And a Good Time Was Had by All

 Well the Big Five Day Holiday began with celebrating our oldest Grandson, Michael's birthday. 

 Here he shows his eleven year old cousin, Connor, his Facebook page, a sure sign of adolescence.

 The girl cousins, Caitlin and Megan practice their cursive writing out in my studio.

 This is a small part of the Thanksgiving Evening Leftovers Crowd.  The Gamecock on the right was from the Boy's Home.

 The Big Event as far as the kids were concerned was the bonfire and S'Mores after dark.

 Son-in-law, Marty, helps Gates toast his marshmallows.  Gates ate about 18 before we lost count.  This was Gates first encounter with S'mores and marshmallow roasting.

 Then today instead of shopping us girls made a gingerbread house!

 Granddogs Libby and Cooper took a nap while the kids were at the movies.

Nana, Caitlin, and Megan worked on learning to thread the sewing machine and wind a bobbin before sewing some crafts.

We did do a little shopping at Belks but very little.  This was the first year Ashli didn't have a huge list we had to go to Florence to hunt for.  Boy am I glad.

Did you hit the sales?  Did you score any thing you want to tell us about?

Happy Thanksgiving, Y'all!

Grandson Gates' Preschool had their Thanksgiving Program yesterday.  It began as all good programs should with the Pledge of Allegiance.  So sweet to look around and see all the like 2, 3,and 4 year olds saying the pledge :)

 Afterwards Gates got to take home his Thanksgiving finery.  This is his turkey hat.  Not sure that it is on correctly but who cares?  Not Nana!

 He is holding his Gates the Pilgrim refrigerator magnet; which I got to take home as long as I promised his mother to put it on my fridge.  Was there ever any doubt I would do that?  When I asked Gates what kinda man that was he said "a cowboy".....I tried to correct him with "you mean pilgrim" but "Nope, Cowboy!" was his retort.  Oh well, they''' go over that in 5K, and 1-5th; not to worry Nana teacher.

 Here he is holding his turkey.  The legs and feet are two red plastic forks.  As a former kindergarten teacher, I admire the crafts...the ingenuity and hard work of getting them complete and to the right owner.  Four year olds know which scribbling is theirs!

This is the four year old group.  You can barely see our boy but somebody has to be on the back row.

Last but not least we passed this turkey on our way home from the program.  He seemed to be saying, "Happy Thanksgiving, Y'all!
Ditto from Donnamo and the 'fam'
Let us know what you are doing or did over the holiday!

Cooking and Playing with Donnamo

 Monday Hubs went off to play golf with his buddies at the beach so I invited Lucy over for a play date.  She (being the Y word (Yankee) did not know how to make Vegetable Soup!  She twisted my arm and I taught her.  Being the world renowned chef that I am.  I am thinking of sending a tape to the Food Network....I should have my own show....really.....I am all about incompetence in the kitchen.  Just ask Lucy who was trying to write down my recipe.

 But wonders never cease....the soup was good....so good she stayed for a repeat at supper.  I also made cornbread from scratch for the VERY FIRST TIME EVER, I think.  I followed Hubs recipe kinda sorta... I added a little sugar and a couple eggs.  Lucy put homemade blackberry jam on it (I told you she was a Y key).

In between meals and naps we made Artist Trading Post Cards.  Hers are the first and last ones.  We had a great time creating these; so much so we are not mailing them to anybody!  Her first one of the flower with leaves....the flower came off the lace to my wedding dress.  How cool is that!  Women have been repurposing (my friend Joy said to call it that) since time began.....Generation X calls it recycling and think they invented it.

Tuesday MIL (Mother-in-Love) Edith and I went on a bus (I mean coach) trip with Kings Sunshine Tours to Myrtle Beach to the Alabama Christmas Show.  It was stupendous, wonderful, beautiful, inspiring, and any other wonderful adjective you can name.  I HIGHLY recommend you get yourself down there.  They will be presenting it until New Year's Day.  I have been before but this show was better than ever.

Well, That's All for Today Folks......think Woody Woodpecker's eh eh eh eh eh!

This Ol House Is Lookin' Better

 Last Saturday Hubs and I went to a an estate sale of items belonging to a dear friend's mother.  We went to say "Hi" NOT to buy.  Oh, well, we got some good items!  One was this table saw.  Hubs had been wanting one and $40 was in our price range (cheap) and he used it several times in our repair work this week. Score!

 OH, he also bought this awesome Silverado truck from another friend who was downsizing in the vehicle department.  This friend is Mr. Clean so the truck is pristine.  We had actually borrowed it last year when we needed a truck to pick up our hand crafted table from Charleston.  We frequently borrow another neighbor's  truck and decided it was time to buy our own.  We sold Hub's car, Chigger, within the first hour after we put it out on the lawn Saturday.  Score!

 In the midst of all our "house work" we took a hot dog/picnic break for lunch.  Hubs loves him some Hot Dogs....especially with his custom made chili.

 I scraped and painted the rail by the back door.  The salt ware crock broke when I drug it out so I could paint so we also re glued the crock.  I love the little goat planter Sallie gave me.....she looks very festive with the violas in her "hair".

 The we installed a rail to the right of our steps.  I had been wanting one ever since I noticed elderly visitors needing assistance coming up and going down our stairs.  Being cheap caused me to notice the one at our breakfast room stairs which is never used.  Hubs took that sucker down, I scaped and painted and we installed it in front. Score!

 This building was our daughter's over the top playhouse (which I think her mother wanted since daughter never played in it over two times).  We started using it as a "flower house" to keep all our yard tools in about thirty years ago.  When Hubs wanted a shed for his John Deere lawn tractor, ol cheapskate said, "re do the playhouse!"  He is painting the green trim and putting the finishing touches on it here.  (He took out the back window and wall and made two doors so that he could drive Mr. Deere in and out.)  Score!

