The Bard said it best in his play "Twelfth Night"
"If music be the food of love, play on"
Let's skew his meaning a bit and see just where the love of food and the love of music takes us.
When I actually remember it is Tuesday, I follow Annie @Tuesday 4. There are 4 main questions and this week they are all about Christmas.
1.Is your tree up?
Yes they are. I have only two up this year.
How tall?
One is 7 1/2 feet and the other is 8.The den tree has colored lights and the living room tree has white lights.
Is there a color scheme you use?
Normally the den tree has humorous ornaments of every color in the world. The living room tree is more formal with gold, silver, bronze and copper. This year though, I only used lights and tree toppers. I am calling them art trees!
2. Got a menu for Christmas Eve and Day?
We typically have Chinese takeout for Christmas Eve. Christmas Day we have brunch and the menu is changeable.
3. When does it go up and how long does it stay up?
It goes up as soon after Thanksgiving as I can ge it up. Since we were out of town for Thanksgiving I had actually put some out earlier.
Everything Christmasy is down by the 31 with just some candles and mantel lights remaining.
4. What is your favorite Christmas memory.
When I was 5 I had mumps during the holidays and was unable to go see Santa. My uncle was friends with Loveman’s (former local dept store) Santa. Imagine my surprise when Uncle Bailey drove up to my house with Santa in the front seat. My sister and I had our own private time with the big guy.
I will openly and freely admit I did not cook at all last week. We either ate stuff from the freezer that only had to be thawed and reheated or we did takeout. Truthfully it was mainly takeout. I was a little dinged and was moving kinda slow so food prep was on the back burner. I am moving better and I guess I need to plan something, especially since this is Christmas week. Now that we are in countdown time I just need a little Christmas spirit, because I have been a little ho-hum this entire season.
Monday: Tortilla soup, coleslaw
Tuesday: Meeting my BIL and SIL in Tuscaloosa for our Christmas celebration dinner
Wednesday: Hot open face sandwiches, caulitato salad
Thursday: Pasta dish (possibly Alfredo) tossed salad
Friday: Traditionally we have Chinese takeout on Christmas Eve
Saturday: Brunch is the headliner and is subject to change___Breakfast casserole, ham or turkey, Brussels sprouts or asparagus, garlic cheese grits, rolls, coffee cake or sweet bread, stuffed celery, various cookies and candies
Dinner will be tomato soup and a grilled cheese (tradition)
Sunday: Leftovers all day (and cookies, lots of cookies)
Have a great week staying on plan, going off plan, or with no plan at all. But most of all have a Merry Christmas and be sure to tell each and every person you care about just how important they are to you!
So now week 50 is in the books and we are left with just two weeks in this year.
I apologize for not posting or responding a lot this week. I am rarely online much during the weekend and as you can see on the Sunday post, things changed quickly over the week. I did read your blogs but was just not in a position to respond to many. I was not able to sit very long and I just can't seem to respond easily from my phone or iPad.
Friday: We met Son2 and DIL2 for dinner at Perry's. It is not normal for us to go out to eat at 8:30 and not get home until after 11. Yes, we have gotten old!
Saturday: We were invited to one of the best parties I have ever been to. There was a lot of social space (indoors and out), great food and two of the most awesome hosts ever.
Sunday: TheHub and I finished the Christmas decorating. It is less than I usually do, but the house is festive and it is enough. We also caught a couple of episodes of Succession. I am very eager for TheHub to finish it so we can begin the new season.
After watching the show we decided to get into our newly installed all year present to each other. We purchased a Jacuzzi and it felt wonderful while I was in it. Not so good afterward though. When I was getting out I misstepped and fell from the top of it onto the concrete. It did not feel very good__at all. My joy is that nothing was broken.
Monday: After the accident Sunday night I was not feeling great Monday, but My Beloved Sister and I had a mid morning meeting with the attorney that we had to keep. It was nice to have someone to be with me and make fun of me while I was hobbling down the hall. Laughter did not hide the bruises and did not make me walk any straighter, but there is something therapeutic that comes with it.
Tuesday: My book club ( there are 5 of us) met for our annual Christmas party with the exception of one member. I am sorry she was unable to come but we still had fun. C's house is a Christmas wonderland, and the perfect setting for us to get together. We met once this summer at an outdoor restaurant and this is only our second time together in 2 years. My joy was sharing time with some of my most favorite people. Additional joy is that C has padded dining room chairs which made sitting possible.
