Oh No, Just 43 Weeks Till Christmas

I am becoming less and less enthused about prepping for Christmas next year, when everything in me is excited about spring. 

I did find a cute door decoration that was a nutcracker printed on canvas made to hang from a doorknob. I was not about to pay 10 bucks for a printed piece of canvas, no matter how cute it was. However, I saved the photo of it, have some balsa wood around the house, and decided to try my hand at painting my own. Heaven knows, I have a multitude of door knobs in this house and at least 3 or 4 of them could stand a little Christmas cheer.

I also added a few recipes to my Christmas cookbook. I have found Google knows no end to a search simply titled Christmas. There seems to be no limit to the number of rabbit holes I can disappear in, which is fun but time consuming.  With that time, though I have found a plethora of recipes  and traditions I had never seen before. 

Now I have to be on the lookout for lomaconi to use making a traditional Spanish Christmas soup. I was thinking that our  entertaining plans for the next holiday season needs to include having close friends over for a simple soup dinner, with three or four different soup choices. Might as well try soups from different parts of the globe, but I will want to try them first.

Did I even set foot in the room that is covered in Christmas and other holiday stuff?  Nope not at all.

There is always next week, right?

Goldilocks Week: Not to Busy and Not to Slow

This past week had gorgeous weather, warmer temperatures and a lot of sun. My hibiscus plants are showing off, and my lime tree is covered with blossoms. The redbud trees in the backyard are in full bloom, daffodils are up everywhere, and I am sneezing a little. It must be spring.

Plans that mostly didn't happen:

1. California roll cucumber salad, dinner rolls

2. Steak, baked potato, salad

3. Spaghetti with meat sauce, tossed salad, rolls

4. Smoked trout toasts, coleslaw

5. Veggie meal TBD

6. Out to eat

7. Thai chicken curry, rice

Monday joy: I spent the day doing laundry and catching up with the TV show "Lost". It is Pip's favorite show and since we will be seeing her the end of March it is always good to have something in common to talk about. That said, I really do not like the show, but have found a different way of "watching " it. 

There is a website called TV Tropes which has a summery of each episode. I watched the first 3 shows in the first season to establish the characters. From there on I read the summery of the episodes, and only have to watch when a new character is introduced. I understand this is like a Cliff Notes approach, but it is working for me.

Monday dinner: Once again the freezer came to the rescue. 

Spaghetti w/ meat sauce, tossed salad, dinner rolls

Tuesday joy: I went to Independence Place, was met at the door with smiles and hugs, then proceeded to show them how to make the worlds easiest chicken and dumplings. 

It only takes chicken broth, canned chicken breast chunks, a can of cream of chicken soup, water, and flour tortillas* cut into 8ths like a pizza. 

Put the broth, chicken, cream of chicken soup  and water into a large boiler (Had to have a large one because they had 10 participants Tuesday but you can scale down as much as you want since there are no official measurements. Just eyeball everything) 

Once it is boiling toss in the tortilla bits, one at a time, stirring so they won't clump. (Stir after each addition.)

Cook until the tortillas are soft and hold their shape and the broth thickens up a bit. 

They loved it, and it is a meal they could make either by themselves, or with minimal assistance.

I did have a request for next time I am there that I will not honor. Miss H wants me to cook  a turkey with mashed potatoes and gravy. Not happening!

Tuesday dinner: We were in the mood for a veggie dinner

Squash casserole, green beans, coleslaw

Wednesday joy: I had my Wednesday class, and since I was dressed anyway TheHub wanted to go out for lunch. We went to a meat and three on the bluff and had veggie plates with a view! While we were out we ran a couple of errands before coming home. 

Sprouts grinds their own peanut butter and I really do prefer getting it there rather than the jarred stuff from the regular grocery store. Since I was stopping by anyway, I picked up several things there I am unable to find at some other places I buy groceries. 

I wish their store nearest me had not closed because I went there every Wednesday on my way home from class. Now I have to make an effort to go, so I don't get by there as often as I used to.

The day was so gorgeous it was easy to justify staying out anyway.

Wednesday dinner: The evening was perfect for firing up the grill.

Steak, baked potato, tossed salad

Thursday joy: Fiber as an internet option was finally available in my neighborhood . We were seriously glad to make the change from Spectrum as it is about 30 bucks a month cheaper and a good bit faster. But we had to wait around for the installer, so we both planned stuff to do while hanging around the house. The upside is that I got a good spring cleaning job done to the den.

