The Mondayest Thursday

There has been a meme circulating on FB about the day after Christmas, when some people went back to work, being the "Mondayest Thursday ever."  I think that is today.  After almost two weeks off, we are back to our normal school-work routine.  The kids went back bright and early (the sky was bright, not them), as did Mama.  I go back next week, but I am full into my chores--tons of laundry, a messy kitchen, a chaotic house, since we spent the whole time here.

Bud had asked for an at-home holiday but he got more than he bargained for:  Mama and I had severe colds, with sinus infections, most of the holidays.  Mama slept some of Christmas away; I lumped for days afterwards. We were supposed to go to Old Sturbridge Village candlelight with Ma and Gong, but we kept pushing it back and eventually had to cancel, disappointing us all. We're both only now starting to move more energetically.

We did do a few things.  The kids and I went to see Cats on Christmas Eve morning, drawn by all of the horrible reviews we'd seen.  First, I love the musical Cats, even with its lack of plot, and have seen it on stage three or so times, plus some filmed versions, so I was not bothered by the string of songs without much narrative glue.  I didn't mind the kitty ingenue introduced to guide us through the story, which had been made more clear with the villain McCavity.  And I really liked several of the actors, though not the fat-phobia for laughs inflicted on Rebel Wilson and James Corden.  But, secondly, I found it really hard to watch all the CGI.  I didn't mind the odd perspectives/size differences of the cats and the surrounding sets.  But I was particularly bothered by the nude-like costumes (cats are fluffy with fur, not skin tight and smooth) and the synchronized snake-tails.  Idris Elba looked very oddly nude-not-nude and I can't un-see Taylor Swift shaking furry-not-furry cat boobs.  And I became entranced by how in some places the cats' feet weren't really touching the floor, which was also CGI'd.  If they had just filmed them as-is, like the Broadway show, esp without those dancing tails, it might have been better.  Because the dancing was extraordinary, the singing mostly good (except Jennifer Hudson's "Memory" which was about the worst I've ever heard), and several of the actors entrancing--love, love, love Judi Dench and Ian McKellen.  So, not a waste of two hours, not awful, but still the CGI was terrible.  We had fun.

Later that evening, we went to Vespers at church, taking a plate of cookies to share.  I loved the carol singing, though I got teary through many of them.  Not because Christmas carols make me sad, but because I missed hearing my mom and dad singing along.  They are both good and enthusiastic singers.  Our interim minister was very warm in his welcome of Mama and the kiddos, whom he hadn't met yet.  We headed home and hung out until Goo arrived.  We didn't stay up too late, as far as Christmas Eves go.

And then it was Christmas morning.  Even though the kiddos are older, they still got us up at 7 in the morning and were excited to get downstairs to stockings and gifts.  There were a lot of Dungeons & Dragons presents for Bud--books, Monster and NPC (non-player character) cards, setting tiles for visual ambiance--plus a beautiful dice tower for the whole family.  I gave a lot of t-shirts to everyone--a Monty Python for Goo, "Significant Otter" plus some horse t-shirts for Mama, a horse hoodie for Sis, and #teamtrees shirt for Bud (who got an Amnesty shirt when Mama and Sis got holiday horse shirts.)  I got some lovely soaps (I love smelly-goods like soaps and candles) and some tasty, fancy chocolates.  Indeed, there were a lot of snacks in the various stockings.  But not as many books this year.  Sis got a few YA fantasy books to go with Bud's D&D books.  I got an IKEA cookbook with my favorite little mazariner almond tarts.

We had breakfast just as Ma and Gong arrived and then hung out the rest of the day.  Mama napped upstairs while I lounged on the couch; everyone else played a long and competitive game of Rummy.  It lasted half the day.  We had our usual gumbo and muffalattas for dinner, with Ma making some fried rice as well.

And then the next several days are a blur.  We hung around, watched movies (Christmas Vacation, ELF, Emmet Otter, all of "Watchmen" and "Gentleman Jack," one episode of "His Dark Materials" and John Mulaney's musical kids special), ate lots of snacks and cheese and sweets, played Pokemon and Celeste and the new Zelda.  I crocheted on a blanket for one of their friends having knee surgery.  I also did some Zentangle.

I did manage to go out with Mama Teacher on Monday, to our local tea shop, during which we had a nice chat and exchanged gifts.  Then we went grocery shopping; I was exhausted at the end of it all.

