Birds Like Christmas Wreath

 

So this is the Pearls Galore Hat I love. 

This color is blush. I wish I had a scarf this color. Even though the weather is not cold enough for a hat, I am going to wear this one anyway. After Christmas I am sure I will need this for about a week. 

The watering can with holly looks fabulous. Tommy likes it. I haven't looked for the Christmas house, yet. I will. I was going to buy fake stuff and get it over with and save it for another year. All I could find had glitter on it. Knowingly bringing glitter into this house is not something I will do! 

Tuesday, I was going to move stuff from the dining room just because it has needed moving for months. Now, at least I can bend without feel so funny I have to hold onto things. Well, I managed to start spilling a bag of rice. I got most of it up before spilling the whole pound. 

And, the day after I finishe the Azithromycin, I started feel funny, like I was going to fall over. Walking is hard to do without wobbling.

Friday, I went back to Oral surgeon. He checked for food stuck in socket. Still wobbly. 

In my last house, I put a beautiful (to me) Christmas wreath on the side door, the door I entered. This porch had walls on three sides, so it was sheltered. 

One day, I came home, unlocked the door and swung it inward. A tiny bird had found the wreath, sat in it out of site and flew in and all around the house. With 10 ft ceilings, I was using a broom to try and "sweep" him out. this happened four times. The last time was when a delivery from a caterer was delivered. I had the young delivery boy help me get the bird out!

Has an animal ever taken refuge in your wreath or other Christmas display?

Still Decorating, Parts One, Two, and Three of Our Christmas Story

 Last Spring, I think, I bought two watering cans at a yard sale, one orange and one green, both new. They are small, painted metal cans. I love them. They were only $1. I have spotted the holly or some sort of evergreen tree/bush that has stems with red berries the length of the branch. When I can cut three branches, I will have another decoration. 

Maybe one Christmas village house made it here. If so, I can convince Tommy to move a bit of his junk from the short bookcase near his chair. Any little bit of Christmas light can't hurt anything. If I find two, I will put the other one on the table next to me. 

Today is another cold and dreary day. Yesterday, I decided we won't go anywhere today. We will go for a drive to relieve some of the cabin fever. Well, we can stave it off since neither of us feels it yet. 

Amazingly, since the tooth extraction, I am sleeping better. But, now, my ear and lower jaw hurt since I took the last antibiotic pill. And, the little knot in my ear has come back. I feel off-balance once again. I think I could be in trouble, especially if I wait until the New Year.

I am going to go ahead and tell the whole story of our Christmas story we pulled on the children. And, I am just starting over.

When my children were two- and four-years-old, I decided to add something new to Christmas. We had an old horse collar or something leather with huge bells on it. I gathered the two children on my son's bed and read "The Night Before Christmas" to him (3.5) and his sister (1.5). I had turned off the tv and all was quiet. 

My husband took the bells outside the window and said loudly, "HO HO HO!" as he rang the bells. He pulled off a very deep voice that was unrecognizable to unsuspecting children. I have to admit, this was not at all the reaction I expected. It took my heart a bit to start beating more slowly. I can only imagine what it did to my children, especially my daughter.

This next happened simultaniously and gave me a start. Son yelled and ripped off to the window, pulling back the curtain. Daughter slipped right off the bed and went under the bed. She was so fast! And, she had never crawled under the bed before. I was heartened by her survival instinct, but sad she was so frightened by Santa. 

When my husband came into the house, he was furious. I tried not to laugh. In an effort to escape detection by my son who was opening the curtain, he slipped and fell in the muddy driveway. He had mud up to his shoulders where he wallowed about, trying to get up.

A few years later, in a different house and a different state with three children and two older, we had a good time once more. The older, a boy, had been suspicious for several years. He declared his Daddy was outside since he was always at the church office, now two blocks away instead of next door. Of course, we denied it. So, Daddy had to be inside this year. This was our second year in this house and Daddy had been gone on outside the house on Christmas Eve once before.

I had a plan. I taped a 17 minute silent tape and then had husband do the HO HO HO while ringing the same bells. Then, I put the tape recorder on the front porch outside the front door that we did not use. An extension cord was strung to the carport and to the door we used. I tested this several times to make sure it worked. 

