What a Christmas

Christmas this year was wonderful. Too much food, lots of presents, almost all the kids here (Amanda's family didn't make it), and a two-year old. Things could not have been better.













 We started off with a giant batch of oven-baked chicken on Friday, and ate ourselves silly all the way through Monday morning.  Our main meal was courtesy of Jenny and Ross; two beautiful South Dakota roasts we brought back with us on Thanksgiving. A little chunk of South Dakota for Christmas never hurt anyone!


Our stockings hung from the bar by duct tape - the only way to keep them up since Santa fills them so full every year. Then on Sunday we all sat around opening them, enjoying the goodies packed in during the night. 

Some of the kids went out and did some target practice, while others of us played tiddly-winks. Some things never change, you know?

The best quote of the weekend was made by Annie, who said, non-nonchalantly, "Stop smelling my butt." Heads turned at that statement, as we took family photos outdoors. Yogi never did understand why we couldn't stop laughing.

 

What a happy Christmas we all had.  Thanks family, for holiday fun times.

Displacement issues

Rosie loves to go places. Today when she woke up, all grumpy and groggy, I only had to ask her if she wanted to go shopping with Nana, and she sat up and said "Shoes."

Sometimes Rose just likes to go outside. Other days, she likes to sit in the kitchen eating yogurt and watching Nana or Mommy cook.

Sunday, Rosie got to go with her Mommy and Daddy to an open house at Father Michael's, the local priest. She loves Father Michael, and she really liked the open house. Last week they all went to his house to decorate his tree. This week, other parishioners came to visit and see the decorations.

When Rosie got home she was all excited. She told me "Michael's house," and "Christmas" and a whole lot of other jibbery-jabbery sentences that were adorable, telling me all about her trip. Then she told me how, on the way home, Daddy drove around to look at lights on other houses. She loved that, too. Then she said, "Lights on Nana's house too."  And she's right.

"Yes," I said, there are lights on Nana's house AND Rosie's house. That's when Rosie frowned. I noticed her worried look, and realizing how the wheels in her head were starting to churn, I said, "This is Rosie's house, too."

"NOOOO, Nana's house," she wailed. So I asked her if this was Nana's house and she said, in her ever-so-cute-way-of-saying "Wes."

I said, "Rosie, come here. Let me show you something." I picked her up and took her to the threshold of the kitchen and dining room. That's where the house is, more or less divided, into two separate sides. Then, pointing toward the kitchen, I said, "This is Nana's house. Then I turned, and pointing toward the dining room, den, and her bedroom, I said, "and, this is Rosie's house. Is that OK?" I asked her? "Is this Rosie's house?"

That satisfied her tremendously. "Wes," she giggled, then wiggled down and ran to tell Daddy all about her house. The last thing I want for this darling is displacement issues. But now, not to worry. This is where Rosie lives, and she's very content with that.

So am I.

So close, yet so different

It's funny how the subtle differences stand out from country to country. Especially a country like Canada, so nearby. I expect differences in food and language, for instance, when I visit China, but I hadn't really thought there would be much variation between the US and Canada.

One such example is the grocery. I looked high and low for sliced pepperoni one day, to put on top of a gluten free cheese pizza I found at the grocery. It was a giant grocery, but couldn't find any packaged pepperoni except in a big long tube.  I asked if they sold it sliced and they looked at me funny. "No, just this."  Something so simple, we take pre-packaged, precut foods for granted in the US. I didn't see any packaged sandwich meats, except for those sliced by the meat counter.

There's an underlying attitude of healthfulness, at least in this Toronto area. Recycling bins are everyplace, processed foods at the market are much more limited. And, the dairy aisle shows how alternative dairy products (animal other than bovine) are available.




















 I knew it was true that the rest of the world does not take in the amount of cattle-produced dairy products like the US. But it never occurred to me that Canada, being part of North America, fell into the "alternative dairy" category.

Goat milk is sold in giant bags (not boxes). Goat yogurt, goat curd, and other delectable goat by-products. Goat cheese sells in big hunks, too.

Of course, you also have the language. They think it's hillarious, for instance, that we use the word "Tardy" when saying someone is late (school in particular).  I asked them what term they use instead, and they said "Late, of course. What else?"

