Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Christmas at the cabin

Christmas eve my hubby, me, J, L and SK drove up to NC to meet up with my brother, B and his partner, W, to spend Christmas at their cabin.  It's the first time in years that we all have had Christmas together.  My mama came up with B and W and my youngest brother, M, would be meeting us later.  M went up to Ktown first to spend Christmas with his son and see my daddy's widow before joining us.  His daughter and son-in-law came on up to the cabin.
We awoke on Christmas day to several inches of snow and it continued to snow all day and into the next-we were snowbound on the mountain!  Nobody was really complaining as we had a warm fire, food and games to play.  My mama buried her nose in the final Harry Potter installment and the rest of us played a rousing game of dice.
On the 28th we celebrated my oldest's 25th birthday by going into Asheville and doing some shopping and then having dinner.  Food was delicious and he found the travel bag he was looking for. Hubby had to take him to the airport in Knoxville the next day so J could get back to California and his job.

M arrived after a whole lot of folderol about whether he should come or not.  He finally decided to make the drive and we all went over to the cabin where his family was staying for his yummy pecan waffles one morning, eggs and bacon another and last but not least, a fish stew-an eastern NC dish. 
We went shopping in Waynesville one day, watched ECU get humiliated on TV at a sports bar another, and mama, my niece and I went sledding one afternoon.  

M headed home on New Year's eve and the rest of us spent the evening nibbling on snacks and playing dice.  After a great week we all headed to our respective homes on New Year's day with all day Sunday to regroup before starting back into our routines. 
I spend very little time with my brothers and their families and there were moments when we all realized why, but overall we had a wonderful time without too many clashes.

Monday, January 17, 2011

Christmas in our town

 Now that I've had a few weeks to catch my breathe, I have to say that we had a great Christmas.  I had intended that I would not decorate as I didn't want to come home from Christmas in the cabin and be faced with the remnants of an earlier celebration.  My daughters had other ideas and on the Friday after Thanksgiving they got out the little tree and decorated it.  I must say that it gave just the right amount of holiday spirit!
We expected our oldest in from California on the 23rd.  As my husband and I were having our morning coffee on the 22nd, he got a text from the oldest saying he had made it to the airport.  "He's got the wrong day!" was my husband's response but when he checked the ticket info he realized that HE had the wrong day.  So, I finished wrapping the presents, thawed something for dinner and we celebrated on the 22nd.


 My second son could not join us for Christmas at the cabin as he  had to work. It was our first Christmas day without all our offspring with us, but the celebration beforehand demonstrated that the number of the day doesn't matter; it's the being together that counts.



Thursday, January 13, 2011

My oldest booked a McDonald's commercial, his first success in his quest for stardom.  I feel it is fortuitous as one of his first words was "'donals".  

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

New Year...resolution



I'd like to be among the multitudes of people who are NOT making New Year resolutions but, alas, I made the mistake of going to the doctor for my yearly check-up right before the holidays.  HAHAHA WHAT was I thinking?
The phone call came on the 23rd:  Cholesterol 257.  Must go on a STRICT low cholestrol, low calorie diet and return in 3 months. 
TADAAA  instant New Year's resolution!
Day 3 of that resolution and I'm doing OK: Walked 30 minutes today and yesterday.  No read meat and lots of fruit and veggies...and I don't mean my all time favorite veggie-french fries.  I think I feel my blood thinning.