Another Wednesday Hodgepodge…

It’s Wednesday, and, for now, that means joining Joyce for another edition of The Wednesday Hodgepodge.  If you’d like to join, too, simply click on Joyce’s button at the top of this post, copy, paste, answer the questions, and link up!

1. What’s something you resolved to do this year? Have you done it?

2019 was a horrible year for me.  I was plagued by various health issues the entire year.  Dental woes (including two surgical extractions and dry socket, twice),  a thyroid imbalance issue, TMJ (caused by those dental procedures) another nasal skin cancer & plastic surgery, and more neck/ back issues occurred consecutively, and sometimes simultaneously!  I literally spent the majority of the year sprawled out in a zero gravity chair in the middle of our living room floor!  I often felt as if life was passing me by, and it was.  Finally, toward the end of 2019, my health began to slowly improve.

I was resolved to have a better year in 2020, and so far, I have been able to do that, praise the Lord!  My back still causes pain, at times, but nothing I can’t handle, so far.  There’s another back surgery looming somewhere in my future, but other than that, the other health issues have been resolved.

2. Where do you go to find quietude?

The best place for me to find “quietude” is in the bathroom, soaking in a bathtub full of hot water.  It’s my favorite time of the day.

3. A friend asked this question on her Facebook page and said I could borrow it for the Hodgepodge…you’re only allowed to buy 5 things at the grocery store, and all must start with the first letter of your first name. Whatcha’ buying?

Since my first name begins with a “K”, I wouldn’t be buying much!  Perhaps I could buy some “ketchup”, or some “Kellogg’s” cereal.  Oh, and maybe some kettle corn!

4. The television show Survivor, the Gloria Gaynor song ‘I Will Survive’, survival mode, survival of the fittest…pick one and discuss.

Ed and I have been fans of the show “Survivor” since its beginning.  We don’t enjoy the show as much as we used to, but still feel compelled to watch.  The earlier shows were much more interesting, and so were the competitors.  I guess we’re not alone in this opinion, since this season’s show has brought back some of the best competitors, from past seasons, to compete against each other.

5. Share a favorite quote or saying about strength.

Here’s one of my favorites:  “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”  Phillipians 4:13 KJV     I’ve relied heavily on this bible verse to help me when I was forced to do things out of my comfort zone.

6. Random:

Our governor has decided to allow our salons, nail parlors, tattoo parlors, gyms, and bowling alleys to reopen this Friday, followed by movies, restaurants, churches, etc., on Monday.  Really?  Our cases of covid 19 are still on the rise, so it will be interesting to see how this decision works out.  As of last night, Georgia has 20,166 cases, with 818 deaths–and rising.

The Wednesday After Easter Hodgepodge…

 

A very unusual Easter has come and gone, but the corona virus is still in full swing!  A few tornadoes even blew through, on Monday morning!  It’s an unusual time in our lives, but life  goes on, doesn’t it?

One pleasant bit of normalcy that remains is Joyce’s Wednesday Hodgepodge, which she had to post from her phone due to a loss of power.  Those storms I mentioned earlier?  Well, they traveled Joyce’s way, too…

1. In Monday’s post I mentioned I would incorporate the word I was given for letter K into this week’s questions. That word was karaoke. On a scale of 1-10 how excited would you be to find out there was karaoke happening at your next gathering/outing with friends? 10=gimme that microphone!, and 1=I suddenly remembered there’s somewhere else I need to be. Have you ever actually done karaoke? If you had to perform karaoke what would be your ‘go-to’song?

Let me begin by saying, I can not sing!  Therefore, I would quickly find something else I needed to do while any karaoke was happening!  I’ve never performed karaoke or watched anyone else perform, so I have no idea what a good “go-to song” might be.

2. How do you listen to music these days? Favorite app or do you listen the old fashioned way? Do you have music playing often in your home? Is there still a CD player in your car?

