BW and I will have a quiet year’s end. This weekend, he’s breaking down Christmas. I put it all up, he puts it all away. That system works well for us.
I’ve attacked the One More Room and its holiday chaos. Whew. Looks pretty much normal again without boxes, gift bags, ribbons, tissue paper and so on scattered everywhere.
I’ll bake Italian bread as we’re out, and put back all the things I stuffed away to make room for Santas and Snow People and all the holiday decor. And by Monday, will feel I’ve reclaimed the house from Christmas.
I LOVE Christmas, and I love getting my house back to usual after a month or so of Santa. See you next December, Big Guy!
I’m also working this weekend as I’m taking off Tuesday and Wednesday. The gang’s coming. Kayla headed up to see her boyfriend and family for a couple of days after Christmas, and they’ll come back for a few days here before heading back to college. Her last semester!!
So I’m going to spend Tuesday making chicken en cocotte and a pound cake. BW’s making his signature Mac and Cheese for our vegetarian. Then it’s about hanging with family over good food (and wine!).
I plan to do more blogs in 2024 about family, some travel, gardening (can’t wait to get started again) and so on. I’m sure Laura will also do some with excerpts of upcoming books, announcements, and her particular thoughts.
I expect there will be some blogs that deal with writing, with issues, with reader complaints. Yes, I could just ignore reader complaints, comments—whining, because you know there’s whining in there—and the occasional sort of stunning to me accusations.
But I’m not wired that way. If some readers think I’d just zip it, they haven’t been paying attention! I stand up for myself, for my work. Then I move on.
So there will be, very likely, a mix as usual, of cheerful, informative, happy, day in the life, family and/or girl trips, and addressing the regular drum beat of: please write faster, publish your books closer together, why don’t you this, why can’t you that, I want this, I don’t want that.
I like to think there are new readers, of my books, of the blog, who find that mix interesting and entertaining. For those that don’t, I can only suggest scrolling by when the subject doesn’t appeal.
Meanwhile, for this final blog of 2023, I wish each and every one of you a happy new year, a teetering stack of to-be-reads, and a wonderful, healthy and loving 2024.
It’s so rewarding to have grandkids who enjoy spending a day with me baking Christmas cookies.
Kayla and Colt
Over the years, Kayla’s become Chief Baker. I am her happy assistant. I do make the sugar cookie dough as it has to chill, and I get that done before the rest arrive.
Then Kayla takes over. Two batches of the crowd favorite—chocolate chip. Peanut Butter Kisses, Candy Cane Kisses, Snickerdoodles.
Kayla and Griffin
Then the finale—the Painted Sugar Cookies.
Colt came up to give us a hand, then Griffin arrived. And this year he dived right in. And stuck with it instead of playing with his monster trucks!
Kayla, Adonna and Morgan
We also had our two additional helpers with our foundation staff, the terrific Morgan and Adonna.
A lot of hands in the kitchen, and a lot of fun.
Creative crew.
Plus: YUM!! (Exactly what Griffin says after a bite of the first cookie.)
A bit of panic when I couldn’t immediately lay my hands on the paint brushes. Kat volunteers to make some. And no doubt Katgyver could have. But we find them when I’d moved them to a more logical place during last year’s January purge.
Griffin and Kat
So I roll and cut the dough, and the gang paints.
This year, Griffin helps unwrap kisses as well as wielding a paint brush. In fact, when every cookie’s painted, he isn’t done. Kat makes him canvasses out of paper towels.
Artist at work
Finished!
I love this holiday tradition. Love the fact I started it with my boys, and then when my grandkids were little started with them. Decades of cookies and memories that last a lot longer than the yum.
I don’t mind weekend busy, as long as I feel it was worth it.
This one has been.
But before I get to that, we spent a week in NYC earlier in the month. BW, Jason, Kat, Griffin, Kayla, Laura and her Mark and me—along with JR, Kayla’s boyfriend, for a couple of days.
We took a big party bus up, as we are many, and nobody enjoyed that more than Griffin. Going along our long, twisty road minutes after we left the house, he threw up his hands. WEEE!! Roller Coaster! So we all joined in.
