Random Pictures

 

 I really don't have much to blog about today so I'll post some pictures from other years. I know I always like to see the pics that others post. So here goes....

 I look tired on this picture but I don't think I was. I just look that way :)
I'm wearing a festive apron that my sister made.

Here's the table all set with my Old Country Roses china and the Advent wreath on the table.
 

Daughter Sheila, grandson Callum and yours truly.

 Me again,  in a Christmas shop

Grandad and grandson M playing crokinole. I wonder how many are familiar with this game. Here's what the 'net says about it.

Crokinole is a Canadian board game that uses little wooden discs and a wooden target called a crokinole board. The objective of the game is to flick your discs into the center hole as much as possible. ( or to knock your opponents coloured discs off the board).

 Crokinole is often believed to be of Mennonite or Amish origins, but there is no factual data to support such a claim. The reason for this misconception may be due to its popularity in Mennonite and Amish groups.

We've had this game for many many years and amazingly we still have all 24 discs ( 12 beige and 12 black).

Thanks for visiting today and thank you for your comments. 

PS Winter Solstice occurs here tomorrow, Dec. 21 at 4:21 A.M.

Granny M

 

Learning a Lesson

 

 This picture has nothing to do with my post. I just took it from the internet because I didn't have a picture handy and it  is cute.

I had a busy morning doing some shopping. I didn't know that was what was going to happen. Normally Wednesdays are very much "my" day and I had some chores that I wanted to do. Unfortunately DH was not up to going to his volunteer job and got bored sitting around. So...we went shopping.  First store he used his credit card. Next store he went to sit in the truck ( by now he wasn't feeling great) so I found some items and when I went to take out my card it wasn't in my purse. I had to run out and get his. Came home and looked everywhere for that card and just about given up when DH went to look in the truck. Sure enough, it was lying on the floor. I have learned my lesson. Always put it back in the proper place! Recently I've had to use a cane for stability ( my foot!!) and juggling purse, card and cane is a problem. I'm very aware of how annoying it can be when the person at the cashier takes extra minutes to get organized but I'm afraid that's going to be me :(

I got the results back after the X-ray of my ankle and foot.  It showed that when I fell I fractured a bone called the fibula which forms the top of the ankle joint., It will take months to heal. Not the best news but at least now I know what is in store. 

Thanks for visiting

Laundry and a Full Moon

 Monday again and the beginning of what will probably be a busy week in many homes as we do those last minute tasks that we set for ourselves before Christmas arrives. When I think of what I did in years past, when my children were growing up, and what I do now, I feel so liberated. Years ago we cut down drastically on gift giving and also on cookie baking.  A few favourites are absolutely essential but not the many kinds I used to make.

Being Monday I'm doing laundry. Me and the automatic washing machine have our problems but laundry sure is easier than it was in my Mom's day.  Our wringer washer looked a lot like the one in the picture and in fact, the first apartment DH and I lived in had one in the basement for tenants to use. 

 More pictures of busy housewives doing laundry....

...and washing dishes.

Did you notice the full moon last night?  The December moon is called the Cold Moon.This particular one has the distinction of rising and setting at its most extreme northerly points on the horizon__the result of an 18.6 year cycle.

photo from the internet

That's it for today. I'm off to empty the dryer and fold laundry. Thanks for visiting.

Cookies and Little Houses

 Windy this morning but the forecast rain hasn't arrived. Yet.  We had a shorter walk this morning because Dear Husband was going out for breakfast with Youngest Son. It's DH's 82nd birthday. Hard to believe we're getting that old.  Although with me using a cane these days as my foot continues to cause problems I feel my age.  Gretchen Joanna noticed that in the last picture in my last post I was sitting under a sign that read PATIENCE.  I hadn't noticed ( the picture was taken at Kate's place) but no one who knows me would doubt that patience is something I don't have a lot of. 

DIL is making Christmas cookies and sent over some cute samples. (Do you recognize the Abominable Snowman from Rudolf?)

 

Several years ago Youngest Son took over the job of  forming the centers for Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls.  Now they all need dipping in chocolate. That's the next on the to-do- list. These no-bake cookies are a big favourite around here and there are multiple recipes on-line for them, all very similar.

 I mentioned to someone ( I can't remember who) that I'd post a picture of  my rows of lit-up houses in the sunroom. They stay up all year around.  ( My old camera collection takes up some of the lowest shelf).

 Are you busy making cookies these days?   Have your tree up & decorated?

Whatever you're busy doing thanks for taking the time to visit.

A Question and some Photos

 

 I came upon this interesting little piece and as I thought about it I realized that if I had to keep to this schedule I'd have absolutely no time to read or visit with anyone coming by. I'd be busy all day. I think it's ridiculous. Give me your opinion. I' wonder if anyone would think this is reasonable.

 So I saw the doctor for 5 minutes yesterday ( about my foot) , long enough for him to give me a requisition for X-ray and tell me to come back next week. So no news on that.

I don't have much to blog about so I'll post some pics I took around the house. Some may already have been posted.

That's me with Miss Kitty's baby, the only one of her 5 that had her markings. Kate took this kitten

 and he's twice the size by now. I believe this was taken last Christmas.

