Pre-Holiday Season 2024 - Warren

Saturday, November 30, 2024

Dale and I made our post-Thanksgiving pot pie and had Warren over to share it with us. We watched Holiday Affair. It's not my most favorite of Christmas movies but it's not bad and highly watchable.

                      

Released in 1949 it was one of Janet Leigh's earlier pictures and Robert Mitchum was cast, in part, to help rehabilitate his image after a marijuana bust. Warren and Dale had never seen it before. I've seen it once, maybe twice. 

Warren brought a Mexican salad he made himself and it was quite delicious. Pumpkin pie for dessert. 

Listened to Michael Feinstein during cocktail hour and appetizers. 

MLK Weekend 2024 - Sunday (Christmistletoe)

  Sunday, January 14, 2024

Another day of not having to hustle to get to work. 

Dale and I  drank coffee and took turns having Sylvester on our laps. 

The wind is whistling outside and it's even colder than yesterday morning yet it's very cozy inside. 

Went to church this morning on this 2nd Sunday after Epiphany. 

Dale had to count the collection after the service so I zipped over to Lake Harriet for a (very) short walk due to the cold. 

Despite the frigid air I was able to appreciate the beauty of the peacefulness and stillness. 

After my Lake Harriet visit I picked up Dale at church and we headed over to Creekside for brunch. 

                      

We both had omletes. Dale had the Denver and I had the mushroom and Gruyere. Delicious.

Stopped by Kowalski's after Creekside and picked up some potato salad to bring over to Warren's tonight. 

          

This afternoon Dale went to the gym and I had a cigar upstairs. 

 

Also listened to another childhood favorite Christmas album by the Harry Simeone Chorale. 

   

Dinner of BBQ chicken and ribs at Warren's townhouse. Gary was able to join us and we watched Crazy Mama starring Cloris Leachman. Oh so silly. Actually, just stupid. 

Christmas Season 2023/2024 - 1st Day of Christmas: Christmas Day Dinner

Monday, December 25, 2023

We had Mom and Warren over for dinner this afternoon. We had the beef bourguignon that Dale and I made a couple days ago. Dale also made some buttered peas as a side. Afterward we had some dessert which Warren brought over and then watched Ted Lasso. 

Holiday Season 2023 - 7 Days to Go

Monday, December 18, 2023

Countdown to Christmas - 7 Days

I love waking up on Monday mornings during break and being fully aware that I don't have to go to work. 

Dale and I lounged about for quite a while this morning. I had the cat on my lap a good chunk of the time. 

I found the Cozy Christmas Coffee Cafe on YouTube and it played some Christmas piano jazz. Very relaxing.

Got the rest of the Belsnickles set up.

AND I got the lights on the tree. The LED lights give off a much cooler light than the old fashioned white lights I just got rid off. I'd still be using those if they hadn't conked out. These'll have to do. 

After getting a little lunch we went to Southdale, which, by the way, is a shadow of its former self. 

I picked up a turtleneck which looks fabulous. It should. It was very expensive. 

Dinner at Warren's tonight. We made Old Fashionds to sip on before dinner. Warren made a delicious pot pie and we brought a red velvet roulade from Lunds Byerly's for dessert. 

Christmas Season 2022/2023 - The 1st Day of Christmas: Merry Christmas!

Sunday, December 25, 2022

Woke up this morning at 7:00 which is the latest I've slept in a long time. It was a lovely quiet Christmas morning. We transferred the stroganoff to the crock pot at 7:30 so it would be ready this afternoon around 4:00/4:30. 

Noel was going to join us for dinner today but she messaged me to let me know that she's having a hard time dealing with the death of her brother Patrick a couple months ago and that she felt it was best to stay home. Of course I understood.

Mom and Warren came over around 3:30. Warren brought a nice cheese tray which we had with cocktails. He also brought over a delicious cheese and broccoli soup which we had as a first course before the beef stroganoff. Pumpkin pie for dessert. Mom gave me the sweet holy family figurine which is pictured above. I love it however I've had to hide it since Sylvester keeps trying to bite Joseph's head off!

Christmastide 2021/2022 - 6th Day of Christmas: Dinner with Warren

Thursday, December 30, 2021

Wonderfully laid back and quiet day again. I set out a few things. 

Put away some others. 

Set the "presents" under the tree. 

Listened to some of my playlists.

We had Warren over for dinner. He brought over a pork roast and some sides and we took care of the salad. Warren likes my signature tiki cocktail so I mixed us up some of those. I used a non-alcoholic ginger beer that a high school friend sent to me to top off the drink and it all worked together quite well. 

We watched It Happened On 5th Avenue which Dale and I haven't seen for a while. Warren had never seen it. It's a very charming and cute story set near and at Christmas time. Trivia, according to Wikipedia: "The story was originally optioned by Liberty Films in 1945 for director Frank Capra who decided to direct It's a Wonderful Life instead."

Warren was excited to meet Sylvester and was quite taken with him. Sylvester was his outgoing and friendly self and snuggled right up next to Warren and let him pet him most of the evening. Warren brought Sylvester a food bowl and some slinky-like toys that which he loved batting around. 

Holiday Season 2021 - It's Beginning to Look [at least a little] Like Christmas & St. Nicholas Day Too

Sunday, December 5, 2021

Went to Warren's house last night for dinner. He made brats and pierogis and I brought some coleslaw from Lunds. We watched Tick Tick Boom with dinner. As I was getting ready to leave for the evening at around 10:30 we realized it had snowed during my time here. These photos show what it looked like this morning. It's good to see a little snow. It's December after all. 

And on the eve of St. Nicolas Day I'd like to acknowledge my Mom who brought the tradition of leaving our shoes out and the finding an ornament in our shoes the morning of December 6. 

Odds & Ends: New Year Cigar

My first cigar of the New Year was January 14.  Warren brought back a box of little Cohibas for me from Cuba. 

MLK Weekend 2020 - Music, Wassail, Old Twelfth Night, Virgin Mary, and Deviled Eggs

Sunday, January 19, 2020

Woke up and listened to some music appropriate for a winter morning. 

Interesting discovering about Old Twelfth Night a couple days ago. After reading about it I decided to see what kind of wassail related songs I have.

I searched my Apple Music library and of course came up with Somerset Gloucestershire Wassail by The Kingston Trio which I've known and loved for years.

There's also Here We Come A-Wassailing performed by Bonnie Rideout  on the A Scottish Christmas album. It's a medley with another song called Bottom of the Punch Bowl which is not a song I'm familiar. 

Dale and I worked out with weights this morning at the gym. I weighed in and I'm 6 pounds lighter than I was on January 1st. This dry January is paying off. I had a Virgin Mary instead of a Bloody Mary for brunch at the Red Stag. 

Warren and Gary came over for dinner tonight. Warren brought some deviled eggs and Dale made Texas chili. We also watched a John Melaney comedy special. Very funny stuff.