Christmas 2022 and New Year 2023

 Since we didn't even get home till December 16, decorating took a back seat to getting some sleep, filling the fridge, writing the newsletter for the club among other things.

Before filling the fridge, we had to clear out a little friend who had taken up residence way at the top way in the back. I know it's small, but it's there!! How did this creature survive?? Werner found the critter a new home.

My major decoration was just a green wreath with a single candle. Usually there are four, one each of the Sundays before Christmas, but we were here for only one, so that's my excuse.

And of course way too much time was spent trying to track down our luggage and several fruitless and frustrating trips to the airport. But the story ended well.

Christmas eve we had Raclette with Renate and Gerd - pretty easy to put together and, like fondue, a nice slow meal.

 The plan was to have Ursel here for Christmas day, but she got a bad cold and decided that was a gift we didn't need. But the meal was planned and we did it for the two of us - Moroccan lamb filets, couscous, beans. It was yummy!

But there's no rest for the tummy on this long holiday weekend. Monday it was off to Ohlendorf and René and Rima's for the traditional Christmas goose and opening presents. Lex and Monika were there and another couple, so quite a group!

After, it was time for more presents and I'm grateful that practically we got everything is edible!

Next morning it was a breakfast feast and good-byes until the next visit when I imagine there will be more feasting!

Thanksgiving again, USA

 A very special year this year, with TWO Thanksgivings, one here in Germany, one there at our US home.  

After our spring visit, Michelle and Lee asked, When are you coming back? I said, maybe November, and they said, Thanksgiving??

Well, why not? What a great time to get together. Michelle, Joey, Hunter, Hannah, Harrison were all invited to Orlando. Harrison's parents and his brother! All of Crissy's local family! We're talking 23 at the table. Or was it 25? I forget.

The night before, Michelle, Joey, Lee, assorted Orlando folk met up at Drive Shack where you can whack golf balls and eat food while watching folks whack golf balls. 

Next day, the Big Feast. Of course lots of prep had been done the day before, but there was still plenty to keep us busy till the crowd arrived.

Table setting.

Prepping the turkeys.

And the food before the feast.

The fried turkey.

All the amazing side dishes that family brought. It's not Thanksgiving without corn things and sweet potato things and cornbread dressing. Soooo good.

What was best was my kids and their kids all together at one table. Heaven. That was a first.

And the weather was just perfect. Mid-70s, plenty of sunshine.  Werner took a nap - not sure if this was before or after the feast!

Off to THE GAME

But there was no relaxing the next day as we had to hoof it up to Tallahassee and the FSU-Florida game. It had been years and years since Werner and I had actually watched a game, but his was a no-miss-event.  The tail-gate was a bit less elaborate given the feast the day before, but it was still something to envy.  Neighbors and friends joined us and then it was time for THE GAME.

It's cool that Lee's and Michelle's seats are now so close together we can be with everyone all at once. What fun for us.

University of Florida was not having a good year and FSU was confident (and better!!) and we were playing at home and it all came together and what a win!!  Afterwards, fans stormed the field but so happily! Great game!!

Then off to PC for a week. We were late getting in, of course, though not nearly as late as Lee and Crissy. I think we may have slept till well into mid-morning the next day. OK. Everything is cool in PC.

Michelle had a couple of little jobs for us, thank goodness. Werner was tasked with refurbishing one of the outdoor decorations. Done!

 I had to work on a present for Hannah - embroidered sneakers. It took most of the week, but I got it done.

The tree was bought and brought home and after Joey installed a bajillion lights, the decorations started going up.  Hannah and Hunter by tradition put their own ornaments on the tree. 

The kids both thought the tree was "too small" this year! What?? It was a great tree.

The pups were not really impressed.

We went to the History Class and had some local beer and local eats.

We had  tacos and all the fixings at Hannah and Harrison's place. So much fun to be invited to dinner at your granddaughter's house!! 

We tooled around and looked at all the house decorations in the Country Club and beyond. I really enjoy that and marvel at it a bit. Decorations in Germany are a bit more reserved (to say the least!) and this year even more so with the worries that come with the war in Ukraine.

Michelle and Joey put up lights and decorations aplenty, but some folks really go whole hog. 

Maybe the biggie in PC was handing over the 12 Days of Christmas ornaments to Michelle. She'd fussed and worried about how best to display them and of course came up with the ideal solution: a perfect pendant to Mary Etta's wall hanging from so many (40+ for sure) years ago. 

I have to say, that was a project, but a fun one. I've done a couple of odd pieces for others in the meantime and will certainly do more. It's a great pattern.

Sorta in between, I set up two massage sessions for my neck that was so stiff!  The angel who did the work deserves her halo. But I mustn't forget the steaks, grilled to perfection, and the oysters, and the World Cup matches! 

