Social Saturday

[Harriet]

Are you enjoying hospitality this weekend, or adding to the hospitality as others host a get-together of family or friends? Tell us about your preparations! Also, let us know if you are complimented or appreciated as Harmony was last evening.

If you have some social activities today, (and I know I do!) turns out you are in the mainstream! I've been reading that this day, "second Sat before Christmas" may soon become the most social day of December, outpacing even Christmas day. It has to do with the difficulty of scheduling everything we all want to do around Christmas, especially when the 25th itself falls on a weekend as it often has in recent years. And, with the rise in folks who need to travel away for the 25th itself, parties and get-togethers are increasingly pushed back to this day to give weekday-working folks the chance to socialize in their own communities before going home to multi-generation family.

I already knew that "second Sat before Christmas" was a big deal in both my in-law family and my dsonil' s family for many years. My firstinlaws chose it years ago to try to "get out of the way" of so many incoming family members' own set times with their parents. Now dd33 and dsonil, plus several of dd33's own cousins, have to rotate years getting to go to each other's big family parties because THIS is the date that has become so popular!

[bittersweet]

I will not be attending any social events this weekend, since I'm working. However...we will be having our Sunday brunch affair at work, so that will be fun! This week, we'll be making french toast, and I'm not sure what all else...maybe just some fruit?

I'm not the most social of creatures at any time, so for me to even go to the department Christmas party this year was a pretty big deal. We pretty much never have anyone over, and rarely go to anyone's place. Some of that is probably because we both work long shifts, don't often have the same days off, he works nights, I work days....sorta makes scheduling a challenge..LOL

DS has crawled out of his cave, so I guess I'd better get myself moving here. The critters need breakfast and clean litter boxes (ddogs have already gone out, and are back upstairs snoozing again). Well...I'll finish my coffee first!

[Lynlee]

Enjoy the company Harriet. I hope it is a really blessed time in your busy lives.

I went to markets today. a ph call from someone whose call dropped out ystdy w flat battery. And called into church tonight for after mass carols. There was food there. and wonderful philipines had rice dishes as well as sweets so I ate some of the rice /noodles & veg.. Met up and chatted to folk from ages past. inc a couple I knew via x in late 70s. We've nodded before but not talked. Also a few from days when retreat center held weekly gettogethers. It closed years ago - maybe 10 years ago to have a new life with another calling. They were surprised I still lived here. lol. I guess I've often talked of moving. Maybe one day I will. Met a few new people I recognized faces. A woman who's husband lent me a crutch once wondered who I was. So many elder folk less steady on their feet.
Tried a 1/2 strength cuppa tea.

Worked out how to use sewing machine. Manual was a good help. So was the auto needle threader.Tonight I finished one dolly top found ufo. then tonight I found a ufo baby nightie. Wondering if it'll fit one of dgd9's menagery.
I'm late on bbr. Might just leave dishes. go - it will take 5min. ok ok. goodnight.

[OKay]

Good Morning!

I slept in this morning and woke up to the sun shining through our east bedroom window. i know I have been running on adrenalin from back-to-back unusual events, so sleeping in was a good sign that my mind and body are relaxing a bit.

Today PODA -
** go to bank and sign papers for DParents accounts....hoping I can do this in the drive thru window - other wise I'll do it Monday
** Pick up bucket of chicken with soft flavorable mashed potato/gravy and a milkshake from DBro favorite eating establishment. Take lunch to DBro and wife and visit with them. This will require a 2 hour drive there/back plus another hour drive to get his favorite food.
** Pantry staples shopping. My "need to buy list" is almost 3 pages long!! I like to keep a well stocked pantry but it is getting bare.
** Christmas shopping - Today's shopping focus will be filling up eight Christmas stockings. I have a running list going with some ideas for a few of them. All stockings will receive my basics - new electric toothbrush, toothpaste, socks. However the "special" stocking gift for each child is a challenge for a couple of the kiddos. Of course I want their eyes to light up when they see what has been selected JUST for them.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

I have to add to my pantry too!

