Enjoying Home And The Holly Days

If you're looking for this week's Hodgepodge questions, you'll find them here. 

I spent Monday at the mall.

I think I deserve a medal.

I'm not a mall shopper, but we do what we must for the people we love, especially at Christmas. I do most of my shopping in boutiques away from the mall, on ETSY, and in various other online retailers because dealing with the mall puts a chink in my Christmas spirit. It's actually not the mall so much as the mall parking lot. As my grandma used to say, 'Land sakes alive!' 

By the way, I'm just going to go ahead and add some Christmassy house pics to this post because if not now, when?

view into the great room from entry hall

I'm hoping I won't have to make another trip to the mall between now and the 25th, but never say never. I'm trying to get it together here, but we're still hanging pictures, moving furniture, and soiree-ing with friends so it's possible I've dropped a ball or two along the way.

Friday night our builder and his wife came over for dinner which apparently is something of a construction miracle. Several people I've mentioned this too told me they weren't on speaking terms with their builder by the time their home was completed, or possibly even a few months prior to completion. We still love ours, and had a really nice evening.

great room fireplace

They helped us hang pictures and will bring the last of our window treatments out sometime after Christmas. Mrs. Bob the Builder is having a chair recovered for me and we look forward to more dinners, and boat rides too once boating weather returns.

barn doors with the telly hidden behind 

On Saturday hubs and I dashed down to Atlanta to celebrate the university graduation of a friend's daughter. It was a lot of fun and I'm determined to make time for people and not just my to-dos in this season especially.

fireplace in the keeping room

The house isn't dark, although most of these were taken at night, but it's tricky getting a good photo in here. When I turn on more lighting there's too much reflection, so dark pics it is. I really need to get my good camera repaired...I suspect that would help.

a peek into the kitchen 

In other news, I have not wrapped a thing. True story. Wrapping is on the agenda for Tuesday, then getting the long distance gifts boxed up and posted can happen Wednesday.

Or Thursday.
Depends how I feel about facing the post office. 

                                                                  range hood all decked out for Christmas

Daughter1 and her hubs will be celebrating Christmas on the west coast this year which means mailing packages. I will resist inserting a boo hoo here because I need to set a good example, but boo hoo. On the bright side, we have a west coast trip planned for early in the new year and that helps a lot. 

I will have my Daughter2 here to spoil over the holidays and she's always a comfort. Plus she bakes like a rock star so bonus points. I'm loving my new range so much, but still haven't mastered all the bells and whistles. Daughter2 and I are going to figure it out together, because according to the owner's manual I can bake five trays of cookies at the same time without shuffling a single tray or rack. We shall see. 

 the dock

In the meantime...stay holly and jolly friends! 

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Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 290

Here are the questions to this week's Wednesday Hodgepodge. Answer on your own blog, then ski back here tomorrow to share answers and some Christmas cheer. See you there!

1. Are you more task oriented or people oriented? Elaborate.

2. December 15 is National Wear Your Pearls Day...do you own/wear pearls? If you're a man answering the question, does your sweetheart own or wear pearls? Everyone share a 'pearl of wisdom' with us here today.

3. Speaking of pearls...oysters? Are you a fan or not a fan? If you answered yes, tell us your favorite way to eat oysters? If you said no, be honest-have you ever tried one or does just the idea of eating an oyster make you gag a little?

4. Time Magazine has named President-elect Donald Trump Person of the Year. Let's take presidents and presidential candidates out of the mix for a minute. If a political figure had not been chosen who would you name Man or Woman of the Year for 2016?

5. The Pantone Color of the Year for 2017 has been announced, and it's a vibrant green aptly named-greenery. Your thoughts? Is this a color currently in your home or wardrobe? Will you add something in this shade for the new year? Click here to see the color.

6. Today I've had too much________________________.

7. Share a favorite lyric from a favorite Christmas carol.

8.  Insert your own random thought here.
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Your Friendly Neighborhood Hodgepodge

Welcome to December and this week's edition of The Wednesday Hodgepodge! So glad you've stopped by to read, write, or comment here today. Newcomers are always welcome, simply answer the questions on your own blog, then hop back here to add your link to the party.

