Wow, it's been two or three weeks. Here's the rundown...
Update: It's been 3 or 4 weeks now... Pretend this is one week after the Thanksgiving week...
My finger that got sliced due to a scathing rotary blade incident has healed and is good as new.
Meri's kitten, Bish, rallied and then ultimately died. Meri was heartbroken. Bish was buried in one of Meri's many, abandoned in my garage, jewelry boxes that had a lion painted on top. It's what Bish had aspired to be. She and I buried Bish behind her garage and I'm so glad the ground was not frozen yet!
I've developed a Lipoma on my back. Luckily Maddy is a huge fan of the Pimple Popping show, so maybe I'll have her help me out during Christmas break! *I'm kidding!!!* *maybe*
I caught the flu somewhere in the last few weeks and with any luck, have not passed it onto my extended family.
Our family Thanksgiving 8 days ago, was very quiet. Maddy and Matthew were in Michigan visiting his grandparents so Meri, my mother-in-law, Robb and I were there and that's it. Well, unless you count Ryan and Jen, who were leaving for her mom's but weren't going to eat until 3:30. They stuck around for a quick turkey/gravy snack on paper plates while the rest of us used china.
Robb and I spent the rest of the day getting ready for Friday's shindig and I got beds made.
We hosted our many annual Thanksgivings for my mom's side of the family exactly one week ago today. Robb picked up the boy early from his mom's and I ran my Thanksgiving final shopping trip which involves picking up the rootbeer keg from the liquor store. As well as dropping off all the items from home to the hall. We had gotten a bunch of hamburger cooked up for sloppy joes for anyone who came early enough for lunch too. Had that in a crock pot with fixings along side.
My brother suggested some new things to get people talking more. You get 80 people together and everyone kind of settles into their own tables and talks to their own personal families the whole time... REALLY?! Let's MINGLE people! His suggestion was to pass on knowledge to the next generation and/or share your passions in a presentation sort of way.
So at 3pm, a good chunk of people were there already. Tables were put out and covered and kids were playing cards with their siblings. We had three presentations lined up for the afternoon and since I was ready first, I set up at an open table and got on it.
I called everyone over and did a demonstration on how to make pillow cases. I had a few cut out already and didn't want to lug my sewing machine up there, so I had them already done in stages.
"So you cut the fabric in these sizes and iron these two in half."
"Then you position them this way and that way and pin." showing them how to pin.
Then as if I was in a cooking show, I put the pinned one under the table and pulled out one that still had pins in it, but I'd stitched down the seam. voila!
I pulled the pins out and turned it right side out impressing the throngs.
Showed them how to sew the side and bottom seams by just a lot of pointing and explanations and then showed them what the final product looked like.
Luke and Sydney, who were married a month before, said, "Hey! That's what we got for our wedding!" yep! satin pillowcases are the best to keep your heads cool and from what I hear, good to minimize wrinkles! who knew?
I also had done flannel pillowcases.
A little while later, my sister Tammy, pulled out her griddle and showed everyone how to make lefsa. It looks SO easy! I'll have to try my hand at making our own again this year. I think I screwed up the recipe last time I tried it. The crowds loved hers! She gave out samples.
THEN the last presentation was Meri's. She sat for a while and chopped veggies and meats and then when she was ready, she showed everyone how to make sushi. I was beckoned to the kitchen and missed out on a sample. The crowd loved Meri's too since she gave out sushi samples!
I guess I should have given out pillowcases...
A nephew brought his Espresso maker again this year and he or his son made everyone cappuccinos, lattes, coffees, whatever they wanted. I had also made 60 cups of coffee in a pot and I think dumped 55 cups into the sink. I won't make that much next year, unless he's not able to make it.
My grand-nephew with his get up.
The meal went well and everyone got fed lots.
Anyone who wore an apron got to be first in line to eat! Then later at the talent show, the apron wearers got a Twin Bing bar! YUM!!!!
My brother had his kid table again so the kids helped themselves while the grown ups feasted on the real food! In the past, the littles would load up their plates with mashed potatoes and suddenly the adults would run out. No matter HOW much we had made... The children's eyes are bigger than their stomachs. Shoot. I didn't get a pic of the kids table. But here is the big kids table, mostly laden with food. ALMOST ready...
