Unexpected Gifts

I had a lovely phone conservation with an old old friend yesterday.  He said "I mailed all my Christmas Cards but I cannot remember if I sent one to you or not so I am calling you instead!"
He talked to Far Guy for a long time and then asked to talk to me.

He shared a bit of an old secret with me.  He has a son he never knew about.  He was contacted earlier this year and had a very nice reunion with his long lost son.  I was just thrilled for him.  He says his son calls him every week.  What a wonderful gift for a lonely old man. He said the visit was just perfect and that he cried like a baby when his son left.

Years ago his second wife asked me to find the children he had with his first wife...they wanted nothing to do with their Dad...she was so disappointed...she wanted that so desperately for her husband ...and then she died.

For the rest of the story.  My friend spent some time in prison because he shot at his first wife and another fellow during one of their rendezvous.    He served his time, his wife divorced him and took the two children; a boy and a girl and moved back near her home town.  Shortly after that my friend took up with some  gal...apparently they had a rendezvous of their own.  Her father found out about his prison time and grabbed him one night and told him to never come near his daughter again.  So he didn't.  Turns out that she was pregnant and her father gave the baby away for adoption in Iowa.

The baby was adopted and now is a grown man and he lives in Santa Rosa California, and  has a successful business there and calls his Dad weekly.  He has tried to contact his mother but she wants nothing to do with him.

I can only imagine the joy that this child brings to his father and my friends second wife would be just thrilled....it was what she wanted so desperately for him years ago.

I have many more questions...was he found through an Ancestry site...a DNA match to a close relative?  I watch that show Long Lost Family and enjoy how searches and reunions unfold.  However I was a good listener and didn't ask too many questions.

Far Side

Silver and Gold

At Bingo on Thursday Charlene gave me an ornament...it is all folded paper!

It is just beautiful!  She said it was all made from heavy wrapping paper, some of the paper has a bit of a gold accent. 

Some things  don't turn out as planned.  My No Fail Fudge was a failure....who can mess up no fail fudge ...apparently me.   Jen took it anyway for the cookie exchange...they will just have to use spoons to eat it or warm it up for ice cream topping.  Sometimes you just have to make the best of circumstances. 

I went through a box of memories yesterday and photographed them....some things are over 50 years old and some things will be 50 years old next week.

These are candles that were used at our wedding...not sure where...in some arrangement for the tables is my best guess.

So there you have my Silver and Gold.

I am reminded of a round that I used to sing with my girls.  "Make new friends, keep the old, one is silver and the others gold." Trying to sing that round each singing our own part...singing louder and louder to drown out everyone elses voice and then laughing...then one of them would say lets try that again Mom.

Far Side

Snow again

It warmed up enough to snow...it snowed somewhere between 1 and 2 inches.  I was too tired to measure it....I just wanted to get it off the walk and patio.

The blur off to the right is another Woodpecker...they were "talking" to each other when I went out to take photos.

It says 10 inches now at the snowstick...snow settles...

Mail: Christmas Cards are coming in!  Also yummy fudge and cookies from Cathie in Texas and a  pretty little stitch marker from Betsy in Washington!  Getting the mail is so much fun this time of year!  Thank you ladies!

My sock knitting has been non existent the past few weeks.  Maybe when things calm down again I can knit and knit!  Right now my crochet brain is at work. ...I am about half done with the baby blanket.  As my luck would have it...the yarn was spliced...I almost always wind my yarn myself to check for imperfections...I didn't  do that this time..it will be okay...I just don't like unplanned splices. Everything went wrong at that point and I ended up with a huge snarl...how yarn can wind up so messed up is beyond me.  Lesson learned wind your yarn every time!

Far Side

Flag and Wreath

A new flag is up.

And I decorated the wreath outside the front door.

Santas this year and the red lights.  It might need a bit of something else...but I rather like its simplicity.  Both of the santas were garage sale finds that  I rescued and repainted!

I worked on several projects while it was so cold.  One was finished and ready to mail and the other is in progress.   One is a surprise for someone and the other is a baby gift.  I will share photos later.

It has been bitterly cold here. Not fit for man or beast.  -30 F or -34C eh!

 Far Side

Cross

Two deaths recently.

The first a elderly 96 year old neighbor.  I have known him ever since I can remember.  I used to babysit for his two granddaughters.  His son died earlier this year...the father of those little girls.  I am certain this loss hits those girls doubly hard.   He spoke of those granddaughters fondly every time we saw him.

My cousin Lisa's son in law (age 30) was in the terrible National Guard Helicopter crash here in Minnesota last week.  He leaves behind a wife, daughter and another child due in February.  All three young men aboard the helicopter  died.  Such sadness for many families in Minnesota.    My cousin said  "The support of prayers, visits, calls and generosity of so many people is incredible. We're assured that God is faithful and will never leave us or forsake us because he is our help and strength."

I know my cousin must have some moments of feeling helpless... there is no way she can shield her daughter and granddaughter from this heartache.

Far Side

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."  Romans 8:28

Its beginning to look a lot like

Christmas!
The Christmas Cards with Far Guy's annual Christmas Letter were mailed yesterday.  125 of them.

Glad to have that done.

Another pre- Christmas snow arrived.  I shoveled.  It turned really cold.

We got five new inches of snow.  The snowstick now says 11 inches.

I am trying my best to keep the patio and walk free of the worst of the snow.
We will probably have a white Christmas.
Far Side

Mantle and Chickens

I put the Nativity on the mantle yesterday.

We delivered more wood carved ornaments.  I had a bunch of errands to run so we did that in conjunction with ornament deliveries.

Drove one of the gravel roads that was worked on last summer and we will stay off that road all winter...it has no shoulder and steep ditches and the road is a lane and a half...the township was screwed on that road project.

At one of the delivery spots I was met by chickens...Blue and Purple Ribbon at the County Fair Chickens.  They talked to me.  Good thing I am not afraid of chickens...

We are supposed to get snow and then it is supposed to turn colder.
Far Side

Tree

The downstairs tree is up and complete.

We tuck it away in the corner of the living room. We started doing that when Chance chased his ball under the tree one year and it came crashing down...that and his big old fluffy constantly wagging tail would whop the tree...so the corner was a better spot.   Far Guy put the tree together and added the lights.  I brought down the ornaments and we both trimmed.

This is probably the earliest that we have put up our tree.

Other Christmas projects are being accomplished one by one.

Far Side

2019 Wood Carved Ornament

Most of the 20019 Ornaments have been delivered... a few more will find their homes soon.
We began with a wood blank.  Mostly Basswood but there were some Butternut.  Butternut is much harder to carve!

Our idea this year came from a fellow carver Sheila.  She always has lots of ideas. 

Left; blank cut out on the bandsaw.  Middle; partially carved.  Right;  carved and sanded.  The carving on the far right is Butternut.  Butternut has beautiful grain.

I decided to keep the stockings/boots (whatever you want to call them) very plain versus painting them!.  I drew and painted a spring of Holly and Berries on them...one by one.

Here the ornaments are hanging up to dry.  My "holder" will hold 12 ornaments.  It is a fancy smancy "holder" ...a Peanut Butter Jar with a piece of wood screwed to the lid...the piece of wood has small nails for individual holders.

The ornaments were sealed.

Phase Two began.  What to put in the boots/stockings ? We tried to carve a teddy bear...what a laugh that was.  Far Guy carved all the candy canes.  We decided that we would purchase some small beads for balls and some tiny bells.  I painted the beads.  Far Guy cut out blocks.  I visited the local five and dime and bought some clay to see if we could make a bear out of clay...it worked and I went back to get more clay! 

Boot stuffins

One day we had enough stuff to begin stuffing the boots/stockings. 

No two are exactly the same.  It was a good project.   Names and dates are on the opposite side of the boot/stocking.  These in the photos were kept blank  I believe we carved 110 and I have 9 left over.

Far Side

Day off

Today is a day off.  Not sure what I will do.  It has been a busy week.  I took my Dad to Bingo last night...I bingoed twice and he bingoed once so it was a good night and we can go back again next week.   Dad takes his walker along now and his cane...the walker just incase he needs to sit and rest or be pushed to the vehicle.  I told him "The walker must go along to Bingo."  So far so good...he likes going to Bingo.

Supper will be leftovers  so I don't need to cook!

While Far Guy was at Pulmonary Therapy  I did some shopping for stocking stuffers for the Grands.  Basically I just wandered around looking at "stuff" until something caught my eye.  One store was promoting a sale when you were ready to check out you picked a object out of a basket...mine said 50% off...so my entire purchase was half price!  (I should have bought more stuff!) Small business promoting shopping in our small town....I was the only customer in the store. 

The roads were icy on the way home last night....I am not so sure about our new road...it seems to be more icy than the old road.  Last night there were even drifts across the road where usually there are no snowdrifts.  I drove slow...

