The Christmas That Almost Wasn't

Ah, the holidays.  Busy, busy times, much to do, and not enough time.  A little history.  When I was growing up, my mom's family lived a great distance from us and were never a part of our holidays.  My father's family lived (mostly) in our small town and we, at least when I was small, usually got together with them, usually at our house.  Mom would cook a wonderful meal, complete with seafood cocktails for starters and going on through the turkey with trimmings to pies, pumpkin and mincemeat. Our decorations were simple:  a tree and a few other things including a small creche.  

My best friend when I was growing up lived a few blocks away and had a large extended family including grown sisters and a brother along with their families.  Christmas was a huge undertaking at their house and I was part of it, if only on the edges.  I loved it all!  Decorations, indoors and out, a huge tree, days of baking, stockings, and a huge gathering on Christmas Eve.  

When Dan and I married and finally settled into our first little house (complete with mortgage), I began to recreate the Christmases I remembered at my friend's house.  I made stockings (very simple ones at first) and fortunately, Dan liked to decorate the outside of the house with lights.  I was on my way!  As the years passed, I added more and more to our traditions. Decorations in every room of the house, yes, including the bathrooms!  I baked and baked.  Christmas was almost always at our house, with Mom and Dad coming to stay.  After our kids grew up and married, we continued to celebrate here most years and it grew to having four generations celebrating together.  We missed my brother and his family during most of this time because he lived in the midwest and south.  Phone calls united us as we passed the phone around to share thanks and love.  I loved it all!

Fast forward to the last few years.  Dan and I have grown older (not old, but older!), and we can tell our energy levels have dropped.  Our son moved far away and is no longer a part of our celebrations.  My parents are elderly and lately struggling with health issues.  Things change. I need to learn to change.  I realized that this year when, in an attempt to be all and do all for Christmas, I once again came down with a bad cold.  Too much to do, and I wore myself out.  Which does not make for good Christmas memories.  

My brother and sister-in-law are back in our state, although quite a ways away.  Their second daughter, Kirsten, is three hours away from us, and a plan was hatched to celebrate Christmas with our whole family at her house--my parents, Dan and I, and Bruder Bear and his family minus their oldest daughter, Jennifer who lives in the south.  I worked hard to cure my cold, but Dad was down with a bad back, so plans were somewhat up in the air.  Then my sister-in-law called to say that Bruder Bear was in the hospital with chest pains (they were already at Kirsten's) and tests were being run.  Prayers were sent up and we were prepared to stay home.  

The next day, all tests showed John's heart was fine, so he called to tell us to get in the car and come on over. After assuring us he was fine, he convinced us to do just that, so we packed and started our drive.  Mom and Dad, however, had decided not to go, and so they stayed home (which may have been the best for Dad's back, anyway).  

We had a great time at Kirsten's.  Karen cooked up her usual storm and we ate like kings--crab legs, prime rib, eggs benedict for breakfast...  I had a few moments of guilt as I sat while she worked, but I did get to fix breakfast the day after Christmas.  And Dan hung a blind in Kirsten's kitchen that she'd been unable to get up herself.  

We were thankful to spend this Christmas in the company of people we love so much.  The real meaning of Christmas is so easy to lose amidst all the planning, doing, and even the traditions that mean so much. Remembering that Christmas is Jesus' birthday and that he came to set us free and give us eternal life is the REAL reason for this time.  Christmas:  It's all about love--God's love and the love of family and friends.  I hope I remember that next year.  

A Monday Morning in December

So here it is, Monday morning, and here I sit, in my nightgown after a busy weekend.  

It was graduation at the University and Bruder Bear, Karen, and niece Kirsten were here to celebrate their son and brother's big event.  Karen put on a wonderful brunch for the family Saturday morning with yummy breakfast casseroles, fruit and breads and lots of fun visiting.  Ann, Eric and the boys were here, but we all missed Great Papa and Gigi who were unable to make it because Great Papa has a pinched nerve in his back.  

Following breakfast, BB and family headed out for JR's graduation (we don't go, didn't even go to our own!) and I snapped this photo of the graduate and his dad.  His degree is in Forest Products and he will be heading to his new job in Oregon come January.  

