Author: boomingbanter

How many of you have started writing to do lists? I sent myself one just now.

We got the groceries today so apart from the things that you always forget, which are usually the most obvious like whipping cream, we’re home and dry on that front.

One thing that’s great about living in the Arctic conditions we are currently experiencing is that the garage serves as a walk in fridge.

Until it gets below -10 C outside all the drinks can stay there and be super chilled when you need one which of course you tend to do at this time of heightened stress.

The Diet Cokes are being consumed by the gallon. Don’t know what it is about that drink but it calms my nerves just like cigarettes used to do. Anyone else feel that too?

Back to shopping. Gotta go get Gifts!  Know what the friends are getting, have an idea for Krishna, Scooby’s simply but that lad won’t give us any clues. If you’ve an idea please let me know as I’m hitting the mall tomorrow to go berserk!

Secretly looking forward to that. Christmas just wouldn’t be fun without a bit of hustle and bustle loaded down with bags and a sneaky stop at Starbucks before sorting some stocking stuffers

Blessing # 550 – Goodies Galore

Today one of my friends posted about a flight cancellation she and her husband had experienced on their return from a vacation in the USA to Ireland. Oh how we know the frustration they must feel.

With a few exceptions, when my Mum and Dad came to stay with us, we always went home to Belfast for Christmas.

We had some memorable travel experiences that you could hardly believe.

We got into storms at sea when crossing from Le Harve France to Rosslare Ireland. What should have taken 15 hours took nearly 48. Free cruise! Except most of the time was spent in the harbor and the ferry even ran out of food close to our destination.

Travelling from NYNY to Belfast on a charter flight we ended up in the Azores because of an ice storm that called for a change of flight path. Sounds lovely you might think. Perhaps if we’d got off the plane. All we did was refuel and take off again.

Krishna and Aaron once had an adventure in Heathrow on the way from Shanghai. They got stuck in a lift, missed the connection and ended up going to a party in the hotel where they were lodged. Aaron was three he started partying very early!

One of the most memorable was when we took the channel tunnel in 2009 with Dibley in tow. The temperature was so low the rails of the tunnel train froze.

Our first trip to Ireland from Ohio was a classic. It was 2010 and the British Isles had been hit by a mega snow storm which is unusual. We were the last flight to land in Dublin and were fortunate because Belfast has closed hours before.

The return though saw another mega storm this time in NYNY which saw us missing our connection from Newark to Columbus. The earliest we could get out was the next evening from LaGuardia. What a hardship that was spending the night at the airport and the whole day in NYNY with a beautiful blanket of snow everywhere.

This year we will dearly miss seeing our nears and dears in Northern Ireland but that travel we won’t miss at all.

Blessing # 549 – Staying Put

Today we took things easy. After Tuesday Morning Group we had a leftovers lunch and then a good veg.

Krishna read his book and I watched A Berry Merry Christmas featuring The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge cooking with the famous Mary Berry.

The show aired in the UK yesterday but thanks to YouTube we can see it already today. It’s amazing how technology has advanced in such a short space of time. It’s even more amazing that the future King and Queen are sharing stories about their kids and joking about their cooking skill.

They made lots of yummy treats for a reception that representatives of charities and the services had been invited to.

It was really lovely, heartwarming and sincere. The UK is blessed to have this young couple as future heads of state.

Mary Berry is a legend. Queen of Baking we watch her any chance we get. Somethings she makes are for the gifted only and way out of my league but others are worth a try including her festive meringue and berry crown.

We’ll be trying it out this Christmas and even if it turns into an Eton Mess will still wrap our lips around it on the big day.

Blessing # 548 – Noble Nosh

When it snows during the night and that white blanket accumulates it always wakes me up. Maybe it’s the silence or maybe the brightness the snow brings.

At around two o’clock there was about two inches on the ground and it was snowing heavily so it looked like Aaron was going to have a special treat for his birthday, a snow day off.

No call came though and when Scooby and I went out at six we understood why. The grass was covered but the roads were clear. It was just at that perfect temperature where the grit can fully work it’s magic.

So it was that the birthday boy had to get up and get out as usual. He got a silly dancing dog as his gift because he just can’t decide what he wants.

One thing he was clear about was where he wanted to go for dinner. Olive Garden! Endless salad and breadsticks and tour of Italy it had to be. We all enjoyed as being a Monday there was no wait to get seated and the food was fast and good and plentiful.

Easy then to say cheese and lasagna and tuck into the year to come with gusto.

Blessing # 547 – Our Birthday Boy

We have had a great time today with our dear friends. Scooby was absolutely adorable. He tried to sneak a few nibbles on the table but sure it’s Christmas.

There is nothing better than a house full of people you care for who come from different parts of your life.

The theme for the party, for those who like to dress up, was Stars and Angels. That could be twinkling stars or those with marks on the Hollywood hall of fame. Angels could be good or fallen.

Can you guess who Krishna is?

What about me?

HINT we are Stars we’re no angels!

We had some great costumes the best Angel was Jackie the best Star was Donny as Freddie Mercury complete with teeth and the overall best in class was the fallen angel Barb.

Now we are tired but thanks to Sandy we have some great pics. More will come but we must put the feet up!

Blessing # 546 –  Togetherness

This morning we had our Kairos advisory council meeting. The council is comprised of sixteen volunteers including Pastor Sharon who always gives us a short devotional. Sharon spoke this morning about joy.

