I was certain today was the day...

...so I grandly declared it to Mr. Jenny when I got out of bed this morning.

 

"I am cookied/candied/salty-treated out!" I said firmly!

 

"I am never, ever, ever, ever going to eat Christmas cookies/candy or salty stuff.   Again!

 

Ever."

 

Mr. Jenny is a kind man, though.

 

Because when he saw me munching on a Russian Teacake with my coffee...

 

which by the way is the best kind of Christmas cookie...EVER!...and there was only one left in the freezer in the garage which I just happened to stop by on my way to ... ummm...  my exercise bike (NOT!) 

 

... he didn't even roll his eyes at me.

 

Or at least he didn't even roll his eyes at me that I saw.

 

I guess he really knew that little innocent Russian Teacake was the last cookied/candied/salty-treat I'm going to eat.

 

 

Ever.

 

Sigh.

 

PS.  Happy New Years Eve!

 

PSS.  If your name is Eve, please allow me to extend the following wishes to you...HAPPY NEWS YEARS EVE, EVE!

 

PSSS.   You know?   There might be one more Russian Teacake in that freezer hidden under the peanut butter blossom cookies.   ACCCCCKKKKK!!!!!!!

 

 

Alphabe-Thursday - Thankful F

This round of the alphabet I want to share what I'm thankful for. 

  
I am thankful for finding this quotation about inner peace.

"For peace of mind, we need to resign as general manager of the universe." -- Larry Eisenberg

Our Granddaughters are winging their way toward Philadelphia heading toward their new life in Ireland.

I feel at peace about all of it.

I'm glad that something touched my heart enough so that I could let go of the worry and fear of their leaving.

They will be missed.

And now I am free to begin saving all my pennies for a trip to see them sometime this spring.

 

This post is linked to Alphabe-Thursday's Letter F.   To read other F offerings, just click here.

Alphabe-Thursday Letter F

Good morning class. Welcome to round eight of Alphabe-Thursday!

Today we will be frolicking with the letter:


Please link directly to your Alphabe-Thursday URL (if you don't know how to do this let me know!) and please continue to visit the five links before and after your link and leave a comment. Minimum of 10 links visited please. You can visit more if you like, of course.

I do visit every link.   Sometimes it just takes me a little while!   But I will be by, scouts honor!

If you have any difficulties with your link, please make sure to include the number of the link when you e-mail me. It is really difficult for me to find you easily otherwise.

If you have any questions about Alphabe-Thursday or problems doing your link just post it in a comment or send me an e-mail. I'll do my best to help you as quickly as I can.

The McLinkey will be live from 1:00 pm MST time Wednesday afternoon in an effort to assist our lovely "friends across the pond" and continue through 10:00 am MST time Saturday morning!

And remember.... link back to this post, you need to be registered as a follower of my blog, PG posts only, and visit at least 10 other students (perhaps the 5 students before and after your post). The links will stay live after the final post deadline has passed so you can even wait and visit over the weekend or whenever you have more time.

Please share your fanciful F post now!

On Christmas Eve...

 ...each year.

I am so grateful that my parents did not name me 'Eve'.

Can you imagine hearing, "Merry Christmas Eve, Eve!" every year?

Wow.

That would be really irritating, right?

 

Yeah.

 

I think so, too.

 

All that aside, though, wishing you a Merry Christmas Eve from Mr. Jenny and I.

 

Hope your Christmas is filled with blessings large and small!

 

And, hey!

 

If your name happens to be Eve...

 

Ummm...

 

Merry Christmas Eve, Eve!

Alphabe-Thursday Thankful E

This round of the alphabet I want to share what I'm thankful for. 

  
I am thankful that our  Every moment Mr. Jenny and I have had being active in day to day life with our beautiful Granddaughters for 11 1/2 years!

We have been richly blessed with the gift of time spent in close proximity.

Watching these three lovely girls come into this world and experiencing so many moments with them...

Talking, walking, first days of school, last days of school.

Booboos and happiness...

Stuffed animals and electronics.

We've had a rare gift that many grandparents never get to experience.

I am thankful for every single day we've had.

And looking forward to time spent with them in a far away country.

I know there will be big adventures for them and I'm happy and excited for them.

It just feels very quick until next Sunday when they will board a plane to far, far away.

This post is linked to Alphabe-Thursday's Letter E.   To read other E offerings, just click here.

