Confessions of a Grandma

So, it is almost over.  We managed to avoid the end of the world on December 21st although, I  guess the fiscal cliff still looms.  Oh, but now they are calling it more like a fiscal slope so that’s all right then. There will not be a phenomenon such as 12-12-12 in the rest of my lifetime.  Oh, well, I took very little note of those dates anyway.  I am sure it would be handy to have your wedding date, or your birth date, or even your twelfth anniversary on that day.  Imagine the righteous indignation you could muster: What?!?  You forgot our anniversary?!?   Unlucky for me, though, because I am the one who always forgets those sentimental dates. According to a numerology article I read in an area magazine—the Sarasota area is tres new agey—the coming year will be a financially beneficial year for me (hence my refusal to worry about the financial cliff).  I hope so, as 2012 was not a banner year on the money front.  Still, we never...

Breakfast at our house these days means a cup or two of coffee and a slice of toast or a muffin.  Except on Sunday.  We have a big breakfast on Sunday mornings. This morning, I made Crème Brulee French toast.  Actually, I served it because I put it together the night before.  It was delicious, custardy…although I may spend the rest of the day in a sugar-induced coma, even though I did cut back on the butter and brown sugar called for in the recipe and I did not see the need to add powdered sugar or maple syrup.  Mike did, though. Just to make it pretty.  I served it with sliced oranges.  I found the recipe through a link-up hosted on Family Home and Life .  The original site was My Turn (for us).   I will not make this often, but I will make it again—special occasion recipe file.  I pinned it.

Vintage. We have had our Christmas celebrations with family and friends for this year.  Mike and I will have a quiet day together. To all of you who celebrate in a more traditional manner: Merry Christmas       May we find peace in the coming New Year             

I was compelled to drive the 70 miles to my daughter's house yesterday afternoon so that I could attend the grandkids' Winter Concert. Usually, on a cold, dark night, I would stay in with a mug of hot chocolate and let them know I was there in spirit.  Somehow the events of the last few days made my need to see them--and see them in their school--overwhelming.  I put aside my volunteering and I put aside the preparations for the start of our trip to Florida tomorrow and I attended that concert. It was so very worth it.  They were surprised (but pleased) to see me.  I was excited to see them all dressed up.  Dane wore a white dress shirt and a tie -- so precious.  K. had on a white sweater and a pretty necklace and she looked so very beautiful. The program was well done.  The school band played, the chorus sang, there was a group of hand bell ringers, and each class did a sang with an accompanying dance or reading.  The music teacher obviousl...

So often we wish each other peace during this season.  May we all find some measure of peace.  I want to say that even knowing that for too many that will be beyond elusive.  Where is there shelter in this storm?  My heart aches.  Pictures of the Sandy Hook victims reduce me to tears and I only want to hold my little ones tightly. I have visited these words from One Day at a Time so often in the past few days. May we all stay strong.

I have to admit this: I am really, really bad about this whole idea of blogger awards. And it makes sense.  I was the person who always, always broke the chain letter thing.  I just could not bring myself to follow through. Snail mail and, therefore, chain letters are a thing of the past.  But I still get the e-mail equivalent:  I will get $$$ and good luck in just twenty-four short hours after forwarding to 20 of my closest friends.  Well, even worse is those that say if I fail to forward to 20 of my closest friends, bad luck will befall me and all those I hold dear.  I don’t want to believe that stuff, but it still bothers me so greatly that I tend to hit delete before getting through the whole message. What I don’t know won't hurt me. Now, awards are a different thing.  Who doesn’t like to get awards?  Bloggers pass around awards and I have gotten a few and I think, in a Sally Fields kind of moment, “Oh, you like me!”  That feels p...

I get together with a group of crafty women on a fairly regular basis.  We have fun with glue and glitter…so much glitter.  We have a lunch, laugh a lot, and go home with something completed. We made a lot of Christmas cards and gift tags over the fall.  We met last week and I was responsible for a project.  I made a bunch of these folded pockets to stuff with treats and give to friends and use for the kids’ advent basket.  By then, I was tired of the Christmas stuff, so I packed pink paper and we got all girly. A candy, a note, a gift card, whatever could be tucked inside. The steps are: Start with a square piece of paper.   Fold it in half to form a triangle.   Fold the top point toward the long side (bottom).   Fold one side over, aligning the edge with the upper fold line.   Repeat with the other side.   Voila! A pocket.  No glue or tape required.  Ready to decorate.

It is the little touches that make the holiday for me these days.  I bought this basket to hang over the front door. I used to fill these shelves with Christmas dishes and Santas.  Obviously, I have cut way back.  Small touches. What doesn’t show up in a picture is the smell of the tree.  I have supplemented that with oil of balsam fir spritzed on cotton balls and tucked here and there.  And next week there will be the added fragrance of baking. We will be heading to sunny Florida just before Christmas, but until then it is certainly great to have the small touches of color and light to counter the grey skies and early darkness.

The wreath is hung on the window outside. It may be early, but the stockings are hung by the woodstove. I have sampled a few too many Christmas cookies.  I noticed I had to give an extra tug to button up my jeans this morning. I have the mail away packages wrapped and about half the cards ready to go. I have the mittens and hats for donation and a toy for the toy barrel in the mall. I even went out for a tree and put it up. It is tiny, but it is real. The red ball says, “I Love YOU, Grandma.”  Yeah for Christmastime!

The local newspaper has been full of disturbing news for the past couple of days.  I couple in a nearby town went missing a year and a half ago.  Their bodies were never found, but there was serious evidence of foul play.  A suspect was identified eventually but his name was never officially released until yesterday. The suspect, and confessed killer, committed suicide in an Alaska prison. Israel Keyes had been arrested in Alaska for the murder of an 18 year-old coffee cart vendor.  He then confessed to the Vermont murders and  several others.  He died before authorities could follow up any details beyond the Alaska and Vermont slayings. He apparently killed totally at random, with all his victims unknown to him.  He was fairly meticulous in his planning and claimed his criminal activities had gone on for years. He travelled through Vermont on his way to see relatives in Maine and apparently felt the urge to kill a couple in their home.  He ...

My grand children live in a small Vermont town.  The buildings along the main street were mostly built in the  early 1800’s.       Colonial and Victorian influences are evident.  It is a pretty little village. The fountain where my grand son is standing has a boy with a boot during warmer weather.  We have had some cold days and some snow, but this day was quite balmy—almost 50. Anybody know what these architectural styles are?  There are marble quarries nearby so one sees a lot of that in the area. Of course, the very best part of that little town: and  

I am going to weigh in on the subject of pie crust. My grandmother made an excellent pie crust.  My mother made an excellent pie crust.  For the longest time I thought it was too difficult to even attempt so I used ready made.  But I have reformed.  I have claimed my rightful heritage.  In fact, when I reach that great bake-off in the sky, I am going to be serious competition for both Gram and Mom. I have a couple of recipes that I use.  The one I will share today was taken from Health Magazine, the November 2007 edition.   It makes one double crust pie.  And, hey, it came from Health Magazine .  The word ‘health’ is right in the title.  That proves that it is good for you!  Eat as much as you want! All the ingredients and all the utensils should be very cold.  The recipe actually calls for use of the food processor.  I don’t use it though. Combine: 2 cups all-purpose flour*, 1 1/2 teaspoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoo...