Flowers for Friday

I have hellebores in bloom (Lenten Rose). It always blooms during winter, but January seems really early. Perhaps that's due to our mild temperatures.

These are in my little white garden that I can see outside of our bedroom window. It's kind of a nice surprise since it looks bit barren at this time of year.

The white ones have been in bloom for over a week now. 

The pink ones are just starting to bloom. 

Well, that's all I have in bloom at the moment.

Ten Things Thursday

How about some beautiful snow pictures today? I grew up in St. Louis where we got a lot of snow. A. Lot! Nashville, not so much. We're lucky if we get a few inches every year. Now we're nearing mid-January and we haven't had so much as a flake. If we're going to have any snow this year, there's not much time left. Considering we've had temperatures in the 60's this week, it's not in the forecast. Don't get me wrong, I like these mild temperatures--sweather weather. But I do miss a good snow. There's something about sitting in front of the fireplace and seeing the snow outside. Instead, I'll have to settle for these pictures and just dream about it.

This looks like the road to my grandparents house in Barnhart, MO.

This looks like it could be in Central Park in New York. We've been there many times during the winter, but other than cold, we have not experienced a heavy snow. That's probably a good thing.

A few of these pictures look like they are either paintings or manufactured. Still, they are pretty.

Now this would be a sight to see.

Okay, this looks good, but can you imagine living here? How the heck do you clean up that snow in order to use your boat?

If you've had some pretty snow where you are, send me the pictures and I'll share them!

What I Buy Wednesday

It's been one week since New Year's Eve. 

Ordinarily, we don't do anything. This year we had plans. Or I should say, we made plans. We invited Stephanie, Mindy and the boys over for a steak and lobster dinner AND--as I was selling it to them--elevated sides!

The boys do the grilling as they know exactly how they like their steaks. 

Butch came up with the headlamp so Justin could see in the dark!

Along with the steak and lobster, we had twice-baked potatoes, lima beans--Sandy's recipe, a salad of Bibb lettuce, mozzarella pearls and grape tomatoes with creamy Caesar dressing along with yeast rolls. I bought a Red Velvet Cake for dessert. It was all good and so easy! Everyone loved the red velvet except me. In my opinion, my mother's recipe is the best I've ever had--but I haven't made it since the 70's. It's a scratch cake and rather involved. I did not want to spend the day in the kitchen! I do need to make it sometime to see if I still like it as much as I remember.

One problem, the lima beans were way too spicy. I've made them before and must have cut down on the cayenne pepper. I've changed it on the recipe card now. They have such a good flavor. There was enough leftover for everyone to take home--the steaks and the lobsters were huge!

Clean-up was simple as everything (except my Waterford crystal) could go in the dishwasher. 

After dinner, we played a new game that Jordan and Robbie introduced us to over Christmas. 

It wasn't long before Nicky was complaining that he couldn't hold all of the cards. What? It was only 12!! Well, except if you had to pick up the pile. But he never had that many--just 15 in this picture. Still, I was able to come to his rescue with the cardholders I bought for my 98 yr. old bridge friend. 

I brought them to her, but she didn't like using it. Now, about a week ago, she asked me if I would get her one. I looked at Connie--I couldn't remember if I even kept them. Turns out I did. Now I have one for her and one for Nicky!!

I'm so glad I can help out "old" people!! 

We had a great time. Steph and Nicky spent the night, so was watched the Ball drop in NYC and the Music Note drop in Nashville. I fixed a big breakfast the next morning before we sent them on their way!

Happy New Year everyone!!!

Me on Monday

Omgosh! Omgosh! Let me emphasize that OMGOSH!!

Some people just have to go and ruin things for everybody. Or, maybe I’m the one who did it. 

I’ve always listened to my friends complain, gripe, and grouse about the colonoscopy prep. All, except for me. Instead, perhaps I came across as bragging (as much as you can brag about a colonoscopy) because unlike them, I did not have to drink the 5 gallons of stuff! Instead, I was able to take “the pills” and only drink about a gallon of liquid. 

Well, bless my soul! I’m getting ready to pay for it! It’s been 10 years since my last procedure so, I’m due. I went on Friday (Happy New Year to me!) for the pre-procedure appointment. Lo and behold, the doctor I’ve had for the other two—spanning 20 years, has retired. Now I have a new guy. I was informed that he “doesn’t do” the pills! What! Turns out, people didn’t follow the directions. They didn’t drink the amount they were supposed to which ended up causing kidney damage! What the H***! That should be on them! Now everyone is being punished. Okay, in fairness, it’s not just this new doc. Apparently it’s across the board—no more pills. They have stopped producing them. I guess there were lawsuits involved. 

