A gentle reminder; a friendly "nudge" via a (now somewhat bittersweet) Christmas past
"Time it was and what a time it was, it was A time of innocence, A time of confidences. Long ago, it must be, I have a photograph. Preserve your memories, They're all that's left you."
Hold 'em close while you can. Be the "hero" for your relationship, if one is needed. Don't count on "time" to heal what a simple phone call can. Honor what is simple, and precious, and allow the chaff to be swept away by the wind.
-- Edited by Nightowlhoot3 at 15:29, 2008-12-30
A wonderful photo and the memories that go with it more wonderful still. one of the interesting things about photos is that they freeze, stop the clock, for one perfect moment in time and even if that moment is a posed one there are things within that cannot be posed. the sense of realness and solidness in a protective arm around a seemingly shy child, the unease or perhaps the comfort with the "spotlight" and the surroundings. the way christmas was that morning on that day at that time. when you look at the photo do you remember the garlands? the ornaments? the way those curtains moved in the breeze when you rested your head on the sofa?
dunno, from my own experience,in the best of moments we might find success with the phone call or the visit or not. most often for me its been not. one half willing doesnt get the job done alas. and as much as it sometimes feels that way we cant be responsible for anything more than our own efforts. And life..well life is rarely perfect and so often those phone calls go unanswered or not answered in the way that we might have hoped or worse, result in a further distancing. at least with a first glance since these things are perhaps better decided from the future. we do the best with what we have, all of us, whatever our limitations. strengths or "faults," and then we hope for the best but always remembering that whatever isnt within our control sometimes requires of us letting go.
A gentle reminder; a friendly "nudge" via a (now somewhat bittersweet) Christmas past
"Time it was and what a time it was, it was A time of innocence, A time of confidences. Long ago, it must be, I have a photograph. Preserve your memories, They're all that's left you."
Hold 'em close while you can. Be the "hero" for your relationship, if one is needed. Don't count on "time" to heal what a simple phone call can. Honor what is simple, and precious, and allow the chaff to be swept away by the wind.
So this would be my tardy offering of "my" Christmas tree. Not quite finished, yet, though, obviously.
Ran up to the store to get some more lights (which was an ordeal, what with the dog and all) and when I got home I noticed that all the boxes I picked up have WHITE wire instead of green. ARG! Would work for inside, but not outside on a tree, for cryin' out loud, so no, the tree isn't finished, but it's got a good start, and provides terrific illum by my back yard gate, immediately to its right.
Oh, and the way I got this photo here was that I changed the file for this photo to JPG, uploaded it as an AVATAR, used it as my avatar, opened a reply box to the post, scanned down to my last post which showed it as the avatar, copied it from there, and pasted it here.
For all that, I should'a gotten the stupid photo in focus, at least. LOL. Arg. Anyway... "my Christmas/New Years/Valentines/St. Patricks/4th of July tree.
its a beautiful tree! i like the white lights:) hey, have you tried saving the pix to a file and then uploading from there? thats the way ive been doing it.
and ya know the babysitting reference, if thats what it was, hit me about 6 tonight! im not too slow am i? lol.
So this would be my tardy offering of "my" Christmas tree. Not quite finished, yet, though, obviously.
Ran up to the store to get some more lights (which was an ordeal, what with the dog and all) and when I got home I noticed that all the boxes I picked up have WHITE wire instead of green. ARG! Would work for inside, but not outside on a tree, for cryin' out loud, so no, the tree isn't finished, but it's got a good start, and provides terrific illum by my back yard gate, immediately to its right.
Oh, and the way I got this photo here was that I changed the file for this photo to JPG, uploaded it as an AVATAR, used it as my avatar, opened a reply box to the post, scanned down to my last post which showed it as the avatar, copied it from there, and pasted it here.
For all that, I should'a gotten the stupid photo in focus, at least. LOL. Arg. Anyway... "my Christmas/New Years/Valentines/St. Patricks/4th of July tree.
im with ya on this one. best concert ive been to? new years eve 2002? calvin theatre northampton dar, catie curtis and the nields. heaven. and they played and played and played. bds lucky dar will be down her way in a week or so.
So this weird thing happened to me either yesterday, or the day before. Well, two things happened which sort of combined to create it, I guess. I down loaded Bing Crosby singing "I wish you a merry Christmas" and listened to it, and a package arrived in the mail with wrapped presents... for me! And ya know? I don't know what clicked, or UNclicked, but all of a sudden ... I was in the Christmas spirit, and Christmas was "OK" again.
now thats fun! there are few things that are as enjoyable as an unexpected gift in the mail!
I just wanted mostly something in which to burn fire wood. So? Mom and I sat for four hours and just looked at that one silly little log burning, and talked ... talked in a relaxed way we'd not done for a long time. Wasn't about ... problems. Was about ... when she was a little girl, and would go visit her uncle for Thanksgiving who had a gentle old white horse named Topper, and they'd hook the barn door up to him as a makeshift sleigh/sled, and go sailing across the frozen over corn fields, and how when she was a little girl, and there wasn't heat in the bedrooms they'd put coals in pots and then put them in their beds to warm the beds
stories like this are wonderful and there are so few people left who remember the world when it was like this. i wish someone would put together the stories of those who remain. that way of life is unrecognizable to young people today. back in the last depression there was a federal writers project to put the stories of people who had lived thru so much history and whose storied went untold and a decade or so ago the poet cd wright did a walk in book based on that federal project recording the experiences of eldery people whose lives were somehow tied into rural southern living. there were so few left to tell stories which until that point had been mostly stories told in the oral tradition which would have been lost upon their deaths.