Instead of turning the tape player on to play, I pressed play and then when we were ready to hear Santa, I could just plug it in. It worked! 

We all sat down for me to read to them The Night Before Christmas. The plan went off without a hitch. My son, 8 or 9 by this time, maybe younger, just went berserk, running around and demanding to know how we did it, who was out there? We just laughed and told him "Santa!" So, that was the year I finally told him. 

It was a fun run and the older daughter knew by the next year. So, there was only the baby. Somehow, we never did it for her. I am not sure why. 

Have you ever had to trick your kids to make a memory for Christmas? Well, I mean besides the ultimate trick of getting them to believe in Santa. If your kids never believed in Santa, oh well. I know you other people will have stories. 

Homemade Trail Mix and Homemade Picture Frame for Santa Picture

 About three or four months ago, I discovered a little raised place in my ear at the edge of my eardrum. Well, it was as far down as my little finger would reach. It did not hurt, but I asked the doctor what it was. She looked and did not know. Then, about a month ago, I told her it was still there. When I started taking the antibiotic for my abscessed tooth, the little raised place seem to recede. As soon as the tooth was out and I was in the car, I felt and the raised place is gone. So, I wonder how far that infection had spread and will I have more trouble from infection? My hearing has been worse but that is a problem I have since I have sinus infections. 

I dislike buying trail mix because there is always something I don't want to eat--sugar, soy, too much salt, a nut to which I am allergic, or something. So, I used what I had and made trail mix for Tommy. 

Ingredients--Planters Honey Roasted Lightly Salted Peanuts, dried Montmorency cherries, chocolate chips 60%. I had all these and wanted to make Tommy something for the Iron Bowl, so this was it. You can choose your ingredients. Tommy liked my choices.

My favorite ingredients are dark chocolate chips, home-dehydrated banana chips, and pecan halves. I cannot find my pecan guy; I have no banana chips, so I just eat chocolate chips. It is not the same.

Do you make trail mix? What ingredients do you use? 

When my son was nine-months-old, his first Christmas and our third, I had his picture made with Santa. I wanted to display it but could not afford a frame. So, I used a textured wall covering Daddy had and cut a piece for the frame. Pinking shears made it more than just a piece of covering. I think I glued gold fabric trim onto the frame, also. I don't have the frame out at this moment, so I am remembering. Even when I could afford a frame, I kept the homemade frame as it was a sentimental picture frame, reminiscent of that precious first Christmas with my baby. 

What homemade memory of an early Christmas graces your decorations every year?  

Christmas Gifts for Teachers

 After the endocrinologist listened to me, he then told me the results of my labs. It seems my cholesterol is down, liver and kidney fine, blood pressure down, AiC down, Vitamin D level up but not high enough, everything okay but weight up by about 20 lbs. I pointed out how swollen I was everywhere! As he got up to listen to my heart and chest, I asked him why I was swollen like a tick. He stopped and sort of bent and laughed so hard. Then, I held up my foot to show him. He pressed my calf and agreed I was swollen. This is NOT fat! Well, not all of it.

Since we were near Cookie Fix, we had our cookie fix. We had Chocolate Decadence. Mmmm!  

I had an appointment for Monday at the oral surgeon in Cullman for an extraction. So, Thursday night, about 10 pm, Tommy told me I had better eat if I wanted anything since I was going to be sedated on Friday morning. I was so puzzled since my appointment was for Monday morning. He gently reminded me the appointment was Friday. 

This stunned me and I argued a bit, insisting my appointment was on Monday. But, he pronounced that I had forgotten. So, I told him to get me up at 4:30 am and we could leave the house by 5 am and make it to the appointment. Well, I did not go to sleep until 3:30 am.

He woke me up and told me it was 5:00. It did not register, but I washed, dressed, brushed my teeth and left to comb my hair in the car. Once in the car and seeing the time on the digital clock, it registered and I screamed a bit. He swore I told him to get me up at 5 o'clock. My argument there was that if I were telling him something wrong, he should correct me! 

After all, he does correct me even when I am correct. It is not like he is shy about telling me I am wrong!