Far Guy finished putting up the downstairs tree and it has lights on it!  Perhaps I will begin decorating it over the weekend!

 Bouquets of holiday flowers

Far Side

Not Fancy

We had guests for supper last night.
Here is the table..

This is about as fancy as we get around here.   My Mom likes to make placemats and potholders for Christmas.  I used to have several other sets of Christmas Placemats but lost them one year when we had a cousins get together...they may have gotten tossed away.

The comfort food was plopped down in the center of the table and everyone served themselves.  Like I said Not Fancy.  I made chicken in its own gravy and kuchen for dessert. Our guests are bringing a vegetable. 

Chicken In Its Own Gravy a recipe from my sister
1 chicken skinless floured (I forgot the floured part)
Melt 1/2 stick of butter in a glass baking dish  Bake 30 minutes at 325 degrees

Mix 1-2 cups of grated cheese (I used Co Jack)
1 Can of Cream of Mushroom Soup (I used Cream of Chicken)
1 can evaporated milk
Pour over chicken ...cover...Bake 1 hour
* Serve with white rice ( I made both white rice and wild rice)

Far Side

Expecting

We are expecting to be blessed with another Great Grandchild.

Hey Mikey is getting a sister...I will call her Cee Cee.

Maddie and Noah...cousins.   It made Noah smile when I asked Maddie for a belly shot!

Baby Cee Cee will arrive in mid March.
I have already done some shopping for her and I have the supplies for a blanket.  I am excited...but Michigan is so far away...we won't be able to spoil her very much!

Far Side

Line up

It looks like a busy week ahead...three medical appointments yet this week...one down three to go.

I caused quite a line at the Post Office.   17 packages were mailed all being delivered Wednesday or Thursday according to the Post Office.  There was no line when I got there...lucky me...but the line went out the door when I exited 25 minutes later.   Not sure why they don't have a package window...or maybe an express lane where you just buy stamps or pick up packages from your mail box.  Our Postal Service is antiquated at best. 

Every time I go to the grocery store I look at the flowers. Just to see what is in the bouquets.

These Mums caught my eye yesterday.  If I could have flowers in the house I most likely would have bought this bouquet.  Flowers make my eyes water and I sneeze...so they are best enjoyed outside or in the stores.

Far Guy has written his Christmas Letter.  It will be printed soon.  We picked up the paper for the letters yesterday.

I have a few more wood carved ornaments to hand deliver.  I won't say that everything is under control because as soon as I say that it won't be. 

Far Side

Snow report

We got snow.

The snow stick shows 9 inches on that side of the house.
Ha..Ha...

It was more like 12 inches of snow on the patio.   It was a work out but I got it done.  Far Guy helped for awhile then he ran out of oxygen...so he came inside to gasp for breath.

It was a heavy snow...it had lots of moisture in it.  I shoveled a path around the bird feeders, sure would like to make that area less of a fall hazard....although soft snow is not a half bad place to land.

The electric snow shovel was worth it's weight in gold...still hard work...and some areas you just have to shovel with the good old scoop shovel.

My nephew Josh came by and cleared out the driveway!

Ready or not here Winter comes....I thought we had 20 some days before Winter arrived...it should still be Fall.
Far Side

Well it is December

Youngest daughter Jen brought the Christmas tree downstairs when she was here, plopped it on the love seat and said "Perfect snowy day activity."  We didn't get around to it.

We ventured out in the morning to go to the Dump...we go once every three or four weeks...it is only open on Saturday mornings in the winter.  $3.25 is the going rate for one garbage can.  We recycle so that really makes a difference.   We filled all the bird feeders when we got back.  It snowed on and off all day long.

On the way...you could still see the high line poles so it was a good day.

Just before dark I took a photo of the snowstick it said 4 inches.

Yesterday I worked on laundry, I organized my craft suitcase...I keep adding projects.  I did some paperwork....I didn't even have a nap.  I shoveled the walk one time.  Far Guy had a nap and worked on a couple of his woodcarving projects.

We cooked supper together...salmon for him, steak for me, fruit and vegetables oh yes and some french fries in the air fryer.

December is here along with the snow like it or not. 