Season's Greetings to you and yours -- with gratitude, appreciation, and affection. :)
your day sound wonderful, just the way that the holidays should imo be spent, quietly with loved ones.
my wish this year would have been to chuck the whole material thing and spend the holidays playing in the snow together as a family but after a vote was taken it became apparent that there are some who enjoy all of the fusstivities! personally im counting down the days till this is all over till next year! its too overstimulating for me. i kinda need some quiet alone space every day and thats been a lil hard to find in the last week. ive actually had a quiet afternoon today and im loving it. everyone is out SHOPPING! lol. i wouldnt go near a store today this being the most crowded day of the year. when all settles down in a few days im gonna set my limits for next year. im thinking of going one of two ways. either gifting people throughout the year when i am with them and see they want something. this would separate it from the holiday or designate another day as gift day something maybe like 3 kings day or something and keep the actual holiday simple and quiet, like the day that owl and her mom had. that to me is perfect.
Christmas came early in my home town this year... I guess Santa got my pre-season letter after that particular instrument (the first one) was VERY NAUGHTY to me last year... (not to mention the parking ticket I got there exactly one year ago tonight for having one bumper --
omg. youre ticket for that was a whole year ago? im in shock! this video was wonderful! i only wish they included a contribute to do more blockades fund info. id be sending them a freedom fighting gift. i love it!
So this weird thing happened to me either yesterday, or the day before. Well, two things happened which sort of combined to create it, I guess. I down loaded Bing Crosby singing "I wish you a merry Christmas" and listened to it, and a package arrived in the mail with wrapped presents... for me! And ya know? I don't know what clicked, or UNclicked, but all of a sudden ... I was in the Christmas spirit, and Christmas was "OK" again. Ever since the show I did for years at Christmas closed, it's been bittersweet to hear all those tunes in stores, and too ... it's been a sort of hard couple of years, and 2008 wasn't really all that much better. That may be an understatement, actually. But? In the blink of an eye, it all just sort of changed, and I'm still a little surprised (happily) about it.
Because the house is in such chaos (physically) with the plumber and all, (his tools are everywhere) I decorated the back porch room with lights, and garland, and candles and Christmas tea candle holders, and today, I went to the store and bought fixins for a Christmas dinner. Nothing spectacular, but a Christmas dinner none-the-less. I also picked some fireplace logs for the used BBQ I picked up for a song this morning. Turns out, it's an old New Braunsfels bbq --- "the Judge." New Braunsfels is a German settlement in Texas, where they're pretty much known for their bbq, so I figure it's a good omen. :) Anyway, I bought it mostly because I just wanted a box in which to burn an outdoor fire, that didn't cost me two freakin' hundred dollars. That it turned out to be a groovy bbq with over 500 square inches of cooking space, was beside the point. She's old and a little rusty, but some light sanding and some heat paint from homo depot, and she should be lookin' sweet again. But for tonight (and tomorrow, if it doesn't rain) I just wanted mostly something in which to burn fire wood. So? Mom and I sat for four hours and just looked at that one silly little log burning, and talked ... talked in a relaxed way we'd not done for a long time. Wasn't about ... problems. Was about ... when she was a little girl, and would go visit her uncle for Thanksgiving who had a gentle old white horse named Topper, and they'd hook the barn door up to him as a makeshift sleigh/sled, and go sailing across the frozen over corn fields, and how when she was a little girl, and there wasn't heat in the bedrooms they'd put coals in pots and then put them in their beds to warm the beds -- and how having to go to the bathroom at night was the WORST because it was in that little shed outside, where it was so cold, and how when they got up in the morning they'd all rush to the wood burning stove to warm themselves.
And we talked about when we lived in Iowa when I was little, and went trick-or-treating in my snowsuit ... because there was snow on the ground. She said you really couldn't wear much of a costume, what with the galoshes, and snow suit and all ... mostly just something on your head.
We talked about other things, too, but I don't really remember, and sometimes that's a sign of a good thing. It was "easy" and "relaxed" and not combative, or anxiety producing at all. The dog lay there beside us, sometimes, taking time for a little frolic, whether it was going on a tear in fast fast circles around the yard, or tossing up for himself his rawhide bone, and then pouncing on it.
It was ... a "good" evening. I mean... really good.
And it all started, I think, with that Bing Crosby song, and that package in the mail. :)
So? Tomorrow morning I'm going to make those little smokies Mom so adores, and eggs and English muffins, and we're going to eat berries of all colors and textures, and MAYBE some brown bread from the can with cream cheese sandwiches, and then ... I'm not sure what, followed by a simple dinner but a dinner "special" Ham, scalloped potatoes, broccoli ... that's about it, really, but it will be our Christmas dinner, and we'll share it together under garish red garland and white Christmas tree lights hanging from the ceiling, and it'll be OK. More than OK, really -- it'll be Christmas, and we'll be spending it together, safe, somewhat warm, (I'll throw another log in the BBQ) and sated. And music ... there will be music, and memories too, of course, but perhaps they'll be memories which will further warm us, and again, I'll reflect upon how good I really do "have it" and in so doing, you here will come to mind as well.
Season's Greetings to you and yours -- with gratitude, appreciation, and affection. :)
Christmas came early in my home town this year... I guess Santa got my pre-season letter after that particular instrument (the first one) was VERY NAUGHTY to me last year... (not to mention the parking ticket I got there exactly one year ago tonight for having one bumper -- NOT EVEN THE TIRE, THE BUMPER of my van over the line IDing the parking space in an otherwise completely empty parking lot, when I whipped in and parked for 10 minutes to take a photo of the moon, and never walked more than 15 ft away from the van, which I'm STILL ticked about....)
It's a criminal act, of course, but just yesterday I downloaded Peter Paul & Mary's recording of "Have You Been To Jail For Justice" (which, incidentally, unlike the freebee Christmas music I also downloaded SKIPS, dangit!) so .... I think today, I'll just think of it as a jolly act of civil disobedience, and applaud heartily, and say: "God rest ye well, Merry Gentlemen!" and "Neener neener to you, City of Tempe grinches."
merry christmas eve to all. I hope the day finds you warm and surrounded with family and friends and bountiful gifts in whatever form they may come.
Thanks, Psych. Let me add to this a bit.
It's been a really weird year. It's been VERY difficult for some of us, and through it all, the three of you are still here on the board, and we're trudging through it together. It seems odd looking back at how long we've "known" each other, ya know, it could be coming up on 9 or 10 years. It may be an online friendship only, but I consider the three of you close personal friends.
I'm not much of a Christmas person, but I want to wish all three of you a wonderful Christmas or Yule or Hanukkah, whichever applies. A client of mine said it best during a toast last week:
im on a cookie marathon! all of that procrasintation has left me with just one night to pull this whole christmas thing together and its looking like cookies till dawn or at least till i fall asleep and the smoke alarm goes off! ive got 5 more boxes to fill with cookies and thus far since this am ive done 9 dozen but brought two over to my nieces home today when i visited. those were the easy ones, the sugar cookies and toll house, her two favorites. its gotten more complicated since then and i am getting punchy since its nearly 2am and the last batch now baking ended up with the pecan and orange dough mixed in with leftoever blondie stuff. but ya never know it might turn out to be a cool combo!
merry christmas eve to all. I hope the day finds you warm and surrounded with family and friends and bountiful gifts in whatever form they may come.
so far we have had only one toppling.....and i am guessing it was the kitten, bender. he is only six months old and hasnt learned yet....well, maybe he has now, cause it hasnt come down again,.....yet....prior to this toppling, we have had zoe for almost 7 1/2 years and have never had a tree crashing event.....she is such a little priss!
so far ours is still up. that in itself is a miracle. i hope your ornaments are not glass?
Nightowlhoot3 wrote:Mr. Carrot, btw, was named that when he was about three by InMyLevis ... completely unrelated to anything about him, and all about the two of us (me and Mr. Carrot) gardening... planting carrot seeds.
Anyway, he's been through a lot, as childhood goes, but I think he's turnin' out ok.
His Mom told me tonight that she has to get TWO kinds of cookies for Santa this year. Why? Mr. Carrot spelled it all out in his letter to Santa.
The cookies on the red plate, Mr. Carrot explained, are for Santa, and the ones on the green plate are for MRS. Claus, because, (he seemed to feel he needed to remind the jolly old elf) we shouldn't forget she works hard too, and deserves cookies.
I really like this little guy. He's gonna be all right. :)
-- Edited by Nightowlhoot3 at 01:07, 2008-12-22
heck yeah and i think mr carrot deserves a plate of cookies for that well reasoned approach to santa. do you play santa for the carrot kiddos?
i may take a photo of the tree tonight or maybe not. i was at the mall most of the afternoon and evening and all of the picking up i thought id do when i got home this evening took a back seat to a cup of tea, a warm comforter and a foot rub. meanwhile the family room where the tree is, is in serious need of picking up so mebbe tomorrow, mebbe not.
Ok, I don't (and won't) have a tree to share this year, so I'll have to try to made do with A "Mr. Carrot" story. Actually, it's not a story, just a ... cool thing, I think.
Mr. Carrot, btw, was named that when he was about three by InMyLevis ... completely unrelated to anything about him, and all about the two of us (me and Mr. Carrot) gardening... planting carrot seeds.
Anyway, he's been through a lot, as childhood goes, but I think he's turnin' out ok.
His Mom told me tonight that she has to get TWO kinds of cookies for Santa this year. Why? Mr. Carrot spelled it all out in his letter to Santa.
The cookies on the red plate, Mr. Carrot explained, are for Santa, and the ones on the green plate are for MRS. Claus, because, (he seemed to feel he needed to remind the jolly old elf) we shouldn't forget she works hard too, and deserves cookies.
I really like this little guy. He's gonna be all right. :)
ive not used it in a few years cause the cats pull the tree down trying to get it ........im thinking of starting a pool to guess when the first toppling occurs! and when you have cats and add them into the mix its even more fun, they love to bat at the lower ornaments and anything that twirls, swirls or has moving lights is a toy!
