Daring December

[Snoopy56]

Good morning....

Slept soooo well, I have been really tired! I had to stay over at work, then we went out to eat and shopped. Too much in one day for me. Shopping again this afternoon, I want to get it over with. Really cold here and we got a dusting of snow, so winter is here with all the needed warm clothes. I think the colder weather is one reason I have been so tired, that is OK, I am AF and able to get real rest.

Pauly, hope you feel better, this is a busy time year, so self care is really important.

Cyn, I had a short hair cut for years and loved it, know you will like the change, how fun. Have fun this weekend.

Lav, staying busy and out of trouble. Have fun with your visitors?

Dill, my friend's son has been using for over 15 years, in and out of prison and jail, and still lying about his use, so there is not any hope. Honesty is the key and if you don't have that, there is no hope. It is always someone's fault, not his. I am truly sick of it, although feel badly about the entire situation. My son is doing OK, how about yours? So lucky to have your grandkids this weekend, I don't get to see mine, darn it. We are all too busy and it is an hour away, so we'll have to wait.

Lizann, so great you are participating on our thread, hope your doing well.

Have a good one.

[dill]

Cyn, I haven't decorated very much here. Like you I am having a hard time catching the spirit. Maybe today...

Liz, we have had live trees every Christmas but this one. We are not getting a tree bc we brought in a rather large hibiscus at the end of the summer season and it is sitting where the Christmas tree would normally be. We have decided to put some lights on it and have an unconventional tree this year!

Star, my son is still struggling along but doing ok. He is always short on cash so we are going to have to help him with Christmas if he's going to be able to give his kids anything. I am hoping things turn up for him this coming year.

Pauly, I hope you can shake your blues. I hope I can shake mine, too!

Lav, I am surprised YB was up to hauling in a tree and putting it up. Or did you do the heavy lifting?

It sure is cold here! Only 19 degrees this morning and it is snowing! It's going to be a long winter!

[paulywogg]

Morning friends, Cyn,I love a fresh, shorter haircut it gives me an adrenaline rushLike Liz said I won't go super short cuz I have a round face(not saying you do Liz!)but I'm thinking maybe sitting on the shoulders will be nice,I have a lot of hair and it gets to be a pain! Star,I want my Christmas shopping done too! I'm finding the spiritout of my reach too,why? Even Louie doesn't seem like he cares about Christmas, maybe it's coming too fast for us all?Dill,there's a WD marathon on this weekend and I didn't want to go to sleep last night cuz I was too into it,I'll probably watch after work today and drive hubs bananas again, his birthday was fun but I think he was kinda bored,Ibought him a My Pillow, hafta ask if it was all its cracked up to be, for $50 he should have got some decent sleep haha,Lav,post pics on fb after you get the tree done don't want to work today

[paulywogg]

Posted before I wished us all a HAPPY AF Saturday, big emphasis on the happy

[treegirl]

Evening all - it's definitely sundown here, though only 4:45! Well the Solstice is only about 10 days away...

Dill, I love the alternative tree idea... that may be what I end up doing too, we'll see. You are so good to help your son with all this, I hope that the new year brings luck his way.

Lav, are you hard at work in your shop getting things out? Has the Soup Fairy visited? We had fantastic onion soup for lunch today - I think I'll dust off the crock pot version at home for the holidays.

Star, I really think that the cold makes a big difference in tiredness - we really are meant to go into hibernation during this time - not race around! Hope you got some rest today.

Pauly - I am absolutely no good with hair, so the less of it I have, the better! I meant to wish you a happy bday for hubs - hope he liked his pillow.

Lizann, I'm loving my hair - maybe it can be your perk for getting through being the mother of the bride! Does anyone remember the Spencer Tracy (maybe) movie "Father of the Bride? I saw it ages ago... maybe it was Jimmy Stewart, oh well, long ago.

Must get ready to go out into the cold... wishing all a great AF night and lovely Sunday day...

[Lavande]

Good evening friends!

Cold but no snow here yet & that's OK with me
I have been busy all day but I'm not sure exactly what I accomplished - one of those days.

Star, my friend who just moved to Florida a week or two ago has a son who has been in & out of jail due to drugs & also non-payment on child support. His parents have done all they could do for him & now he will be on his own if he gets into trouble again. Parents deserve to have a life too,
I have been feeling kind of tired lately too & I think it's the time of the year, nothing else has changed.

Dill, I like the idea of a 'tropical Christmas tree', why not? It sure will be a conversation piece!
I hope your son has a very prosperous new year.

Cyn, Pauly & Liz, I am a big fan of short hair, ha ha!
My hair drives me nuts so the shorter the better for me

Cyn, I roasted some chicken today so the bones are in the crockpot making bone broth overnight. I may have splashed a little too much ACV in the pot - I can smell it everywhere, oh well. Tomorrow sounds like it's going to be a good soup day.

Wishing everyone a peaceful night!

Lav

[Lizann]

Forgive me for not commenting on everyone's posts. I did read back, I am trying to get to know you all.
What exactly is bone broth? I am assuming you make broth from bones, but what do you do with the broth? I'm thinking it's like chicken stock?
Kind of a laid back day for me here. My oldest daughter came by which is always nice. Went to a Christmas concert this evening and ate way to many sweets.

[Snoopy56]

Good morning...

Lav, that bone broth sounds good, I make another pot of turkey soup with a wing and a leg I froze, lots of veggies, and it will be my go to soup for the week. I love taking a cup of it for work, it is so good! My house smelled like soup too. I also make fudge, as I have to bring some to a work party this week and wanted to ensure it was good. Haha, it is something I only make at this time of year but super easy. I found a website with pillsbury dough recipes and made some for dinner last night, it was fun. My day was busy on my own, cooking and watching Hallmark Christmas movies. Interesting about your friend's son with drug/legal issues. She made the right move getting out of the area, I wish my friend would to, at some point you decide to do the right thing or you don't, too many parents drain their resources out of love. Heavy duty stuff, no easy choices.

