5 thing Friday - popcorn, disco, Christmas tree, spaces, ring

I bought one of those $5 tins of popcorn, intending to snack while I watched a couple of Christmas movies.  My favorite thing to do is remove the dividers and shake the tin like mad until it is mixed:

I never did watch those movies, but I have enjoyed me some sweet and savory popcorn - I don't think I will ever tire of popcorn no matter what season it is.

Not a great pic, but I couldn't believe it when I saw these "disco" chocolate chips at Wal-Mart.  Hubby would have chuckled.  Somewhere out in the garage we have an electric mirror ball from the late seventies.  I made the cookies following the bag recipe and they were just ok, not great.

Another shot of the Christmas tree.  I am waiting until Wednesday to take it it all down and re-deco the house.  I'm thinking about furniture changes and just looking at my spaces in a different way.

Briefly I considered just one chair in the bedroom.  But it looked weird.  The laundry landed here for a day or two until I came home from work and thought "enough is enough" and spent half an hour putting it all up.  That got me to thinking about a schedule for myself.  Something to keep me from being at loose ends in the evenings.

A clean and kept bedroom is a comfort to me at the end of the day, so I will make sure to make it so before I leave the house in the mornings.

My peeps went in on a family ring for me as a Christmas gift.  It felt sad for me to wear my wedding rings, as looking at them reminded me of loss.  But it also felt weird for my finger to be empty.  This ring is a love knot, but to me it symbolizes much more - the bond between my kids and myself.

Happy New Year's Eve

I for one, an ready for 2021 to be officially over.

Gina

Christmas 2021 in pictures

Gina 

Last "New life" meal plan - of the year...

 We were treated to very mild weather on Christmas Day, and the sunset created a beautiful sky over Camp Rustown.  

And I think I will make a few changes to this little family journal of mine.  After all, what have the last two years been but change?

Monday - Italian Meatballs* (using 1/2 a recipe of uncooked Bruschetta Meatloaf that was in the freezer), leftover green beans from Christmas, maybe a little pasta or garlic toast

Tuesday - Flatbread Veggie Pizza, fresh spinach

Wednesday - Steaks, courtesy of The Girl (for our New Year's Eve eve dinner...)

Thursday - Soft Tacos (freezer filling), avocado, cheese

Friday - Stuffed Salmon*, baked potato, broccoli* and early to bed!

Saturday - Ham Balls, California Coleslaw, black-eyed peas, rolls {on call for the next 6 days}

Sunday - Turkey* Noodle Soup for one!

*Can you tell I am also cleaning out my freezer?  (:

Gina

5 thing Friday - time, Highlands, wine, itdoesn'takewhiskers, selfie

Today is Christmas Eve - how did that happen? The summer was over before it even got going good.  I don't remember having fall, except that Thanksgiving was yesterday.  Time is zooming forward while simultaneously standing still.  In a minute, a new year will start.

Weird.

There will be 7 of us at Christmas dinner - same as Thanksgiving.  Time to pull out the table leaves, the tablecloth, chargers, dishes, silver...for one more fancy dinner together until Easter.  {Which might be a week from now}  I found these tiny crochet snowflakes I forgot I had, and added them to the arrangement on the table.  BTW, my mother crochet'd that doily.

Spending time at Highlands is bittersweet.  But looking out over my "yard" makes me feel peaceful inside. 

Hello, cacti. Trees. Hills.

Hello, big sky.  I've missed you!

Nice to see you, canoe. 

I only wish I knew what to do about Highlands in the long run.  I know its a tomorrow decision, but I am thinking about it today.

The bluebonnets are already sprouting up - can't wait for them to bloom!

I miss weekend sunsets out here with Hubby, but maybe I will decide to spend the night in the spring.  There's no Mabel to bunk in, but I do have cots, running water, electricity, and a roof over my head.

These giant bottles of wine at Trader Joe's are ridiculous and I almost bought one for Christmas Day.  But I resisted and bought two normal sized bottles of a nice Zinfandel to go with our ham dinner.  Everyone stay out of my wine fridge!