Niece Kirsten snapped the photo below of JR and his girlfriend Jill following graduation and I (again, shamelessly) stole it from her.

We had a great weekend of visiting and celebrating. Congratulations, JR!  We are all so proud of you!  ♥

Projects

The socks I'm knitting for my mom for Christmas are coming along.  The first one is done and I'm a good three inches into the second one.  I love knitting in a circle!  As I knit, I marvel that someone first devised knitting, and from there, the intricasies of a knit-in heel totally bowl me over.  Genius minds were at work, for certain!

My next project, when the socks are completed, is something totally different.  The past few years, many quilters have been taken with wool applique.  A few months ago I spotted a cute kit in a quilting catalog and decided I would give it a try.  It's a Christmas project and we all know I'm a pushover for Christmas decorations. The kit came complete with wool and frame, so that helped clinch the deal.

Here's a closeup of the pattern:

I have the perfect spot for this long narrow picture:

See the area above the basket to the left of the front door?  I used to put a small quilt there at Christmas, but when we put the moulding around the windows, the space became too small.  I think this little project will be just perfect there!  All I have to do is get it made. . .

Meanwhile, laundry is churning and a can of Pledge is sitting on the kitchen counter.  Bruder Bear and family will be arriving Friday afternoon for the weekend.  If I don't want them to choke to death on the dust, I'd better get dustcloth in hand.  ♥

Baby, It's Cold Outside!

And if you don't believe the title, check out this picture of our indoor-outdoor thermometer, snapped just a bit ago:

Yes, dear readers, that appears to be the high point for the day because it's already dropped to 10.4 degrees. So thankful for a warm house, warm slippers, and hot coffee!  

I watched the D-man (Daniel) yesterday while Ann and Eric and Keaton were north of here at a Lego Robotics competition.  Eric headed up a team of six 12-year-old boys and they have worked all fall on their robot which had to meet certain criteria in a given scenario. They were rewarded with two first places and qualified for state competition! (Read about the program here.)  A full day, starting at six in the morning, didn't seem like the thing for a little guy, so I was happy to be able to spend the day with him so the others could enjoy the competition. We all had a great day!  And Papa Dan showed up in the afternoon bearing a Cyrus O'Leary sour cream lemon pie, so the three of us enjoyed a little "coffee break" with yummy slices. Daniel loved it!  We shared with the others when they got home.  And where was Cameron you ask? Well, he watched D until I arrived at ten, and then he worked on homework until it was time to be picked up at 12:30 to go play in two basketball games for his school. (He's on the JV team and is also often tapped to play with the varsity.) 

Meanwhile, Christmas is fast approaching and the other day I decided I'd see if I could get another pair of socks knitted for my mom.  I'm over half way done with the first, so I think I'll be able to do it!

If the yarn looks familiar it's because I knit my first pair (since high school that is) out of the same yarn two years ago.  I love how it creates such a unique and almost scandinavian pattern.  I think she'll like them!  

Keep warm!  ♥

Thanksgiving

Yes, I know it was a week ago, but we all know I was busy, so here I am.  We had a wonderful day with Ann and family.  My parents were planning to come, too, but Dad caught a cold so they thought it prudent for him to stay home and get well.  At ninety, he's not as young as he used to be!  The good news is that he's feeling much better.

I took over the de rigueur green bean casserole, but used my home canned green beans, which I think, made it extra delicious.  I also made a sweet potato casserole and took the fixin' for the boys favorite fruit salad (which in actuality is more like a dessert). Keaton put the salad together while Cameron peeled good ol' south Idaho potatoes (thanks, Bruder Bear!).  Good thing Ann's got such a big and well arranged kitchen.

Ann's kitchen has a big eating/family room area adjoining it and while Cameron lit a fire in the fireplace, Eric and Daniel got cozy on the loveseat.  

Once the dinner was about ready, Eric and the boys rearranged the furniture, moving the table in front of the fireplace and moving the loveseat and end table closer to the kitchen.  

The boys were all ready for the food!

And so the rest of us rallied around, too.

