Trying to stay above the?......long post, please read, I need it!

Sissy is so down, I mean so down.

I do not know how to help except to be here!

And maybe I am also!

Thanksgiving went well but we were under the weight of the phone call... which came early Friday morning....

Our beloved Heidi is gone.

The funny is I was so exhausted from Thanksgiving cooking (I need to pass the torch, and as I did not breed there is no one to pass the torch too!) I spent the night at Sissies again as I had hit the wall and the Husb was not ready to go home yet?  I just peeled my clothes off, got my P.J, s which I keep there and crawled into bed.

Woke early on Friday morning, intentionally thinking about taking Sissies car down the hill to start Christmas decorating (which is our tradition).  But as it turns out I made coffee (yes, keep a pot at sissies with all the makings) had my three cups and was in the shop playing on the computer when I heard Roscoe bark so loud and it scared me. It was very early, so I jumped up and I belly bumped with Sissy in the hallway! She told me that Heidi had passed.  We scared each other badly! But we laughed because we are truly sick individuals.

Now it was close to eight a.m. by the time we got it together, and I looked at Sissy and said get dressed, we are going "Black Friday Shopping".  Now as any of you who have ever visited this valley, there is no "Black Friday Shopping" anywhere!  But I was determined to find something, anything?

So, we went to Hobby Lobby as they were open by eight! Yeah!  We cried and laughed as that is what we do...and found eight dessert dishes to match Sissies Thanksgiving service for 75% off and I got two jigsaw puzzles for the Husb at 50% off.  Then there was an Art Fair in the Mall (if that is what you want to call a Mall) and we toured that.  I did find a gorgeous shawl (I wear a lot of them in the frigid temperatures here) and I could not have bought the yarn for what it cost.  Both Sissie and I love supporting home businesses. 

Then home to a depressing weekend.  Did not know Funeral arrangements yet.  Sissy dropped me off at home and everything is a blur.  

On Saturday and it was frigid cold; I pulled my cut garden and the bulbs for the flower that is gorgeous but do not remember its name? Just knew it needed to be pulled and gathered three geraniums and two spikes to carry up to Sissies green house.  I was dirty and I was sore once again!

On Sunday I took said plants to Sissies greenhouse and did something anything, and She was so down...

But we had Funeral arrangements do that was good.  Well, is that good? My planning gets in the way of real life.

I knew I was cooking Sunday night, and I pulled burger and made homemade spaghetti sauce with garden fresh tomatoes, and I placed a whole Boursin cheese block in the center (saw this on a website) and it was delicious, and we started a new puzzle.  Sissy joined us!

Now onto Monday, so many things to do.  December first!  Can you believe it?

I paid all bills for the month, (except my taxes) I will make them wait.  Due December 20th?  I mean who does that? Sissy and I have agreed that we will wait until after the Funeral. My grill which I ordered from Home Creepo two months ago was finally going to be delivered at 3:30 along with the grill cover and the large mat I ordered.  Yeah, I can grill some steaks out back.  I pull two beautiful New Yorks's. 

Well, the grill showed up way after dark and too late, so I pulled shrimp from the freezer, and we had fried shrimp and tater tots, and Sissy came for dinner we worked on a new jigsaw puzzle. 

However, the mat I ordered the grill to go on did not arrive, and it was there last Friday when I checked the grill to see if it had been put together correctly (yes, I am that jaded) and it had.  The mat was with it. Now I was just waiting for delivery.  Well, it did not make it! I am sure it is still on the truck!

Tuesday, up to Home Creepo again to explain to them that the mat is missing and they generously believed me and refunded the missing mat, and the new one would be here between the 9th and the 12th of December? Yes, third world problem, but I am still a little disturbed,

Well Sissy just called and we are having spaghetti again tonight as I have not frozen leftovers yet, and she wants to work on the puzzle. so, this is good news!

I plan on leaving with Sissie on Friday morning, but plans can change.  Crazy world live in.

I am tired.

Have not started to decorate for Christmas and will probably wait until I get back from Hiedi's Funeral.

Don't know!

I did make a phone call to Sluggy to let her know that Heidi had passed so she would not read it on the Blog.  I felt it was Sissie's place to mention it, but I wanted Slug to know beforehand, as she had met Heidi and liked here. 