Most of the time, I listen to music [in my home] on a Kindle, usually played through the blue tooth speaker Ed gave me for Christmas.  I listen to Pandora, and usually listen to Southern Gospel music.

I also have a subscription to Sirius XM for the van, and we recently started to stream Sirius through the ROKU in our home, too.  I prefer to listen to music of the 60’s and 70’s on Sirius.  We do have a CD player in the van [and in our home], and, occasionally, I’ll play some CD’s, too.

3. The HP lands on US tax day this year. Or what used to be tax day before everything including filing your taxes was cancelled, delayed, postponed or extended. FYI- filing your taxes has not been cancelled, only delayed for a bit.

Besides staying away from anyone and everyone, what have you found taxing lately?

It’s been ‘taxing’, at times, just trying to find some of the items we need!  Fortunately, I had plenty of paper products on hand when the virus and craziness hit, but finding items like eggs, bread, rice krispies, and iceberg lettuce has been challenging, at times!  What’s up with the lettuce shortage?

For five weeks, we’ve stayed home and relied on our son-in-law or Walmart’s grocery pickup service for all of our needs.  However, Ed finally had to don his mask and brave the elements for some gardening supplies, last week.  We desperately needed fertilizer and fire ant killer!

By the way, you know that delay we’ve been given to file our taxes?  Ed and I had just filed [and paid] our taxes before the tax deadline was extended, so we missed out on that!

4. You’re without power so no oven, and you can’t open your frig or freezer in order to keep what’s in there from spoiling. And you don’t have access to take out. What will you make us for dinner?

Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are always our ‘go to’ in a situation like this!  They’re pretty good, too!  It’s hard to beat a PB&J sandwich made with homemade blackberry jelly and Skippy peanut butter.

5. I’ve seen this exercise going around Facebook and thought it would be a good one to include in the HP…what are five things everybody seems to love and go crazy for that you personally don’t care for?

(1) memes and games on Facebook  (2) sports  (3)  dining in restaurants  (4) reunions of any kind  (5) bridal/baby showers  Yeah, I sound like a “stick in the mud” don’t I?

Random:  As I stated in the beginning of this post, it was an unusual [but happy] Easter for us.

The day before Easter, I was able to color some eggs with my daughter and granddaughter on the front porch of their house. (We kept a proper distance) At least we were able to carry on that tradition, although we were missing three grandchildren.

On Easter morning, Ed and I were able to our church’s “drive inn” sunrise services, and their eleven o’clock service via Facebook. We’re rarely able to attend both.

My daughter, Brandy, and I shared the Easter cooking chores, then sent 1/2 of our food over to each other’s houses.  Ed and I ate lunch, alone, at a table so quiet we could hear my pet crickets chirping, but we were thankful to have each other.  The food was great!

After lunch, I packed up some food, and Ed took it to our ‘eighty-plus’ friend who’s currently caring for his sixty-plus, disabled son.  It felt good to [hopefully] help someone have a little better day.

The weather grew progressively worse as Easter wore on, and Ed and I went to bed not knowing what kind of storms the early morning hours might bring.  Fortunately, we were spared anything worse than strong winds and lots of rain.  Some of our neighboring counties didn’t fare as well.  When all was said and done, it was a blessed and happy Easter, after all.

 

 

 

A Faith Filled Hodgepodge…

 

Happy Wednesday, y’all!  It’s week five of staying home, for us, how about you?  Today, I’m joining Joyce for another edition of The Hodgepodge.  If you’d like to join in, too, just click Joyce’s button at the top of this post.

1. How will you celebrate Easter this year?

It will be a different kind of Easter for us.  For the first time, ever, our family will not gather together.  Our state (Georgia) is experiencing a big surge in cases of covid 19, this week!  We’re still under a “shelter in place” order, and still practicing social distancing.  It wouldn’t be wise to put twelve people together to share a meal at this time.  So, Ed and I will watch Easter services on Facebook, then eat our Easter lunch, alone, for the first time in our forty-seven years of marriage.

