Saturday, December 31, 2016

Christmas Season 2016/2017 - The Day After: Dessert

Saturday, December 26, 2016

We had to leave Susan's yesterday a little early to take care of Athena so we missed dessert. Susan sent us home with cheesecake and pumpkin pie. Tonight we tackled the cheesecake. So delicious.

Christmas Season 2016/2017 - The Day After: Merry Kiltmas!

Saturday, December 26, 2016

Merry Kilt-mas!!

Christmas Season 2016/2017 - The Day After: White Christmas

Saturday, December 26, 2016

Mike texted me a couple days ago that he and the gals were watching White Christmas. Can't believe it was 30 years ago this year that I watched this movie on a local broadcast television station by myself in the sunroom at the house on Stevens. I remember loving it and I love it just as much now as I did then. Dale and I watched it tonight.


Christmas Season 2016/2017 - The Day After: Cocktail Hour

Saturday, December 26, 2016

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Season 2016/2017 - The Day After: Dale

Saturday, December 26, 2016

Cocktail hour with Dale. He had red wine.

Christmas Season 2016/2017 - The Day After: Joe

Saturday, December 26, 2016

Cocktail hour with Dale. I had a martini.

Christmas Season 2016/2017 - The Day After: Joe and Noel's Post Holiday Shopping Adventure

Monday, December 26, 2016

Noel and I didn't find to much more in the way of post holiday purchases. However, we stopped at Bibelot and I found a copy of the fireplace DVD that Lynn brought to Mom's place on Christmas Eve. Of course I picked it up and Dale and I quite enjoyed it after I arrived home. 

Christmas Season 2016/2017 - The Day After: Joe and Noel's Post Holiday Shopping Adventure

Monday, December 26, 2016

Picked up these two items at Victory. Noel found the snow globe snowman and told me my name was written all over it. She was right so I made it mine.

Friday, December 30, 2016

Sunday, December 25, 2016

Christmas Day 2016 - Lighting the Tree

Sunday, December 25, 2016
To get the tree ready for today I added the lights on December the 24th.

I added decorations on the 24th and a few more today. 

Christmas Day 2016 - Setting Up the Tree

Sunday, December 25, 2016

To get the tree ready for today I started setting it up on Friday the 23rd.




Christmas Day 2016 - Dinner at John and Susan's

Sunday, December 25, 2016

The icy rain did not make getting to John and Susan's easy but we made it none-the-less. We were joined by John's friend Ned and his wife Marcia for appetizers. They had to leave before dinner but we were also joined by John's friend Charlie and Charlie's date, David, from France and also Susan's friend Erin and her husband John.

Christmas Day 2016 - Dinner at John and Susan's

Sunday, December 25, 2016


Our friend John is back in town after many years away. He is not in great health and is staying with his sister Susan. They were kind enough to have us over for Christmas Day dinner with some of their friends and extended family.

The following is from Dale's blog:

"Dinner last night was full of great food, great conversation and people. We laughed and talked politics and religion and all managed to easily navigate everyone’s various opinions and still walk away glowing and as friends. Maybe there is hope."

The dinner was prepared by Susan and her two children. Allie is in college and Nick is in high school. It was a Thanksgiving style turkey dinner and it was fantastic. 

Christmas Day 2016 - Ghost Story

Sunday, December 25, 2016 

Last night, on Christmas Eve, I began a ghost story titled One Who Saw by A.M. Burrage. It was atmospheric and creepy to say the least. I've taken an interest in ghost stories for Christmas over the past couple of years beginning when we started telling personal ones at Noel's annual holiday fete a couple years ago.  

About a month ago I saw a bunch of them on sale at Garrison Keillor's bookstore in St. Paul and I bought the whole set. 

Christmas Day 2016 - Jean's Cookies

Sunday, December 25, 2016

Our neighbor Jean texted me that she left a plate of cookies out by the back door. She did a great job with the presentation and, as we all know, presentation is KEY.

Christmas Day 2016 - Rain

Sunday, December 25, 2016

Rain. On Christmas Day. In Minnesota. Not right.

Christmas Day 2016 - Quiet Morning

Sunday, December 25, 2016

Dale was awake when I got up. We had a quiet Christmas morning of coffee and reading. 


Christmas Eve 2016 - Two of My Most Favorite People

Saturday, December 24, 2016

I love Christmas and I love spending it with two of my most favorite people.

Saturday, December 24, 2016

Christmas Eve 2016 - Santa's On His Way

Saturday, December 24, 2016


Christmas Eve 2016 - Kalle Anke

Saturday, December 24, 2016

After our Christmas Eve service, Dale and I watched a version of Kalle Anke on YouTube.  We searched for From All of Us to All of You and found some of the shorts shown on the Swedish special including Bella Notte (the spaghetti scene) from Lady and the Tramp, You Can Fly from Peter Pan, and the Silly Song from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

Christmas Eve 2016 - Service

Saturday, December 24, 2016

Lovely Christmas Eve service at Gethsemane. Dale sang in the choir and I was one of the three kings in the Christmas Pageant. Pictured with me is Mark, one of the other kings. I think we did a great job.  My first Christmas pageant EVER!

Christmas Eve 2016 - Mom's Tree

Saturday, December 24, 2016

Looked beautiful as usual.

Christmas Eve 2016 - Early Dinner at Mom's

Saturday, December 24, 2016

We had a wonderful time at Mom's. Her friend Lynn joined us and after appetizers we had cheese fondue and then filet mignon. She only made one batch of cheese fondue as last year Dale wrote her a post it note and put it on the cover of her cookbook to remind her. Lynn brought a mushroom mix to put on top of the steaks. She was horrified they shrunk as much as they did after putting them in the microwave for only a minute and a half. We all thought it was delicious none-the-less. She also brought a tiramisu cake for dessert which was very delicious, especially so because it was not overly sweet.  Lynn also brought over a DVD of a fire in a fire place. The audio was of the crackling sound of a fire and also a loon calling in the distance. Dale was particularly taken with the video.

Christmas Eve 2016 - Snowman at Mom's

Saturday, December 24, 2016

Bought this cute little guy about 16 years ago from the school secretary at the school I was working at at the time. Her name was Tammy and she and her mom made these and sold them. 

Christmas Eve 2016 - Dressed for Dinner

Saturday, December 24, 2016

Dressed up before heading over to Mom's place.

Christmas Eve 2016 - Cigar Pic

Saturday, December 24, 2016

Christmas cigar. Didn't work out time-wise to smoke it today so I'm just posing with it. Will save it for the next few days. Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve 2016 - Decorating the Tree

Saturday, December 24, 2016


Dale has stuff to do this morning so I stayed home to work on decorating the tree. I still have more to do but I'll finish tomorrow. Had a shot of gin around 10 a.m.
Putting on the lights.

Holiday Season 2016 - Jewish Christmas (2 Days Early)

Friday, December 23, 2016

Warren and I headed to The Eagle for happy hour tonight. After we returned to his place,  Dale joined us for ordering Chinese. We celebrated Jewish Christmas 2 days early. I worked with a Jewish gal about 12 years ago who informed me of what many Jewish folks do on Christmas Day which includes eating out at  Chinese restaurants and going to movies. I didn't know it was a thing. This year I suggested we try it for ourselves. Our own version involved ordering in and watching a movie.
Pot Stickers


Lo Mein Noodles
Garlic Broccoli


My plate.


Wonton Soup