New Year's was similarly subdued.  We did stay up until midnight, which is a rarity.  See, BTS was performing two songs in Times Square so we stayed up to watch.  I thought they did a wonderful job, with the slower, melodic "Make it Right" and the more iconic "Boy with Love."  I also liked that they walked past the crowds between the two stages, since fans had trouble seeing the stages and had been their all day.  And then they were there when the ball dropped--taking selfies, poking confetti, pointing and dancing!  So cute.

We made an abbreviated Thanksgiving dinner, since most of us hadn't had Thanksgiving (with the stomach flu.)  We had roasted turkey (well, thighs, drumsticks and a few cutlets--all the whole turkeys were frozen solid.)  And then watched the new Doctor Who, which surprised us all.

And now it's back to the grind.  It was sorta restful but not at all memorable, a huge contrast to last year in Thailand, which was never restful and completely memorable.

Advent All-Around

I'd say we're full of the holiday spirit now, with cheer arriving almost daily since our holiday/birthday weekend in Vermont.

(I'll note one downside:  the Snowy Owl died.  She (or perhaps a juvenile "he") was probably exhausted from her journey from the Arctic and in organ failure (making it easier to photograph her, alas), then she fell through the ice and, despite being taken to a rescue organization, died two days later.  I was very, very, very sad, as was Mama--and we decided not to tell the kids.  Enough death this year.  They got the lesson.  So, please don't mention this.  We've said the owl moved on so it's not here to be seen anymore.  I read today that there's one in Hartford.  Hopefully, it's heading south!)

Okay, back to the holiday spirit.

We're decorated (though, somewhat minimally this year), with presents wrapped and cookies baked, too.  We watched Bill Murray in Scrooged and the kids even made a small snowman in the weekend snowfall.  I did the grocery shopping today and finished my gift buying (I think.)  We're not doing a big meal, just gumbo and muffalettas, with Vermont cheeses, homemade (and cookie cafe) cookies, hot chocolate, maybe the NYTimes hot chocolate red wine (!), and perhaps a gingerbread bundt cake from King Arthur Flour.

1. Go to Cookie Cafe (Dec.3)--DONE
2. Set up Lego Christmas village--DONE
3. My birthday celebration--DONE
4. Holiday weekend away--DONE
5. Office party--DONE
6. Look for Snowy Owl--DONE
7. Family game night (probably Animal Jam)--DONE (we played Tenzi, too)
8. Decorate house--DONE
9. Build gingerbread houses
10. Host cookie party--TODAY
11. Make holiday wreath--DONE (two, actually--one with boxwood and one with twinkle lights)
12. Stay up late, a la Solstice Camp Out the night of last day of school
13. Gifts for teachers, vet, coaches--DONE
14. Create and send family Christmas card--halfway done (the cards were just ordered)
15. Watch "Emmet Otter's Jugband Christmas" 
16. Watch "It's a Wonderful Life!"
17. Watch "Doctor Who" Christmas episode
18. Christmas Eve service
19. Drive around looking at lights
20. Extra screentime--DONE
21. STAR WARS!!!!!--DONE

Belated Advent

We're a little behind with our Advent Activities, though we have been slowly getting in the spirit of things.  We'll see what else we get to--here's a list to help me keep track.

1. Go to Cookie Cafe (Dec.3)--DONE
2. Set up Lego Christmas village--DONE
3. My birthday celebration--DONE
4. Holiday weekend away--DONE
5. Office party--DONE
6. Look for Snowy Owl--DONE
7. Family game night (probably Animal Jam)--DONE (we played Tenzi, too)
8. Decorate house--DONE, halfway
9. Build gingerbread houses
10. Host cookie party (Dec. 21)
11. Make holiday wreath
12. Stay up late, a la Solstice Camp Out the night of last day of school
13. Gifts for teachers, vet, coaches
14. Create and send family Christmas card
15. Watch "Emmet Otter's Jugband Christmas"
16. Watch "It's a Wonderful Life!"
17. Watch "Doctor Who" Christmas episode
18. Christmas Eve service
19. Drive around looking at lights
20. Extra screentime
21. STAR WARS!!!!! (Dec. 16)

Birthday Weekend in Vermont

Having enjoyed Vermont so much this fall, we decided to visit again, this time in winter and, after the events of the last few weeks--deaths and politics--it was good for us to get away for a holiday weekend (I'm sorry we missed you this time, Sew and Sow.)  And it was marvelous!  Here are a few snapshots outlining the fun.




Our first stop in Vermont was the Vermont Country Store.  It's a rest stop, snack place, and souvenir shop.  We started our holiday shopping, picking up things for each other and friends and family.  We did not buy the hat that Bud models here!