Shortly before sunset we rode to The Pig to grab a few things then planned to swing by the bluff to watch it disappear. We missed the actual setting but did get to see some of the beautiful afterglow. We probably should have ridden to the bluff first, Oh well!

Thursday dinner: Because of the installation, we both had lunch much later than usual and we just did not want much for dinner.

Tossed salad

Friday joy: We left the house a bit after nine and headed to Athens, Alabama to meet Son3 and DIL3 for lunch. Athens is halfway between Birmingham and Nashville and a good meeting spot. 

The day was just perfect and TheHub and I talked the entire way up there. We pulled in to The Southern Table restaurant right as they got there too. The food was delicious, the restaurant was charming and the company was great. We were able to have a leisurely lunch, then shopped at a delightful gift shop next door.

I had been to Athens before but never to the downtown area. It is a beautiful Southern town that is thriving. TheHub and I will definitely be going back.

On our way home we stopped at the Dutch Oven Bakery in Falkville. We did quite a bit of damage there, but came home with 3 bags of deliciousness. We actually needed to take something to two of our friends, so it was not all for us. 

One friend's mom had recently passed away so we dropped by her house to give her a cake, and visited for a little bit. 

Then from there we stopped by to take a cake to another friend who is recovering from a knee replacement. While we were at their house we also saw their neighbors, who are mutual friends. The results? A glass of wine and some wonderful conversation with everyone. 

We left, had one more stop then finally made it home by about 6:45.

And, at about 9:30 that night our neighbor rang the doorbell. They had a Mardi Gras party Friday night that we had to decline. I figured we would be cutting the time close, but I had also screwed up my left knee and knew I could not manage climbing her driveway without re-injuring it. Wonderful friend and neighbor that she is, she came bearing gifts. She stayed and we had a nice visit for a couple of hours.

Friday dinner: I forgot we had to use February's monthly minimum we are obligated for, and being as we had been gone all day, we opted for takeout rather than dine in.

Grilled cobia, broccolini, rice pilaf

Saturday joy: We hung around doing odd jobs, laundry and watching (off and on) Alabama softball and men's basketball. The men were literally beaten at the buzzer.

Saturday dinner:  The gifts my neighbor (the one who came over with Friday night) brought were the most delicious edible kind.

Gumbo, jambalaya, cornbread, king cake. 

Sunday joy: We woke early for our church's communion service, followed by early church, then Sunday school. It was also communion Sunday at the early service, so we were double communed that day.

Our Sunday school class had a guest speaker who was about 30 years younger than all of us, but it was very nice to hear the perspectives from someone of a different generation.

TheHub and I came home, ate lunch then watched both Alabama softball and women's basketball.  Sunday is the only day of the week I take a little nap, so I obliged and fell asleep on the loveseat for about 35 minutes. It was bliss.

Sunday dinner: I did not really feel like cooking but there was a package of ground chuck I had thawed that had to be used.

SOS*, coleslaw

Possibilities  for the week that probably won't happen:

1. Smoked trout toast***, coleslaw or salad

2. Pancake dinner, sausage, bacon, fruit compote, decaf latte

3. Hamburger with all the fixings, tater tots (weather may change this)

4. Leftover gumbo, cornbread, cajun coleslaw

5. Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, green beans, cucumber onion tomato salad

6. Chicken and waffles w/hot honey,  tossed salad

7. Out to eat

Books Read in February:

Confessions of a Christmasoholic

Long List

A Confederacy of Dunces (a re-read)

Anxious People

You Like It Darker

Have a great week staying on plan, going off plan, or with no plan at all.

May all your weeds be wildflowers.

Anne

* for 10 people (about 3/4 c. serving) I used 2 lg. cans of chicken, one family size container of broth, 1 standard size cream of chicken soup, 1 1/2 soup cans water, and about 18 tortillas

** You either know what this is, or you are really young and have never heard people who served in various military operations speak of their not so hot  K-rations. For anyone trying to figure it out, the 2nd S stands for shingle.

***The smoked trout is vaccuum sealed in the freezer, so it has  just been hanging out in a controlled setting for the past few weeks that I have had it on the menu plans and not yet made it.

Oh No Just 44 Weeks Until Christmas

 Know what I did to prepare for the holidays in the 44th week before Christmas???

Jack Squat

I said from the beginning of these posts I would be transparent, positing my successes and failures. I have no idea why I didn't get anything done, other than I was just not feeling it.

I spent about 10 minutes upstairs in the room of horrors but only sorted some of the Halloween decorations, leaving anything Christmas untouched. Not my finest!

Maybe I will be more productive this week, and maybe not. Right now I would place betting money on not, but who knows? Hope springs eternal.

