Tuesday, December 21

[Othersharon]

Good afternoon, Ladies. I for one am getting a late or rather slow start to my day. The sun has finally put in an appearance and temp is up to 38. Probably about as good as it’ll get today! Today’s the day the days start getting longer, minute by minute! I’m needing to get to the post office this afternoon and get the cards I finished the other day out. Then a quick run to the store for milk and whatever else jumps in my cart! I had a lovely phone call from a friend yesterday afternoon and we talked for a long time! We haven’t seen each other for such a long time so it was good to catch up. The post office must be starting early in the day delivering packages, I got one yesterday that said delivered at 8:16 am and today about 9:30. Usually it’s later when they deliver here. BJ, your puppy is so cute. I’ve been asked so many times as to if I’ll get another dog but still so up in the air about it. We’ve never not had a dog in the family and not sure if I can handle not having one. Lots of pros and cons about it. No real news here, just normal household chores. Such an exciting life I live! Hope you have a great day and stay safe.

[Shirlv]

Afternoon All, overcast cold day. A this and that kinda day. Spent some time searching how to assemble a charcuterie board. Posted a video in recipes. Think this will be my contribution to dinners in the future though not as involved as this Christmas gift/charcuterie board. Would be an easy accompaniment for inviting someone over for a glass of wine at happy hour. Yesterday was a big birthday for #1 granddaughter. Her younger sister organized a parade past her house last night. Her mom sent me a video (sometimes technology is wonderful). Granddaughter operates a daycare so leading the parade was a daycare dad in his police car with siren going followed by a stream of cars with flashing lights. It was so much fun and I wasn’t even there. She was so surprised. Back to YouTube. Be safe

[JudyJB]

Yea for longer days!! I just hate these short, dark days. It seems like I just eat breakfast and the day is ending. Much nicer to have a long, sunlit evening.

Not much going on today. It rained a lot during the night and is mostly cloudy now. I am planning on going out for a tram tour tomorrow when it is supposed to be sunny but cooler than last week. And on Thursday, I want to go out to the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens and do some last minute grocery shopping.

[Bethers]

My fridge and freezer are completely full again. On another note my sister is totally against me going to the parks Christmas potluck as I have no idea who is or isn't vaccinated and it'll be inside in close quarters. I'd feel much better if it could be held outside. I think I'll be there, but not for long. I won't eat most of what will be there, so I'd enjoy a dinner I'd make myself more. But I'm trying not to be totally anti social. I have everything now for what I'm making and whether I stay or not, I'll get that made and taken over there.

The dog Ty walked off leash with came over with his dad for awhile. Dad said he was glad there's another dog that can walk/run with theirs. We were outside and that dog really wanted to come in my rig. I told him he could and he still wouldn't until dad approved. He pranced in and Ty followed. Ty came back out almost immediately. Ty has no problem sharing his home, toys, etc.

It's nice to be warm again. But it also has been nice the past couple nights with cooler temps for sleeping.

[Colliemom]

Just chiming in here. Nothing earth shattering here today. Got a bit of a late start this morning, but gave my bathroom and kitchen a good cleaning, then ran the vacuum. By then it was lunch time, the paid my charge card bill and Molly was bugging for a walk, so off we went. Spent about an hour walking around the road here and one across the highway. Wind was cold, but I was plenty warm. After that I worked on the subdivision sign for a bit. Filling in a word we no longer use. The sign used to have the name followed by Estate on it, but we dropped the Estate part.

O’Sharon, the PO announce last week, that they were going to start doing deliveries at 6 a.m. to try to keep up with the Christmas volume.

My church which is the Cathedral church for our Diocese and the Diocese, got some wonderful news for Christmas today. We have a new Bishop. Our last one was transferred to the Diocese of Birmingham, AL, in June of 2020 and we have been waiting for the past year and a half for news of a new one. There has been a retired a Bishop serving in the interim. He will be installed in March of 2022. He hails from Scranton, PA.

Watched a really nice Christmas program from Belmont College last night. . Don’t know if any of you might have possibly seen it. But the last song that they sang Angels We Have heard on High was absolutely spectacular. You’ve probably all seen these magical moments when everything seems to just flow along in perfect harmony and it can’t get any better than what it is. That’s what happened with this one last night and by the time they finished, the crowd was just cheering. . Even I was sitting here clapping. I can’t say much for most of the Hallmark movies out this year. There are a couple two or three but the rest of them have been so so. Christmas Eve there’s going to be a lot of music programs on so I’m going to drive that.

So, off to get suppers ready for myself and the fur kids.