Pauly, I bet life with you is never boring! You seem fun and binge watching WD shows sounds fun, nothing wrong with that on your time off. My son cancelled on me for shopping, friends came to visit him, good, we can go next week, but can you imagine the crowds? I went out in the afternoon, and it took me 20 minutes to drive what usually takes me five minutes, due to traffic. Yuck.

Dill, your Christmas hibiscus tree sounds fun and innovative, go for it. I think the lights are the main thing for me, I bought some to put in other places too, it is so dark and cold in the morning and early evening too. Your son's situation sounds tough, grandkids are so lucky to have you, being together makes the holidays special.

Cyn, having some down time really helps me with mood stability and feeling the Christmas spirit. Hope you get a few decorations up soon if that is what you want. Today we have to get wrapping paper and start that process, I am grateful I have help and things to wrap. Waiting for more stuff to come in the mail. Rather than cutting my hair short, I have been putting it up in a bun a few times this week, short hair sounds good though. Take care.

Lizann, how fun to live close to your kids, enjoy. Exciting to look forward to you daughter's wedding, it will be a memorable event. My daughter's wedding was one of the best day's of my life, it was wonderful. Wishing that for you too.

Off for more coffee, have a great AF Sunday.

[dill]

Greetings one and all. Just a quick check in for me. It's been great having the gkids this weekend. Nothing like a game of Old Maid to chase away the blues of an evening! Plus we put our lights up on the Tropical Tree. It does look quite festive and nice!

Wishing all a very Merry AF Sunday.

[Lizann]

Snoopy, I am binge watching these hallmark movies too! Last night I crawled into bed first and flipped on a movie. When my husband came to bed I told him he could turn the channel and he usually does. Last night he didn't, he got so caught up in the movie, lol! I fell asleep and he filled me in on the ending this morning. They are addicting.

[paulywogg]

Morning friends, I still have the blues trying to shake this shit cuz it feels so unlike Pauly it's not the crying my head off kind just a sorta dread in my tummy, meh,I know it'll pass,I think this year just went by too doggone fast and my brain is trying to process the speedy year and all that's gone on, that's too much thinking of the past and too much looking into the future and I'm not good at that,I need to focus on NOW!and right now I'm hungry haha,Liz,Lucy looked so cute,she's like Winslow when I try and get a good pic,always turning away but Dottie(grandpuppy) actually poses haha,she's black too but her face stands out for some reason, Dill,another night of WD last night and tonight should be a great episode, I'm looking forward to it, Lav,do you mind sharing the link to the food sensitivity test again? Did you get your results yet?Star,I'm hitting stores at like 8 am,I like the peaceful feeling of not too many people around, plus I have incredible road rage so I avoid traffic like the plague! Cyn,glad you're liking your new 'do!Wishing everyone a happy AF Sunday, off to feed my face

[dill]

Hey Pauly, I wish I could be binge-watching TWD with you! HA! Not exactly the Christmassy thing but I'd still love to do it. I am looking forward to tonight's episode. Hey, did Mr. P like the My Pillow? I am curious about those things.

[paulywogg]

Dill,he said it was so-so but maybe he just has to get used to it

[treegirl]

Evening all -

Back home from the city and sitting in front of the fire . Already snowy here, so I'm glad that I got home before the flakes started to fall. 3 to 5 inches due, so maybe that will make things more festive around here.

Lav, oh that's right, I forgot -- you ARE the Soup Fairy! That all sounds good; I think I'll be making a big pot tomorrow to celebrate the snow. i have lentils here, so maybe that's on the menu for the week... I froze my non-jelled bone broth in ice cube containers, mostly so that I can pop one into the dog's food once in a while... could I use that to enrich stock for soups that I'm making?

Star - you are one dedicated shopper! It would take a team of wild horses to get me to a mall or shopping area! Living in the country, I've just lost the ability to handle traffic and parking. I will say though, that walking down 5th Ave in NYC was quite the experience yesterday - literally shoulder-to-shoulder people, yikes! And the line for the Radio City Xmas show was 2 or 3 long blocks long. Crazy! Wishing you well for your last shopping, and happy wrapping.

Dill - the tropical tree sounds great. So glad playing Old Maid brought smiles and laughter - thank goodness for kids! (They are lucky to have you)

Pauly - I really understand the feeling about this year going so fast, and all feeling out of control. I'm trying to step back and breathe -- good luck with all that. Encourage that happy Pauly to come out! Hope you have fun with the Binge-watch...

Lizann - I hope you had fun with your Hallmark binge-watch too! How funny that your husband was the one to watch the end of the movie. Enjoy --

Well, I got HB off in a cab to the airport for his long flight overseas... a crazy job, he will be back next Saturday. He's stronger than I am, I couldn't face a trip like that. Thank goodness I have the dogs here at home to provide lots of comfort! Gotta love the stability of pets...

Wishing all a contented Sunday AF evening...

[Lizann]

Tree girl, my boys are off to Colorado tomorrow for a ski week. My daughter will be here but I am glad I have my fur baby to snuggle with me.
Pauly, I am sorry your still not feeling well. My daughters have major road rage too, I on the other hand can deal with it for the most part.
With all this talk about soup I may make some for my daughter her fiancé and myself tomorrow night. Off to find a recipe or two.
Gotta go help hubby pack. Then off to bed. 4:30 am wake up call here!