2. Is it easier for you to receive grace offered or extend grace to another? Explain.

I’m ashamed to admit that it’s easier for me to receive grace offered than it is to extend grace to another, most of the time.  I’ve been working on my sinful nature for the past few years, and, with God’s help, I’m making progress in this area.  In the words of the old song, He’s still working on me, to make me what I ought to be.

3. Do you say grace before meals? If so do you have a standard dinnertime grace or is it more ‘off the cuff’ ? Do you say grace when dining out? Do you have a favorite grace? Any special memory associated with ‘saying grace’?

Yes, we ask a blessing before every meal.  For years, we said the standard “God is Great” blessing, but in the past few years Ed began actually praying before each meal.  Yes, now we pray when dining out, too, but for many years we didn’t.  Praise the Lord for spiritual maturity!

When I was a little girl I learned a sweet blessing that I still remember.  It goes like this:  Please keep us close together/ And help us to be good/ And always love each other/ the way a family should/ And when our life is over/ Please let us meet again/ So we can be a family/ up in heaven, Lord, Amen!  

4. What are some challenges you think the next generation will face? (Generation Alpha-born between 2011 and 2025)

Judging from the direction our country seems to be heading,  they may face the challenge of living under socialism.  I pray not!  It looks like they will also face the challenge of living in a country that’s hopelessly in debt.  The age of social media has made it harder for people to talk face to face, so there’s that challenge.  Then there’s this epidemic of “entitlement” that has permeated society…

5. Share a favorite quote or lyric featuring the word faith.

I love this hymn, which sort of features the word faith, and it’s a good one to remember in times like these:

Great is Thy faithfulness
Great is Thy faithfulness
Morning by morning new mercies I see
And all I have needed Thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy faithfulness
Lord unto me

Random:

Easter has always been a two-day celebration at our house.  On the day before Easter, the grandchildren and their families would get together, late in the afternoon, to dye eggs.  After the eggs were colored, we’d all share a meal. The next day, after church, we’d meet up at our house, again, for the noon meal.  Then, there would be a huge egg hunt, consisting of over 300 plastic eggs, with slips of paper hidden inside.  The slips of paper would soon be traded for lots of candy and prizes.

As stated earlier, it will be a different kind of Easter, this year, so I’d like to share a few picture memories from the past.  There’s lots of good Easter memories in these pictures, and memories will just have to do, for now.

 

 

WELCOME BACK TO THE HODGEPODGE…

 

I’m finally back, y’all!  After nine months of not blogging, it only took Joyce reviving The Wednesday Hodgepodge to bring me out of retirement!  I’m ashamed to say, I’d almost forgotten how to post, but it’s all coming back to me, now.  So, here we go…

1. Howdy Hodgepodgers. It’s kind of fun to be back, isn’t it?  Last time we met was September, 2018. Tell me something big-important-happy-or sad that’s happened in your life since that date. Just one thing. We don’t know how long this current isolation situation is going to last and we might need to dole out our news bit by bit.

We had a serious fire at our house back in June of 2019.  Thankfully, the fire didn’t involve our house, but the fire did consume Ed’s lawnmower, his garden shed, and everything in it!  I wrote about it HERE, and that was the last post I’ve written in nine months.  Shame on me!

2. Might as well get this out of the way early on…COVID-19. On a scale of 1-5 how serious are you about keeping your distance? Explain. fyi-I didn’t create the scale but have seen it several places online. Also fyi-we won’t only have virus related questions each week, but for this first one it feels right.

1-Not at all, living normally

2-Cautious but still going out

3-Going out as needed, mostly home or working from home, still seeing friends/family

4-Extremely limited, only going out when unavoidable, minimal contact with people

5-Full lockdown, no one in or out

I am immune compromised and Ed has heart issues so we’re a strong 4.  I have not left the house in 13 days!  Ed’s only gone out a time or three.  Once for baby aspirin for himself, once to pick up his prescription refills, and once to pick up oil and a filter for his tractor (it’s gardening time, folks!)  Fortunately, we have family who are willing to shop for us when they are shopping for themselves.  We’re blessed!

 

3. Raise your hand if you think you might run out of steam in the cooking department before it’s all said and done? What’s something delcious you’ve cooked or eaten in your own kitchen in the past week?

My hand is raised!  I’m already tired of cooking!  It’s been fifteen days since we’re eaten out!  We’re being extra cautious and not eating any kind of take out.  When this pandemic is over, I’m eating out every day for a week!!!

As for something delicious I’ve cooked or eaten–EVERYTHING is delicious, these days!  I think it’s because I appreciate the food we’re eating more than I ever have.  (Food is hard to find and we have to depend on others to get it for us)  I’ll have to say, we especially enjoyed the cupcakes I baked on Tuesday, but Saturday night’s “crock pot bar-b-que” was delicious, too!

4. What’s a television show or movie you’ve seen recently (it could be an oldie) that you really liked?

I still enjoy watching “The Rookie”, “Chicago Med”, and “Chicago Fire” each week.

5. Share something funny you’ve seen or heard this week.

Since our assisted living facilities are on “lock down”, the activity directors have been using dry erase boards to write messages from the residents to their loved ones.  They take a picture of each resident holding the board with his/her message written on it, and post it on Facebook so their families can see them.  Some of the messages are hilarious!  Here are some of my favorites, so far:  (1) To my family:  I love and miss you.  Send honey buns!  (2) I love and miss you.  I need you to find me a woman!  (3) I miss you and I miss my hair dresser!  Send Mascot Pecans!  (4)  Dear Family, I love and miss you very much. Get me out of here!  

6. Insert your own random thought here

Especially in times like these, isn’t technology wonderful? Like so many others, during this time of ‘sheltering in place’, our church is now streaming services on Facebook.  We also have Sunday morning Bible Study via Zoom, which I’d never heard of.  Zoom is nice because we can actually see and talk with each other during the lesson.  Isn’t it great that we can hear God’s word preached, and stay connected, even while in isolation!

If you’d like to join in The Hodgepodge fun, just click on Joyce’s button at the top of this post!

That Was The Week That Was…

I’m going to try to ease my way back into blogging on a regular basis.  I think I’ll start with a weekly post, and see how it goes; hence, the title of this post.  By the way, does anybody remember the little news skit that used to come on television by the same title?  I think there was a comedy skit, with that title, included on the show Laugh Inn, back in the late 60’s or early 70’s.

This week started out busy, like Mondays often do.  I cleaned up the house, while my husband, Ed, mowed the lawn.  After lunch, we went over and helped clean the church.  It was our first time being put on a regular “cleaning crew”, since joining the church in February.  Our church has six cleaning crews, with approximately six people on each crew.  January and July will be our cleaning months.

Tuesday was not a typical day because Ed had an appointment with his ophthalmologist, to have a laser procedure performed.  Ed had cataract surgery done about five years ago, but, since then, he’d developed some scar tissue behind the lens of his left eye.  The laser procedure was to break up the scar tissue, which it did.  We didn’t quite know what to expect, but the procedure was quick and painless.

On Wednesday, Ed and I had a surprise visit from our pastor.  (He stopped by to see how Ed was doing after the laser procedure.)  Boy was I thankful the house wasn’t in the mess it sometimes is!  When our pastor arrived Ed was out working in the garden, while I was inside struggling to sew a hook and eye on the jacket of a church dress.  As I struggled with threading the needle and getting the hook and eye straight, I was thinking to myself, Why does everything have to get so difficult when we get older? In the end, Ed and I had a nice visit with our pastor, and were glad he came to see us.  Our pastor is about the same age as our grown children.  Ed and I are getting old!!!

One thing I’ve discovered about our new church–they like to eat, and they do a lot of it!  Wednesday night was no exception, when someone brought an ice cream cake in celebration of an upcoming birthday.  Will I ever lose the unwanted pounds I’ve gained since coming there?  Probably not anytime soon, since we’re having “finger foods” tomorrow night after church, and next Wednesday is “Family Night” during which we also eat.

