Christmas Past

As you would expect, I've got a lot of ground to cover in this post, the last one of the year of our Lord, 2021. What a year, eh? Some positives for sure, but overall I wouldn't say it has been the best year globally, what with a slew of natural disasters and the Covid-19 virus ebbing and flowing. Yesterday's news claimed that there were more daily cases in the US than at any time since this blasted pandemic began. Just when we began to think it was abating, right? Although this strain seems to be milder, people are still dying preventable deaths, mostly because they refuse to be vaccinated. Tears for Fears had it right when they sang "It's a Mad World" back in 1982, although I suspect they had no idea how much madder it would become!

The blog.

You might be thinking, why does she keep it up? In some small way, it seems to matter to some readers. something that was brought to home in a text I received from the husband of my reader in Portland. I'd sent a condolence card saying that  I knew he didn't know me but I wanted to express my gratitude to his wife for being such a faithful partaker of the blog. He responded that indeed he felt he knew me because apparently she would read it aloud to him. It was a sweet thing to hear, thus I feel as if my efforts are not in vain.

And now my friends, let's move on to Christmas activities, or lack thereof. Matt and Tom sent this gorgeous arrangement which if you can imagine, 8 days later, still looks great aside from the tulips.

Last Wednesday morning Jonathan and Alissa arrived from Austin, safe and sound. Pretty much right away, I enlisted Alissa's help in cookie making. Using Bruce's Mom's recipe for gingerbread, I'd made the dough Tuesday afternoon, chilling it until she arrived. For a first timer in rolled cookie cutting and decorating she was a stellar student! Plus, she has way more patience than I do when it comes to the decorating aspect. We began with just using sprinkly stuff,

and because the yield is so high, on later batches we tried using frosting which while it tasted good, it was thicker than it should be and the spreading aspect left a little bit to be desired! 

Of course I insisted they see the incredible light display on Clemwood. No matter how many times I see it, the joy of the creators in this display shines through. ( no pun intended)

Pickleball Christmas Eve Invitational is what Keith dubbed this photo. Missing is Alissa who joined a little later.

Jonathan is on Bruce's right for those who do not know him. He took to it right away, although I can't say as we've convinced him to play at every opportunity, unlike Bill who is over here playing as much as time allows. 

Because of the pandemic, things were a little more low key than normal, but not nearly what it was in 2020 when we had what I called a "Porch and Screen Christmas".  Unlike last year, it has been warm as can be. Of course the coldest Christmas that we have ever experienced was this one which if you want to see snow, be sure and check it out! I've heard from Jackie and it has been extremely cold and far snowier than we experienced during our glorious year in Vancouver. 

We left the lights on for Santa on Christmas Eve and it was lovely seeing them from inside the next morning.

Our visit on Facetime with Matt and Tom was really good. We laughed, opened our gifts, and had the rare treat of seeing their resident garden fox. By then Jonathan and Alissa had joined us around the computer.

When the repacked package arrived from London, Bruce wondered if everything was intact and I'm happy to report that that was the case. Somehow my included birthday gift remained wrapped and it is pictured just below Bruce's hand on the right, decked out in adorable owl paper. Tomorrow I will open it and see what surprise awaits me.

Both Bruce and I received a bevy of thoughtful and generous gifts from our wonderful family. Two gifts are pictured below.

Matt and Tom are interested in my birding education which will definitely be expanded because it is a British book with new and exciting birds to see. Adjacent to that is a new quilting rule from Bill and Fallon which will replace the one below it that has seen loads of use over the years. It too, was a Christmas gift from Bruce, probably circa 1990. Since that time rulers have become way more sophisticated, so much more, in fact, it will take some  getting used to. 

Jonathan and Alissa took one trip  to visit friends during 2021 where they bought these pretty gifts.

Following that gift exchange, Bill, Fallon, David, and Michelle arrived for the day. We toasted the day with Mimosas and spiked egg nog along with some munchies.

With no one in the mood for photos you will just have to take my word for it, fun was had by all. Again the gifts were thoughtful and very generous, especially a weekend away voucher to St. Augustine. Closer to home, soon we will be indulging ourselves at Hillstones, a big favorite of ours. Michelle totally surprised me with this gift.

I needn't remind you that I love most things mid-century. I'd totally forgotten that she found this on Etsy when we were discussing the bowl I already have in this pattern. Here's something that I just learned about this style. Made by Universal Potteries out of Ohio, it was primarily sold in Sears stores beginning in the 40's. It is called a refrigerator jug. So fun!