Alphabe-Thursday Letter E

Good morning class. Welcome to round eight of Alphabe-Thursday!

Today we will be elucidating about the letter:


Please link directly to your Alphabe-Thursday URL (if you don't know how to do this let me know!) and please continue to visit the five links before and after your link and leave a comment. Minimum of 10 links visited please. You can visit more if you like, of course.

I also want to let you know that each week I visit every blog. If it appears I haven't visited your blog by the following Saturday morning, please let me know!

If you have any difficulties with your link, please make sure to include the number of the link when you e-mail me. It is really difficult for me to find you easily otherwise.

If you have any questions about Alphabe-Thursday or problems doing your link just post it in a comment or send me an e-mail. I'll do my best to help you as quickly as I can.

The McLinkey will be live from 1:00 pm MST time Wednesday afternoon in an effort to assist our lovely "friends across the pond" and continue through 10:00 am MST time Friday morning!

And remember.... link back to this post, you need to be registered as a follower of my blog, PG posts only, and visit at least 10 other students (perhaps the 5 students before and after your post). The links will stay live after the final post deadline has passed so you can even wait and visit over the weekend or whenever you have more time.

Please share your eloquent letter E post now!

Alphabe-Thursday Thankful D

This round of the alphabet I want to share what I'm thankful for.   

I am thankful that our Grand-daughters are only moving the Distance of 4,977 miles to Dublin, Ireland right after Christmas.

It could be farther.

It could be the ends of the earth.

Oh wait.

Yeah.

Ummm.

Maybe it just feels like that.

Sigh.

It'll be okay.

It'll be okay.

It'll be a good experience for them.

It'll be okay.

Holy moly.

It is quite a Distance to Dublin from Arizona.

But absence makes the heart grow fonder.

Right?

Arrrgh.
 

This post is linked to Alphabe-Thursday's Letter D.   To read other D offerings, just click here.

Alphabe-Thursday Letter D

Good morning class. Welcome to round eight of Alphabe-Thursday!

Today we will be discussing the letter:


Please link directly to your Alphabe-Thursday URL (if you don't know how to do this let me know!) and please continue to visit the five links before and after your link and leave a comment. Minimum of 10 links visited please. You can visit more if you like, of course.

I also want to let you know that each week I visit every blog. If it appears I haven't visited your blog by the following Sunday evening, please let me know!

If you have any difficulties with your link, please make sure to include the number of the link when you e-mail me. It is really difficult for me to find you easily otherwise.

If you have any questions about Alphabe-Thursday or problems doing your link just post it in a comment or send me an e-mail. I'll do my best to help you as quickly as I can.

The McLinkey will be live from 1:00 pm MST time Wednesday afternoon in an effort to assist our lovely "friends across the pond" and continue through 10:00 am MST time Friday morning!

And remember.... link back to this post, you need to be registered as a follower of my blog, PG posts only, and visit at least 10 other students (perhaps the 5 students before and after your post). The links will stay live after the final post deadline has passed so you can even wait and visit over the weekend or whenever you have more time.

Please feel free to discuss your dynamic letter D now!

Alphabe-Thursday Thankful C

This round of the alphabet I want to share what I'm thankful for.   

I am thankful I have Granddaughters with caring hearts.

The time is zipping by and getting closer and closer to our three cute Granddaughters moving to Ireland.   Our son found a beautiful home for them all to live in there.  It is in the country and surrounded by huge trees and views that take your breath away.

The house is fully furnished, but a storage unit will be left behind filled with furniture, bicycles and holiday filled bins.

Mr. Jenny and I are so excited to see this chapter in their lives commence...

But we are selfishly wondering how we will fill all our time.

Perhaps I will become a professional candy maker specializing in caramel...or we will join a card club... 

It will be odd to find a life not centered around elementary school and our daughter-in-laws work schedule...

But it'll be something new.

And I hope the fact that our Granddaughters have caring hearts will help them want to stay in touch quite often!

  

This post is linked to Alphabe-Thursday's Letter C.   To read other C offerings, just click here.

Alphabe-Thursday Letter C

Good morning class. Welcome to round eight of Alphabe-Thursday!

Today we will be cavorting around the cuddly letter:


Please link directly to your Alphabe-Thursday URL (if you don't know how to do this let me know!) and please continue to visit the five links before and after your link and leave a comment. Minimum of 10 links visited please. You can visit more if you like, of course.

