Merry Christmas!

 I'm taking a break, there's just too much going on.

If this is Tuesday, it must be England #145

  

A 20-foot Norwegian spruce is located in St. George's Hall in Windsor Castle.  Read all about it here -  the stunning decorations, how long it took to decorate, and the exciting exhibition celebrating pantomime costumes worn by the royal sisters.  Oh, to be in England at the holidays!

Around Here

    

The weather:::

It has been raining steadily for the last week with a few breaks here and there.  I was glad that the rain held off for my drive up to Sophia's on Wednesday but it poured almost all the way home on Saturday.  I am glad to be tucked up inside the house now.  Definitely will be taking the bus from the Park & Ride this week so I don't have to walk down the street, and back up again after work, in the rain.

On my reading pile:::.

I finished Jackie and Maria by Gill Paul and picked up another one of her books, Another Woman's Husband, which I am working through now.

On my TV:::

Watched one of the Hallmark Countdown to Christmas 2021 premieres and DVR'd the others so I'll catch up during the week.  Got up early on Black Friday to watch the final of The Great British Baking Show.

Checked off the list:::

I was away from the blog last week due to a pinky finger issue that resulted in an up to the elbow splint!  I went to Urgent Care with pain and swelling in my finger and I couldn't bend it at all.  Four hours later, the diagnosis was a probable flexor tendon sheath infection and I went home with antibiotics and the splint.  I developed a whole new sympathy for those who have only one arm or hand, the list of things that it was impossible to do is endless.  I was off Thursday and Friday for Thanksgiving and ended up taking Monday through Wednesday off as well since I couldn't get onto the bus one-handed and my productivity at work would have been severely limited.  Thank goodness the splint came off Wednesday and I was able to drive up to Sophia's with both hands on the wheel.

Crafts Roundup:::

I took Friday the 19th off to participate in a weekend crop but the above put a stop to that.  I ended up just listening in and taking notes.  Thank goodness it was my left arm in the splint (I'm right-handed).  I just received an order from Creative Memories so I was able to add the pieces I was missing and call the 2012 Family Album completed.  On to 2013!

And in other news:::

Sophia and I had a lovely Thanksgiving and Black Friday together.  I got up to her apartment on Wednesday evening but she was at cow-sorting, a western-style equestrian activity that involves moving cows from one pen to another in order (they have number tags on their backs) at the local fairgrounds.  Spectra and I hung out until she got home.  On Thanksgiving Day, we woke up to a puddle of water in the bathroom which was quickly resolved by the maintenance man (pipe upstairs was loose and water had leaked through the exhaust fan).  Crisis averted.  I hate to think what would have happened if Sophia had been at our house, she could have returned to much wetter floors.  We put a turkey breast in the CrockPot and headed to the barn to take care of Bucky (he's on partial care so she has to clean his stall every day - the other two are on full care so someone else takes care of their stalls).  We came home and put up her tree and decorated and after this photo, I completely forgot to take any more!

It's a super skinny tree but looks great when it's fluffed and all the ornaments are on it.  We ate dinner, watched a Christmas movie, made a plan for Friday, and just relaxed.

We got a slow start on Friday morning (not at all like those 5:00am Black Fridays of the past) and meandered to Bath & Body Works, Verizon, Target, Hobby Lobby, and Home Goods.  It was a beautiful day (but windy hence my hair all askew).  Santa wasn't at the mall yet so Sophia posed at his front door!

Sophia asked for a new phone for Christmas so we got an iPhone 13 with a great trade-in on her old phone and took advantage of the amazing Black Friday deal on an Apple Watch ($50 instead of $329.99).  Interesting that the new phones don't come with a charger, you have to buy that separately since they are a different connection from the ones we have for the iPhones 8 and 10.  The new phones come with the cord, but not the charger.

After shopping, it was off to Tractor Supply to pick up feed and then to the barn to take care of Bucky.  Home for leftover turkey and fixings and then it was time to pack as I was leaving in the morning.  Sophia had a full day of schooling (she's working with a horse whose owner doesn't have time to ride him right now) and lessons.  As I mentioned earlier, it poured all the way home.

