Winter Solstice Sunday December 21, 2025

[Nancy]

My thoughts have turned to the New Year.
After the noise last night reminded me I need a plan bc of the fireworks & ddoggo.
I have little smokies in the freezer two kinds in case needed this week.

I have s2s x
Been outside to move the last piles to the trailer area.
I'll load em later they were small and not very big piles.
This was good for getting step count to this part of the day to where it should be.

Cmas this year is me praying just as or before or after I turn on the creche' lites.
Foot has more bruising today but not as sore.

Got some items on my wish list for my next order found some things on sale
for my planners writing etc. I'll use my Cmas $ for one of those.
I have journals here. Wanted to go to H. Lob. for those
but no need also they are closed.

[CathyS]

Another all-in-one-roasting-pan supper is now in the oven. Dh picked this particular roast. A boneless shoulder blade pork roast. I had to look up some recipes for that one. Very close to my usual pork roast. Sear the meat, put it on top of potato, onion and carrot chunks. Sprinkle paprika, pepper and garlic powder on top. Add a cup of broth to the bottom of the pan. Roast without a lid at 350F for 2 hours, check the temp.

When it comes to holiday cooking, I decide what the meal will be for the big day and fill in the rest of the week ahead trying not to have the same meat. We usually have turkey, which isn't a weekly meat here. So far, we are doing Chinese buffet on Tuesday. Possible leftover night on Monday. We had chicken last night and pork tonight. The only question mark is Wednesday night. Possibles are cabbage rolls with perogies, some sort of pasta and I don't know what else.

Dh had a friend pop over earlier today. Friend was gone less than 20 minutes later. Another friend called and just got here and they are out in the garage. He feels much better today.

He came into the kitchen earlier and asked me if I smelled something like cleaner. I told him to feel the counter in front of him. Then I showed him the bottle of bar keepers friend. He told me to sit down and not work so hard.

Later... I just remembered that we have 2 ham steaks for sometime this week.
I have a small load of mixed laundry going in the washer right now.
I cleared off the counter in the hall way. It's easy for that space to become a hot spot.

[Twins' Mom]

Dh owes me… we’re still at the bourbon shopping/raffle. I had to come because a friend gave dh four tickets and each person inside can only have two chances. The tickets are earned by purchasing at this store. The ticket is exchanged for the # for the next numbered drawing ticket. If your numb is drawn one wins the opportunity to purchase One bottle of the selected bourbons at MSRP. The most expensive is $650, and it’s much more expensive otherwise. It was fun the first hour maybe when dh had a low number and got something he wanted. More later, I hope this is nearly done.

[Nancy]

Found my laundry I have sorted two loads.
first load done 2nd in the dryer now.
Need to start one.
It's raining so that will be a good inside thing to pay attn. to today.

[Twins' Mom]

And we're home now, need to leave in 30 min or so for Hanukkah party. Dh ended up buying two bottles and was at the point of diminishing returns. There were more bottles than drawing tickets, so at the end the participants can purchase any of what's left. I meant to say that the bourbons are what's called "allocated." Each store only gets a few of them and this is their way of making sure their best customers get a fair chance at them. If they are on the shelf in a store, they cost much much more than the MSRP. There were probably 300 people there? It was pretty amazing until my back started giving out. We were out of the 4.5 hours for this.

Tomorrow I only have my workout. Dh is going to try to bowl but his shoulder is still hurting big time after he mixed up all the latkes on Friday. I'd like to have him out of the house some. I need some time on my own!

I never got laundry started today. I finished a.m. routine before we left aside from starting laundry.

[Harriet]

Watched The Last Homely Garden post/video for today, in which Kate makes a wreath and cleans up after her goose, Eileen. It fell dark for her about the time it did for me here, I guess, according to the times she was sharing in the video.

DangerBoy came over and visited, picked up his puddings. He looks great and says he's feeling well, able to eat a few additional things now. I believe he said he doesn't have to be back at univ. until the 8th of Jan., so a lovely vacation time.

Wrapped a present for HRH's mom.

[lucylee]

Home alone, with hopes to do something with the fabric from dh's shirts and make ornaments... but The Sound of Music is on tv and I cannot resist watching. Maria and the Captain are getting married right now -- I have remembered this wedding scene since I was 4 years old and saw it in the theater... that long, long train, and the huge church at the Abbey. Oh my... I would like the movie to end right here, before the Nazis arrive and everything is so horrible.