A lovely tree with cookie ornaments

Next up:  King Arthur Flour.  Last time, we arrived very late in the day, when the bakery was almost completely empty of its goodies.  So we made an effort to arrive midday.  Oh, so good.  We had lunch--tasty grilled cheese, delicious homemade kaiser rolls, chocolate croissants, cardamom roll, and my favorite almond cloud cookies.  I liked the quote on the wall near the cafe, "All sorrows are less with bread" (Cervantes.)  And of course we did some shopping.  Sis was so excited to pick up boxes of cinnamon puff muffin mix, her new favorite.  And I got some unique mixes--Portuguese sweet rolls, Scottish oat bread, orange cranberry brioche. It was a tasty way to begin the weekend.

Another stop we made on the way was the Vermont Toy and Train Museum in Quechee.  There we wandered amid the displays of toys from our childhoods--Cher doll, Luke and Leia dolls, Donnie and Marie dolls, Holly Hobby dolls, various lunchboxes including Holly Hobby, Happy Meal toys, bubble bath dispenses, boxed Halloween costumes with plastic masks, Fisher Price Little People.  And there was a great model train through the Vermont countryside in summer, fall, and winter.


In the same complex, there were various shops, including an antiques store, with old photos ("instant ancestors"), tools, tea sets, food tins.  Fun to wander with the kids.

And then we arrived in Woodstock, considered one of the most picturesque towns in the country.  With holiday decorations, snow, early American houses, a preserved downtown including old dry goods store and pharmacy and unique shops, covered bridge, nearby river, and the surrounding mountains, it really is a great little place.  And we were staying at the Woodstock Inn, a venerable hotel sitting back from the town green.  (Lambeth, the kids said it was second only to the Lainston as their favorite place to stay!)

In our room were two treats--chocolate-covered strawberries and a notice that we would be riding in the town's Wassail parade, on the hotel's own wagon, both arranged by Mama and the concierge for my birthday!!!!  Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful.  It made for the perfect weekend.

But before the parade Saturday afternoon, we spent Saturday morning wandering the town, listening to the high school band play carols, and visiting the Dana House and the historical society with its displays on Christmas past.  (This was after breakfast, when we discovered our waitress grew up in the town we live in and her cousin owns the deli near our pediatrician's office.  Small world.)  Sis and Bud even ran down to the river behind the house, enjoying the snow (which we haven't really had in Connecticut.)

The parade!!  Mama had given me a heads-up about it, actually, first to see if I were interested and second so that I could pick a festive outfit.  As the theme was Victorian, I wore one of my long historic house skirts and my lovely blue wool cloak from Gommie, under which were layers of sweaters, leggings, extra skirts, and warm socks--because the morning temperature had been 3F!!  We all got a ride to the staging area where Sis was in her element around all of the horses.  Across from us was the donkey brigade which we just read about in the morning's paper (the group helps youth and adults with developmental disabilities who take care of the miniature donkeys.)  The little donkeys wear stuffed animals on their backs and pull small carts, led by their handlers.

And then we got on our wagon, wearing matching plaid fleece scarves supplied by the hotel.  The festooned wagon was led by two humongous Belgian draft horses.  We rode along with another family and an older couple, singing "Rudolph," "Jingle Bells," and "We Wish You a Merry Christmas!" and waving to the crowds (over 2,000 cheering people!)  It really was wonderful to see all the holiday cheer.  And I liked seeing the old town from the wagon, which put me back in the 19th century.  Though, it was pretty cold.

After the parade, we warmed up by the fire at the hotel with hot chocolate (and Bailey's!)  At 4pm, we went to look at the town tree, Yule bonfire, and luminaries as the sun set.  Dinner was the Wassail Feast at the hotel, with a variety of dishes such as prime rib, sliced salmon, Yorkshire Pudding, pumpkin bread pudding, buche de noel, and trifle.  Mama and I made Yard of Flannel--hot apple cider and rum-whipped cream--and sat by the fire.

That evening we sat in the room, warming up from the day.  I worked on my crocheted birthday blanket, in Lion Brand Thick and Quick Celestial Stripes.  The kids made Rainbow Loom bands and played with their light-up wheelie bopper toys from the Vermont Country Store.  (It was a no-screen weekend.)

Sunday, though it was cold again, we went to Billings Farm--with its draft horses, decorated farmhouse, and craft activities.  The kids dipped their own candles and then Bud made a pomander with cloves and a clementine.  Sis was enamored with the white Percheron draft horses and some more Belgians.  And I liked the snow, the barns, and the warm kitchen with apple pie and roasted pumpkins.