Oh well. So now I have to join my friends in the prep from H***! Except, I’m really being punished. The rules have changed. 

Here’s what I have to do:

5 days before:

    no red meat 

    no raw fruits or vegetables 

    no corn

    vegetable skins or fruit skins

    no salad

    no oatmeal

    no beans 

    no seeds or nuts

    only white pasta--what does that even mean? All pasta is sort of yellow-ish, isn't it?

Starting the day before, I have to have a liquid diet--pretty much the same as before--until I start the prep. After that, nothing. (Side note: that's why I always choose the first appointment of the day). 

What I have to buy (holy smokes, it's a lot):

     2 bottles Miralax

    4 (5 mg) tablets of Ducolax laxative tablets (not stool softeners)

    3-28 oz. bottles of Gatorade (no red or purple)

    1 bottle of Magnesium Citrate

    

So you tell me. Did I do this to myself with my bragging? Maybe I was due for a “comeuppance!” Now, I'm actually kind of sacred! That's what I get for scoffing at all my friends who claimed that the prep was so terrible. In fact, one of my friends (okay, it's Connie) says that she is never going to have another no matter what her doctor says. 

Pray for me!

Something for Sunday

Today I thought I would post my December "by the numbers." It was a busy month, but I still had a lot of time at home. I spent much of that time working on my "December Daily" project. I'm just about finished and have loved every minute of it. I'm pretty sure I'll take it on again next year. But that time definitely took away from my reading!

December by the Numbers: (29 for the year)

Movies Seen: 9

****Eternity

*The Christmas Writer

***Hamnet

****Ella McKay

*****Nuremberg

****Zootopia

*****David

*****Song Sung Blue

*****The Housemaid

Books Read—8 (147 for the year)

5 star books this month:

  Atomic Habits

  Don’t Let Her Stay (Book Club)

  The Collective (A)

  My Grandfather Would have Shot Me

  The Stolen Girls

  Nobody’s Girl

  We Did Okay Kid

Podcasts & Ted Talks (11)

Classes (25)

Lunch Out—13

Dinner Out:—6

Bridge—2

Documentaries/Movies/Series  

TV Specials:

*****70th Disney Anniversary

*****End of an Era: Taylor Swift

***CMA Country Christmas

*****The First Christmas

*****Taylor Swift documentary 

*****Taylor Swift Style documentary

****Gaslight

Netflix :

*****Being Eddie

House of Guiness

*****Death by Lightning (4 episode)

****Breakdown: 1975

***Murder in Monaco

*****The Best You Can

*****The Crooked House

*****In Waves and War

Prime:

****A British Scandal (6 episodes)

****Ball of Fire

*****If You Believe

***Mr. Christmas

****Hollywood Rivals (1 episode)

*****One Special Night

***A Snow Globe Christmas

****A Norman Rockwell Christmas

****Life With Father

*****Dickensian (10 episodes)

*****Eloise at Christmastime

****My Man Godfrey

****Christmas Switch

*****The Family Stone

*****To Olivia

*A Christmas for the Ages

*****Enchantment

**Made for Each Other

*****Red One

****Zootopia

*****Penny Serenade

****A Christmas Wish

****Indiscrete

Paramount Plus:

*****Landman (4 episodes)

*****Shutter Island

Scrapbook Pages Completed:

Working on my December Daily—just about every day—completed Day 19 by New Year’s Eve

Trips & Events:

Little Big Town at the Ryman

Mindy’s birthday!

Sarah Brightman

Ornament Exchange 

Happy Hour here & Poker Dinner/Richland

Dinner with Stephanie and Nicky at Char

Took Betty and Louise to lunch at the Green Hills Grill

Dickens Party

New Year’s Eve Steak & Lobster dinner

Went to Atlanta for our Christmas with the Lapps family.

Scrapbook Saturday

I'm still working on my December Daily album. I'm up to date 20 now and hope to finish it off in the next week. Once I do, I'll post the whole thing. 

I create a huge mess when I'm working. 

I've done some hand-stitching and spent a good amount of time with my sewing machine too. I'm starting to feel comfortable with it--finally!

Happy New Year

So are you the type to make resolutions? I'm sort of 50/50 on that. Some years I've done it and others--not. Was I successful? Sometimes, but definitely not always. I'm trying to decide if I'm going to set one or two this year. I have a couple things in mind, but if I do it, I want to really commit. I have to figure out if I will do that. We'll see. Today's the day, so I better make up my mind!!

In the meantime, this sounds like a very good way to start off the new year.