TODAY is Jen’s birthday! I stopped over with a gift and card, and Hershey’s chocolate! It was fun for a few minutes to watch Ranger (dog) play with his favorite toy ball, and Piggy Smalls plopped down on the floor for Nate to rub his belly. Funny pets! The cats hid… Chrissy was mostly in her room playing Forte Night. But Happy birthday Jen. Many more! Love you!
Jen with Nate
As it was Wednesday I did clean the house. I decided to put the treadmill ‘at rest’ during the remainder of the holiday to give me more room. I’ll move it back in January until I can find a new home for it!
Resting treadmill Kind of looks messy there, doesn’t it?
I also did some research for what we hope to be an upcoming trip to Williamsburg VA in the spring – Tulip Time! I’d love to stay in a Colonial House this time – on Duke of Gloucester Street! It’s my goal….
Tavern rooms
Kath sent me a picture of her and Paul and their very long-time friends Faith and Scott from Sunday. They went to a play in Pittsburgh and then had dinner after. They had a wonderful time – which was much needed!
Also here is a few pictures of the Hempfield church decorations. I also listened to a Christmas message from Todd that I missed a few weeks ago.
Table centerpiecesThese are my favorite types of trees….Decorated small tree
Again I had a few errands to handle = but it only took me about an hour. Traffic was pretty thick…
lines of traffic behind me
December 14 – Did you hang a Christmas stocking? “Yes. We put our name on a piece of paper & pinned it on the stocking. We hung them on the clock shelf in the kitchen. If Douds store had gotten oranges to sell we each got one in our stocking. Uncle Edd made fudge & we each had some in our stocking on Christmas morning. Mom made popcorn balls. Plastic wrap wasn’t invented so things were wrapped in wax paper. Nothing can ever taste as good as our Christmas stocking treats.”
Calendar inspiration – Surprise someone with a card!
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My handsome grandsons – 2014 I love the ties and dress shirts… Logan, Santa, Chase, and Peyton
Well, Jen herds cats for sure, and there were lots of left-over cupcakes on their kitchen counter. I doubt if she even owns pearls. But we’ll celebrate Jen! Happy birthday! God bless…
It stayed pretty cold all day. I was glad I didn’t have outside work to do, although it was sunny. Again, I had a few errands after work. I’m glad I can accomplish things on my way home from work and don’t have to make multiple trips out. And before I forget, here is a picture of the glasses and cocoa that Diane gave me yesterday. I used one of the glasses this afternoon.
I had a sewing project that I was working on – I don’t want to disclose what it is in case the gift-ee happens to read this. I’m not exactly a perfectionist these days with anything that needs steady hands and detail work, but I managed. Made with love! I also found some really cool purple star material. Not sure what I’ll use that for, but it was the last piece on the bolt so it was really on sale!
Christmas projectPurple star material
After that project I had to run over to help Mike and his business partners with some notary work. I wasn’t gone very long but they were important documents so I didn’t want to put it off. I also wrote out a few thank you notes and put together a nice booklet with the script for Sunday’s HCC Christmas program. It’s at 6:30 at the church so if you are in the area stop by. And as you probably figured out, I am NOT the star — Jesus was and is the star of Christmas!
December 13 – How did you decorate your trees? “We didn’t have electric so we just put strings of popcorn, paper chains, and cardboard stars we cut out of the back cardboard from writing tablets. We did have some very special ornaments that Grandma had bought. When we had the house wired for electric Dad & Mom sent to Sear & Roebuck and got a string of lights. We loved to turn off all the other lights & just look at the beautiful tree. When it was time to take the tree down we packed away the decorations very carefully. I have some of them now. Memories.” I have some, as well. They ARE precious memories!
Calendar inspiration – Keep in touch with cheery greetings with family and friends, near and far.
Gen txt me this morning, and Chris and Lauren (and Jackson) had their baby – a little boy! Lauren chose to have the baby at home (it was planned) and all is well. No name yet; they are still deciding. Congrats to to family!