Yet another mystery: where the h*ll is the extension cord that goes to the hedge trimmer?  I will have to shift my mindset at Camp Rustown.  The Girl reminds me often that you can Google just about anything you don't know.  Figure out how to use your stuff.  If you need to order an extension cord to fit this thing, DO IT.

Hello, it's just me, Gina.  I really needed a new selfie.  

Felt cute, won't delete.

M E R R Y  C H R I S T M A S from The Cannary Family!

Gina

One word Wednesday

Comfort

Gina

New life menu plan #13

 Mrs. Claus has been hard at work...

Both at home, and at her day job!

Monday - Baked Chicken breast, baked potato, rest of last week's spring mix salad that I don't want to spoil

Tuesday - Pick up a burger! Watch a Christmas movie!

Wednesday - Dinner at The Girl's apartment

Thursday - Omelette with O'Brien potatoes

Friday - Baked Crescent Sammies, relish tray, creamy tomato soup, chips

Saturday - Breakfast is Overnight French Toast, sausages, fruit, coffee. Dinner is Spiral Ham, Smothered Green Beans, Steakhouse Mac and Cheese, and we'll have birthday cake for Bubbie!

Sunday - Leftovers

Gina

5 thing Friday - cross stitch, bedroom Christmas trees, stained glass, wine pick-ups, guest room

As of this post, I made a whopping two handmade gifts this year.  That doesn't mean I wasn't creative  {I did a fun thing which I will not be able to share here just yet}, but I am giving myself a pass on it this year and will, on advice of a wise blogger friend, work on it during the summer next year.

I started this cross stitch before Hubby passed, then finished it just afterwards.  It was calming to sit and stitch with The Girl.  She stained a hoop for me, and I plan to give it to my sister Maggie, who has been a blessing to me.

My first attempt at "finishing" the back.  I need to fine tune it in future, but it worked.

I never did buy a Christmas tree for the bedroom - just ran out of time and didn't want to spend a lot.  I will keep my eyes out for a skinny tree next year, maybe from a thrift store.  Meanwhile, I made a little vignette with table trees and added a battery candle by way of a nightlite.  I am getting used to falling asleep in an empty house and this helps!

My mother is determined that I have a stained glass window for my house.  I have nowhere to put it, but maybe I could get a small one to hang somewhere.  I do have that transom window in the living room, and this place in Bertram has fused glass classes.  Wouldn't it be cool to make my own?

Going to a winery alone for a pick up party is both good and bad.  Bad:  you are essentially ALONE and must make an effort to introduce yourself to others who are often couples or people in groups.  Good:  come and go whenever you want, sit where you want, listen to music, enjoy wine and a lunch, and just be yourself.  I just need to invite my kids to come along more often.

There's no big reveal for the guest room, but I will say it is clean and smells nice and is ready for whenever The Girl wants to stay the night.  I ordered new sheets and a dust ruffle, moved the directors chair in here (at the end of the bed), dusted the heck out of those shelves and the ceiling fan,  steam cleaned the carpets, added a nightlite and different lamp.  

I've been leaving the empty bedroom doors open so they don't start smelling stale. It feels good for me to nest.

Gina

Tuesday wasn't fun

Monday after work I got my Covid booster.  I thought my plan made sense: I would probably feel kinda low on Tuesday after work, so I would sleep it off, then Wednesday would be fine.  But what actually happened was that on my way to work on Tuesday I started shivering with chills, then my fingers went numb.  I asked if I could leave a few hours early, but only held out another hour.  The side effects from the booster are no joke!

I drove home as carefully as possible and lay in bed until I thought of making ramen.  I don't often get sick, but lately things seem to be laying me low.

I parked myself on the couch under my blanket for hours, going from chills to fever.  The Girl came over to make me a quesadilla and spend the night.  It was rough not having Hubby when I was so down for the count.  He wouldn't have fussed over me, but knowing he was there always gave me comfort.  And knowing The Girl was here helped me sleep a little easier.  

Gina

What the week holds and Christmas shopping is DONE

Mrs. Claus was busy this last Saturday 

I am 99.99% done.  Just a few tweaks to do here and there.

