Don't forget...

Spring Forward!

When your change your clocks...

change your batteries!

Nothing shaking...

My poor little blog has suffered so far this year. Sorry 'bout that. I just haven't had anything going on earth-shattering enough to put fingers to keys and type out.

Two of the kids ... Beth from Arizona and David (with granddaughter, Jennifer) from Colorado ... were here (separately) for a few days each after visiting with their mom and ill stepdad in West Va. It was so good to see them, just wish we'd had more time.

Beth and Lew

David, Lew and Jennifer

Great-grandson Bryson is growing so, so fast! The child has four teeth, is crawling and is pulling himself up to standing. There's no doubt in my mind he'll be walking by the time he's nine months old!! He's really developing fast.

A toofy little grin
(Candy, the dog, getting into the act!)

Trying to get Uncle Chris to play!

Our purging hasn't gotten as far along as I'd like, but we shall prevail!! My desk is next... I'd really like to be able to enjoy the whole top without having to shuffle aside a bunch of papers. I'm thinking I might just join the 21st century and start scanning stuff for digital record-keeping instead of saving all that damn paper! It really does get out of control sometimes.

Like the rest of the country, we've had our share of winter cold, snow, and ice. The field behind us is still white but we can see most of our yard again. The ailing dogwood had a few dead branches break off under the ice, as well as the oak and maple in the front yard, but for the most part, we've had little winter damage.

So, other than that, and a little of this and that here and there, that's what I've been up to. You know... boring stuff. ;)

This is the year...

... for purging. Hopefully.

After the long holiday break... Happy New Year y'all!!... we began with Christmas stuff. We have boxes and boxes and more boxes of Christmas decorations. Indoor, outdoor, all around the door-door decorations!

So, before packing it all away this year, we added more boxes to what we already had!! Not really, but it sure seemed that way. We bought some plastic storage boxes (red ones!) to reorganize and purge things as we went, and in the process managed to dispose of several cardboard boxes and stuff we no longer want or use. For the moment, everything has a place and is in its place on a designated shelf. We'll see how long that lasts!

Next up is the overflow linen closet downstairs. And the bedroom closets. And my dresser drawers. And the books... oh lordy, the books! The seniors home will have plenty of reading material this year!

I think I feel a headache coming on ...

That's it, I'm finished...

...I've done all I'm going to do. I've taped my last piece of paper, tied my last ribbon/bow, and written my last gift tag! Now all I have to do is pack my suitcase (again!) and get my butt ready to hit the road on Thursday for the long drive south.

But before I go, I want to wish you all a most happy, safe and very...

I'm impressed...

Well, now I am but at 8-ish or so this AM, I wasn't too damned amused.

My neighbor diagonally across the street is apparently in dire need of a new roof because at the above-mentioned ungodly hour this morning, I was rudely jarred out of my peaceful slumber by the continuous, obnoxious tap-tap-tap-tap, tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-wham racket that inevitably goes along with replacing a roof.

Hello? It's 20 freezin' degrees out there!! Who in their right mind decides to climb up on top of a house to work in sub-freezing weather?? Who does that? Obviously, the people working on my neighbors roof.

Now, THAT'S commitment to the job! I'm impressed...

Brrrrrrr...

All right, Mother Nature... enough already! Jeez, it's only the front end of December and already it's flip-flappin' frigid out there!! Give us back a few degrees of warmth!

Even with the thermostat set at 74-ish and wearing two layers, my trusty little under-the-desk heater is getting a workout. My nose is icy and I swear, I can almost see the vapor when I breathe... and that's indoors!

I'm definitely getting too old for cold!!

One-Word Sarcomical Sunday #20

Cool beans! I noticed from Dawn's blog that Sarcomical is posting these fun things again so wanted to play along too.


Rules: Answer with ONLY one word!

1. Your holiday decor: festive
2. The weather where you live this time of year: cold
3. Your favorite smell of the season: cinnamon
4. Your favorite beverage of the season: cider
5. Something you wish you could avoid during the holidays: shopping
6. What you typically bring to the potluck: veggies
7. What you wish people would stop bringing to the potluck: mystifiers
8. A word to describe how you feel about the word 'potluck': enjoyable
9. What is on your feet right now: socks
10. How many layers you are wearing right now: two
11. Where in the world you would rather be right now: Caribbean
12. Something that makes you feel invigorated this time of year: baking
13. Something that makes you feel challenged this time of year: gifting
14. A cold weather comfort food you crave: soup
15. Something you wish you were doing right now: visiting
16. Something you SHOULD be doing right now: wrapping
17. Your opinion of snow: pretty
18. Your opinion of those big furry-looking hats with earflaps: goofy
19. A tradition you'll be sure to keep this season: donating
20. A tradition you'd like to start this season: reunions

Gobble 'til you wobble!!

We're off for points south to enjoy the holiday with family. Wishing you a safe and yummy Turkey, Ham, or whatever you like Day with those you love!

Did you remember??

Time to set those clocks back... don't forget the battery in your smoke detectors too!

Playing with pears

Well, I'm at it again in the kitchen. After my hair appointment was cancelled on Tuesday (my stylist was in the hospital!) we drove on up to Catoctin Orchard to pick up some more apple cider and see about some pears. I'd come across a few recipes that I wanted to try and I wanted to try them with fresh pears.

I don't know too much about these lovely fruits because if I did, I'd have known that pear season is pretty much over in our area. The pickins were a little slim, quantity- and variety-wise, but we did bring home enough for a crockpot full for pear sauce (like apple except with pears) and a recipe or two. We also bought a small bottle of pear cider -- yum, really good!

The pear streusel loaf I made yesterday with Bosc pears is not one I'll be bragging about -- surprisingly very dry in spite of two, count 'em, 2 sticks of butter! I might try it again with apples or juicier pears, but I dunno. It was disappointing. The pear sauce I made today with Magness pears, though -- wow! Good stuff! I think I've found a new favorite pear. Very sweet, very juicy, very good (I'm eating the three we have left!) ;-)

Think I'll wait a couple of days to see if our 4 leftover Bosc pears will ripen more. If not, I guess we'll just sauté them, call it a side dish, and try again next season.

Pumpkin pilferage...

You know, sometimes some people just suck! We had a fun Halloween, oohing and aahing over the little one's costumes and handing out goodies. We had to dip into some non-Halloween candy towards the end of the allotted two hours of T or T, but all in all, things went well.

Until... well, until sometime in the dark of night. Some putrid punk of a pumpkin poacher pinched one of our pumpkins! And not one of the bigger ones, but one of the odd smaller ones!! Who does that? Who walks up on someone's porch and walks away with something just because they can? Grrrrr! I'm so angry!

God punishes the wicked... especially pumpkin plunderers! I hope it was rotten inside!