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so far we have had only one toppling.....and i am guessing it was the kitten, bender. he is only six months old and hasnt learned yet....well, maybe he has now, cause it hasnt come down again,.....yet....prior to this toppling, we have had zoe for almost 7 1/2 years and have never had a tree crashing event.....she is such a little priss!
When I was a kid, we'd always save the tinsel when the tree came down, to re-use the following year. I'll bet my Mom still has baggies of tinsel from 1960 tucked away somewhere. LOL. I remember being stunned --stunned the first time I saw someone throw away a tree with the tinsel still on it. LOL.
that might come in handy these days. i havent seen the old fashioned kind lately, have you? ive not used it in a few years cause the cats pull the tree down trying to get it but im thinking here and i dont recall seeing it anyplace this year, not even the dollar store!
Me either. (But I don't find the idea appealing.) You can light candles, and spray room scent 'til the cows come home, but you never get the smell of fresh pine the way you do with a "real" tree.
tis true but they come like umbrellas these days just pop em open, no muss no fuss and they are already strung with lights!
Geezopetes ... I just envisioned trying to have a tree this year with the dog! OMG!
oh yeah that makes it loads of fun. im thinking of starting a pool to guess when the first toppling occurs! and when you have cats and add them into the mix its even more fun, they love to bat at the lower ornaments and anything that twirls, swirls or has moving lights is a toy! mine are all high now on catnip so they are mellowed out for the night..well as long as you dont walk near them. catnip makes they attack your ankles!
<snip> ill pass that info onto those who will decorate.. (i will not, i will not. bwahahahha)
Geepers, Psych ... if the airports in your neck of the woods didn't look so grim right now I'd fly out there to trim your tree. :)
why thank you! they got most of it together tonight and that light tip really worked well. it made it much easier for them to get them on. one of my daughters showed up tonight and booted their lazy butts off the sofa and they got busy. its not done but its passable at the moment. theres another basket of ornaments that they are talking about putting on and its the basket with the handmade and traditional ones so i figger theyll get to it.
I LOVE trimming trees. Thing is, it's always more fun (and really, only fun) when it's a group effort. I'm sorta surprised you've done it yourself before. I fully envisioned you with a fire roaring in the fireplace, light holiday music brushing gently against you, big bowls of popcorn all around (and maybe some mugs of cocoa -- with, and without Peppermint Schnapps) and everyone pitching in, all hued with playful argument about what goes where, and remembrances of ornaments from Christmas' past. "Family time" -- that's what tree trimming has always meant to me, I guess. I have tons of good memories of tree trimming with loved ones ... even more than memories of Christmas morning, truth be told.
and thats the way that it should be. holidays feel like they should be more about family and sharing than about stuff and the memories from that are wonderful. how many people remember what they got for xmas when they were 12 but they prolly remember who was there that xmas and what the family did together. when my kids were young decorating for the holidays was an exciting thing and it was that kind of family experience but once they hit their teens its been a teeth pulling pain in the tush. rather than the soft music playing and falalaing its more hey can someone help me get the tree in the stand? as i stand there holding the tree and get yeah ill be there in a few minutes and the few min become an hour and once that task is finally done its cmon lets put the ornaments on and i get ill do it tomorrow. and maybe they will or maybe they wont or i end up doing it myself. thats how it went last year and it took like 4 days to get the tree up and by the time it was up everyone was frustrated. so, in thinking about it this year i thought i so do not want a repeat of that. people come to have a sense that things will happen with or without them and thats something i feel needs to be tweaked. entitlement is one of my hot buttons and when any of the young ones exhibit it, it feels like a good time for an object lesson. im not gonna fight with them about it and i figger the worst thing that might happen is that christmas would be a different experience for them and one that might make them rethink their sense of entitlement.
i take no credit or criticism for how it looks..the 9 and 12 y/o set up the tree and lights and the 7 y/o decorated it....the back "side" is bascially devoid of decoration because, well, as i said, the 7 y/o decorated it...so for what its worth...here's ours.....
hey they did a fine job. and they did it. that means something, yanno? and i like that angel!
thanks psych...yeah, they did it...that has kinda always been our "tradition"...it used to be the now 17 y/o put up the tree (while he instructed the littler ones from which pile of branches to hand him next), then he did the lights and the little guys decorated....now that he has school, (and in january is starting some college classes), work and gf...he really doesnt have the time.....so it rotated down the seniority ladder..lol...my job of course is retrieving the tree and tub of decorations from storage up near the roof in my gargage and of course the dismantling, repacking and storage of said items...it works for us....
thanks about the angel...i like her too...got her several years ago on clearance for a ridiculously cheap price...i think she is very pretty too.
well, as promised, here is my charlie brown christmas tree...it is not big, not fancy, it is fake....(i love the smell of fresh trees, but cant afford the crazy prices they ask around here....plus even if i could afford it, i would still in all likelyhood not buy a fresh one, cause i feel it is such a waste...no judgments here, just my own personal feelings), it only cost me $25 and we will use it many many years.....there is no tinsel, and the lights did not show up very well in the pic...in person, they are quite bright and pretty....
i take no credit or criticism for how it looks..the 9 and 12 y/o set up the tree and lights and the 7 y/o decorated it....the back "side" is bascially devoid of decoration because, well, as i said, the 7 y/o decorated it...so for what its worth...here's ours.....
