Good Day "45"

Ah, Christmas!

Watch the kids unwrap presents, make phone calls to distant relatives, hot sausage rolls, a drink, cook the Turkey, eat too much, more drink, sit around playing games, putting on even more weight...yeah, sounds about normal.

Happy Christmas to all POE members...lol

Morning everyone 

Not a bad day here today, sky is clearing sun is coming out. Food not improved any though  

Hi James

We are in a small town with one supermarket where processed foods of all kinds seem to be the norm, either to sweet too salty, or just tasteless. An awful lot of foods are dried and in packets with water to add. Fresh meat, fruit, veg, cheese, milk etc is almost non existent.

I don't want to say to much, we love our daughter in law very much, but in the kitchen, well it's not good. I've offered to help out, but she says we are guests, so no.

We eat our at a steakhouse on Friday, it's David's Birthday  

Hello all,

Been busy with work and have finally caught up with things after my surgery.It seems that the "Family Get Together " with all members is a distant memory on both sides of the pond.

Need to sharpen my shovel,, we expect about half a foot of snow on the morrow!

All this talk of food,, I need to go and see what is in the pantry!

Have a good day all.

My husband actually has Christmas Day off, so thats good. He'll go back on Boxing Day.

On Christmas Eve I will do a turkey breast, bread sauce, mash & peas followed by Christmas pudding with sweet sauce and on Christmas Day dinner at his mum's house is homemade Ravioli (yes, Italian family). 

Hubby has five sisters, one won't be there but the rest and their family will and its quite a gathering.

I LOVE Christmas! 

But first, we have Thanksgiving Day next week, and will have the family gathering with loads of food and fun games all day.  

With everyone going everywhere these days, iti shard to get together, but we manage.  Chritams Eve is usally planned for in some cases "Christmas Mass"..as their are catholics in our group and they go to church...those of us that don' t go...we go to an seasonal Chrismtas Moive...last year was "The Croods"....and thenan one with 3-D effects, my grandson was trying to catch snowflakes that were falling in the audience. I ususally do church services late in the evening also..light my prayer candles for the next year to help healing prayers for others. Christmas morning in opening the presents and breakfast out at th ekid's house and then they ususally com ein to my house for dinner later on and any presents left over they have not opened.  I make it a point to go an pick up my sister so she's not alone...and my brother is two streets over though I hardly see him as he's out of town on an truck ususally five days a week...but his wifey and I try to get together now and then...we are currently talking about bringing an turkey before you cook it but then again, I lightly like to smoke my turkey..as it makes for excellent sandwhiches afterwards on light Rye bread. We are lucky now to have three computers...one for each kid...and when the going gets rough, they can talk to their friends on it. But I lake to put up an card sized table in front of the tv set...and on that I put an 100 piece puzzle...with no help, they are ususally done in 2 hours time and cost one dollar at the dollarama store. I set it up before they come by making the border and arranging the pieces on the sides according to color. So people can sit and watch the game, with the volume turned down on the tv set and pick at the puzzle at the same time. I try to do an Christmas puzzle most of the time. For some of us we like to relax, my daughter in-law likes to knit stuff...she's always

working on something...so she can sit on the safa if she wants and gets involved in that while talking. Guys are more apt to be watching the sports game on TV...kid's also bring nitendo's and hand held type games to play. I don' thave an big house for them to run around to much though...so we stick to quiet things to do. We ususally try to go see and Christmas Light display Christmas night if possible. When Sarah was working for the bus company, she use to rent one and take all the relatives and friends and neighbors on it to the Portland International Raceway for their miles long Christmas light  Display..but she don't work for them any more..some of what we do depends on the weather....but we have also been known to go to the Portland Zoo and ride their train through the Christmas lights there...and top it off with hot ocoa and pie someplace on the way home, or go to the Grotto...but not on Christmas Eve or Day aas they shut down for church services. WE do church services out here and go to several of the local Christmas programs every year.  We use to go out on the "Christmas Ships" on the Columbia River yearly also..but kind of left that as they didn't lalow young kids on them and we had an time finding babysitters....we don' t have to worry about that with the movies.  Last year r so they had motor driven huge air ballons of different kinds of fish going through their livingrroom..just 'kind of sloftly sailing under your nose, while you ate your donut and had your morning coffee...trying to decided if your under water or not.. Sharks, Nemo, and all kinds of fish. It was crazy...but fun. I noticed one certain guy I'm related to was chasing his wife around with an shark ..I think he was trying to nip her fanny at one time with it..she was yelping an bit...before she threw an pillow at him...to go an make the pancakes, sausage and eggs. WE don't really  eat an big breakfast but we are up sometimes with phone calls at the crack of dawn to come out so the presents can be opened...so we eat goodies then with coffee. By the time Christmas Day is over, everyone is cleaning up the next day and resting usually...there's nothing wrong with that...someone always sgets fluffy pajama's andsome kind of bubble bath...along with some kind of CD or music.There's been times when I was working an didn't get Christmas Day off...but my son has always made the dinner..even if it was grilling steaks...for me.  I would get bombarded with having to see all their latest presents when I got home. We try to find at least one tihing every year that's an bit different...keep things exciting. We also buy our pets "gifts"...I bought my cats an weazle ball...it comes equitpted with an raccoon tail on an battery operated ball type face with eyes on it...and goes squirreling all over the floor...under the chairs and what not. Just kind of set one loose in the middle of the gift opening and watch the cats prance over chasing it..or sneaking around on all four.... keeping an eye on it. .That's why they come to my house for dinner...to get away from it all on Christmas morning...though they are getting older now...more diginifed....butthat never stopped us going up late at night after we put them to bed for three or four pickup load sof newly fallen snow and bringing it back and dumping in the front lawn either...price is right..."free".   Goes well if you buy them some dish sleds...just kind of mound the snow up in one big lump.  Whee...look at me mommy!...whoosh....we haven't gotten into to much magic stuff like cutting people in half and putting them together again yet. Btu we still have those board games and card games if there's time left in the day. Christmas is what you make it.  Even if it's as simple as going outside and playing "Hop-Scotch" on the sidewalk. Or having an tent top set up with an hugecampfire in the middle of it and singing Christmas carols..better though in nicer weather. Don't forget the warm drinks. It's nice when you got kids or adults that can play some kind of musical instrument also. We've heard some pretty sad renditions of "Louie Louie" through the years, but we could still make out the tune. Minister that was my neighbor, small local church..he had but an simple guitarst for his candle light Christmas Mass one year.. He played simple songs while the reverend re-read the sotry of the birth of Jesus..and then we all sang "silent night"..after lighteing our candles..one to the other with the flame. I am babbling away for now...time to get going.

Have an good day everyone!....