Ann has a wonderful set of dishes she calls her "Thanksgiving dishes."  They came to her through Eric's mom and had belonged to her mom.  They have leaves on them in fall colors and, with many unique serving pieces, are just perfect for a big Thanksgiving feast.  

We ate until we could eat no more and then put off the pie until after playing some games and Daniel's bedtime. Then we took our pie downstairs to the TV and proceeded to watch Home Alone 2 and giggle our way through the remainder of the evening.  What a perfect day!

And I'll leave you with one last photo, taken by Daniel with my camera.  

It's of his red heart balloon.  ♥

December!?!

I started November off with such high hopes of blogging more often and even got in three posts by the 7th. And then...  After Kathy emailed me yesterday to see if I was still among the living, I realized I needed to stir myself to action.

I have all kinds of good excuses.  First and foremost is the fact that I've always been a one-track person, or one dimensional, or to use a new computer-age term, linear. All to say, I do one thing at a time.  Everytime I try to multi-task, I muck something up.  And truth be told, I usually don't even think to do more than one thing at a time unless I'm forced by circumstances.  Does that mean I'm boring?  Probably.  But that's the way I was made!

So, the most exciting news is that I started scrapbooking again!  Yes, after about five or six years, I'm back at it. Dan's moving of his office freed up my former space and I finally got in the mood to transfer my things back over and begin.  I've done a year and a half so far!  I'm currently working on Christmas 2001.

I'm blessed to have such a great workspace!

I also worked for some days on a machine embroidery project for a friend who works at a local store.  I never take on outside embroidery/sewing work, but when Cyndie asked, it sounded fun so I said yes.  I worked up a design for them and then stitched it out nine times on aprons.  The problem was, the aprons were made of a heavy coated fabric and that made it very hard to stitch on.  I had to lower my machine speed to 1/4 which made the process looong.  And the fabric also dulled needles at an alarming rate.  But the aprons turned out to be adorable and everyone at the store loved them.  I forgot to take a picture, but a big stuffed teddy bear is wearing one in the store's front window, so I hope to take my camera to town and snap a photo to share soon.

Both these projects have taken my time, one at a time, over the last few weeks, and they're my excuse for being away for so long.  I'll be back soon as I have other things to write about.  ♥

Tires

As my faithful readers are aware, the winter season is bearing down on us and that calls for changing tires on our Tundra and Explorer.  Many years ago (as soon as we could afford it) we elected to have our snow tires mounted on their own rims so that Dan (who worked his way through undergraduate school at a tire shop) could easily change them at home.  Before that, he was able to change out the tires on each vehicle's only rims at the company shop where they had tire equipment for the company trucks.

With the advent of our snow this week, Dan changed out our tires on Monday.  On Tuesday our nephew, JR, stopped by to pick up some things we were storing for him and asked if Dan could help him change his tires. He'd tried for two days to get into our local Les Schwab Tire Center, but no luck.  The line of cars, even at 7:30 in the morning, was in the hundreds.  Dan was happy to be of help and in the process he added to JR's skill set.  Out came the compressor and the air gun, the floor jack, and the snow shovel so they could clear off the new falling snow around each tire.  

They had a good time, and in about forty-five minutes, JR was set to go with snow tires all around.

 Consultation in progress.

Air gun in hand.

Smile for the camera!

Dan now refers to our place as "Les Buck's Tire Shop and Waterbed Emporium, East Moscow Plant."  Too funny!

In Case You Were Wondering...

We woke to snow this morning!  

It was beautiful and we actually still have some of it since the high today was a cool 35 degrees! And we may get more tonight and tomorrow.  It always seemed to me that when I was growing up, the first snow came around November 4th so this seems right on schedule.  Dan is changing out the tires as I type, so we're ready!

In Papa's Workshop

Yesterday was a busy day in Dan's shop!  Cameron had called earlier in the week and wondered if he could come over some time to work on a project for school that would need Papa's tools and help.  Saturday at ten-thirty was the time that worked for Dan.  Dan had a meeting earlier Saturday morning, so when he got home he had not only Cameron, but Keaton as well.  

