keepsmiling7

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner with lots of young people. Such a treat to hear and see what's going on in their world. Brought home some of the leftovers
and are now enjoying them here.

Now to power out and finish Christmas shopping before Wednesday, when my daughter and I leave for Budapest and other locations along the Danube River.

MyrnaLynne

Took down the November/Thanksgiving decorations, got out the December stuff.

keepsmiling glad you had a good holiday with lots of young people - and left overs! We already can't face any more leftovers (you can only repeat Thanksgiving dinner so many days after the holiday before making yourself ill). Had some nice non-turkey-ish mac n cheese and mushrooms today (my invention).

Off to Budapest! That sounds to exciting! Is this the trip to Germany and the Christmas markets? Sounds fabulous.

keepsmiling7

ML........yes this is the Christmas Market river cruise. My daughter and I have not been to Budapest, so we're going a few days early to check it out. We will continue on Vienna, Melk, Passau (with a side trip to Salzburg), Regensburg and finishing up in Nuremberg.
I've been to all of the other locations, but just not for the Christmas Markets. We are both very excited and the home health people will be here to take care of hubby.

I've worked very hard to get up some Christmas decorations since I won't be home until the 15th. Also have a lot of the shopping done, but hope to find some things over there.

MyrnaLynne

You are amazing keepsmiling! Hope you have a wonderful time (I'm sure you both will). And glad hubby is being looked after.

Wow, big snowstorm is coming soon - My sister-in-law decided she needed a ride to the shopping center. I thought she needed the usual (milk, toilet paper - lol - similar to hurricane prep, minus the plywood), but nope, she decided today was the day to get furnace filters! But I needed milk, and to mail a letter, and to put something in the bank, so it worked out very well, although there was hardly any milk left! Snow falls, people buy milk, and ice melt and shovels. Guy on the news at a hardware store said what I asked "What did they do with the shovels they bought last year?" Maybe they throw them out ever year?

podmom

keepsmiling So happy you and yours had a great Thanksgiving! I know you and your daughter will have a wonderful trip together. What a blessing for you both!! I can't wait to hear all about it when you get back.

ML I hope you don't get too much snow tonight all your baking always sounds wonderful and I am so glad Mlette got to come for your "second" Thanksgiving meal

keepsmiling7

PODMOM.......how was your Thanksgiving at OC?

podmom

It was busy but nice..... I wrote about it below. I loved Saltsburg How cool you will see these ancient cities decked out for Christmas....you will need to take pics and post on Face Book for us

MyrnaLynne

Oh boy we got a lot of snow! Mr ML and I shoveled for hours, because MLette was coming over and he needed to shovel the whole driveway to fit two cars in, so she'd have a place to park. I wasn't sure she'd coming in such bad weather, but just in case, we were ready. I shoveled off the top porch and cleaned off the car. We'd just finished and come inside (my hair was sopping wet with sweat - yuk) when, sure enough, Mlette arrived. It's lucky she and Mr ML aren't afraid of driving in the snow. I took one look outside and stayed in the house for two days! And didn't want to go out again until Spring time.

Baking is about the only cooking I do anymore - Mr ML does most of the cooking. Unless I get inspired by some new recipe that strikes my fancy, and that doesn't happen too often.

podmom

ugg the snow brutal. Glad Mlette made it after all that work. She is such a blessing to you guys

Podad and I put up the Christmas lights yesterday. First my friend Katie came here and we walked 3 miles ( she has a thing on her phone..as do I she showed me.....second day in a row for the walking...need to keep that up) then we did the lights for at least 5 hours straight accept a brief lunch break. Good to have that over. Worth it for me because I love Christmas lights so much. I will just walk around our hood at night sometimes to look at the lights and then enjoy ours as I walk back down our street and down the hill. Grateful to have a hood I can do that in!!!

I wonder if keepsmiling is on her trip? I scrolled down a bit to check but didn't see the dates.

If so I hope you and daughter are having a grand time!

MyrnaLynne

Yes, wonderful travels to Keepsmiling!

LOL, I got out the holiday decorations but they are still lying on the dining room table in a couple of bags. I seem to do things in fits and starts these days. (When you have all the time in the world, it seems you fill up all that time!) The glass in the front door looks sooo naked, I need to go down there and decorate. I bet your lights all around the neighborhood are beautiful Poddy and good for you, walking 3 miles! Mr ML gave Barbara a ride to Walgreens - I walked from the house to the car, and from the car to the store, and vice versa! That was my outdoor exercise today!

