Looking over my previous post of six weeks ago, I see I had a cold at the time. Now I have another one! So annoying. This one doesn't seem severe, either, for which I am grateful. One of my good friends, Ms. J, who is in her early 70s, slipped on the ice by her mailbox and fell on her back. She has been in pain for a week now, and has a cold as well. I spoke with her on the phone recently and she sounds like she is much worse off than I am. So I should be grateful I only have a cold, and not an injury as well.
I overdid Oct. 31-Nov. 4, helping my youngest to finish clean her old apartment and get somewhat settled into her new apartment. In addition to that exhausting activity, I was going without my bio-identical hormone cream, because I didn't think it was doing any good. Wrong! I developed intense heart palpitations, the insomnia and night sweats worsened, and I was altogether miserable. Once I resumed the cream, I began to feel better in a few days. But I took an entire month off from babysitting grandchildren, and spent more time at home, just catching up on various neglected odds and ends.
Part of our family had Thanksgiving dinner together on Nov. 29th. Because I was still quite tired, I hadn't planned to bother with a turkey, but my youngest had been given a 15# turkey in a box of freebies through her daughter's day care, and she had thawed it in her fridge. So she brought it up to our house and we had turkey after all. I put the stuffing into a crockpot, and the squash and apple bake into another. That worked out very well. I had prepped as much of those as I could the day before, knowing how difficult it was going to be to focus on kitchen tasks once my 4-year-old granddaughter arrived.
I also made a blackberry crisp the day before. Oddly enough, I don't seem to have taken any food pictures. Guess I was too busy and too tired.
We had about 2" of snow on the ground by Thanksgiving. My granddaughter insisted we get the sled out, so I did, although I wasn't expecting any success with using it. But it was great! The snow was just right for sledding down our slope by the garage, and we didn't have to break a trail in deep snow. We had a grand time. And yes, I went sledding, too.
This past January or February I bought a really nice artificial Christmas tree on clearance at Michael's. When I put it up a week ago, I was astonished by how much taller it seemed in my house than it had in the store. But I am very pleased with it, especially the pre-lit aspect. It seemed as if the strings of lights were only lasting one season, and I'd end up having to start over with a new string nearly every year. They were always tangled up, no matter how carefully I tried to store them, and I never could figure out how to replace the bulbs so the string would work again.
While I decorate my tree and house, I think about the people who gave me the various ornaments and wall hangings. My mother-in-law gave us some lovely quilted wall hangings, and a framed cross-stitch. A few items I made at craft classes at the local library. Some of the glass ball ornaments were purchases I made as a newlywed, when we didn't have any Christmas decorations at all.
Some of you will remember the small candle figurines from the '60s. I kept all of mine, and still enjoy setting them up every Christmas.
We currently have no snow on the ground and have been enjoying high temperatures in the 40s, and even the low 50s. This is unseasonable weather here, but I am enjoying it while it lasts. I have made no big plans for Christmas with family, as I do not yet know who will be working that day, or who might want to just stay home, or what the weather and roads will be like when the time comes. I will be flexible, and have a respectable meal in mind for whenever it works out.
You live so close to me, I can't believe this! We have had almost two feet of snow since the day before Thanksgiving, and temperatures as low as 6 degrees! How is that possible? We're usually warmer than you are, and with less snow.
I made my best ever turkey this year. I spatchcocked a 15 pounder, and brined it over night. Took 90 minutes to cook and it was really really good.
I loved those candles, but we burned ours. They are so cute.
I am in the northern part of Idaho. Where are you located?
I spatchcocked a turkey just once. It was delicious, but was also a lot of work and I haven't done it since.
It gets easier! The bird cooks reliably in far less time, and the breasts are juicy and tender. I will never cook a turkey any other way.
I finally figured out this year to put a small notch in the breast bone from the inside, after cutting out the backbone (with a strong knife - poultry scissors are not tough enough) and before pressing the bird open. I was able to do it this year simply by pressing down with my own hands. A snap! In years past, without the notch, I have had to use sledge hammers or to step on the bird while it is in a sink.
Oh boy! That produced great mental pictures! I actually purchased a garden shears to cut the one turkey I prepared that way, and they still live in my kitchen tools drawer, waiting for me to try again.
I prefer knives to butcher meats. Nice big hefty chef's knives do it well, when used in the right spots. Scissors, even ones intended for the job, just don't cut the mustard. I had a job butchering chicken during high school and I love doing it.
Oh I forgot to tell you that I was confusing you with another hive member who lives close to me. I am in upstate New York. We've had a ridiculous amount of snow already.
Merry Christmas to you and the family, Thanksgiving turned out fine and sure Christmas will too. Old ornaments with reminders a loving touch around the home.
Thanks for stopping by and commenting!
A pleasure and thanks for sharing.
Congratulations @scribblingramma! You received a personal badge!
You can view your badges on your board and compare yourself to others in the Ranking
Thank you!
Awesome work @scribblingramma! Your Hive achievements are truly inspiring. Keep buzzing!
BTW, help us keep HiveBuzz alive and thriving by supporting our proposal. Let's bring more fun and badges to Hive together!
All you need to do is to click on the "support" button on this page: https://peakd.com/proposals/331.
Thank you!