Not Ready for Winter!

Yesterday, November 17, 2017 - View out of the kitchen window.

Yup! Not ready for this view for the next four to six months! Although we suffered an extraordinarily hot summer, freezing temperatures and slippery snow-packed everything is not my idea of a good change! However, it's arrived and we must buck up and move on . . . 

Just twelve days ago, our view was like this:

Monday, November 6, 2017 - a gorgeous sunset and still some golden leaves clinging to the trees.

Yesterday evening the same view was this:

Friday, November 17, 2017 - No leaves, cows hurrying to the barn, cloud-covered mountains.

Next week, the 23rd, is Thanksgiving Day here in the States and we are loading up and driving out to Dad's place in Northern California. Already the Sierra Mountains have seen snow and Donner Pass may have chain control when we trek across next Wednesday afternoon. No worries, though, as we will be in our trusty 13-yr-old all-wheel drive car. Anyhow, Dad has already received the Thanksgiving meal I ordered for us from Send a Meal and has stored it in a friendly neighbor's cold storage until we arrive. Fantastic and easy, here is how it comes:

Fully-cooked Whole Herb Roasted Turkey(10-12 pounds)
Apple Sage Stuffing (24 oz)
Buttered Mashed Potatoes (24 oz)
Green Beans in Herb Butter(16 oz)
Cranberry-Orange Relish
Turkey Gravy (16 oz)
Smashed Maple-Butter Yams(24 oz)
Nine-Grain Dinner Rolls(8)
9 inch Pumpkin Pie

This is going to be perfect as there is plenty for we three and leftovers for Dad after we leave. A few years back, I did the same sort of thing when we had Thanksgiving with Dad; it worked out good for all of us so I figured a repeat was a good idea. Speaking of my dad . . . he sent pictures taken on October 28th of him and Auntie Lynne when she was visiting at his place with my cousin and her husband. My dad celebrated 94 years just 17 days prior and Auntie Lynne celebrated 90 years in August. Do these two people look that old?

Bob and Lynne - Saturday, October 28, 2017

NO! So wonderful that they are both upright and quite vigorous. Both of them have poor hearing and limited eyesight, but my goodness! it sure warms my heart to see these beautiful people. 

This last Tuesday, the 14th, Clare and I went over to Grantsville in the evening to see our youngest grandchild perform in the Grantsville High School's play, Our Town. He had one of the lead roles, George Gibbs, and did very well; so proud! Unfortunately, the acoustics in the high school's auditorium are very poor and the drama students don't have headsets to wear as they are managing on a limited budget; consequently, we had a difficult time hearing any of the dialogue. And this particular play is all about the dialogue - very few, if any, props - the actors' delivery is crucial to the story line. Here are a couple photos from the evening:

The Playbill

Our grandson as George Gibbs

This post is the start of, hopefully, weekly posts about the ordinary days around here. My sister (probably the only person who looks at my blog) suggested that since I am doing a digital album of "week-in-the-life" (see this post), I should do the same here on my blog. Of course, she suggested this at the end of September when we had a Skype conversation and here it is the almost-end of November. Oh well, better late than not at all! 

So, on that note - this last week was quite ordinary but nonetheless full of delightful sights and sounds. Like today, for instance, when I received the monthly birthday photos from granddaughter Brittany of our newest great grandchild. Eight months old today!

"[Dawson] was not interested in sitting still today!"

Look how much he's grown in just six months! Not only is he sitting up but he's pulling himself up to a stand and very determined to set off walking - or running! 

I got my craft on a bit this last week, completing some Autumn and Thanksgiving cards, trying out some of the ideas I've pinned over on my Pinterest account. (This link should show you my efforts.) I also cross-stitched another name for a Christmas stocking; as the family increases (greats, girlfriends, boyfriends, etc.) I create another stocking, something I started back in 1988 when there were just nine of us. To date, I've made 31 of these and enjoyed every minute. 

The original nine stockings. December 1988.

So, Saturday is coming to a close and a new week of ordinary days will begin tomorrow. Next week's post may not go up until into the following week since we will be on the road but do stay tuned! This is Week 45 of 52! Unbelievable!

 For a last breath of Autumn here on Vine, a photo of my once-beautiful chrysanthemums (the snow we had yesterday really did them in!).

These smelled heavenly too.

Until next time.