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Monday, January 6, 2020

Taking down Christmas 2019...


little red bear from bookstore in Wales
I find it sad when it's time to take down the tree and all the Christmas decorations.  We tend to put it off until the weekend after New Years. Actually it's still not all done. The tree is down and outside - but the ornaments although mostly boxed are still sitting on the den sofa. And even though the outside lights are down and boxed, there's still a bunch of Christmas decor sitting on my front room table waiting to be stored. 

Anyway, before I let it all go for the year, I thought I'd share with you some of my favorite ornaments and what they mean to me. 

old Santa ornament from our tree when I was young
daughter's horse that she lost to colic
favorite tea cup ornament
favorite wine ornament


First grandchild's ornament

Probably a bit silly and nostalgic...

We have an ornament for each grandchild (4) and one for each cat that was part of our house-hold for years.  Rose got picked for this post as she was the oldest (23).  Goliath (the horse ornament) was my daughter's Friesian, a huge giant of a horse that stole her heart.
There are others of course but I didn't want to bore you. Six is enough.


Reese's cookie cups

Made these the other day. Saw someone make them on the food network and thought - easy! Yes, it was easy, but they don't come out of the pan easy. The chocolate seeps through - which makes the bottom messy. But they did taste good!

That's my bit for today.  Quick update on Julie: She's hanging in there. Not much change, but she eats (or tries to) fairly well, has no other symptoms, takes her steroids fine. We're adding a liquid antibiotic today to see if that might help. Thanks for all your good thoughts and prayers.

Tux, Ghost, and Julie


And as always, thanks for coming by. Hope 2020 is treating you well so far...

Hugs, 
Rian

*Oh, just something I heard on the news this morning* 
Breakfast is no longer the most important meal of the day for 2020 - or so says Dr. Oz. He says that this is no longer valid since most of us don't live and work on farms today where it would be necessary to eat a good breakfast since you would be out working hard most of the day.

Today he says (I'm paraphrasing of course) that a cup of coffee or tea when we wake up... and no food until about 10 or 11. Then he recommends no food (or not much) after 7 pm. He says that if most of our intake is within those 8 hours, it is best for our bodies. What do you think? I mostly eat this way anyway... so it works for me.















31 comments:

  1. Other than eating the occasional breakfast, I pretty much eat this way, too. I don't eat late because I go to bed early. I'm usually done eating for the day by 4:30 or 5:00. Maybe I'll start having a simple brunch instead of any breakfast at all. It sounds good to me. :-)

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    1. I've never been one for a big breakfast, so this suits me fine. I'm not a big lunch eater either (cheese,nuts, apple with PB, etc.). But we do eat a regular supper around 6... and possibly a cookie and a cup of tea before bed sometimes... (I do love breakfast food though and will have it for supper on occasion!)

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  2. I forgot to say how glad I am to hear that Julie isn't any worse, and maybe a teeny bit better. And I love all your pretty ornaments, they are definitely special. :-)

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    1. Thanks, DJan. She is holding her own. We picked up a Rx antibiotics to start tomorrow. This is phase 2 in her treatment. Hopefully we will see more improvement soon...

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  3. I find it a little sad too to close down the Christmas season. Wish it could somehow last longer. Meanwhile, Hubby and I talked about Julie's condition. He has had many cats throughout his 80 years and never heard of this. But happy she seems to be responding positively for now. Lovely story how they got rescued.

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    1. Jocelyn thanks for commenting. I'm hoping someone might be able to come up with something that explains what is happening with Julie. We're hoping it's as simple as arthritis, or an infection that will respond to the antibiotics.

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  4. So glad Julie is holding her own. At least she is showing interest in food.
    You really have ornaments that mean something. This time of year I am glad I don't decorate thanks to Minnie. While I miss the pretty, when everything is taken down, suddenly our normal homes look blah in comparison.

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    1. I know, Patti. Once the tree and all the Christmas paraphernalia is gone, things look kind of bare... and not as cozy.

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  5. Poor Julie. Her problem tears my heart.

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    1. Mine too, Joanne... to be honest, it's killing me to see her this way.

