Friday, November 21, 2014

Pre-Thanksgiving Chatter

 It's Bill's birthday and I'm staying home all day until dinnertime.  We're going over to Kelli's to celebrate! I spent some time in the kitchen baking the "cake" but it turns out I bought two brownie mixes instead of cake mixes.  Drat.  I WAS going to make two sheet cakes and put chocolate pudding between the layers.  Now, it'll be brownie sundaes.  The grownups never want cake but the grands will love all the chocolate goodness.
 Thanksgiving is just around the corner!  Do you bake your pies early?  I never do, but Birdie and Miss Bug told me they love pie (pumpkin and lemon meringue) so I'm more motivated now.  What's your favorite part of the feast?  Mine is the potatoes and gravy. 
 I like to place pastry leaf shapes on the open-faced pies.  The leaves are hanging in funny places in the kitchen!
 Whatcha drinking?  Here's what we're drinking today.  Detox water: mint, cucumbers, and lemons soaked in a pitcher of water all night (in the refrigerator).  YUMMY!
 And speaking of water.  I LOVE annotating my books and taking my time to read something a second time in order to learn and observe the author's skills (and great imagination!)  This book is VERY worthy of careful reading.  
 Now that we're inside more, I'm grateful for polka dotted things.  
 Gourds!  Do you love them?
 You can tell that I am snapping around with my big camera.  Here  is the wall in my study.  Can you see my little granny eating her dinner?  How about my parents and sibs? My friend Lisa's artwork?  Betty's? Gladys?  My Susan Branch collection?
 Oh my goodness!  My sewing machine (38 years young) was held ransom at the repair shop (not really) because fixing it cost a fortune.  I can't bear to tell you how much I paid, but I am so thankful for her little fixed self now.  The man at the repair store (millionaire, I'm guessing) said that there aren't very many of these good old machines around and that seamstresses are looking to buy them.  Oh, okay.
 My desk is full of stuff.  I can't seem to clear things away.  I don't know where to put them.  I like "the coach" because someone gave it to my dad. He was a basketball coach when he was young.  I like having a coach at my writing desk.

Some wise person (I'm not sure who) said you should KNIT EVERY DAY, even if it's just a few rows.  I have been!
As the feast day draws near, I'm VERY thankful.  I'm thankful for my Bill and our kids, in-law kids, and the grands.  I'm thankful for my mama and my sibs. I'm thankful for very nice friends. I'm thankful for you.

21 comments:

happyone said...

A very Happy Birthday to Bill. Enjoy your night out.
I like your colorful cups.
I usually drink water, but a cup of tea, diet coke are other things I like too. Oh yeah and hot chocolate on cold days. : )
I'm not one to use a sewing machine but I do like to knit and working on a baby sweater now.

Anonymous said...

A very happy birthday to your Bill. I'm sure your brownie sundaes will be a hit! Don't tell anyone but I don't bake pies. I ask someone else to bring pies. My favorite is a combo of turkey with stuffing and some brown sugar buttered yams all in one bite!
We are having our family Thanksgiving meal together tomorrow. So my house will smell like Thanksgiving by 11:00 tomorrow. Have a wonderful party and a wonderful weekend.

TexWisGirl said...

my next door neighbor's sister makes those two batches of brownie mix by adding a layer of hershey's chocolate bars between them, then baking. YUM!

Farm Girl said...

Your wonderful chatty posts make me happy. I like your happy every day things. I think having things we love around us makes us feel more settled and at home.
I am so glad you are having a nice party tonight.
I am sure it will be the best time.
I think I need to get out a yarn basket and knit every day. I used to knit when I was with child. It always helped me to think of other ladies in ages past waiting and knitting.
I love all of the bright colors you surround yourself with.
Have a fun evening. Happy Birthday to Bill. My favorite?
Not cooking the next day. :) Oh food you mean, mmm I don't know if I have a favorite.

Granny Marigold said...

I've done that... buy Brownie mix instead of choc. cake. I baked today but my results are often "iffy" since I don't always follow instructions. *smile* Happy birthday wishes to your hubby.

Julia said...

Happy Birthday to Bill. Enjoy your dinner celebration.

I love everything about my Thanksgiving turkey dinner with all the trimmings but my favorite is the dressing. I make a big pan of dressing because everyone love dressing so much.