A few hours later, and we’re in the city where Laura already waited.
A favorite view. Photo by Laura.
We zip up to our home away from home for the week, unpack, and enjoy and appreciate the lovely cheese service, the fruit, the views, and me—I pour a glass of champagne to help shake off the trip.
We take it pretty easy that first day—traveling will do that—order room service, play Monster trucks and Obstacle Course. Jason, BW and Kayla take a walk for some supplies.
The next day, as predicted, it’s raining. Off and on, but the on’s pretty heavy. Despite the wet, Kayla, Jason, Griffin and I head out—with Griffin pushing Baby (his doll) in the stroller. He’s not bothered by the rain a bit. We’re heading to FAO Swartz, and the fun for the wet boy begins.
While he’s interested and enjoying, what grabs him is the remote control cars on demonstration. He picks up one of them in a box, gives me a look, and hands it to me without a word. Okay then! I think he would’ve stayed there the entire day making the cat spin and flip. The only other thing he picks—again giving me a look, handing me the box—is a NYC yellow cab. Hey, his birthday is coming up.
Back home and a fun visit with Griffin’s triplet cousins and their moms. And Kayla, Laura and I grab a little shoe shopping time. Success all around!
Sunday is for the zoo—just Jason, the boy and me. A lovely day after the rain, a nice walk though we compete with the Sunday parade on Fifth. Just like last year, all Griffin wants is to bounce on the spider web trampoline. We finally convince him to explore, which he does, but somehow he manages to wind him way right back to the spider web.
Adventure time. Photo by Nora.
Eventually, we tear him away and with Jason’s phone GPS, make our way to the carousel. This year our nearly 5-year-old boy sits his own horse.
Then he crashed on the couch.
A good day. Photo by Nora
We have our foundation meeting Monday—and since the BIG parade is happening, it’s a good day to stay away from the crowds.
Before we start, while I’m working out, Kat comes up and asks if I have scissors.
I have little, folding travel scissors, but Griffin’s decided he wants a hair cut. We can’t miss that decision!
And Kat makes that happen with my tiny scissors.
Pretty sure we did our Facebook Live, Laura and I, that day. But it blurs.
And Tuesday is for serious shopping. I’m close to finishing up Christmas by the end of it. But before shopping, Laura, Kayla and I head out to The NY Times where I do a podcast. Not sure of the broadcast date, but I know Laura will let you know when we are.
What an amazing building. It’s my first time there. Impressive!
Wednesday is seeing my editor and agent—and long-time friends—more shopping, a lot of hanging out. So good to see them, and have time with them.
Kayla’s JR is in NY for a college program, and as he finishes up, he can stay with us for a couple days. We have dinner out, with our long-time friends, their spouses, before we see our first Broadway play since Covid.
JR and Kayla with a view. Photo by Laura
Six. Absolutely wonderful! The energy, the voices, the costumes. It reminds me why seeing live theater on Broadway is so very special.
Kayla and JR head out on their own on Thursday while Jason, Kat and Griffin find a playground. Leslie—my editor—Laura and I have some hang out time before everyone gathers again. And my beloved editor when I wrote for Silhouette, her husband, come over for drinks and dinner.
It’s been way too long! Lovely to see them and share our last night in the city.
The long road home on Friday—why are the east-bound lanes in PA so bumpy??? Then home again to happy dogs. Kayla’s headed out to the Era’s movie, and I figure I have the weekend to deal with all the shopping successes—and the stuff I ordered that came in during our week away.
Which I did. My One More Room resembles a storeroom at a department store, but it’s organized. After all, I have four birthdays and Christmas—so that’s a lot.
Spent the week getting seriously back to work. And that felt just fine.
Then it’s the weekend, again.
The season’s are changing, so that means shifting seasonal clothes—a chore! And done. More packages come in. Opened, organized and set there. Yes! Really nearly done.
Other organizing must be done on Saturday, but I get to it.
