Grey Days And Cold Winter Nights

Pretty much every day this week is going to be grey, sad news for someone like me who loves the sun. It's pretty much yuck, and it takes effort to not get sucked into it all and start to feel grey inside, too. But luckily for me, I have exciting things to think about, such as Katie and baby Aaron coming to stay with us soon! It's been so fun to set up the crib in Katie's old room, and even buy a few baby things for when they're here.

In fact, I keep finding myself opening up the door to her room, and just looking at it all ...  😂

It also helps to be with people ... food with friends (formerly craft night) ... book club ... gigs for Bruce at the Eggroll Queen and Finnish Bistro ... game day at Pa and Richard's ... dinner with Debbie and Bil ... puzzles with Mom... happy hour at Houlihan's ... matinee  movies ... working out at Curves ... occasional mall walks ... lunch out with friends ...

I feel like I'm forgetting something, but what?

Anyway, I guess it takes effort to stay sane in Minnesota when it's winter. Unless you're somebody who loves the cold, then maybe it doesn't.  Me, I have to work it. 😂

Wordless Wednesday

Bugles And Bars (Christmas 2019)

We had a quiet Christmas this year as Katie, Avi, and baby Aaron were in Maryland. I guess you just never know how much you'll miss people until they're away, and I really missed them. They bring so much sparkle and energy into our home!

It was difficult getting motivated to decorate this year. It does get old being the only one doing the decorating, but luckily Jake and Brianna were up for it, and did a nice job getting the ornaments on the tree and the rest of the festive things out. I think the tree turned out especially beautiful this year, too.

We had appetizers on Christmas Eve, plus some homemade baked mac and cheese. And some calico beans for Bruce since he loves them so. (I told him that it was another Christmas present to him from me.) And then since I'm so used to cooking for a larger group of people, we had quite a bit of food left over. No worries, though ... we just ate it all up the following week. On Christmas Day, I experimented and made Chicken Cordon Bleu. It was fun to pound out the chicken, and roll it up with the swiss cheese and ham. I'm also not someone who likes to bake cookies, so in the end made a couple of pans of bars, lemon and chocolate chip brownie. Bugles and Bars! It just might be the new tradition.

We drew names again this year. Nick drew my name, and gave me some ceramic chicken measuring cups and spoons. I think they'll probably be too fragile to actually use, but I love them. They're now safe and sound in the china hutch.

I gave Mom a clock that not only has the time, but also the full date and year, the day of the week, and if it's morning, afternoon, evening, or night. It's been getting a littler harder for her to keep track of those things, but I think the clock is already helping. It's cool that there are things like that available.

Bruce gave me a turntable that looks like a vintage round hatbox, and I look forward to trying it out with the old vinyl albums that I still have. Hopefully the albums aren't too warped!

All in all, Christmas was good.

I'm glad that I still have a mom who can come over to celebrate, and I found myself thinking about Dad and how he loved to eat  all the food that I'd make. Funny how life marches on, you never seem to realize that it's changing until it's different.