Pokey Peas Challenge for November 2021

Linda - you have had an incredibly busy year with homeschooling, moving, and kids' stuffs. Congratulations on keeping your head above water! Christmas adds that extra pressure where we want to enjoy our family time when it's available, but preparing for that family fun stuff creates extra dealines and projects. Love/hate relationship with Christmas for me...

grammadee - so far sounding good - oh how I hope you feel recovered quickly!

LOL about brownies. They are a household favourite here, and with Christmas we add a layer of after eights to the top of the warm brownies. On half the pan, because half the family doesn't want the mint! I LOVE the camp blanket you made.

Thanks for thinking of me this week guys... Even though I phoned him every day and reminded him, my Dad still managed to forget the instructions and took his blood thinner EVERY DAY that he was supposed to be off it!!! And...didn't tell me until yesterday (I think he was embarassed when I called to remind him each day). They've had to reschedule to Dec. 1. So frustrating - my Dad said today, "I'll write it down". ARGH! It's a terrible time to reschedule because now DH this time!

kitbop - I LOVE the idea of adding After Eights - they were always a special holiday treat growing up. I'll have to see if I can find them here - it's been a few years since I've looked.

I'm so sorry about your dad - hopefully the second time around will be more successful. ((((Hugs)))))

joyfulnana - yeah - I had to put off my mammo that was already long overdue because of the booster also - I bumped it to January because December is just so busy already. Hope you get more scrap time

Hey Pokeys. Thanks for all the well wishes. I am doing okay. Not up to scrapping yet, nylene, but I have been watching the SCT event videos from last weekend. Feeling better every day, though, so maybe by the weekend I will be able to actually cut or glue something. Glad you are feeling well enough to consider decluttering, but please don't over do it.

That is so frustrating about your dad, kitbop. Sounds like he was scared of the surgery and found his own little way to sabotage it. Not that he would admit to that...

You seem busy as always, Linda. So sweet that you made an extra batch of brownies for your older dd. I had never thought of adding After Eights to baking. nylene they are dark chocolate covered peppermint wafers. Since I love both dark chocolate and pepperment, they are one of my favourite after dinner treats.

Hope you have a good time with Rudy this weekend, joyfulnana. My dgs and his dad have been here all week helping out. They have have been helping Grampa around the yard and looking after meals and kitchen cleanup. Yesterday they steam cleaned the living room rug, and this morning set up the furniture so there will be room for the Christmas tree in a few weeks. Dgs has been very gentle and solicitous around me, and quite the fetch and carry guy. However, I hate to say it, but I think it will be a relief when they leave for home Friday evening (Dgs has a hockey game Saturday morning).

Shouting out to gramma and msliz and justjac and kellyr21 and all the other Pokeys.

nylene - After Eights are mint fondant coated in dark chocolate - they are thin squareish wafers and come in a dark green box with each wafer in a sleeve. As a child they felt very grown up and as an adult, they are still one of my favourites although sometimes hard to find. I think Nestle makes them nowadays but once upon a time they were British made by Rowntree I think.

My ribbon candy ornaments are more fiddley that I had thought they would be. One - slightly off kilter - finished, nineteen to go. I think I'll make a goal of finishing one a day.

I do hope you're not overdoing things nylene. That house tour sounded lovely.

grammadee - so glad that you're on the mend and hopefully taking it easy as well.

kitbop - it's kind of you to do the retirement album but yes, time-consuming and expensive.

Another busy day here after not feeling well yesterday afternoon - and don't tell my family, but I'm still not feeling 100%, I'm just so exhausted all of the time. I think the ongoing anaemia is catching up to me. But D15 had a Girl Scout field trip to REI (about an hour away). It was supposed to just be an hour but ended up being two. They learnt all about the different sleeping bags and clothes and boots - in preparation for their trip next summer - for the canoe portion, they'll only have about 30 litres worth of space for their sleeping bag and clothes etc...

And of course she wanted lunch afterwards - and the place was so understaffed, it was very slow. And Dh wanted to stop at Hobby Lobby and 2nd & Charles - I waited in the car at the latter, I was just wiped out energywise by then.

And tonight we saw The Great Gatsby at the high school - DD had several friends acting in it. It was excellent but long. And I'm ready for bed but need to wait for the laundry to finish

Hi to all the Pokies!

It's been a hard couple of weeks. Year end is always stress filled for me at work. Getting the accounting all buttoned up, projecting year end, meeting with the owner to decide if bonuses will be possible this year, preparing for payroll year close with the first payroll of 2022 falling on January 1st, making sure payroll reports are all in line for our 401k and ESOP and Internal audits. By the end of January I'll be wiped out.