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  6. Healing wishes coming your way for Julie. 💖

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    1. Thanks, Susan. We need those healing wishes. And thanks for coming by and commenting. I hope to visit your blog today. Also love lighthouses! Your pic almost looks like the cover to my book (top right here on my blog).

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  7. Good to hear that Julie is beginning to respond to treatment. It must be such a worry for you.

    Glad to know about no breakfast. Now I don't have to feel guilty for just starting the day with just several cups of coffee.

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    1. She is responding, but not as much as we'd like... but fingers crossed that this treatment will work.
      Coffee or tea is my morning breakfast too (with an occasional piece of toast).

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  8. I read that your brain needs a constant supply of sugar. You could actually faint without it due to hypoglycemia.

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    1. That may be true... if so, I haven't anything to worry about. Not that I eat a lot of sugar but almost everything has sugar in it. Since I'm allergic/sensitive to artificial sugars, I always make sure that it's the real thing.

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  9. That eating habit works for me, too, Rian. So, I guess me and you are doing something right!

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    1. I sure hope so. I tend to trust my body for the most part.

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  10. Glad Julie is "hanging in there." We're in about the same spot with our Christmas decorations. As far as breakfast goes, I start with a cup of coffee around 7 a.m. and finish with raisin bran around 11 a.m., with a few stops in between.

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    1. Me too. Coffee or tea about 8am and then later a piece of toast and possibly a handful of nuts until I'm hungry again.

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  11. Your special ornaments are so lovely, and each has it's own memory. I always feel the house looks barren when Christmas is taken down.

    Glad Julie is holding her own, and I hope the antibiotics bring improvement. As for Dr. Oz, I'm not a fan but in this case I tend not to eat first thing in the morning. I just want my coffee. I do snack after dinner though, a habit I need to break.

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    1. I mentioned Rose's special ornament and DH later told me that I didn't put a pic of it on my blog... oops!
      I don't watch Dr. Oz either so I don't know much about him... but I saw him on the 8am news talking about his new food philosophy for 2020. I snack after supper sometimes - usually a glass of milk or a cup of tea and a cookie.

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  12. Nice to see those special ornaments. They do take on meaning over the years.
    Lately I am more of a grazer, nibbling when I get hungry.

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  13. Breakfast...if it were up to me I'd have breakfast (the fixins) for dinner. I came, hoping you'd have an update on "our" kitty. I do hope the meds kicks in and a miracle cure will happen.

    Enjoyed the ornament photos.

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  14. i am not a big Dr. Oz fan, but I do agree with this assessment. Maybe because it is how I eat! Glad that your pet is doing better. I take down much of the Christmas stuff on New Years Day or one day after. I want it all put away so that I can look forward to spring.

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    1. From the comments here, Tabor, it may be the way most of us eat. Good to know. Julie is not necessarily doing 'better' - but is hanging in there.

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  15. Rian, your Christmas ornaments are just lovely, I'm with you on the slow to take down plan, taking ours down after the 6th January, and not before.
    Look at those sweet little faces, they make my heart melt, being from a "cat family", great-grandmother had many cats, grandma, mother, myself, daughter, granddaughter and now my great-granddaughter loves them too >^..^<
    I have never been a breakfast person, a cup of tea, and sometimes a piece of toast, but my husband, being a service member, and that is how the soldiers start their days, believes in a hearty breakfast...
    Our New Year has started off very mild, fingers crossed we'll stay that way !
    Hugs,
    ~Jo

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    1. I agree, Jo. I know people that take everything down the day after Christmas... can't do that. I want to keep all that cozy nostalgic feeling as long as I can.
      Luckily for me DH doesn't go for a big breakfast either - except occasionally on Sunday or if we have company staying with us.

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  16. oh, I love your memory tree ornaments. Our tree is packed with memories of our sons' childhoods, travels and our grands' help decorating our tree from toddler age and older. Our "undecorating" experience is similar to yours. Except this year boxes may reside on our screened porch until Hubby recovers from a pulled tendon or sons visit and haul boxes to the attic!

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    1. Don't you love to look at those ornaments and enjoy their hidden memories! I'm embarrassed to say that our boxes of ornaments and decorations are still sitting there on the den floor - and neither DH nor I have a pulled tendon like your husband... we're just slow getting around to it. Hope your hubby is healing well.

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