This week I am getting a menu together for Christmas and making out a monster grocery list.  I have a dentist appointment on Wednesday which I am tempted to cancel.  My little voice says "no don't do that, Gina, you've got to take care of yourself!".  But I know the hygienist will talk about Mark as he was her patient, too, and I don't feel up to answering questions with her hands in my mouth the whole time.  So in advance, I will practice setting a boundary.

Friday is payday and I will pay the taxes on Highlands.  Saturday I may run up and check on the property.  I also need a calm and quiet space to write a personal Christmas card to each one of my children.  Somewhere in there I will get to the store very early to buy groceries.

My scrubs are clean, meals are prepped, my house is decorated and clean.

I'm ready for the week.

Gina

Christmas crafting?

I wanted to make everyone a homemade gift for Christmas, but I feel I will fall short on that.  I did have a special something made for each of my peeps, and hope they will find it heartwarming {can't spill the beans on that since I don't know who might read this!}

When we were at the Christmas Affair, I took a couple of photos of things I could easily make, but would any of my peeps really find them useful?  The Cricut sits next to my desk, gathering dust.  I have seen so many cute ideas I could replicate...not to mention, things I could sew or food gifts I could put together.   I just haven't figured out the what and the when.

Aside from the joy that comes from creating something, I want it to be something they would keep and maybe find sentimental.  But I have left it pretty late in the year...Hubby passing really threw off my plans, to day the least.  I might have to settle for working on my own ideas for next Christmas.  I want to give myself plenty of grace - I am making my way through this season as best I can and trying to be intentional about the gifts I choose.  I hate the last minute aspect of it, and there's no shame in telling myself "next year, Gina".

Stay tuned, tho - I might surprise myself.

Gina

What the week holds - wine-ing and Christmas-ing

belaxin' at a different winery 

There are only two events on my agenda this week - working 4 hours extra on Saturday for some bonus monies, and a pick-up at one of my favorite wineries.  I am back to spreading out my housework throughout the week, because spending any time on it over the weekend felt terrible!  Meanwhile, I am almost DONE with Christmas gift shopping.  I just need to put together the "un-stockings". (yes, I am keeping that tradition going and this year they will have a special twist!)

Maybe I will have some time to do a craft or two - we shall see...

Gina

5 thing Friday - stitching, ramen, smoothies, coffee pot, cooking for one

One good thing came out of the pandemic for The Girl - she discovered a love for embroidery, crochet, and knitting.   

Many of the pieces she has completed, like this owl she stitched for my birthday, are so detailed and neat, you would think she had been doing it for years, maybe taught by her mother or grandmother.  Nope.  She learned from You Tube.

When my children make me gifts...its just the best.  Stitching by The Girl, homemade pumpkin bread from Scout, painted terra cotta pots with an aloe vera from Dutch and Scout...I love them all.

My birthday was a great day.  We did some things around the house, saw my sister and BIL who brought me a beautiful James Avery charm, and had ramen and potstickers at local ramen restaurant.

aaand beer, and I promise I was having a good time! {man, I look tired...}

Oh, and crispy cauliflower with pine nuts.

A cold front was blowing in as we sat on the patio.  Everything was so good, it makes me want to make ramen at home with my very own homemade bone broth from the Thanksgiving turkey.  On my list for lunch this weekend.

Smoothies for breakfast are perfect for when I have zero appetite but must be able to work without fainting until 12:30.  This one was a bit over-full!

My old coffee pot finally gave out.  It wasn't keeping the coffee hot, and I'm not sure the brew cycle was even using hot enough water.  But oh my goodness, the new one, a 5 cup space saver, looks like a child's plaything.  At least it works.  I'm keeping my cocoa packets here and will get some of those soft peppermint sticks to add to the holly goblet.

The freezer is stocked and has plenty of things for one person to eat.  Which feels very weird to me, as I have not fed just me since college.  (and I could barely afford to even eat) There's no point posting menus as they aren't going to vary all that much...I stocked up on protein and veggies, and I rounded it off with eggs, fruit, cereal and coconut milk.

Time for a little mealtime freedom.

Gina