I Hate to Say Good-bye

Saturday, our family friend lost his battle with cancer.  I can’t imagine our community without “Big Ed.” 

Yesterday, Sue helped Monty across the rainbow bridge.  What a terrible time for such a loss. 

I’m sure Sue won’t mind that I stole that sweet photo of Monty to share with you.  Sue and her pack made Monty’s life as easy and comfortable as a dog’s can be, and I’m sure Monty treasured his forever home with such a compassionate, accomodating pack.  I’m just happy we got to “know” Monty and the rest of the crowd this year.  It should matter when a good dog leaves this world.

My sweet Cass is also dealing with the death of her mother inlaw. We’re sending good vibes and comforting thoughts your way, dear!

It seems almost disrespectful to also note that I’ve reached the 50 goal in the purging challenge.   However, if I don’t blog as I go, I’ll forget.  The challenge is met, but I’ve barely made a dent around the house, but I have made (yet another) start…

48 – 50.++   I parted with quite a few purses.  All are gently used and GoodWill-bound.  I only have two handbags that I truly go back to over and over, and here lately, I carry nothing but my Namaste knitting bags with a Vera Bradley something inside, to grab when I’m shopping. 

We also received a couple of packages yesterday, but I haven’t worked out the details on when to download my photos from the new camera, so I don’t have them yet.  Thanks Anita, and I’ll share photos soon!

I’m off tomorrow and Thursday, and not likely to work all of Friday, so I’ll blog when I can, but tune in soon for another letter from the fur-girls…

Merry Christmas to those who celebrate!

Read, Toss and …

This is going to be quick, because I still need to decided whether or not I’m doing a Christmas letter, do the cards, etc. 

I didn’t do my cards Saturday because I was letting the dogs in and out, over and over, and it was easier to just carry a book from the sofa to the front porch, to the front yard and back.  I finished Friday Night Knitting Club. 

Warning:  SPOILERS!!!!!  If you haven’t read the book and plan to, stop reading now and scroll down to the next section.

If you’re still reading, you want to know my opinion of the book and you’ve either read it or don’t care if I ruin it for you. 

Ready?  Yes Rosanne, it was choppy and the last third of the book definitely had that “the publisher must have it NOW!” feel to it.   The author made me feel like I had ADD; as soon as I got into one storyline or began to gain insight into a character, we were off and running in another direction.  I don’t like that, and especially at the end, it really felt disjointed.  I’m sure we were supposed to be reeling, as the characters were, but this was a bit much.

And like Anita, I hate a sad ending.  I hate having a major character die, no matter how pivotal it is to the plot, and I guess I’ll have to suck it up and read the sequel to see if it REALLY was necessary to abruptly end Georgia’s battle with cancer and give us so very little closure. 

That being said, I’m  not a light reading kind of girl, despite how much of it I’ve been doing.  The characters were compelling, although in the whole lot of women in the book, I didn’t find a single one I really could relate to.  I don’t have children, but I’m also not a New York career woman.  That eliminates just about all the characters except Dakota, and I’m not in touch with my inner teen.

Where was I in my toss and purge?

39.  Old hair appliance.  I’m not sure what it’s called, but it’s a combo curling brush and a dryer.

40 – 45.  Old bath salts.  If the container truly isn’t airtight, they do clump up, lose color and scent, and what good are they at that point?

46.  Wrapping paper remnants.  If there isn’t enough left to wrap a book, there’s no need to save it from one year to the next. 

47.  Bags – moved to my regular “reuse” pile.  Those paper bags with the twine handles and a store’s logo on them do not need to be in my holiday gift bag selection.  Hem.

Short list, but look how fast 50 is coming upon us!

Now, I’ve put off my Christmas letter (maybe or not) and cards as long as it humanly possible.  If I don’t blog tomorrow, it’s because I’m frantically addressing and slapping stamps and labels on cards.

Oh – and why does it ALWAYS rain when I need to dress up?  My hair is not weather-proof.  Never has been.

Throw Out #3

No, no, three is a lovely number, but this is my third report on the Throw Out 50 challenge.   I’ve been tossing and trashing as I go, but I forget to report back. 

 

17.  Out of date teas.  Yes, loose tea and tea bags do expire.  Some mainstream tea bag producers even put expiration dates on the boxes.  In most cases, you can still use the tea, but it’s likely to tate stale.

18.  Spices.  The don’t expire so much as they just fade into no taste.  We have lots of duplicates, so in many cases, I combined two jars, and in others, a quick sniff test told me it was time to let it go.

19.  Old cooking magazines.  I had honestly forgotten that I subscribed to a couple of different cooking/baking magazines a few years back.  Trash, as I am good about ripping the recipes I want out, dropping them in sheet protectors, and filing them in a massive notebook.

20.  – 34.  Cookbooks I simply don’t use.  (But not any of my Junior League books or other regional cookbooks.  I read those, and have recipes flagged that I will make eventually…)  These are in teh used bookstore bag.

35.  – 38.  Pretty sets of cloth napkins and napkin rings.  I kept a few sets, but the fact is, the Knight just never adapted to my cloth napkins.  (Or eating at the dining room table, or…)  GoodWill box.

I’m sure I’m way past 50 by now, but those are the things I recall.  I still have to go through my Pampered Chef demonstration supplies, and I’m sure there are more than a dozen things there to give away, sell or pitch.