hey they did a fine job. and they did it. that means something, yanno? and i like that angel!
well, as promised, here is my charlie brown christmas tree...it is not big, not fancy, it is fake....(i love the smell of fresh trees, but cant afford the crazy prices they ask around here....plus even if i could afford it, i would still in all likelyhood not buy a fresh one, cause i feel it is such a waste...no judgments here, just my own personal feelings), it only cost me $25 and we will use it many many years.....there is no tinsel, and the lights did not show up very well in the pic...in person, they are quite bright and pretty....
i take no credit or criticism for how it looks..the 9 and 12 y/o set up the tree and lights and the 7 y/o decorated it....the back "side" is bascially devoid of decoration because, well, as i said, the 7 y/o decorated it...so for what its worth...here's ours.....
snowbound update: the tree is still naked! i am not gonna do it. ive drawn da line in the sand here. every year ive gone out and shopped, wrapped, cooked,cut down the bloody tree and decorated it and schlepped it away in january for the young ones and they like the result but arent willing to do the work. and one of the life lessons i have learned is if you dont wanna be a doormat down lay down in front of the door so i aint gonna budge here. if they wanna tree they have to decorate it. perhaps they will learn then to be appreciative rather than entitled.
ive wrapped presents and taken the kid out for a x country ski lesson and i am sad to report that shes already better at it than i am:) weve made a nice glitter and old christmas card work of art and im making lasagne for dinner and i even went out to the end of the driveway to shovel but some kind neighbor with a plow actually beat me too it, but i aint decorating no trees tonight. kid keeps saying when will we do this and i say ask your mother or my son and his gf. her mom is finishing up her grades and each time i say this i get "the look," lol.
and heres a question...white lights or colored?
Yes.
tinsel or no?
ABSOLUTELY! Garland? Eh? Not so much so, but ya gotta have that tinsel, even if it's sparce to pick up the reflection of the lights. Heh. When I was a kid, we'd always save the tinsel when the tree came down, to re-use the following year. I'll bet my Mom still has baggies of tinsel from 1960 tucked away somewhere. LOL. I remember being stunned --stunned the first time I saw someone throw away a tree with the tinsel still on it. LOL.
were it up to me id want one of those really tacky white trees with globe sized balls and a color wheel ala 50s. ive never had a fake tree tho i find the idea appealing.
Me either. (But I don't find the idea appealing.) You can light candles, and spray room scent 'til the cows come home, but you never get the smell of fresh pine the way you do with a "real" tree.
Geezopetes ... I just envisioned trying to have a tree this year with the dog! OMG!
the young ones are purists, tho lazy ones. nothing to vacuum up afterward with fake and heck you could have a new color every year!
<snip> ill pass that info onto those who will decorate.. (i will not, i will not. bwahahahha)
Geepers, Psych ... if the airports in your neck of the woods didn't look so grim right now I'd fly out there to trim your tree. :) I LOVE trimming trees. Thing is, it's always more fun (and really, only fun) when it's a group effort. I'm sorta surprised you've done it yourself before. I fully envisioned you with a fire roaring in the fireplace, light holiday music brushing gently against you, big bowls of popcorn all around (and maybe some mugs of cocoa -- with, and without Peppermint Schnapps) and everyone pitching in, all hued with playful argument about what goes where, and remembrances of ornaments from Christmas' past. "Family time" -- that's what tree trimming has always meant to me, I guess. I have tons of good memories of tree trimming with loved ones ... even more than memories of Christmas morning, truth be told.
I suppose a sign of being "growed up" is having a "pretty" tree, rather than a messy tree, hunh. There's still a part of me that likes the "messy" trees.
snowbound update: the tree is still naked! i am not gonna do it. ive drawn da line in the sand here. every year ive gone out and shopped, wrapped, cooked,cut down the bloody tree and decorated it and schlepped it away in january for the young ones and they like the result but arent willing to do the work. and one of the life lessons i have learned is if you dont wanna be a doormat down lay down in front of the door so i aint gonna budge here. if they wanna tree they have to decorate it. perhaps they will learn then to be appreciative rather than entitled.
ive wrapped presents and taken the kid out for a x country ski lesson and i am sad to report that shes already better at it than i am:) weve made a nice glitter and old christmas card work of art and im making lasagne for dinner and i even went out to the end of the driveway to shovel but some kind neighbor with a plow actually beat me too it, but i aint decorating no trees tonight. kid keeps saying when will we do this and i say ask your mother or my son and his gf. her mom is finishing up her grades and each time i say this i get "the look," lol.
The last two women I was with were all about trees that looked as if the store decorated them. I always gave in, in the spirit of compromise, but there's just something about a messy tree ... I think it's that it indicates kids have passed that way, or something.
yep and thats really what makes it special or magical to the kiddos it looks wonderful not messy.
Or maybe it's a memory of happy Christmas' past. The one thing about which I have always stood firm is that there must be lights... and the lights must blink, according to my design.
and heres a question...white lights or colored? tinsel or no? were it up to me id want one of those really tacky white trees with globe sized balls and a color wheel ala 50s. ive never had a fake tree tho i find the idea appealing. the young ones are purists, tho lazy ones. nothing to vacuum up afterward with fake and heck you could have a new color every year!
