December 17th has been a day that I have, not so much celebrated, as honored for the past twenty-eight years. Today is the anniversary of the day that my father passed away.
Dad and my son Dan
I was very close to my Father. My Mother taught me the practical side of life – the cooking, cleaning, gardening, reading and writing, responsibility, side of life. My Father taught me the other side of life – including respecting and appreciating my Mother and all that she did for us. Through my Father I learned the value of kindness, patience, serenity, integrity, humour, humility, and wisdom. My Father was a good man, who lived a good life. I was fortunate to be a part of it. My life has been better, because I was a part of his.
Rest in Peace, Dad💞
That is it for today. Take care and have a great day! 🌟
The title of my blog today might be a bit of an exaggeration but this Grandma is feeling rough this week and definitely not much in a mood to ‘celebrate’.
I had my hernia procedure on Tuesday morning. It was, as hospital experiences go, a great experience. Before I had time to stress about it, I was done and gone. Yay!
Then things started to slide. I left the hospital with a small patch over a tiny incision – a small patch to which I am obviously very allergic to. I also, left with prescriptions for three medications – none of which agree with me. I tossed the painkillers and anti-inflammatory. The third medication I will try to deal with for the time being. I can handle nausea and sleepiness. If I lose my breath, blood pressure or pulse, I may have to rethink this one as well.
That is it for today, folks. I am ready for a serious nap. Take care and have a great day!
One of my favourite ways to celebrate the holidays was to enjoy the music of the season – until it was not. For years the thought of Christmas carols and hymns upset me. On December 1st, the radio stations and department stores would start to ring in the season with the likes of ‘Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer’ and ‘Silent Night’ – and I would feel physically ill and emotionally scarred.
This year, I decided that I was going to celebrate this Christmas Season – no holds barred! I have been cleaning and shopping and decorating. I have watched Christmas specials, baked Christmas treats AND I have been playing hours of Christmas music. It was a bit difficult going in, but things have turned around. If I am having a good day, the music makes it better. If I am having a bad day, the music lifts my spirits as it did long ago. It’s a Christmas Miracle. 🌟
Today, I decided to share some favourite Christmas tunes. My apologies to those who cannot access North America You Tube offerings. Hopefully, you will recognize the tunes and share in some pleasant memories.
Feliz Navidad
Little Drummer Boy
The Newborn King – Bonanza Christmas Special
Old Toy Trains
Away In a Manger
Do They Know It’s Christmas
I hope that jogged some memories or at least reminded you of your own favourite Christmas Carols from over the years.
That is it for today, folks. Take care and have a great day. 💞
Maintaining traditions is always a good way to celebrate the Christmas season. Definitely one of my favourite traditions at this time of year is receiving a bouquet of pink roses and red carnations from my husband Dan.
This annual tradition dates back to before Dan and I were dating. Dan and I were both working at the same millwork company. A strange situation indeed, since Dan has spent virtually his entire career in industrial steel work and I am deathly allergic to trees and any of their bi-products. Anyway… We both came to be working at the same company. I in the front office, and Dan in the production department. As was the case everywhere I worked, I did my best to support the production department – without which there would obviously be no company. I made their coffee, kept their lunch area and washroom cleaned, got to know each and every one of them, ensured that payroll was prompt and proper every two weeks, ordered supplies and just did whatever I could to keep them and their department running as smoothly as possible. It was what I did – on top of my administrative duties, customer service, and keeping the showroom clean and presentable.
At Christmas, we had an annual cleanup of the entire shop, set up a bar and a table of goodies, and invited customers and suppliers to drop by for a visit with management and staff. After, we were set-up and good to go, we dispersed to our homes, clean ourselves up, and returned dressed and ready to indulge and party. That was the typical. In 1996, a few months after Dan had joined the production department, I returned to accept delivery of a huge and gorgeous bouquet of pink roses. Dan had taken up a collection amongst the guys in the production department and had arranged for the bouquet, including a card that read “For all you do, these buds are for you.” (A play on a Canadian beer slogan for those from elsewhere). It was totally unexpected and very much appreciated. 💞
By the next Christmas, I was no longer at the millwork shop, Dan and I were family, and he had learned that pink roses were my absolute favourite (red roses my least) and that I kept a red carnation on my kitchen windowsill for my father, who had passed away days before Christmas a few years previously to this. On Christmas Eve, Dan arrived home with a bouquet of pink roses accented by one red carnation.
Dan has continued this tradition almost every year since – generally on December 17th (the anniversary of my father’s death) or on Christmas Eve. The beer slogans petered out but the sentiment is as heartfelt, the bouquet is as beautiful, and the gesture is every bit as much appreciated.
Pink roses and red carnations 2021 💞
This year the bouquet came a bit earlier than usual – partly traditional bouquet, partly a get well bouquet. I was more than happy to receive it and I will enjoy it as I recover from surgery and finish preparing for Christmas.
That is it for today. Take care and have a great day!💞
I have been MIA for a couple of days. Dan and I have been working on getting things in order in case I am less than capable next week after my hernia repair. If nothing else, we are ready to celebrate by rocking around our Christmas Tree. (I have the chair to rock – Dan and Kat can lounge on the sofa. 🙄)
Considering the scarcity of trees this year, we were fortunate to find the perfect one for us!All decked out in lights and ornaments.I lost my Father and Dan lost his Mother shortly before we met. We celebrated our first Christmas together with my Mother and Dan’s Father. Dan had these ornaments made to hang on our first tree so that all of our parents would be with us.Some pretty glass ornaments that have survived years of kids and grandchildren.Child friendlier ornamentsI found a few of these snowflakes in our ornaments. No idea where they came from but they are so cute and sparkly.