Here we go-

1. Let's talk holiday decorating. On a scale of 1-10, where do you fall? (1=Scrooge and 10= Clark Griswold). What's your favorite corner-room-table-space to decorate? Is it done? 

While I enjoy seeing all the elaborately decorated trees on Instagragm, in magazines, and show places, I prefer something simpler in my own home. I'm kind of old fashioned when it comes to Christmas and love the warm fuzzy way I feel sitting beside our tree. There's no theme, no real color scheme, no elaborate bows tucked between the branches. 

Just lots and lots of home made ornaments and special fragile keepsakes collected through the years. Every ornament tells a story and stirs up a memory of a person or place we've known and loved. I still have the same delicate Angel topper we bought our very first married Christmas. I remember the nursery where we purchased her and the tree she topped (light on ornaments, big on love).  

Our tree is up and most of the other decorating is done. I guess I like the tree best because it's part decorating, part stroll down memory lane. On a scale of 1-10 I'll rate us a 6. We don't go overboard in any room of the house, but we do decorate, and this year we also put a tree on the screened in porch and lights on the dock bridge, so definitely not Scrooge. 

2. Is there a nativity scene in your decorating somewhere? Post a picture or, if it's special to you in some way, tell us why. Or go both-it's Christmas! 

I have a table top nativity and a couple of smaller sets too that I put out at Christmas. Like our angel tree topper, the table top nativity has been with us since year 2 of married life. I bought it at one of those home parties people used to have back in the 80's, and it has traveled some miles since then. 

Joseph broke in our move from NJ to Maryland back in 1994 and I bought a substitute from a local shop. Hubs likes to say replacement Joseph has a pituitary problem because he's taller in proportion to the set, but he works. The angel standing watch over the manger lost a wing in our most recent move, and hubs didn't think he could fix her, but glued her anyway because he sensed I was on the verge of tears. She's back in the barn where she belongs, and you'd have to look closely to see the crack. 

I bought a small hand carved nativity at the German Christmas Market in Nuremberg one year and have that sitting in my kitchen window. 

My neighbor in Maryland gave me a really sweet version of the nativity and I love it still. It's the word JOY with Joseph, Mary, and the baby Jesus on the letters.  It's on the fireplace mantle in my keeping room in this new house.  

3. Do you live in a social neighborhood? Is so are you glad? If not do you wish you did? 

Well we're new to the neighborhood, but we hear it's social. We're going to a neighborhood Christmas party this week, and throughout the year there are monthly happy hour gatherings, a craft group, a wine club, a chili cook off, ladies spring luncheon, and more. I'll need to investigate what all is here, but the neighbors are friendly and people are out walking, so yes it's social, and yes we're glad. We're social too. 

4. As the saying goes, 'there's no time like the present'. How does that ring true in your life right now? 

Organizing this office/library space. I want to put it off til forever after the holidays, but it needs doing and there's no time like the present. The task feels a little overwhelming, but hubs helped me dig in over the weekend, so we're on our way.  

5.  Do you dread Mondays? Why or why not? 

Definitely not. I love Mondays...fresh start, new beginnings...what's to dread? 

6. Poinsettia, Christmas Cactus, Amaryllis-which on the list is your favorite holiday plant? Are any of these on display in your home right now? 

The Christmas Cactus is my favorite, but I don't have one in this house. YET! I do have a poinsettia I'm trying to keep alive. Such is life when you're a plant and I'm your caretaker. I've had it about two weeks, and so far so good. 

7.  Share a favorite quote from a Christmas movie.

Linus Van Pelt quoting the second chapter of Luke in A Charlie Brown Christmas. The only time Linus ever put his blanket down was when he read the words, 'And the angel said unto them, 'Fear not:'

''For behold, I bring unto you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the City of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.' And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." (Luke 2: 10-14)

'That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.' 

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I posted this on my Facebook page, so some of you may have seen it there, but if you missed it watch it now. These third graders are so stinkin' cute-

Watch here. 

Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 289

Welcome to another week of Hodgepodging. Why not take a break from the shopping and the decorating and the crazy parking lots and play along here? Answer on your own blog, then hop back here tomorrow to add your link to the party. Here we go-

1. Let's talk holiday decorating. On a scale of 1-10 where do you fall? (1=Scrooge and 10= Clark Griswold). What's your favorite corner-room-table-space to decorate? Is it done?

