocolate and cherry fudge to deliver in tins to a few of the neighbors.  We delivered one tin and had a good visit.  Old neighbors moved on to live closer to their children and one has memory difficulties so she is in a Memory Care Unit.  They sold their lake home to other neighbors that had adjoining land. 

There was snow fog on the lake as it was getting dark. They have been removing a few trees to have a better view of the lake.  They now own the entire North end of the lake.  It is a nice setting but you have to be a mountain goat to get to the water from this new property. We have been calling them “The Land Barons.”

 

Chance is feeling much better, his diet has been returned to normal.  He still wears the harness to come down the steps…he hates the harness but it keeps him from falling and injuring himself.  He plays a little ball and actually tried to jump at the snow being thrown off the snow shovel yesterday….so he is good to go until the next aging episode.

Jinx The Lumberjack

You have heard of the Elf on a Shelf?  Well we were looking for one and couldn’t find one.
Lo and behold a package came in the mail from Kansas.  Inside was a very nice bunch of Christmas Napkins and a Lumberjack Christmas Ornament.  Thank you Kay!

We discussed at some length of what to name our Lumberjack…Paul was obvious as was Jack…but I think he may be a bit mischevious so Jinx it is! So we have a Jinx the Lumberjack who makes us smile before he ends up on the tree.

The bubble lights made their way to our kitchen window.  Decorating continues…as will Jinx the Lumberjack’s adventures.