the tale of the streetlight...

streetlight... not ours, but similar

We have a huge streetlight right off our driveway in the front of our house. If you picture a T... picture our house in the middle of the top where the 2 lines touch. Our street is the horizontal one and the vertical line is another street that ends in our driveway (if you don't turn left or right). 

Anyway, there's a huge bright street light that sits there next to our mailbox. We love it as it lights up the whole area where we park our car and the front of our house. We also have a video camera on that driveway, and even though it has night vision, it works so much better with the light. 

Well... the streetlight went out a few nights ago. Talk about black! I was surprised at just how dark it was without it. So we called the city... actually you go online nowadays, find your area, find your streetlight, and check off the problem... which was "out!"

Said it could take a few weeks (whatever). Well, the very next day when DH and I were out shopping at Central Market, we get a call from our next door neighbor saying the city was out to fix the streetlight and while doing so, they knocked over our mailbox. Since no one was home, they left their card with our neighbor and told him what happened. 

We were overjoyed that they had fixed the light so quickly that we didn't care about the mailbox... and said so. We would take care of it. But lo and behold, that night the streetlight never came on. Apparently they didn't fix it. They did however, tie a yellow ribbon around it...?? 

The next day we called the number on the card they gave our neighbor and reported that the light was still out. They asked if we wanted them to fix the mailbox, again we said NO! WE WANT THEM TO FIX THE STREETLIGHT! They said they would look into it. 

That was a few days ago.  Still waiting... 

eclectic choices...

Aga with dish towel given to me by a friend

Have you ever wondered how different people's choices are when it comes to things that interest them? I've often wondered about this... 

And it covers such a large field; friends, decor, colors, styles, life-styles, entertainment, fields of study, and even just 'things'. Why does one person adore the color blue while another red? Why does one person find Anthropology fascinating and another find it boring? 

And I realize that genetics and environment play a part... but still the down to earth diversity astounds me. THAT and the fact that so many of us actually do like the same things. 

Bear with me. This is a strange introduction into what I'm actually getting at.

Dish Towels! 

I love pretty useful dishtowels. This is what I check out at kitchen stores or what I buy when on vacation as my souvenir.  Some I use, some I display, some I use and display.  

These two were bought in Fredricksburg, TX. They have been both displayed and used... so showing a little wear. But that's OK. 

Our house decor is pretty eclectic also. I've never been one who wants everything to match. In fact, my favorite table setting is to use 8 different place settings with 8 different crystal goblets. Not that we do much of that anymore (occasionally now at Christmas and/or possibly Thanksgiving). 

And of course the cats have a say in how things are done too. They don't allow flowers to be displayed (Julie will eat them - she also likes to chew plastic so it's essential no one leaves anything in plastic where she can get to it... like bread or hefty bags,etc. as they will be found with thousands of tiny teeth marks the next day). They also make it necessary to have a very heavy centerpiece in the front room in order to keep the tablecloth from coming off if they happen to fly across it chasing each other.  And they require suitable soft quilting blankets on sofas, easy chairs, kitchen counter, etc. for their comfort and enjoyment. And I imagine any house-hold that has a cat also has a cardboard box or two from Amazon (or what have you) that couldn't be discarded because the cats have taken possession.

But that's life. You deal with it. And somehow... despite the haphazardry (is that a word? probably not), it all works.

and oh yes, there are lots of books around here too!

Promised home-made eggnog recipe... and an extra

Home-made Egg-nog

Recipe for Home-made Eggnog:

Eggs 3

Sugar 1/2 cup

Milk (whole) 2 cups

Evaporated milk 1 cup

Separate yolks and whites

Beat egg yolks with sugar until creamy

Heat milk and cream until very hot, but not boiling

Add a little of the egg yolk mixture to hot milk gradually, stirring well as you add, then add rest.

Then beat egg whites with a little sugar to taste (maybe 2 Tbsp?)

When stiff, add this to egg yolk/milk mixture

Can sprinkle with nutmeg (optional) and add a little whiskey (we use bourbon- maybe a capful ?)

Makes about 4 cups depending on size of cup or flute. 

We use champagne flutes and put another teaspoon of whiskey on top when served.

Refrigerate any leftover. Excellent hot or cold!