I don't set this little cheap clock with tiny buttons I cannot see. I kept messing up the time. So, he offers to call me. I need to invest in a larger and easier clock. 

We were 9 miles from the interstate exit and about 15 miles from our destination at 6:30 am. Traffic was heavy. I called the office and told the woman we were on the way. She said nothing. Nothing! So, I asked if she were still there. She said she was looking for my appointment, and it was on Monday.

So, we got off the interstate and went to Hardee's and drove home, all in driving rain and in the dark on the way up! I am beyond disgusted.  And, tired. 

When my children were in 7th, 5th, and 1st grade, all needed Christmas gifts for their teacher. My son, the 7th-grader asked me if I would make pumpkin bread for his teachers. He had five teachers and a coach. Whew! AND, he asked if I would make pumpkin bread for the other coach, too. The fifth grade daughter had at least two teachers. Okay, I can do this. 

I made two loaves at a time, and had two loaf pans. I baked for all three of them so they would be ready for the last day of school. All in all, I baked and sent at least ten loaves. I baked six loaves the day before, and the morning of last school day, I baked two before they left for school and came home and delivered the last two, piping hot so he could run out to the car between classes and get the hot loaves. 

My son said his teachers were so happy, especially the ones who got the two warm loaves. The two who received the two piping hot loaves exclaimed about the fact it was still hot. At least one started eating the freshest pumpkin breads right on the spot. 

My children have never been so happy about taking gifts to their teachers. You see, my three children loved pumpkin bread. 

I have sent food treats to teachers but not necessarily for a Christmas gift, but this was the first time almost all teachers got something hot all at once. Did you send baked gifts to teachers at Christmas? I mean something not meant to be given to students as treats, just for the teacher. 

Dutch Christmas Shoes

 I am writing this on Monday as I will be gone on Tuesday to the dentist about another tooth problem. This tooth is the one that I needed the clove oil to put on it. It flared up and I am going on Tuesday to get it filled, I hope. It hurts no worse than before. 

There is another refill for the antibiotic, so I will get that, too, for the molar that is abscessed. I have not had a toothache or filling in over 30 years! 

It appears that we now have someone to clean. This woman was agreeable about how many people would come--two men for the kitchen. 

She insists they use a chemical for the refrigerator--a chemical used in commercial kitchens--an acid, she said. How does that sound to you? An acid? At any rate, she sounds accommodating. 

I don't mind going shopping for what I need, but I do mind going from store to store to find nothing I need. So, I added another item to Amazon to be sent each month. I breathed a sigh of real relief when I placed the order. And, it is now cheaper for me. I am not overbuying, but I love this ordering on Amazon! These items are all things for which I have been searching, not just buying off the internet--necessities. 

If toilet paper is at a comparable price in the store, I may add it to my monthly order. 

Since my husband claimed his family to be "pure" Dutch, we bought wooden shoes at an antique shop in Missouri and started our tradition. Maybe they were really worn by the Dutch, maybe not. Each Christmas Eve, we put them outside the door early in the evening. 

Sometime early, Kris Kringle put a small toy or candy favor in each of the shoes for my two children to discover and enjoy before bed. Of course, there was the promise of more in the morning. My children loved this tradition we established. It may not have been authentic, but it was ours. 

Easy, Frugal Christmas Pillows

Just a minute for the pillows.

 Finally, I cut my hair, just chopped it off mostly. I did do one whack to layer it some, but have not looked or tried to deal with it. 

I have felt so awful this weekend, and I am beginning to think part of it is the antibiotic. At any rate, I started feeling a bit better about 9 pm on Sunday night. I did not feel like doing one thing and there was nothing to get out of the refrigerator, so we went to Sonic. Since we had not been there in months, I did not feel to bad about eating there. It's done!

There is a new way I employ to thaw a turkey. I use a stock pot and dump it in there and put it in the refrigerator. Trying to thaw it lying in the refrigerator takes up too much room. This way, it uses less real estate and I don't have to deal with trying to keep it from leaking all over. Plus, handling it to place it in the freezer and taking it out are easier on my back. 

Okay, the pillows. 

