so the laundry,

is almost done! Then of course tonight there will be more.
Talked to Momma today and she is making plans for Saturday's Christmas for the family. I feel so bad she got to crying as my youngest sister lives there with her husband, 2 kids(6 & 2) a dog, a cat and they have taken in the daycare persons dog for 2 weeks also, anyway, back to the tears. Mom does not feel well, and they seem to think since she is home she should take care of the kids for them while the sitter is gone.....it is too much for her.
Wish I was closer, they could PAY me to take care of them, and leave Mom alone!
We will be taking the "Littles" and Alex along on Saturday, I hope for it to be a fun time. Last of our Christmas's here........then the daunting task of dismantling the trees and alll of the decorations, but unemployed, I will have time to do that!
Off to knit for a time, I have a pair of fingerless mitts to finish up before Friday evening. and to wrap the gifts for Saturday.
Tonight is Knit Nite, the highlight of MY week!

and so the search begins

today I emailed a resume for a job.......not a career, just a job.
That is all I need, if I could find a way to make money and stay home, I would do it in a heartbeat! While the fact that there is no paycheck coming is a big dark cloud looming, I do like being home. No I haven't organized those closets, cupboards or the craft room. Nor have I managed to finish up the laundry, maybe tomorrow. If Tim would quit changing clothes, I could! LOL.
So we made it thru the Christmas Day festivities, Tim seemed disappointed, but he usually is after our trip to his parents. There is no explaining how that works, but dysfunctional is a starting place....
So he has gone back to work, me I went back to the couch until 9:30.....that has got to stop.
Sorted thru some junk as the refuse company is coming tomorrow, and started on the routine stuff.
But I need to log in daily-at some time-to look for a job. Until this unemployment $ starts coming I am very, very nervous. I have never had to do this and wonder how it will all work.
We are still recovering from the lack of electricity, apparently we picked up nothing for the time we were trying to be warm...but that is resolved now.
So off to plan for supper...leftovers, or steak>>>>no choice for me, leftovers!

Electricity is Wonderful

we had been without power from 8 am on Sunday to 1pm Monday
we had horrible winds and zip it went.
we fared pretty well, no harsh words over being cold.

it only got as low as 45 around the edges, good thing we know how to build and maintain a fire.
I made sausage, peppers, onions and potatoes for supper on the top of the wood stove
In the morning I boiled eggs- gotta make potato salad for Teskes Christmas night, but no worry about that now~!
So now it is Christmas morning, and as usual, I have stocking stuff and the kids presents to wrap. Until the outage I was pretty much on target........oh well, maybe next year!
Happy Christmas to all!

It's c-o-m-i-n-g!!!!

I as the little girl excited about Christmas!!
Yesterday I found, in the basement, a box containing our STOCKINGS! It had been lost for 2 years, and I figured Tim had just discarded of the contents, because it was important to me.
I was wrong, I tell you! There was my stocking and all of the other stockings we last used in Holland. We hang them for everyone who will be here on Christmas day. (I don't hang Douglas' as he won't be coming, I just had a thought..........maybe I should start hanging his!) And most important........................drum roll if you pleases...................my very first homemade Christmas ornament! Yes, that clump of sawdust mixed with Elmer's glue.......with the red and green string to hold it up, that I made in Kindergarten. It has hung on every single tree since I proudly brought it home, except for last year. I tell you finding these was/is an omen. For better things to come. If the sawdust clump is on the tree, the upcoming year has to be better!
Today I sing at church, The Carol of the Mother.
A soft melodic song, a lullaby.........I wish the director of music had taken a little more time to practice with me, but she must have confidence in my style.
So off to get the day started!
Reee

Christmas is coming.......

in 3 days!
Today thru the gift of friends, I was able to do some shopping, and carefully I parted with my dollars. My Littles, will be excited with the choices which will be under our tree. I even got my own Personal Scrooge a gift or two.........he will be sharing them as I may label them from Santa. For truly the spirit of good will and love has enabled me to be able to purchase them.
Tonight, DH surprised me and is taking me to see the newest Nicholas Cage, National Treasure movie, don't get all worried that we are blowing money, it is a whopping eleven dollars for the both of us to go, have popcorn and pop! He informs me it will be my only Christmas present, as he has chosen not to get me anything, my heart is heavy thinking that, he could have not said it and fluffed thru.........filled my stocking with fruit, pudding or even a bottle of Coke, but he doesn't seem to be able to think outside of the box. Oh well, he will someday learn from my example....it isn't about how much you spend, it's about how much thought you had finding the just right gift.
So do not worry about me he will get the hint!
I still have some things to knit up---yikes there is a storm coming and Tim says the littles may just be spending Saturday night(as usual to go to Sunday service), Sunday and maybe the night, if the weather is bad! So there will go my wrapping time.......so I had better re-think my Saturday morning..I can always knit while they are here, they think I only knit for poor children and orphans anyway, lol.
Tomorrow night we will have a birthday cake for Kendra! She was 7 on Thursday! Of course it doesn't seem possible that so many years have passed since that little doll was born.
So off to the movies......and on to the blessed Season.
Christmas love to all who read!