*and a new endeavor...  Cast Iron Chicken Pot Pie:

I won't post this recipe unless someone wants it, but I took it from Cast Iron magazine and it came out rather well. I will say that I 'tweaked' it a bit as it calls for using frozen veggies and I prefer fresh... so I semi cooked my potatoes and carrots ahead and then added them.  I also added a little white wine, parsley, bay leaf, and thyme.

catch up...

funny...

This post may take a while... it's coming after a week of 'something or other' that has had me bedridden with croupy cough, headache, and fever.  I won't say it was the flu... but since I had the flu shot in October, I guess it could have been a modified version. All I know is that my fever (102 F) broke Wednesday night and I woke up soaked with perspiration... and have felt better since.

First, let me say that we had a wonderful Christmas and New Year's. 

Our daughter who lives in the hill country and was with us for Thanksgiving, decided to drive up on the spur of the moment 2 days after Christmas... for a short visit and to deliver Christmas gifts she had yet to mail. It's only about a 4.5 - 5 hour drive (even shorter if grand daughter (17) is driving), so they can leave early and be here for lunch time.  This was an unexpected but happy surprise. 

Daughter, Grand daughter 1 (17), DIL, and Grand daughter 2 (6) took off and did some Girls after Christmas sale shopping.  I picked up a new Star for the tree next year. The old one is rather small and really wasn't made to top a tree. 

We also hit Northpark Mall which is one of the biggest and oldest malls in the area. It was packed!  I never would have been there if it wasn't for this spur of the moment  'girls shopping spree' (I really don't like crowds). But I can go with the flow... when it's family oriented. 

Anyway, youngest grand daughter saw the Train Exposition.... which is there every year (getting bigger every time) and wanted to go inside. You have to get tickets, but it all goes to charity. So of course I took her while the others shopped some more. This was also packed with people and kids (and probably where I picked up some bug). But it was fun. She enjoyed it. The last time I was inside there was when our oldest grandson (20) was 4. He enjoyed it back then too.

There were trains everywhere... going in all directions and the kids could push a button and stop or start them.

This particular one was made like Fair Park and Big Tex here in Dallas.  If you look closely you can see Big Tex on the midway.









OK... now I'm going to mention something that has really been bothering DH and myself these last 2 days. Apparently our neighbor's wife across the street passed away 3 months ago. Did we know? No. Were we close friends? No... but we've lived here for 34 years and have waved hello as we passed... occasionally speaking when outside working on the lawn, etc. 

When checking with our neighbors who are on both sides of us (and who admittedly we are closer to), they didn't know either. How can this be?  She was only about 50  (I'm guessing)... and our closer neighbors are about the same. DH and I are the old ones. 

My dilemma is what to do. We don't know them well enough to go knocking on his door now 3 months later. Yet it feels wrong to not to anything. If we had known, we would have brought food, sent a card, extended our sympathies somehow. But now... ??  I plan to talk to my closer neighbors and see if we can figure this out. But I have to admit, it's shocked us - not that a neighbor could die, but that one so close could die and us not know anything about it.  

Ghost covering her face...

Christmas 2018 is past...

... and our kitties are enjoying their new toys!

Tux

Julie

Ghost

They also shared a few colored balls and toys with the outside ferals. I watched one long-haired kitty outside playing with an orange ball. He batted and chased it all the way to the bushes in the back and I thought, that's one ball gone.... until he picked it up in his teeth and brought it all the way back to the back patio. Ha! I thought... smart cat!

The large grey rat, red cardinal, and several different colored balls were part of Tux, Julie, and Ghost's stash this year.  They also enjoy playing with all the wrapping paper that was left around by the grandkids.

Today is New Year's Eve and outside of making some Italian chicken and pesto pasta tonight, the only way we celebrate the New Year is to make some of my MIL's home-made eggnog (spiked with a little bourbon of course) and toast as the ball is dropped. Of course we don't always make it to midnight, so sometimes we just toast it in early.

And tomorrow we will have the traditional pork roast, black-eyed peas, and cabbage!  Do you have a traditional New Year's Day meal?

Today I spent putting away part of Christmas as well as  piecing together a small quilt. My DIL found some pretty fabric pieces and gave them to me in a bag of other goodies this Christmas. So today I started piecing it all together. The squares are sewn, but I haven't done the rows. I have black binding, but think it might need a bit of color... (have to think on that).

and I also did some clay sculpting, but  I'll post pics of that later...

Wishing all of you a safe

Happy New Year 2019!

the magic of Christmas...

Reading childhood memories of Christmas on blogs made me think about my own. I always think of Christmas as a magical time. The whole holiday season seemed full to the brim with something only a child can feel... something in the air that was different from any other time of the year. 

Maybe it was a combination of the wonder of the birth of Christ as well as the possibility of Santa and his reindeer flying through the night delivering toys. When I think back, I realize it was more than that... it was a feeling of love and goodwill. It permeated the air... a season of giving (and yes - getting too - but that was alright as it was done out of love and caring). 

I still believe in the magic of Christmas. It's not quite the same as when I was a child. Now trying to feel that magic doesn't come as easy as it did back then. We grow up. We realize that Christmas is not only love, but hard work. I want my children and grandchildren to feel the magic... and I hope they do. It's hard to know. 

I wrote my oldest grand daughter a letter once concerning this (years ago). She believed in Santa and Elf on the Shelf way beyond some of her friends. And I worried when she did discover how things were done, she would lose faith (in the magic of Christmas ... and other things).

This was my letter:

Dear B---,

First of all, I want you to know that Grandma believes in magic...  all kinds of magic.  There is magic in a mother's love, there is magic in a baby's smile.  I know you've seen a butterfly, but have you ever had one light on your arm?  To me, that's magic.  It's in the moment.  Life is full of 'magic moments'... if you let yourself be aware of them.  It's a feeling like no other... and I can't explain it.  But you certainly know when it happens.

But you have to believe.  If you believe, it exists for you.  If you don't, then it doesn't.  Like everything else in life, it's your choice.  You can choose to believe or not believe.  But let me tell you, life is much more fun when you believe.

When I went to Ireland, I picked a flower in the fairy garden outside of Blarney Castle... and I left a penny for the fairies there.  And I believe there are fairies there... even though I couldn't see them. 

I believe it as much as I believe that there's a God watching over us throughout our lives... and beyond.  I can't see Him.  That doesn't matter.  I can feel Him.  And the fact that I chose to believe is all that matters.

I also believe that my mom and dad are still with me... as well as my brother and sister and any other family members that I loved and loved me.  They live in my heart and in my memories, sure... but their spirits are always close to me because I chose for them to be. 

Now... about Christmas.  I really believe in the magic of Christmas... and always have.  I can feel the magic in the air.  Can't you? When I was little, I thought I could sometimes get a glimpse of Santa's sleigh high in the sky on Christmas Eve.  Sometimes I thought I could hear the bells of the reindeer.

As I got older, I found out (by accident mind you...) that Mom and Dad bought the toys (or at least most) that I found under the tree Christmas morning.  It didn't bother me.  I knew the legend of Santa Claus.  I knew that he really did exist... here on this earth at one time... and still lives in spirit now.  The fact that grownups and parents continued his legend to help to keep the magic alive was fine with me.  I loved the magic... and still do.

And when it comes to Santa's elves...or any elves... yes, I believe in them too. Are they "real"?  Depends on what you call "real"?  They're magic... not real like you and me.  There are many many things in this world that we cannot see or understand. Sometimes we have to look "inside" ourselves to know the truth.

So if I'm ever asked the question, "Is there really a Santa Claus?"  My answer will be, "Yes, of course there's a Santa Claus. He may not be the one who buys your Christmas toys... but that doesn't mean that he didn't or doesn't exist.  He exists in our hearts and he always will as long as people like myself believe."

So I guess what I want to say here, B---, is that as you grow older and become aware that Christmas magic, Santa Claus, and Christmas Elves may not exist in the way your child's mind imagined, they do still exist... in your heart...  if you choose to continue to believe. 

Love, Grandma

Christmas music...

I have thought of this...

Also...

I'm not especially musically inclined... never played an instrument (well, piano for 2 months in elementary school), don't have an 'ear' for it, and definitely can't hold a tune. 

But 'some' music I find especially haunting like Pentatonix' "Hallelujah" or "Mary Did You Know?". Both of these songs mesmerize me. Don't know if it's the words, the tune, or the voices. 

You're probably familiar with both of these, but I thought I'd try to link up the videos so you could hear them here. However, my technical ability isn't so great... and I'm having trouble doing this. Bear with me.

Pentatonix "Hallelujah"

Pentatonix "Mary Did You Know?"


I think I did it.  Enjoy!