If you do go ahead and decorate that tree, here's a hint I picked up in theatre from a professional tree trimmer -- don't wrap the lights around the tree... horizontally, if you will -- instead, string them vertically -- up and down, not around. Not only are they a whole lot easier to remove after the holidays, but also, if you have a problem with one light, it's easier to locate. The other thing is you can always make sure there's enough lights left for your "presentation" side or sides (if trees have sides, that is.) I was skeptical the first time I decorated a tree this way, but it works!
hey thats really a good idea! thanks! getting them off the other way is a major pain in the arse. ill pass that info onto those who will decorate.. (i will not, i will not. bwahahahha)
<once spent most of the night decorating a 20' tree and lived to tell the tale>
OK, after browsing Christmas trees on the web, I've come to the conclusion I need to reshape my defintion of "messy." I wouldn't have any of these in my house (and yet, they're like two feet tall, and selling at around $300 each! OMG! The more I look, the more apparent it becomes that the goal is to make the tree look as little like a tree as possible. Not my choice/goal.
Ok, so doesn't look as if I'll be doing a tree this year. Not with the milk crates full of plumbing tools in the middle of my livingroom <eyeroll>
So? I've started thinking about next year. It's not quite as good, but it's close.
I think... the next tree I decorate for my home is going to be more reflective of who I am. "Uniquely me" I guess. Could be a "uniquely us" if it comes to that, but for now, I'm going with "me."
I think I want something that's a combination of fiber optics as well as chasing programmable lights. Color and ornament scheme still pending.
Meanwhile... here are a couple of purty trees to oooooh and ahhhh over ... or not.... :) LOL. <-- I vote"not" -- A little too "designer snooty" for my tastes (looks like Christmas is an imposition upon their otherwise well appointed home, or something)
<oh, my GAWD! OK, you had a baby -- GET OVER IT!!!!
<Not bad, but too busy for my taste (where's the TREE??)
<Interesting, but it's bad luck to have peaCENSORED feathers inside... < Again: Where's the TREE?? WAY too busy... OK ... those of you who ARE doing trees this year (or have done) let's see YOUR pics!
I haven't done anything. Oh, I take that back -- I strung one string of white lights across the window on the back porch. Can't do anything with the front of the house, because there are hoses coming out of my main line right next to the house (like two inches) and A.) it would be trecherous trying to get a ladder in there, B.) with the bathroom porch upside down on a porch chair, and a ton of tools, and Mr. Fixit's overflowing trash can there, I wouldn't want to call attention to this neighborhood eyesore.
i wasnt going to do a tree this year. it seemed a lot of work and i always have to fight to get the young ones involved in helping to decorate it so i announced that i wasnt and of course this resulted in a how could you be such a grinch thing. so i was out shopping all day and when i came home there is a tree in the family room. its a small tree. apparently small is what you get when you buy a tree a few days before xmas. gf and kid and a few of my young ones conspired to degrinch me. but heres the kicker and the reason that i didnt want to do it in the first place. the tree is naked. no lights, no ornaments, no flippin tinsel, nada, just a tree. thats it? watta bunch of wimps. tomorrow is another blizzard day. we shall see what they make of it. ill be locked in my room wrapping presents. i got most of it done in one big run today. i have only 4 people left to get gifts for and if i sit and think about it i can do one more morning run and be done with it.
Very cool buncha wimps.
I suppose a sign of being "growed up" is having a "pretty" tree, rather than a messy tree, hunh. There's still a part of me that likes the "messy" trees. The last two women I was with were all about trees that looked as if the store decorated them. I always gave in, in the spirit of compromise, but there's just something about a messy tree ... I think it's that it indicates kids have passed that way, or something. Or maybe it's a memory of happy Christmas' past. The one thing about which I have always stood firm is that there must be lights... and the lights must blink, according to my design.
If you do go ahead and decorate that tree, here's a hint I picked up in theatre from a professional tree trimmer -- don't wrap the lights around the tree... horizontally, if you will -- instead, string them vertically -- up and down, not around. Not only are they a whole lot easier to remove after the holidays, but also, if you have a problem with one light, it's easier to locate. The other thing is you can always make sure there's enough lights left for your "presentation" side or sides (if trees have sides, that is.) I was skeptical the first time I decorated a tree this way, but it works!
<once spent most of the night decorating a 20' tree and lived to tell the tale>
I haven't done anything. Oh, I take that back -- I strung one string of white lights across the window on the back porch. Can't do anything with the front of the house, because there are hoses coming out of my main line right next to the house (like two inches) and A.) it would be trecherous trying to get a ladder in there, B.) with the bathroom porch upside down on a porch chair, and a ton of tools, and Mr. Fixit's overflowing trash can there, I wouldn't want to call attention to this neighborhood eyesore.
i wasnt going to do a tree this year. it seemed a lot of work and i always have to fight to get the young ones involved in helping to decorate it so i announced that i wasnt and of course this resulted in a how could you be such a grinch thing. so i was out shopping all day and when i came home there is a tree in the family room. its a small tree. apparently small is what you get when you buy a tree a few days before xmas. gf and kid and a few of my young ones conspired to degrinch me. but heres the kicker and the reason that i didnt want to do it in the first place. the tree is naked. no lights, no ornaments, no flippin tinsel, nada, just a tree. thats it? watta bunch of wimps. tomorrow is another blizzard day. we shall see what they make of it. ill be locked in my room wrapping presents. i got most of it done in one big run today. i have only 4 people left to get gifts for and if i sit and think about it i can do one more morning run and be done with it.
