Life Last Week (3-9 November 2025)

Over the river and through the wood, to Grandfather's house we go - do you remember singing that in the run up to Thanksgiving?

The weather for the week ahead:::

Some sun, some clouds, more rain.

On my reading pile:::

 No change on the reading front - The Venetian Daughter by Ella Carey on my Kindle and I'm about halfway through The Last Light over Oslo by Alix Rickloff from the library.

On my TV:::

I hit a spoiler for The Great British Baking Show's finale last Friday but it wasn't really a surprise as she's been brilliant all season - congratulations, Jasmine!

This week's Hallmark offerings:

This one made me want to move right back to Newport, Rhode Island.

Checked off the list:::

• More physical therapy for Vic.
• Honor Roll Senior Luncheon at church.  Delicious lunch, fellowship, and a great testimony from two of our members.
• Completed our Electronic Travel Authorizations for the UK - there's an app for everything.
• Ladies Night at Ace Hardware was a bit of a fail because it was Ladies ONLY night.  I didn't realize that no men were allowed in the store between 5:30pm and 7:30pm.  I had hoped that Vic and I could browse for ideas.  I ended up running in and checking the price of one item and then leaving as Vic was waiting for me outside.
• Holiday Gala at the Mercantile downtown was enjoyable.  Lots of great gift ideas and decorations.
• Made boarding reservations for Malone while we are gone.
• Went to the movies for the first time in a while.  Nuremberg was excellent and there was a preview of The Choral, coming this holiday season.

Crafts roundup:::

I finally received my December Daily package so Jodie and I had an unboxing on Friday and a long chat about what we will do with all the supplies.  The Product Play Side by Side class kicked off with lessons three times a week that take one of the elements from the December Daily collection and demonstrate a technique with the physical product and another with the (same) digital product.  Lots of great ideas. 

And in other news:::

Week Ten is Garage Week.

Work gloves ready? It's time to tackle garage storage areas, this week.  

The waning days of autumn are a good time to rout out household storage areas, so we're ready to access extra tables, chairs and seasonal decorations. Cooler--but not yet cold--weather eases the job, and we'll feel good knowing that storage areas are clean and prepared for winter cold.

In holiday prep, we look ahead to the Thanksgiving meal and see to the family's holiday clothing.

I'll leave the links up here if you're interested.

Holiday Grand Planners - Get Organized Community | Facebook 

Organized Christmas? Try a Holiday Plan | Organized Home

Is the Government Shutdown over?  It looks close, fingers crossed!!

Remembrance Sunday 2025

Today is Remembrance Sunday. It's a national day of reflection held on the Sunday closest to 11th November, which was the day World War I ended.

At 11am, the country will fall silent for two minutes. In that time, we pause to remember the service and sacrifice of our Armed Forces, veterans, and their families, from Britain and across the Commonwealth.

We also remember the civilians who have been lost or affected by conflict, both in the past and in the present day.

It's a day to be grateful, and to reflect. We will remember them.

Lest we forget.

Friday Favorites - November 7, 2025

  

It's Pre-cember, the time of year before December when holiday events are held and attended and documented for December memory-keeping.

November 5 - Ladies Night at Ace Hardware - time to get some ideas for Christmas gifts

November 6 (morning) - Starbucks Holiday Cups release and all the green and red goodies for the Starbucks fan in your life

November 6 (evening) - Holiday Gala at the Mercantile downtown - so many cute gift ideas

Teenage memories - The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew and Vic put this engine order telegraph on his wish list

Mary Lake Thompson tea towels and ppd cocktail napkins - memories of working at the gift shop in Virginia as we always had a great selection of both

Vic and his lantern and such gorgeous vintage wrapping paper

Blackberry Habanero Pepper Jelly - over cream cheese, this would be delicious

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Wednesday Hodgepodge - Volume 627

 Welcome to the Wednesday Hodgepodge!  Here are this week's questions, which you should answer on your own blog and then pop over to Joyce's blog (click on the graphic for the link) Wednesday to add your link to the party.

 

1. Besides Thanksgiving, something on your November calendar you're looking forward to? 

Because we're traveling in December, my annual Christmas Afternoon Tea and Ornament Exchange will be held in November as an Autumn Afternoon Tea.  Looking forward to welcoming my Lunch Bunch group for a fun tea.  Here's the table setting from last year's event.  This year's table will be autumn themed.

2. Dictionary.com's word of the year is '6-7'. Huh? 

Is it even a word??? I had to consult the internet to find out it's meaning because apparently I'm old and this particular slang is not part of my vocabulary. Is it part of yours? According to the article I read, it's a viral term, more of an inside joke with an unclear meaning driven by social media.