I went to a fabulous upholstery fabric shop in Birmingham, M's, and found tapestry fabric pieces that were needlepoint Santas. By using leftover velvet fabric for the back of the pillows, I had cheap pillows that were great looking. I would guess the pillows were about 12" x 18". I put a zipper across the short end at the bottome of the Santa pillow. For myself, I made a pillow stuffed with fiberfill and put the new pillow form inside the Christmas pillow. 

For my daughter, I wanted something easier to mail than a whole pillow. So, I mailed the pillow cover without a pillow inside. I had given her son a travel pillow the size of the Christmas pillow. I told her to put his pillow inside the Christmas pillow cover. It would have worked but I think his pillow was smaller than my travel pillow. So, I suggested she stuff the bottom end with a couple of her husband's tshirts. It worked. 

This is an advantage to me, also, since I don't have to store full pillows, just the covers. I use the pillow forms from my garden pillows for Christmas and then put the forms back into the garden pillows that I stored in my sewing room. Other than the one pillow, the others were about 16" x 16". 

You can cut Christmas pillows the size of your present sofa pillows and then place your regular pillows inside Christmas pillows for the season.  This way, you also don't have to buy or make pillow forms. 

If you do not want to put zippers in the pillows, you can always make a lapped cover on the back with one or more large buttons. 

I always try to make things look  great and do it cheaply or at least less expensive. Do you make or buy Christmas pillows?

Cancel the Insurance and See What Happens

 I canceled my dental insurance since it was worthless and the next day, I got a terrific toothache, the kind that is here to stay. That's okay about the insurance, though. 

This insurance was $38/month. Then, I was supposed to let them know if I wanted the $42 insurance with better benefits. I could not find the papers after my house was gone, so I called. The guy told me I could not renew or get better benefits until they had it in writing. He was so rude. He left me with the impression if I did not get in touch with them in writing, they could not cover me. 

Well, I canceled the cleaning at my dentist just before this conversation. So, I assumed I was not covered after talking to him. Since all the covid mess, I did not want to take my mask off. Then, I had to cancel the next one due to coughing so much and sneezing. The dental office was probably glad I canceled. Then, the next one I scheduled, I had a fever.  So, for several months I made a lot of appointments and canceled. 

Finally, two weeks ago, I think, I had my teeth cleaned and learned I was still covered at the $42 rate. I was furious. For 14 months I had paid $42/month and never used it, paying $588 and got nothing! After having my teeth cleaned and paying nothing, I then canceled. 

The next day, I was hurting. But, I am not sorry I canceled the dental insurance. 

We have not used the heat at all except to take the chill off of the air for thirty minutes and turn it back off. Last night, the thermostat read 61F at 2:30 am, so Tommy turned the heat to 63F because his face was freezing. I just pull the cover over my head! 

Today, I had a doctor appointment out of town. When I awoke, I was so happy I was going to be gone and have other things to think about besides the voting today. It helped to keep me from fretting. 

Now, I have to go fix something for dinner! 

How has this election day been for you?

Ugliest Christmas Sweater and $1200 Expense and Christmas Eve

At the Christmas party and lunch last Tuesday, I saw the cutest ugly sweater. Of course, my camera battery was dead. However, you can do the work and google "Gorilla sweater ugly Walmart" and see it. Sorry. I know how to cut and past, but the link ending up being about six lines long.

Tommy went Monday to the dentist for a crown replacement at the tune of $1,200.

I think it quit raining Tuesday. Maybe the drunks can keep it on the road.

Christmas Eve

I wanted to go to Cullman for a few things, so we did. However, we are back safe and sound. I did not sleep at all Monday night, so I am dead at almost 3 pm. I wanted to get my mail and return something small to Belk.

While at Belk I had to look around. I found a rack with everything marked $2.49. I found a beautiful, long skirt with every color in the rainbow for $2.49. It is floor-length. However, it is a medium, way too small for me. Since it is so long and a circular skirt, I can just cut off the elastic waistband and turn over the top for more elastic. I can buy bias seam binding. Or, I can use contrasting solid fabric to make a new waistband. The original cost? $58.00

Most of the people shopping at Belk looked very grim!