Down the stairs they all went.  Cameron need to make an ax and a sword (they're studying the middle ages at school), and Keaton had a Boys' Life magazine with a project for a ping pong ball launcher.  

For once, I thought to take pictures!  (I'm so proud of myself!!)

When I opened the door, this is what I saw first.  Keaton is sanding and Cameron is working on the bandsaw.

Hi Keat!

And here's Cameron cutting out his sword:

And here he is with the piece he was cutting:

I didn't get a photo of Cameron's finished works because Ann picked him up so he could race off to a soccer game, but here's Keaton with his completed launcher:

What a fun day we all had!  

Happy Pumpkin Day!

Fall leaves, cloudy skies, bright orange pumpkins, happy kids...

Happy Pumpkin Day!

A Fun Day

Yesterday was a busy day and it was a fun one.  After a busy first part of the day getting the usual morning things out of the way, I headed to the shop where I had scheduled a class on the Christmas wall hanging I posted about here.  My long-time pal, Kathy, was up for the class and we had a great time stitching and visiting.  The class members got a lot accomplished and we'll meet again in two weeks to finish the project.  

When the class was over, I headed home where I knew family members had gathered for a visit.  My niece Jennifer and her son Grant are visiting from Oklahoma, and they, along with Mom were at the house, with Ann and Daniel arriving soon after I got there.  The little boys are just a few weeks apart in age and have hit it off every time they've been together and yesterday was no exception.  

They began their interaction with Daniel showing Grant the floor grate in our living room (which allows warm air upstairs from the wood insert in the family room fireplace).  Apparently there was once something caught in there that Daniel had noticed and they were checking to see if it was still there.  (FYI--I can't see anything.)

From there they progressed to the wooden train set...

and putting marbles in the bucket of a truck...

which led to hide-and-seek in the "boy's room" ...

and culminated in a laugh-filled free-for-all on the bed!

Those little cousins had a great time and not a cross word was heard between the two of them.  They kept the grown-ups entertained and the cameras flashing!  All too soon it was time for Jenny, Grant, and Mom to leave and another cousin visit is firmly etched in our memories.  ♥

A Little Autumn Walk

Our town has some wonderful walking/bike paths resulting from the "rails to trails" program, and yesterday I asked Dan if we could walk a section that I've always wanted to explore.  Don't ask why we haven't; you know how it goes.  So we drove a short distance, parked, and began to walk.  The weather was perfect, sunny but definitely cool.  Our first steps took us into an area that seemed almost tunnel-like with bright colored trees and bushes everywhere.  There was a little creek to the side and the sound of the water caught my ear.  A spillway has recently been created and it made a lovely, peaceful spot.

A little further down the path, we discovered a row of trees, each with a plaque dedicated to a student from our high school who had passed away much too young.  

I had no idea such memorials existed, but I recognized several names, and one in particular, a young seventeen-year-old who, as a boy, had attended the school where I taught  for many years.  

As we continued, we discovered a small park (who knew?) that made me want to have a picnic immediately!  I think we shall have to return soon with a bag of sandwiches, some fruit, and something warm to drink.  A hidden treasure!  I kept marveling over this area that I never knew existed.  

Below, a horse chestnut is about to pop.

And, oh, the gorgeous leaves!

It was a most restorative walk.  Peaceful, beautiful, and perfect.  I think we must do it again soon.

Just A Phone Call Away

I always think I need to have pictures, but guess what--I have no new pictures.  I do have a new cell phone! And here's the story.  About six years, or more, ago, Ann and Eric gave Dan a cell phone for Father's Day so he could call home when he's out and about in the woods.  With the proliferation of cell phones, pay phones had all but disappeared from the landscape.  For years, when Dan was on his way home, he would stop at one to tell me where he was and when he'd be home, but it was getting harder and harder to find one to use.  The cell phone was actually for both of us--for Dan to use and for me to have peace of mind.

So, Dan carried that phone with him for years, until that one became so outdated he had to buy a new one, and then he took that one.  The operative word, however, is work.  The only time he remembers to take it with him is when he's working.  And I appreciate that!  But whenever we'd just be on the move, chances were very good that it was not with him--it was home, in the drawer in the kitchen.  "Rats!" we would say, when we'd think of need for it, "We don't have the phone again!"  