Wednesdays are wonderful days.

I am very blessed in my life to have wonderful friends who love me warts and all. I already knew that my family did but to have these ladies show it really helps.
My Dear friends, in no particular order, Barb, Kathy, Ann, Daryl and Mary have all in their own way shown me- that it is a good life.
Barb stopped by today as I was making soup, bean and chicken vegetable, and rolls and blueberry cobbler for our gift for the Praise Worship dinner. She and I had great fun messing up the kitchen and sampling the soups!
Kathy and Mary have supported me on the phone, Daryl and my dear Ann have sent me the best cards in the mail-all of the support is helping me to realize I do give, I do matter...
don't worry my friends, I will bounce back, it may take a little time, but at this wonderful time of year, I will shine again.
Off to take out the cobbler...looks yummy so far.........

And so it goes

unemployment.........sigh.
Filed for that today, tomorrow an eye appt, Friday the dentist...
Wednesday is PRAISE at church........soup supper with rolls compliments of the Teske household. Ok just me as Tim is doing nothing to help, this is not going to be a gripe session, but since I am not working and have no value to him-so it feels-I am the house elf........no Christmas here for me I am told. Well ,buddy boy, that swings both ways, tho my heart is not that hard and never could be.
Tim is so focused about money and complaining about not being able to take a vacation, hello........what about your hurting spouse.
I am sorry Reader, I am just having a couple of poor little ole me days, they will pass.
but I am sad! Hurt and rejected and I need support
Will have to find it else where, in prayer and calls to Mom and Mima who always love me bestest.
On a good note, only 2 loads of eternal laundry to finish. and then I really have to hustle on the Christmas present scene and Kendra's birthday, wonder if I have a cake mix to bake a birthday cake for next week??
Take back the pop bottles and get one!!My allowance is 10 dollars...........honestly that is not enough for gas! So I will just give him a grocery list for things and if they don't appear........then we will do without.
Bad day in marie's life.......but I am healthy and have lots of pretty string to knit or some to cross stitch with too.........and stamping stuff!!
Hey and I have beads, and bracelets to make and a white elephant to find, what could I part with??
Made 2 1-hour hats for the project at FOW...up to 4 to take on Thursday....
So off to knit and let my heart sing with each stitch!

And so it goes

it

Rain, Ice and no snow?

Can it really be early December? It is raining, sleeting and messying out.
As luck would have it, at least for my having to drive, I am at home
Today the plan is to create more Christmas gifts.
One day at a time, looking toward "tomorrow" and I don't mean literally tomorrow, just ahead.

The Annual Open House was a Success!!

After much activity, the Open House on Sunday the 2nd, came off without a hitch! Ok one hitch, we forgot to put out the shrimp! So we have that in the freezer still, lol.
All decorated and filled to the brim with friends and family we kicked off the Holiday Season. There were about 130 people who came out in the rainy dreary weather to join in the fun. And fun we all had, from ages 2-92!!
My knitting gals came and their faces were all aglow! They even sat and knitted for a time, I wish I would have had the time to sit and knit a spell with them. I am sure we will talk about it somemore on this upcoming Thursday. I love the fact that people feel so at home here and that everyone, or most everyone, wants to either stay in the cottage or here in the main house with us!
The Littles were perfect, only one incident where our Kendra fell, scraped her knee and tore her tights-not a bad scrape, but a good lesson in that her new out of the package tights were ruined and she was so proud of them. That's ok tights can be bought new, but our Kendra can not be replaced.
I must also give kudos to not only my sister, Mima and her DH, Chuck but Mom also, the all pitched in and got it not only "on the table" but kept it so.
The rest of the week I am on vacation, yes, after the fact. Much to DH's dismay, I chose to take the time off after, not before, as I explained, if I took it off before, I would have to work everyday!!
Yesterday was a many nap day, after Mom left at 10 they started and I think I had a total of 4 or more........and still fell asleep before 10:30 pm. This morning I feel more like me! Off to do the mandatory morning knit.