And it’s Sunday. Time to make soup—three bean and ham for this gorgeous, sunny fall day, and why not make some facoccia bread to go with it? BW’s out splitting wood (not with an axe, he has a splitter) and I spend the bulk of the day in the kitchen.
Three bean soup. Photo by Nora.
It’s nice, harvesting some herbs for the soup, the bread. And seeing my gardens still blooming. BW will watch football, and I’ll just veg the rest of the day.
Focaccia. Photo by Nora.
I believe I’ll do just that, with an adult beverage.
While I’m grateful it’s mostly stayed warm enough to keep the windows open, summer’s definitely over around here.
Things are still blooming—more grateful—and I’m snipping a bit here and there to have some pretty in the house.
For the most part, my nose has been to the grindstone, and no complaints from me. Working hard on the second book of the new trilogy—the first book, Inheritance—will hit next month.
I’m having fun with ghosts!
But this weekend, I’ve been busy around and outside the house. I’ve harvested most of my oregano—chopped it up, froze in ice cube trays for use all winter in soups and stews. Did the same yesterday with basil. Smells so good.
BW requested tortilla soup, so after my workout this morning, I got that started. And decided to make some sour dough bread while I was at it. The house smells so good!
As we’re heading to NY in a few days—BW, me, Kat, Jason, Griffin and Kayla—I spent way too much time packing. Don’t want to take a work day to deal with that, so it’s mostly done.
Our week in NY is pretty well packed as well. But we’ll carve out time for shopping! And a visit to the Central Park Zoo, which Griffin couldn’t get enough of last fall. Laura will also be there, so we plan to do a Facebook Live sometime during the week.
I’m meeting pals for lunch tomorrow. BW points out it’s the first time I’ve left the house since Mexico. I think he may be right, but my response was: And???
Still, it’ll be nice to get out and about for a day, and see pals face-to-face.
Then it’s back to work until it’s time to load it up for NY. Excited to see Kayla on her fall break from college, and have time to play with family and friends.
I hope this first day of October is treated all of you well.
A day at home for me. Apparently I slept through a storm last night, and this morning clouds rolls in, roll out. A quick shower, sunshine, a sudden hard rain with the sun beaming. Then sunshine alone.
Inside, Griffin challenges Nana to a chase. But he’s changed the rules! Now as I chase, he can turn and shoot fire at me. I counter with a hose, but it’s no match for his inferno. He leads me to the kitchen where it seems I’m trapped.
Griffin explains the rules to his Nana. Photo by Kat
I escape.
Watching me, he circles the dining room chairs, then takes my hand and leads me inside the blockade. I appear to be in jail.
Jail break! Wild chase. I am recaptured. Multiple times. You can’t escape the long arm of The Griffin.
Logan’s still feeling yesterday’s boat ride, so taking it easy in his room. Nana makes him a sandwich.
A group heads to the store for supplies for tonight’s dinner, and I head upstairs to work awhile.
Work’s done. Groceries hauled in. We’re adding chicken to the menu as the fish won’t be quite enough.
The three oldest kids and I settle into a game of Hearts.
When it’s time for me to marinate the chicken, Kat takes over for me. When it’s time for her to peel carrots, Jason takes over for her. Despite the tag team, Kayla wins.
Jason’s turn to fill in. Photo by Nora.
Rosemary was not to be found at the store, so I make do with thyme and oregano. Carrots are in. Kat scrubs and halves the pretty potatoes, and in they go.
Kayla and Colt play some Mario Cart which always entertains Griffin.
I give the carrots and potatoes a good start before I pull out the chicken. Oil in the skillet, then Kat’s finely minced garlic, some herbs and spices. No white wine handy, but we’ll make do again.
Roasting. Photo by Nora.
The gang clears and sets the table, and while the chicken’s sautéing, I tackle the fish BW filleted and Kayla makes some Mac and cheese. BW slices a pretty baguette.
Finished fish. Photo by BW.
dinner’s ready. Photo by BW.
And there we are, a hearty, home meal. Fish eaters declare the fish good—which is a relief to the cook! And yes, as I sample, it’s pretty tasty. Plenty of food for all, and no complaints.
