Yes, it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas... around here. There's baking taking over the kitchen, packages and wrapping paper taking over rooms, and goodies being received from family/friends on the bar!
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| Xmas tea cakes - as yet undecorated |
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| Xmas goodies on bar |
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| Xmas tree unlit |
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| Close up of tree to see the Mardi Gras beads |
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| Our little kitty under the tree |
Doorbell ringing with Amazon and UPS deliveries! Phone ringing with kids trying to coincide their times with ours, Family members from out of state checking in to say Merry Christmas, etc.
The last week of frenzied activity... but all fun and only once a year (thank goodness)!
And before I forget I have to tell you 'a little story'. It's short and not that exciting, but it made my day last week. OK, I have a Amazfit watch. My son gave it to me a few years ago. It does a lot of the same things (but not all) that an Apple watch does (but not as expensive). However, I really like it and wear it every day... not to tell time, but I like the way it tracks my steps and my sleep (time of deep and light sleep, heartrate, etc.) and more than anything I like that it vibrates when I get a phone call (most of the time I have no idea where my iPhone is so may not hear it).
But about 2 weeks ago, the wristband broke. So, I was looking on Amazon to see about buying another Amazfit watch... and low and behold, there were available watchbands you could buy for the Amazfit 5 (12 for 9.99!). I couldn't believe it. I thought the watch and the band were all in one... but believe it or not, the watch fits inside the rubbery band and you just have to snap it off. I was amazed! (Amazon is wonderful) I now have 12 different color wristbands to match my outfits (although I like the grey and probably won't change it unless it breaks). Anyway, that's my story.
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| Broken wristband |
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| new grey wristband |
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| assortment of wristbands... |
How about that? Just a little thing, but it made me happy. How about you ? Any little things that brought you joy lately that you'd like to share?And finally decorated my Christmas tea cakes :
Wishing you all a very safe healthy Merry Christmas 2023!
(and grateful from the bottom of my heart for my blogger friends - for their kindness in sharing these little things with me)
Hugs (virtually),
Rian
Well done on the baking and decorating. I 'think' I have finished baking but I am still watering (with rum and brandy) the Christmas cakes I give friends and family.
ReplyDeleteGreat job on your watch band. Increasingly it is the little things that make (and sometimes break) my day.
Hugs.
Yes, "watering" those cakes is important. A dear friend that has passed away now used to make us 'fruit cakes' which were very good, but no "watering"... so I would wrap them in cheesecloth and add a little bourbon ever so often to add that Christmas cheer.
DeleteAnd I know that wristband was a little thing... but it certainly made my day!
A little baking and a little decorating does it for me here. It seems that it's the little things grow in meaning with each passing year
ReplyDeleteI think they do... Olga, maybe we become more nostalgic/sentimental as we age...
DeleteYour tree is absolutely beautiful and your baking looks scrumptious. Finding the watch bands was the icing on the cake, so to speak.
ReplyDeleteI hope you and your family have a wonderful, very merry Christmas!
Thanks, Kim. That silly little watchband meant more to me than diamonds might mean to some... (it takes all kinds, right?)
DeleteSeasons Greetings Rian! Well, your tree looks lovely, those tea cakes look delicious and I enjoyed reading about your fit watch--Ive been giving a lot of thought to buying one (non-Apple) and you've got me very intrigued--thank you! :^)
ReplyDeleteI'm sure the Apple Watch does a lot more than my Amazfit 5 does... but truth is it does enough of the things I consider important (steps, sleep, announcing my phone calls). I believe the Apple watch will also alert/call someone if you fall, etc. Amazfit doesn't do that... and that is important for older folk who live alone.
DeleteBTW, hope you have your new computer up and running. I was getting worried. But since you're commenting, you must be OK.
What a nice thing to have a repair really work for a wonderful deal! The tea cakes look lovely. Linda in Kansas
ReplyDeleteI know, DM!! Not only did I get my watch repaired, but inexpensively!