I also want to let you know that each week I visit every blog. If it appears I haven't visited your blog by the following Thursday morning, please let me know!

If you have any difficulties with your link, please make sure to include the number of the link when you e-mail me. It is really difficult for me to find you easily otherwise.

If you have any questions about Alphabe-Thursday or problems doing your link, just post it in a comment or send me an e-mail. I'll do my best to help you as quickly as I can.

The McLinkey will be live from 1:00 pm MST time Wednesday afternoon in an effort to assist our lovely "friends across the pond" and continue through 10:00 am MST time Saturday morning!

And remember.... link back to this post, you need to be registered as a follower of my blog, PG posts only, and visit at least 10 other students (perhaps the 5 students before and after your post). The links will stay live after the final post deadline has passed so you can even wait and visit over the weekend or whenever you have more time.

Please share your cute post about the letter C now!

Thankful B - Giveaway Winner

This round of the alphabet I want to share what I'm thankful for.   I might throw a sign or two in when I can as well.  I'm also announcing the winner of last weeks giveaway!   I will be having another giveaway for the letter "C" next week, so I hope you can stop by!

 

I am thankful I have the Blessing of living in an electronic age. 

As the time draws closer for all of our Granddaughter to move to Dublin, I console myself with the fact that we will be able to see their beautiful faces and converse with them.

Our son is heading 'across the pond' now.  He will scope out the new job and hopefully find a new house and schools.

And hopefully the Blessings of living in an electronic age will help him with his choices...I can imagine him showing his wife and family house and neighborhood tours so they can make the choice of where to live!

In the meantime, Mr. Jenny and I work to contain our shock and to treasure more than ever before every single moment we get with our precious Granddaughters. 

 

 

 In the spirit of the move, last week I offered up this beautiful leather bracelet for a giveaway.

 

Random org generator informed me that the winner of this bracelet is:

Janie Junebug said...

That's a beautiful bracelet, but I'm so sorry for you. I'm having a giveaway, too. I hope you'll drop by to enter.

Love,
Janie
dumpedfirstwife@gmail.com

Janie, I'm sending you an e-mail to get your mailing address and your prize will be winging its way to you on Monday!

I hope you enjoy it!   It is really a quite lovely piece of jewelry.

CONGRATULATIONS!

  

This post is linked to Alphabe-Thursday's Letter B.   To read other B offerings, just click here!

A Memory of Thanksgiving

It was early morning. It was that tingly cold that makes you put on your warmest slippers and flannel robe. As I headed downstairs I cursed my attraction to century-old farmhouses. Although we had tried mightily to seal old glass windows and run heating vents through almost petrified wood beams, the upstairs was always chilly, and even more so in late November with an early cold spell bringing snow and wind to upstate Ohio.

On the way to the kitchen I turned up the thermostat several notches. I turned on the kitchen light and the golden tones of the wooden cabinets and floors glowed. The double window over the kitchen sink reflected a light glittering of snow dusted pink, rose and gold from the first rays of the Eastern sun. The gnarled ancient apple tree branches silhouetted against the pale lavender morning sky cast their charm over me as they always did.


The pilot light on my old, white enamel stove was out again, but I struck a match and the burner glowed warmly in the still chilly kitchen. I checked that the oven pilot light was working and turned that on as well. In deference to the early hour I had left my cast iron skillet, biggest roasting pan and a basket of onions out on the counter the night before.


The refrigerator supplied the butter, celery and a fat turkey ready to be stuffed. Very soon chopped onion and celery were simmering away in butter and their savory scents perfumed the kitchen air. This was the smell of every Thanksgiving past in our family. It was the same scent I anticipated each year when my parent rose at dawn to begin the preparation of our childhood feasts. I can remember laying in my cozy bed and smelling Thanksgiving as it drifted through the house. I hoped my children were having those same feelings on this day.

My huge yellow-ware bowl, used only for preparing food in massive quantities, easily held all my bread crumbs, bread cubes and spices - pungent sage and black pepper, the coarse glisten of kosher salt, the soft, enticing smell of the marjoram. All of the scents combined in that big yellow bowl…ahhh, the fragrance of memories. Soon the onions and celery were tender and the chicken broth warmed and the dressing became moist and aromatic with their addition.