Far Side

Updates and Winners

News...Far Guy finally got the phone call that took him off of hold.  He is once again active on the Lung Transplant list...this time he is listed for two lungs.  It took a whole week for the Thoracic Surgeon to make that determination after he was called away on an emergency during the transplant meeting a week ago.   Far Guy is listed for both lungs because they cannot be certain which lung had the lung fungus...or if it was both.  After transplant one old lung with a fungus could compromise the new lung.   So now we wait again.  It is better than waiting to wait which is what we have been doing the past sixty days.  Far Guy finishes his fungicide medication  on Sunday.

In other news we traveled up north to a VA Clinic so Far Guy could get his last Shingrix shot...he accomplished it all by himself...I spent that time at Hobby Lobby...yes yarn was on sale again.  I will eventually get a Shingrix shot but our local clinic has a shortage of the serum.

In other other news...I have an infection.  Far Guy insisted I go to the Doctor.  As my luck would have it...Dr She Devil was the only Doctor seeing walk in patients at our local clinic.  I almost turned around and left when the Nurse announced who would be seeing me.  Then we waited and waited...I had a little nap with my head against the wall....stress makes me so so sleepy.  Eventually the old bat showed up and diagnosed an infection and said if I get a temperature I am to come back immediately.  For now I have antibiotics and a special cream.  The big old infection is from the cryosurgery I had on November 1...a  wart that was zapped with liquid nitrogen...the wart was behind my knee...Dr She Devil took forever going back through my medical history...she should not have a license to practice in my opinion.  She clicked this and that on her computer...Far Guy rolled his eyes a few times...whilst I just wanted to bolt from the room. Finally we were allowed to leave...Far Guy said I deserve 15 Golden Stars for  my excellent behavior. You can read about my prior history with DR SHE DEVIL here. 

In other other other news...a big old snowstorm is headed our way.  It will most likely be snowing and blowing when you are reading this.  They have named this Winter Storm Ezekiel.  I moved the electric snow shovel to it's spot just outside the front door.

In other other other other news...Winners of the 2019 Christmas Wood carved one of a kind ornament are;

Betsy

Miss Merry

Bonnie

Wendy

Congratulations!  Please contact me by email with your mailing address captainconnie2001atyahoodotcom  I hope to mail packages on Monday !

Far Side

Thanksgiving Report

There were twenty of us that gathered at my baby brothers lake home.  Our youngest daughter Jen and her husband Andy, Grandson Noah and his girlfriend Hannah,  Grandson Adam and Jonas the foreign exchange student from Belgium, Our Niece Stacey and her five children and her beau Justin, Our Granddaughter Maddie, her husband Brenton and our Great Grandson Hey Mikey, and my parents.

Everyone brought some food and everyone helped clean up.  It was a good gathering.

Noah, Maddie and Adam. The boys said Maddie should be in the middle...they called her shorty.

She made them laugh! 

Noah and his girlfriend Hannah.

Hey Mikey and his Mama.  

Far Side

Happy Thanksgiving!

I am thankful for my wonderful husband, beautiful daughters and the best grandchildren ever...and one great grand!  I am also thankful that I can spend the afternoon with my parents.  I am thankful for a warm and cozy home, food on the table and people to share it with.  I am also thankful for all the wonderful people out there that read my daily drivel.

Far Side 

Turkey Preparations

The turkey is in the fridge thawing out.  Heard on the news today that you are not supposed to wash the turkey.  I have been washing turkeys for 40 some years...I usually scrub them with salt and rinse them real good...and then clean the sink real well.   Who do you believe anymore??

I made pumpkin bread yesterday. It is yummy!

Today we have three medical appointments... it will be a busy day. 

Cooking will commence early Thursday morning...baked carrots, the turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy and a gluten free stuffing.  Hope it is all tasty!

Run your lives!

This is a favorite photo of mine taken in February of 2010.  It appears on our calendar for the month of November.

Far Side

Tree and Ornaments

The Christmas tree is up on Main Street.   It has a few decorations and lights.  The official tree lighting ceremony is supposed to be on Friday night...I happened by just after the Power Company finished the lights and they were probably testing them...who really knows for sure.

Yes it sits in the center of the street and takes up about four parking spots.  As you can tell it is gloomy here...it spit rain and then snow yesterday.

Tell me about a Christmas tree in your community...is there one?   All comments will be entered in this years Christmas Ornament Give Away...a fantastic one of a kind wood carved ornament worthy of collecting!

  I will take comments until Friday night at 9 PM ...then I will draw for winners and mail your prize on Monday December 2 in plenty of time for Christmas.  Those of you who like to email me...please do!

The wood carved ornament will be revealed soon.

Far Side