2. Is there a nativity scene in your decorating somewhere? Post a picture or, if it's special to you in some way, tell us why. Or do both-it's Christmas!

3.  Do you live in a social neighborhood? If so are you glad? If not do you wish you did?

4.  As the saying goes, 'there's no time like the present'. How does that ring true in your life right now?

5. Do you dread Mondays? Why or why not?

6.  Poinsettia, Christmas Cactus, Amaryllis-which on the list is your favorite holiday plant? Are any of these on display in your home right now?

7. Share a favorite quote from a Christmas movie.

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

You're Never Too Old For A Time-Out

So hubs decided he needed to organize and clean out the upstairs garage.

At 6 PM.

On a Tuesday night.

For some reason this really irritated me, and it's okay for me to say it because he knows. Let's just say when I'm overly tired and overly 'whelmed' I don't hide it very well. Our furniture and belongings were delivered just over three weeks ago and in that time we've also had overnight house guests, hosted Thanksgiving dinner, and put up two Christmas trees. Still, everything is not yet in it's rightful place and that makes him twitch a little. Prior to moving in he knew unpacking and figuring it all out would be a process, and he said sure, fine, he's okay with it, but...

We've been married for 32 years, 5 months, and sixteen days so I knew he would not really be okay with it. Hubs subscribes to the philosophy of a place for everything and everything in it's place, and if that means tackling a garage at 6 PM on a Tuesday night so be it.

I on the other hand, am more Scarlett O'Hara and will think about that tomorrow.

Thirty two years people. It works.

I wish I were more like him in this respect, but since I'm not I went ahead and gave myself a time out.

When my girls were young I didn't really use the phrase time out, but I did employ the concept. One daughter may have spent a large chunk of the third year of her life 'sittin' on the step' because my heavens she had a will of iron and needed the last word.

Her mother's daughter in every sense of the word.

It's why I know there are times I need to send myself to the proverbial step, and in this house I've decided that 'step' will be here-

My master bathroom.

Specifically my time outs involve filling that tub all the way up with steaming hot water, turning down the lights, and letting Calgon take me away.

Well not Calgon because do they even make that anymore? Truly I could sleep in this tub it is that comfortable.

Hubs doesn't quite get the concept of time out and interrupted me twice, but he needed that garage organized. Here's how it went... I'm soaking, regaining my equilibrium, and he comes in to the bathroom carrying an enormous bin of miscellaneous linens that I've purposely left in the garage because that's where we're leaving things we're not sure what to do with. I need to go through this bin and see what fits on the current bed situation, and decide what to keep and what to give away. Hubs says that sounds like it should take two seconds, which I suppose in theory it should, but I just could.not.deal with one more thing on Tuesday night.

So I asked him to put it back in the garage and he did, because 32 years, 5 months, and 16 days doesn't happen without both of you knowing when you gotta go left or turn right.

And because that's true, when my 'time out' ended I looked through the bin and made the call about what to keep and what to give away in about two seconds, and everyone was happy.

I'm telling you a hot bath is good for whatever ails you.
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The More The Merrier In The Hodgepodge

Welcome to the end of November and the Wednesday Hodgepodge. Raise your hand if your autumn flew by in the blink of an eye. Raise your hand if you've been moving house and haven't begun to think about Christmas. Except cards! My cards are done, but only because we have a new address and I wanted to get it out there. 

If you've answered today's questions add your link at the end of my post. And be sure to leave a comment for the blogger linking before you because the best way to spread Christmas cheer is commenting loud for all to hear...something like that. Okay here we go-

1. Give us three rhyming words that say something about your Thanksgiving holiday (or your most recent holiday gathering if you didn't celebrate Thanksgiving).

Okay, that made me sweat. Way harder than I thought it would be when I wrote the question, but I think I promised we'd burn calories today so there you go. How about-

Blest fest in our new nest. 

2. When did you last say, 'the more the merrier'? Did you mean it?

We say that a lot around here. We're more the merrier kind of people, well hubs is anyway. Kind of his life mantra. Mine too, except when it's not-ha! Sometimes I just want solitude. But mostly we live with a 'more the merrier' kind of philosophy in our home. 