Welcome baby Morris!
I had a medical test this morning, then worked at both stores and stopped to help Mike.
The registration gnomes at the medical testing center!There is a very old stone tunnel on the way to Mike’s lot, and when there’s a train going over it always makes me nervous to drive through!
Handled two Christmas chores, one of which was finding a Christmas yard flag.
At least it’s Biblical…I love this little star ornament – hung it on my lantern!I thought this little guy was pretty clever! (Didn’t buy him, though.)
I was home about 12:30, had lunch, did laundry, ironed, and made chocolate covered pretzels (they were in the shapes of bells, trees, and snowflakes!)
They taste better than they look….
This evening I handled two more Christmas related projects to check off my list. But to catch you up on the rest of my weekend activities – – Saturday morning after breakfast I went down to L&L Fleatique’s Christmas open house. They had so many lovely displays and items for sale.
Nifty use of pop bottlesI’d like to do this to my sled!I have this exact chair – it doesn’t look like THIS!!!$110.00 is a bit over my budget!!
I purchased a little star ‘garland’ and a ‘Calm and Bright’ metal sign. They had cookies and give-a-ways (I didn’t win anything – no surprise there!) and it was a nice morning.
My funky little star garland!
Sunday morning I finally remembered to take pictures of the Sunday School classroom with the Christmas decorations. It was also Max’s birthday, so we had a cake and sang to him. He had a great time!
Covered the door in wrapping paperWindow clings on the tv monitor (it’s not hooked up…)SnowmanPaper tree displayWooden nativity display — that keeps falling down!Max and his cakeBlowing out candlesMax with his brother JJ and his mom
Mary, Teresa, Mary’s friend Colleen, and Mary’s mom Nancy came over for snacks and to just hang out in the afternoon. We had a really great evening, and everyone brought yummy food!
Mary standing, Teresa with the reindeer antlers, Colleen’s back to me. Nancy was on the other side!
December 12 – When did you put up your Christmas tree? Where did you get them? “We usually put up the tree a few days before Christmas. We cut limbs from the big white pine tree that grew in our front yard. It was not easy to trim & it lost its long needles quick, as we didn’t have it in a tree holder with water, just nailed to a board. “
Calendar inspiration – Togetherness matters – physical or long distance. Maintain your connections!
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Random Photo – Mom’s older sister Hazel and Uncle Gene
Wonder if the tree above their heads is the tree they used the branches of for the Christmas tree?
I will dedicate today’s post to our party yesterday, which was wonderful. We all feel so blessed and grateful for each other, and for God giving us the opportunities to be together and enjoy the fellowship. I’ll catch up with the other activities(from Saturday and Sunday) through the week.
Beth, Karen V, Me, Kath, Karen O, Gwen Holly, Aunt Joan, Gail (Connie had left and Colleen was taking photo)
Thankfully, the day was comfortable for driving even though it was cloudy. No snow is always a blessing as once you get past Indiana (PA) the roads get more twisty and narrow as you go. Safe travels for all of us is always a big plus! Kath and I made a few stops on the way out, including the Amish bulk food store where Kath had to get chocolate. We arrived at Colleen’s exactly on time at 2pm.
Colleen’s house 2021
Colleen’s home was beautiful as always. It’s like walking onto a Hallmark movie set. It’s truly ‘modern’ but authentic farmhouse style. She has a flair for decorating for the holidays, even to changing the pictures on the wall, curtains, rugs, and of course the seasonal enhancements! I love just walking around looking at everything. I don’t even think I took any photos of the décor or the rooms themselves.