In the education department there are a ton of differences. Not just in language but in methodology. It's worth examining closer, and honestly, I have no idea why we don't have some of our educationally concerned politicians visit Canada. They've got some good ideas that could minimize how US schools waste time and effort in completely ridiculous areas (ethnicity and GPA, for instance), while letting the areas that matter most (student abilities in learning, for instance) slide.

Hopefully I'll get to come back again. I'd like to learn more about the Canadian approach to things.

Don't see this every day

Look closely at the wording. Click the picture to enlarge.

Highway sign about 2 miles from my hotel in Ontario. NO, I am not planning a visit.

In the north

I really hate being cold.  But actually, I hate being cold when I'm indoors. That's where my body expects to be warm. Outside, I seem to adapt pretty quickly.  Except in the wind. Wind is always painful when temps are low. 

This week I'm in Canada. I expected it to be painfully cold, thinking the lake effect would add to the chill. And it should be cold. This time last year, a giant snow storm hit Ontario, stranding hundreds of people on the highway. The army had to be called in to airlift people to safety. 

That's more like what I expected when I arrived. Instead, I should have brought my sweater. While my heavy coat has been nice on the icy mornings, this afternoon it felt like spring, and tomorrow is supposed to be 10 degrees warmer. Thursday it will be mid-50s.

Am I really in Canada?  Maybe I got off on the wrong stop.

Molly is my puppy. I love her tan coloring and black nose. She looks like a bear.

Molly just turned six months old, but she's quite a bit bigger than Yogi was at this age.  She's a great guardian most of the time, but she IS still a puppy. Last week she got in trouble for harassing the baby goats. Sometimes she just wants to play.

When I got Molly in July she was nine weeks old and the size of Andy.  Rosie could easily handle her.

That didn't last long.

Yogi was not happy I had brought Molly home. He moped around the first few weeks, acting extra needy, demanding to be petted more than usual.
Now he's better, and seems to enjoy playing with Molly a lot.

Molly has a great bark. It's got a low, deep tone, and she sounds scary when she gets upset. Yogi is teaching her how to bark at night and guard the goats. That's how she managed to get skunked a couple of weeks ago, she startled that little black and white creature who found it's way into the barnyard.

Molly really likes water, including rain. Yogi likes water and loves to stand in the pond when he gets hot, but Molly even nuttier. She loves to sit in a pool of water, and she'll run around even in the rain. That surprised me since her fur is shorter than Yogi's, but it's got that same dense base that apparently keeps her warm. It's hard to get her to take cover when the rain is falling, she seems to think rain means run-around-and-play-time.

Molly's skunky smell is fading now. She could not understand why we would not pet her when we went out to feed. That's probably what made her start picking on the babies, she was lonesome.  Poor  puppy. She's very glad to be handled again. I just can't seem to keep her off my lap.

Birthday fun

I have always loved having a December birthday. For me, it was perfect as a kid because having a December birthday meant that I got to start celebrating the holidays early. My parents didn't really like to decorate until a week or so before Christmas, but having my birthday the first week of December meant I got to go out and enjoy holiday decorations before we got them at home.

Every year for my birthday my grandmother would take me some place special. She would find out something special around town, usually a show of some type, and since it was December there was always a holiday theme. When I was about six or seven she took me to the Ice Capades. That was magical, and I wanted to go more than once. Another year she took me to the circus but I hated that and cried when a big ugly clown came up to me and scared the bejeebers out of me! Gramma was kind enough to try and make up for it by taking me another night to the Ice Capades. I was relieved. It was beautiful, musical, AND SAFE!

When my children were younger, after we moved to SoCal, I would take the kids to the Disneyland Hotel every year around my birthday. They had decorations everyplace that reminded me of the arena and the Ice Capades. Plus, the Disney Hotel also had an ice skating rink. We loved going and watching people skate around in the wintery wonderland of Disney. Luke used to say that some day he would stay in a hotel like that, and we would walk through the hotel lobbies and halls amazed at how magical and fancy it was.

Inside the Atrium wing. Lights everyplace. Pictures don't do it justice.

As my birthday rolled around again this year, Michelle and William started asking what I wanted to do for my birthday. They said I had to go  someplace special, not just stay home and play games all day (my first choice).

