FOR TODAY, December 24th, 2012...
Outside My Window...
It's dark and cold and wet, wet, wet. If you were dreaming of a White Christmas over here . . . I got news for you, you're getting a "Wet" Christmas!
I am thinking...
“It costs nothing to be kind."
I wonder why there are so many unkind people in the world? It's not that hard to be kind really. You don't have to even do anything if you don't want to. You just have to NOT do things . . . like not laugh at that person who is struggling and falling over, or not make a snide unkind remark about someone you know.
However the rewards for actually DOING something are fantastic. Not only do you feel better, about the world and yourself . . . but other people feel better too. The grocery shops are always ultra busy this time of year . . . madhouses really. The other week I was unloading my full cart to get ready to pay and a man was behind me with only two things. I insisted he go first. At first he didn't want to, but then he did. I think he was really surprised, as was the cashier . . . and it really didn't matter to me. It didn't put me that far behind and I had helped someone out in the process, plus I felt good having done someone else a favor. Call me crazy, but I do this kind of thing all the time. It's just plain nice.
I am thankful for...
From the kitchen...
I think I may bake some mince pies today. Or maybe not. My cold is really bad and I don't really feel all that energetic. I may just slob around and watch telly. We shall see how the day progresses!
I am wearing...
An old pajama top and an old pair of pajama bottoms and my robe and slippers. They don't match, but they are comfy and do what they need to do. I was feeling so miserable with my cold last night, I just didn't care what I put on. I was in my jim jams really early, make up washed off and everything . . .thinking nobody would call. But our Bishop ended up at our house around 8 pm. Duh. Isn't that always the way it goes. He has now seem me at my worst! Didn't seem to faze him though. He's a nice young man.
I am creating...
I have fallen in love with this afghan. Isn't it pretty? Could this be a new project for the coming new year?? I don't know. It does have quite a few colours of yarn in it. Perhaps I could just pick up a ball here and there. We'll see how it goes.
Love these felt and ribbon bookmarks. So cute and so easy to do. They are a possibility too. I have lots of felt scraps and buttons in my craft room.
I also have fallen in love with this little pin cushion house. What a great way to use up scraps and such!
Whatever I do get stuck into in the coming months I am sure it will be fun, no matter what.
I am going...
There is a Christmas Day Devotional at the chapel tomorrow morning. It all depends on how I feel with my cold whether we go or not. We have decided that Todd will take Christmas Dinner over to our friends tomorrow rather than put her at risk of catching this cold. Our friend Doreen is 84 and has just gotten over a bad patch and I would hate to be the cause of her getting sick again. She agrees it isn't worth the risk, and in all honesty, I think she was rather relieved that she doesn't have to go out. Todd doesn't mind taking the dinner over to them.
The missionaries are coming for dinner on Boxing Day. Hoping I feel better then. We are also having friends over for dinner on Friday evening, so am looking forward to that.
My Berlin Kitchen, by Luisa Weiss.
Along the way to adulthood, I acquired one six-inch chef’s knife, a dark-green glazed cast-iron pot, and the growing realization that baking and cooking were not just a sure way to end up with a pan of warm brownies or a kitchen full of the fragrance of beef stew. Busying myself in the kitchen was how I conjured the people and places I loved the most in the steam rising off the pots on the stove. And when I came down with a rare and chronic illness known as perpetual homesickness, I knew the kitchen would be my remedy.
I am in love with this book. How could you not be. It's an autobiography but with food and recipes. I am totally smitten with it. I do so love this type of book.
Keeping Faith, by Jodi Picoult
Somewhere between belief and doubt lies faith. For the second time in her marriage, Mariah White catches her husband with another woman and Faith, their seven year old daughter, witnesses every painful minute. In the aftermath of a sudden divorce, Mariah struggles with depression and Faith seeks solace in a new friend… a friend who may or may not be imaginary.
I've only just begun this book, so early days yet, but am enjoying it. I have liked every Jodi Picoult book I have ever read, so no surprise there!
When I was younger I used to read a lot of Stephen King and Taylor Caldwell books. It's funny how your tastes change as you get older.
I am hoping...
I am able to kick this cold well before I go to Canada. I can't risk taking it over to my mom.
When I was younger I used to read a lot of Stephen King and Taylor Caldwell books. It's funny how your tastes change as you get older.
I am hoping...
I am able to kick this cold well before I go to Canada. I can't risk taking it over to my mom.
I am hearing... My Christmas play list, which is quite nice I think. Not overly annoying. It took me a while to find my Christmas mojo this year, but I think I finally found it.
Around the house...
This sight has all sorts of storage ideas for the kitchen. I need help there. Believe it or not I only have about a 12 inch square of counter space to do all my work in. It's just not enough and I find it very frustrating. I need to get things up off the counter and stored away. I have a huge food dehydrator I have never used because I have nowhere to set it and let it do it's job. It's the same with my bread-maker. Just no space.
This is a fabulous idea for storing your measuring cups and spoons. Inside the cupboard. Genius!
I need help in this area as well. Food storage organization. I am always finding things that have gone out of date because they just don't get used in time because my food storage area is in total disarray! I need help!
This is a great idea for the craft room.
Can you tell, I am in organization mode!
I have always loved ladybugs, or ladybirds as they are also called. There is something magical about them. I don't know what it is, but I don't mind one crawling on me, or being in the house. They drive my mother up the wall, but I . . . quite simply adore them.
I love trees. I have always loved trees. I think they are quite fascinating. There was an old oak tree down South where we lived on the Manor Estate which dated back to Henry VIII time. I loved it. I always thought that if it could tell us a story we would be so amazed at what it had to say. I love trees in the winter, spring, summer and autumn. They change with the seasons and have a unique beauty to share in each one. I have always been going to do a photo journal of a tree. Take a picture of it each day of the year. I think that would be fascinating . . . or maybe not. It all would depend on if you like trees or not!
One of my guilty pleasures ...
I love stuffing. I could easily sit down and enjoy just a big plate of stuffing and nothing else. My mom made the best stuffing in the world. She used mashed potatoes and torn bread, chopped onion, sage, thyme, summer savory, salt and pepper. It always tasted so good. I have never been able to make stuffing that tastes like hers. Hers is the best. My stuffing is good . . . but it's not hers.
Pet Peeves...
We have been getting a lot of empty air calls on the telephone lately. They really annoy me. I think they are marketing calls just calling random numbers trying to find one which picks up. That way they can then lambaste you with cold calls, something else which really annoys me. I used to try to be polite. Now I just say not interested and hang up, and know what??? I don't feel rude anymore when I hang up. I used to, but not now.
Here is picture thought I am sharing...
"All the wonders you seek are within yourself."
~Sir Thomas Brown
We need to learn to love ourselves. Not in a narcissistic kind of way, that is not what I mean . . . but we are often our own harshest critics. If we could only learn to see ourselves the way others see us and to embrace the wonderful creatures that we are totally and fully . . . lives would be changed dramatically. We are not all alike, nor should we try to be. A box full of chocolate coated Brazil nuts can get pretty boring if that's all there is . . . it's nice to have a bit of variety!
As a closing thought I would like to leave you with this:
“Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly."
~Robert F Kennedy
And there you have it . . . my day book for this week. Don't forget to hop on over to the Simple Woman to check out the other day book entries! (Or better yet, do a simple day book entry yourself! It's not that hard and I am betting you would enjoy it!
Baking in The English Kitchen today . . . Mum's War Cake. A family Christmas Tradition, which is egg and dairy free and moist and delicious. It just wouldn't be Christmas without it
Happy Christmas Eve! Only one more sleep!
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