  

On our way home, we ate at delicious Worthy Kitchen (poutine!  fried chicken!  pickled pineapple!)  and then moseyed our way home.  We did stop at the lake we'd visited with my folks in October--it was completely frozen and snow-covered.  I did a 20-yard hike into the woods and watched Sis poked the ice with her toes.   

We got home after dark, with snow falling gently on our town, the last little treat of the weekend.

My favorite photo, from town (actually taken from the car as we drove by.)

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There was one uncomfortable thing that happened repeatedly in Vermont:  there were a lot of questions about our family, race- and/or gender-based.  From the woman at King Arthur Flour who thanked me for having a big heart and adopting Sis, to a white woman who said hi to Mama in Mandarin and was surprised she didn't speak Chinese, to the six or seven people (and I'm not exaggerating here) who mistook Mama for a boy/my son, Sis for a boy, and Bud for a girl.  Never have so many assumptions been spoken to us aloud by so many in such a short time.  It was rather disconcerting.  We've had less trouble in rural Texas, for goodness sake.  Come on, Vermont, what's with that?  (And no, it wasn't just the tourists from elsewhere.)
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Ate Dessert First

It was an unusual Thanksgiving for us, though we had pretty the same guests and menu.  Our goal was a relaxing, low-stress holiday with more time for connection.  To accomplish, since I do all the cooking (and that won't change), this year we changed the menu somewhat--fewer dishes and not everything made from scratch. (Sure, my heart hurt a bit to forego seasonal, fresh, and even organic for this celebration of food and family, but, when I did do all that, I could rarely even enjoy it.) Gone were three kinds of homemade cranberry sauces in favor of that jelled can that holds its cylindrical shape.  Gone was the homemade mushroom cream sauce for the fresh green bean casserole in favor of, gasp, cans of condensed soup and green beans.  The extra sides--brussel sprouts, mashed potatoes, roasted butternut squash, spinach salad, broccoli rice casserole, lime jello salad, whatever--were banished.  So were the three pies usually made by me (pecan, pumpkin, apple); I made a cake instead and bought the pies from the special pie shop.  And we only had two appetizers--Texas Trash and cheese dip.  The turkey (made using the new NYTimes splaying method with dry rub), gravy, rolls, yams, and dressing remained the same.

And you know what? I got to sit and enjoy the parade!  We watched and chatted and laughed and didn't worry about the cooking.  I drank coffee and ate orange biscuits with the family and my in-laws.  It beat running back and forth, checking the schedule for everything and not being fully present.

When my brother-in-law arrived after the parade, we broke out lunch.  See, second big change:  we were having our big meal late in the day, closer to 5 pm than the usual 1 pm.  This gave us more time to relax and connect, which was more important to me this year than others, with the loss of our dear Mo and my uncle and the illness of my cousin and the loss of the election and just all the shit in the world (DAPL, Flint, Syria, the need for Black Lives Matter, both the inspiring and the depressing stories of women and liberals on Pantsuit Nation, everything I'm not even mentioning, etc) . . .  But we needed to eat so . . . .

Big change number three:  we ate dessert first!  Yep, we had coconut snickerdoodles and pumpkin bread made by Goo, along with my glazed orange-cranberry bundt cake, Sis's Swedish apple pie, and several little store-bought pies.  Plus there were the appetizers and some cold Szechuan dishes Mama picked up for savories (noodles and beef.)  It was fun to sample everything without being stuffed from turkey etc.  My cake was delicious, as was Sis's own Swedish apple pie.  And I liked Goo's coconut snickerdoodles.  And we all had fun sampling the various nut, cream, and seasonal pies.  (Sis likes the lemon chess best.  I like that and the coconut cream and also chocolate peanut butter.  Tomorrow we eat the key lime!  They're small, like a store-bough chicken pot pie.)

Then the cooking started. But--change #4--I didn't do most of it.  Mama and Bud made his oyster dressing.  Bud and Goo made the green bean casserole.  Sis and Goo made the yams.  I had made the rolls and the regular dressing.  Mama, as usual, made the turkey.  And Sis made the gravy all by herself.

And it was delicious!  Best gravy ever.  It was all delicious.  And I could enjoy it much better.  I think we all did.  And not only because there weren't many leftovers.  Everybody said they liked the late meal because they weren't trying to cook while socializing or later socializing through a food coma. The kids and their uncle also liked dessert first.  I did, too.  Who can enjoy pie after turkey?  The only downside with the late meal was that my in-laws left pretty much right after we ate, but Goo hung out with us playing games and such.  We always have a good laugh.

And then it was pretty much bedtime.  A lovely day, for which I am thankful.