For years and years we've eaten Christmas dinner with Lisa and her family, however Covid has put a stop to that because Danny has compromised health. So, yours truly, put together a meal that if I do say so myself, was pretty darn good.

December 26th I found myself looking out this window at 8:30 in the morning.

Maureen had a small set-back with a very low hemoglobin count so she was admitted to the hospital following a blood transfusion. After a year when I've had some disheartening experiences with healthcare workers, Zumelia, pictured with her back to me at her request, was a breath of fresh air!

She was so incredibly kind and gentle with Maureen; if I hadn't witnessed it with my own eyes I would find it hard to believe. Coming to Florida from Venezuela she was once a professional, but her options here were limited. That said, she kept saying how much she loved her job as a CNA and who am I to disagree? Maureen is back at Westminster, no longer anemic. :)

As I mentioned, we did very little however one day we went to Orlando Wetlands Park which they seemed to enjoy. I am always up for a birding excursion, so you know that I was happy. 

It's a bit of a strange place but there are gems to be seen if you keep a keen eye out which is what Jonathan is doing here.

Alissa and I had walked ahead, something that I regretted as soon as I learned that Jonathan saw some otters crossing the road!! I am happy to be able to show you a Purple Gallinule up close, unlike the ones I posted before when they were further away.

The days passed far too quickly but we are so grateful they were able to make the trip. Our last night together we tried going to Hawkers but none of us were up for a 45 minute wait, so instead we went to Mamak which did not disappoint. 

Then it was an early rising again for the Austin family, driven to the airport by the patriarch of our family, leaving the matriarch sound asleep. That said, I must have sensed their absence because I woke up at 5:30 to find them gone. Laundry ensued. 

While the decorations are still up, it won't be long before they too will be put away for another year. 

It was a good Christmas and really, the only thing that would have made it better was having Matt and Tom here with us. Extended family would have been good too. I've said it before and I suppose I will continue to do so, but gosh, having Facetime really is a blessing. 

Michelle is doing her best to make tomorrow's birthday into something in spite of my protestations. Do we really have to go out? Hurray...pizza will be in the house. Along with some good college football games!

your friend,

Gail

The Run Up to Christmas 2021

If there is one thing you know about me to be true it is my penchant for unbridled enthusiasm for things that bring me happiness.  I'm still promoting VFMY window where I continue to see the most beautiful winter scenes from around the world. I mean seriously, who would have thought with the click of a mouse, snow covered mountains in Italy to street scenes in Moscow would fill my computer screen? Seemingly that is as close to seeing snow that I will get for the foreseeable future. While it is tempting to say that our weather never changes here in Florida, aside from modest temperature fluctuations, that is not entirely true. Winter brings fog, not snow. I do love seeing it in the early morning.

Not every day mind you, because some days the sky is a beautiful abstract painting of bright colors. Then too, if you look closely you will see an airplane carrying passengers to our airport, a place I would not want to be in due to the crowds.

In the last six months or so airplane traffic has picked up steadily from the lows at the height of the pandemic. Jonathan and Alissa will be braving those airport crowds with what I expect aplomb. Following our trip to the mall yesterday I realize my tolerance for big crowds is almost nil.

As to mask wearing, it seemed to be, thankfully, fairly prevalent.  The Omicron variant cases are increasing rapidly here even amongst the vaccinated, so we are taking no chances and still wearing masks when shopping. Speaking of shopping, for the most part we do so in shops, however I made a splurge last week by ordering some new sheets from RedLand Cotton.

I'm not sure how I heard about them, but after being highly disappointed with the Brooklinen sheets I'd bought online two years ago after reading glowing reviews, it was with some skepticism that they would be an improvement. It must have been their story that convinced me because it is a good one as you can see above.

As it turns out they are starting life with us wonderfully, soft, with a good fit and a top sheet that is large enough to cover the whole mattress! I will report at a later date should that assessment change. 

Last Tuesday, after Hector helped Bruce load up the Subaru,

we delivered the food to the Conway United Methodist church food pantry. To say that they were delighted with the generosity of our residents is putting it mildly. We were very impressed with how they have turned what looked like must have a been a library into a place for those in need.

Charging toward us is Allison who heads up the volunteer group and as it so happens, used to be Bill's preschool teacher when he was four years old. Her first question was how is Billy? 

Fun fact about Allison is that her family went through a game show phase with her husband appearing on Wheel of Fortune, she being a three day Jeopardy champ, and the entire family being on Family Fued. Or was it Family Double Dare? How fun is that? Apparently they began the pantry when Covid hit and families with no income were really suffering. Apparently, many still are. 

Rather than playing pickleball Friday morning, Bruce took me to Lake Apopka Wildlife drive and it was absolutely perfect. I'd gone in the hopes of seeing reported Snow Geese and although we never saw a flock, we did see one chilling on the bank.

The last time I'd seen any was when we made this super fun trip for my birthday while living in Vancouver.  

Remember what I said about the weather changes? Ours are more subtle, but if you pay attention, you will discover how the sky is bluer and the air clearer in the winter. 

What was so beautiful about this visit is shown above. The great contrasts between the colors is extraordinary. Then too, we saw not one, but two Bald Eagles, a huge thrill.

If that were not enough, there were numbers of Glossy Ibis, a bird I rarely see. In the bright sunshine you can see where the name comes from.

Everyone's favorite bird sitting pretty.

It was a day for seeing birds we rarely see such as two Purple Gallinule in the marsh grass which is apparently much stronger than it looks.

Beautiful Fulvous Ducks along with Blue Teal Winged ducks.

A closer look at the Blue Teal ducks along with some American Coots which were very plentiful.

Often described as cinnamon colored, the  markings on the Fulvous ducks are very beautiful.

As you can imagine I was pretty much going crazy with excitement and then it got even better when we came across some Black Bellied Whistling ducks who lived up to their name while we were watching, made easier because unlike on Saturday or Sunday, the crowds were minimal meaning we did not have to rush. 

For whatever reason the drive is only open on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday which explains why I gave up a morning of pickleball! Nearing the end of the drive, oh my goodness, look how many of those beautiful ducks we saw lined up along the bank. The blue sky reflecting in the water was amazing as well. Oftentimes, when we come in the warmer months, the water is not nearly as clear so it was a spectacular sight to behold.

I realize many are reading this on a tiny screen which is a shame because the grandeur of the scene is lost in a photo that size, but as a wise men once said, "it is what it is." Finally, no visit is complete without a gator picture and while we saw 17 this trip, many of them HUGE, I liked all the contrasts in this shot.

Switching topics in a big way, the flowers in the narthex at church were gorgeous!

Mr. Peck has outdone himself this year in the wrapping department ,choosing to use only one paper.

Matt and Tom now know what to expect when they open the package we mailed! Their package arrived yesterday afternoon and in a first, it was opened before it arrived. Sadly, they unwrapped all of the packages. So weird.

I averted my eyes in order to have a Christmas surprise. He also wrapped Michelle's birthday gift.

His bows are so good no one really wants to open the packages, however she managed to at dinner here on Monday night. I asked her about a birthday cake, did she even want one and what kind? To my surprise she asked for a Red Velvet cake and that is what she got. In exciting news, this is the first time I've been able to use my stand mixer since late March, not of course because I did not want to, but because the strength in my hand was inadequate. Day by day it is improving.

I will admit it took me longer than it used to and frosting it was fraught with impending disaster as it is hard to keep the red crumbles invisible. While not perfect, it was appreciated.

In good news, should you need taper candles let me recommend the brand from Hobby Lobby. We watched in amazement as there were no drips at all. 

Why exactly was I surprised at her request when I know how much she loves Christmas and what better cake could there be?

Not only was it pretty, but the taste was sensational unlike other recipes I've tried from the internet. Silly me though, this morning when looking for my Christmas cookie recipes I came across a King Arthur recipe for RV cake which would have worked without the hassle of constantly tapping the iPad to keep the page open! That said, there are two tech savvy young people heading our way tomorrow evening who will set us straight on all things digital. Thank goodness!

We are anxiously awaiting their arrival, having not seen them in so long! Oh my goodness. We were slated to visit Austin in March 2020 to see them and go to a Mavericks concert, however, as was the case for many people during those uncertain early days of Covid-19, we canceled that trip. Here's hoping this Christmas will resemble some sense or normality even though we are mourning the absence of Matt and Tom.

Merry Christmas to all of my much appreciated loyal readers!

your friend,

Gail

p.s. While putting the labels on this post RV cake came up so I checked that post and not only is there cake to read about but OMG, the owl pictures. What an amazing time that was. 

Not Quite as Happy Holidays as We Were Hoping For

Observant readers might notice that this happy holiday saying has crept into my blog titles for weeks now. Curiously, I rarely use that phrase, so where it has come from I cannot say. And no, I am not inviting debate over using Merry Christmas versus Happy Holidays! At any rate, what we thought was going to be an amazing Christmas has taken a different path. Yup, Covid strikes again. 

A few weeks ago, while looking for something to replace the beautiful roses on our dining table I went to Ross just up the street. Normally I am not one to be attracted to signs that say something like, "live, love, laugh", or any other trite phrase you can think of, but on this occasion I saw something along those lines that just felt right for this year. I asked Bruce to hang it by the front door because it would be the first thing our far-flung family would see when they finally arrived after more than two years.