So - NO THINKING ABOUT WORK FOR THE NEXT 2 DAYS. I'm going to cut and glue!!

joyfulnana - I hope Cody feels better soon and didn't share with any of you. Sorry about missing your Rudy weekend but yay for scrapping. I think Andes mints are similar - the after eights are super thin and about 1.5" square so a different shape and a better chocolate (at least in my opinion). As for the anaemia - I've been on iron supplements for several years now...I think the hope is that menopause will arrive and fix it.

gramma - (((Hugs))) that does sound stressful. I'm glad that you're taking time to get crafty and relax

grammadee - glad you're feeling better - hopefully that continues and you'll be back to your old self (minus the gallbladder issues) real soon. Ukrainian food sounds yummy - freezing the extras is a good idea.

Yesterday I did some organising in the garage and moved about a dozen boxes of books upstairs - there's 10 miore boxes to go (and those are the heaviest ones of course). Sewed some mats for under the cat food and water bowls from some fabric I was given (by a friend downsizing) that wasn't my favourite and made a tie for DS that's been on the to-do list for longer than I would like to admit.

Today I have napkins to sew - 3 sets - and a set of placemats as well. And housework...and those book boxes to move. So of course I'm on the computer, lol.

Hugs grammadee, I'm sure the disruption to your life this surgery caused warrants a delayed day of feeling "grumpy"! In our house, we call it "salty" - those disagreeable frustrated feelings that just leave you disgruntled with the whole world.

So nice to have a couple of days off work now.
Today, DD took her driver's license road test and passed without a hitch. I had to wait outside in 0 degree weather (that's celcius, not F) (thank God I put on my winter coat...it's the first time I've worn it) while she was off with the tester, because they won't let parents inside to wait!!! I was very proud, as she's had no drivers training other than DH and me. She's had many friends fail after formal drivers ed.
And I helped DS make chili - he's keen to learn the family favourites. Only burned it a bit... but that's how we learn.
Then I went to the gym, fuelled on an afternoon 2 mugs of coffee. Wow. Caffeine is truly a wonderful drug!!! I may not sleep well, but hey, I ran like a gazelle (or maybe a discoordinated giraffe is a better description of me).

I also got 2 fun scrappy things in the mail: a waffle flower stencil mat from Amazon (cheaper than scrapbook stores, and in stock!), and some dies from China. So I think I'll head to the basement and play with some Christmas cards.

Linda - we use the cloth mats made for dishdrying under our dog and cat dishes. I'm sure yours are a lot prettier!

joyfulnana - cody update? Andes mints are hard. After eights interior is a *slightly* liquid mint. Softer. And they are super thin.

gramma - it's hard to recharge when you know you've got weeks ahead of you of "chores". I'm sorry it's a bad time of year, because adding Christmas to it is extra work even tho it's supposed to be joyful. We all know how juch work the season it- who said that Boxing Day is their favourite because it means Christmas is over? Oh yeah, me.

Hey - I just came up with a scrapbook layout title for all that preparation/work we do to make it festive: "The WRINKLE in the TWINKLE"!!!

((((Hugs))) grammadee - I hope today is a better day but certainly some grumpiness is warranted during surgery recovery. Good luck with the internet 'improvements'

kitbop - congratulations to your daughter! I love your scrapbook page idea

joyfulnana - so glad he's feeling better and didn't share. Hopefully he'll test negative and can see Rudy again soon

I did an inventory of Christmas cards today - I have plenty but didn't make ANY postcards for the nursing home so I'm going to see if I can get those started (I need about 50) so I can include them in my sister's Christmas package - hoping to mail that next week.

Well it is WINTER!!! Six inches of very wet snow overnight, plus a wind that piled it up in places. Wind is still blowing. Our driveway is plugged, I think, until the neighbours have time to plow it. Haven't heard from "the cable guy", so assuming he won't be attempting a service call today. If he is "in the area" like they said, he would know the weather is not conducive to mounting receivers. I tried to contact Telus several times, got through all the auto stuff once, but never did get directed to the department that handles installs. If they have to pay a guy to drive to our gate for nothing, not my problem.

How are you feeling today, nylene. Not another attack so soon! So sad that you missed the concert. But more concerned about YOU! Please take it easy and rest until you are "good as new", or at least "good as old".