Especially for dessert first.

Advent Activities: In Pictures

House decorations

Baking cookies--6 dozen!

Our only snowflakes this season

Waiting for Star Wars 7

Kindness Elves appear, getting ready for our cookie party

Sis's cookies

Making a scarf for a friend's daughter

Sock Fun Left and Right

We had our Mother-Daughter Book Club holiday party last night, which was loads of fun.  Each family brought a read-aloud book and a wrapped pair of fun socks.  After reading several of the Christmas picture books--Sis had me perform Cajun Night Before Christmas in my best Cajun accent--the girls exchanged the socks by playing a special game.  They sat in a circle while the host read an adapted Twas the Night Before Christmas with the words "left" and "right" included, directing the girls to pass their wrapped socks either way.  By the end, they all had a different pair of socks.  Sis got the pink ones, above, having brought the long red-striped ones to her right.  Then they ate cookies and hot chocolate.  It was a sweet night, simple but fun.

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Here's the amended story, in case you need it for a gift exchange.  Cute idea.

Twas The Night Before Christmas Story

Twas the night RIGHT before Christmas
when RIGHT through the house
Not a creature was LEFT stirring, not even a mouse—
The stockings were hung RIGHT by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be RIGHT there
The children were nestled RIGHT snug in their beds,
While visions of sugarplums danced Right around in their heads
And mama LEFT in her kerchief, and I LEFT in my cap
had just settled RIGHT down for a long winter’s nap,
When RIGHT out on the LEFT lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang RIGHT from my bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the RIGHT window I LEFT like a flash;
Tore open the RIGHT shutters and threw up the LEFT sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
LEFT the luster of mid-day to objects RIGHT below
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear
But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer.
With a little old driver RIGHT lively and quick;
I knew RIGHT in a moment it must be St. Nick
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came;
And he whistled and shouted, and called them RIGHT by name:
“Now, Dasher! Now, Dancer! Now, Prancer and Vixen!
On Comet, on Cupid, on Donder and Blitzen!
To the RIGHT top of the porch! To the LEFT top of the wall!
Now dash away, dash away, dash RIGHT away all!”
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly
When they meet RIGHT with an obstacle,
mount RIGHT up to the sky,
So RIGHT up to the housetop the coursers they LEFT flew,
With a sleigh full of toys and St. Nicholas, too.
And then in a twinkling, I heard RIGHT on the roof,
The prancing and pawing of each little RIGHT and LEFT hoof.
As I drew in my head and was turning around
Down the LEFT side of the chimney St. Nicholas
came with a bound. He was dressed all in fur,
RIGHT from his head to his LEFT foot,
And his clothes were all LEFT tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of toys he flung RIGHT on his back,
and he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.
His RIGHT and LEFT eyes, oh how they twinkled!
His dimples? Oh how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was LEFT drawn up like a bow!
And the beard LEFT on his chin was as white as the snow.
The stump of a pipe he held RIGHT in his teeth,
and the smoke– it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a round little belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.
He was RIGHT chubby and plump,
a RIGHT, RIGHT jolly old elf,
And I was LEFT laughing when I saw him in spite of myself.
A wink of his LEFT eye and a LEFT twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing LEFT to dread.
He spoke not a word, but went RIGHT straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; LEFT to RIGHT,
then turned with a jerk
And laying his finger to the LEFT of his nose,
And giving a nod, he LEFT… Up the chimney he rose.
He sprang RIGHT to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all LEFT like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, as he LEFT—out of sight,
“Happy Christmas to all—to all a good night!”

Taking the Cake

Tonight, the historic house hosted its annual holiday celebration for volunteers and supporters.  As usual, the board members brought all the food.  There were the usual kielbasa in mustard, veggie triangles, endive with roquefort and apples, meatballs, and a selection of cookies and other sweets.  This year, there were great pistachios cookies, like Mexican wedding cookies but with pistachios instead of pecans, and also delicious pie dough cookies (with brown sugar, butter, and chai spice spread in the center of store-bought dough then rolled like a pinwheel and sliced.)  Sis and I made Orange Poundcake, based on the recipe for lime poundcake in the book Tangle of Knots (from our book club), which in turn is from Real Simple.  I found the glaze via Pinterest, from Two Peas and Their Pod.  We doubled the recipe so that we have cake to take to the piano recital on Sunday (it's unglazed and in the freezer.)  And I started daydreaming about other possibilities--the cranberries mentioned on Two Peas and Their Pod, or maybe mini-chocolate chips, or lime, or lemon poppyseed. I can see it being our go-to poundcake--it's got good structure and flavor (though, I think I slightly overbaked it.)