Tuesday, grandson Cameron had a soccer game at a school in the neighboring town.  I knew where it was supposed to be and even printed out directions to get there.  Upon arriving at the school, we noticed a football team was practicing in the field.  Hmmm.  The game must have moved to the high school field, so we made our way across town and into the general vicinity of that school. And yes, there were mumblings in the Explorer about the fact that the cell phone was in the drawer and we couldn't call Ann to find out what was up.  I was heard to say, "This is it! I am going to get my own cell phone and it's going to live in my purse!" And Dan agreed.

Meanwhile we were having no luck finding the high school. We could see it, but we couldn't figure out how to get there.  As we wound around and around the hills, we finally spotted a lady walking her dog and asked her.  We were close!  Following her directions, we found it and parked and headed for some soccer games we could see in the distance.  A young woman walked by us and hearing our ponderings over which team might be Cameron's, asked who were were looking for.  When we told her, she said their game was at the school we had first gone to.  We told her there was football practice going on and she asked if we'd gone to the lower fields. Of course we hadn't because we didn't know there were lower fields, which it turns out, were only accessible by driving a few blocks past the school and turning left and following a winding street which led to the other side of the school.

So, back across town we went, figuring we'd all but missed the game, but knowing we had to explain what had happened.  When we got there, we spotted Ann on a hill, looking for us, as she had been doing for about forty-five minutes.  She had begun to suspect (correctly) what had happened, but of course, couldn't call us.  

We did get to see most of the second half of the game, but missed Cameron's score (of course) which was early in the first half.  His team won!  They haven't had a lot of wins, so this was sweet.  

As soon as we left the game, we went to the store and bought my phone.  It's nothing fancy, but I can run it and I've even learned to text.  The important part is that it's in my purse and next time we'll be able to call. I've put Ann's number in my contacts!   

Pumpkins!

Somebody had way too much fun with a couple of bags of little pumpkins!

 Love these varigated ones!

Here's another with a tiny white one.  ♥

A whole basket full!

And another tiny white one.

Our local Safeway had mixed bags of these little guys for a pittance, so of course I had to buy one.  Then another, and then another for Ann.  They are just the perfect accent for fall and make me smile every time I see them. And yes, there are more scattered around the house, but I thought four pictures were enough.

It's October!!  ♥

A Quilting Mystery

When we were down at Bruder Bear's over Labor Day, Karen reminded me that they have a quilt given to them by my dad's sister, Betty Jane.  According to our aunt, the quilt had been made for our great-grandfather Cummings by his mother.  Karen had showed it to me briefly some years ago, but this time we got it out and examined it carefully.  

It's beautiful, made with gorgeous fabric, possibly silks, and obviously not made from scraps.  

Isn't it gorgeous?  The center is all done and quilted by hand.  The borders, however, are quilted by machine. Here's a corner with our great-grandfather's initials, GC for George Cummings.  

The mystery?  Well, another corner had the date 1865, also done by machine.  And here's where I need answers that I'll never get.  George Cummings' mother was Mary and family history has her suffering from "consumption" from an early age.  I have a sampler made by her when she was thirteen and it says she was "abed."  In my family searchings, I have found the 1850, 1860, and 1870 Missouri census for the family. Mary was listed in 1850 and 1860, but a new wife is listed in the 1870 census, along with several small children who were born from 1864 on.  So, how did this quilt get an 1865 dating? Did the new wife finish it up and use her sewing machine? (I guess this is why today's quilters are told over and over to make labels for their quilts.  I confess, I don't do it very often.)  

George Cummings enlisted in the U.S. Missouri Second Cavalry in 1862 when he was eighteen and saw action through the next three years of the Civil War including the battle of Gettysburg.  Sometime during his absence, his mother died, apparently without completing the quilt she was making for him.  I like to think that the second wife finished it out of respect for Mary and love for her husband and his son.  But we'll never know.  It is interesting to note that the first child born to the new wife was named Mary.

George William Cummings in 1929, a year before his death in 1930 at age 85.  (Photo taken behind the Clearwater Tribune building following an interview with him and a confederate Civil War veteran for the Lewiston Morning Tribune.)