We're right in the middle of the week and I hope it's been a good one so far and will continue to be.
Thanks for visiting.

Monday Hodge Podge

 

 The term "hodgepodge" emerged from the Middle English phrase "hochepot," which meant a stew made of various ingredients. Over time, it transformed into "hodgepodge," embodying the notion of a jumble or mix of diverse elements.
I don't think I've ever used this term either in conversation or written so today is a first.

We've been doing jigsaw puzzles these past days/weeks. Here are a few of the ones we completed.

 

 Whenever we come back home from wherever we've been we usually find Miss Kitty patiently waiting for us sitting in front of the garage on one of the bins.

Recently I bought a cheesecake at the grocery store and was surprised by how good it was.   Maybe not as good as a homemade one but not bad at all.

 

I hope my hodgepodge today hasn't been too boring.  I'm off to tend to my laundry. Hopefully you're having a good day.  Thanks for taking time to visit.  

Busy Morning

 

 

I've had a busy morning. Baked, did a load of laundry, mopped a floor and took out more of my  Christmas books and magazines to browse through this afternoon. Oh , and I did something I always dread. I called the doctor's office to make an appointment.  I finally gave in because after 7 weeks my left  foot and ankle are still twice the size of my right one and painful.  I said I didn't care which doctor I saw( there are many in that one office) so I got an appointment for next Tuesday.  

 No picture of my poor elephants foot. Here are some more pleasant pics.

Thanks for visiting

 

 

Wish Book

 

 

Do you have fond memories of the annual Sear's Christmas catalog, otherwise known as the Wish Book?   In the days before Shopping Malls and department stores  children, especially rural ones, made their Christmas lists by seeing what was available and affordable.
Sears first published this catalog in 1933. The last one came out in 2011. If you've hung on to any of them there is apparently a demand for the old copies.
 

 After doing a bit of research ( google) I found out that Poinsettias do not come in blue. (See last post). Any that exist have been spray painted. How disappointing.

Rose wondered what I put into my Green Bean soup. Besides the obvious beans I added onion & carrots as well as a liter of beef broth and Summer Savory. It's not really a recipe as such but like almost any soup it can take any vegetables added.  My Mom would have added potatoes and sometimes I do but this time I didn't.

Not much else to write today. Thank you for coming by 

Poinsettias

 My girls picked me up this morning to go browsing in pretty shops.  At first I thought I'd only be able to go to one but later I changed my mind and we went on to a second one. It was well worth getting tired.
Poinsettias come in new colours this year. There was even a blue one. I suppose if you were decorating in blue you'd choose that one.

 

 

Here's a picture from 17 years ago today.  It was early for us to have such a heavy layer of snow but here I am pulling 3 year old C on the old sled.
 

 Supper today will be green bean soup using beans that I froze last summer. As the soup simmers the house smells like Summer Savory . Along with the soup we'll have cheese bread. What's cooking in your kitchen?

Thanks for visiting

Eggnog and Advent

 

 

 

When we were out walking this morning we fell to wondering about eggnog and where it all began Of course google has the answers......

Eggnog originated in medieval Britain as a drink called posset, which was made by curdling hot milk with wine or beer and adding spices:

 

 While no one knows who invented eggnog, most historians and foodies generally agree eggnog originated in medieval Britain. The upper classes were the only ones to have access to the milk, sherry, and eggs required to make the first version of eggnog, so it began as an exclusive beverage

I'm not much of an eggnog fan but I think almost everyone else in the family is.  Maybe eggnog is like fruit cake, you either love it or not. Not many are lukewarm.

Our tree is up and today the nativity sets go up.  Happy December and a Blessed Advent to each one.

Thanks for visiting today

Good-Bye November

 We had a nice walk at Willband this morning.  At one point literally hundreds of Canada Geese took off from the lake and flew overhead. What an experience! We saw about 20 swans as well.

Sheila had a lovely birthday tea here with  Eldest and Youngest joining us.  .
She's on holidays and her partner took the day off so they could celebrate. In the evening they went somewhere ( I forget where) and she posted these pictures. They go to the most interesting places which we could also except that we don't like driving at night any more. Since "night" begins around 4 PM that limits us.

 

 

Today is our 61st anniversary and tomorrow the family will come to help us celebrate.  I'm baking a couple of cakes and I actually bought a cheesecake when we did our shopping. Usually I make one but I thought we'd try a bought one. I'll let you know how we liked it.

I needed a box of Jello instant pudding for a certain recipe. I don't usually buy such,  preferring to make a homemade cooked pudding but the recipe called for it..... I was horrified to read the list of ingredients. 
INGREDIENTS:  sugar, modified corn starch,cocoa, disodium phosphates, tetrasodium phosphate, artificial and natural flavors, corn starch, salt, modified palm oil, modified  vegetable oil,  tanium doxide, mono- and diglycerides, ,allura red, tartazine, brilliant blue FCF.
Needless to say that I won't be buying this product again.

So we say Good-bye to November and move right into December and Advent. Have a lovely Sunday.

Thanks for visiting

Mom's old Singer Sewing machine