I can't believe I missed Pearl Harbor Day/Dec 7. I was going to put out my little flag. We were up in NH and I saw a big flag at half mast and I wondered who had died? Then I realized the next day, it was because of Pearl Harbor Day. Oh well. I was off a day...

podmom

I just got a pass on putting up my decorations inside my PA house the only reason to have put them up would have been my yearly girlfriend party. THey all just said they would go to OC house for a weekend and do it down there. Now I am just hoping to clear the second weekend in January to do it...I know I have to babysit Margot some time in January....waiting to hear back from Emily on that.

You deserve to take your time after all those years working....plus of being retired!!!

MyrnaLynne

Thanks PodMom, that's good you can consolidate your parties at one location/only have to decorate once! I was decorating my front door glass, and the mailman showed up (who didn't come at all the day before) - it took hm 4 trips to bring all the mail and packages! He kept apologizing but I was just happy to get the mail.

I think I'm missing a bag of Hanukah/winter decorations, but I've put some more things up. I have a bunch of pictures Mlette colored in elementary school and Sunday school They are looking pretty shabby at this point! I really need to thin this stuff down (as well as all the other stuff...). The people at Brooksby Village (CCRC we're looking at) have a little shelf outside each door - it was designed to rest groceries on, while you open the door, but everybody decorates the shelves (and their doors) for the holidays and year round. It's so cute and gives the place a little personality (it's very hotel-like, otherwise).

I'm in serious holiday mode now - I wrapped gifts like a demon yesterday and decided to put the ones staying here upstairs in my son's (former) room, so I went up and down the stairs a dozen times yesterday! Phew! And I found boxes for everything that needs mailing, put the things to mail into those boxes, started wrapping and packing the boxes. I mailed off three today YAY! Three more to go. Lots more things I've bought and squirreled away that need to be brought out and wrapped (and taken upstairs). I am finally getting some exercise!

I still have to tackle the Holiday Cards - I think I've done maybe 6 of them so far. Oh well, get the packages sent first, then I can work on the letters. I can't decorate my table for Hanukah until AFTER Mr ML has his monthly poker game with the guys (two days before Hanukah starts).

And we FINALLY heard about Christmas! His sister called to invite us - and there's a Yankee swap so.. now we need to come up with a few more swap presents. Nothing like the last minute to let people know... Oh well, it's nice that we're invited someplace (but I was starting to think, maybe not this year!) John is coming with us to Christmas too; his parents aren't interested in Christmas-ing until the grandkids fly in from Indiana.

Oh Wen had a new great-grandbaby! Her granddaughter Madison just had a baby boy this week! I hope she doesn't mind me sharing her happy news.

keepsmiling7

Have just returned from the river cruise. Hated to leave the boat, but they said we couldn't stay as it was completely booked for next week. It was a perfect mother/daughter trip with lots and lots of beautiful sights and lights at Christmas time.

Everyone is really busy now with holiday preparations........I tried to do as much as I could before I left. Glad I did because the granddaughter and husband from MI are coming early then flying out to Spain Christmas Eve. I have their presents separated and their Christmas sox ready too.

Hubby did well with home care assistance. Today we run errands, cleaners and all of the fun things not Christmas related.

Everyone take care and stay well. Oh yes, ML.......thanks for the news from WEN.

podmom

congratulations to our dear Wen wonderful news. I don't think she would mind at all

Welcome home keepsmiling So glad you had such a wonderful time you would have kept going which cruise line did you use? I've always wondered about those river cruises. Good luck with the errands and last minute Christmas stuff!

Well as I said on the Behr Cave thread...didn't get to go to Liz and I made grace her zuchinni bread she loves she is sick and I can't get exposed before going to Emily and Margot Thursday. Sadly Emily's husband is so not wanting me to visit too often or for too long a time ( not that he doesn't like me but he just doesn't like having to have someone in the house ) that I can't go there early because it takes an effort emotionally for her to arrange for when I can come. Sad and she needs to eventually find a way to deal with this but it is hard especially for a non confronter.

guess I'll get some presents wrapped at least

keepsmiling7

PODMOM.......so sorry Emily's husband doesn't appreciate your visits and all you do for his family. Some people seem to treasure their privacy. I just hope one day real soon he realizes what a help you are and support for your daughter.

You asked about our cruise line, it was AMA Waterways. It's an outstanding trip and I would recommend it to everyone. This was a package deal, everything included.....excursions, drinks, etc. They didn't nickel and dime us everytime we turned around, and that was nice. One night we had a special Christmas party, first with three trees that the passengers got to decorate. Someone had to find the pickle, are you familiar with that custom? Then everyone including the crew sang Christmas carols which I love. It's amazing that all of the crew speaks English so I really felt at home. Santa arrived with gifts for all of us. Their hospitality was just awesome. We had entertainment each evening, local for the areas we were visiting.

I could go on and on, but will stop at this point. I'm just so glad I got this experience.