I love knitting and should start to knit again. I have lots of wool so a few rows a day would all add up.

Hugs,
JB

Hugs,
JB

Anonymous said...

Have a wonderful party! I like brownies better than cake, of course. I like your bb coach, too, because my dear FIL was a college bb coach!

It would be good for me to knit a little every day. I may go get my knitting out right now and just do some random knit and purl just so I don't forget. When I'm knitting I can't be eating, at least ;-)

Gumbo Lily said...

Happy Birthday Bill! I love brownie sundaes (with a cherry on top)! I sometimes request them for my own birthday.

Thanksgiving favorite: dressing and gravy.

I only like two kinds of pies: hot and cold! I can't wait for pumpkin pie with REAL whipped cream. Mmmmm.

Wishing you a joyful Thanksgiving with your lovies.

Bonnie said...

Have a wonderful weekend Karen. I hope the birthday celebration goes well. What's not to like about brownies!!! Oh and I love the sweet potatoes (and the potatoes and gravy). The more marshmallows the better. No gourmet sweet potatoes for me. I am very attached to the SWeet potatoes of my childhood.

Elderberry-Rob said...

The iced drink looks very refreshing -there's a lot of colour in your house - I like the leaf shapes - I would like to make leaf shaped biscuits and clay leaf garlands to hang up. Your book looks interesting. I was so pleased to notice you kept the little picture I did - to think it travelled with the Willows all the way round the world! Betty x

Tessa~ Here there be musing said...

Happy Birthday to your Bill!!!

The family gathers at one of our sons now, for Thanksgiving. So I don't get stressed out. :-)

Except to make an Apple Pie, which he will surely request. The whole family loves my Apple Pies. Which is lovely, but I hate to make 'em. -grin-

ann said...

You always bring a smile because you are just so happy, random, cheerful, pleasant. I am thankful to have met you and to be able to call you "friend." Happy Thanksgiving."

Happy@Home said...

Happy Birthday to Bill. I trust you all had an enjoyable party.
I had made a mental note to look for a copy of The Scent of Water and I'm happy to report I found it at the thrift shop today. I look forward to reading it carefully.
I just donated my mom's old sewing machine. It was probably from the late 60s or early 70s. I finally had to admit that I'm not going to use it. I do hope someone was excited to find it.

Kezzie said...

I do enjoy your posts!! You exude positivity and beauty!!! I like the sound of your health water, must try this!! Hurrah for the polka dots!!! X

Maggie said...

Belated happy birthday to Bill. As always I loved seeing all your homely pics! I'm sure that's right about doing a bit of knitting everyday...time to relax even just for a few minutes. X

Maggie said...

At this time of year I always enjoy reading about the different ways that my friends celebrate Thanksgiving.
Although it's not a holiday that we Brits have I usually pick up one or two recipes or ideas to use at Christmastime. Lovely post!

Sue McPeak said...

Brownies for Bill...perfect...I bet he will think so too. So Happy is this post that I am SMILING. Good for you knitting a row or two everyday. I should, but lately, I have been on a scarf crochet binge. Wow, your ole gal singer is a beauty...and a collectors item. Good that it could be repaired at any cost...parts for them are getting harder to find as folks are keeping their old gals. I love my Featherweight...worth it's weight in gold these days, but to me PRICELESS. Happy Thanksgiving to you and all yours!
Sue at CollectInTexas Gal

Thistle Cove Farm said...

Bill, Happy birthday and may you have many more in good health and happiness.

Karen, love your Susan Branch collection and I'm making chocolate pecan and apple pies for Thanksgiving. One is going to Mary's and the rest are being delivered to people who help me throughout the year. I'm thankful for kindness shown to me.
I do knit, daily, although Arthur is giving me a fit recently.

Leslie said...

Oh, wonderful homey post, PomPOm. I love the dressing and gravy, the cranberry sauce and the stuffed celery. I start eating the celery way before the meal. Many blessings on your holiday.

Amy at love made my home said...

Happy Birthday Bill! I hope that you have enjoyed your knitting this weekend! xx

M.K. said...

Good for you, knitting each day. I'm weary with knitting, a bit, but eager for the quiet winter months when handwork is a pleasure and not a rush :)

I miss reading Goudge. I may order that book for myself for Christmas. I loved the other two books by her I read. The plots really tend to stick with you!

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