What do you think? 

Dictionary. com says it's selection each year is a 'linguistic time capsule reflecting social trends and events, but they also admitted to being confused by '6-7'. Some say it means so-so and is sometimes accompanied by the up and down hand motion we associate with the phrase so-so.

What word do you think would have made a better choice? 

Huh? is right.  Never heard of this, can't make sense of it at all.  I Googled other possibilities for 2025's word and laughed when I saw "kiss cam".  "Overtourism" seemed to be in the news a lot this year as locations consider limiting the number of tourists.

3. What's a food, trend, activity, or thing people love but you think is just so-so?

Less than just so-so, the fad known as mukbang where quantities of food (often vast) are consumed in front of a camera makes me shake my head.  I don't see the appeal at all. 

4. Are you a tea drinker? Hot or cold? How do you like yours and at what time of day? Do you like flavored teas or teas billed as calming, energizing, healing, etc?

I grew up in England, so I am definitely a tea drinker.  Hot please, any time of day.  None of that flavored, calming, energizing, healing faff, just a plain cup of Yorkshire Gold with milk, in a cup and saucer with a plain biscuit on the side.

5. The November Hodgepodge has always included a weekly gratitude question. Here's the question for today-what are three things that make your heart sing? 

My family, my friends, my cozy home.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Time to shop for our furry friends.  Trader Joe's has their Advent calendars available.  Grab one now, they sell out quickly.

If this is Tuesday, it must be England #197

We interrupt our London holiday shopping series to congratulate David Beckham on his elevation to the peerage.  Sir David Beckham was knighted by King Charles III during a ceremony at Windsor Castle today, honoured for his services to sport and charity.

Sir David and Lady Beckham pose for a photograph after the investiture

Life Last Week (October 27-2 November 2025)

Here we go, one more month until all the jingle bells and twinkle lights!

The weather for the week ahead:::

Just a whole lot of rain ahead for us - the gardener didn't come last Saturday because it was raining.  Said he would reschedule for Monday but now that looks rainy too.  I'll just wait until he texts with a new day.  Meanwhile, the garden looks fabulous, so lush and green.

On my reading pile:::

 No change on the reading front - The Venetian Daughter by Ella Carey on my Kindle and I'm about halfway through The Last Light over Oslo by Alix Rickloff from the library.

On my TV:::

The Great British Baking Show finale coming up on Friday.  We're in full Christmas mode here from Netflix, Hallmark, and Amazon.

Both on Netflix

Both from Hallmark's Countdown to Christmas

Amazon

Checked off the list:::

• Vic had his first physical therapy appointment - the VA didn't have availability, so they outsourced him to a local provider which is so much more convenient.  He's got creaky ankles and knees so hopefully they can help him get some relief.
• I did a lot of busywork errands - mailed overseas Christmas cards to my Christmas group friends who live in Canada and Australia, picked up Malone's flea/tick/heartworm meds at the vet, Costco gas and groceries, and started to go through boxes of ornaments to declutter ones that are filler and not really meaningful.  I just have TOO many and have decided that less is more.
  
• Attended the first craft fair of the season and came away empty-handed.  It was nice to browse but nothing really grabbed me.  We posed for our traditional photo op with the inflatables.

• We put up the tree - decorating to take up a lot of my time this coming week.

• I bought a tree collar as it seems much easier to vacuum around than a fabric tree skirt.  Malone's hair gets everywhere.  This shot is before we added the collar.  If you're considering buying a collar, make sure you measure whatever stand you are using for your tree.  Ours is a revolving stand and the legs are quite long.  Most collars were 24 inches, but we needed the larger 28-inch model.

Crafts roundup:::

Saturday was supposed to be the December Daily Prep Day - a full day of workshops - but since there were shipping delays and many people have not received their supplies yet, there was only one workshop today - planning - and the rest will take place on November 23.  I worked on a planning calendar - it's a guideline for my layouts for the month.  At the end of the project, I'll print out a clean copy and put it in my album.

I have seven blank days and 12 items to choose from - it's always a juggle each year as to what gets done and what doesn't!

And in other news:::

Week Ten is Family Room Week.

The family room is the heart of the home, and never more so than during the holiday season. We'll clean and organize this central area of family life as we begin to think ahead to holiday visitors.

In holiday prep, we'll celebrate Halloween, then recycle autumn decorations to look forward to Thanksgiving. Keep working on those gifts!

I'll leave the links up here if you're interested.

Holiday Grand Planners - Get Organized Community | Facebook 

Organized Christmas? Try a Holiday Plan | Organized Home

It's Day Thirty-Four of the government shutdown, I have no words at this point.

On a lighter note, how cute are these two?