Probably the last time was Thanksgiving. We'd only been in the house a couple of weeks, I had family coming to stay, and we decided to invite some friends who live on the lake and were away from their own extended family to join us on the holiday. We meant it. If we say it we mean it. 

3. What's one piece of advice you'd give someone who is your same age?

Embrace it, take care of yourself physically, don't let little health issues slide because you don't bounce back like you did a decade ago. Do your best to keep up with new technology and current events.  You're never too old to change course, set a new goal, dream a new dream, embark on an adventure.

Dear Self-
See above.

4. You're ordering a veggie plate, what four veggies are on it?

Green beans, roasted okra, corn on the cob, and red ripe summer tomatoes-yum! 

5. Shop til you drop! Did you? Have you ever? Will you between now and Christmas?

I've shopped til I drop on occasion, but that's never my aim. I don't enjoy that sort of shopping. I prefer a couple of hours followed by a nice leisurely lunch out. We did not shop on Black Friday (never have). I'm usually tired on Black Friday and enjoy a low key relaxed day with leftovers for dinner. 

6. What's your favorite chair in your house, and why is it a favorite?

I have a couple, but currently it's this one-

Forgive the lighting, it was raining. Also I'm a terrible photographer when it comes to my phone. Anyway, this chair...we have another one just like it, and they sit on either side of the sliders in our great room. Hubs and I enjoy our morning coffee there while we watch the sunrise over the lake. I normally read my morning devotions in this chair too, and it's the perfect place to start my day. 

We've put our Christmas tree in front of the sliders for now, so the chairs are pushed a little bit further back than normal. I can see the tree and the lake so no complaints. Is there anything more relaxing than sitting in a room lit by Christmas light?

7. Share an early memory of faith, religion, or spirituality.

I grew up in church and was not the child that needed prodding to attend. I loved it, and still do. I could write a whole post filled with memories, but will share just one here today. And this one took place not in church, but in our living room. My parents called it Family Altar and they'd periodically gather us up into the living room after dinner to participate. Also participation was not optional-ha!  We only sat in the living room on holidays, for company, and for Family Altar so it felt special. My brother and oldest sister probably weren't too excited about the whole thing, but they were teetering into teenagedom and my younger sister and I were still fairly young. I'm sure the intention was to do this once a week, but I don't remember it happening quite that often.  

Anyway we'd start off with singing. Now you need to know that we are not a family of singers. We sing anyway, and what better place than in the privacy of your own living room? Our favorite was a song called Give Me That Old Time Religion and my dad would let us call out names to insert into the verses. It went something like, 'If it was good enough for (insert Biblical name here) it's good enough for me...' It's a lively song and we sang it with enthusiasm.  We always included Daniel, David, etc, but our favorite was to shout out Shadrach, Meshach and Abednedgo because we thought we were hilarious. 

After we settled down my dad would read a Bible story or passage, and then we talked about it and we'd finish up with prayer. It made an impression on me that's for certain. 

8. Insert your own random thought here.

If you're a person who prays please remember the firefighters, emergency personnel, and residents of Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge, and the surrounding Smoky Mountain area of East Tennessee where fires have devastated the beautiful landscape and many homes, buildings, and schools. The high winds yesterday contributed to the rapid spread and the photographs are devastating. It's a part of the country so near and dear to our hearts, and we have family not far from there. 




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Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 288

Let's burn off some of those Thanksgiving calories with the Hodgepodge, shall we? Blogging definitely burns calories. I know I sweat when I write the questions-ha! Here's the drill for anyone new here today...answer on your own blog, then waddle over here tomorrow (Wednesday) to share answers with the whole wide world. Our little corner of it anyway! Here we go-

1. Give us three rhyming words that say something about your Thanksgiving holiday (or your most recent holiday gathering if you didn't celebrate Thanksgiving).

2. When did you last say, 'the more the merrier'? Did you mean it?

3. What's one piece of advice you'd give someone who is your same age?

4. You're ordering a veggie plate, what four veggies are on it?

5. Shop til you drop! Did you? Have you ever? Will you between now and Christmas?

6. What's your favorite chair in your house, and why is it a favorite?

7. Share an early memory of faith, religion, or spirituality.

8. Insert your own random thought here.