I’ve been wanting to go to St. Simon’s Island for the past several months.  I finally got the opportunity on Thursday.  Ed, our daughter, our granddaughter, and I piled into our van and made the two hour trip.  We unloaded and set up our chairs under our favorite oak tree.  About twenty minutes later, it began to rain!  The sun was still shinning while it sprinkled, so we stuck it out until the rain stopped a few minutes later.  The tree shielded us from most of the rain, plus we also covered up with the straw mats we’d brought along.  What a sight we must have been, all covered with those huge striped mats!!!

Finally, after two of those “sunshine showers”, the skies clouded over and heavy rain began.  We gave up and called it “quits”.  By then it was lunchtime, so we rode over to our favorite eating place, “Southern Soul Bar-b-que”.  The place was crowded, but, almost immediately, four bar stools [in a row] opened up so we could all sit down together.  As always, the food was delicious, and by the time we finished eating, the skies had cleared!

We rode back over to “The Village”, toured a few of the shops, then spent the rest of our time under the gazebo beside the water.  Our trip didn’t turn out quite like we’d planned, but we had a good time–and we laughed a lot!  I’m sorry I didn’t take any pictures.  On second thought, I’m not… Our daughter took a couple of pictures with her phone, and they’re awful–at least the ones of me are.  Just think beached whale…and you’ll get the idea.

Today (Saturday) I’m still a bit tired.  So far, I’ve only managed to change the sheets on my bed, then bake a pound cake for tomorrow night’s church supper.  The cake turned out ugly…sigh.  I hate when that happens.  Grandma always said, “ugly cakes taste best.”  If that’s true, this cake should be delicious!

Until next time…

 

 

 

 

 

 

An “Egg-stra” Special Hodgepodge…

 

As usual, another week has flown by.  Can you believe it’s almost time to celebrate Easter?  Actually, we’ve already been doing some early celebrating, but I’m getting ahead of myself!

As always, thanks to Joyce, for another great Hodgepodge.  Here are this week’s questions:

1. What’s a word that describes your life?  In a nutshell, I’m retired!

A word you wish described your life?  Younger, but I guess you can’t be retired and young at the same time, or can you?

2. Back in my day we had a lot less, but we appreciated whatever we had a whole lot more!

3. When it comes to takeout are you more likely to opt for Italian, Mexican, or Chinese food?  I’ll say Italian because sometimes we order pizza.

Does a typical week at your house include takeout?  Sometimes, but not always.

4. Think about the people you most respect. What is it about them that earned your respect?  Their dependability.

5. What’s something your friends might see and say is ‘so you’?  That’s a tough one, but I’ll say “a black PT Cruiser” because I’ve had mine for seventeen years, and I still love it!  I think I’m the only one in town who [still] owns one.

Random:

Ed and I will be leaving on our trip [to visit the replica of Noah’s Ark] bright and early, the day after Easter.  Because of this, our family got together to do a little early celebrating, last weekend.  The weather was ‘picture perfect’ and we were able to spend the entire afternoon outside!  The grandchildren played, dyed eggs, then made an attempt to find 350 plastic eggs.  As usual, they didn’t find them all! (Would you believe, a few days ago, Ed just found an egg from last year?)

Ed and I followed Saturday’s festivities with two wonderful [Palm Sunday] services at church, on Sunday.  I almost feel like Easter is already over, but, thankfully, it’s not!  I’m looking forward to Sunday’s Easter services, followed by a fantastic meal at our oldest son’s house, followed by a four-day church trip!

Here are a few pictures from last Saturday:

 dying eggs 

hunting eggs

finding eggs

Easter 2018

From our family to yours: Have a happy and blessed Easter, everyone!