Oh – and I found the stainless welding wire at Tractor Supply.  I have two pounds of it, which I suspect is far more than I need, but I have plans for the rest of it.

Also, Uncle was in today for a visit.  He’s doing much better, although he still has some numbness in his fingertips and is rather frustrated by it.  Chief P was also given a clean bill of health, so thank you for the prayers and good vibes!

Away we go!

Monday sure is getting away from me.  I have my first Christmas party this evening, with my Pampered Chef cluster.  If you’re local, the League’s Mistletoe Market is today at the Omni, but it’s looking less and less like I’ll get to swing by, be supportive and knock off some of my remaining Christmas gifts.  (Have I mentioned how much I LOVE that logo?  I might have to get the artist/designer to do something for me…)

Of course, the holiday season hasn’t officially started at our house.  Until we get past the Knight’s birthday, there’s no decking of the halls at our house yet.  It’s not looking good for even having a birthday dinner, unless you count the one we had with friends last night at Topeka’s.  I tried to find a photo of their melt in your mouth rolls, but no such luck.  Oh my! 

I did make a little more headway with the purging of stuff.  I’d forgotten until I read Grace‘s list that I’d shared from our comforter excess, so see?  It is helpful to read what everyone else is parting with, so I shall try to be a better sport about it. 

     10.  One comforter – given away

     11.  One bag of old periodicals, from which I’d torn out recipes, etc.  – trash

     12.  One bag of plain old trash, including quite a stack of knitting-related catalogs – trash

     13.  One carving set, ever so slightly used – to be given away

     14.  One box of old Pampered Chef receipts and out-dated paperwork – trash

     15.  One duplicate PC cookbook – to be gifted  (anyone longing for “Stoneware Inspirations”?)

Slowly but surely, I’m getting there.  I also managed another repeat on my guild’s KAL stole, so maybe by week’s end, I’ll have an FO.  (I almost have to if I plan to wear it on the 13th for THAT Christmas party.)  I realized this afternoon that I’m almost done with my Christmas shopping, except for the bane of my shopping, Dae, the Knight’s stocking, and a few other little things that will require me to actually drive to a shopping destination, get out and walk around.  (Bec, if you’re reading, what about your dear hubby?  I can always find something for him, but is there anything on his list?)

That leaves wrapping, which I enjoy when I have time to just put on some Christmas music and do a few packages here and there.  Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to do my part to support Cyber Monday and order a couple of things on that “little things” list, and make a couple of phone calls.  (Yeah, imagine.  Some companies still make you TALK to a person.  Go figure!)

Scattergories and More

Monica tagged me for this one.  As usual, I’m not tagging anyone, but do let me know if you play along.

Take up the challenge! Erase my answers, enter yours, and tag a few people. Use the 1st letter of your name to answer each of the following. They have to be real places, names, things.. nothing made up! Try to use different answers if the person in front of you had the same 1st initial. You CAN’T use your name for the boy/girl name question & you can use the same answer twice.

WHAT IS YOUR NAME: Channon

BOY NAME: Charlie

4 LETTER WORD: Chew

GIRL NAME: Cheryl

OCCUPATION: Choir director

A COLOUR: coral

SOMETHING YOU WEAR: clothes

BEVERAGE : coffee

FOOD : chocolate

SOMETHING FOUND IN A BATHROOM: Charmin

A PLACE : Charlotte

REASON FOR BEING LATE: car wouldn’t start

SOMETHING YOU SHOUT: Come here!

*********************************************

So, how was your Thanksgiving?  Ours was simply delightful.  We stayed home, the Knight and the fur-girls napped, I knitted, and everyone was happy.  There was a HOUSE marathon on, so what more could you ask for? 

No, you can’t see my knitting.  Most of it was a VERY special project for the holidays.  I’m rather pleased with myself, so not sharing it a bit of a hardship for me too.  I did grind away on my guild‘s KAL stole, so I’m feeling pretty confident that I’ll have it done in time for the holiday party.

Oh!  I also owe a purge report.   Since I’ve admitted I’m a packrat, I’ll be counting in groups, bags, boxes, etc., at least until about Dec. 30th when I realize I need to pick up the pace to make it to 50!

1. One crock’s worth of kitchen utensils
2. One bag of books for the used book store
3. One box of random things that I haven’t used in the past year for GoodWill
4. One bag of old jars from the refrigerator
5. One bag of out of date baking supplies from the cabinet
6. Bag of trash from the Knight’s corner in the living room
7. Bag of torn and well-used dog toys
8. Bag of junk mail never opened
9. Bag of wrapping paper scraps I saved to use but Sissy chewed on and/or the Knight set other things down on top of them

Yes, but Sissy only wore it in the house

Now, in my defense, most of these bags were those plastic grocery bags, or a brown paper bag, thanks much.  I also found Mugsy’s devil costume, so that and the fur-girls’ costumes from this year have been packed away.

In case you’re wondering, I haven’t found the Palm.  I’m pretty sure we’d have noticed Sissy toting it around, so I’m betting it’s in a safe place.  (That means so safe I’ll never find it again.)

What does your weekend hold?  I think we’re going to try a new steak place near us tonight, and then tomorrow’s the fam-damily dinner.  I’m making corn pudding, cranberry sauce, yeast rolls and as a surprise (MJ doesn’t know how to find my blog), a strawberry cake.  I’ll be up baking tomorrow morning.  I think that’s about it, other than more knitting, purging and enjoying the dogs.

And you?