We went to church this morning, and DGS and I taught Sunday School for ddil -- DGD woke up in the night with a headache and threw up again. DDIL does not think it is migraines; she suspects that it is a side effect from missing her last couple of shots. They have had to change insurance and have had some trouble getting started with new coverage. But when I took DGS home, DGD was jumping on her trampoline and waved vigorously at me.

Our pastor mentioned to me that she wondered if dgs was depressed. Not today -- a week or so ago, when DGS was very quiet and did not eat at Wed. night supper. He had been asleep at time to go to church and DS had to wake him up -- we think he just had some kind of bug and just felt bad physically.
He spends a lot of time on his computer, but he is normally making maps of imaginary election results or restructuring football conferences, or watching YouTube videos about educational things -- for instance yesterday, he was telling me all about Kellogg's invention of Corn Flakes and his (Kellogg's) theory that people who ate bland foods would have less problems with infidelity. That's what he said. I haven't fact-checked him. He also spent a LOT of the weekend playing imaginary football games and asking me to "referee" as he acted out plays. Or I was supposed to choose the winner in imaginary games and then he told me if I was right or not. AND he spent a LOT of time asking me trivia questions re: sports teams and state capitals.
We listened to the Opry for the first time in a long time and talked about dh. I asked him if he missed going to the Opry. We agreed that the Opry is not what it was when Granddaddy really enjoyed it and it has gotten extremely overpriced. He said he didn't really miss those trips, that he didn't really want to go anywhere much for vacations, etc, he says he just likes to be home (including at my house) -- a lot like his daddy and me. He said he didn't really miss going to Auburn because he had just as soon watch it on tv. I told him I was always afraid I was going to make his daddy a hermit because I was so anti-social, but that I thought his daddy was just naturally a homebody, too. He agreed and said he didn't really like to be with a lot of people, either. And that may have something to do with his autism. We are so glad he seems to enjoy football and scholar's bowl and even though he says he doesn't enjoy school, he makes excellent grades and says he likes all his teachers. Usually when I pick him up at school he is laughing and talking with someone in the car-rider line.

I really think the preacher is overly concerned, and she admitted she didn't spend nearly as much time with him as we do. This morning, for instance, he read the entire Bible lesson -- our only students were two sisters, ages 5 and 11. We asked the older girl if she wanted to read, but she said no quite quickly! DGS answered some of their questions and explained some things about the video we watched. Then he went out and served as acolyte, and I heard him laughing while he was talking to the ushers about how the ceiling of the vestibule got burn marks (by alcolytes of his daddy's generation).

We just hear sooo much about depression in young people these days that I am sorta paranoid about these children, but I honestly think they are doing well. A little lazy, but otherwise, well-adjusted and well-behaved. I guess I just have to have something to worry about.

~~~ 11:21 -- Editing to say, there is definitely a learning curve involved in wrapping clear balls with fabric. I don't think I'm going to accomplish this overnight. I'm going to look at the craft section at Dollar Tree/Dollar General tomorrow and maybe get some of those little round frames to just put the fabric in and try that method. Teddy bears will be quite enough sentimental for this Christmas anyway. SMH. I'm getting nervous about spending Christmas Eve at dbil's now. Just cause it's different, I guess. AND I'm afraid my stomach will act up and their "guest" bathroom is too close to the living room.

[Kittykatt]

LucyLee, to an outsider, it sounds as if your DGS has lots of interests, and uses the computer as a "*tool" to fire his very active imagination and his creativity, rather than spending hours mindlessly gaming ,or spending hours on social media.

As for being a homebody, at least you know where he is!

[lucylee]

Thanks, KittyKatt.

[Nancy]

Did not get to see any of the celestial activity b/c of clouds.
Could not sleep.
Weather guessers got it wrong said snow but at 39* I am hearing rain!
Last nite b/c of reruns I watched "Grandchester" on net flex went to bed on time and have slept 5 hrs.
I need a catch up day; my sis was talking about things I've been putting off.
I said "that's called Wed."
But this week I want to do it early b/c that's Cmas Eve. I have other plans...
so I will be doing zone work in my bedroom in my rounds.
Taking a break from outside stuff.