The one place I really enjoy this time of year is the Gaylord Opryland hotel. Gaylord is sort of the Disney of Nashville, without all the rides. It's really spectacular. It's even better than the Disney hotel. Especially after dark, that's when the lights are most amazing.

The lights at Christmas are gorgeous and over-the-top, both inside and out. There's no way to describe it, you just have to go and see for yourself each wing of that massive place.

This nativity is life size, and this is only a portion of it

Gaylord has an outdoor nativity which is worth the trip all by itself. Every branch of the surrounding trees is wrapped with tiny lights, and the statues representing the nativity glow in the soft lights from the ground. It's a beautiful scene all around. Horse drawn carriages take people around the hotel grounds to see the lights.
And children are everyplace. I love the sound of children, happy, sad, chattering, I don't care. I like to hear kids, and I like that they are welcome even at a fancy place like the Gaylord. I also like that no one is complaining about seeing or hearing kids. That really bugs me.


One of the lobbies had a piano bar, and the lady there was singing all sorts of children's tunes. Adults were enjoying it and tapping their feet, but the kids were thrilled that all the music was for them. Kids danced around the piano. Even our Rosie wanted in on that.











Gaylord has a great Santa, and Rosie really wanted to see him. Of course, once she got up there she clammed up, but it still made her happy to sit on his knee.  

 The hotel also has this wonderful little village that we managed to get in and see before they closed.

They have dozens of decorated Christmas trees, each being auctioned off for a charity. They have a train for kids to ride, and peddle cars, and an old fashioned Soda fountain, post office, flower shop and library.









Each little area had an activity for the kids to do. Even at the post office, kids can write a letter and send it to Santa in an old-fashioned mail box. If their address is on their letter, Santa will even send them a letter back!

There are restaurants galore at Gaylord. My favorite is Findley's Irish Pub. They have the best bands at this pub and tonight they had a folk/bluegrass band who's music Rosie and William had to dance along with.

So many fun things to do at the Gaylord, and it all looks like Christmas! I said I wanted to be home by six o'clock, but by the time we finally managed to get back home, it was nearly midnight. My goats were sure hungry, but I had to explain to them that it was, after all, my birthday, and once in a while, dinner just has to wait.

Thank you Michelle and William for making me leave my hill to celebrate. Thanks to Steve for the wonderful dinner and dessert. And thanks to anyone else who wished me a Happy Birthday for your good wishes. I had a lot of fun, and seeing the Gaylord Christmas decorations and lights always makes me happy for many days.  I'd like to go back to the Gaylord one more time this season, but if I don't make it, I'm satisfied to have seen it all today.

Toothpaste, not just for teeth

Cleaning tarnish from silver can be a really annoying and tedious process. I remember my mother hating to use her silver flatware because the only way she knew how to clean it was with silver polish and a lot of rubbing.

I have a bit of silver. A few old spoons, a small tea pot, and a necklace Michelle got me in Lake Tahoe - one of my favorite places I've ever lived.

I went to wear that necklace today and discovered it had badly tarnished. The chain was so dark it no longer looked silver, and didn't match the earrings I wanted to wear with it. So I decided to clean my necklace, making it shiny like new.  One trick I learned about cleaning silver tarnish is using toothpaste.

I rubbed a little toothpaste along the chain, massaging it carefully. The chain is a serpentine so it's very dense, which means I needed to work the toothpaste into the chain well to clean it thoroughly. After a minute or two I took a soft tissue and started rubbing the toothpaste off.

I worked my way around the chain, rubbing well until hardly any black tarnish came off on the tissue. I repeated this again, this time rinsing the necklace while working it in my fingers.

Toothpaste cleans almost any jewelry - except pearls!  Don't use on real pearls, it will ruin them. But it's great on gold, silver, titanium, chrome, and even stainless.

Toothpaste is good for lots of other things, not just cleaning teeth and jewelry. In fact, if you have a toddler around, toothpaste can be a miracle cleaner, and one you don't have to run out to the store to pick up in a pinch.

Take a look at some of the other ways to use toothpaste:

1. Are your walls painted?  Does your toddler occaisionally write on the walls with crayon? Rub a little toothpaste on a moistened cloth and rub the marks gently. They'll disappear without removing or fading the paint.