For the talent show, Robb read Maddy's kindergarten recipe book to everyone. He got the giggles so bad, he had to take a break to calm down and wipe his eyes clear before continuing.
Leon and his bestie cousin, Skylar, did the floss dance. We're so proud.
Meri had worked up enough nerve to sing, as I always beg my kids to do, but suddenly an aunt and cousin got up for everyone to sing Christmas songs at the end of the show. She missed her opportunity. But still wants credit for almost wanting to.
Our MC for the evening. Nephew in law. He did a great job and must have saved up the jokes for that night!
My mom's remaining siblings got up to sing a Christmas carol that they'd learned when they were little.
So moving! I'm not sure when I'll see these folks again. It's getting
tougher and tougher for them to come out to the reunion.
Everyone helped clean up and we were out of the hall by 10! The first few times, we were there til 11:30. We all know what we're doing now!
A lot of family who stayed in town that night, came over for breakfast before leaving town. Robb got up early to make a ton of pancakes and everything else. I got a coffee pot going for another 60 cups and a big drink dispenser ready for water. And unloaded lots of things from a chilled off car from the night before.
By lunch time all the family had gone except my sister Tammy and a few of her kids that came with her from Kentucky. She washed up all the dishes and then we went over to Meri's for more sushi. After that she went on a Christmas train ride with her kids and grandkids. I stayed at Meri's to try the suit jacket on Meri's friend Josh. It fit "ok" but some tweaks needed to be done. Isn't the fabric a hoot?
To date, a week later, I've got the jacket MOSTLY done. Needs the lapels, hem and sleeve hems. He's going to try the real deal on tomorrow and I'll probably have more mods to make. But we'll see. So far it's fair quality. I had screwed up on a shoulder and thought, eh... SO this isn't the best (shrugging my shoulders). Meri didn't' like that answer so I pulled out my seam ripper and fixed it. repeatedly. Now it is the best. He did pay me with Hurts Donuts... So I better give him his moneys worth... they were good.
Saturday night, Tammy and clan came back for supper and we played Jimmy Fallon's Boxes of Lies. What a blast that was! It's so refreshing to slam the table and point at someone and cry out LIAR!!! without being treated like a crazy person like I normally am.
Earlier this week, we found out that Duke might be in his last days. The girls were heartbroken again. He's thirteen human years old and is in so much pain just trying to stand up. Apparently he cried during the night this week and Maddy got so upset. A neighbor didn't help when he saw Maddy and Duke sitting on their front stoop and he offered up stories about his animals before they died...
...
Since then, Matthew took Duke to the vet and he's on several different meds to help alleviate his symptoms. YAY! Duke's going to be around a bit longer!!!
I'm SO glad! Duke is such a good boy.
Robb's company party is tonight. He thought maybe I'd make something new to wear to it and WHEN would I have had the time?! The only time I don't have anything planned is 1:30-2:45am each day. And really that time is even filled. That's when I usually wake up and worry about stuff. If I pulled out sewing things, it would just wake everyone up.
He's busy working on the annual Christmas letter this week in his spare time. A nephew from this past weekend told him that they loved his Christmas letter and look forward to it every year. An aunt also said that. Robb sometimes thinks that no one really likes it and this is exactly the encouragement he needed. I know it will be tough to write this year though. It's been a bad year emotionally.
Update 2: the jacket (after many tweaks and swear words) fit Josh perfectly! He felt like a "crazy cat lady" James Bond. Will show you a video of him in it at a later date. This is the MOSTLY done stage. I didn't get it completely done until the button was sewn on three times on Saturday, the morning of his company party.
Update 3: Duke is still hanging on, but he is almost 13 human years old. Apparently that is REALLY old in dog years. Can't wait to see him (as well as Maddy and Matthew) at Christmas time!
Whew! Lots more to blog about, and I think about things from time to time as Oh hey! I could write a post about that! But then time gets away from me. Every free minute is either housework, sewing or eating. Not necessarily in that order.
I hope you all had a wondering Thanksgiving and are enjoying the Christmas festivities!
1 comment:
I love the Christmas letter. He is an excellent writer and keeps me laughing.
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