Then it was time to leave for Atlanta. Or not. We don't know exactly why, but Werner and I (and Joey) got awful sick on the Saturday before we were to fly on the Sunday.  NO WAY to get on a plane with our tummies and hinter parts in turmoil!! Canceled the flight and then tried to rebook but the airline wanted to up the price X3 - that was a bit much. So we stayed in PC for two more days and recuperated a bit. We were so sad to miss time with my sisters, but so it was. Plan B - a rental car to Orlando and an overnight in Cedar Key.

We have such a soft spot in our hearts for Cedar Key.  We stayed there, Werner and I, on our very first trip together in 1987. Such a special place - an old wooden hotel with deep porches and swings and noisy locals at the bar.  

Every day a wonderful sunset. 

It was so fantastic -- until I got sick again! What a mess! Sadly, they didn't have grits on the breakfast menu to calm down my tummy, but the owner apologized and said there just wasn't enough demand.  That's a shame!! I can only imagine there are too many non-Southerners staying at this most Southern hotel. Regardless, we loved our little visit there and will absolutely go again, given the chance.

Back to Orlando. The locals (Lee and Crissy) were generous as always, adjusting their plans to our needs. There was another pair of shoes to stitch for a Christmas gift, this time with astronomical motifs (my fingers are done in).

We took walks with Hayden every day. If you tell him a time and say you're doing it, he will show up. It is so sweet. We hold hands, the three of us, and I love this time so much. The last day, we learned how to sing "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" and then sang it for mom and dad when we got home. 

And then, time to go home to Bremen.  But that was a nightmare!!!  First a delay in Orlando of 2 1/2 hours, a rebooking of the Frankfurt-Bremen flight which was cancelled and then rebooked and the rebooked flight cancelled and a night in the Frankfurt Airport with no support from any staff anywhere, and a later, delayed rebooked flight to Bremen where we arrived about 36 hours from the beginning of our trip and about 48 hours since we'd had any real sleep and then -- no luggage in Bremen. Wow!

Airport overnight accommodations:

All that said, we were home, we had our stuff and spare toothbrushes and  our bed and our pillows and it was all good.

And I have only good memories of this trip! Except for missing my dear sisters, we had so much just ordinary, regular, everyday sort of time with our family. Can't wait to see you all again. 💓💓💓💓💓💓💓

Thanksgiving 2022

 It's been three years. 2019 was the last time we celebrated Thanksgiving in our little house. It could have been done last year, but we opted not to since Klaus was immunocompromised and wouldn't have been able to come, and it didn't seem right to have it without him and Johanna.

Prep this year included chair repair! The chairs at the desk get a lot of use and they get wobbly after a while. We didn't want anyone falling on the floor.

Prep got really spread out this year. The soup (a curried, creamy cauliflower, very spicy) was done a couple of weeks ago and frozen - even better warmed up the second time. 

Turkey broth and gravy were done on Thursday and early Friday, the pies - this year pecan and cranberry curd. Next time I'll go with a regular tart crust for the cranberry - the hazelnut shortbread crust was too heavy. But still good! 

The table was a bit simpler this year. No Oma dinner service from the cellar storage but the everyday things. Since we're leaving for a second Thanksgiving in just a few days, this made cleanup a whole lot faster and easier. 

Our "game table" in the kitchen was opened out to have all the serving dishes and such at hand. 

 And then guests! It was a festive affair! Lots of talk and conversation and discussion 

...and food.

We spatchcocked the turkey again, but it didn't go fast. Either that, or the instant read thermometer was acting up. Now I suspect the latter, but the bird seemed pretty tough and (to me anyway) overdone. But there were no complaints from the company, in fact quite the opposite. Most of the folks took a walk before coffee and dessert (I think Ursel is allergic to walks...) and after it was good and dark, our guests left with some of the leftovers in hand. 

Now the table is back to small.

...and the fridge is FULL of leftovers! Yow!! Most will fit in the freezer; we'll gobble up what we can the next two days before we get to have a feast all over again. Stay tuned!

Antique and What-Not Market

 For the first time in three years, our local Manor House, the Schloß Schönebeck, held its Antik und Trödel Markt.

We love our little "castle." They have permanent exhibits of what makes this region famous: a collection of children's toys from a century or more ago, decorative tiles from the now-defunct local factory, old household implements, that sort of thing. 

But last weekend was the little Antique Market.

Speaking of toys, if you have a doll house, here are some decorative bits. That little rack in the upper left that holds the wooden spoons is less than 2 inches wide. I keep wishing for a doll house.....

And among other things I don't need, gloves.  Not the warm wooly kind, but the leather and dressy.

 And antique Christmas tree ornaments! Nope. I gave most of mine to the kids last visit. I don't want more.

And lace. And old linens. Nope and nope. I need to get rid of what I already have!

But it's always fun to go and look and poke around and remember. Afterwards, a leisurely bike trip through the woods and by the lake and along the streets to home.