[OregonLuvr]

Not much happening here. Cloudy and rain off and on. Not enough rain tho to get excited about. Our temps are going to be dropping tho with a threat of some snow. I dont mind the rain but I dont like "cold and rainy". I like cold with sunshine LOL none of that predicted.
Been organizing a few things in my kitchen to make them a wee bit handier. Now I wont know where anything is but dang, it will be handy, IF I can find it.

Going to have some lunch then Foodsaver my dog food that arrived yesterday. I will get about 7 bags of it and have a place to tuck it away. You just cant count on ordering it and getting it in a timely manner. It has been unavailable frequently, so now all set for a while. Made a grooming appointment for Emma for the first week in January. She needs it sooner but that was the first appointment available so it will work. I mostly brush her several times a week and it is her favorite thing for me to do. I grab the brush and blanket and BAM she is up on my lap. If I dont start brushing right away she paws at my hand LOL so I have to hop to it.

Shirl how special for your granddaughter, she must have been thrilled. Good luck on your board LOL I just throw stuff on a plate and crackers in a bowl and call it good. Hee hee

Beth be careful for sure. This Omicron is highly contagious doubling and tripling every day. I went shopping yesterday and now I dont have to go anywhere for a pretty long time. Judy enjoy your sightseeing. Nothing to see here right now but if we do get a nice day I wouldnt mind venturing a drive around the local scenic areas I haven't seen yet.

[Cudedog]

Watched a really nice Christmas program from Belmont College last night. . Don’t know if any of you might have possibly seen it. But the last song that they sang Angels We Have heard on High was absolutely spectacular. You’ve probably all seen these magical moments when everything seems to just flow along in perfect harmony and it can’t get any better than what it is. That’s what happened with this one last night and by the time they finished, the crowd was just cheering. . Even I was sitting here clapping.

Thanks for posting this, Sue. I am - slightly - more in the "Christmas mood" this year than last (wasn't in the mood at all last year), looks like this program might be stream-able on PBS (I'll also check the Roku listings), so I think tonight I will give it a watch.

I do enjoy Christmas music, although it almost always makes me weep. Especially my two favorites: "Oh Holy Night" and (most especially) "I'll Be Home For Christmas".

I've got the Anne Murray "Home For Christmas" CD around here somewhere (it is quite good). I should look for it, but likely won't be able to find it without messing up the house again, and I just finished a days-long cleaning frenzy.

LOL. Definitely feeling "moody" this time of year.

I moved from the Los Angles area to the Sierra Foothills more than forty years ago now, one of the reasons (among many) was that every year this city girl was always hoping for a "white Christmas". Snow would generally come to where I lived (I don't live in the foothills any more) now and again, but it never did snow (nor was there ever any snow on the ground) for Christmas. Heaviest snowfalls - maybe a foot or more - usually came in February.

Looking at Weather.gov, as I always do this time of year, it is looking possible that there might be a few actual inches falling over the next several days there at my old homestead. First white Christmas there in many decades, if it does actually snow - might just be rain (LOL - the prediction is changing hourly).

I'm happy where I am living now - no possibility of snow here, however - but I'm sitting here kinda wishing I was there again, if only for an evening, so that I could just peacefully sit again by my living room window as I always used to do and watch it drift softly down, coating everything in white.

Anne

[chalet05]

Sue, thank you for mentioning the concert! Enjoyed it on YouTube!

[Acadianmom]

Shirl, your video made me hungry for cheese. I got gas at Sam's today and wanted to go in and get the cheese I like but the parking lot was full. I didn't feel like hiking across the parking lot to get in. I can't seem to get on the road before noon so don't get much done. Went to the post office and two banks. Then went to Lafayette to get dog food. Had to stop at TJ Maxx. I got 3 bags of Plantains which I don't need. They didn't have much clothing in my size or I couldn't find it. I don't need more clothing anyway.

For a while our mail would be really late and then I started seeing one of Post Office vans delivering packages. After that the mail has been running more on time. I still need to make a sign for Fed Ex. They keep delivering packages to the old house. If it's food I'm afraid the raccoons will get in it before I find it.

Karen, I don't like cold and rainy either. The cold isn't as bad if the sun is shining. The sun was out today and it got up to 58. They are saying it will be in the 30's tonight.

Martha

[BarbaraRose]

Got up this morning for putter's golf. It was cloudy but mid 50's out so felt pretty comfortable with a light sweater. (Some ladies were complaining about how cold it was! And they are almost all from Canada!). There were about 30 ladies playing golf today. Got to see some ladies I have't seen for a couple years. I didn't play too well but I haven't played since last year so I need to practice. I was talking with a lady I played with last year who is in her upper 80's and is very active and vibrant and she says she walks the perimeter of the park at least once a day (that is a long walk! ) and swims each day as well. I really need to get some exercise so am thinking that I could walk to the putter's course on my day's off (I always drive there), putt a round, then walk home. The course is across the park from me so is a pretty good distance especially for me starting out. I would get some decent exercise and some putting practice as well!

