Week of 12/12/22 Christmas Preparations

Monday: Ford's eye doctor appointment, all is going well healing.

Finally put all ornaments on the Christmas tree, I read this and thought I would save: When decorating the Christmas tree this year, note the very nature of the evergreen. It’s green all year round. The rich and storied Christian-based tradition of the Christmas tree reminds us of the light of the world (strings of Christmas lights) coming to make a way for us in a dark world destined for disaster. The angels and stars we top our trees with bring us back to the sky that first Christmas night. The star that led the kings from afar and the angels that sang to the shepherds of Jesus’ birth. With each ornament we place on the tree, the fruit of our lives is evident. This is what Christ does for our lives. This is what Christmas is all about. He is our evergreen, lighting our lives and filling them with blessings and hope.

Mailed my one and only box to Maine with Christmas gifts, eight are being shipped directly from LL Bean. I made a chicken, wild rice, mushroom, broccoli, onion casserole. Pretty good, but not my favorite - dinner for two nights!
Tuesday: Donna came and cleaned our home. We went to the Credit Union (westside/Self Help) and Biscotti's for lunch. It has been a long time since we have been to Biscotti's so we reminisced about all the dinners and half-priced wine we drank with Jim Read; also a few date nights back when they had an extensive wine by the glass list.

For lunch, I always ordered the tomato, mozzarella salad (may get salad dressing on the side next time, but the salad was large and good). Ford always ordered the salmon and lentil salad, he said was a bit different, probably not order again. Biscotti's sweet potato-red pepper soup was excellent as always.

We went to the River House for happy hour (AA golfed after school until we picked her up, still just chipping/putting). I made a new appetizer - cranberry brie cheese bites. The phyllo dough didn't seem to work very well, too thick (yes, I rolled it out) and it did not seal well so the cheese oozed out. Not pretty! I may try again in the preformed phyllo cups.

Wednesday: Still working a few hours in the morning, writing Christmas cards, went to the bank, post office and grocery store. AA studying for a pre-calculus test and had a session with tutor Laurie McDonald. I made meatloaf, mashed potatoes and peas for dinner.

Thursday: Ford went to his Parkinson exercises. Coach Bryan held a College Session with three college students (Lauren -UF, Apryl Eckerd and Arden, FL Southern), talking to high school golfers like AA (the entire girls team was there - Chloe, Kathryn, Kalia, Cambree), plus a mental coach - Josh.

A few smiles as Coach Bryan told specific stories about AA's emailing to colleges experience.

Couldn't think of Christmas gift for four of my Maine grand-nieces/nephews, so sent cards with money to them.

We watched the movie "Woman in Gold", 2015, history/drama with Helen Mirren and Ryan Reynolds - about getting a painting back that was illegally confiscated during WWII from a Jewish family.

Friday: We did our usual chores, laundry, working, walking Ginger, etc. Went to Ford's doctor appointment at noon with Dr. Do; got clarity on two of Ford's prescriptions. Grocery shopped and made a double batch of sloppy joe to take to Christa's tomorrow.

We add double diced onion and two green bell pepper to the recipe:

Saturday: AA had over her school team, Siyan and Kevin until 3:00 p.m. We cleaned house and Ford stayed in the MB wrapping gifts, while I took sloppy joe and birthday gift of Peterbrooke chocolates to Christa (her birthday is Monday, the 19th), then I went to Carolyn's and we had McDonald's breakfast together, catching up on news, I gave her some sloppy joe too. At home, we put out grapes, trail mix, mixed nuts, dark chocolate, dried apricots and drinks for the school group.

I took a few pictures of Finn, he cried when I held him, then I made Colton cry! Not sure how Christa handles them both!

Carolyn gave me a peanut butter fudge recipe I was looking for. And gassed up the car for $2.89 gallon!

AA went to the Bailey's Christmas party for the kids at 4:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. They played games, sang karaoke, played outside, had pizza for dinner and generally hung out. Unfortunately, several boys during game playing, made rude comments, told dirty jokes that made AA uncomfortable. She told Shannon and I guess some discussion was said to the boys. While AA was at the party, we picked up a V's pizza for our happy hour at River House.

Sunday: We missed church again.... Ford is having eye procedure tomorrow so no drinking today! We went to Target to meet "Lisa" whose daughters made Christmas ornaments as a fund raiser for Ian's family (for a $25 donation). 

Then to Walmart after I made homemade waffles for breakfast, picked up a few gifts (Dutch oven by Lodge for JK, baby clothes for Finn and Colton, etc.) and a few groceries. Lunch of leftover sloppy Joe while AA caught up on her Advent calendar. 

Watched the Jaguars play a great game but with a fumble by Trevor Lawrence with 1.5 minutes to go, then the exciting field goal to tie, it became a win against the Dallas Cowboys in overtime with an interception by #2. Happy Duval! Our Sunday ended with wrapping a few gifts, addressing a few last Christmas cards and making sausage balls (new recipe with pimento cheese - will not make them again - too moist, needed more time to bake even with the right size "ball" and "doughy").

Maine family photo at Santa's Village: