keljonma's Front Porch - Settling in and adjusting

[lorihadams]

Wow....we were supposed to go to storytime today and I called to make sure it was going on cause it had just started to snow...the teacher had to cancel cause the schools closed and she couldn't bring her kids to work. My kids were disappointed but they'll get over it.

We have about 2 inches now but it is supposed to pick up a bit and then change over to freezing rain later on.

 

[keljonma]

Guess what it's doing here today -

We are getting MORE SNOW!! NE Ohio is under another winter storm watch..... The high temps are supposed to be in the mid 20s.

TR is off work today so we are hitting the library and running errands. I made a Polish chicken ornament for Annette's son Levi. So we're probably going to go up to the mall and drop it off to Annette.

Titan is out of dog food and the wild birds are out of seed so we're headed out to buy more of both today as well.

 

[framing fowl]

Be careful out there. I bet that Polish ornament is just plumb cute!

 

[keljonma]

Here is the pic of the Polish chicken ornament I made for Annette's son Levi. Annette loved it.

I have been making more ornaments as I am giving them to my nieces for Christmas. No more Polish.


The other night the bake element went in the oven. So we have been eating lots of stove top meals...... soup, bubble and squeak, etc. The new element is due in on Monday....so no last minute Christmas baking for us this year. Maybe I will go wild for our New Years Day family gathering.

Saturday we are going to sister C's for our family Christmas. There will be just the 8 of us and we will have a wonderfully quiet and traditional Christmas. It is getting to be so hard to get anything for the nieces (1 college & working; 1 high school & working; 1 is 12), so I am afraid it is gift certificates again for them this year.


Then Sunday we will go to sister L's to participate in her in-law Christmas. My bil D always makes enough food to feed an army. His daughter M and her fiance will be there as well as his sons B and N. So, I think with his brothers, sister and their families plus us there will be 35 people! This is the wild and fun Christmas party we attend every year.


Today would have been my mom's birthday. My sisters and I were talking about some of the things mom would ask for as birthday presents, since her birthday was so close to Christmas. I know this is where my "sensible gifts please" streak comes into play.

TR is interviewing with the head librarian for a part-time custodial job while I am playing on the internet. Then he has volunteered to ring the Salvation Army bell at a local grocer's tonight.


Tomorrow is our traditional 3 Christmas Eve services.

TR is off Saturday through Tuesday (I think). It will be strange to have him home so much.



MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

 

[murphysranch]

Enjoy your time and Merry Christmas to you too!!!

 

[Farmfresh]

You two enjoy your Christmas!

 

[TanksHill]

Merry Christmas!!!

 

[Farmfresh]

I wish you could see my yard right now Kel. It is something I am sure you would love to see. We have a huge flock of Robins migrating through our neighborhood - HUNDREDS of them. I noticed they were eating up little snow scraps so I put out a feed tub of liquid water. I bet I have 25 Robins, a Blue Jay and some snow birds in my yard right this minute!

God seems to always send little miracles for us to enjoy.

I hope you and yours all have a very merry CHRISTmas!

 

[justusnak]

Here is the pic of the Polish chicken ornament I made for Annette's son Levi. Annette loved it.


http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m291/keljonma/201012171215001.jpg


I have been making more ornaments as I am giving them to my nieces for Christmas. No more Polish.


The other night the bake element went in the oven. So we have been eating lots of stove top meals...... soup, bubble and squeak, etc.

OK, what the heck is "bubble and squeak" ??? LOL Sounds like a bath soap!

 

[keljonma]

Bubble and Squeak is wonderful cheap eats. My understanding is that the dish got its name because the cabbage squeaked as it cooked.

Put some oil, lard, bacon grease, or butter in a skillet. Heat it up but not too hot. Swirl around the hot fat to cover all the bottom and sides of the skillet.

Dump in a mess of thinly sliced or grated potatoes, onions, cabbage; shredded carrots or turnips in the mix are good too. Moosh it down a bit so that the food hugs the bottom of the skillet. Put a lid on it and let it cook. Check with a peek after about 10 minutes to see if it cooking nicely. The bottom should be lightly browned and crisp and the veg fork tender. If desired, you can gently flip the ingredients to brown the second side.

Sometimes I serve B&S with grilled/broiled smoked sausages or brats. And don't forget the spicy brown mustard..... Good cheap eats.

If all I'm making for dinner is B&S for the 2 of us, I completely fill my 12" skillet, so TR can have some for lunch the next day.



Christmas was great. Hope everyone else had a wonderful time as well. The roads by us were a mess and it was snowing pretty hard the day after Christmas while we were traveling to Kirtland. However, the roads were pretty clear in Lake County.


TR and I haven't made any definite plans for New Years Eve, as he has to work this week-end. We're thinking Chinese food and some movies at home.... but like I said nothing definite. We are supposed to go to my sister L's for New Years Day, but that is up in the air with TR's work schedule as well.


TR got the part-time custodial job here at the library, and will start that in January.



We have had some hard weather lately. Ice storms, snow, and wind chills taking the temps down into the single digits.

We hit 39 today and I was happy. We are supposed to reach 45 tomorrow, but forecasters are saying temps will be back into the low to mid 20s next week. And more snow is predicted.



Have fun! Happy New Year!