I’ve got so many things rolling around in my head today I don’t know where to start writing. That’s what happens when I don’t write every day – mental things start to pile up and the old brain gets clogged. So this entry may be a bit on the convoluted side but bear with me, okay?
My last entry was last Saturday when Ole and Lars were going to bake cookies for me, and I had to run quick and get my kitchen ready for “man cooking.” WELL – they got lots of baking done. They started at two in the afternoon and I finally cleaned up the last cookie sheet about ten that night. You notice I said I cleaned up the cookie sheets - NOT the bakers (clears throat loudly – AHEM!)
They baked lots of Swedish spritz, various bars, made fudge, and then Lars wanted to make cutout sugar cookies and decorate them. I told him I would look up my cookie cutters and he could have at it. I also told him there was a reason my cookie cutters were stashed WAY back in the cupboard. They’re a lot of work.
Well, they set up their assembly line, making dough, rolling out the dough, cutting the cookies, trying to find a method that would make it easier to separate the dough from the cookie cutter, etc., etc., etc. Believe me, they had their share of troubles. When the first pan of cookies finally came out of the oven they decided to decorate them with frosting and/or sprinkles. I won’t go any farther – I’ll just leave the rest to your imagination!! Let’s just say they used up a lot of sprinkles, but not a lot of them got on the cookies!!
Anyway, Monday I put the kitchen off limits to everybody else, including the grand doggers and cleaned. And I cleaned and cleaned and cleaned some more. I even had to wash some walls/backsplash.
On Monday night Ole asked me if I needed any more cookies baked. I still have several kinds I would like made, but I kind of put him off, if you know what I mean. Nothing to hurt their feelings at all, but just stalled them, ya know? I’ll probably do a quick bake job one day when they aren’t available. Shhh – don’t tell them though, okay?
So Monday the kitchen got cleaned, and yesterday I spent the day rearranging the furniture in the living room to fit the Christmas tree in. Some folks put their tree up Thanksgiving weekend; mine gets put up when we get around to it, as long as it’s before the 24th.
I used to spend so much energy and time trying to make everyone else’s Christmas “perfect.” To the point where I ruined my own and got burned out to the point where I didn’t even care if we had Christmas or not. You all know what I mean – seems all the responsibility falls on the mother/wife in the family. At least it did in mine. I was always in a big whirlwind trying to get everything done that I thought needed to be done. All the baking, the cards and letters, decorating, shopping, wrapping, and it goes on and on with all these things we THINK need to be done. One of the things I detested the very most was putting up and decorating the Christmas tree because I always ended up doing it all by myself. Everyone else wanted to enjoy the beauty, but nobody wanted the work. One year I was SO tired and SO burned out with Christmas stuff and the fact that no one would help me set up the tree, that I really blew (sparks flying), picked up the tree, struggled to get it through the patio door, tossed it out on the deck. I then instructed Ole and Lovely Daughter that if they wanted a tree that year THEY could haul it back inside, clean the snow off of it and put it up. It lay there for several days and then one day when I came home from town the tree was set up in the living room, was decorated and lit. Not one more word was ever said about the tree that year. I still refuse to put it up by myself, and have had a lot more cooperation since that point in time. And now when it’s time to take it down, Ole UNdecorates it and we haul it down to the basement in ONE piece, stand it in a corner and cover it up until next year. No more disassembling the tree, packing it in a box and have to reassemble it again next year.
ScandihOOvians are known for being pretty laid back and not letting much ruffle their feathers. But believe me, this is one Swede/Norwegian that you don’t want to push that button because the atomic bomb will blow when pushed too hard.
I got the cutest Christmas card in the mail the other day from Art and Zipper. Zipper’s picture was inside the card, and when I read the address on the envelope again I had to chuckle. Art included UFF DA in the address! The mailman knows me Art, he knows me well.
That’s another thing I haven’t even thought about yet. Well, I guess I’ve thought about it, but haven’t gotten too far. Christmas cards. I usually write a letter and include pictures. Last year I mailed out over 70 letters and cards. The postmaster loves me at this time of the year for all the stamps I purchase. Job security, you know. This year I’m really debating whether to format my letter in Front Page, post it on the Internet and then send a link to all my friends who have Internet access. I’ll still have to print out letter and snail mail them to those who don’t use a computer, but there aren’t that many anymore. Guess I’ll have to give that a bit more thought. I got a number of cyber Christmas cards and letters last year and I didn’t mind, but I know that some folks don’t think too highly of that method.
I’ve got most of my shopping done, although there’s a few items here and there that I still need. I’ve started using gift bags a lot more to simplify my life. I can buy huge bags for a buck at the Dollar Store – so will have to stop there and pick up supplies.
Well, folks, got to close this now. I’m the chairman for a ladies Christmas party at church being held this Saturday so I’ve got to go to town and get some supplies. Pretty napkins, centerpieces, etc., you know the kind of thing.
And it’s 11:30 here and still 10 degrees BELOW zero. Better get my woolies out I guess.