A ‘Lucky’ Wednesday Hodgepodge…

Last week there wasn’t a Hodgepodge, and I thought I’d write a post anyway.  I did write the post, but never got around to publishing it!  That’s terrible, isn’t it?  Anyway, I’m joining in the fun, today, and I’d like to thank our hostess, Joyce, for another set of great questions.  Here they are:

1. Best place you’ve been lately?

I’m always saying there’s no place like home, but next to home, I’ll say church is the best place to go.  I was there last night, for a ladies circle meeting.

2. What’s something you should say yes to today? Or this week? Or even this year?

I should say “yes” to watching my diet and getting more exercise.  I’m thinking I’m going to need more salads and more walking to shed this ‘winter weight’.

3. Do you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in any way, shape, or form? If so tell us how.

There’s a big parade and all kinds of St. Patrick’s Day festivities in nearby Savannah, Georgia, but we never participate in any of that.  (Too many intoxicated people.)  Sometimes, if I think about it, I’ll wear green though.

St. Patrick’s Day is special to Ed and me for an entirely different reason.  It’s the day, forty-one years ago, when we moved onto our “little slice of heaven”   here on Ed’s family’s farm.  It was one of the best decisions we ever made!  Happy “moving day” anniversary to us on March 17th!

In Western cultures the color green is typically associated with jealousy, nature, good luck, and growth. What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word ‘green’?  When I hear the word ‘green’ I think of money!

4. What’s a product or service you love so much you’d happily be their spokesperson? Tell us what makes you such a fan.

I can’t think of a single product or service that I love enough to be their spokesperson!  However, Amazon Prime is a pretty good service for $99 per year.  I can usually find whatever I’m looking for on Amazon, and receive it [with free shipping] within two days.  Then, of course, there’s free books, magazines and movies/shows I can read/watch, too.  Oh, and there’s free music to listen to, as well.

5. March 14th is Pi Day. How are your math skills?

My math skills are a bit rusty, thanks to my age and relying on calculators too much.

What’s the last thing you did that required math of any kind?

The last time I used math was to either balance the checkbook or check the total of my receipt at a store.

And most importantly do you like pie?

Oh, yes, I love pie!

What’s your favorite kind?

I hate to choose a favorite kind of pie because I like so many, but I’ll choose pecan as my favorite because Ed makes such a great pecan pie.

With ice cream, whipped cream, or please hold the cream?

Sometimes I like ice cream on top of my apple pie, but other than that, I say “hold the cream.”

Random:

Lately, Ed’s been in the process of building a garden table–for those times when our backs will no longer permit us to garden the regular way!  It’s rather large–5′ x 12′.  For now, we’ll be using the table to grow tomatoes and peppers.  Later on, I guess we can plant a little of whatever we feel like growing–the key words being “a little”.  We’re trying to scale back [a little] on our gardening, but it’s not working, so far.

Ed and I have started walking [for exercise] every morning.  We’re trying to get in better shape before our upcoming trip.  We walk the quarter of a mile trek down to our son’s house to feed “Trouble”, the cat [of The Man With the Can stories].  On most mornings “Trouble” is anxiously awaiting our arrival, and actually meets us part of the way!  (She’s learned that I’ll pick her up and rub her all the way back.)  I’m happy that “Trouble’s” hip/pelvis has healed well enough that she can walk again. There were days when I wondered if she would. However, “Trouble” has not learned a single thing from being ‘run over’, and continues to get up under our son’s car. May God continue to watch over her is my prayer!

 

 

 

2017 Holiday Recap (part three)…

A few weeks before Christmas, my daughter expressed a desire to have a family New Year’s Eve party.  She’d hosted one back in 2015, and everyone enjoyed it very much.  After sickness invaded our family, prior to Christmas, those plans got put on hold.

After everyone began to feel better, we decided to go ahead with the plan for a New Year’s Eve party.  However we left the location undetermined, until we could see who was feeling up to the task of hosting.  Ed and I ended up hosting the party, but my daughter did all of the planning for us.  Everybody pitched in with preparing the food.

