What are you up to today? This week?

[havanaholly]

DH printed us off two Border's coupons last night (50% off anything in the store) so after breakfast we're headed off to Tallahassee to run errands, including Border's (and I hope it's not the ZOO you describe, Heidi!) and Good Will (Tuesdays "Seniors" get across the board 25% discounts) and finish up at the grocery store.

[heidiiiii]

The only way I could describe it to Chelsea so that she understood was that the line was from the registers all the way down to the Metaphysical section. That is like in the back over by the children`s books!

Good Luck and I hope you get something good with your coupons.

My *mom* wants to go to Home Goods. I just know that it is going to be a mob scene. I know it and I do not like it.

I have to remember to pick up the seafood tomorrow. I have most of the stuff for dinner on Christmas Eve but I need to get the mussels (Mmm!), clams, and cod.

I love the fresh seafood meal on Christmas Eve. Chelsea has to tell me what she wants to have cause it aint gonna be a crustacean.

[Monica_the_haunted]

Well, I'm looking forward to have a 10 day holiday vacation starting 12 noon the 24th! Whoo hooo!

I'll be trying to finish up the Hippie House, and Get going on the Harrison Re-hab.

I have one school project that needs to be done but, that's it!

That means back to my beloved mini's for a while :no:

[Muriel]

Oh am I looking forward to that car! Normally we close the shop at 6, then finish off stuff and leave between 20 and half past. My bus leaves at 6:02, so I have to leave work early at 5:45 to get to the station on time. Today we shut (a couple people came in for a prescription and some things right on 6), and then I was counting the prescription items we'd done today (loads!). Suddenly 'oh no!!! I'm supposed to be on the bus!!' Sigh, next bus is 7:50. I'm very tired tonight, but finally home. I gotta pack for our christmas away, but too tired to think! I've twisted my boss' arm and he's allowed me to come in an hour late in the morning, so can leave home at 8:35 instead of 7:20, so can pack before I leave.

It is funny, Christmas kinda crept up on me this year. For a long time I have been studying at uni or school, so have finished a few days before christmas (usually at least by the 22nd), gone home, and then celebrated christmas. Usually I've worked when I got home, but it is still a change before christmas. This time I'm just working and we only finish 6pm christmas eve, so haven't had that change to prepare me. Now although I'm looking forward to christmas, a lot of it is just looking forward to the not working and having a rest, rather than the festivities.

But shopping is done, presents are wrapped, just gotta pack clothes, and hopefully tomorrow will be quiet at least in the afternoon at work. Then I don't have to be in til the 29th, and have the 30th and 1st off.

I know i'm getting quite a few dollhouse bits for christmas. Just little things, but really looking forward to it! As I'm away quite a bit visiting family I won't get much done, but look forward to doing more when I get back. Got a sheet of wallpaper to pick up and hang, got some railings for the stairs, and quite a few lights too.

Bed time now, and as I'm not sure what the internet will be like visiting people, I'd like to wish everyone a VERY MERRY AND HAPPY CHRISTMAS! I'll be thinking of all my wonderful miniatures friends over the holidays :no:

[grazhina]

I went grocery shopping, wound up having to go to 4 stores to get everything.

Since our daughter won't be here til Friday we thought we might do a Christmas dinner then. On the other hand, my boy expects a Christmas dinner on Christmas, after present opening it's the most important part of his day. He also brought up Christmas Eve dinner, which apparently is another thing that's important to him, so, I found a tiny ham for Christmas Eve, a nice roasting chicken for Christmas, and a rib roast for day after Christmas. My daughter and I voted for that, and since I cook it, I pick it.

I've also carefully planned my side dishes so I'm not stuck cooking, cooking, cooking.

Next I have to do wrapping, wrapping, wrapping, and any other nit-noid thing that needs to be done. tomorrow I bake,bake,bake. Or maybe only bake bake.

[grazhina]

I forgot. Last night I arranged my Itunes Christmas music. 76 songs, 3.7 hours of Xmas listening enjoyment. Yes, I do get crazed sometimes.

[nuttiwebgal]

I have been making Christmas pressies in my spare time...I found fleece material on sale 50% off and at a place called Deals I got 50x60" fleece blankets for 3$ in tiger strip print. so what started off as 3 blankets grew into 10 blankets. and today I dug out my Christmas minis to make some Hutches for gifts at work...one of the girls is a sweetie and got me a pres..coz I look out for her.

and the other is for "Katie"...she is 18...living at home going to college working part time...and cute and perky with a soft heart and a quick smile....she is going in to work for me tomorrow so I can do Christmas Eve with my family....thats when we do our big thing.

so I had to make her a present.

lemme tell you it felt good to play with glue!

never did find my tweezers I use for placing stuff but I muddled through...afterall I did mini for a long time without such fancy tools!

