Cora's First Snow!

 

Today we had our first little snowfall, and Cora thought it was just the best thing ever! 

Water that you can eat! Who knew?

And More Christmas!

 Christmas day was very nice! The weather was gorgeous! Warm and mostly dry. 

Tim and I got up early and had our coffee and prayer time. Cora was enjoying her morning by the tree. I had put out the gifts and stockings and she was very interested in what that was all about. 

When the guys got up they ate some cinnamon rolls and got to opening their gifts. It was kind of a slim Christmas this year, because we are doing some cash help for things, gift cards and so there were fewer packages. They are both such nice guys.

Cora kept a close eye on the proceedings, since it was her first Christmas, and she has to figure it all out. Autumn ventured upstairs to check it all out, and took up the arm of the big chair. She has been at this awhile....

I gave Tim a bottle of Whiskey that Paul and I picked up in Tennessee, and also gave him the trip to TN that I set up for March. It will be fun to stay there for a few days and have a look around. Maybe we'll find the perfect property for a Yak farm!

Laura gave Nina and I each a "Welcome" sign for the front of the house. I love it! It has little, round wooden boards that you change with the seasons. So Cute!!

I worked on dinner off and on all day. Put a turkey in the oven. Made Pilaf and Jello. I also made a pumpkin dessert and Brendan made a red velvet cake. 

John came down around noon and it was so nice to see him! He is doing well at work! Got a raise and he is looking for a new living situation closer to work. Nina is selling and he has a couple of months to find a place. It sounds like he is doing what he wants to do and it is going well. 

Nina, Lilly and Finn came around 4:30. They are working to get their new home just the way they want it. Nina is so happy and it seems like Finn is a very good fit. I am so glad that she is finally able to see a future with light and happiness in it. Lilly is happy and excited about the changes, Even Kalisi seems to be happy in the new place. She gets outside a lot more and seems to be relaxed. That is a very good thing. 

We ate around 5:00. There was lots of good food, and conversation. It was very nice.

After dinner Nina's family opened their gifts and we enjoyed a little more visiting. 

It was a good day, but I was really tired! 

Merry Christmas!!

 

Today was Christmas Eve and I spent the day finishing up all the details that were left from the week.

Well, almost. I still have a lot of bread to deliver. 

We went to Mass tonight with Paul. It was a beautiful Christmas Mass. What a blessing to be in that beautiful place with Tim and Paul. What a Blessing to celebrate the birth of our Savior!!

So Long, For Now

 It is one of the saddest posts that I have shared over the life of this blog. On Monday, December 20th, I got the very sad news that Pat Davis, a good friend and the husband of my dear friend, Julie, had left this world. He had fought such a tough battle with Covid, and for a while it looked like he might win. He got sick after Thanksgiving, and it is such a shock to me that he is no longer in the house that he and Julie built together, with his dog following him around and all his projects set up and waiting to be finished. 

I have known them since Laura was a year old. Sarah was a sweet little toddler, and Julie was pregnant with Katie. I didn't know it yet but Nina was on the way. Julie and I spent so much time together and the girls grew up like cousins. Pat was always there. He was one of those people that is just always a part of life. The girls called him Uncle Pat. He was famous for his spicey food and the girls still talk about how they were afraid to eat it, but more afraid not to! 

We went on hikes, had every birthday and many holidays together. Pat was sometimes working at the mill on the late shift so we would have dinner with Julie and the girls, a "girls night", on a regular basis. 

I can hear Pat saying "Hey Jenny". I will always remember the sound of his voice and the way he would bring funny stories into the conversation. It's so hard to believe that I won't hear his voice again in this life. How can that be? 

It's so strange how we look back at the last time that we saw or spoke to someone, not realizing that it is actually the last time.

We had the wonderful day at the Davis' last summer when we were in Port Angeles. We all talked about the past and watched the grandkids and it was so comfortable and right. I gave Pat a hug good-bye and told him that we'd see him when we came back, except now we won't. So strange and sobering. 

I know that many people have lost loved ones to Covid. I know that the pain and loss is spread across the whole nation. Everyone feels the uncertainty and the threat, and we even had it here ourselves. I now know three wives who have lost their husbands, but I didn't know those husbands very well. Pat was different. He is going to be missed, so much, by his family, and ours as well. 

Texas in December...

 ...is...

Christmas decorations! Laura's house looks so festive! We were so happy to get here and to see the tree, and the special things that the Cookes do each year to dress up the home.

A pair of birthdays, on the same day! Max and Miles birthday was Tuesday and it was a great day! They got to stay home from school and open presents in the morning. 

The big thing that we got was a pair of hamster cages so that we could go to Petco and purchase two new buddies for the boys. They were so thrilled! They each got a dwarf hamster, twins of course, and Max named his Bob and Miles named his Mr Truffles. They seem like very happy rodents! The cages are super nice!  We had a wonderful dinner and then a chocolate mousse pie to celebrate them with. 

Christmas baking! Yesterday was a big baking day! Madi came down to visit and we got started making Peanut Butter Blossoms, and Russian Tea Cakes. 

We also made Chocolate truffle balls, Spritz, cornflake wreaths, and a couple of other things. It was so much fun, but also exhausting! I went to bed so tired!! 

Today we went shopping and I finished up a couple of things and then we came home and Paul and I will be going down to visit Madi's family for dinner. That will be fun! We are taking Cora to play with their dog Stella. 

Cora has had a blast with Tucker, and he has been such a good role model. Playing with her, but still being a good boy! 

Friday was the boys birthday party, and I did take pictures! I don't know what happened...

Andrew had a dinner for work, and he took Molly as his +1. She looked just beautiful! She loves to get dressed up and this was a special night for them!

Paul and I had such a nice trip! I am looking forward to the next time!

Knackered in Nashville...

 Wow, what a long day it has been, and tomorrow is going to be even longer! 

We finished packing and got out the door around 7:20. There was a LOT of fog, and there was some really awful weather in the mid-west last night. Tornadoes and tons of destruction. 

I watched the weather as we drove and kept an eye on the clouds, but except for some rain it was a really easy trip.

Cora is definitely a road trip dog. She just rides in her bed without a peep and gets out to do what she has to do when we do. 

We got into the hotel and we did some walking around so she got some exercise. 

We ordered a door-dash dinner and now I am going to take Cora out one more time before I tuck her into her crate for the night. I am beat! 

Packing For Texas!

 Well, we head out tomorrow for the great state of Texas! 

I have been packing and cleaning and preparing the car.

Cora got a bath and a good brushing, because her coat is getting pretty long, and I want to stay ahead of mats. I even got her out for a short walk, since she has to ride in the car most of the next two days. 

It's still really chilly here, but we are packing tshirts because the temperature in Texas is going to be in the 70s and 80s! Delicious!

We will drive through Tennessee tomorrow and we'll drive right through Cookeville! Interesting to see what it looks like, although by the time we get there it will probably be dark. We will get into Kyle sometime in the evening on Sunday. 

Just wanted to post a little pre-trip update. Maybe I'll even have the presence of mind to post something from the hotel tomorrow night!