LOL "Serve immediately" as if that's a "option".
Sounds scrummy. The orange rind would seem to give it just the right "zing" (and I'm all about "zing" in food.)
this is my favorite combo. especially if its bittersweet chocolate!
Inheavy-bottomed, nonreactive1-1/2 quart pot, combine sugar and cornstarch. Whisk thoroughly to blend. In small bowl, beat egg yols with fork to blend; gradually beat in water.
I've decided to skip the holidays this year. Now that the kids are grown, there really isn't much to do. I don't feel like spending a bunch of money I don't have. I can give friends a hug to let them know I'm thinking about them.
___________________________________
hugs are great gifts! both to give and receive....enjoy!
________________________________________ But, like you, I will probably head out and get some gifts for some of my larger clients. Yesterday, I pulled into the parking lot at a Walgreens and the place was packed. I absolutely loathe the week before Christmas.
youre buying your client gifts at walgreens?? ....no, no..i know that is not what you meant...but it made me giggle...
Inheavy-bottomed, nonreactive1-1/2 quart pot, combine sugar and cornstarch. Whisk thoroughly to blend. In small bowl, beat egg yols with fork to blend; gradually beat in water.
I dated her briefly ....
:rolf: thats pretty funny!
for me i am done with the whole shopping thing..just gotta wrap, which i hate! only two things wrapped so far and that was the last two things i bought yesterday for the 17 y/o. only reason they are wrapped already was cause the place offered free gift wrapping!!
still have to do grocery shopping, which i am dreading...i did pick up a few things yesterday and there is no way in heck i will venture near a grocery store for a full shopping detail on a saturday...
i dont know....seems the holiday season rolled around way to fast this year....
Inheavy-bottomed, nonreactive1-1/2 quart pot, combine sugar and cornstarch. Whisk thoroughly to blend. In small bowl, beat egg yols with fork to blend; gradually beat in water.
anybody done with your holiday preparations? i havent done much yet so i suppose ill be out with the rest of the last minute people. lol. oh well. every year i promise myself that next year will be different but its not.
I've decided to skip the holidays this year. Now that the kids are grown, there really isn't much to do. I don't feel like spending a bunch of money I don't have. I can give friends a hug to let them know I'm thinking about them.
But, like you, I will probably head out and get some gifts for some of my larger clients. Yesterday, I pulled into the parking lot at a Walgreens and the place was packed. I absolutely loathe the week before Christmas.
anybody done with your holiday preparations? i havent done much yet so i suppose ill be out with the rest of the last minute people. lol. oh well. every year i promise myself that next year will be different but its not.
I've decided to skip the holidays this year. Now that the kids are grown, there really isn't much to do. I don't feel like spending a bunch of money I don't have. I can give friends a hug to let them know I'm thinking about them.
But, like you, I will probably head out and get some gifts for some of my larger clients. Yesterday, I pulled into the parking lot at a Walgreens and the place was packed. I absolutely loathe the week before Christmas.
I haven't done anything. Oh, I take that back -- I strung one string of white lights across the window on the back porch. Can't do anything with the front of the house, because there are hoses coming out of my main line right next to the house (like two inches) and A.) it would be trecherous trying to get a ladder in there, B.) with the bathroom porch upside down on a porch chair, and a ton of tools, and Mr. Fixit's overflowing trash can there, I wouldn't want to call attention to this neighborhood eyesore.
so i suppose ill be out with the rest of the last minute people. lol. oh well. every year i promise myself that next year will be different but its not.
i was looking thru the online cookbooks for something different and i saw this from star chefs.com: chocolate orange pie--my favorite combo.
Mine too -- or at least in the top ten. I just love oranges and chocolate.
a diet fiasco but what the hell one day a year i can throw caution to the wind!
Ingredients
Crust:
About 15 chocolate sandwich cookies, ground, to make 1-1/2 c. crumbs (I use Oreos, and I grind them in a food processor fitted with a steel blade)
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
Truffle Mixture:
9 ozs. good-quality semisweet chocolate, chopped (or use good-qualty chips)
3/4 c. heavy cream
Orange Filling:
1 c. sugar
3 Tbsp. cornstarch
3 egg yolks, from eggs graded "large"
1/3 c. water
1-1/4 c. orange juice (no pulp)
3 piece Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into
1 Tbsp. grated orange rind (no white pith)
Whipped Cream:
1 c. heavy cream
3 Tbsp. confectioners' sugar
For Crust:
Preheat oven to 375'F (350'F if you're using a glass pie plate or one with a dark finish). In medium bowl, combine crumbs and melted butter; mix thoroughly with spoon. Turn into 9" pie plate. With fingers or back of spoon, pat about 2/3 of crust mixture onto sides of plate, forming a high rim. Pat remaining crust mixture evenly onto bottom of pie plate. Bake in preheated oven for 5 minutes.
Remove to cooling rack; cool at least 20 minutes (or completely) before proceeding.