Ive decided I am going to finish Catriona's house for Graduation...that is 5 months.....keep watching. I plan to start Jan.1st.

it feels so good to have time to sit and post! I mostly get to read now!

nutti

[havanaholly]

We hit the jackpot at our first Good Will stop, I found a really cute Mexican porch that looks more 1:16 than 1:12 and is made to hang on the wall. I'll make it a table & a couple of chairs. I also found some books on the half-price mark]down table (nothing mini-related, just good reads). Border's was a BUST! One of our hiking buddies is Sandra Friend, who writes hiking books, and they had a copy of her Central FL hiking trails book; but the new edition is due out and they didn't have it. They used to carry the How-to series of mini books, but those are long gone and they had NOTHING about minis, not even Miniature Collector!

After lunch we went to our favorite toy store, Harbor Freight, and DH showed me what he wanted to get me for my birthday, and after I picked up my teeth we found a clerk to bring one out of the back; it's a GORGEOUS oak workbench with four drawers! I can finally get rid of the old steel office desk I've been using! and rearrange my workroom.

We also hit the Asian grocery so I could get another jar of mint chutney & some more curry powder, and the Beall's Outlet, where DH found us more paddling shirts. We stopped at Wally World to pick up DS#3's gift card and then stopped at the Army-Navy store to get him a ponch-liner "woobie" for his wrapped Christmas gift from us. At this point it was 1730 and lunch was long gone, and we still hadn't gotten to the grocery store, so we stopped at Sonny's and had ribs! before hitting the grocery store. It was picked over, no seafood dinner for us tonight, BUT I found a beautiful piece of shank-half lamb leg to have with some of that mint chutney, instead (and eat the leftovers Boxing Day). Their frozen veggie section looked like the day after the hurricane hit, so I dug through the piles of packages of brussels sprouts to find some lovely tiny ones that would cook up tender and NOT mushy; I finish them off with a tablespoon of peanut butter and a couple of dahses of hot sauce; HEAVEN! We checked out the mince pie when we got home.

If I can find my recipe I want to make St Lucia Saffron Buns for tomorrow. I'm going to mix my stuffing and if my chicken's thawed I may go ahead and bake it today and just heat it up tomorrow. I'll also bake my sweet potatoes today so I can pop them out of their skins and mash them and whip them and bake them tomorrow. I really don't like to wait to cook everything for dinner on the holiday itself, and what we like to eat does a lot better when the flavors have a chance to meld.

I finished dressing the commissioned dolls and all that's left is to wig them, maybe make a pair of specs for the man.

[heidiiiii]

Good trip to Goodwill Holly.

I am done! Yay!

I went to the bank and the grocery store. The store was not crazy at all. It was normal. The produce department was a big mess though. A couple of the workers told me it was a mob scene last night.

I bought my seafood and a couple things I forgot to get. Plus there is always the day after Christmas. You have to have food..right?

Also went to the 7-11 and bought a couple iTunes cards for the girls stockings.

Yesterday was something else. We had a nice lunch at Olive Garden..got right in, did not have to wait long. Chatted and enjoyed each others company. THEN it happened! She wanted to go to...GASP!....the MALL!

I kept my mouth shut and wished I had packed an extra ativan. I did get Fred another gift though. He was complaining about his winter coat the other day. It is a down coat and he was dying because he was so hot (in the store). I asked him why he just didnt take it off. He said Feathers! He actually hates the coat because of the feathers. Now he knows why the coat was so cheap.

I found him a nice new winter coat and a knit cap to match. The store had all the winter coats on clearance. I saved the receipt and tags just in case he does not like it...but I think he will.

Today I have to pull the ham out and get it ready (score, cloves, brown sugar), then do Chelsea`s lasagna. I want to do that ahead so all I will have to do is shove it in the oven.

Oh No! I forgot the fake mozz cheese for it! NOOOOOO!

That means I have to go back out again. Luckily I buy it at the health food store and not the grocery. Crap!

I was all content that I was done and I am not. Oh well..Ooo! there is an old fashioned candy store next to the health food store (Ironic?) so I can pick them up some goodies for their stockings.

I will be back!

[KathieB]

Christmas Eve. Where did this year go? This afternoon we'll deliver the homemade fudge to the staff and some of the patients we've come to know at the cancer center. This evening we'll spend with friends. I have a pot of chili on the stove to bring along. Tomorrow we'll have dinner with other friends, so I don't need to think about cooking until Friday. Lots of time to work on the White Orchird.

Ann, your fudge recipe is da bomb. I discovered that a mix of half semi-sweet chocolate and half white chocolate chips with a handful of dried cranberries is really festive and good. The white chocolate doesn't dissolve quite all the way, so each piece of candy has some white bits as well as the red bits. Nice on the eye and the tongue.

Nutti, the Deal$ in Columbia is a must-stop place whenever we go to the VA there, 3 or 4 times a year. There's always something we can't live without at a great price. Did you take any photos of the blankets?

Holly what's a ponch-liner "woobie" ... sounds as if you wouldn't want to meet it in a dark hallway! If you can't find your saffron bun recipe, here's one. The serving size can be adjusted.

[havanaholly]

The poncho-liner is a quilted silky synthetic lightweight cover that on a bivouac you can use your poncho for a ground cover and the liner for under your sleeping bag; I discovered I like to roll up in it IN the sleeping bag (or under the other covers in bed when it's godawful cold; it's also nice for rolling up in on the couch to watch TV (for which purpose is what our new DIL calls a "woobie";I guess it's another term for a "blankie").