Time to head back to work tomorrow.  I'm cringing when I think of the amount of e-mail that will be in my Inbox but I'm sure it will make next week fly by.  26 days until Vic is home for Christmas!

Happy Thanksgiving

Wednesday Hodgepodge - Volume 442

 

It's time for the Hodgepodge.  Click here to join in.

1. It's often said we should be grateful for small blessings.  What is one small blessing you are feeling especially grateful for today?

I'm grateful for a programmable thermostat.  It's really chilly outside and when I come home, it's warm and toasty and so welcoming in the house.

2. How do you feel about leftovers, not just on Thanksgiving but after any meal? Favorite thing to make/eat using your Thanksgiving leftovers? 

We eat leftovers all the time!  Some of our friends won't touch them, can you imagine?  When things are normal (ie. we have a kitchen and Vic and I are both under the same roof), leftovers usually make lunch for the next day.  Since I've been on my own, it's often leftovers for several days if I've cooked a big pot of something.  My favorite thing to make with Thanksgiving leftovers is a turkey, cranberry, and stuffing panini.  It's delicious!

3. Sherwin Williams unveiled it's 2022 Color of the Year-Evergreen Fog. Are you a fan? Would I find this mid-tone gray green shade anywhere in your house? Does your house need painting? Inside or out? What one space is most in need of a paint job? Are you a do-it-yourselfer or do you hire a professional? 

Evergreen Fog is a pleasant color but a touch too dark for my taste.  It's more grey than green but I think I would prefer it a few shades lighter.  Yes, our house needs painting inside.  We have the worst orange peel texture on the walls, how I wish we had had time to remove it all before we moved in but we didn't so we're attacking one room at a time.  Morning room is done, kitchen/dining room will be next, then the guest bath, and on to the bedrooms.  Living room will be last since it's the biggest job.  Vic considers himself a do-it-yourselfer but I would prefer to hire a professional.  One and done, as they say.

4. What is one aspect of the way you were parented that you are grateful for today? 

My parents loved unconditionally and they stood by my sister and I through thick and thin.  We made our share of teenage and young adult stupid decisions but they were always there when we found our way back to reality.

5. Write an acrostic for the word-thankful

There isn't a day that goes by that I don't remember 

How much my parents loved me.

Always encouraging, always caring,

Never judgmental, never a harsh word.

Knowing that they were always there

For a quick chat or a long conversation.

Unconditional love, their example

Led me to the same relationship with my daughter.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

My co-workers are decorating their office for Christmas!  It is killing me not to be decorating but if you've been following my story, you know my kitchen/dining room is an empty space and everything that was in there is now in the living room.  Have you ever had a Christmas without decorations because of a move or a life change or some other reason?  I just keep telling myself that this too shall pass and next year will be bigger and better than ever and in the meantime, I'm living vicariously through all of the decorated homes in the Hallmark movies that are my seasonal addiction.

Hallmark Holiday Home Decoration Reveal

If this is Tuesday, it must be England #144

 

Sunday saw the annual National Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph in London.  The Duchesses of Cornwall and Cambridge and the Countess of Wessex are shown here on the balcony of the Foreign Office.

Princes Charles, William, and Edward are shown here getting ready to lay their wreaths.

More than 700 Armed Forces personnel and over 10,000 veterans took part in today's service.  My favorite Royal fashion blog, What Kate Wore, has extensive coverage, many photos of the day, a few of which I have copied here.  I encourage you to pop over to the post and take a look.

Two of the photos that really spoke to my heart are these, the Chelsea Pensioners...

and veterans of more recent conflicts.

Sadly, the Queen was not able to be present, suffering from a sprained back.  To echo the sentiment of a commenter on the What Kate Wore post "I admit I am quite worried about the Queen".

Around Here

   

The weather:::

It has rained ALL weekend.  I love to fall asleep or wake up to the sound of the rain but I'm not so crazy about being out in it.  I ran to Costco in what I thought was a break in the rain but ended up getting soaked running back to my car!

On my reading pile:::.

Jackie and Maria by Gill Paul, such a great read.

On my TV:::

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday's premieres on Countdown to Christmas 2021 on Hallmark and The Great British Baking Show on Netflix.