Everyone wore their pajamas to the party which was fun and comfortable, too!  We made tacos, plus an array of ‘finger foods’ to snack on throughout the evening.

Our daughter planned different games/activities thirty minutes apart, beginning at six o’clock.  We stayed busy the entire evening, and time flew by.

For the first activity of the evening, we took some New Year’s Eve pictures.  Everyone chose what props they liked and let the camera (and Ed) do the rest.  Here are a few of the best ones-

 

In one activity, we competed to see which couple could transfer the most Hershey’s Kisses from one spoon (held in our mouths) to another, then into a bowl on the floor. We laughed so hard while playing this game!

We also played several games of ‘Dirty Bingo’ in which we could steal each other’s prizes. (I think some may have been looking at Steve Harvey’s coat/hat when I took this picture…but more on that later.)

One of the scheduled activities involved sparklers for the grandchildren, so we went outside, even though it was freezing cold and drizzling rain! This was the best picture I could get-

Yet another game involved trying to earn points by ringing cups with ping pong balls…  The grandchildren liked this game!

Unfortunately, at some point during the evening, I got so carried away watching the activities, I forgot to take any more pictures. However, I didn’t forget to take a picture of Steve Harvey’s coat and matching hat during the New Year’s Eve countdown on television:

I think only Steve Harvey could get away with wearing that white coat and matching hat!

The evening progressed quickly and before we knew it the clock had struck midnight.  All except two (Brett and Evan) of us lasted to ring in the New Year together–and we had a great time while doing it!  It’s my hope and prayer that 2018 brings lots of health and happiness, and this concludes my holiday recap.

Holiday Recap 2017 (part two)…

In spite of all of the sickness our family experienced leading up to it, Christmas turned out wonderfully.  Ed and I began the day by having breakfast with our daughter and her family.  Occasionally, we visit each of our children on Christmas morning, but chose not to this year, since Ed was still recovering.

Brad and Jennifer filmed our grandson, Evan, as he woke up to find what Santa had left him.  I enjoyed watching their video, later in the day.  There’s nothing quite like sharing the ‘wide eyed’ wonder of a child on Christmas morning!

Santa was very good to Evan

Food prep went smooth and easy, this year, thanks to a lot of help from my girls, and some planning ahead on my part. (I made a double batch of dressing/stuffing on Thanksgiving and froze some)  This year, instead of using paper plates, I chose to set the table with my “twelve days of Christmas” china, last year’s Christmas gift from Ed.  Using paper plates is easier, but the table looked prettier with the china.

Following lunch, we took our annual ‘crazy Christmas hat’ photo, which went effortlessly, too.  We only took three shots, and none of the three were really bad.  That’s quite a feat considering there were twelve people in the photo and the camera was set on ‘timer’!

For once, the weather was actually cold on Christmas, this year!  We could actually wear our Christmas outfits, and not have to turn on the A/C.  (one year I actually wore shorts) However,  we did have to turn on the ceiling fan during our gift exchange!  Things get a little crazy when we play ‘Dirty Santa’.

As always, we started off the gift exchange with the grandchildren–opening one gift at a time, beginning with the youngest. I know, I know, but it makes the fun last longer.

patiently waiting for Evan to finish his turn

Next came the adult gift exchange–something new, this year.  (We usually just play two rounds of the ‘Dirty Santa’ game).  I think Brad got the most interesting gift, a Georgia Bulldogs SEC Championship t-shirt.  Brad’s a ‘die-hard’ Bulldogs fan, so it was the perfect gift choice for him.

this shirt brought Brad’s ‘dawgs’ good luck last weekend

Brad also got another interesting gift, this year. Our grandson, Caden, chose to pass the “Christmas Panties” to his Uncle Brad–complete with a hand-written note!

For those who don’t know, we have this HUGE pair of women’s panties that have been passed around in our family since the late 80’s.  Attached on the outside of the box is a note from each previous recipient to the next.  If you’re counting, that’s about thirty years these panties have been traveling!

