Showing posts with label ornaments. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ornaments. Show all posts

Sunday, November 16, 2025

Shopping with Noel

 Saturday, November 16, 2025

Lunch with Noel. She was playing Christmas music in the car. I think it's too early for that but I didn't say anything. 







We stopped at A Rare Bird Antiques. Kelly had lots of Christmas stuff out. 

We also stopped at Chloe. She was selling these Shiny Brite ornaments she aquired from a 90 year old man. These ornaments get more and more rare each year. 

Noel found this old dime store nativity set. She said she had one just like it as a kid. 

We both remember satin balls. Noel's family had a lot of these as they'd hang them at the bottom of the tree so if their dog's wagging tail knocked them down they wouldn't break. 

We also stopped by Bachman's.

Friday, November 14, 2025

An Ornament from Mom

Stopped by Mom's the other day and she gave me this cat ornament that she made herself. It's lovely. 

Wednesday, December 20, 2023

Holiday Season 2023 - 6 Days to Go

Tuesday, December 19, 2023


Countdown to Christmas - 6 Days



Listened to Patti LaBelle while I got some more lights and ornaments on the tree.


Started from the bottom and am working my way up. Still more to do. 



Took some nice walks today. Still decompressing and walking always helps. 


The sun was out before noon. A bit gloomier this afternoon. Dale got in a nice bike ride. 


Wednesday, January 5, 2022

Christmastide 2021/2022 - 12th Day of Christmas: Twelfth Night

Wednesday, December 5, 2021

Took the decorations off the tree. Will take the tree down tomorrow. 

Asked Mom to send me a picture of her tree since I haven't seen it yet. 

She also sent me a picture of a cat ornament she made. She says she likes that one the best. 

Mom has placed a St. Nicolas figure outside the door of her apartment. 





Simple dinner of left-over tater tot hot dish. 

Sunday, December 19, 2021

Holiday Season 2021 - Holiday Shopping with Noel: Victory

Saturday, December 18, 2021


Lunch with Noel today and afterward we hit some of our usual stops for holiday shopping. 


First up was Victory. 


It was fun to see all the glittery and sparkly items.


I didn't pick up this house as it was rather expensive. I'll see if it's still around when we check out their after-Christmas sale.


However, I did pick up this charming ornament...



..as well as this festive wreath.




Monday, December 28, 2020

Christmastide 2020: The 2nd Day of Christmas - The Joe and Noel Post-Holiday Shopping Adventure That Wasn't

Saturday, December 26, 2020



Noel and I had planned on doing our post holiday shopping adventure today but when I got ahold of her this morning it turns out she was sick overnight and still not feeling well. One of the smaller ways it feels like 2020 just keeps on taking. It's like it's flipping us off by messing with traditions. 

Saturday, November 21, 2020

Holiday Shopping with Noel & More

Saturday, November 21, 2020



More pre-holiday shopping with Noel in St. Paul today. We weren't able to do lunch. We haven't wanted to brave eating indoors during the pandemic but, even if we had, the governor has closed down restaurants again due to the troubling Covid surge of late. We bickered in the car a little bit on the way to our first stop but recognized we're on edge due to pandemic fatigue. I lifted my foot off the brake while waiting for a light to turn at an intersection and startled a grumpy old man trying to cross the street. He cussed me out. I stopped rolled down the window to say sorry. He cussed me out some more but I told him to have a nice day. He just shrugged his shoulders and kept walking so I may have diffused his anger a little bit. Anyway, we're all on edge. 



Both Noel and I were rather underwhelmed with the stores' offerings of holiday items which is consistent with what we've already experienced this season but also the last few years or more. I picked up some mercury glass ornaments from Marsha at Gypsy Moon. I need more of those like I need a hole in the head but I want to support small business more so this year than ever. 



During cocktail hour Dale and I snacked and listened to holiday music. Today I heard my first holiday song while shopping in Anthropologie. Sunshine by Sia came on as Noel and I looked at their vastly overpriced stuff. It's funny because last year the first holiday song I heard while shopping was Puppies are Forever also by Sia. Anyway we listened to the whole album tonight. I’ve been playing it the last few years and Dale, not caring for it initially, is starting to warm up to it. 



While on the topic of holiday music I'll mention that Dale and I also listened to new Christmas selections from Stacey Kent, one of our favorite artists. The songs on the 4 track EP are all overdone but, hey, it's Stacey Kent. She could sing the phone book and make it worth listening to. 



Sunday, November 15, 2020

Holiday Shopping with Noel

Sunday, November 15, 2020

Noel couldn't get together yesterday for our usual Saturday lunch and shopping expedition due to a workshop. We planned for today instead. We headed straight for 50th and Xerxes as we started to forgo lunch today. 

First stop, A Rare Bird Antiques. Kelly has been setting out a bunch of holiday stuff earlier than usual due to not knowing for sure whether the winter months will bring another shut down due to covid-19. Because of the current spike I wouldn't be surprised if it comes to that. 


I picked up a couple of little boxes.

And an ornament.



Kelly's got lots of vintage stuff that's always fun to look at. 


We also stopped by The Loft. I found these angels that are bigger versions of some ornaments I got as a kid in the early 70s at the old Lyndale Gardens in Richfield. 

We stopped by Victory next. We knew it was closed today but we thought we'd peek in the window to see what there might be. Noel was especially eager.