More Zucchini Stuff

When I recently wrote about zucchini, I mentioned in a comment that I had a recipe that we loved and said I would do a post on it.  It's one I created the summer of 1982 when we had not much money and a glut of summer squash.  It's been a keeper and we've even managed to finally grow enough zucchini that I've made it again this summer.

Summer Squash Skillet

1/2 pound burger

8 oz can tomato sauce

1/3 cup water

1/4 tsp dried basil

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

3 medium summer squash/zucchini

diced green peppers (opt)

Topping:

1 1/2 cups Pepperidge Farm Stuffing 

2 T butter, melted

Brown burger in large skillet.  Add sliced squash (and optional peppers) and lightly stir fry.  In a small bowl, mix rest of ingredients and pour over meat and veggies. Cover and let simmer for about ten minutes. Mix topping ingredients and sprinkle over squash mixture.  Cover and continue simmering on low for about five more minutes.  

We set the skillet on a trivet and serve right from the pan.  It makes a tasty, inexpensive, complete meal. Enjoy!

My dishes are Longaberger Heritage Green, and I'm blessed to have these great shallow soup bowls that work perfectly for one-dish meals like this.  

Here's how the whole dinner looks in the pan:

Next time I'll use my new pan!  ♥

Yada, Yada

Boy, this retired life is hard to keep up with.  And Dan and I have come to conclusion that days are shorter than they used to be.  Don't really know how this can be, but I've heard it from lots of other, um, older people. Anyway, it seems that there isn't as much time to get things done as in the past.  I taught two machine embroidery classes at the shop last Thursday, worked there as usual on Friday, and then after our traditional Friday night date at a local Mexican restaurant, Dan and I found ourselves so tuckered that we were in bed around eight!  Yikes!  

Then on Saturday, Dan got up early to split wood for Dad and Mom, loaded it and we took off for their house where Bruder Bear and nephew JR were already hard at work on a few chores.  Dan had taken a load down on Friday, too, so he was able to avail himself of some good help with the unloading both days. 

John and Dan worked on putting a new light/heat lamp/fan in the ceiling of one of mom and dad's bathrooms, and in between, all the guys went out for a little practice shooting with their muzzle loaders in anticipation of hunting later this fall.  By all accounts, some more practice will be needed.  

It was a fun and productive day and we all had a great time.  Bruder Bear drove his new truck up and we had fun giving it the once over.  It's a beaut!  

Sunday was church and a nap.  Monday, we decided to head for Costco because certain necessary supplies were running out.  I know I've said it before, but I love Costco!!  It's better than a trip to Disneyland for sure. As usual, in addition to those necessary supplies, we found other items that seemed to find their way into the cart.  (I got a gorgeous new 5-quart stainless pan that I've drooled over for months.  Can't wait to use it.)

Tuesday and Wednesday have come and gone, housework, keeping up with some Bible study lessons, a little cooking...and here we are on Thursday night.  Back to work at the shop tomorrow.  Saturday I'll be cooking up a storm to provide some food for a family of four whose wife and mother is just recovering from breast cancer surgery.  They're special friends and so I want to make some good stuff.  And so, the days and weeks pass.   ♥

The Shingles and Me

I got the shingles for Christmas last year, and even though it rhymes with jingles, let me assure you there's nothing festive about them.  Oh, they are rather red, but again, nothing festive.  So when I went to the doctor for the second time (the first one was young and inexperienced and didn't recognize what I had), in addition to saying, "Shingles!  You've got shingles," she mentioned my blood pressure was high.  I said it was probably due to the fact that, until that moment, I didn't know what was wrong with my arm and suspected some horrible, dread disease, possibly resulting in my arm falling off.  Anyway, a follow-up appointment was scheduled for me to check out the situation.

I dutifully took myself to the doctor (a new one recommended by the lovely lady doc who had recognized my shingles) and he said, yup, it looks high.  I said I didn't want to take a bunch of meds and amazingly enough, he agreed to let me try without, concentrating on diet and exercise.  He also mentioned the DASH diet which gave me a starting point.