Did you know there are five types of joy? They include singing joy and dancing joy.

After lunch we moved to the prison where we met other volunteers and then went inside to meet our Kairos graduate.

We see them once each month at our reunions but the one before Christmas is always special because we have lots of Carols and traditional Christmas songs.

All the volunteers wear festive gear. Today I had my special earrings on that my friend who is also a volunteer had given me last year.

There is a lot of the singing and dancing type of joy that goes on and today unbeknownst to Sharon the music lead had chosen Ode to Joy as the music for one of the songs.

There is always much joy, and this of the everlasting kind, when we meet our graduates for the last time because this means they are going home.

Today we hugged and shed a few tears of joy as we said goodbye to several people.

They all have touched our hearts and we feel so near and dear to them but we know we won’t see them again. They are going to be free.

Blessing # 545 – Flying Away

The winter brings its challenges. It also has some very good points.

We get together with old friends at Christmas festivities that we haven’t seen from the previous year.

Krishna and I did this today at our company’s annual breakfast for retirees. This has been going strong for 34 years and it’s always a joy to see those we worked with and catch up on their ever expanding families.

At the breakfast we met our friend Sandy whom we are often in touch with. He is a great photographer and it is his photo that I am using to share a joy that Scooby and I have had these winter mornings.

With the leaves gone from the trees we see the birds so clearly. One little fellow a Cardinal always seems to be in the same tree about the same time each day. He is so vibrant and Scooby pays him hommage with a paw lift!

At dusk it’s a different story. We meet the deer. Last night a four pointer came so close not just Scooby but I could smell it. Talk about gamy it was tank! Just wonder was it the same young buck who passed through our yard last year!

We also have happenings underground that are most apparent before dawn. When we step out with the frost in the ground we hit on soft spots and these spell moles.

The critters are wrecking havoc with our lawn but here’s the good news they are moving outwards. That Scooby is one hot hunter.

Blessing # 544 – Nature Moving

The full moon that greeted Scooby and me at 6:00 am was beautiful. It was so bright you could see the frost twinkle on the ground. It’s so hard to capture even though it was really very clear.

Don’t ask me why but it made me think of moonlight sonata. None of us play piano and its not a piece of music that’s ever on in our home so why it crossed my mind is a mystery. Maybe it’s Scoobys’ favorite.

It wasn’t the only music of the day At ZUMBA we’ve started the Christmas hits so we’re burning off a few calories to among others the little drummer boy and of course the now 20 year old « All I want for Christmas is YOOOOOO »

Krishna and I we’re going to a lunch party at 12:00 so after ZUMBA I thought I’d get the mixer humming once more and make mini cranberry Christmas cakes before we left.

Now my mixer is to scale with my baking skills. It’s tiny, one of those little hand held babies. Like babies it shouldn’t be left unattended which is of course what I did.

Mixing eggs and sugar for six minutes is called for so being pressed for time when I went to get the flour I’d propped it up on the side of the toaster, along the lines of the simulation above that you should never follow. It definitely wasn’t  moonlight sonata we heard as the instrument took off across the kitchen more like Grandma got run over by a Reindeer!

A quarter of the mix ended up on the counter and a fair amount splattered over the wall. Talk about more haste less speed!

Oh well onwards and upwards in went another egg and another cup of sugar and we were singing again.

The texture I’d say is rather special but the appearance is festive so we’ll pretend this is how they were meant to be. Henceforth they shall be called cranberry crunchiest!

Blessing # 543 – Making Music

Today has been very productive all thanks to lessons learned earlier in the week.

Our Lily Circle star baker Kathy gave us a master class on Monday night on the art of icing sugar cookies. People come from far and wide to buy her cookies at our sale. Her Santa’s in particular are works of art.

We didn’t get to those this year but we did learn lots and once started it wasn’t as hard as it first seemed.

So today armed with knowledge and lots of melted chocolate since I didn’t dare try icing I got to work in eight dozen cookies for the sale.

Such was the progress, only four broken, that I swung on into six dozen more for our party on Sunday.

Scooby took up a seat to watch the action and was so good he got one made specially for him.

These are far from perfect and I know most of you could do much better but since they are so my best to date I’m happy.

I know also that Patricia who gave me a book and kit on Christmas cookies maybe a decade ago will be delighted les petites anges était à côté de moi!

Blessing # 542 – Star Baker (😂!)

The closer we get to Christmas the more hectic things become. No wonder Santa has to make his lists and check them twice.

There are parties and there is preparation for parties. This week alone we’ll attend four celebration and then on Sunday we’ll host one too.

The clock is ticking on the things we need to make not to mention the shopping. It seems there are just not enough hours in the day.

It can get a bit stressful at times and then before you know it all the excitement will be over.

We all hope though that that clock will keep on ticking. For some perhaps it may not. That’s why we must enjoy every minute  together.

Just this week two things happened that made me stop and think about time.

The first was my trusty steed turning over it’s clock to 100000 miles. That car has been some places in six years. Since we got it Aaron has become a teenager, officially become an adult and started driving himself. It was nearly a write of this summer. Now though it looks like new and we’re hoping it will keep on rolling for many years to come.

The other thing that gave a pause for thought was discovering on Sunday morning that we’d left a candle burning overnight. It probably wouldn’t have caused a fire even if it had burned through. Just a timely little reminder though to double check. Even if it’s burning a little dim each light has the potential to become a blaze.

Blessing # 541 – Present Time