Wednesday: Tuesday night I went to bed and did not make a pillow tunnel to keep me from moving in my sleep. Bad move on my part, and lesson was learned. I woke in a little worse shape than I had been, and the bruising looked a bit worse than it did the day before. Though I should have deep cleaned the den and the kitchen, I didn't. I did chores that were pretty easy on my body and required little bending or twisting. One big joy was getting a Christmas card from a fellow blogger. It was much appreciated!
Thursday: I woke and felt substantially better. Joy! It happened at the perfect time so I could meet my SIL who was in town for a doctor's appointment. P and I had. long lunch at PF Chang's. We had great conversations and caught up on what has been happening in our lives. Her's has had the most change since she has two new grandson's added to the tribe this year. I am very lucky to have her as a sister in law and we made plans to meet in Tuscaloosa (halfway between us) next week for dinner so the brothers can see each other also.
So that sums up the joys (and slight trial) for the week. There are always good and joyous things out there if we just look for them.
May all your weeds be wildflowers! (And no broken bones)
Wow! We have just finished week 49 for the year. It does not seem possible that Christmas is just around the corner with the year ending one week later! Time has flown, then flown even faster. As usual I am keeping a list of daily joys I find. This year has been filled with things that make me happy, mostly small things, but joys nonetheless. On New Year's Eve, I will grab a celebratory beverage and read over the things that brought me joy for the year, and think of each of you who have read these this year!
Friday: Son2 and I went to a production of A Christmas Carol. Unless U is an educational/recreational program for adults with special needs. They put on a couple of productions each year and it serves as part of their outreach program as well as a fundraiser. Just estimating, I think there were a couple of hundred folks at the 2 o'clock performance and they had a second one at 6 which, I imagine, had a higher attendance. Between the handbells, dancing, and singing along with the play it was a most wonderful way to begin the holiday season.
Saturday: While the rest of you were busy doing seasonal events, TheHub and I spent our afternoon doing something really important. We watched the SEC championship game. I never even had a single thought that Alabama would win, but they did. Roll Tide! Now they are headed to the semi-finals. Wow!
Sunday: TheHub and I had a kind of lazy day doing a little Christmas decorating, a little eating and finished the night off with a shared bowl of popcorn while watching Succession. TheHub had not watched the prior seasons, so I am watching it from the beginning with him while he catches up. I want him to hurry because I am itching to see season 3
Monday: I had a surprise visit from DIL2. She is a visiting Occupational Therapist and was in my area with an hour between visits. I love it when she can stop by during the day!
After dinner TheHub and I watched the Patriots/Bills game. I do not normally watch NFL games, but Mac Jones was Alabama's QB last year and is having a really good rookie season, so I watched___kinda. It is entirely possible I was reading while the game was on.
Tuesday: TheHub had to go to a Christmas party at one of the banks they do business with, so I had planned on eating a bowl of soup alone. I was quite surprised when Son2 and DIL2 called to say they were near my house grabbing some takeout. Of course I asked them to come over and eat it while it was hot instead of taking it back to their house (across town). Turns out I had company for dinner instead of eating alone, and it was delightful.
Wednesday: I spent the day with my good friend M. We took off our regular everyday life hats and traded them for figurative elf ears and a little elf cap.
For the past 12 years we have offered our services for a band fundraiser for our local high school band. Our sons are now in their late mid 20's and have been out of high school for years, but we still continue this project.
We take orders, then write personalized (mentioning individual things about each child who gets them) letters about what is gong on at the North Pole. We have normally sent the letters to either the North Pole, Alaska or Santa Claus, Indiana post offices for remailing. This year we have less faith in USPS so we bought a North Pole cancellation stamp, and printed fake stamps and addressed them as usual. It meant we had to put them in a larger envelope and mail them to their parents using the local post office, but it also means the Christmas magic can continue.
Also on Friday the multi event present TheHub and I were giving each other for the year was delivered and installed. Woo hoo!
Thursday: M and I finished the letters and now the only thing we have to do is figure out what Santa, Mrs Claus and all the elves are going to be up to next Christmas. We generally start formatting the letter for the next year while this year's tale is still fresh on our minds. There is always a story with some minor conflict and resolution. Right now it looks like a North Pole string orchestra and some careless bowing is going to happen. But who really knows? We have 10 1/2 months to get it ready.
And that wraps up the joys of this week. There were other happy and joyful moments but these are the ones that stuck out. Go out this week and look for joy. If it is what you are looking for, you will find it!
It is that time again for another Tuesday 4 with questions provided by Annie @Tuesday 4. Hop over and join in the fun this week about movies and books.