Checked off the list:::

I met with our kitchen designer and paid for the cabinets, countertops, and the installation.  Delivery time on the cabinets is 20 to 22 weeks but that's no surprise.  At least our order is finally in.

Crafts Roundup:::

I need one laser border embellishment strip to complete the 2012 Family Album, yay!  I think I'm going to take a short break from family and work on Sophia's freshman year album.

And in other news:::

Busy week at work last week and I'm sure it's more of the same this week.  I am taking Friday off for a three day scrapbook event (12:30 to 5:30pm each day).  The big craft fair that was scheduled for November 19-20-21 has been cancelled for the second year.  So disappointing.

Here's a few from this week's camera roll.

@the_elf ready to take on Instagram

The Advent calendar for the person in your life who prefers savory over sweet

Amazing Happy Mail from my scrapbook friend who hosted our retreat last weekend - the paper pack underneath all those goodies was my raffle prize but she put in all the extras.  I love the Wonder Woman case, it holds the tape runner boxes perfectly.

Love this Papyrus card but it's a bit steep at $8.50.  I think I might try to recreate it.

Friday Favorite

 

This has my name written all over it - Chuck's Luxury Advent Calendar from Williams Sonoma - it's a good thing my kitchen is non-existent at the moment or I'd be snapping one up to take advantage of all the gourmet treats.  It even has a tiny chicken jug ornament!

Sadly, it's showing as No Longer Available.  Can it be sold out already??  No, you guessed it, it's on back order due to the inevitable shipping delays so they stopped taking orders.  There is a remote possibility that more will become available but I wouldn't hold your breath.  I'm marking my calendar for next year...start checking the Williams Sonoma site in September!

UPDATE:  Looks like it's available again!!

Veterans Day

My heroes.

My Dad, Herb, Norway, 1963

How I wish I had asked him more about his time in the military.  I have some of his memories typed up that I need to retrieve from a floppy disk.  I remember one vividly - I know he was in the Philippines in the late 1940s and he told me that he and a group of other soldiers were waiting in San Francisco for the ship that would take them there.  They were sitting around in the barracks, endlessly waiting day after day, when there came a call for volunteers for a special assignment.  They were to don their dress uniforms and assemble outside a large warehouse-type building.  When the doors were opened, they couldn't believe the site, row upon row of flag-draped caskets.  These were the remains of service members killed at the end of World War II and they were to give them a military escort to the train station from where the caskets would be loaded on to a train and forwarded to their hometowns for burial.  I don't suppose that in those days, families would have the means to travel to claim their loved one, they would have to wait at a train station for their casket to arrive.

My husband, Vic, MSC, USN

If they made a movie about our life together, Vic would have said, "Marry me, and I'll show you more adventures than you can imagine."  As my friend Lee-Ann would say "Word!"

Remembrance Day

I was surprised by the number of people who asked "What is that?" as they pointed to my poppy brooch.  I'm so used to watching BBC news and British programming and seeing poppies abound during the month of November.  In the UK, the Poppy Appeal is the Royal British Legion's biggest fundraising campaign held every year in November, during the period of Remembrance.  Countless public figures and ordinary citizens wear a poppy - I remember Sophia riding in a horse show in the collegiate zone that included British Columbia and the Canadian riders were wearing poppies on their riding jackets during a show in November.

Was there no Poppy Appeal in the United States?  A little research led me to the American Legion's website and this:

On September 27,1920, the poppy became the official flower of The American Legion family to memorialize the soldiers who fought and died during the war.  In 1924, the distribution of poppies became a national program of The American Legion.

The American Legion brought National Poppy Day to the United States by asking Congress to designate the Friday before Memorial Day as National Poppy Day.

So whether you wear a poppy in November or in May, on the left or on the right (it's a matter of personal choice), you're wearing it to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice, in whatever conflict.  I found out recently that my grandmother's fiancé was killed in World War I.  He died on the last day of the Battle of the Somme and his name is inscribed, along with 72,336 others who died in the battle and have no known grave, on the Thiepval Memorial near the village of Thiepval, Picardy, France.  One day, I will lay a poppy there in his honor.