I found my recipe, I have altered some of the ingredients, using tangerine zest, pecan bits and craisins, since that is what I had (besides, it's 11 days after St Lucia's Day); dough's sitting on the back corner of the stove (warm, draft-free place) for its first rising.

In a little while I'm going to find another warm, draft-free place to curl up in with some kind of needlework, right after I take the chicken out to finish thawing.

[AuntDee]

Ham is ready to go in the oven. Little cocktailweiners in BBQ sauce done (Brian must have). Little polish sausage in saurkraut done (John must have). Sweetsour meatballs simmering. cheese ball done and the stuffd hardboiled eggs are done. I have to make the coleslaw and the Holiday ribbon Salad. (a red green jello with sour cream layer). I had better do that quick. the sirloin roast for tomorrows French dip sandwiches is in the crock pot. I have to wipe the kitchen floor, vacuum and wrap a few gifts yet. Will I get it all pulled together? As in past years. Yes it does come together. Merry Christmas Rita

[heidiiiii]

I am back. Phew!

Bought the cheeze for her lasagna and went to the candy store. Fred and I also had lunch. He has to work today and tomorrow..

Now it is time to deal with the ham.

Have a good day all!

[Sherry]

Went to the mall, but mostly just to walk and look at the decorations. Went to the Sherwin Williams store, they don't have the textured wallpaper for the ceiling. So we went and ate Chinese instead, then to Sams' to stock up. Now it's naptime, then I am determined to finish the trim on the house!

[havanaholly]

We each sampled a St Lucia bun with lunch and they also passed muster. In a few minutes I'm off to simmer the neck & giblets for the stuffing.

[heidiiiii]

I got the life scared out of me a minute ago. Really loud noise that shook the upstairs...Was Santa here early?

Nope. There is snow and ice on the roof and the temps outside are rising (it is foggy out). So sheets of the snow/ice are sliding off the roof. ROFL

The way the roof is, when it slid off the top part, it would bang on the bottom part on the way down.

I am disappointed..I thought Santa was coming to bring me a goody!

[heidiiiii]

I woke up this morning to a GREAT present! All the snow and ice is gone! The temps went up the 50s last night and melted it all away.

Our ham is done and I have the lasagna and Mac and cheese in the oven. Fred and Chelsea are sleeping. Nat is waiting for me so we can play Guitar Hero.

Fred will be leaving at 2pm for work so we will spend as much time as we can with him until then.

No more snow and ice..What a great christmas present!

[ilovecats]

I'm going to use my new french press coffe pot. Then go outside and see if i can get my garage door opener to work. I got home last night and it wouldn't work to get the door back down so i had to use the emergency release thingie wingie. i just had that door opener installed less than a month ago. I hope there isn't anything wrong.

Then i'm going to either work on my front opening shoppe or sit and watch movies today. undecided at the moment.

[Sherry]

I'm making the kitchen scales for the dh this morning, and printing off some books and boxes to make. We will leave for MIL's house in a bit, but I'm playing until then!

[ilovecats]

I'm enjoying my first cup of coffee with my new french press. Oh my gosh it's so good! My sis in law made tamales for us all for christmas, i'm enjoying some right now as well. She did a stellar job!!! They are excellant. This was her first time making them. i'm in christmas heaven right now. It's snowing like a muther outside and very windy.

[KathieB]

I've chatted with far-flung family this morning and enjoyed a piece of homemade poppyseed cake, a gift from last night's gathering. Am checking out the forum while waiting for Lloyd to wake up so we can open presents. At least he can open some. There's nothing under the tree with my name on it. I may have shot myself in the foot by not telling him what I want ... But no matter. I love watching other people open gifts more than I enjoy opening my own.

[Sherry]

If you have a husband like mine, just buy what you want and tell him it's your present from him. I learned to do that a long time ago-he never minds me shopping, but don't ask him to put forth the effort! Not very romantic and it always makes me sad on Christmas day to not get a gift from him...but at least when someone asks me what he gave me, I have something to say! And he's such a good man in so many other ways that I have learned over 36 years to live with it.

[KathieB]

Sherry, Lloyd's much the same way. When I do tell him what I'd like for Christmas or my birthday, he says, "Go ahead and get it." So I really have Christmas all year long.

[Sherry]

You really can't complain-he spent all day Tuesday running me around town to pick up little things I needed. He's very patient, and even let me choose Chinese for our anniversary lunch! He never says a word about the money I spend on minis or grandkids and kids....not many like that!

[havanaholly]

Marg, DH & I discovered how much better coffee the French press pot makes about a dozen years ago, we're on our third & fourth pots now (one for the house & one for the camper); One of our friends keeps one in her camping gear along with her tent. DS#3 & his dad are on their second (last!) pot right now.

The food has vanished and the gifts are opened. DS#1 & his wife got us a signpost for the camper so we can play "Snowbirds" now; DS#2 gave us a lightwieight case to pack extra hiking clothes in. In addition to his gifts we gave DS#3 a packet of cat toys for his furbabies. It has been a wonderful day! I hope the rest of you are enjoying the blessings of a loving family.