DeleteThose are beautiful cookies- and the held their shape so well! I have a Fitbit ( probably much like your watch / tracker) and have a couple of extra bands. I particularly like the white one in summer time. - Jenn
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jenn. It's funny, but out of all those colors, I really like the grey.
DeleteHooray for a simple fix.
ReplyDeleteThe tea cakes look absolutely delicious! Merry Christmas Rian, to you and your entire extended family.
Simple fixes are rare... guess that's why I was amazed. Merry Christmas Mae to you and yours also.
DeleteThat wristband score is pretty amazing. Merry Christmas.
ReplyDeleteMy little Christmas miracle... not a biggie, but great non-the-less. Merry Christmas Joanne!
DeleteYour cookies look delicious!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you, the kids seem to like them...
DeleteThis is a wonderful and uplifting post, and I am so glad to know you found a way to keep your watch going. I don't think you'll have to worry about a wristband ever again! Love the little kitty under the tree.
ReplyDeleteNo, I don't think I'll need another wristband ever again... may have to share some of these with any who might need one. And yes, the little kitty under the tree is adorable. He also makes little kitty sounds when you press on him.
DeleteWhile I was up in the attic looking for boxes to use for mailing presents I happened to notice a biggish plastic bag in one area. I looked in it and lo and behold there was a patchwork (alternating red and green figured material) wreath that I made sometime around the early 80's when we moved here. It's basically a long tube with the ends connected to form a circle. It's stuffed and yarn is tied around the circle at intervals dividing it into sections. A big red bow tops it off. I had just about forgotten about it and am pretty sure I haven't hung it since we moved to this house in 1985, so it has had a long hibernation up in the attic. So that was a fun bit of decorating and a nice change from an evergreen wreath which I usually get for the front door.
ReplyDeleteYour watchband find makes for a happy Christmas deal. It's always surprising when something you go looking for actually shows up among the thousands of possibilities on Amazon. A little scary in a way too. Seems almost too convenient.
I know... with all the smart phones, smart cars (my car now seems to know where we're going) and when things you may need start showing up on your computer... makes you wonder if AI hasn't already taken over.
Deletethat is so interesting about your watch band, you would have never known had you not broke it. i see purple...but i think i would do as you are doing, match my outfit!!
ReplyDeleteyour cookies look great!! i have been sick and i don't bake or make anything while i am sick. i am wrapping right now and almost done. the hubs is a great wrapper so if i don't finish, he can help!!
Debbie, I could go with the purple, blue, or army green bands... but will probably stick to my grey one. So sorry to hear that you're not feeling well. Awful to not feel well during a holiday. There's so much to do. Hope you are doing better soon!
DeleteSo lovely. The cookies are perfect. We live a quiet life and no one really stops by with holiday stuff and my daughters family is not into desserts so not much baking here. Maybe after the holidays?
ReplyDeleteI always considered ours quiet too... but on occasion it does get busy (holidays and family events). And as much as I enjoy the holidays and family, I do like quiet.
DeleteOh Rian, I wish my kitchen and table and rooms looked just like yours. It's pretty quiet here. We had a Christmas celebration last Saturday with youngest daughter and son-in-law...home from West Virginia. Nothing else planned. Your tea cakes are so pretty and so is the tree. Hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Henny. I wish you and your hubby a wonderful healthy safe Christmas too! And so glad you have Eli, Ellie, Smokey, and Randall Rabbit! (hope I didn't forget any critter)!
DeleteYou've been very busy and the rewards of your hard work look delicious !
ReplyDeleteLove your tree, so colorful and full of unique decorations.
Wishing you the Merriest of Christmases dear friend.
Hugs,
~Jol
Thanks, Jo. My favorite ornaments on the tree are some little small animals (a monkey, a bear, and an elephant) that I bought years ago in a bookstore in Wales. But we do have some unusual things on the tree... like our Mardi Gras beads ; ) Merry Christmas!
DeleteOh wow! I'm so glad you had such a lovely Christmas. I bought my husband a Fitbit, but unfortunately, it just stopped working for some reason.
ReplyDelete