Middle aged musings from farm & hearth
..just a little like Christmas. Because… Thanksgiving Dinner is at another family members house this year. And.. I do a lot of decorating for the holidays. So… why not get a head start? Although.. I feel like I’ve betrayed Thanksgiving just a little.
I did make that chocolate pumpkin cheesecake for tomorrow’s dessert and it looks wonderful. Not hard to make either.. recipe HERE.
Do you prepare or appreciate a traditional Thanksgiving Feast? or do you sometimes Step Out Of The Box? My menu doesn’t usually stray too far from the traditional… Turkey and sometimes a spiral ham if we’re having a large crowd – mashed sweet potatoes and mashed white potatoes, corn spoon bread, green been casserole, stuffing – I’ve varied the recipe from year to year – Cranberry relish from Harry & David (OMG- awesomeness. I eat it with a spoon right out of the jar, yes I do). Pumpkin pie and apple pie with vanilla ice cream.
This year, dinner will be served at my SIL’s house. I am in charge of desserts and I’m stepping out of the box. Since this family is a chocolate loving crowd, I am making the chocolate pumpkin cheesecake I posted a few days ago… and a big bowl of Death By Chocolate. YUM. (photo courtesy google)
We’ve been talking about trading in my car because the miles were getting up there and it was in need of “stuff”. It was either invest in the new “stuff it needed, or get into a new car before the trade-in value went to the floor. I started looking at the different models available, and since the Volvo had served me well for quite a while as a dependable car and a solid ride, I thought I might do the same thing again. Until I talked to the dealership. When I bought it years ago, Ford was an owner in Volvo. That’s no longer true – China now has a hand in it. I have nothing against the Chinese, but I really want to buy American where I can. After doing more research I initially decided I didn’t like anything in the mid- size SUV range that wasn’t a gas guzzler… and so I decided to keep the partially Ford manufactured Volvo for now.
But then… then… I saw it. The Jeep of my dreams. (Actually that’s the Wrangler, but my arthritic neck begs to differ.) My son and I took the Overland for a ride and I loved it instantly. I drove home all excited about finding something I really liked, and it wasn’t crazy expensive, and it’s AMERICAN… and the gas mileage was better than my Volvo! I was doing a Happy Dance, people!
I was met with ..
HIM: “What, …NOW? No.. now’s not a good time.
ME: But… three weeks ago was a good time?!….what happened in three weeks?
HIM: I just bought a much needed snow-removing tractor for the jobsite and there’s no way we can swing a new car now. You decided you didn’t want anything new, remember?… so I bought the tractor for work.
I had a Jeep when we were first married. I kept it for six years. Absolutely loved it madly. When our family grew and we needed more room, I had to trade it in for something better suited. On our way to the dealership, I had to pull over. I sobbed like a baby, not wanting to let go of my beloved Jeep.
Back to the present – So I went about my business for the past few weeks, admittedly pining for the Jeep I wasn’t going to get. Last Thursday I went up to college girls campus to bring her home for the weekend. Because she had another date Because she wanted to spend more quality time with her folks.
On the way back I got a call from Mike.
HIM: in an aggravated voice – You gotta come pick me up, my truck died after picking up the tractor as I was getting on the Highway. I’m in Saybrook. I’m gonna have the tow truck driver drop me off where the dealerships are, right next to the highway entrance.
ME: The truck died??… OK, will be there in 20 minutes. Which dealership? You might as well meander over to the Jeep dealer and look at the one I was drooling over!
HIM: again in an aggravated voice – I’m not looking at the freak’n Jeep, but actually that’s the closest so that’s where I’ll be. Hurry up, we have to go to the garage and see what’s wrong with my truck.
So, we get to dealership row to pick up the Man. I see him talking to the salesman I had talked to, and they are looking at the inside of a Dodge Ram truck in the showroom. I walk in, dismayed that they apparently haven’t even glanced at the Jeeps. I walk RIGHT PAST the black beloved Jeep … (which had been brought inside and had a big red bow on the hood).
He talks more about the truck with Kyle Salesman, and then we start walking out. I make him stop and atleast please LOOK at the Jeep, there’s one in the SHOWROOM, for cripes sake. He glances over and says… ” it’s OK. Maybe next year.” And keeps walking.
So, I’m a high-rev person, which is great for getting things done, but kinda wreaks a little havoc on your body as you start to get (ahem)…OLDER. I’ve been told I oughta try yoga by more than a few professionals, to calm my little self down. The whole idea of Yoga has always been alittle off-putting for me…The chanting, the sweating, the poses (I am sooooo un-bendy) the Ooooms flowing through the Chackra.. or whatever. And there are so many different kinds! Sitting still with my restless mind, clearing my head of worrisome thoughts seems just… well, impossible. However I’ve come to the point where somethings gotta give, so I’m going to give it a try. Every day. Whether I like it or not.
I’ve even bought two little Buddhas to put in my Betta bowls, just to go with the new energy flow here at This Old House.
I can’t take a “class” because of my hearing impairment – (can’t hear the instructor) so I’ll try it at home with a DVD – atleast here I can learn the routine by watching, and then get it right hopefully by repetition. If you’ve had experience with Yoga, and in particular Yoga for the yoga-impaired, let me know about it in the comments section below. My friend Lynn has recommended some good beginner tapes… I welcome any advice ~
We have a family of young red tail hawks living around this old house. Frequently I see them gliding through the fields, perched in the trees, sometimes five at a time. They’ve got their eye on my chickens, I know this for sure. My husband hears them late at night, screeching in the trees over the house. We finally figured out through research what the noise was.
I’ve been trying to get photos of them, but they remain elusive when I show up with the camera.
I may have posted about this guy last year, but I’m too lazy this morning to look through the archives. Have you ever heard of Andy Goldsworthy? ” (born 26 July 1956) – a British sculptor, photographer and environmentalist producing site-specific sculpture and land art situated in natural and urban settings. He lives and works in Scotland.”