I went home, researched DASH and ordered several books from Amazon.  By this time it was early January and the exercise issue was a real dilemma.  There was snow outside, and ice, and it wasn't looking good for walks which was his recommendation.  As I was talking about all this to Ann, she mentioned that my old NordicTrack was languishing in her basement because, as she put it, she had a two-year-old.  The whole family brought it over that night and left it for me.  My exercise issue was solved.  (Of course, I had to use it myself, but thanks be to God, I have used it five days a week since then.  We're talkin' real miracle here, folks.)

I got my DASH books and set about reading them.  Of course, one main course of action is to limit salt intake, but another is to eat a lot of grains, fruits, and veggies. And not in chip form!!!  When you start limiting foods based on sodium content, it's amazing what gets tossed from your diet.  I began to try many new foods and cooking methods.  A new row of spices showed up on my shelf.  Good thing I enjoy cooking!  It has actually been, for the most part, fun, and I look at it as a challenge. Some good stuff has resulted and even Dan says he enjoys it.  

Oh, a couple of points I've almost forgotten to mention: it worked!  After two follow-up visits to the doc, he turned me loose, saying it was a pleasure to work with someone who actually did the right thing.  And second, a totally unexpected benefit has been my new shape.  I had long tried to lose some pounds, with no luck.  The combination of my new diet and the NordicTrack knocked off twenty pounds and tightened quite a few of this old girl's muscles (formerly known as dimpled flab).  Who knew?!?  

I have tossed almost all my old clothes and purchased new ones and it's actually been fun!  And it's helped me to keep motivated.    I have to confess, I'm still not a lover of exercise, but I force myself to the family room each morning and get on and go.  I tell Dan I feel like an alcoholic, but instead of a drink, I'm just one missed morning away from going back to my old ways.  I also confess to slipping a few chips into my mouth on occasion, but I guilt up pretty fast and swear off for at least a week or so.  

On the food front, one of my favorite new lunches is a huge salad.  In my old days, a salad was just a way to add croutons, olives, cheese, and yummy salad dressing. After reading labels, it turned out that wasn't such a good idea.  Right now my current fav is:  a huge bowl of spring mix greens, strawberries, blueberries, a little reduced fat feta cheese, sliced chicken breast (home cooked on my George Foreman), and sliced almonds.  I make my dressing using olive oil, balsamic vinegar and sugar.  It's yummy!

I have to say, getting the shingles was a blessing.  And outside of not knowing for a few days what I had, it wasn't awful like you hear on the ads on TV.  I have some residual scarring, more like polka dots, but I can't complain.  Dan says the scars are on muscle, not flab.  ♥

Oops! I Lied!

A day or so after I wrote my last post, I realized I had made a grievous error.  I said that no work was done on Labor Day at Bruder Bear's, but that's not true.  I didn't work, but the other three did!  

Karen's decorating guru is Candace Olson of TV and book fame, and she said Candace says every home needs a little bling.  Karen decided a chandelier in the entryway would be just the thing.  So she bought one and brought it home some time ago.  Of course, as with most things these days, the instructions were a little, well, incomprehensible.  John looked at them and was baffled, so the light was put away for the time being.  

Enter us and someone (Dan) to help figure the instructions out.  They read, they pondered, they spread things out.  They compared parts to the pictures.  It was slow going.  Finally, John decided to just start in.  

(Turns out those trusty Swiss Army knives are just the thing even when hanging chandeliers.  That's what Dan is handing John in the photo above.)

Meanwhile, Karen started sorting the crystals to be hung. There are many of them!

The project progresses!

And we have bling!

Oh wait!  I did document this momentous occasion, so maybe I did work?  Hmmm....♥

Home Again

It seems that for the past few years, August is our month to travel.  We're not very adventurous, often preferring to remain home after years of both of us working long hours away from home.  In fact, I distinctly remember sitting in my living room one morning four years (!!) ago when I first retired and thinking, "So this is what my house is like on a Tuesday morning in September!"  And I loved it!