Even better than the desserts was that my friend Miss J was recognized as Volunteer of the Year.  I know she teases me when I congratulate and thank her for the work she has done.  She stepped in so quickly when I had surgery and then really went above and beyond just covering for me and really made the spring and fall tour seasons her own.  (I know she sometimes reads this, too.) I hope the historic house does appreciate her, for she brings great energy, knowledge, ideas, enthusiasm, and networking, plus a real dose of humor and practicality, to the organization.  And I'm not just saying that because I want her to keep being in charge, and not just because I burned out (and really do hope to start actively pursuing hospice chaplaincy soon.)  I really do think she is what the historic house needs right now.  Congratulations, my friend!!!  Very well deserved.



Orange Poundcake

4 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 teaspoons grated orange zest

2 tablespoons orange juice
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the pan
2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups all-purpose flour

1. Heat oven to 325° F. Butter a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, vanilla, and zests. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium-high, beat the butter for 2 minutes. Add 1 1/4 cups of the sugar and the salt and beat for 2 minutes. Slowly add the egg mixture. Beat for 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low and slowly add the flour. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes.
3. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Using a knife, loosen the cake from pan. Invert it onto the rack. Turn it over again onto a serving plate.
4. Cool completely before glazing with Orange Glaze below.
5. Optional:  serve with spiced cranberry sauce on the side.

For the Orange Glaze, combine:
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon orange zest

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Miss JA's Party Meatballs

The meatball recipe is very difficult. I go to BJ's and buy a 5 lb package of Swedish meatballs. Then I take two cans of jellied cranberry sauce and 2 jars of Heinz chili sauce ( it is with the ketchup). Heat them together until the cranberry sauce melts. Pour over meatballs and I heat them in a crockpot Recipe is on both cranberry sauce and chili. Good luck!

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Miss JR's Pie Dough Cookies

Roll out store-bought pie dough. Spread with butter and sprinkle with brown sugar and Wildtree chai spice. Roll like a Swiss roll and cut like pinwheel cookies. Bake at 350F until golden brown.

Advent Activities: Something Old, Something New

This is our sixth year of Advent Activities and our sock Advent Calendar (see the lists here--2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014) 

This year, I'm adding a new twist:  kindness elves!  I have two little elves I purchased (alas, not from the people at Imagination Tree who came up with the idea; they sold out) and they will make occasional, random appearances during Advent to encourage us to spread the joy this holiday season.  I've put an asterisk after those that would work.  You may recall how much I dislike the Elf-on-the-Shelf tradition with its focus on threatening children into good behavior with a Big-Brother spying Elf in the house who otherwise will lead them to material reward on Christmas morn, which is now all part of a huge consumerist trap with books, clothes, accessories, etc. for said Elf.  Yay.  I like these 25 ways to spread kindness during the holiday season.

And here's our own list, both fun things to do and kindness to spread:

1. Build gingerbread houses
2. Host cookie party (Dec. 18)
3. Make holiday wreath
4. Stay up late, a la Solstice Camp Out the night of last day of school
5. Make a snowman (weather permitting; if not, turn fridge into a snowman)
6. Deliver gifts to vet, pediatrician, etc.**
7. Create and send family Christmas card
8. Office holiday parties
9. Watch "Emmet Otter's Jugband Christmas" (we actually did this last night!)
10. Make cards for teachers, babysitters, etc.**
11. Watch "Doctor Who" Christmas episode
12. Choose family holiday charity (seals?  owls?  cat project?)**
13. Deliver ELF bags to friends in need of holiday cheer**
14. Piano recital (Dec 6)
15. Celebrate my birthday at Old Sturbridge Village candlelight
16. Go to Cookie Cafe (Dec 5)
17. Sew buttons on Christmas stockings
18. Watch Geminid meteors (Dec. 13-14 peak)
19. Drive around looking at lights
20. Begin reading A Christmas Carol
21. Make origami ornaments for tree
22. Watch original A Miracle on 34th Street
23. STAR WARS!!!!! (Dec. 17)
24. Make latkes on first night of Hanukkah (Dec. 6)

Other ideas:  make candles or soap; follow UU Advent Calendar from Alice the Chalice; make cinnamon buns for Santa Lucia day (Dec. 13); look for Snowy Owls; make a card for my hospice patients; watch It's a Wonderful Life; play with Lego Christmas village; 

Come January, I think I'll have another list of Winter Fun activities.

Thanksgiving Come and Gone

We had a delightful feast on Thursday; indeed, it's been a good holiday weekend all around.