Glad Cody is recovering, joyfulnana. Here is another wish for a negative test on Thursday. Those boys need to see each other!

Congrats to your new driver, kitbop! My 16-yr-old dgd texted me a couple of weeks ago that she had earned her license. I kinda giggled, cuz last summer my ddil said they were scared to drive with her to practice. I think having her older brother--and often designated driver for errands and running the little guys around--move away sped up that instruction! I like your page title. Lots of wrinkles around here and not alot of twinkle so far...

Love hearing about all your projects, Linda, but like nylene I feel a little exhausted just reading about them! Sewing and unpacking and card making, oh my!

Waving "Hi" to gramma and msliz and justjac and kellyr21 and MARIBETHR and all the other Pokeys.

The snow motivated me to compose my annual Christmas letter this morning so at least I got something accomplished. I am at a point where I WANT to make cards, but not alot of energy and NO inspiration. I assembled, over the past three days, a dozen using the pieces I cut for the Sheetload of Cards challenge, but now they need greetings. And some kind of decoration. I pulled out some bits and pieces I had stowed away in my Christmas cupboard, but of course nothing matches the papers I used. Should have thought this one through more...

Hi nylene - everyday napkins - the ones I made for me are brown flannel to match my fall placemats. I'm making red flannel and red/black buffalo check flannel napkins for my sister as a Christmas present as she's bought a new house with a red kitchen and requested them. I'm making white flannel for DS to go with the blue/white placemats I'm making him for Christmas. We love flannel napkins for everyday because they wash up so well and get softer with time. Don't worry - I'm taking a nap every morning after DD15 leaves for the bus.

I'm so sorry that you're unwell again - that's so unfair. (((Hugs))) and prayers

grammadee wow- so much snow! goodness winter comes early where you live.

Hey Pokeys. I had two snow days thanks to all the snow we got. Dean still had to work so I decided it was my turn to shovel. That snow was heavy! I took it easy and did it in three chunks, but my arms are sore. I made some snowflake spinner cards like I saw in a Jennifer McGuire video, but they took a lot longer and didn’t spin as nicely as hers. They’re still pretty, though. It was Dean’s birthday yesterday so we went out for supper with his family.

I’ve got to get changed and run out to the grocery store. Have a good day.

kitbop Thank you.

I don't think it's all at odd to send a family picture. Your kids may grown but they are still you family!!

nylene Darn it! I think you need to get someone to yank that think out for you!!

I'm free! I'm free! The neighbour came and plowed our driveway this evening. Dh had texted him to tell him I needed to get out tomorrow and needed to leave by 8:00, b/c he knew I wanted to go to the craft fair. Hoping I can get there early and get a parking spot near the entrance so I can shop for some Christmas gifts and frequently take them to the car so I am not carrying them around with me. justjac has offered to have me stay over if I play out, but I am hoping I can get through the day and then home before my batteries fade too much.

What recipe did you use for green bean casserole, Linda? I have eaten it before and loved it; even made it a few times; but the recipe I had called for topping with canned crispy onions. We used to be able to get the onions here, but I have not seen them for a long time.

kitbop, I started "the letter" quite a few years ago. I had been hand writing updates about us and the kids directly into each card, but it was pretty time consuming. I was a little embarrassed at first writing a "form letter", but decided to just have fun with it. A couple of years ago I tried to quit, or at least limit its distribution, but after 3 different people called me to ask why the letter wasn't in their card, I decided I would just continue to write it and distribute it widely. I have warned my kids and grandkids not to do anything they would be embarrassed to see in my annual letter. This year, I used the same photo collage I put on the cover of the calendar, numbered the pic's, and wrote a little about each of us in the letter. Now I have to get it copied to go into the cards.

Started out today doing some dry embossing of card panels, then putting together some simple Christmas cards between taking calls from the county development office about an application we have submitted, and talking to the Telus guy. He ended up parking on the road and walking in to the house (about 200 yards) to check out where reception would be good for placement of the receiver. I texted him tonight to let him know the lane is plowed, so he thinks he will come tomorrow evening after he finishes his other installations.

This is the SCT weekend, but I don't think I will be able to participate much. Dsil will be arriving Friday evening and then dd & dgs will be arriving Saturday afternoon. Maybe Saturday morning while dsil and dh have some bonding time clearing the snow from in front of their travel trailer. Their plan is to have it hooked up and hauled to a neighbour's shop (where it will be stored the rest of the winter) by Saturday late afternoon.

Okay, enough rambling. Have a good evening, Pokeys!