Frosty and Cold...4º

Up early this morning, surrounded by fog and frost...Our kids are at home in Portland and Bend (Rusty had things to do so also went home yesterday.) Herb did laundry yesterday and more this morning...I heated up leftovers for dinner and was mostly lazy.

Now it is back to the picking up, putting away and sorting drawers, cleaning corners, all that fun stuff...We can watch all the other people scurry around getting ready for Christmas, smile smugly and say, "We are all done with Christmas, but hope yours is a Merry One!"

Had a long visit with Pat this morning via telephone...They started their Christmas Season on Saturday, gift shop open, trees for sale with a nice turnout of people...Hoping for good weather the next few weekends, when people come for a fun family outing before Christmas...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Time to head home.

Nov. 30

Lots of frost.

Winding Down...8º

Before bedtime on Friday night Bobi filled enough jars for Saturday mornings early start...Herb had the first canner "perking" away by 7am, and settled in for the first shift, I was in charge of cleaning more jars and Rusty took on the task of filling the next set of jars...Before Bobi and Ci took over for Herb on the second shift, we had enough time for all of us to sit and have breakfast of bacon/sausage, hash browns and eggs...Fueled for the day, by 2:30 two pies cooled on the counter, two pairs of pajama bottoms had been sewn, a tri tip was cooking on the traeger, and three canners done for a grand total of 7 canners totaling 147 jars of tuna...All the pressured jars are wiped down, labeled and boxed, enough tuna for our families for about 4 years...Pam joined us for dinner, Becky and John called in sick (flu symptoms,) bedtime came early again.

Amid all of the chaos the "kids" did a jigsaw puzzle, we played a few games of cards, looked at Ci's photos of her year in Thailand, talked, laughed, took turns being cranky, ate amazing food, opened Christmas packages, got over being cranky, drank glasses of wine and had a few relaxing moments.

Now it is Sunday morning, I've had two early morning hours to reflect on the last three day, count our blessings and wonder how the time can fly so fast...Ci and Bobi will be on the road home today, Russ will stay for a couple more days, then it will be an empty house for us, Herb and I will settle back into our routine...Below are a few random photos...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Bobi and Ci in a tussle.

Ci giving Oma a new "look."

Dinner

Pies

Fashion Plate, Rusty, modeling

his newest outfit.

Sun Melted Chocolate...9º

When life gives you lemons..Make lemonade?..What about when the sun melts your chocolate?...Our Thanksmas Turkey sat proudly, decorating the kitchen table...We went about the morning, Ci doing homework, Bobi and I prepping for dinner, Herb and Rusty getting jars ready for the tuna canning on Friday...Super cold outside but the sun was shining through the sliding doors and into the kitchen.

Chocolate Turkey

I noticed Tom Turkey listing just a bit and took a closer look...."Oh No," I yelled, "The turkey is melting!"...Instead of crying over melted chocolate, I pulled fondant rolls from the fridge, cut off small pieces and with smiles on our faces we dipped the fondant into the melted chocolate...So another cliche, as on Thanksmas 2015 we ate dessert first!...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Thanksmas on Barton Heights...1º

Thanksmas morning, just waiting for the rest of the family to wake up...The celebration started last night when "the girls" arrived (bare roads all the way) about 7pm from the West side...Rusty, Herb and I had been busy; sliced, diced and grated, until everything was ready for our Thanksmas eve supper of nachos...Then we visited until 10pm, watched the full moon illuminate the Wallowa Mountains, counted our blessings and headed for bed.

It is very cold and crisp outside, temperature not supposed to get above 27º, we have pies and dressing to make and a leg of lamb to cook...Wishes for everyone to have a wonderful Thanksgiving on this day November 26 2015...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

What List...30º

The list I had for Thanksmas was mostly in my head and now that dooms day is only 2 days away the images that keep running through my mind are like a fast forward in a home movie...In the blink of an eye everything is done, ready, and I'm sitting down, feet up, drink in hand...Dream on!

One step at a time, deep breath and stop trying to make it all happen in a nanosecond...First step is to get dressed and get moving...It will not matter if everything gets done, just that the kids have good roads and arrive safely.

Snow is falling here this morning, write group will go on without me, water therapy will either energize me or wipe me out, time will tell...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Get Moving Monday...14º

One batch of fondant and one of fudge, more to do....Herb has the leg of lamb thawing in his fridge, depending on weather, kids will arrive on Wednesday...Sun shining today, storm moving in tonight...Grrrrr....Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Countdown/Thanksmas...12º

The days are slipping by, celebration time is near...I must prioritize my list: 1...Make chocolates, and if I make enough, I can probably forget the rest of the list!

Yesterday morning I froze at the "Good Book Sale," but managed to come home with a stack of books...Can't turn me loose in a room full of books, without feeding the addiction...The afternoon was spent in the warm company of Margaret and Janice as we started the winter with our first soup lunch/dinner...Instead of soup we had sauerkraut and sausages, visited and laughed past dark with a promise to meet again before Christmas.

Cold days will continue through Thanksgiving and the Allens/Walls will celebrate, work, laugh and play the days away...More details to come...Hug To All..OWAV:)