PS: One more thing. I’m so excited because I’ve had a pair of Cardinals coming to my bird feeder the last couple of days. We rarely see Cardinals up in our area, so this is a real treat.
My last entry was last Saturday when Ole and Lars were going to bake cookies for me, and I had to run quick and get my kitchen ready for “man cooking.” WELL – they got lots of baking done. They started at two in the afternoon and I finally cleaned up the last cookie sheet about ten that night. You notice I said I cleaned up the cookie sheets - NOT the bakers (clears throat loudly – AHEM!)
They baked lots of Swedish spritz, various bars, made fudge, and then Lars wanted to make cutout sugar cookies and decorate them. I told him I would look up my cookie cutters and he could have at it. I also told him there was a reason my cookie cutters were stashed WAY back in the cupboard. They’re a lot of work.
Well, they set up their assembly line, making dough, rolling out the dough, cutting the cookies, trying to find a method that would make it easier to separate the dough from the cookie cutter, etc., etc., etc. Believe me, they had their share of troubles. When the first pan of cookies finally came out of the oven they decided to decorate them with frosting and/or sprinkles. I won’t go any farther – I’ll just leave the rest to your imagination!! Let’s just say they used up a lot of sprinkles, but not a lot of them got on the cookies!!
Anyway, Monday I put the kitchen off limits to everybody else, including the grand doggers and cleaned. And I cleaned and cleaned and cleaned some more. I even had to wash some walls/backsplash.
On Monday night Ole asked me if I needed any more cookies baked. I still have several kinds I would like made, but I kind of put him off, if you know what I mean. Nothing to hurt their feelings at all, but just stalled them, ya know? I’ll probably do a quick bake job one day when they aren’t available. Shhh – don’t tell them though, okay?
So Monday the kitchen got cleaned, and yesterday I spent the day rearranging the furniture in the living room to fit the Christmas tree in. Some folks put their tree up Thanksgiving weekend; mine gets put up when we get around to it, as long as it’s before the 24th.
I used to spend so much energy and time trying to make everyone else’s Christmas “perfect.” To the point where I ruined my own and got burned out to the point where I didn’t even care if we had Christmas or not. You all know what I mean – seems all the responsibility falls on the mother/wife in the family. At least it did in mine. I was always in a big whirlwind trying to get everything done that I thought needed to be done. All the baking, the cards and letters, decorating, shopping, wrapping, and it goes on and on with all these things we THINK need to be done. One of the things I detested the very most was putting up and decorating the Christmas tree because I always ended up doing it all by myself. Everyone else wanted to enjoy the beauty, but nobody wanted the work. One year I was SO tired and SO burned out with Christmas stuff and the fact that no one would help me set up the tree, that I really blew (sparks flying), picked up the tree, struggled to get it through the patio door, tossed it out on the deck. I then instructed Ole and Lovely Daughter that if they wanted a tree that year THEY could haul it back inside, clean the snow off of it and put it up. It lay there for several days and then one day when I came home from town the tree was set up in the living room, was decorated and lit. Not one more word was ever said about the tree that year. I still refuse to put it up by myself, and have had a lot more cooperation since that point in time. And now when it’s time to take it down, Ole UNdecorates it and we haul it down to the basement in ONE piece, stand it in a corner and cover it up until next year. No more disassembling the tree, packing it in a box and have to reassemble it again next year.
ScandihOOvians are known for being pretty laid back and not letting much ruffle their feathers. But believe me, this is one Swede/Norwegian that you don’t want to push that button because the atomic bomb will blow when pushed too hard.
I got the cutest Christmas card in the mail the other day from Art and Zipper. Zipper’s picture was inside the card, and when I read the address on the envelope again I had to chuckle. Art included UFF DA in the address! The mailman knows me Art, he knows me well.
That’s another thing I haven’t even thought about yet. Well, I guess I’ve thought about it, but haven’t gotten too far. Christmas cards. I usually write a letter and include pictures. Last year I mailed out over 70 letters and cards. The postmaster loves me at this time of the year for all the stamps I purchase. Job security, you know. This year I’m really debating whether to format my letter in Front Page, post it on the Internet and then send a link to all my friends who have Internet access. I’ll still have to print out letter and snail mail them to those who don’t use a computer, but there aren’t that many anymore. Guess I’ll have to give that a bit more thought. I got a number of cyber Christmas cards and letters last year and I didn’t mind, but I know that some folks don’t think too highly of that method.
I’ve got most of my shopping done, although there’s a few items here and there that I still need. I’ve started using gift bags a lot more to simplify my life. I can buy huge bags for a buck at the Dollar Store – so will have to stop there and pick up supplies.
Well, folks, got to close this now. I’m the chairman for a ladies Christmas party at church being held this Saturday so I’ve got to go to town and get some supplies. Pretty napkins, centerpieces, etc., you know the kind of thing.
And it’s 11:30 here and still 10 degrees BELOW zero. Better get my woolies out I guess.
PS: One more thing. I’m so excited because I’ve had a pair of Cardinals coming to my bird feeder the last couple of days. We rarely see Cardinals up in our area, so this is a real treat.