Cooks are excused from clean up, as is the house rule wherever I happen to be the cook!
But the cook isn’t excused from Chase! Whew!
When the boy settles down, the rest of us—after a tutorial by Logan—play Texas Hold ‘em. Fun. And Jason who rarely has luck at cards wins the first two hands. Handily.
Wins and losses, near misses and sneaky bluffs. In the end, I come out five fake dollars ahead. I think BW and Kat are the big winners, wiping out Colt and Logan while Jason and Kayla came close to breaking even.
So a game-filled, food-filled day at home.
Cloudy this morning, but it seems to be lifting as a breeze comes up.
Kayla’s boyfriend, JR, is flying in this afternoon to spend the next week with us. Not sure what other plans are, but there was talk of doing the Italian restaurant for dinner, and BW said something about driving down to the lighthouse.
I’m at a place in the work where I’d like another couple hours before the weekend. But I’m flexible there if any plans solidify.
Every minute, all the shopping, wrapping, baking, cooking, prepping, figuring out.
Time and again, I think back to when my boys were little guys, so excited, so wrapped in those moments. Then, bang, it’s my grandkids. Holy crap! And they’re so excited, so wrapped in the moments. I’m right there with them.
Now I have grandkids ranging from 20 to 4.
How did that happen?
It’s still about the moments, about treasuring each step and stage and change and wonder.
My darling baby girl is now twenty, but she still bakes cookies with Nana. This year, in addition to her little brother, Colt (already 12!!!!) we include her adorable boyfriend J.R., in this long family tradition.
Kayla and JR with clean hands, ready to dive in.
They’re just great at it. Mixing, measuring, baking. I am now assistant baker instead of chief, and delighted to pass the torch.
On baking day we have Kayla and J.R., Colt, Grandda and Jason. Logan’s working—I have a grandson who has to work! And Kat’s herding Griffin.
Waiting for the mixer to finish.
We bake, and mix, and bake. Snickerdoodles (which turn out to be Griffin’s favorite), chocolate chip, peanut butter blossoms, peppermint blossoms, and painted sugar cookies.
BW and Cold prove decoratoring is serious business.
It’s a lot. It’s a marathon, but very precious. Plus delicious.
This is the weekend before Christmas, where Griffin gets a race track from his cousins. And played with it, and them, for HOURS.
Race tracks are everything.
Then there’s the countdown, and before we know it, it’s Christmas!
I do some snacks—deviled eggs, a crudite, we have some cocktail shrimp, I baked an Irish soda bread. Ripping wrapping paper and opening boxes requires energy.
Fun, chaos. Surprises, delights.
Logan has a girlfriend who’s now part of that. But we still have a little guy, a four-year-old, and nothing makes Christmas like a little guy.
When we need food, we have a salad bar, home-made lasagna, garlic bread from the Italian bread I baked the week before. Then an ice cream bar.
Yum.
It’s a long, happy day, where the adults exchange a lot of delights. Kayla, and she’s an adult now, opens lots of clothes, Logan’s very pleased with his gamer steering wheel, Colt his computer. And Griffin’s clear favorite is the Mario Rainbow Road race track.
Heading down Rainbow Road.
Actually, I think everyone’s favorite is the Rainbow Road race track.
While the gifts are great—they really are—the true happy is the being. Being together, being in the moment, appreciating that being in the moment.
Our annual holiday photo demonstrates just that. Oh, look how they’ve grown! Look who they are right now. It’s marvelous. It was a minute ago when my oldest grandkids were shorter than me!
Family.
There’s some recovery time, then it’s New Year’s.
Griffin would play on the Rainbow Road forever, so ends and starts the change of years doing just that.
I’ve made a chicken en cocotte, and some pasta and red sauce as Kayla, as our vegetarian, is joining BW and me, Jason, Kat and Griffin for the Eve.
Chicken en cocotte a la Nora.
Nora’s famous pound cake.
We eat like royalty, then just hang out. Many races on the Rainbow. And Griffin’s favorite cousin (Kayla) plays endlessly with him. Our floor is lava! The safe places are the rugs. We can turn the lava to ice by magic, but then you slip and slide instead of burn.
Cousin time
I have no idea how many year-end steps I logged dealing with lava and ice.
Then the year ends, and somehow the four-year-old stays awake to ring it in. He insists: No bedtime! But goes off with Mom and Dad to bed without complaint at the dawn of 2023.
I’m so grateful for all of it. For the shopping, the wrapping, the decorating, the baking, the cooking, the cleaning up after. For the sharing the moments with the people my grandchildren brought into our lives.
All things change; nothing perishes.
And here we are, once again standing together, an expanding group, happy together in the chaos and joy of the holidays.
Here’s to 2023. May it bring us happy, healthy, and all the moments to treasure.
My season actually starts in the summer (usually on vacation) when I start buying holiday gifts. I keep a list, check it twice–at least–then tuck everything away until after Thanksgiving.
This doesn’t get me off the shopping hook, but I actually love shopping for gifts.
I actually don’t mind wrapping them–much. My routine is to take a weekend or two, put on Christmas movies in my One More Room, and have at it. By this method? I’m done! Done shopping–some time ago–and now, done wrapping. Woo! Bring it on!
When gifts take over the office.
I go overboard on gifts, and I don’t care! It’s fun, satisfying, and gets me all festive. On Christmas Day, the house will be full of happy faces, ripped paper, empty boxes, scads of ribbons and bows. More fun!
The decorating’s nearly done. I still have the library because BW and Jason are in the middle of changing out the bookshelves lights, and it’s a mess. But when they’re done, I’ll be done.
I haven’t hung the stockings yet as that means no fire until Christmas. Don’t want to risk burning the house down if stockings go flaming. Presents won’t go under the tree yet as Griffin’s coming this weekend. What self-respecting four-year-old could resist going after all those pretty, colorful boxes?
When Kayla’s home for her winter break, we’ll have a marathon cooking baking day. Joining us this year, her boyfriend, J. R. We’ll see how he handles painting sugar cookies.
And still more fun.
I confess, I love Hallmark and Lifetime Christmas movies. I love their predictability and schmaltz. Why are they popular, year after year? Because I’m not alone in the love.
However, I’m going to highly recommend two non-Hallmark or Lifetime Christmas movies.
Spirited. Ryan Reynolds is one of my movie boyfriends. I doubt he knows this. As I didn’t know he can sing, he can dance! And does both along with Will Ferrell in this totally delightful movie.
If you catch it, be sure to say: Good Afternoon.
Love Hard. There is nothing about this movie I didn’t love. It’s so wonderfully charming and funny and sweet. The chemistry between the two leads is just perfect, the acting’s solid, as is the writing.
Both of these movies made me ridiculously happy. I hope they do the same for you.
Now, as I finished a book on Wednesday, and finished my wrapping today, I’m going to do as little as possible for the rest of the day.
Meanwhile, I’m wishing you the happiest of holidays, with lots of cookies, pretty lights and the warmth of friends and family.
A stay home day is just fine. Chain Saw Man gets very busy through the morning, and this time two trucks are spotted in the general vicinity on what we’re now calling Chain Saw Ridge. And he’s at it again today. CSM is no slacker.
Neither am I as I appear to be Griffin’s Race, Jump, Pratfall partner. I hold up my end, but still have time for puzzling. Making progress, and Kat is making serious progress in that area. She and Jason head to the market, and Griffin’s satisfied to hang with the rest of us. Kayla lures him outside for a race, but he spots his trucks inside, so in we go. He has several Mario figures—his new hero, perhaps displacing Blaze and that gang. Down the sliding race track with Mario, time to sleep for Mario, time to wake up and slide for Mario. Mario is very busy for awhile.
Grandkids, toys and a view. Photo by Kat.
A little lunch when the shoppers return, Kat makes cookies and BW takes his drone on its longest journey yet.
Perfect cookies cooling. Photo by Kayla.
Cookie alignment. Photo by Kat.