Now have to go reheat dinner.  This is what I do...

God is Good!

Kay

 

Making Pies today and getting ready!

 Heading up to Sissies in a while to make pies.  I got the Prime Rib, and it was very pricey but will be worth it!

Made eight pie crusts yesterday and four gluten free crusts.

Of course, the entire kitchen had to be deep cleaned after the first batch of crust as I did not want to cross contaminate regular flour with gluten free, so it was a longer process than normal, but it is done.

I will say that the gluten free crust went together very well for the first time.  I am getting the hang of working with this flour as well as almond flour, which is also gluten free, but has a somewhat nutty flavor.

I will spend the night at Sissies and then start prepping in the morning.  So prime rib, mashed potatoes, Brussel sprouts with bacon, Aus jus gravy and popovers!  Will make both regular and gluten free.

Sissie will make pumpkin pie, and I am making apple.  Will do two small gluten free crusts for our friend so she can have both pies!

I have found if I make my popover batter early and let it come to room temperature; they cook up so much fluffier.

I also bought olives and will have my famous smoked salmon dip for appetizer with toasted gluten free baguette and gluten free crackers.  Bought some sparkling apple and cranberry cider for most and of course I will be drinking wine!

Should be a great time with Family and friends.

Now I am going to run to the store and get flowers for the table!

Here is wishing everyone the happiest of Thanksgivings!

Gobble, gobble, but no turkey for us!

Kay

Home again!

Oh, it is so good to be home!  Sissy and I pulled into town about 3:30 yesterday afternoon after a seven-hour drive.

We were not needed at her late Mother in laws house as the granddaughters had finished it, so we went on to Twin Falls to see Sissies eldest. Before we left the Boise area we stopped at Talbot's and Lulu Lemon for several Christmas gifts.

Sissy really got to relax, and we did a lot of shopping which was great as there is no shopping in Lewiston.  Sissy also made herself useful and altered eleven garments for her eldest and two for her eldest MIL

Sissies cold finally has been abolished which is wonderful!

On our way back home, we stopped in Nampa to see Heidi after checking to see if she would take visitors, and it was so good to see her, but oh so sad. She looked like a concentration camp victim.  All teeth and eyes, but her spirit was there.  It was a very brief visit as she sleeps a lot and when we left, we just sat in the car for abought 30 minutes and cried our eyes out. I do not think she will make it to Thanksgiving. Cancer is damn cruel!

I unpacked everything last night and today I have done four loads of laundry and planned my menu for the next three days.

I made my list for Thanksgiving, and I know where I am going to buy my Prime Rib.

Tomorrow I will make my pie crusts, eight regular and four gluten free.

Sissy and I have decided on the menu with the exception of vegetable which will be either Brussel sprouts with bacon, or green beans almondine.

Sissy will make the Pumpkin pie, and I will make apple.

I am waiting for my last load of laundry to dry and then will do a small grocery shop and then up to Sissies to drop some things off and retrieve some packages that came for me while we were gone.

Then home to get my ironing done and make dinner.  Tonight, it will be chicken pesto with linguini!

The dryer just beeped so downstairs I go to finish my chore.

Blessings to everyone this Sabbath!

Kay

 

So much to do to get out of Dodge!

 

Oh, it has been a busy time since I last blogged, and it just getting crazier.

Sissy has been really sick with a bad cold, and I have been running interference.

She is on the mend but still has a wicked cough.  Her immune system is just horrible.

We are leaving tomorrow to go to Nampa and help Joels family finish the clean out of His Mother's house and then onto Twin Falls to see Kim's oldest for a day or two.

We will also pack funeral clothes, as Joel's sister is now on Hospice and it could be any day now.  The thought just terrifies me, as I so love this woman.

She has been battling ovarian cancer for four years. She is Sissy and my age, and we graduated from high school the same year. Such a lovely woman and I am just sick for the family.

I need to pack and get so many little things done before I leave town.  I will spend the night at Sissy's tonight, so we can get on the road early and I will drive the five hours to Nampa.