I woke up with my right shoulder in a lot of pain . Left shoulder in a little pain. Not sure what is causing the right one to hurt. The top joint on the right is inflamed and hurts to touch. I have put several types of ointment on it today and then ice and now heat. Still hurts. The only thing I can think of to cause it was sweeping yesterday. I am used to doing haircuts, so that couldn't have caused it, so am wondering if the motion of sweeping is doing it. I was trying not to move my left shoulder yesterday while sweeping and probably over-compensated with my right one. Can't think of anything else that would have stressed it. I hope it doesn't become a consistent issue.

I got an appointment for Thursday morning to get my car light fixed. I had a rock hit my windshield again today but didn't crack it, but there is a scratch on the window. Not sure if it is just dirt or an actual scratch.

I got a call yesterday that I had another gift at the old job from the previous owner so I headed over there to pick it up. So that was nice. From there I went to the 99 cent store, and then Walmart, one I haven't been to before. It is a big well organized store. They only have 4 regular checkout lines (three were actually open!) and 30, yes, 30 self checkouts! Found a few more gifts (keep thinking of people I want to give a little something to).

We had a Christmas golf cart parade tonight here. I got my tree redecorated beforehand. There were about 25 carts in the parade but they came by so fast I thought I was watching the Indy 500! Plus it was dark out so all I could see were headlights and couldn't see all the decorations on the carts. Some had Christmas lights on them but most did not. It was over in about 2 minutes!

Forgot to mention on Sunday, Linda and I met at the Coachella Valley preserve in the morning for a hike. It is a really cool little oasis in the desert. A large group of ginormous palm trees in a wetlands area. There is a wooden boardwalk thru it. A short walk from there to another group of palms around a pond. The water comes up thru a fault line which happens to be the San Andreas fault! There used to be the severely endangered Pup fish in the pond but they have been eliminated by idiots who were releasing gold fish, tilapia, etc. into the pond which decimated the Pup fish. A couple years ago, the invasive fish were all removed and Pup fish were reintroduced. It took one year before more people put more fish in there, so there are no Pup fish left again. People are so stupid!!
We did a little more hiking before parting ways. The temps were perfect and we got there before the crowds pulled up as we were leaving.

Did a couple more haircuts right after playing golf this morning and have a few more people interested. Not sure I will have time to do any more here until after Christmas.

My manager wants me to wear an ugly Christmas sweater and Santa hat to work on Friday. I don't have an ugly sweater and don't really want to wear a hat, so I found a reindeer antler headband that lights up, so will wear that. I wore it tonight while watching the parade. I did find some ugly Christmas overalls at WM that would have qualified but it was $20, too much money for one day of wearing.
I need a regular sweater to wear at work since it is cold in there (manager says it is always cold) but all the sweaters at WM are pullovers, or are hoodies (can't wear those at work). Maybe have to check other stores. Also need to order another pair of clippers and trimmer so I have a set to use for haircuts at home and don't have to cart my kit back and forth from work.

Have a good night!

[snowball]

just put my glasses on and boy are they dirty need to go clean them...it actually feels like it should be almost Friday I keep thinking tomorrow I need to do this and this then remember that is what I need to do Friday...Mom comes home on Thursday want to vacuum before she comes home went to the store today well two stores... came home wore out then had to drag in all of the bags of grocery's speaking of which the ham is still in garage need to bring it in... I think it's cold enough outside to leave it out but not sure what the temps in the garage is so guess I will error on the whatever the saying is... it is 34 outside right now... low will be 19 I think high tomorrow 34 so it's cold but not sure what the inside the garage is...
so spent a lot of money today but did get most of the stuff we need or think we need... one item having the girls look for it
made the potato soup tonight had nephew and niece and family over for supper... so wanted to try it they all liked it .... will make it again... I started out with mixed thoughts partly because I'm not a green pepper in cooked stuff person too much but it was good and tasting.... question is do you reheat it after it sets for the 30 minutes? I do like my soup HOT
need to go look at that post that Shirl posted in recipes... saw lots of things in the deli area saying for ...boards.... I won't even try to look for how to spell it but that one that Shirl is doing...
so tired tonight probably read way later than I should have way later than I normally do and then going through the stores... did stop at a restaurant had a chili burger they did it right was so happy with it
you all have a great day
sheila