We have discovered the Italian brand of Fruit Loops. Kayla decrees them okay, and undoubtedly healthier than the real thing. Griffin loves them—but often requests the purple ones. Kayla questions this preference as to her pallet they’re all the same. Later at dinner, Kat will do a blind taste test, and proves Griffin is correct—or at least she and Griffin share the same taste buds.
The breezeway lives up to its name. Photo by Kayla.
But before dinner, we all clean up and change. Kat and Griffin visit my room as Kat’s booking a little fun time for the girls. We’re going to make silver jewelry, instructed by a local silversmith. Griffin doesn’t know a bed that isn’t made for bouncing on or jumping off of. Kat and I take turns—as directed—helping him take the big jump from the chest at the foot of the bed to the floor.
Somehow he decides it’s now my turn to jump. Unexpected! But he doesn’t object when I sort of sit on the chest, and assists me in my version of a jump before he switches to Hide and Seek. He hides—in my closet, every time. Oddly, I never find him.
Then they’re off, and I hit the showers.
We’re booked for dinner at 7:30. Just before 7, Jason tells me Griffin’s fallen asleep—small wonder. He gets his brief nap before Kat carries his limp self out. We’re armed with Italian Fruit Loops in case of crankiness, but though zoned, he’s surprisingly non-cranky.
Filling the space with a late nap. Photo by Kat.
We arrive right on time at the restaurant the driver recommended for pizza. The cook/host/owner/part-owner (?) seems surprised we arrive on time, but gracious—any table we like as none of the outdoor seating’s yet occupied. We sit, order a bottle of water, and observe what’s essentially Main Street in a small town. A car parked across the narrow street scrapes the stone wall of the building on his way out. He appears unconcerned.
People sit and chat at the wine bar next to us, others walk by. Another guy walks past our table into the kitchen/bar, and it becomes clear our place is a two-man operation, and this may be the owner.
The menus have English names for the pizzas—like Body and Soul, Nice Pesto. Jason uses his phone to translate as the descriptions are in Italian. They also have a handful of appetizers, and Kat picks one—a kind of puff pastry turnover filled with tuna with caramelized onions on top. She’s hoping Griffin will go for the tuna.
Pizza with ricotta, fresh tomatoes, pesto. So going with Nice Pesto on this one. Photo by j a-b.
Pizza with ham and cheese. Photo by BW.
Margherita pizza — which can fill the Body & Soul. (I don’t know, this was a guess. ~L) Photo by j a-b.
I won’t call the service slow. I’m going with very, very laid back. Friendly with it when we eventually order. The tuna deal, pizzas, more water, a bottle of Chianti.
While we wait, another car slides in to park across the street, bumps into a pole. Apparently no big deal. I assume the cars parked or moving are locals as through traffic isn’t allowed after 8–and it’s already well after as another starts to slide next to the building, clearly texting while doing so. And somehow she avoids mishap.
Bells chime on the hour and the half from the bell tower across the street. At nine—I don’t know why—they chime like mad things.
Group selfie. Photo by Kayla.
Griffin absolutely goes for the tuna. The pizza’s delicious, and very sloppy. Kayla solves this by folding pieces in half. I go for the lift by a fork until I get it up method. Kat finally succumbs, with apologies, to knife and fork. However you get the job done, it’s pretty damn good. Griffin agrees, though when he takes the piece I offer, most of it slides off the crust. He likes the crust. And the purple Fruit Loops.
For a kid wakened from a nap, hauled into the car, packed in a stroller, parked at a restaurant for more than two hours, he’s remarkably chill. Maybe his sense memory of his first year and a half of life’s clicked in. Scotland, Ireland, California, Hawaii, Montana, New York—there may be more in there. In any case, he’s a most excellent traveler.
We miss the sunset, but catch the final dramatic red blush with the growing moon sailing overhead. And head home for cappuccino. Kat wants to try making it, and does a very fine job.
Last light. Photo by j a-b.
Evening show. Photo by Kayla.
Sunset paparrazzi. Photo by Nora.
From the looks of the sky this morning, I expect another pretty day. I’m going to work out, and consider it training for any upcoming races and jumps.
