Entries tagged as ‘Christmas’
The house is so quiet
The reindeers’ asleep
And Jimmy and Zoe’s
Company they keep
And Christmas time is here
The most wonderful time of the year
A Volvo for Jimmy, a songbook for Dee
Zoe has boots and some treats from Margie
And Christmas time is here
The most wonderful time of the year
We’re liking the winter, our first such to see
The cold and the snow just for you and for me
It’s Christmas time, it’s clear
The most wonderful time of the year
We’re missing our families and wish they were here
It’s not really Christmas without them to cheer
It’s Christmas time, we know
Wish we could all go and play in the snow.
Cheers, Dee
ps Thanks, Burl Ives.
Categories: Editorial
Tagged: Christmas, family, snow
Thanks for reading and writing in. I hope my first full year of posts was informative and, at times, even inspirational. As a child I was too shy to speak my mind and unsure of how to express myself through words. In my thirties I started speaking out, and there was a lot to say aloud and through negotiating and opining upon issues about many things I believe in. After a few letters to the editor were published in our local paper and others in the NYTimes, I was floored! I tried bad poetry but the best I could do was an ode to my husband-to-be shortly after we met. Of course I didn’t show it to him!
My husband and I don’t buy each other birthday or Christmas gifts. This blog was his gift to me 1 1/2 years ago and it has inspired me to do the best I can to reach out and learn from others, talk to people, find out how our soldiers’ parents are doing, what people are cooking or even knitting (that’s for you, girl) or playing on the guitar. For someone who cringed at the thought of a class called “creative writing” I still don’t know if I can do that. I tell stories. Like some people, some of my stories have morals.
We’re alone this Christmas, not such a bad thing. I’ve ordered a rack of lamb and will make scalloped potatoes, spinach with garlic and olive oil (spinaci aglio e olio), and braised carrots. That’s what I think now, anyway, that I’ll marinate the lamb in olive oil, thyme, rosemary and garlic then roast it on high heat.
We moved halfway across the country from all our family for a job. We will spend time with them, and several have already ventured out here to visit so we don’t feel so bad about not flying to see two families this Christmas. In the meantime, I wish you and your family every happiness and hope you enjoy your time together. It’s not about gifts, it’s about family. Cheers, Dee
I wish you warmth and comfort and family memories not only during the holidays, but all of the year.
Categories: Editorial
Tagged: Christmas, happy holidays, lamb, Thanks!, writing
Jim took too long last night buying software, and showed up with two dozen roses, white and pink. I think he thinks he has to make up for the years he walked to work and there were no florists in town.
Early this morning I made three arrangements and, with the alstroemeria I picked up the other day it’s nearly more flowers than we can handle. The roses are gorgeous, opening fast and will be gone before the new year so must be enjoyed now.
For me, having fresh flowers is better than a Christmas tree, at least this year. Next year I may want to place my/our lifelong ornaments on a tree. My parents bought us each an ornament every year, labeled it and when we went away after college we got a box with our ornaments. What a wonderful way to keep memories.
Jim doesn’t have any, but I’ve been garnering two a year since we’ve married, each a different theme. OK, I bought two wooden socks, one blue and one green, the year we met, before marriage, because he was alone and needed a steak and baked potato and ornaments without a tree. Last year it was a Scottish lad and lass, this year a cowboy snowman and reindeer bearing a sheet of cookies.
My childhood ornaments are scattered but there are some with dates and I remember placing them on our tree. I’d love to see them all decorating a real tree.
Couples tell stories they remember, perhaps over and over. I think having an ornament from a certain year might bring up a new memory and topic.
I remember when my sister and I disturbed a beehive, when we recovered mice from the back of the Buick, and when my brother climbed the TV tower and wouldn’t come down. So many more. Time becomes more precious every day. Jim remembers riding Free, a dairy cow, and countless other stories.
So please keep cooking, for family and friends. And hand down your family recipes for traditions to continue. Dee
Categories: Editorial
Tagged: Christmas, flowers, ornaments
December 25, 2008 · 1 Comment
I woke up the dog this morning at seven to go for a nice walk in the park with her buddy Jasper. She’s eaten her breakfast and is nestled under my down pillows with Jim, both sound asleep over two hours later. Jim deserves it, Zoe does as Zoe wants.
So, it’s grey and cloudy today, so far. My holiday decorations consist of one bay leaf wreath Mom gave me, that is up indoors year-round. One wreath on the front door with two ornaments (photo on site) and a crinkly-leafed poinsettia. No tree or other decorations or presents.
We’ll probably see one of the new movies this afternoon, and I have one of Jim’s favorite dinners planned that is easy to execute if I have an hour to make baked potatoes. A quiet day to say hello to family long-distance. I’ve been looking for a place to live. We checked out these incredibly snooty new places (still being built) the other day and I don’t know what they’ve been smoking over there. The two-bedroom is nice but in this economy they’re charging Reagan-era prices. No thanks.
I just re-located a site with a lot of this one guy’s renovations. We have been in touch once in the past and he had nothing that met our needs at the time. Uniquely, he rents a lot to college students and recent grads who stick with him from basic studios and one bedrooms on up. In the past he’s done a lot of the restorations of vintage properties himself and I can always tell his work because the floors are gorgeous wood, built-in bookcases, Viking ranges, unique materials and always vintage-looking tile in the bathrooms. Problem is, many of his places are under 1,000 s.f., have no available parking or storage and have only one bathroom.
Now I believe he’s branched his site out to others with quality properties and there are a few I’ll show to Jim when he’s awake and has eaten breakfast. I plan to make my chicken salad for lunch with tarragon and roasted pecans and celery, and there’s a bowl full of broccoli soup I can heat up for him. Ribeye and loaded baked potato for dinner, with perhaps braised carrots, and/or steamed green beans. I’ll decide later on.
Ironically we combed our local grocery store yesterday, stocking up because they’re going to be closed for 36 whole hours! I think it’s the hurricane mentality. Ten pounds of potatoes; two boxes Raisin Bran with blackberries for topping; 48 rolls of toilet paper; four rolls paper towels; dozens of sodas; wine; chicken broth for the dog; and perhaps a partridge in a pear tree.
Enjoy the day! After gifts and breakfast our family started to get bored. Mom and I slaved in the kitchen getting ready the prime rib, Yorkshire pudding and vegetables. Mince tarts and cookies were already done. Sister and brother would announce they were going to a movie so we had to change dinner time while I was seething that I had to be the responsible one and help out at home. Dad was working while listening to classical music on the stereo. Yeah, that was probably the year before Mom and Dad split up. It’s been a mishmash since then. No more “tradition.”
So there are a few new movies out today and I think we’ll go. Otherwise I did purchase Mamma Mia last week and it remains unopened. If we want to laze around we could do that and see a movie tomorrow. So that’s what I’m thinking nearly 9:30 a.m. and having some quiet time at home. Cheers! Dee
Categories: Editorial
Tagged: Christmas, home, movies, renovating