Since I had no sleep, I did not feel like going to any stores up there to look for the kind of coat he wants. There is a thrift store where the guys will help find things. I was hoping to go there. They may have been closed. But, I was not getting out of the car.

We went to my unit to see what I could find. I cannot work for over two minutes. Tommy holds up longer. I found a Rubbermaid tub I have had for 30 years. Three plastic bins were in it where I sorted my jewelry into the little partitions. I found my only Christmas jewelry--the holly leaves dipped in gold. You may remember that was a thing 30 years ago. Well, I only wear them once a year. I am going to wear them Sunday since it is still holly season. right?

In the bin was a colander and a jar of Barilla Creamy Alfredo that I bought bogo at Publix. I paid $1.38 for the 14.5 oz. jar. It says it makes 7 servings, but we will make it into 8 servings. I cannot believe the disparate things the guys put in the bin. I laughed. I was worried they would just dump those three plastic partitioned boxes into one of their huge bags and everything would spill. The bin is one of the short ones, but it will now serve as storage for my panties, nightgowns, washcloths, and towels. I had determined I had to buy a bin after the New Year. Now, I don't have to.

At the Farmer's Market there was one farmer there, the one where I always buy tomatoes. So, Tommy paid for tomatoes--$6.00.

While he was putting the Rubbermaid box and Barilla into the back of the Rogue, I took the jewelry and got into the front seat. I heard him yell, "OH, DAMN!" It alarmed me, so I quickly put the boxes down in his seat. He yelled that his rollator rolled away. I jumped out and hurried after it. He told me not to run. Later, he said I actually ran--yeah, about six steps. The rollator rolled into traffic. Thankfully, it was in the outside of three lanes going one way! I was waving at cars all the way with Tommy yelling for me to be careful. By the time I got to it and rescued it, I really needed it to walk up the hill/slope of the driveway.

The box on top of the bin held a Christmas house. I have quite a collection of them. I could have put this one out. I suppose I have about 20 of the huge houses and stores and churches. Most of them were bought at yard sales for $0.25 up to $3.00. I did buy one new one. I know none of the Christmas houses were destroyed because only this one was left in the house.

We went to the store where I won the $100 certificate and bought things so we could both enter. There was a bottleneck in front of me. After a few minutes, I asked if there were a wreck since several people were bent and bobbing up and down. When traffic cleared, we saw a full buggy of Christmas candy. Hershey and Reese's 8.5 oz. were steals at $0.99 each! We both bought two bags. I chose Kisses in the holiday foil and Crunch Bells. He bought Hershey Miniature Bells and Miniature Reese's cups.

After we arrived at his house this afternoon, I was going to take a nap before we go back to church. But, he said he needed to go to WM and get milk and some things. He better be getting me something for Christmas. He has two gifts under the tree and I have none.

It is 5 pm and he can get his own turkey leg and mashed potato from the refrigerator since he will not be hungry until I am taking my nap.

Merry Christmas!

I Almost Ate It!

When I go into Publix, I always cruise the reduced section. There was a small plastic container that listed three main ingredients--turkey (or chicken), brown rice, and mushrooms. Since it looked great, I picked it up. The label said BLUE.  I knew BLUE BUFFALO was dog food. But, the label was just BLUE.

Several days later, I decided to heat it up. I was looking for directions as to whether the plastic container could be put in the microwave. THEN, I saw words to the effect of "for your dog."

I came this close to eating dog food!

The other day, I pulled/spit out a bite of chicken because I thought I had a  splinter of chicken  bone in my mouth. NO, it was a chunk of a tooth that broke off below the gum line. A week before I  thought a tooth had split top to bottom and I was correct. I had already spent money on this tooth with a root canal. This predicament means pain and money spent in my future.

One day two weeks ago, I was eating cherries.  I had six cherries and managed to swallow four of the seeds. It is not like this requires much skill. Maybe I have swallowed one cherry seed in the last 30 years. So, I did eat cherry seeds! I wonder if cherries will grow in my stomach.

Who knew a person could have an eating themed post about things she should not eat and almost ate?

Can you share an experience where you almost ate something you should not? Or, maybe you or your family did eat it?