But, I digress.  We had our wonderful trip to the coast a month ago, and we returned home for a week or so and then it was time to leave again.  Dan had a talk to give in McCall and we used it as a springboard to further adventures.  We had a leisurely drive to McCall and it was my first road adventure in our new truck. Let me just say that it goes!!  What fun to drive!  And the six-speed automatic transmission was amazing as we blasted up and down the grades between here and there.   So fun to kick it up and down the gears--Dan may be wondering if he's lost his truck to me!  

After a night at the hotel and Dan's talk in the morning, we headed for Boise where I requested a stop at Target for new sheets for our bed (I think it's a sign you need a new set when the thin spots are so thin that hole might be a better word...)  Following that, a little visit to the Quilt Crossing was in order, and yes, several purchases were made, but none were fabric.

We met special friends Michael and Suzanne for dinner and had such a great time!  Michael is the pastor who married both our kids and Suzanne is a dearly loved friend.  We chatted and shared as the time flew by. After three hours, we had to leave because our next spot was Bruder Bear's house, two and a half hours further down the road.  

Suffice it to say, we had another great time with John and Karen.  We did a little shopping in a neighboring town, drove to Sun Valley and on to Stanley on Sunday, and did no labor on Labor Day!  It was a lovely, restful visit and we loved every moment.  John was looking for a new pickup so some time was spent perusing the local dealers with no decisions made.  He did find just the perfect truck the next weekend, though, and is happily getting acquainted with his new Dodge diesel.  

Monday afternoon John, Dan and I spent a little time down at their dock.  You'll remember that Dan and John put in the framework for the adjoining deck two years ago.  It's a wonderful spot, right on the water, and the weather was perfect.  John snapped this picture of Dan and me.

We drove home Tuesday after Labor Day and had two days at home before we drove to Spokane to take part in Dan's high school's 50th reunion.  By the time we got home from that, we were ready to stay home. However, work beckoned both of us and I've worked two days this week and Dan is in Coeur d'Alene doing another tour. It's good to be busy, but it's also good to be home. Maybe next week.  ♥

UPDATE:  Just visited the tour FB site and snagged this photo of Dan doing his "thing" (the caption they had on the picture was "Dr. Dan's bus classroom").

Of Gardens and Zucchini

When we were young marrieds with two tiny children, we moved to the valley where summers are HOT. Dan put in a garden and we had a wonderful crop of corn, beans, squash (summer and winter), beets; you know, all the standards. And it was a good thing because we didn't have much money! The first year we froze everything but in those pre-microwave days, it was not always easy to thaw what was needed unless one thought ahead. I usually didn't. The next summer, we invested in a pressure canner and from then on, veggies were processed that way.

Zucchini was always a good producer and both Dan and I have always been fond of it as a vegetable. Steamed, breaded and fried, no matter--we love the stuff. The summer of 1975 my friend Roxy offered me a loaf of zucchini bread, which I had never eaten before. Yum! She copied the recipe for me and I've made many loaves over the years. Every summer when I get it out, I see her handwriting and I miss her--she and her family moved to Oklahoma twenty-five years ago and there they've stayed. I'm reminded that handwritten recipes are a double gift--the recipe and memories of the friend who wrote it.

Zucchini has a reputation. It has long been believed that just a plant or two will produce more zucchini than one family could eat in a year. Sadly, our plant production the last few years has forced me to repudiate that claim. Last year we got nary a one. This year we have grown a few, but not nearly enough to satisfy me. What gives?!? And I really needed them--our supply of zucchini relish gave out last winter, an unheard of disaster in our home since 1979 when our pastor's wife gave me the recipe. So, the few zucchini that managed to set were left to grow to giant size for their noble purpose: to be shredded, mixed with onions, peppers and spices, cooked, and canned. I am happy to report that twelve jars are now in my pantry; they should last us until next summer. I made two batches, six jars each, and used the extra shredded zucchini to make double batches of the bread. Yay! Here's a picture of the first batch.

The first years I made both the bread and the relish, I grated every cup by hand. Then along came my first food processor and I was thrilled! This year I used my new Cuisinart and I must say it made even shorter work of the shredding process. And so quiet!

Only the mess in the sink remained. It's such a blessing to have the right tools! ♥