1. Is there a hero or character on TV, in a book or a movie .. or even on all three, that you are especially like? What do you find attractive about them?
I love Ignatius J. Riley in A Confederacy of Dunces. The book is so well written and poor Ignatius serves as both the protagonist and the antagonist at the same time. I try and re-read it every year, and without fail, I fall in love with the book all over again. Ignatius is such a flawed character, who has no ability to recognize his personal shortcomings but can see (and magnify) any he sees in everyone around him.
Movie hero: Andy Dufresne in The Shawshank Redemption.
2. Was there a book that was better in movie form? How about a movie you thought didn't live up to the book?
Forest Gump was so much better in movie form. The book was poorly written.
In my opinion, most books are better than the movies.
3. When you choose a book, program or movie which subject it is most likely to be: science fiction, mystery, romance, comedy, documentary, etc.?
No specific genres draw me in. I just like something to be well written, performed, and interesting
What draws you to a particular book or movie?
I am a huge book review person, and will generally choose one based on a brief synopsis of what it is about. I also have a few trusted friends whose recommendations I trust.
Movies? It is just the luck of the draw.
4. How important is the title or picture on the cover of a book?
I could not care less about the cover or title unless it has pictures typical of romance novels. I do not read those at all.
How much importance do you place on a movie because of the actors who are in it?
None, though there are some very talented actors I like to see in spectacular performances. I have seen unknown actors who are stellar. Fine talent is just fine talent!
I need to get back to planning meals and cooking something. This past week we had some pretty crappy meals, mainly because we had just gotten back in town and I just did not want to go to the grocery store. So we had a week of takeout, canned soup, canned stew, or sandwiches. If it was basic and took little to no thought or prep time, we ate it. And surprisingly we lived. But now I need to pay a little bit more attention to what we put in our mouths.
This is the tentative plan for the week. (It could change if I am not feeling it, or just see something sparkly and lose focus)
1. Taco al pastor, salad
2.Stuffed bell pepper, mashed potatoes and gravy, broccoli, Waldorf salad
3. Grilled tuna steaks, salad, asparagus, rolls
4. Soup or chili, coleslaw
5. Reuben sandwiches, caulitato salad
6. Christmas party at friends (heavy hors de oeuvres )
7. Leftovers (taco salad possibly)
I have to admit after listening to this song I wish I had some cider and turkey wings!
Have a great week staying on plan. going off plan, or with no plan at all
We had a wonderful visit on the left coast and now we are back home and can begin the Christmas frenzy as we countdown the remaining days until the jolly fellow makes his arrival.
This year has flown, in spite of the isolation and lack of interaction with other humans. While I hope 2022 will be a little kinder to the world, I will continue to count my daily joys!
Friday: Pip and her lifelong best friend came to the hotel to swim, have pizza and jump on the ridiculously big bed. What is better than hearing two young girls laughing and giggling?
We went over to their house later in the evening for delicious turkey soup.
Saturday: Alabama and their arch rival, Auburn, played football. Alabama should not have won but they did after 4 over times. Roll Tide! DIL1 who does not give a flip about the sport joined in watching the game and yelling right along with us when the winning points were scored!
Sunday: They had a complete family birthday party for Pip. It was much fun and neighborhood kids floated in and out all day. We stayed at their house until it was time for us to head to the airport. We got there 3 hours early and just sat in the concourse listening to a guy playing the piano, until it was time to catch a red eye flight home
Monday: We arrived him about 9 am, and probably the most joyful thing was getting unpacked, a couple of loads of laundry done, and a long nap ( because I can't sleep on a plane).
Tuesday: I literally stayed at home all day long.. The only thing that might have been better would have been to stay in my pajamas all day. Instead, I was dressed and doing laundry.
Wednesday: I had a fudge making day and cranked out about 3 pounds of peanut butter fudge and a couple of pounds of praline fudge to give to a group of folks who were passing through town. Of course I had to do some taste testing to make sure it was good enough to give!
Thursday: My beloved sister and I rode around and ran some errands. I missed her while we were gone and loved being with her. She makes me laugh more than anyone else .
TheHub and I went to The Alys to see Jazz at the Lincoln Center Orchestra. They were great as usual.
Thankfully The Alys staff is very mindful of Covid and operates at 1/3 capacity with mask requirements. I know it is not great for the performers who are used to sell out crowds, but right now I had rather pay a little more per ticket and feel a lot safer.
So that wraps up my list of joys for the week. I hope you find yours because they are always out there.
