Sunday, December 28, 2014

Christmas Weekend...

After what qualifies as a packed social calendar for me (Eric & Missy's on Christmas Eve, Pam's on Christmas night, Kivela Cousins @ Willimantic Brewing Co. on Friday, and Pat's on Saturday), some pics:
Decorated!




Finally found a home for the wine rack from April -- and first bottles of wine:


Out with the old, in with the new. Toaster Oven I think came from Allen Hill (c. 1988), no idea where the toaster came from. Both missing buttons!

20% off coupon at BB&B, half Xmas money, half my money got a new Breville:


On sale for $30 bucks off at Lowes, plus a $25 off $250 coupon (which I was at after picking up what I went into Lowes for), and half on a Xmas gift card and half my money got a new Shark vacuum.

The old vacuum came from the dump, was my first HEPA, the wand worked well but the beater brush would kick up dust. Not sure if I should be pleased or mortified when I did a quick test with the Shark over *part* of the living room and bedroom it picked up 3 pounds of dust and fur :eek:


Cabbage soup -- "soup bean" collection from Goya, Ham, Cabbage, my own onions.


It came out REALLY good! I was surprised!


Looks like next summer's vacation is re-roofing the garage:


Materials for a temporary patch on the roof rack:


Baked the steak for one hour at 140 degrees. It came out rare instead of medium rare. I think I will try 150 for 90 minutes next time -- it was close, but the interior meat wasn't quite broken down enough. Steaking from the Hunters.


Made veggies for the weak -- mashed taters and Abington Grown beets and carrots.

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Healthy Week continues....

Polish Mexican Vermontarian Fusion --



Hot Kielbasa from Campbell's farm, peppers, my onions, pineapple and mango salsa, with a hard cider.

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Fish & Veggies...

I'm just happy to be back to my "normal" diet (and finishing up cleaning out the freezer) after the cold caused me to comfort food binge...

Monday, December 15, 2014

Dalmatian Christmas Cards

Finally getting around to using the Christmas Cards the Dalmatian Club of America sell as a fundraiser...that I bought in 2006. They do a new series every year.

This one in particular I liked:


Finally getting over my cold...

I've had way too much comfort food, take-out, and canned soup over the last 3+ weeks while fighting a cold. Don't know if the veggies just weren't appealing, or I just didn't have the energy to prepare them (I know, cutting carrots is so exhausting...).

Anyway, finally getting back to my good diet:


Dalmatian safe sex...

Sunday, December 14, 2014

A December picture dump...

Well aren't I fini -- liked how this new shirt/old tie combination came out:


Eric helped me move the sofa from Heidi's apartment yesterday, Sunday I did a bit of re-arranging, but I know that treadmill will be a lethal toe-stubbing hazard with how tight the passage between the love seat and it is. Dad's camping trunk will make a nice coffee table.


The deer were annoyed I interrupted their supper...


In the words of a fried, "Shabby Chic." Fashion sense enough to know I need a poinsettia, but I leave the Skil X-bench folded up next to the sofa.


The better quality pipe insulation made into some toe guards:


Ok, so it was easier to buy a print on sale at Michaels than properly fix the hole it's hiding...


Porterhouse (on sale) grilled to perfection and my first woodstove baked potato of the season:

Sunday, December 7, 2014

Merry Christmas Cooper

You know that chair you like to climb into when you're visting and think I'm not here?

The one last April you decided, without warning, to jump into my lap and fatally injured in doing so?

After many months and several surgeries this morning it finally succumbed and ceased to be a reasonable facsimile of a chair.



I managed to find you a new one on Craigslist for $30 up in Woodstock...score! Checking the straps at the Pomfret Center post office.


New chair at home.


The funeral pyre of the old one.

Saturday, December 6, 2014

Gingerbread Dreams...

Greater Hartford Habitat for Humanity's Gingerbread House show (was a good excuse to turn my brain off for three hours and go for a drive on a rainy day -- hadn't taken a pleasure drive in a month or more!). First time I went to that early beachhead of New Urbanism, Blue Black Square:









Across the street was upscale Ikea -- a/k/a Crate & Barrel. But I like that and I bet I could make one!

Dear.God.Candy.Crack...

QOD

It often feels like you have a broken heart, but it turns out to be a bruised ego. Luckily, that’s something you can deal with!