We bought this lovely wrought iron yard ornament at the Estate sale.  It is the back drop to our new row of knock out roses and day lilies we put in this year.  I sanded and painted this baby.  It looked huge up at the house but our large English garden dwarfs it a bit; still I think it is a nice permanent addition to the garden. Score!

We also bought a farm bell at the sale.  I always wanted one but the two from Curtis grandparents farms went to other family members.  Curtis is adjusting it so I didn't get a picture; once again it was a very good buy.  I plan to use it to call Hubs in from the yard; "sometimes" he doesn't hear me call.  No excuses now. Score!

Its been a fun and hard week and we are pooped!  But we are off to pick up pecans for his mother who is under the weather.

Have you been doing any "house work"?  Do you need to?

Someone Stole My Blog Text

Well, girls.... I don't know who did it or how but the text to yesterday's blog is disappeared before publication...I had no idea until I read the comments and looked at the blog today!

It was really good and witty all I wrote!  Trust me on that.  But "I Can't Remember" (my new go to saying) what all I did write...... :(  But it was FUN...NEE!

Basically, I told you about all three dishes.  The chicken breasts, Mary, or was it Crews who wanted to know....  were supposed to be boneless and  skinless but being the Julia Childs of cooking that I am....I substituted what was in the freezer.    You cut a pocket in the breast (use the kind you have) mix up thawed and squeezed frozen chopped spinach with cheddar and Gorgonzola cheese (I didn't have the gorgonzola) and put it in the breast pocket.  (Sounds like part of a man's shirt :)  I secured the opening with two skewers (not in the directions).

Dunk those babies in egg whites (I used whole eggs) and then breadcrumbs mixed with Parmesan cheese and saute them in a little oil in an oven worthy fraying pan.  (Didn't have that either so used two different pans) Then put in oven at 350 for 20 minutes (make that an hour if you use bony breasts). 

Personally, I liked my hi fat version.....but you CAN go by the original recipe if you want the lo cal version.

I did lower the calories on the congealed salad by using sugar free Great Value raspberry jello with the crushed pineapple, apple, whole cranberry sauce (the secret ingredient that kicks this up a notch from normal congealed salad) and I added chopped pecans.  We also ate the whole thing in two meals which probably upped the calories from 85 per serving to 285.  I'm just saying.

The muffins were fresh grated ORGANIC (they were only 10 cents more a bag) carrot, Splenda, brown sugar (which Splenda now has....Yee Haw) Flax seed (my idea) 1 stick butter (I used oleo) and 1 cup whole wheat flour.  Mix, bake at 350 for 25 minutes and try to restrain yourself to two at 85 calories (or so) a piece.  O yeah, put some ginger, Cinnamon and allspice in when you mix them.

Well, hubs and I have really been busy OUTSIDE and I will have many things to SHOW and TELL when I get them all photographed.  So stay tuned to W-D-O-N-N-A-M-O......the cook who has lost her.........blog text. :)

Someone's in the Kitchen.....Donnamo

 A recent trip to my good friend Sallie's in the mountains of South west Virginia inspired me to start cooking again.  Most of you know I gave over the cooking to Hubs twenty years ago....after twenty-five years of cooking myself

Heavenly Hugs

This morning during my devotion time, I had the neatest conversation with God. 

Me:  God, will I get to hug you in heaven?

God: Of course!

Me:  And Jesus?

God:  Sure!

Me:  And Paul?

God: Absolutely!

Me: And Martha and Mary? And David?  And Peter? and Ruth?

God: All of us!

Then I got a mental image of a long receiving line with all the people I love from the Bible in it.  I get to hug each one and tell them how much they have meant to me through the years.

And that will be Glory for me :)

Who would you want to hug in heaven?

I Can See Clearly Now the Fog is Gone!

 This is my friend Lucy, aka Rita, on the left showing her mighty Kimona Quilt.  Can you tell how beautiful it is and how huge?  This is the first quilt she ever started.....Lucy believes in starting at the top and working her way down :)  She has made others in the meantime but this is her piece de resistance.  You should have heard the quilt guild members owwww and ahhhhhhh....they know a masterpiece when they see one.

 One of our members, named Boppy, turned 80 this week.  She shared this little "girl" named Gloria that her greatgranddaughter made for her out of a sock!  The greatgranddaughter said Gloria is wearing one of her many gorgeous pairs shoes.....evidently Boppy has a bit of a shoe fetish and Gloria does as well :)   

My dear, dear, Hubs spent the last two weeks putting five new sliding glass doors in my studio.  The title of this blog alludes to my formerly foggy windows.  I added this room on our house around 1982 when I inherited this oriental rug from my parents' estate.  I used the money I got to build a room for the rug. which I called The Gates Room after my parents.  I really don't know why I thought I needed more room in my already large house but I got the bee in my bonnet and it was all she wrote.

We aren't sure why almost all the sliding glass doors all lost their seal over the years but they have been on our to do list for a l-o-n-g time.  We have three more to do but now that it has turned cold I told Hubs to wait for Spring.  When I retired and started quilting I began sewing in my laundry room (it was my children's nursery once upon a time and is pretty good sized.).  Once day the bright idea occurred to move my sewing operation to the Gates' Room, aka my studio was born.  I love looking out of all the glass and opening the doors on a pretty day.

That is my latest quilt, Nearly Insane, lying to the left of the table.  I am only through with making half the blocks....... when I finish I will call it "Completely Insane."

Any thing making you "Nearly Insane"?