2. Does your baby still use a bottle?  or a sippy-cup?  Sometimes those start smelling funky. Wash them out with a bottle brush and a little toothpaste for a fresh smell and clean inner bottle surface.

3. Do people in your house often forget to use coasters? Is there a water ring in spots on your  furniture?  Try a little toothpaste on a dry cloth and rub the spot out, then finish off with a furniture polish. If you're worried, try a little test spot.  Then get more coasters to keep around the house.

Applied to part of this spoon for only a minute

4. Clean your silver flatware or chrome fixtures - lots of methods work with the toothpaste, rubbing it on then rubbing off is great for medium tarnish. If the tarnish is almost black, rub a coat of toothpaste all over it then leave for a while. You can wash it off later with a soft brush, to clean out even the cracks. An ever easier method is to dissolve some toothpaste in water then soak your silver overnight. I find this uses more toothpaste though, but it's simple and the crevices come out sparkly clean.

5. Scrub those nasty fingernails (after working in the goat barn all day, or changing the oil). It's not harsh on hands like soaps and cleaners.

6. I enjoy ironing but I don't do it as much as I used to. I've stopped using spray starch all together because I don't like the residue. But, if you have an iron that's overly gunky, and want to clean it off, run a little toothpaste on it, then wipe off with a damp rag. It will make your iron seem sparkly new.

7. Cabinet handles and piano keys get mucky from handling. Toothpaste on a damp rag will wipe off those stains quickly.

8. Clean your shoes with toothpaste to get the scuffs off of the rubber tennis shoes and even leather. Once cleaned, if you really want to fix them up, a little shoe polish applied to a clean shoe will make them look brand new.

9. Carpet always gets spots. We don't always take off our shoes when we should, especially after working in the yard or garage. Toothpaste applied with a small brush will take out those nasty spots that other cleaners won't touch, and make you a little less grumpy about what the dog tracks in.

10. Defog your bathroom mirror with toothpaste by dissolving a little in water then clean your bathroom mirror.  If you have a mirror in the shower, toothpaste can reduce the amount of fog that appears when you steam the place up. It works great, too, for windshields and other glass you want to keep fog free.

Toothpaste is great as a remedy for zits, bee stings, and other bug bites. I have to remember that the next time I find a tick under my belt.

If you want to try any of these tips, the only caution I have is to make sure and use white toothpaste (not gels). And I would avoid cinnamon ones, too, as they have sort of a pink tint to them. Tom's works great, no fluoride or fancy additives, but any white toothpaste should do the trick - just do a test spot first - and don't blame me if you screw things up.

Cats

Michelle hates my cat.  She's fat (the cat, not Michelle) and sassy, and really doesn't like anyone but me.

Bailey, the sassy house cat

Her name is Bailey.  When she sees me sitting on the chaise where I like to work, she comes and sits beside me (always on my left side, never on the lap) and purrs, waiting for me to rub her head. When she's had enough rubbing, she bites me. It's an endearing sort of bite, and even though it sometimes draws blood, I really don't mind.




Michelle hates Bailey because she's not cuddly, and Michelle is all about cuddly.
Rosie loves Bailey - though I don't know why. Bailey runs away and hides as soon as she sees Rosie coming in her direction.

Yesterday Bailey got trapped in my hallway. When she did she just hunkered down by the door. Rosie squealed with delight and laid down beside her, patting her back. She was so excited the cat didn't run away. At least, not until I let go of her.

Sassy, my wonderful lap kitty/mouser

I have three other cats, all of whom are more cuddly than Bailey. But those cats all live outside (thank goodness). One is a serious lap cat, and won't leave you alone if you sit down outside. His twin, Sammy, is sometimes friendly, but mainly he just wants to hunt mice. There's a community of them in the feed shed that he loves to stalk.

Hannah's cat (the black one named Felix) recently decided to be friendly and now follows me everyplace and asks to be patted. It's odd, I've had her for a year and suddenly she wants to be a pet.

Felix, Hannah's cat

Sammy, the fatter of the twins

I love cats. I'm sorry Michelle hates my house cat but at least I like her. And she's been a good companion to me, even though she bites pretty hard.