The kitchen had become warm and wonderful and soon the stuffed turkey was in for its long roasting time. The extra stuffing was in its buttered casserole with a scoop saved out inside my little pink stoneware bowl. Now it was time to make some coffee and then start the dinner roll dough rising, time to make the pie crust so it could chill for several hours, time to start chopping vegetables…

But first… a fresh cup of coffee and cream and a small pink bowl filled with stuffing needed to be eaten in front of the big windows overlooking the stark sculpture of winter apple trees and the rosy morning glow of the sky. The house was quiet, the wooly throw was warm on my lap, my children were safely asleep upstairs.

Later the house would fill with relatives and laughter and teasing and conversation. Pies, mashed potatoes, the magnificent turkey, flavorful stuffing, yeasty warm dinner rolls, and homemade jellies glistening like jewels would fill the table.


But for now, my coffee was perfect, the stuffing was savory, memories of all the Thanksgivings that had come before warmed my mind. This moment and this magic was my Thanksgiving.


When I count my blessings this Thanksgiving, I have to count all of you, too. You have given me so much encouragement with my writing. Blog friends are real friends. I am so happy to count you as mine. Hope your holiday is filled with peace and joy and a nap by the fire after too much pumpkin pie.

I'm being stalked...

...by turkeys...

 

Big wooden ones by the front door...

A whole bunch of them when you walk inside...

 

And the cutest baby one...

 

 

Our house will soon be filled with overnight guests and dogs ...

 

...and there are not quite enough forks for tomorrows feast...

 

...and I'm not sure of the logistics of turkey, pie and homemade rolls...

 

... and the fridge looks like a restaurant...

 

I love it.

 

I am so blessed.

 

And so thankful.

 

And I hope if you celebrate Thanksgiving yours is wonderful, too!

 

Alphabe-Thursday Letter B

Good morning class. Welcome to round eight of Alphabe-Thursday!

Today we will be bellowing about the beautiful letter:


Please link directly to your Alphabe-Thursday URL (if you don't know how to do this let me know!) and please continue to visit the five links before and after your link and leave a comment. Minimum of 10 links visited please. You can visit more if you like, of course.

I am, as always, behind on visits.   But I'll be by soon!

If you have any difficulties with your link, please make sure to include the number of the link when you e-mail me. It is really difficult for me to find you easily otherwise.

If you have any questions about Alphabe-Thursday or problems doing your link just post it in a comment or send me an e-mail. I'll do my best to help you as quickly as I can.

The McLinkey will be live from 1:00 pm MST time Wednesday afternoon in an effort to assist our lovely "friends across the pond" and continue through 10:00 am MST time Friday morning!

And remember.... link back to this post, you need to be registered as a follower of my blog, PG posts only, and try to visit at least 10 other students (perhaps the 5 students before and after your post). The links will stay live after the final post deadline has passed so you can even wait and visit over the weekend or whenever you have more time.

Please bring your best letter B now!

Alphabe-Thursday Thankful A AND A GIVEAWAY

This round of the alphabet I want to share what I'm thankful for.   I might throw a sign or two in when I can as well.  I'm having a giveway this week, too!   Info is at the bottom of this post!

 

I am thankful I have Always been geographically close to 4/5ths of our Grandlittles.

 

But I am learning the pain so many of you suffer when these dear ones are far away.

 

Our beautiful Granddaughters are moving to Ireland.

 

Yes.

 

Ireland.

 

Gulp!

 

What an adventure for them all.

 

I'm excited but I'm already feeling the loss of seeing them several times a week!

 

Our daughter-in-law has worked at least part-time since the oldest was born 11 1/2 years ago and we've been lucky enough to be babysitters as well as Grandparents.

 

But now our son's job is moving the family for several years.

 

Things are going really quickly and they will be leaving right after Christmas to west of  Dublin, Ireland.

 

My nephew says they will save a lot of money on sunscreen since two of the three are red-haired and freckled.

 

I'm just buckling up my Grandma seatbelt and am trying to stay on the ride of my emotions.

 

In the spirit of the move I wanted to offer up this beautiful leather bracelet for a giveaway.

 

 

 

It is very close to 7 1/2" from clasp to clasp. Green leather accented by  gorgeous black and green grommets highlighted by three silver flowers.   Three flowers for three Granddaughters.   And green, of course, for Ireland.

