It is snowing outside, lightly, but it is making everything look a little bit more like Christmas or Winter anyway. The people on our street have taken the decorating to the next level without question. Some of the houses are just spectacular with little fairy lights everywhere and then colored flood lights showing off the trees. My neighbor jokingly said to me today that I started something when I moved into the area and put lights on everything and now everyone is doing it. Not sure that’s the reason, I expect it has more to do with all the children we have on the street and the fact that we are coming out of a pandemic into a slightly altered but more normal holiday season. Whatever the reason I LOVED it. Reminds me of my childhood in Montreal and going out with my family to check out the various neighborhoods to see which one had the best lights. My sister and I did a little tour while she was here for a quick visit and we both said the same thing. Our mother would have loved it!
Jenny Lane, Then and Now
It is fun to get memories served to me on my phone either from Google or Facebook, I’m never sure which. This was this week’s. Two years ago (2020) the picture on the left was what the porch looked like. We had installed the new windows and stripped off the siding on the wall. John had removed the ceiling to find the vaulted one and the boys had installed the sheet rock on the ceiling. We have all the way along made the most of every step of the renovation. I put up Christmas lights around the top and we put up Mum’s tree. We were using Katie’s old porch furniture but we made it look cozy. The picture on the right is two years later. We have come a long way baby!
Back on the Pelaton Again
It is winter after all. This week I decided that two days of really rotten walking conditions were driving me nuts so I got on the treadmill and started doing classes again. I forgot how challenging it can be. I also forgot how much the instructors like to talk, often through some really great music. Anyway, I had a three day streak doing a 30 minute walk/power walk, followed by a 10 minute cool down walk, followed by 20 minutes of restorative yoga. I didn’t forget the dogs, I just took them out for a slightly shorter walk in the afternoon – enough for them and a bonus for me but I still came home with very wet feet. One of the times we went walking in our local woods we were searching for a lost puppy in the fog. I couldn’t see ten feet in front of me but we thought we just might find him. We did not but he did come home with some encouragement from his family. The upshot of this is I feel better, the tension in my back from spending too much time on the computer has eased and I am happy.
Trying To Get More Greens
A little health note. I have off and on tried some pretty weird things. This week I decided to try something called Farmer’s Juice. I was intrigued by their story and it was recommended by one of the people I have followed for years, Dr. Mark Hyman. I ordered it on-line because I couldn’t find a local place to buy. I have the sample pack and so far I hated one of the juices and loved the other. I really really wanted to up my greens in my diet and have been having a hard time doing so. My plan is to give this a try and see what happens. Some years ago I bought a juicing machine and was making my own juice but that was just way too much work and then what do I do with all that pulp. Clean up was a mess so the juice machine is gone. I love that this place says they take all the pulp and feed it to the cows. I don’t have a cow and my dogs were not interested in vegetable pulp!!! I’ll let you know the results of the experiment when I am finished with the 9 bottles. I gave one to Libby to help her ward off a cold and she smelled it and said no way and gave it back. Doesn’t necessarily bode well.
Christmas Cooking
This weekend was designated the Baileys weekend. Katie makes the most fantastic Baileys Irish Cream I have ever tasted. She also determined that it was cookie baking time as well. So the kitchen has been full of great smells. The Baileys came out just right once again. The cookies are still in the oven and my part was to make the chocolate bark. The chocolate bark is in the healthier type of snack column. It is made with at least 70% dark chocolate, pistachios and craisons. The recipe came from the South Beach Diet book many years ago. Libby will make buckeyes. We then put little gift packages together for friends, co-workers and neighbors. One neighbor even returned his jar a few weeks ago saying he really hoped we would fill the jar again for him. Of course we will. None of the above is on my heart healthy diet but it sure does make Christmas time a little more fun and special. So far I’ve avoided eating anything and only a wee small sip of the Baileys.