The Poppy Appeal

National Poppy Day

Wednesday Hodgepodge - Volume 441

    

It's time for the Hodgepodge.  Click here to join in.

1. How did you name your blog and do you now wish you had thought about it maybe another five minutes before hitting publish? Would you change your blog title if it were not a huge pain in the derriere? 

The Lady of the House Speaking is the way one of my favorite actresses, Patricia Routledge, answers the telephone in her role as Hyacinth Bucket (that's Bouquet!) in the British comedy Keeping Up Appearances.  Watch the short video below or just fast forward to 0:25.  She's my alter ego so no, I wouldn't change the name.

2. What bill do you least like to pay?

I guess car insurance.  Cars should come with it!

3. What is your favorite word? Okay okay, calm down. How about one of your favorite words?

Lashings as in lashings of ginger beer (from a favorite childhood story), lashings of whipped cream, and at this time of the year, lashings of good cheer. 

4. Is the glass half full or half empty? Elaborate. 

Half full.  Who wants to walk around moaning "Woe is me" and being a downer.  Make the best of your situation.  We've moved many times, away from family and friends, to unfamiliar locations, making a new start after just settling in to the last place.  I could look at it negatively but I choose to use each move to explore a new area, meet new people, have new adventures.  It's given me a lot of great memories.

5. Were you here for that very first Hodgepodge post? If so, were your answers then similar to what they are today? Tell us what was happening in your life in November of 2010?

No, my first Hodgepodge was #217 on 15 April 2015.  In November of 2010, we were living in Rhode Island where Vic was an instructor at the Surface Warfare Officers School in Newport, Sophia was a sophomore in high school, and I was the household diva and chauffeur to her many extra-curricular activities - 4-H, horse riding lessons, high school equestrian team, choir, youth group, and drama team.  We were seriously thinking about living happily ever after in our home there.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

November was always a month for a thankful and grateful challenge on my blog.  I've done many over the years but didn't even think about one this year.  I guess it's because I'm in a thankful and grateful scrapbook group this year.  As an Army brat and now a Navy wife, I'm particularly thankful for our military, for the sacrifices our active duty service members and their families make in service to our country.  I'll leave you with this:

"Veterans Day does not include an apostrophe but does include an 's' at the end of 'veterans' because it is not a day that belongs to veterans, it is a day for honoring all veterans." - U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

If this is Tuesday, it must be England #143

 

Happy 18th Birthday (yesterday) to Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor, daughter of the Earl and Countess of Wessex and Her Majesty the Queen's seventh grandchild.

A quiet girl who stays out of the media spotlight, she is perhaps best known for sharing the love of carriage driving with her grandfather, the late Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

Around Here

  

The weather:::

Rain, rain,and more rain.

On my reading pile:::.

The Collector's Daughter by Gill Paul was excellent, really enjoyed it.  I'm waiting for a couple of books to come in at the library so I shopped my bookshelves and picked up one of Debbie Macomber's Cedar Cove books to tide me over.

On my TV:::

Catching up on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday's premieres on Countdown to Christmas 2021 on Hallmark which I DVR'd because of the retreat this weekend.

Checked off the list:::

Cabinet installation quote is in and I have an appointment next weekend for the final consultation with our kitchen designer.

Crafts Roundup:::

The virtual scrapbook retreat Thursday evening, Friday evening, and all day Saturday was so much fun.  We played games, swapped ideas, chatted about everything and nothing, and got a whole lot of scrapbooking done.  I'm up to December 23rd in the 2012 Family Album.  Just a few more pages to go.

And in other news:::

Busy week at work last week and no doubt this week will be the same.  It certainly makes 4:00pm show up quickly!  Thursday is a holiday so it will be a three-day week, a day off, and then a slow day on Friday because a lot of people will turn it into a day off to make a four-day weekend.

Nothing on the camera roll this week so I'll leave you with this.

Friday Favorite

Nothing says Christmas is coming like last week's Hallmark Countdown to Christmas round-up of holiday premieres and yesterday's release of Starbucks' Holiday Drinks.