 

My sister makes these bracelets.   She doesn't have a shop but if you're interested in any for gifts, I'd be glad to send you some pictures and I know she'd be glad to sell some!   There's a wide variety available.

 

The one shown is $30 with free postage.

 

To enter this giveaway, just comment on THIS POST.   You can enter up to five times with any comment.  Just be certain I have an e-mail address to get hold of you so I can mail you your prize if you win!

 

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

 

Five entries available...each comment to THIS post is considered an entry

Be sure I have an e-mail address for you so I can reach you to ship your prize

Giveaway ends Friday, November 29.  

Winner will be posted Saturday, November 30 and notified by e-mail.

Bracelet will ship on Monday, December 2.

 

  

This post is linked to Alphabe-Thursday's Letter A.   To read other A offerings, just click here.

Alphabe-Thursday Letter A

Good morning class. Welcome to round EIGHT of Alphabe-Thursday!

Here we go again!

I'm excited because I have a specific  theme I'm going to write about...big news for our family, indeed!   And hopefully I might have time to paint a sign or two along the way as well!

I look forward to seeing what you have to share...and I want to thank each of you personally for participating. Sometimes life feels so chaotic that I like the steadiness of one little thing I can depend on!

Today we will be sharing all aspects of the letter:



Please link directly to your Alphabe-Thursday URL (if you don't know how to do this let me know!) and please continue to visit the five links before and after your link and leave a comment. Minimum of 10 links visited please. You can visit more if you like, of course.

I also want to let you know that each week I visit every blog. If it appears I haven't visited your blog by the following Thursday morning, please let me know!

If you have any difficulties with your link, please make sure to include the number of the link when you e-mail me. It is really difficult for me to find you easily otherwise.

If you have any questions about Alphabe-Thursday or problems doing your link just post it in a comment or send me an e-mail. I'll do my best to help you as quickly as I can.

I also want to mention that sometimes when I visit wordpress blogs the only way I can leave a comment is by using an e-mail address DIFFERENT than the one I have linked to blogger.  If you see odd e-mail address that's why I'm doing it.

The McLinkey will be live from 1:00 pm MST time Wednesday afternoon in an effort to assist our lovely "friends across the pond" and continue through 10:00 am MST time Friday morning!

And remember.... link back to this post, you need to be registered as a follower of my blog, PG posts only, and try to visit at least 10 other students (perhaps the 5 students before and after your post). The links will stay live after the final post deadline has passed so you can even wait and visit over the weekend or whenever you have more time.

Please advise us what your A post is, by linking now:

If you give a girl...

...with complicated auto-immune issues a major oral surgery...

 

She's gonna have a crash.

 

And if she has a crash...

 

She's gonna want to die.

 

Or at the very least hibernate.

 

And if she hibernates...

 

She doesn't visit her blog much.

 

Or write much.

 

Or paint much.

 

Or talk much.

 

And if she gives up blogging and writing and painting and talking...

 

She's gonna miss out on a WHOLE BUNCH OF STUFF IN BLOGLAND.

 

And in her life.

 

And when she misses out on almost three months of her life she suddenly realizes...

 

"HOLY CRAP! IT'S ALMOST THANKSGIVING!"

 

And when she realizes it's almost Thanksgiving...

 

...she decides that, "Yes, printed burlap can be washed in the washing machine to make a table runner to save time."

 

And when she washes printed burlap...

 

...it turns into a huge mess.

 

And when it turns into a huge mess she has to cover it up with ANOTHER table runner she already had to make it look semi-okay.

And then that makes her mouth hurt.

 

And she has to go to the oral surgeon again. ...

 

... Okay.

 

All of this was true UP UNTIL seeing the oral surgeon again.

 

I'm avoiding him like the plague.

 

He thinks I am going to have more surgery in January.

 

Yeah.

 

Ummm.

 

I think he may have to use an elephant gun to tranquilize me for that!

 

Sigh.

 

PS. Missed you all!

 

PPS. Yes, those are croquet balls in the wooden bowl on my table. I know. I'm weird.

 

PPPS (or is that PSSS) If you have oral surgery and you can't tolerate steroids or using your own blood in concentration be sure to let your surgeon know.  This has been a pretty icky ride and I don't want you to go through it if you can avoid it!

.