I am such a planner, and this has thrown me for a loop as I want days and days to plan.  I wanted to get some Thanksgiving baking done this week and I will have to push that to next week, but it can be done.

Now grab a suitcase and get to packing that is my goal.

Pray for us as we undertake this trip.  I do not want Sissy overdoing which you all know she tends to do.

Husb will take care of Roscoe and hold down the fort here.

Now I am heading downstairs to pull a suitcase and then shower and dress for the day.  Then run a myriad of errands.

Everyone take care.  We shall return.

Kay

Thursday the 6th of November!

 So, what has been happening at the Nichols Homestead.  A lot!  The weather has turned cold and rainy and with time change very dark by late afternoon.  By the time of the winter equinox, it will dark by four in the afternoon and not hit sunrise until 8:00 in the morning!  The winters are dark here and I feel like we are living in Alaska.

The rains are upon us, but we need it so not to complain.

One of our last outdoor projects was to pull these very heavy pavers and large stone, so our landscaper could come and dig 3.5 tons of topsoil out of the front boulevard and get it ready for hydroseed next spring.

As soon as this work gets done, we will lay the pavers for a larger path below grade.

These pavers were very heavy and the Husb and I had a workout.

Complete, and I have not retired my gardening clothes yet as I still have to process the cut garden which I will do after the first hard frost.

We have worked so hard in this yard and now we are really at impasse and need another project.

The jigsaw puzzles help! 

I went and got a Library card and stocked up on books and am making plans within plans.

Sissy is really down with a bad cold, and we so hope that we do not catch it.  I will go and check on her later today, Husb is steering clear, as when he gets a cold, it is weeks and weeks.

One of my goals this month was to stay out of the grocery store, but the loss leaders were just too good this week.

I was able to get six eighteen counts of large eggs for 1.97 each (Christmas Baking is soon upon us)!  Sissy will also pick up three more or I will do it for her, will find that out later today.  Her chickens are no longer laying; last Christmas we were paying six dollars a dozen!

I also got six pounds of beautiful center loin porkchops for 99 cents a pound, and they are gorgeous.

This is a roll back to the 1960's.  I will also ask Sissy if she wants me to pick some up for her.

My freezers are full!  Her chest freezer is not.  We shall see.  If I had more room, I would have bought more as there is no limit!

I also picked up 8 boxes of kraft macaroni and cheese for .49 cents a box (my Husb and I hate this) as Sissy's grands love it and it is a quick meal for them.   So, I spent all told $21.09!

Tonight, we are having flanken (beef short ribs cut across the grain) with mashed potatoes and green beans.  We finished homemade potato soup last night and it was even better the second day.  I ran some up to sick Sissy and cleaned her kitchen because that is what Sisters do.

I have finally made an appointment with an Investment Counselor who is one of Sissy's very good Clients, as Husb and I want our investments handled locally.  This has been on my list of things to do since we moved here.

I am waiting on an estimate for the front yard and boulevard, and I will fill you in when they arrive.

I want so badly to get out in the yard and blow leaves, but it is just too wet and will not dry out until the weekend.  I just do not want leaves piling up on our new grass and with the trees next door this is what is happening.

Now I must go and make myself beautiful (this is very difficult) and then head up the hill to check on Sissy.

Hope everyone is doing well!

God is good!

Kay

P.S. 

Second puzzle finished!

November 1st and a Halloween report!

This is me and I am one of the monkeys as I way over bought Halloween candy.  WE had about sixty kids and what was I thinking.  So, I have bagged up the leftovers and am taking them to the Neighbors across the street. 

I gave Sissy a large box of Fruit snacks for the kids at Choir tomorrow and a large bag of rice crispy treats for the adults. So, she does not have to bake today!  I call that a win! I want this stuff out of the House as Husb is diabetic and has no self-control, which he readily admits.

Sissy came for dinner last night (pizza)and we worked a jig saw puzzle which Husb and Sissy finished long after I went to bed.  I did a little as I was handing out candy.

Sissy then decided to spend the night, and I did not even hear her come to bed, I was that tired.

The finished puzzle and I cannot get this picture turned.  This was only 750 pieces!

It is that time of year again, just too cold to be outside, at least for me it is.

