Christmas 2016
It is just me and The Man today. Portent of things to come, I guess. We are binge watching NCIS as I scroll through all of my Facebook friends' Christmas posts and photographs. I wonder why we did not take more pictures of our Christmas celebration?
The only picture I have of our food is this "thing" Laura found inside of a pepper she cut for her vegetable platter. Kinda' looks like a bull's head doesn't it?
More than once this year, I had to get Don to lift a heavy pan or pot from the oven or stove. I've become a weakling in my old age.
I also let the potatoes boil dry and nearly scorched my pan twice. Now that is something not many can say they accomplished.
Dinner was ready to eat just as everyone arrived. We had plenty to eat without much waste. I wrestled an hour with that fatty ol' shank ham before I got the bone out to season my New Year's Eve black eyed peas.
Although I don't think any of us spent much on gifts, they were all given with careful thought and much love.
My daughter in law has such a knack for choosing special items for each one of us and then wrapping them in such a pretty manner.
My single-mother daughter sometimes struggles financially yet sacrifices so her children have the things that are important to today's kids.
My widowed sister doesn't have a lot of extra money either but has a talent for handmade crafts. Just look at the lovely pillow slips she made for me.
They are made of polka dotted 100% cotton fabric with French seams and trimmed with a lovely aqua birds and flowers print. She said the birds remind her of her late husband.
We still miss him coming to visit for Saturday coffee and a bit of bird watching from our back porch.
Christmas Day at our house this year was so relaxed and we laughed so much. I don't remember what we found so funny but bless his heart, some was at Blake's expense.
He is a handsome fourteen year old who we tease mercilessly about the young ladies. His response to why he doesn't hang out talking to the girls in the school hallway is that he only has so much time to get to his next class. It was funny yesterday but I guess you had to be there.
I waited too late to buy gift tags and although Greg usually passes gifts out on Christmas Day, I had to help this year. I got a wee bit confused and kept handing them out and grabbing them back before I figured out where they actually belonged.
In the midst of the action, Don went outside and brought in the black tulle skirted dress form I have had my eye on for years. I had bought a gold one a couple of months ago but every time I go in to Hobby Lobby, I look for the black one. I didn't even know Don had heard me say anything about it. Both Laura and Rachel deny giving him hints.
He said it was a little embarrassing carrying her out of Hobby Lobby and the kids said it looked funny laying in the back seat of his car. I don't know if it was covered up like a corpse or just out in the open for the world to see.
I cried when I saw it. I will add her to our bedroom with my mermaid painting, shimmering vintage mermaid dress, and huge framed photograph of Rita Hayworth.
Granny June was able to come down to eat but she is so frail she needs assistance with everything. She eats very little, and doesn't even want the coffee she used to drink during every waking minute.
She can't give and take like normal conversation requires and even asked to go "home". I think she tends to sleep most of the day. Remembering the proud, independent, and beautiful woman she was, we did not take pictures of the shell she has become.
Elizabeth, Konstance, Blake, and Sierra played board games after dinner and gift giving. It was so pleasant listening to them laugh.
Frequent breaks were taken for little snacks. Sierra loved the seasoned crackers Laura made and I sent the last of the pinto beans home with her. The only reason I made a pumpkin pie this year is because Konstance loves it. I hope she isn't just eating them to be polite.
I was told Grandpa was always given the chicken gizzard when they fried a chicken until he finally confessed he didn't really like gizzards.
Our soon to be EMT got to eat and open gifts but then had to dress for work in the ER. I heard her come in sometime after 3 AM. A twelve hour shift.
God bless the hospital and emergency personnel, police officers, firefighters, and and our military men and women who serve regardless of the day or holiday.
And God's blessings on all of my friends I rarely see but love to hear from.
The only picture I have of our food is this "thing" Laura found inside of a pepper she cut for her vegetable platter. Kinda' looks like a bull's head doesn't it?
More than once this year, I had to get Don to lift a heavy pan or pot from the oven or stove. I've become a weakling in my old age.
I also let the potatoes boil dry and nearly scorched my pan twice. Now that is something not many can say they accomplished.
Dinner was ready to eat just as everyone arrived. We had plenty to eat without much waste. I wrestled an hour with that fatty ol' shank ham before I got the bone out to season my New Year's Eve black eyed peas.
Although I don't think any of us spent much on gifts, they were all given with careful thought and much love.
My daughter in law has such a knack for choosing special items for each one of us and then wrapping them in such a pretty manner.
My single-mother daughter sometimes struggles financially yet sacrifices so her children have the things that are important to today's kids.
My widowed sister doesn't have a lot of extra money either but has a talent for handmade crafts. Just look at the lovely pillow slips she made for me.
They are made of polka dotted 100% cotton fabric with French seams and trimmed with a lovely aqua birds and flowers print. She said the birds remind her of her late husband.
We still miss him coming to visit for Saturday coffee and a bit of bird watching from our back porch.
Christmas Day at our house this year was so relaxed and we laughed so much. I don't remember what we found so funny but bless his heart, some was at Blake's expense.
He is a handsome fourteen year old who we tease mercilessly about the young ladies. His response to why he doesn't hang out talking to the girls in the school hallway is that he only has so much time to get to his next class. It was funny yesterday but I guess you had to be there.
I waited too late to buy gift tags and although Greg usually passes gifts out on Christmas Day, I had to help this year. I got a wee bit confused and kept handing them out and grabbing them back before I figured out where they actually belonged.
In the midst of the action, Don went outside and brought in the black tulle skirted dress form I have had my eye on for years. I had bought a gold one a couple of months ago but every time I go in to Hobby Lobby, I look for the black one. I didn't even know Don had heard me say anything about it. Both Laura and Rachel deny giving him hints.
He said it was a little embarrassing carrying her out of Hobby Lobby and the kids said it looked funny laying in the back seat of his car. I don't know if it was covered up like a corpse or just out in the open for the world to see.
I cried when I saw it. I will add her to our bedroom with my mermaid painting, shimmering vintage mermaid dress, and huge framed photograph of Rita Hayworth.
Granny June was able to come down to eat but she is so frail she needs assistance with everything. She eats very little, and doesn't even want the coffee she used to drink during every waking minute.
She can't give and take like normal conversation requires and even asked to go "home". I think she tends to sleep most of the day. Remembering the proud, independent, and beautiful woman she was, we did not take pictures of the shell she has become.
Elizabeth, Konstance, Blake, and Sierra played board games after dinner and gift giving. It was so pleasant listening to them laugh.
Frequent breaks were taken for little snacks. Sierra loved the seasoned crackers Laura made and I sent the last of the pinto beans home with her. The only reason I made a pumpkin pie this year is because Konstance loves it. I hope she isn't just eating them to be polite.
I was told Grandpa was always given the chicken gizzard when they fried a chicken until he finally confessed he didn't really like gizzards.
Our soon to be EMT got to eat and open gifts but then had to dress for work in the ER. I heard her come in sometime after 3 AM. A twelve hour shift.
God bless the hospital and emergency personnel, police officers, firefighters, and and our military men and women who serve regardless of the day or holiday.
And God's blessings on all of my friends I rarely see but love to hear from.
It's good to hear from you again! I had seen your blog name on my dashboard but didn't know it was yours until I came here. It's always fun to hear from someone who grew up and went to school in the same town I did. I'll try to stay in touch, although I'm not blogging much these days.
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