For Truffle Layer:
Place chocolate in small heatproof bowl. In small saucepan, heat cream over low heat, stirring occasionally, until very hot. Pour about 2/3 of cream over chocolate and stir to melt (if necessary, place bowl with chocolate over simmering water on low heat--water should not touch bottom of bowl--and stir frequently until chocolate is melted). Gradually whisk in remaining cream. Turn mixture into pie crust. If necessary, spread to make an even layer. Chill till needed.
For Orange Filling:
In heavy-bottomed, nonreactive 1-1/2 quart pot, combine sugar and cornstarch. Whisk thoroughly to blend. In small bowl, beat egg yols with fork to blend; gradually beat in water. Add yolk mixture to pot, stirring gently (do not beat) but constantly. Gradually stir in orange juice. Place pot over medium heat. Stir gently but constantly until mixture thickens and boils (just before this happens, lumps may float to the top--keep stirring gently, and mixture should smooth out as it boils). Boil and stir one minute--no longer! Remove from heat. Gently stir in butter pieces and orange rind just until well-mixed. Spoon hot filling onto truffle layer (pie plate will be very full). Chill pie at least 3 hours; when cold, cover with plastic wrap to prevent drying out. While pie chills, chill a medium bowl and beater(s) for whipped cream topping for at least 30 minutes.
For Whipped Cream:
Pour cream into chilled medium bowl. Beat at high speed until traces of beater marks show. Add confectioners' sugar; beat in at low speed. Increase speed to high again and beat to very stiff peaks. Spread over orange filling on pie, up to (but not over) rim of crust. If desired, sprinkle whipped cream with optional shaved chocolate. Serve immediately.
LOL "Serve immediately" as if that's a "option".
Sounds scrummy. The orange rind would seem to give it just the right "zing" (and I'm all about "zing" in food.)
anybody done with your holiday preparations? i havent done much yet so i suppose ill be out with the rest of the last minute people. lol. oh well. every year i promise myself that next year will be different but its not.
i was looking thru the online cookbooks for something different and i saw this from star chefs.com: chocolate orange pie--my favorite combo. a diet fiasco but what the hell one day a year i can throw caution to the wind!
Ingredients
Crust:
About 15 chocolate sandwich cookies, ground, to make 1-1/2 c. crumbs (I use Oreos, and I grind them in a food processor fitted with a steel blade)
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
Truffle Mixture:
9 ozs. good-quality semisweet chocolate, chopped (or use good-qualty chips)
3/4 c. heavy cream
Orange Filling:
1 c. sugar
3 Tbsp. cornstarch
3 egg yolks, from eggs graded "large"
1/3 c. water
1-1/4 c. orange juice (no pulp)
3 piece Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into
1 Tbsp. grated orange rind (no white pith)
Whipped Cream:
1 c. heavy cream
3 Tbsp. confectioners' sugar
For Crust:
Preheat oven to 375'F (350'F if you're using a glass pie plate or one with a dark finish). In medium bowl, combine crumbs and melted butter; mix thoroughly with spoon. Turn into 9" pie plate. With fingers or back of spoon, pat about 2/3 of crust mixture onto sides of plate, forming a high rim. Pat remaining crust mixture evenly onto bottom of pie plate. Bake in preheated oven for 5 minutes.
Remove to cooling rack; cool at least 20 minutes (or completely) before proceeding.
For Truffle Layer:
Place chocolate in small heatproof bowl. In small saucepan, heat cream over low heat, stirring occasionally, until very hot. Pour about 2/3 of cream over chocolate and stir to melt (if necessary, place bowl with chocolate over simmering water on low heat--water should not touch bottom of bowl--and stir frequently until chocolate is melted). Gradually whisk in remaining cream. Turn mixture into pie crust. If necessary, spread to make an even layer. Chill till needed.
For Orange Filling:
In heavy-bottomed, nonreactive 1-1/2 quart pot, combine sugar and cornstarch. Whisk thoroughly to blend. In small bowl, beat egg yols with fork to blend; gradually beat in water. Add yolk mixture to pot, stirring gently (do not beat) but constantly. Gradually stir in orange juice. Place pot over medium heat. Stir gently but constantly until mixture thickens and boils (just before this happens, lumps may float to the top--keep stirring gently, and mixture should smooth out as it boils). Boil and stir one minute--no longer! Remove from heat. Gently stir in butter pieces and orange rind just until well-mixed. Spoon hot filling onto truffle layer (pie plate will be very full). Chill pie at least 3 hours; when cold, cover with plastic wrap to prevent drying out. While pie chills, chill a medium bowl and beater(s) for whipped cream topping for at least 30 minutes.
For Whipped Cream:
Pour cream into chilled medium bowl. Beat at high speed until traces of beater marks show. Add confectioners' sugar; beat in at low speed. Increase speed to high again and beat to very stiff peaks. Spread over orange filling on pie, up to (but not over) rim of crust. If desired, sprinkle whipped cream with optional shaved chocolate. Serve immediately.
<-- not THIS messy...
<-- I vote"not" -- A little too "designer snooty" for my tastes (looks like Christmas is an imposition upon their otherwise well appointed home, or something)
<oh, my GAWD! OK, you had a baby -- GET OVER IT!!!!
<Not bad, but too busy for my taste (where's the TREE??) 
<Interesting, but it's bad luck to have peaCENSORED feathers inside...
< Again: Where's the TREE??
....no, no..i know that is not what you meant...but it made me giggle...