The Week Was Cold and so Was I

The week came and went without any major goings on except for the serious cold temps.  I take it as a personal offense when one week is 80 and the next is 20. My cries of unfair seem to have little effect on the outside temperatures though. All I know is that I have been ice cold this past week.

1. Stuffed bell pepper soup, coleslaw, cornbread

2. Pork chops, mashed potatoes, green beans, cooked carrots

3. Chicken divan, cucumber slices, dinner rolls

4. Veggie dinner TBD

5. Tacos or taco salad (weather dependent)

6. Soup TBD (depending on what I decide to make)

7. Out to eat (I am meeting several of my female cousins for dinner and gabbing)

Monday joy: As you all know by now, nothing makes me happier than being at Independence Place. In honor of President's Day, we talked about the tale of Washington chopping down the cherry tree. 

Since cherries are associated with the day, we made cherry blintzes about the easiest way possible. 

Flour tortillas were soaked in milk until they were soft,. The centers were  filled with canned cherry pie filling, then folded like an eggroll. They sat on a parchment paper for a few minutes, then were cooked on the stovetop in butter.  A dollop of whipped cream topped each blintz .
Each time we are finished I ask if the food was a thumbs up, down or sideways to see how they enjoyed it. Most of the time there is at least one thumbs down, because everybody does not like everything. This time there was a rousing thumbs up*

Monday dinner: I made a huge pot of soup earlier in the day, so dinner was decided.

Stuffed bell pepper soup

Tuesday joy: Finally I did some some cleaning and messing around in the decorations closet (which was mostly strewn about the room instead). Lucky for me it is in such a mess that I made the barest dent in organizing and I will have plenty to keep me busy for a long time.

Tuesday dinner: Some nights we want real food, but a simple meal.

Chicken, green beans, coleslaw, biscuit

Wednesday joy: It was too blooming cold here, but I went to my Wednesday class anyway. TheHub met a friend for lunch so I had most of the afternoon to myself and once he got home I recruited him to help me deliver Christmas presents to My Beloved Sister and BIL. We had planned to do it the week after he came home from the hospital the first time, but he was readmitted 4 days later. We took it over to them as soon as he felt like having visitors, even though we just stayed a few minutes. Afterward we ran by a couple of stores then back home to say in and get warm. 

Wednesday dinner: I had a ton of home cooked chicken broth and cooked chicken. This dinner was inevitable and certainly warmed us up.

Chicken noodle soup

Thursday joy: We booked a river cruise from Prague to Budapest for May of 2026.  We are tentatively looking at taking a train form Budapest to Zurich, visiting some folks we know there, then taking a train to Paris for a few days, possibly taking the chunnel and winding up in London. Of course we have a lot of time to make any changes as we think of them. Even if we wind up just cruising the river it is still something to look forward to.

That night we watched Alabama women's basketball. Tennessee won, oh well.

Thursday dinner: We wanted a "real" meal (meaning no soup)

Pork chops, cauliflower rice pilaf, cucumber slices

Friday joy:  The new loveseat was delivered and for a small tip extra the movers relocated to den couch and moved the existing loveseat to the basement den. We had to rearrange things and get rid of some things that no longer fit in the room.

I listed some old analog stereo speakers on our local buy nothing FB page. Someone wanted them immediately, and they were picked up by the afternoon. Yay! One thing I did not want nor need out of the house!

Friday dinner: TheHub wanted something hot, I wanted something raw.

Bowl of soup or salad plate

Saturday joy: The day was pretty much devoted to Alabama sports. We watched 2 games of softball and men's basketball.  

Saturday dinner: We had to have a quick meal to eat during the basketball game halftime.

Taco salad

Sunday joy: We went to our church's morning communion service, early church, and Sunday school. On our way home we stopped and picked up a bite for lunch, talked to Son3, then turned on Alabama softball.

I got home and found someone wanted the 4 foot marble slab I listed on Buy Nothing. Woo hoo! TheHub put it outside by the street for an easy (though heavy) pickup. Another thing that had served its purpose here was gone!

I am not a napper but there is something about a Sunday afternoon that just screams for a nap.

Sunday dinner: This night was not only about food but also about the company. My Beloved Sister and I met 7 of our female cousins for dinner at North Italia. The food was ok, but the fellowship was exceptional. So this was actually one of the days great joys rather than being about the meal. Bonus**

Italian farm salad

Possible meals for this week:

1. California roll cucumber salad

2. Steak, baked potato, salad

3. Spaghetti with meat sauce, tossed salad

4. Smoked trout toasts, coleslaw

5. Veggie meal TBD

6. Out to eat

7. Thai chicken curry, rice

Books Read in February:

Confessions of a Christmasoholic

Long List

A Confederacy of Dunces (a re-read)

Anxious People

Have a great week staying on plan, going off plan, or with no plan at all.