The clouds roll in, roll out, then in again while I work out. The temperature’s dropped easily twenty degrees. Those clouds thicken so the sky’s layered with gray clouds. The rain comes.
After my workout, I find most of the gang in the kitchen. Kayla reports seeing a tree fall, so now we know Chain Saw Man’s direction. He was busy yesterday, and I hear clunking down there this morning.
Cloudy expanse. Photo by BW.
There’s some MindCraft with Griffin and his iPad, then some Mario Cart in what we’ve sort of made the game room. Kayla lets Griffin design her race car, so she ends up with an egg cart with rainbow wheels. As Griffin says: It’s so cute! And she’s victorious!
I do a little puzzling as the rain comes and goes.
It’s time for Kayla to make her boyfriend’s family’s Italian Eggs. I elect myself official photographer as she follows the instructions from the video step-by-step. It’s a fun breakfast/brunch/lunch dish. She does a fine job, and shares with BW and Kat.
[Please note, here in the Command Center, I guessed at the captions/steps. Any errors are on me.]
First, the bread. Photo by Nora.
Sous chefs at the ready. Photo by Nora.
Eggs in pan. Photo by Nora.
Add the latte. Photo by Nora.
Soaking up the egs. Photo by Nora.
The delicate flip. Photo by Nora.
Finita! Photo by Nora.
Grandda and Kayla approved. Photo by Nora.
And all approve.
Kat adds a tomato and basil to hers when she comes in after finding a four-leaf clover. Wherever we go, if there’s grass, Kat will find four-leaf clovers.
Kat’s additions. Photo by Nora.
During afternoon puzzle time, Kayla makes a lovely charcuterie. Also delish.
Kayla’s creation. Photo by Kayla.
There’s puzzling, reading, gaming, lazing through an off and on rainy day—and one where Kayla and I put on hoodies. It’s really cool, Laura, I swear! [Ed note: Laura has her doubts, but will put them aside for now.]
I give Kayla her choice of vegetarian rice dishes I figure I can make here. She stops me at number one. Spanish beans and rice. Okay then.
It’s kind of fun hunting through the spice cabinet to see if I can translate or recognize. Then a list of what else I could use, if available at the local market.
The pool area. Photo by BW.
And back to puzzling. We’re making progress on a puzzle that’s harder than it looked. A little pool time for Kat and Griffin. I’m delighted he’s really enjoying the pool.
Thank goodness, not a cupcake in sight. Photo by Kayla.
Sun’s out, time for the market. Back at the ranch, I gather and begin to prep. Which means opening a bottle of red—for the pot and the cook.
And going out and cutting some flowers for our table. Pretty!
From the garden. Photo by Nora.
Today I try a cleaver I find in the drawer. Surely this will be sharp. But no. Once again, Kat becomes KatGiver and hunts up a sharpening stone from the wild. She will take care of this issue.
Jason serves as sous chef when needed—BW makes a pot of plain rice (here Kat is unschooled as she grew up with rice cookers, and was sincerely shocked years ago when she learned I didn’t have one.) The plain rice is to sustain the rice-eaters as we go.
I chop, mince, sauté. It’s interesting that the beans come in boxes, not cans. Easily biodegradable/recyclable boxes. Nice touch. And they found Tabasco at the market! Score.
A pot full. Photo by Nora.
I have BW taste—the rice in my dish is not yet cooked. My fault for following a new-to-me recipe (Mine’s at home and not in my memory bank) and putting the whole thing on the lowest setting after it’s all together. I figure the lowest setting on this range means it can keep a dish moderately warm for days.
I turn it up.
Table gets set, bread sliced, the pasta from last night in a bowl for me—the non-rice eater.
Beans & rice a la Nana. Photo by Nora.
And a fine meal is had.
No sunset to follow as the clouds are back.
Proof of clouds. Photo by Kayla.
The men are left to clean up as it’s racing time, and Griffin discovers a new, LONGER route. We chase over the grass, over the terrace, through the open doors of the breezeway, onto grass, around the villa, down the steps. And back.
