Boxing Day

We were still at the end of beyond, on the ranch for Boxing Day.  Christmas Day was actually more peaceful as there were fewer people.  A gang of people arrived with snowmobiles and sleds and food.  Wagonburner made potato and bacon soup with the leftover potatoes.  That and buns and Christmas dinner leftovers, kept folk inside warm.  They were also given a smoked turkey which I had never tried before.  It tastes like a cross between ham and turkey. 

The hardier folk gathered around the fire for smokies and hotdogs and marshmallows and coffee with Bailey's.  The children were delightful to watch.  It takes them forever to get into their warmer clothes over top of their real clothes.  They jump and hop around to try to get into the outer shells properly.  What a conglomeration of clothing and boots and goggles there was at the front entrance.

Beaver's baby was outside on a sled for hours.  Canadian babies are tough, but her cheeks were rosy when she came inside finally. 

Canadian ladies fashions include long johns, some with flowers.Real wool socks are mandatory. 

And the Winners Are...

It seems the favorites of the Christmas tree decorations were either the traditional ones or the small apartment more zen-like ones.  Here is your last chance to vote.  The favourite traditional trees were:


#1  the second-hand thrift store decorations tree

# 2  lots of twinkle lights

#3  my childhood tree type

The favorite simpler, smaller trees were:

#1 citrus slices

#2    bonsai

#3  apartment entrances

                             

                                                                                                         

A good time was had by all

Another Christmas has passed.  We drove a few hours north to the Cariboo plateau for the 24th to the 27th.  It was 20 below C. which = 4 below zero F.  We could definitely feel the difference between this river valley and the rangelands north of us.  There were visitors the first night with excited children who were tracking Santa's whereabouts on the computer, thanks to Uncle Rusty. 

The sunrise on Christmas morning was spectacular. Here is the beginning.Then it was time to open a few presents. Old Man was given an electric razor.  He has always used a straight razor, but with his poorer close-up vision he keeps nicking himself and coming out of the bathroom with bits of toilet paper stuck on the cuts.  So I risked having Wagonburner go to Wal-Mart and pick up a medium-priced razor before we got there.  She even wrapped it.  He is very happy with it even now on the 28th.  No more nicking.  I don't think his beard is as tough as it once was either.  We were apprehensive as he has always pooh-poohed electric razors as inefficient. 

Then it was time to start the big dinner.  A friend and neighbour, the Sexy Shaunna, came to help get the meal organized.  She helped make the stuffing and prepared the asparagus and brussels to roast.    She also peeled potatoes for a big pot, with the extras to be used in soup on Boxing Day.  I made the cranberry sauce while the workers were out feeding the cattle and plowing out the driveways.  It is still a working day on a ranch. 

The turkey and stuffing were perfect.  I like the wings and few people fight me for them.
Afterwards there was still enough for some sandwiches before bedtime.  (and for breakfast before feeding cattle on Boxing Day).  I can never decide whether to use the cranberry sauce or mayonnaise, so do a half and half concoction.It was a good day with some cards after dinner with the visitors.  We played 31 for quarters.  We are the last of the big gamblers.  I lost 75 cents.  I won't be able to pay off my credit card this month.

Merry Christmas from Canada

We left home to go up to the Cariboo plateau to have Christmas with Rent-a-Daughter and Rusty at the ranch at the end of Pigeon Road.  It was very Christmassy looking along the roads.  They broke out the coffee and Baileys to have a long winter's chat. 

I forgot to include this pet tree in my choices.  We will relax here for a few days, and wait for some wise men to arrive.
                                  

Decorating Delights #9

Well the Apocalypse didn't happen yesterday, did it?  At least I am still here and the walls are still standing.              

I did hobble over to the church a half block away, (with Old Man's support) for the last Sunday of Advent today.  We were delighted with the soft snow and sunshine.  It was a Christmassy day, like this old photo of the village years ago.   

 It was a quiet and reflective time followed by coffee hour and then the last session of a study with Jean Vanier of L'Arche. 

He is such a wise but somehow contemporary man.  

We are leaving in the morning to go to the ranch at 150 Mile Ranch for Christmas with our rent-a-daughter for 3-4 days.  It is too far to go to Ontario to be with the girl grand-children.  Our son in BC is hosting the other in-laws this year.  I am walking better with the one crutch so a change of scene and pace will be good after 3 weeks indoors. 

This will be the last decorating delights set of pictures.  Then I will go back and pick the three that received the most votes.

#1 was decorated with second hand things from a thrift store



#2 is  carved wood table toppers that would look good on my oriental chest 
                                                                


#3 is a tissue paper rainbow whimsy

Decorating Delights #8

This leg thing is getting annoying.  I am missing being in control of the household.  I sent Old Man for some basics and asked him to pick up some Eucalyptus essential oils at the health food store, and a newer elastic compression bandage.  I also asked him to get me some tea-light candles as the ones in the living room and my bedroom were worn down to nothing.  He didn't know where to find anything except these.  This is what he brought me....  Birthday cake candles.  I think I have to start communicating better with him over the lists for shopping.

He is really not into the stuff I do everyday that keeps a household running properly.  Mind you I don't know how to change the oil in the pickup either.

Here are three more trees to choose from during your voting today.

#1 is just a simple red and white tree


 #2 is another Santa Claus nostalgia tree


and #3 is a USA White House Tree which has to be more lavish

than we would do in our own homes.

Decorating Delights #7

Every day my leg works a little better.  The muscles above and below the knee have not healed enough to support that joint properly but things keep improving.  The reiki really does help.

Old Man is not impressed with having to do so much extra work during the day.  He thinks I should be cured by now.  He is doing all the shopping plus picking up the mail and starting/warming the RV back at the house so it doesn't stall in the cold if somebody wants to see it or take it for a drive. 

A few days ago I got antsy about not having done any Christmas baking.  So I stood too long while making shortbread.  Its a good thing it is the kind that needs to rest a few hours in the fridge before being cut into rounds for baking.  I didn't have any decorations (red or green sparkles or cherries) to put on the tops and didn't want to ask Old Man to go out to the store again to get some.   


Then yesterday I again stood too long making cranberry sauce from scratch, as my contribution to the soup kitchen's turkey dinner/lunch tomorrow.  I had signed up to help but this is the most I can do except for peeling 20 pounds of carrots in the morning.  Old Man promised to pack it all over to the church hall in the morning. 

Here are the trees to vote on today.   # 1 is a Virgin Mary tree.....blue is her colour.
                                       

#2 is tissue paper trees

#3 is a big orange and lime green balls tree, with a few lime green ribbons, that would work well in a few of my Crone friends' decor.

It is always interesting to hear your opinions.  My favorite in #6 was the wishing stars tree as I have a feeling it was a fund raiser for a children's charity so had the names of donors on the stars.  I could be wrong.  It might just  have been people's wishes for our turbulent world.

My Crones are Clever Cinderellas

My Crone friends are a wise and wonderful bunch.  Kathy came a few days ago to do reiki and use her massage skills and essential oils on my legs.  What a wonderful hour that was with her prayers thrown in along with  the deep pressures massage.  She also does pedicures but I just wanted the nails cut as the sheets on top of them were annoying, actually the pressure hurt.

My Crone friends all have different talents to share with society. They have also delivered toilet paper and wine to me.  They have swept floors and lifted my spirits and picked up prescriptions in the next large town for Old Man.  We also ate stew and cabbage rolls for free, from their generosity.  Tomorrow a few are bringing Coconut Curry soup for our lunch.  What a great bunch of Crones they are....wise women who deserve a lot of respect.