May all your weeds be wildflowers.

Anne

* The one person I know who does not like cherries was not there. She would have not only given me a thumbs down, but would have accompanied it with some serious stink eye.

** The meal was a females only which meant TheHub was on his own for dinner. He is not a cook and planned on grabbing something to bring back to the house to eat. He loves Captain D's as much as I don't. He was able to satisfy his need and I did not have to be a part of it. 

Oh no, just 45 weeks until Christmas

Other than finding a couple of recipes I would like to try, I did next to nothing to get ready for Christmas 2025 this past week. 

Not what I want for Christmas meals,  but it makes me laugh

I did get started in the upstairs room whose closet is supposed to house all seasonal decorations. I have been good about taking things up there, but not good at all about putting them away. I had already decided I would go through each and every container in the closet, and also those strewn about the room putting my hands on each item and making a decision to keep said thing or let it go*. 

So far the only things I finished are (1.) the container with the carolers (which are all repaired and waiting for their appearance on the foyer table next season), (2.) the wrapping containers (one each with gift wrap, gift boxes, and Christmas gift bags) and (3.) 3 boxes of living room tree decor (now condensed into one large container).

Judging by my progress (or lack thereof) I figure it will take me several days workings pretty steadily to go through everything and get it packed up and stowed**.

Now you have to remember that normally I decorate for each holiday and have a pretty large selection for every one, so this is not all Christmas related. But there is no point in doing a half-assed job is there?  I will be working my way through every single holiday's containers before I am completely through. 

If I were a brave puppy I would have taken a picture of the room and closet before I began just to show you how bad it was. I will admit there was a box of skulls and a horn of plenty hanging out in the room beside all of the Christmas stuff. Instead I will take on when I get the project completed. 

*So far, I have one copy paper box filled with things to give away. It was pretty easy to look at something and see if I was hanging on to it because I use it regularly, for sentimental reasons, or just because I used it years ago and never got rid of it. 

Now I just have to figure who is still accepting Christmas decor so I can give it away.  

I also separated personalized brass ornaments my mom gave each of my sons every year until they were adults. Those are all going to them the next time I see them. 

** Don't even begin to think I am going to do this consecutive days until it is done. I have living to do, the door to the room can be shut, and I still have at least 38 weeks until I am ready to get it back out and start the Christmas decorating process again.  

A Week in the Not So Exciting Life

This week was a fairly humdrum week around here, but still enjoyable. There was no reason for it to be enjoyable, but also no reason for it not to be.

Planned but mostly didn't happen:

1. Chili, coleslaw, cornbread

2. Veggie dinner TBD

3. Smoked trout toast, shirazi salad

4. Big salad meal TBD

5. Out to eat, or takeout

6. Conecuh sausage and steamed cabbage

7. Valentine's Day meal TBD (based on weather)

Daily joys and what we really ate:

Monday joy: TheHub and I stayed around the house, except for going to ThePig to pick up both the Monday and the weekly free items. You only have to have 10 dollars of additional purchases to get the freebies and they had 4 produce things I needed that were cherry picking prices. It was a win all the way around.

Monday dinner: I should have made coleslaw to add to the meal since I had a head of cabbage in the fridge, but I did't get around to it. 

Chili, cornbread

Tuesday joy: BIL's biopsy result was negative and there was nothing bigger to be joyful about!

Tuesday dinner: We were not really hungry and this was on hand

Vegetable beef soup

Wednesday joy: This is a huge joy. After 9 weeks in the hospital BIL was able to go home.

I had class then TheHub and I did some running around, but we stayed close to home in the event My Beloved Sister needed help transporting BIL to their house (She didn't)

Wednesday dinner:  Meal compliments of the freezer, fridge, and pantry.

Country ribs, sautéed cabbage, baked potato

Thursday dinner: I had thawed some ground chuck anticipating cooking burgers, but changed plans.

Hamburger patties, with sautéed mushrooms and onions, mixed winter vegetables, dinner rolls

Friday joy: It was Valentine's Day, and though we no longer go out with the restaurant crowds to celebrate, TheHub still brought me a gorgeous rose and hydrangea bouquet and we do exchange cards.