Brad was gracious and posed for several pictures with the panties–one with all of his family tucked inside of those panties at the same time!!!  (Sorry, no picture)

After we finished with the gift exchange, we played a round of ‘Dirty Santa’.  One of the most unusual gifts to come out of this game ended up belonging to our son-in-law, Clint.

A yard of Snickers!  That’s a lot of candy bars!!!

By the time we’d finished playing ‘Dirty Santa’ it was almost 4:30.  We still had two more games to play, but decided to take a break.  Some folks ate a snack, some folks took a nap, while  still others drank a cup of coffee.  A few folks even went outside to search for a little missing hand-held video game, that had been lost in the yard, earlier. (Fortunately it was found!)

Eventually, we played the remaining two games, and everyone had great fun.  Both games involved rolling some huge dice and opening gifts.  Who wouldn’t love that?  The kids sure seemed to enjoy it!  The best gift won was $10, by grandson, Caden, while the worst gift was a lump of coal, won by Ed.  These last two games were so fast-paced, I forgot to take any pictures!

Finally, we ate supper, divided up the left-overs, and, eventually, called it a day.  The last of our holiday guests left for home around 9:15 that evening.  Shortly afterward, Ed and I took our nightly bath/shower and called it a wrap!  It was a great Christmas.

Of course, the holidays weren’t quite over.  New Year’s Eve was just around the corner.  I’ll save that story for part three of my recap, but I’ll give you just a glimpse into that evening…

uh-oh…the camera mis-fired!

2017 Holiday Recap (part one)…

I know I’m a bit late in posting this, but we’ve had a lot going on!  I always say, “Better late, than never.”  So here goes…

T’was the week before Christmas when folks in our family began dropping like flies…  It actually began nine days before Christmas when our oldest grandson came down with the flu on the day following his ninth birthday party.  Within the next three days, three more family members were down for the count, including Ed.  This was not the way we’d all planned to spend the final days leading up to Christmas!

Now, Ed and I always get our flu shots, but little did we know this would be the year that the vaccine would be only ten percent effective!  The flu has been rampant in our little town, and virtually every household has had at least one case of it!

Fortunately, Ed and I were able to do one thing we’d planned [before he got sick] the week before Christmas–we decorated a gingerbread house!  We’d actually planned to do this with our daughter and granddaughter, but, unfortunately, they had to bow out due to illness.

Decorating a gingerbread house with Ed was quite an experience.  It took us no less than five hours to complete our project, but we were both satisfied with the finished results.

Notice that little yellow window on the side?  Ed rolled out yellow gumdrops to make those panes.  Notice the green door and Christmas tree on the front of the house?  He carefully measured, rolled, and cut the fondant for those, too.  Do you see those carefully placed candies all over the gingerbread house?  Ed actually used surgical hemostats to put them into place, while I spread and piped white frosting on the house.  Only someone who’s also worked in the medical profession (and has fingers too large to hold onto the candy), would try to hold onto candy with hemostats.  I tried it, and the candy shot halfway across the kitchen!

The gingerbread house was a fun project, and I’d definitely like to try it again, sometime.  My question is, What do I do with this house now that Christmas is over?  I’d like to eat some of it, but I’m afraid I’d break a tooth!  Ours is still sitting in the kitchen…

Following the construction of our gingerbread house, on Wednesday before Christmas, poor Ed spent the next four days hovering over a vaporizer, taking Mucinex D and antibiotics.  Similar scenarios were taking place in two other households of our family.  It was not a fun time!

Whether or not we’d be able to actually celebrate our family Christmas on the actual day remained uncertain until Christmas Eve.  By then, some still had residual effects of their colds/flu, but none were running fever.  Almost everyone had finished taking their medications.

It turned out, other than the initial four who got sick, the rest of the family stayed well.  It looked like we might be able to celebrate Christmas after all.  Thank goodness I’d prepared some of the food [and froze it] ahead of time!  (to be continued…)