This evening is the choir party. Tomorrow afternoon is the neighbourhood cookie exchange so I'll need to bake today too.

Tomorrow night is dinner out with ds and then off to a 'concert' (it is actually a storyteller.)

[BookSaver]

Good morning, villagers ~
No social stuff this weekend, for which I'm relieved. I want to make one more big push over the next 3 days to clear out a bunch of stuff. Then on Tuesday I will finally put up a few decorations. DH doesn't care and we won't have visitors to see them, but I like them.

I've been stocking the pantry over a couple of weeks, assuming that sooner or later we will be snowed in.

2nd reason for stocking up is that I'm putting together "gift in a jar" soup mixes for DMIL. I've chosen 5 recipes in addition to the 1 made at the library's class.

I need to wash some more quart jars so I can make duplicates of everything and keep a set for ourselves. The jars themselves are various accumulated from salsa and pasta sauce. (I only save the ones that actually say "Ball," "Mason," or "Atlas" with the measurements on the side.)

I have plastic lids in both regular and wide mouth sizes that will work really well for these cupboard mixes. Then if DMIL wants to put leftover soup in the freezer, the glass jars with plastic lids will work fine.

I'm hoping to finish the gift shopping Monday or Tuesday. Three items that will be easy purchases, the hardest part is getting to The Big City and fighting the holiday traffic jams.

Christmas Eve we will join my family at my younger sister's.

I think we are to see DH's family on Christmas Day, but I'm not sure when. Last month there was just sort of a vague throw-away invitation to come up, with promise of details to follow.

[Nancy]

... The most radiant woman in the room is the one most full of life and experience. Sharon Stone

I'm up coffee is on, bs is up a bit today.
I may have granny duty sil is going fishing but dstepson is coming so then again maybe not.
H. was having trouble with his hip after working in the afternoon yesterday so he was trying to recoup last night.

I got all but one of the cookie dough batches baked up, that's 5 done yea; the last one I'll do with dgd for her dad it's peanut butter and that is his favorite kind.

There is a function at the church for our age bracket but we've been on the fence about going w/hubby's aches & pains don't know if we will venture out or not yet but I'm okay either way. Cookies are for the youth's bake sale on Sun. so we can take them with us for that when we go as we do the early service it will be fine. When h. got home he wanted to try one of each of the kinds of cookies lucky for him I had some boo boo ones set aside just for that.

Hoping to get a store run in one of these days. I'm out of cake mixes for cookies! Oh my goodness not a good thing this time of year! LOL!

Yep I was right I have granny duty this morning just got the call glad I was up in case! Cookie dough is thawing, we will frost some of the sugar cookies also.

Fish is thawing for our main meal today or tomorrow.

[helia]

Hello everyone! I've been up for a while but haven't accomplished too much. I have done the a.m. routine and ordered gifts for friend R, so now friends R and S are finished! Yay!

Goals for today:
1. Presents to be shipped wrapped and boxed
2. Packages in the mail (3 or 4, depending on whether or not I send some tasty treats to my uncle)
3. groc. store
4. JOG

Dh is working at the soup kitchen this afternoon.

Nice quote, Nancy.

Off to wrap. . . .

[helia]

Social Saturday - we actually have a very socially low-key weekend, unusual for us. Small group tonight was cancelled. Dd13 and I are going to a cookie exchange party tomorrow evening. Dd16 is going to a bday party this evening, but that doesn't involve me beyond chauffeuring.

[Sadie]

Good Morning Dear Ladies,

Another sunny day here!

Temps are a bit on the cold side, in the 30's now. Either we have cold and sunny or warmer temps but cloudy and damp.

I'll take the sunshine!

Off to WM in just a few. It will be a busy shopping day there I'm sure.

DH and 2 Dsons off on a job together.

One Dson staying here with Dbrother.

Got my dailies done!

Have a wonderful Saturday all!