The Christmas Letter

This is not the traditional Christmas letter but a little update on the family.

Peter has a job.  He is a Courtesy Clerk at a Kroger grocery store.  In  a nut shell he bags, gathers carts, mops and cleans bathrooms.  I think the title is funny considering "courteous" is not how I describe Peter.  None the less he has had the job 2 weeks and as far as I can tell is fulfilling his roll.  I actually saw him interact with folks at the bank yesterday and was assured that the 2 years of Military School had not been in vain.  When required he does pull out those manners, shaking hands and saying mam and sir.  It is actually quite impressive.  I trust he is using those good manners at work and that he will continue to receive hours after the holidays.  It isn't the most convenient location but I am happy he has a job so willing to make necessary trips.  And we have the help of Mama Millie as well. He is pretty excited about the first paycheck.  He had the bank clerk give him a $100 bill so he could take a picture of it.  Then he traded it in for $20 bills because he owed me money.

Mom and Dad are doing well.  Dad actually is probably the best he has been in over a year.  He has aches and pains but his mind is pretty sharp. He walks the neighborhood several times a day weather permitting and works on his word find books.  I realized how well he was doing when the other night he was meddling in my business. He had not done that in awhile.  Mom continues to busily go here and there.  She spends a lot of time driving Dad and Peter, doing her volunteer work and being awesome.  Mom and Dad have taken a variety of trips this fall.  Presently they are talking about where to go next.

We anticipated that this Christmas might be tough as it was the first one without Larry. Mom and I have participated in several activities specifically to commemorate Larry.  We attended the Love Lights Ceremony at the local hospital.  This event supports Hospice and was a sweet remembrance service.  She and I also attended the Living Christmas Tree at her church.  Larry loved that event.  Attending it last year was actually his last fun outing from the nursing home. (The Nursing Home was quarantined last Christmas and he was not able to be with us Christmas day.)  The year before, I think Larry went to three performances of The Living Christmas Tree.  So although I have not been a regular attender of the event, Mom and I made an appoint to attend it this year "for Larry." Today Mom and I went to the nursing home to visit some of the nurses and residents.  It was the first time I had been back since Larry's death.  Though I wasn't sure I could do it when we first got there, it was a sweet visit.  Though I have not been particularly emotional about Larry throughout the holiday season, today was harder than I anticipated.  I just found myself a little on edge emotionally and kind of unmotivated.  I think that for me  grief's greatest effect has been in my feeling unmotivated to do things I might otherwise do.  I trust it will pass with time. 

 

So that's the Plants Status Report for the Holiday Season.

 

Merry Christmas to You and Your Family.

Empty Used Gift Cards

So I have been talking with a friend for over a year now about some recycled gift card projects. Yes I am talking about giving new life to those gift cards you use at the store and restaurants and then  throw in the trash when they are used up.  Well I really think this is the year that I am going to do something about that project.  I have recently taken a few steps towards this effort. I bought a few tools and have been playing around with my new craft.  So I am now collecting used empty gift cards - especially ones with pretty or fun design/pictures - Starbucks, Hobby Lobby and Michael's are my particular favorites.  So if you are a nearby friend or someone who likes to collect things to mail, I am happy to help you recycle.  And if this project is another one of those that ends up in my "having a box of old used gift cards stuffed under the bed", I will also let you know.  Right now I am in the hopeful stage and dreaming of needing lots of them.  And well this is the season to give and receive them.  I have started asking stores (that sell pretty gift cards) if they have any in their trashcans I could have.  (yeah I get strange looks and have to do some explaining.) However that is how hopeful I am about this new little hobby. 

It's begining to look like Christmas





Getting ready for Christmas - a Pictorial account.

 

The day after Christmas I put up my outside Christmas decorations.  Here is a sampling

My fake greenery wreaths and garland are all cast offs from the side of the road or a yard sale.

Last year I adopted the gold and green theme.

 

I repurposed this clearance sale nativity set brining it outside this year.
 I like the shadow box effect that the wine crate end table makes.

 

My book Christmas tree.  I got this idea from Pinterest and the books from a $5 a bag book sale.



Here they are all lit up at night.

 

The lights on the baby crib chandelier are year round. 
I added the lights over the door for a little Christmas zing.

This discarded baby crib railing has made for an awesome chandelier.
 I change out the hanging thingys according to the season.

Then the next day Dad went with me to a local farm to buy my tree.


So this is really Dad and I going for a walk after the Thanksgiving meal but you get the idea.

 

I put the tree in the stand that night and about 4 days later I finally got the lights and ornaments on.

 

I put up a tree so I can look at my ornaments.  I love my ornaments.

My ornaments remind me of people and memories. 
I look forward to the yearly walk down memory lane.



And since Pickles the Elf had no classroom to play in this year he has been wandering around my house.  This is his rendition of "Safari"

Note the Black baby Jesus in the plant basket.  I bought that for Peter. 
We have black angels on the tree (thanks to Aunt Edith) so figured we should have a black baby Jesus too.

 

Mascarpone

The Belgioioso Mascarpone cheese is "buy one get one free" at my local Publix grocery store. Since you really only have to buy one it is essentially half price. I bought one because it is yummy on bread, scones or simply in a spoon with honey and walnuts on top.

The internal plastic seal says:
"All natural product.  Made with the finest ingredients. Contains no preservatives.  For best flavor, once seal is broken, consume promptly. "

So I don't think it really meant within 24 hours but who am I to take chances. OK I didn't really finish off the first one in 24 hours - I gavea third of it to a friend with the scones I baked.  Then I went and bought another tub of Mascarpone! And I am working to make sure it is consumed while it has its best flavor!

So now you will know why if I look a little puffy in Christmas pictures.