However today we have the last warm spell of the season, and it will climb to the high sixties.

I am hoping that after I get back from my small grocery shop the Husb will help me trim the trees along the side path.  We shall see.  I also want to pull the large pavers and large rock from the boulevard path, so our lawn guy can come and level and get rid of a lot of the dirt to bring this area below grade.

I will then relay the path (below grade) and cover the earth with yard cloth until next spring.

This area will then be hydroseeded when it gets warm enough.

So, plans within plans.  I did manage to get to Home Creepo yesterday and get more ground cloth pins and laid another layer at an area on the back driveway area that kept blowing up.  We do occasionally get some high winds.

I am making a ham, bacon and cheese quiche for dinner as that is what Husb wants along with a small side salad.  This will feed us for three meals.

My goal this month, and I mean it is to stay out of the grocery store and whittle down the freezers.

Wish me luck as I have been bad.  I have done a full inventory of the upstairs freezer, but not the downstairs and that I will do tomorrow and then report.

My problem is I cannot stop buying loss leaders as groceries have become so expensive, but I am past the point of being ridiculous.  I just cannot pass up a bargain.

I think I will have to challenge Ann to do the same.  Go Ann, go! Oh, wait she is still working on the room of horrors, but is making progress, and all progress is good!

Talked with both Sluggy and Ann yesterday and Sluggy is struggling.  The surgery really took it out of her, but she is strong and will bounce back, it is just going to take time.

Both Sissy and I think she will not be ready for Company by the end of November so we will make plans for next spring, but things could change.

Now I must get to the store, deliver candy across the street, put gas in my car, and then home to vacuum the basement and make a quiche!

Hope everyone has a lovely weekend!

God is good.

Kay

 

Tuesday the 28th of October!

Thank you all for the positive comments on the yard, I so needed them.

This is a picture I forgot to post yesterday of an area on the other side of the yard that we filled with pavers to the fence.  The sidewalk is in bad shape, but then the house is 100 years old.  This area was weed city with old wood laying in the area, just awful, now filled in with pavers.

Another taken from back gate.  Looks so much better.

The plan for today was to cut back trees, but it is just too cold and will be warmer tomorrow.  I also have errands to run for Sissy and myself so might as well get that done.

I spent the night at Sissy's last night and we had leftover beef stew, and my popovers were different but good.  I forgot to take a picture.

They did have a nutty flavor from the almond flour and were a bit eggy?  Also did not rise as much which I was forewarned, but they were dense and good.

One of our Friends stopped by while they were coming from the oven and she is seriously gluten intolerant and she loved them.

Said Friend is spending thanksgiving with us so I will make gluten free and almond flour popovers for Thanksgiving as we are having Prime Rib and not turkey.  The combination of almond flour and gluten free flour will give me a higher rise. While not as low in carbs, better than regular flour.

So, I am dressed and ready to head out the door.  I must put gas in Sissy's car, head to URM to check the price of sugar (stocking up for Christmas baking) then to the North Forty for a 10-gallon food bucket as one of Sissy's bit the dust yesterday when filling it with flour.  I then need to go to Petco to try and find a Halloween bandana for Roscoe, and if that fails, I will go to Hobby Lobby and buy a small piece of yard goods to make him one.

Then I will head back up to Sissy's to work on a project and then sauté up the 3 pounds of mushrooms in here fridge that need to be frozen before they go bad.  So good in spaghetti sauce.  then home to make my famous smoked salmon dip (freezes beautifully).  I have the cream cheese on the counter to come to room temperature.

I will serve this as appetizer for Thanksgiving with gluten free homemade pita bread.  So easy to make and you cannot tell the difference!

We are having brats and coleslaw for dinner, and I am so determined to eat the freezers down.  Like Anne, I have duplicates of everything and no room at the INN. 

There is a loss leader tomorrow for 80/20 ground beef for 3.77 a pound which in this day and age is fantastic, so I will buy nine pounds and put it in Sissy's freezer, and this will be made into spaghetti sauce and chili, when there is finally room.  Between Sissy and I we have nine pounds already, so this should get us through the winter months.  I have all the beans and sauce already! Go Kay!

Now I am off, like a Prom dress!

God is good!

Kay