Friday dinner: Celebratory Valentine's dinner at home

Grilled lamb chops w/ rosemary mint compound butter, tossed salad, baked potato, brownie

Saturday joy: We did a few chores, got dressed and went out for the morning to run some errands,

I have a love seat in the den that is positioned perfectly for TV watching. We have had it for decades and I have reupholstered it 3 times and is really in need of a fourth recovering, but it no longer services my needs. It had a low back and for sitting is fine, but as I have aged sometimes I doze off for a few minutes late at night and it hurts my neck. La-Z Boy was having a presidential sale and we stopped in to have a look.  30 minute later I was the owner of a love seat with adjustable footrests. Best of all it has a relatively high back so when (not if) I doze off for a few minutes, my neck won't hurt.

Plus after our running around we made it home in time to see Auburn beat Alabama in basketball. Oh well!

Saturday dinner: Once we came home I started cooking chicken quarters to make broth. Dinner that followed was inevitable.

Chicken vegetable soup

Sunday joy: We went to the communion service, church, Sunday school, home for a quick lunch then out to see "Six".  

The play is a very high energy production (though calling it a play is really a misnomer) Their voices were outstanding and the songs were all so well written. I am really glad I saw it, and did enjoy it, but I do not have to see it again.

I took the bones I had saved after cooking and deboning the chicken meat from the leg quarters Saturday, and added them into the saved liquid I had cooked them in originally. Once the liquid was hot and boiling I turned it down to a simmer and left it for the rest of the day. The results of the entire process in addition 5 bags of cooked chicken was 7 quarts of broth. Nice return on the 5 bucks I spent for the chicken quarters.

And an entirely unrelated question: I have been wondering why after a week of springlike weather, did winter have to come back. I had to move my plants back in the house, and now have hibiscus  and lime trees blooming in my kitchen . 

Once I get a taste of spring, I am through with winter, but it seems it is not through with me.

Sunday dinner:  We just wanted a simple dinner. 

Mac and cheese, turnip greens, corn relish

What could possibly be on the menu this week:

1. Stuffed bell pepper soup, coleslaw, cornbread

2. Pork chops, mashed potatoes, green beans, cooked carrots

3. Chicken divan, cucumber slices, dinner rolls

4. Veggie dinner TBD

5. Tacos or taco salad (weather dependent)

6. Soup TBD (depending on what I decide to make)

7. Out to eat (I am meeting several of my female cousins for dinner and gabbing)

Books Read in February:

Confessions of a Christmasoholic

Long List

A Confederacy of Dunces (a re-read)

Have a great week staying on plan, going off plan or with no plan at all

May all your weeds be wildflowers.

Anne

Oh no, just 46 weeks until Christmas

 Let's see. What was done toward holiday prep this 46th week  until Christmas? Very little. 

We had a week of full blown spring temperatures and it had me looking through seed catalogues, and paint samples for the front door. Right now I am leaning toward a dark charcoal gray paint with bluish green undertones, and looking for mashed potato squash seed (which I had never heard of before this past fall but NEED to plant this year). 

While I was looking at paint, I did mentally imagine what a wreath would look like against it, and also what color and design I would like for the ribbon. 

Imagining is always a problem for me, because when I actually start looking for something I created in my mind, it is nowhere to be found. I suppose I could always join the ranks of the traditional and just use red velvet ribbon, but why?

While I am imagining I can't help but think that with thinking about Christmas every week, this might be the very first year that the house could be as decorated and festooned and I always hope for.

Hope springs eternal, correct ?

The last Byers caroler was found, bought and is on her way. She is slightly damaged, which is why she was cheap enough for me to buy.  It looks like whatever she had in her basket is long gone, but that will be a very simple fix. 

Now the only thing I have to do is decide whether to include the fur babies in the carol family or not. Right now I am leaning toward no, but I will continue to look, and if the price is right I could change my mind.

I also read a Christmas book for the month of February. It is Confessions of a Christmasoholic.

I will not recommend it to anyone unless you enjoy some extremely graphic gratuitous smut sprinkled in an otherwise sweet tale. There were large portions of several chapters that I left unread because that type of writing does not appeal to me at all. 

I was just glad it was a Libby E-book and could be returned. I just wish there had been a little heads up in the book description, and I would have never chosen it even though it had a cute Christmasy cover. It just reinforces the old adage about never judging. 

So other than listening to a few Christmas tunes and looking at a few potential Christmas recipes, that sums up my Christmas prep for the week.

And just in case you were wondering, I still have the door tightly shut, and have done nothing to the room strewn with Christmas. This week is supposed to be rainy so there is the possibility I might actually get to work sorting and packing away. I would not place any bets on it though.