Well my friends, it was not meant to be. Perhaps we were succumbing to wishful thinking? Sadly, Matt and Tom called via Facetime yesterday afternoon to tell me (Bruce was out fishing) that they had made the difficult decision to stay in London for Christmas. Measures are being taken in the UK as the Omicron varient of the virus is spreading fast in spite of vaccinations. Are people dying like last year? No they are not because of the vaccines. That does not mean it is not wreaking havoc though. In the unlikely event that they contracted the virus while visiting here, they would need to quarantine in the US for 14 additional days which would not only be inconvenient, but expensive as well. Then too, during the week they were meant to be here, worries about it would dampen their enthusiasm for celebrating in the usual fashion. While understandable, there is HUGE disappointment on both sides of the Atlantic.

I was so looking forward to Matt's delight when he saw the ornaments he's given me over the years from his world travels on the tree.

Another disappointment, unrelated to Christmas is that our tree is dropping fronds like mad. So much so that whereas just two weeks ago I could not see the sky, now it is easily visible with a noticeable difference in light on the porch.

At first I thought Bruce had trimmed some of the top again, leaving the fronds in the garden, however, that notion was quickly quelled as more and more fronds appeared. We are watching in horror, wondering how long it will last.

Yet another disappointment is that a woman I've never met died yesterday. She was a dear friend of our friend Ann and had been sick for a while, however, when the inevitable finally happens, it is no less sad. Ann introduced her to my blog a few years ago and there has been no bigger supporter of this space than Barbara. Maybe an exaggeration, but still, when it was posted on Facebook she was always quick to make positive comments. I will miss her kindness to a stranger.

With all the negativity out of the way, let's get into the spirit of the season, shall we?

Our community has done a toy drive for the last few years and this year I suggested we add a food drive as well. I went to the office yesterday to see how generous our residents have been and was so pleased.

This afternoon Bruce and I will deliver the food in order for the volunteers at Conway United Methodist church to stock the pantry before it opens in the morning.

There is another huge box on the floor adjacent to this bench that is going to be very heavy!

Who amongst us does not love these? 

Keith gave it to me the other day and it is dancing on the windowsill as I type. :)

Bruce did a little revamping of my pathetic attempt to make this little grouping look cute.

Speaking of Keith, he and Patty took us out for a wonderful Christmas treat on Saturday night. He's about ten years younger so does not mind driving at night like we do which was such a blessing because otherwise we would not have been able to experience the magical scenes in downtown Winter Garden which is lit up like a Hallmark movie!

There were lit up trees galore, decorated golf carts and a gaily lit firetruck roaming down Plant Street. 

Unfortunately, most of the photos I took looked kind of like this one.

I am just terrible when it comes to taking the time to get my photos right when I am with other folks! Seriously, if you live in Central Florida and don't mind driving at night, it is so worth your time to see the charming downtown. Then, you too can have your picture taken in this perfect little setting. Thankfully Keith, who took photos while with the Sheriff department, did a much better job with my camera than I did!

On the drive home we stopped at the amazing light display on Clemwood,

where, if you can imagine, they have added even more lights, explained in the sign below.

Again, it is a sight worth seeing if you can. Speaking with the creators of this magical experience, they said it took 32 days to put up 500,000 lights!! 

Another super neat display on Newcastle in my childhood neighborhood.

From there we drove by Bill and Fallon's house to see how pretty it is.

Because of space limitations here, Matt and Tom were meant to spend their nights here. Alas....

The last time Matt and Tom were in America it was the absolute beginning of the pandemic which I have documented in this post from March 9, 2020. Not only does it detail the beginning of their trip, but re-reading it, I discovered I also wrote about the first time playing pickleball!! At the time I did not even know that it is one word and should not be capitalized. Should you not click on the link, he was my post conclusions:

Doing all that we can, while we can....that is unless that darn Coronavirus turns the world upside down!

There is absolutely nothing like having a blog with real time stories. Writing that then, it is unimaginable that nearly 800,000 Americans have lost their lives since that time. Yes indeed, that darn Coronavirus has turned the world upside down.

Jonathan and Alissa will now have us to theirselves when they arrive on the 23rd. So that is some happy news because we have not seen them for two years either. 

Our hearts are so sad, however, the message of Christmas, hope for today and hope for tomorrow, keeps us going, albeit with just a little less joy.

your friend,

Gail

p.s. Still going crazy about View from My Window....here is a super feel good story that I think you will enjoy reading.