Many times to his great delight.
We have a jumping game, with turns. He’s getting good at the concept of turns. Kayla’s turn, Griffin’s, Mommy’s, Nana’s.
Somehow he and Kayla become a team, and she teaches him to crouch down by the corner of a wall, then they can jump out and scare me and Kat. Then Griffin yells RUN!! Many times. Hide and Seek, more racing. Many times. Then more times, until Kayla begs for a water break.
The men, who’ve done a fine job cleaning the kitchen, declare tomorrow is take-out day. Fine with me.
This morning is very breezy. Hoodie time on the terrace. I have no idea what Chain Saw Man is building, but no saw today. Just the sounds of clunks and clinks.
Lots of clouds over hill and valley, but some long blue stretches and the light and shadows are just lovely. It may rain so we’re likely to have another day at home—all good. If too breezy and rainy, I may set up and work a bit inside, find a good spot for that.
Right now it’s quiet—I may be the only one up. I have to decide where to get my workout on.
A quiet, family New Year’s around here, and again no big open house with friends and family. Hopefully next year things will be safe enough for a gathering.
We did go away for a week—rented a house again to be safe—and stayed in. It’s lovely to spend that kind of time with family, and just hang.
The view from the house.
Lots of play with the boy time, jigsaw puzzles, a little work, room service—and a Nana makes spaghetti night. Griffin’s a fan of my pasta!
Busy boy.
BW gave me a weird, fascinating, unstructured jigsaw of a moose for Christmas. This would never, ever, never have been done without Kat, the Queen of Chaos. I helped, but she did the heavy work.
The moose
Griffin really enjoys the vacation space. One morning, BW got up and went downstairs before I set up to work out. I went down to get my caffeine and water, and the lower level is quiet but for Griffin, sitting at the dining room table watching Sesame Street on his iPad. Normally Jason gets up with him in the morning as Kat is on any night duty. (The boy occasionally likes to party at 3 am!)
I had heard what I thought was the boy and his dad tromp up the stairs at about six, and thought nothing of it.
I say hi, get my stuff, wonder where Jason is. Hunt BW up who tells me the boy was playing with his trucks on the couch when he came down. Huh.
I realize he got up, didn’t wake his parents, just came up from the lower level where they all sleep, and entertained himself until someone joined him.
So I made him breakfast, then left him under BW’s watch and went up to work out.
Once home, it’s back to work, and the start of my annual full-house purge.
Making progress! All the Christmas stuff is put away, and that’s an accomplishment. Weekdays are for writing, and progress made there, too. Yay.
I found a jar of applesauce of the counter Fri. BW hunts and gathers, and I cook. If I’m around I help him put groceries away, but he got home with them Fri while I was working out. He left out the applesauce which I decoded as a hint. Applesauce Cake?
So Saturday, after workout, after the purge of the One More Room (and organizing Christmas stuff), my office, I made the cake. The purging’s moving right along since I did a serious job of it the last couple years. And the cake’s a nice reward for both of us.
Applesauce cake!
Today, after workout, it’s bake Italian bread to replenish the supply, and get a tortilla soup simmering. Purge dining room and library while soup is simmering and dough’s rising.
Italian bread stocked up.
Snow—expected—starting falling about the time I took the bread out of the oven. Since we’re going nowhere, it’s very pretty. Falling faster and harder now, but still going nowhere, Sunday chores are done, and the house smells of simmering soup and fresh baked bread.
Tortilla soup!
Please stay safe. If you’re not vaxxed and boosted, get vaxxed and boosted. Our Laura’s had her hip surgery postponed twice since hospitals in our area are overrun with Covid patients—over 90% of them unvaxxed.
Take care of yourselves and everyone else, and let’s make 2022 a lot better than 2021.
Oh, and if you want to watch something to pass the time, check out Brazen on Netflix, based on my Brazen Virtue from way back in 1988! They did some serious updating!
Nora’s view of opening credits.
Good deal!
Nora
I’ll share some Brazen content tomorrow. For now, here’s an off camera pic of the stars.~Laura