The festivities started as soon as school let out and Goo arrived not long after.  He stayed until Friday evening, during which time there were many rounds of computer games of various types, mainly Minecraft.  It's like having another kid in the house--he's a great, fun, interesting uncle and they love him so!

Bonus:  he's old enough to help cook!  He actually supervised Sis making the yams and Bud making the from-scratch green bean casserole.  This definitely helped make it a less-stressful cooking day for me.  That, and cutting 8-odd dishes!  In the end, we had:

• "Texas Trash" chex mix
• cream cheese with both spiced cranberry and sherry wine jams, with crackers (both jams were Wildtree)
• turkey
• gravy
• dressing
• oyster dressing (we made 1 1/2 batches of my dressing and then Mama and Bud doctored it with parsley, lemon, bell pepper, and of course oysters)
• fresh cranberry sauce
• canned cranberry sauce
• mashed potatoes (store-bought, Whole Foods)
• creamed spinach (store-bought--my least favorite dish, could drop it next year)
• the best yeast rolls ever!!
• pumpkin pie (store-bought, Michelle's Pies)
• apple pie (store-bought)
• a few little pies--pecan, pecan pumpkin, sweet potato, and a luscious lemon (would be good for Easter)
• I had made "Indian" pudding as well but it wasn't that good--just doesn't work in crockpot

It was so good that Sis lost a tooth during the proceedings!  And a holiday sub Tooth Fairy came that night, albeit a little late . . . .

We watched the parade in the morning and then "Charlie Brown's Thanksgiving" while napping in the afternoon.  Ma and Gong went back to NYC in the evening, while Goo stayed for another day of games and leftovers.

Saturday was a bit different:  we did our annual holiday trip to the British Shop to get mincemeat pies, Christmas pudding, brandy butter, crackers, special crisps (Bud's favorite--favourite?--is prawn cocktail, followed by Worchestershire), Crunchie bars, and other things.  We followed this up with lunch at our favorite German food place.  Because we were tired of turkey.

Today, we're getting back into the swing of things--laundry, cleaning out the dishwasher, a quick grocery run for school lunches.  And I am starting the prep for my baseline colonoscopy tomorrow.  Fun times.  I'm hangry (hungry + angry) and PMSing and so Mama has taken the kids out for lunch, away from me!  We'll watch what I expect to be another difficult and emotional Doctor Who later, maybe put up the outdoor Christmas lights.  

And even though the weekend is ending on a rather mundane note, it was a good weekend.

L'Shana Tovah!

Happy New Year 5776!  May your year be filled with sweetness!

In honor of the Jewish Holy Day, we'll be making Swedish Apple Pie later (apples being a major symbolic food for Rosh Hashanah; I can't eat the apples--stupid FODMAPS--but will enjoy the scent.)  Yes, the kids are home.  It's a school holiday here in town, as is next week's Yom Kippur.  We voted as a town to observe the Jewish Holy Days over (historically suspect and corrupt) Columbus Day, about which I'm quite proud considering that we have many more Italian than Jewish families, but we seem to recognize, as a group, the importance of these days.

So, the kids slept in, had to run a few errands with me, got lunch out, and are now watching a little tv before we head to the farmer's market this afternoon.  Sis is craving cider doughnuts.

It actually feels a little like fall today, with the humidity finally dropping some, along with the temperatures.  I think it was 57F overnight!  I even got up and put on socks and a heavier nightgown but left the fan on because I enjoyed being chilly.  It'll still be warm this week for September--into the low 80s everyday after today--but the nights are cooling off.

Which is great for the foliage.  Except we're still in a moderate drought and some of the trees are just beginning to dry up brown.  It's not going to be a good year for colors here in CT, I think, unless we get a lot of rain now.  And there's no rain on the 10-day forecast.

Still, it's beautiful today and we're relishing the change in temperature.

Back at It

Mama to work; kids to school.  Today we are officially back to our routine.  And, despite all the Sunday complaining, it all went pretty smoothly.  The kids even confessed to being glad to be back.

I'm easing into it myself, with grocery run, prepping the pipes and yard for a deep freeze (snow Tuesday and 4F on Thursday morning!) and other chores, which includes quality time with as many cats as possible.  Today I managed three out of four.  Patron snuck up to eat Albus and Hermione's food and then came to see me on the couch!  Albus, who was nearby, didn't budge until Patron started playing with some of his toys on the floor.  At one point, I had them both chasing toy mice and balls around.  And, until Hermione ran him off, I bet Patron was upstairs more than an hour or so.  Progress!  Mojito would have none of it.