Caramel Brulee Latte, Toasted White Chocolate Mocha, and Chestnut Praline Latte plus this year's new addition, Sugar Cookie Almondmilk Latte.  Do you have a favorite?

Wednesday Hodgepodge - Volume 440

   

It's time for the Hodgepodge.  Click here to join in.

1. Three things you're grateful for this first week of November?

My family, that we're all healthy, that we're gainfully employed and have a little extra to save and give. 

   

2. Is Daylight Savings Time a thing where you live? Do you think we should continue setting the clocks forward and back? Why or why not? If you could add an extra hour to your day would you want it added morning-noon-night? Do you think it likely you'd be more productive or more likely that you'd just waste more time?

It's a thing here in Washington although they keep saying it's not going to be at some point but I'm not sure when that will be.  It doesn't really bother me, I'm just as productive whether it's light or dark.  It's one of those things I don't really think about although an extra hour in the morning would be nice.  That 4:00am wake up call is so tough!

3. Who is  your favorite author? Your favorite book by your favorite author?

Right now I'm really enjoying Kate Quinn and Jennifer Robson.  The Rose Code by Kate Quinn was an excellent read and Jennifer Robson's The Great War series ranks right up there as an all-time favorite. 

4. It's National Sandwich Day...will you celebrate? How often do you eat a sandwich? What's your favorite? 

I didn't know it was National Sandwich Day so I just may swing through Starbucks and pick up one of their turkey and pesto paninis, they are really tasty.  I love sandwiches, everything from tiny afternoon tea delicacies to a foot-long sub.  Some of my favorites are ham and piccalilli (a spicy mustard pickle spread), tuna salad with lots of chopped celery, onions, and cornichons, and the olive nut spread that I make to be served with crackers that turned out to be a great sandwich spread.  Do you like afternoon tea?  Do you prefer fingers or quarters?

5. Have you started your Christmas shopping? If so when did you start? If not when will you start? Do you give more or fewer gifts than you did five years ago?

We're not giving big or many gifts this year - Sophia wants money for her horse business and Vic and I have decided to put our Christmas money into the kitchen fund.  I have a few things that I picked up during the year - planners for Sophia and me from Erin Condren's launch (I think it was sometime in the summer), some items (that I can't list here in case Sophia's reading my blog!) to put into a gift basket, and the inevitable Christmas pajamas.  We'll have our annual Target and Barnes and Noble shopping trips where we pick up stocking stuffers for each other and something to read on Christmas Day but that's about it.  I did buy two fun games for us to play.  I probably give less each year although the total spent stays about the same - the gifts get more expensive, more cash is given - so it seems like less in quantity.  The nephews get cash - we're so far away from them, I wouldn't have a clue what they would like.  I buy some sweet treats for my co-workers and this year, they are all getting joke books as telling jokes has become the opener for our weekly division managers meeting.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Trying to decide what to do for Christmas cards this year.  I've trimmed the list down to close friends who send cards every year and family but the list of cards we receive gets smaller and smaller.  I fear it's going the way of cursive writing, thank you notes, and RSVPs.  It seems social media has taken over and that's such a shame.  Do you send cards?

Prime Purchases - November 2021

It's time for Prime Purchases, a look back at what we bought on Amazon, or elsewhere, last month.  Pop on over to The Other Side of the Road and read all about it.

It was time for my Subscribe and Save delivery of K-cups - Amazon's price with the discount makes it just a fraction cheaper than buying at Bed Bath & Beyond with a coupon and I save money on gas too.  So convenient.

These two books are AMAZING!  If you're into all things charcuterie, you need these in your home library.  Click on the photos to check them out.

And on the subject of books, someone in one of my scrapbook groups mentioned this 2002 gem and I snapped up what must be one of the last copies on Amazon at a reasonable price.

My splurge last month was the Epson PictureMate PM-400 photo printer.  It was so easy to set up and the picture quality is excellent.  No more ordering from the local pharmacy or a mail-order photo company only to have my photos arrive too dark, too light, or with people's heads cut off!

And it wouldn't be a month at Amazon without something for one of the horses.  I have no idea what this is, some sort of supplement Sophia said she wanted to try, and I told her to pop it in the cart and I'd have it sent to her.