I don’t remember when we last had a Christmas tree. I am so glad that we got one this year and that we got it all decorated up! I hope you enjoyed the little tour.
That is it for today. Take care and have a great day. 💞
The Christmas Season is a time for kindness, caring, and thinking of others. It is also a good time to celebrate by showing ourselves a few hours of caring kindness when, or if, possible. Last night, it was possible for me. 💐 (It is always possible for me nowadays. That was not always the case in years gone by. 😏)
I started out by switching over to my new purse. Changing purses is a major undertaking – one I avoid for years on end. I love my new purse. It is huge, soft, and hasmultiple pockets. I may never find my keys again. 🙄Winter in Saskatchewan is cold and DRY – regardless of how much snow we have. My hands get brutally cracked and dry. This is the second hand waxer Dan has bought for me. I LOVE the heat and moisture for my hands. (& of course I love Dan for being so thoughtful 💞)I cannot wax my hands without giving my nails a little TLC. 😁One can hardly conclude an evening of self care without indulging in a tasty snack, a glass of Jackson-Triggs Merlot,and an hour of Home and Garden. 🏘️
Today, I was ready to jump back into the holiday spirit and holiday preparations when I got ‘the call‘. Next Tuesday I am off to the hospital for my hernia repair. The unexpected and ultimate in self-care for the holiday season! Fortunately, I have more ‘want’ to do than ‘have’ to do on my holiday list. And – I am totally grateful that Dr. Pooler and staff are getting me in so quickly when Covid has taken such a toll on our health facilities and staff. It will be great to recover and be hernia free. 😁
That is it for today folks. Take care and have a kind and caringday!💞
Nothing says December like the current lineup of television programming available. We have two choices people – sports or Christmas movies. Since I am all in to celebrate the season this year – Chrismas movies it is!
I have watched three Christmas movies in the past two days and none of them were my traditional favourites – ‘National Lampoon Christmas Vacation”, Bruce Willis in ‘Die Hard’ (or any sequel thereof), ‘A Garfield Christmas’, ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’ or the classic horror flick ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’. None of them were the traditional family favourites, such as ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’, ‘A Christmas Carol’, ‘A Christmas Story’, ‘Miracle on 13th Street’ or Bing Crosby’s ‘White Christmas’.
Nope! This year I have jumped right in to the heartstring pulling, tear jerking, Chrismas movie specials that lead one to believe that Christmas miracles happen, that joy and wonder exists, and that this truly is the season of love, light, kindness and ‘goodwill towards all’.
Norman Rockwell Presents – Coming Home For Christmas.
Christmas a la carte.
Christmas at Holly Lodge
If the lineup of likewise holiday movies holds, I will soon have to make a run to the store to restock our supply of microwave popcorn, wine, and Kleenex. Tis the season. 😥
That’s it for today, folks. Take care and have a great day!🎄
Last night I decided to celebrate the season by changing our decor to something rather more seasonal. It wasn’t a heroic effort but it was a start and more than I have done in recent years.
The creche has always been the first seasonal piece to get unpacked. It has always been humble and after forty some years it is definitely looking ‘authentic.With our temperatures plummeting and our snow accumulating, Frosty is not looking at all out of place.One of so many musical pieces that have joined us over the years.For whatever reason, they scared the wits out of granddaughterGenie when she was a tot. We couldn’t go down the Christmas aisles in Walmart for years without traumatizing the poor tyke. Our only tree so far, but I am seriously considering going all out and getting the real dealthis year. 🌲Santa and the Mrs. hanging out with the Christmas elephants. (Santa and Mrs. Claus are quite sizeable ceramic creations thatDan made – long before we met.
That is it for today folks! Take care and have a great day! 💞
‘The weather outside is frightful’ so what better way to celebrate the season than by sharing a few photos of our authenticcally Christmassy landscape.
Looking out our backdoorOut to feed our furry and feathered friendsDifferent trees and bushes sporting their winter lookGround cedar by our front stepsSnow covering the neighbourhoodTemps are celcius so yes it is as cold as it looks!
With a few more inches of snow to come and winds picking up, this will be an excellent day to curl up in front of the fireplace with a cup of tea or a glass of wine, a good book, and a warm dog. Celebrating the season the Canadian way. 🌨️☃️🌨️
That is it for today, folks. Take care and have a beautiful Sunday! 💞
Today we celebrate the treats that are a central part of the holiday season.
The stores are filled with sweet and salty snacks that will make their way to our table – Mandarin oranges, nuts, gourmet chocolates, Christmas candies, and the like. But, despite the tempting array of readily available delicacies, there is nothing more festive than spending a few hours preparing (and sampling) our own homemade treats to add to the mix. Yesterday, I started the process with a couple of our favourites.
Carmel corn and nuts as per Mother’s recipeFrank’s Red hot sunflower seeds – not a traditional Christmas recipe, but they do help to keep me from overindulging in thethe nuts and chocolates.
There are a couple of more snacks that I will make before I move onto the more serious baking of butter tarts, cookies, slices, cheese cake and the like. So much tasty goodness to celebrate this month!
That’s it for today, folks. Take care and have a delicious day!
Seclusion 101 with AnneMarie 