So, tomorrow a consistently dwindling forecast for snow, certainly not enough to keep the kiddos at home.

But the perfect excuse for me to stay home and play toss with the cats again!

Advent Activity: Guess Where We Were, II

Saturday
7:30 a.m. up and about
8:00 a.m. leave the house in the car
9:15 a.m. arrive, meet up with grandparents
9:30 a.m. see the creche, talk about how new the Cathedral looks
9:45 a.m. Lego store!!  Best to go with grandparents.  (Bud made me a mini-gingerbread house we saw on display there.  And the kids each got a set.)
10:00 a.m. take pictures in front of the big Christmas tree
10:45 a.m. great lunch at 'wichcraft--turkey sandwiches with onion relish, pb&j on multigrain, grilled cheese with bacon, Cuban pork, potato chips, lentil soup, hot chocolate, coffee
11:30 a.m. get special chocolates, flown in from Switzerland regularly--orange peel in chocolate, marzipan in chocolate, chocolate cats, champagne truffles.  Ma and Gong even got me some for my birthday.
12:00 noon head to museum--see the creche, visit "Death Becomes Her" (I love the exhibition of 19th-century Euro-American mourning clothes), Astor Court, Greco-Roman--the kids were ready to stay longer; it's the adults who wore out first.
2:00 p.m. say goodbye to grandparents
3:30 p.m. eat early dinner at fondue restaurant--Alpine cheese, court bouillon, milk chocolate with extra dippers, and special blackberry lemonades, and a boozy coffee for me!
4:30 p.m. home again

Yep, our annual holiday trip to the city with my in-laws.  Wonderful tradition, wonderful time.

Summer Fun: Big Weekend

Marked lots of things off our list this weekend:

1. Celebrate July 4th--all weekend
2. Go to cultural festival--Scottish games
3. Make ice cream--today, from the NYTimes, a basic vanilla--soo good!!  Reminded me of Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla, my gold standard (sadly not available up here).  I also made the chocolate ganache
4. Have a barbecue--okay, campfire, but I'm counting it
5. See fireworks--from the car, driving through town
6. Have a dance party--Bud even danced the Sailor's Hornpipe
7. Make a favorite meal--well, not a meal, but Bud and Mama made Ma's Thai cucumber salad
8. Do a 1000 piece puzzle--does a 6,000 piece Nano-Neuschwanstein count?  They're not quite finished.
9. Visit with Miss S--who was so happy to see me; her memory is more noticeably diminished and she covers well, but we still had a great visit.

Not on our list but also accomplished:

• Water fight--twins against me, with hoses.  Their battle cry, "Minecraft!"  I surrendered
• Have a storybook night--we read several of our favorite storybooks from a long time ago

Whew.  Holidays are hard work.

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Vanilla Ice Cream a la NYTimes

• 2cups heavy cream
• 1cup whole milk
• ⅔cup sugar
• ⅛teaspoon fine sea salt
• 6large egg yolks
• 1 1/2-2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. In a small pot, simmer cream, milk, sugar and salt until sugar completely dissolves, about 5 minutes. Remove pot from heat. In a separate bowl, whisk yolks. Whisking constantly, slowly whisk about a third of the hot cream into the yolks, then whisk the yolk mixture back into the pot with the cream. Return pot to medium-low heat and gently cook until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (about 170 degrees on an instant-read thermometer).  Add vanilla extract.

2. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Cool mixture to room temperature. Cover and chill at least 4 hours or overnight.

3. Churn in an ice cream machine according to manufacturer’s instructions. Serve directly from the machine for soft serve, or store in freezer until needed.

Yield: About 1 1/2 pints

NYTimes (see link for alternate flavors)

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Chocolate Ganache

• 14 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, broken into pieces
• 3 tablespoons espresso, strong coffee or water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup sugar (confectioners’, granulated or light brown)
• 3/4 cup heavy cream, preferably not ultrapasteurized
• 1 pinch coarse salt, more to taste

1.

In a heavy saucepan, combine all ingredients and melt together over very low heat, stirring. (Alternatively, combine in a bowl and microwave at low heat for 2 minutes. Stir. Continue cooking in 30-second blasts, stirring in-between.)

2.

Just before all the chocolate is melted, remove from heat and stir until chocolate melts and mixture comes together. It may appear curdled, but keep stirring or whisk vigorously; it will smooth out. If too thick to pour, whisk in hot water a tablespoon at a time. Taste for salt and adjust the seasoning.

YIELD

About 1 1/2 cups

NYTimes (see link for alternate uses, like truffles)