Tree in the dining room, and the snack bar
Our first project (and again, Colleen was SO organized, confident, and capable) was our button bracelets. We all brought buttons, either newly purchased or from a family collection. Colleen gave us a piece of black elastic, and we took our chosen buttons from each person’s offerings and stitched them on our bracelet. Some we overlapped and some we doubled, but when we were done we had a friendship/family button bracelet. Kathy had to help most of us thread our needles – and she is the one with the tricky eye-sight! She also helped Gail sew on her last few buttons so she didn’t have to take them home to finish. I was pleased with mine, even thought that isn’t one of my stronger skillsets. I’m sure I will wear it often!
First part of my buttonsSome more of my buttons…
Photos of the group!
Beth listening to an Aunt Joan story!Gail and Karen VGwen and Karen OColleen (our hostess) and HollyKaren O, Holly, BethKathy and IKath helping sew Gail’s button braceletConnie, Colleen, Gail, Karen V
After the button project, Gwen went next door and got her mom (Aunt Joan) and brought her over for games, conversation, and supper. Connie had a questions game that her son Richard had found for her, and she asked the questions. If you got the question right you chose a gift (and there were quite a number of them!). You could take one from the basket or one that another player had already won. It came out pretty even in the end, and everyone got at least one gift. I got a holiday box and a shadow box, plus two Christmas saucers (which I will give to Peyton because there is a truck on them).
JOY boxShadow box
Dinner was cheesy potatoes, Sloppy Joe’s, Jello pretzel salad, and Oreo ice cream. There were crackers, pretzels, M&M’s, and various cookies for snacks all afternoon. I started with the pretzel salad and really could have been done eating at that point – but of course I wasn’t! Everything was delicious. Karen V made a yummy punch with sherbet which was so refreshing! We even had a vintage post card ornament at our place as a gift.
It’s 3D!
I read my two mini-stories after dinner – one about baking cookies with my girls when they were very much younger, and one about Grama Crooks. The Grama Crooks ones are always the best received – we all like to share our memories of Grama!
Eakman family – Grama Erma is back right.
We got home about 10:30pm, and I was tired but happy, glad to have spent a safe and contented day with some of the people that I love most in the whole world (second only to my kids/grandkids!). I am thankful and blessed to know that these are my people; we are there for each other all the time. OH! And Gwen announced that she is going to be a Grama herself in June! I’m pulling for the 18th, of course! So many blessings!
December 11- Were you ever in a church or school Christmas or Holiday pageant? “At Davis School I was always in the Christmas plays. From first grade up to 8th grade. My sister Hazel & I sang a song together one year. We had Christmas plays when I attended the Church of God. They were fun. Russel Wilson was our pastor & we liked him very much. He was drafted into the army in WWII.”
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Skunk Hollow cousins – 1967? Back: Danny, Allen, baby Mark, Susan, Marge, Perry Front: Kathy, Beth, Colleen, Gwen, Holly (Notice I had shorts on? It was all the rage!!!)Either Grama Crooks or Aunt Hazel made the dress Beth is wearing!) This is in Grama Crooks’ living room.
Birthdays: Today is my cousin Mark’s birthday and my niece Hannah’s birthday. Mark is a great dad, a great guy, helpful, hard working, kind and giving. Have a wonderful day and may your next year be better yet!
Happy birthday, Mark! (photo from a few years ago)
Hannah is a wonderful mother, teacher, wife, friend, daughter – and she loves to run, especially with her select group of friends. Wishing you a great day, Hannah, and a beautiful 2023!
I like Poinsettias! I think I made a Snoopy gingerbread house with the kids one year. Tomorrow is a doctor’s appointment in the morning, then work after that. Have a happy day! God bless….
I started out this morning – after breakfast – by treating my drains as recommended with a preventative flushing – it’s a foaming chemical combination that kills any roots that sneak through cracks in the sewage pipes from the house to the main line. It was easier than I expected and hope that doing this twice a year will keep me from having problems!
As it is already after 11pm and I’m very tired, I’m just going to post the daily info and catch up on the rest of my day tomorrow or Monday. Have a great day tomorrow!
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
December 10 – Tell about something you built, designed, or made as a youth. I have always liked to sew. We had a treadle sewing machine & I could keep the sewing machine going as smooth as any electric motor did. I made myself a one piece ‘jump suit’ out of feed sacks. it looked nice but never fit very comfortable. Your grandmother used to hide her ‘good’ material so I couldn’t cut it up when she was away.” Mom continued to sew her whole life – she made things for Kathy & I (including our wedding dresses!) and for the grandkids.
This morning, I baked the scones and had two warm ones for breakfast – yum. They are so much better when they are fresh out of the oven, but I can’t always manage that. I got an appointment for a hair cut, and was there and done by 11:30am. Walmart did have my croissants which crossed off the last thing for his coming week – so farm. I drove past Chick-Fil-A and they are finally (after it seemed like forever!) open. The parking lot was full and both drive-up lines were busy. I’m glad to see it open for the holiday business.
Yea! Open again!Double line through the drive thru
Next, to the post office to get stamps for the Christmas cards, and true to my predictions, they are all now in the mail (since this is Christmas Card day).
Busy Greensburg Post Office
My neighbor stepped up his decorating game – it looks like read people, but neither of them are! How fun!
I have to tell you about a kamikaze stink bug that I encountered this morning. I was making a cup of tea, and when I grabbed a Snoopy mug from on top of the fridge, I noticed a nasty little stink bug walking across the ceiling above the cups. I waited until it moved away from the fridge, took a tea-towel, and zapped that little BUGger across the room. It went airborne and I heard it hit the floor somewhere in the living room. So I went looking for it but no luck. About 10 minutes later I went to sit down on my recliner and noticed the stinky thing climbing drunkedly up the floor lamp poll. THAT I could reach, so I took a paper towel, and, well, you don’t want to know the exact end of this story. I was happy to be done with the little guy – but I’m fairly certain he left behind a huge family…
Aren’t they just disgusting???
Speaking of family, today would have been my Grandpap Steiner (Lloyd)’s birthday. He was born in 1904, and although he was admittedly quirky is many ways, I loved him very much. We lived right up through the field from him and Grandma Violet, and he would read my Weekly Readers to me on the porch steps. Happy birthday, Grandpap Lloyd!
Lloyd Steiner – at work at Walworth Corporation – year uncertain…
I have many things to accomplish this afternoon and this evening – if anything exciting happens I’ll share it tomorrow! Have a wonderful weekend.
December 9 – What did you like to look at there (favorite store)? “Doud’s Store had everything you needed for the housewife and things to use when you sewed. I liked to look at the pretty buttons in the cabinet full of drawers. Murphy’s 5&10 had fingernail polish that was behind the counter. We had to ask a clerk if we wanted to see a color up close. We never had money to spend on things we didn’t NEED.” I almost think that people these days spend more money on what they don’t NEED than they do on what they DO need!
Calendar inspiration – We never know when someone will need something that only we can offer!
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Skunk Hollow Christmas at Colleen’s 2019 Kathy, Gail, Colleen, Aunt Joan, Connie, Gwen, Karen V, Karen O, Me, Beth
Tomorrow is our Skunk Hollow Christmas party at Colleen’s – and we are all excited. There will be nine of us this time – Sorry that Gwen will not be there. We’ll miss you Miss Gwen! God bless…
There was really a tangle of stuff to straighten out at the Jeannette store. My PENNDOT computer program was not working right, and it seemed like every paper I picked up has a discrepancy! It was almost noon when I finished with work, which is later than usual. A quick stop the help Mike P with something and I was done. He gave me a really pretty Christmas pen, too!
Christmas pen
From there I went to Norwin Aldi and Walmart, just for a change of pace shopping. I was able to get what I needed for the next week so that’s good. When I got home I heated up a piece of my pot pie and had a small bite of my fudge, which is almost gone!
Pot pieFudge
I made a cup of hot tea in my Snoopy mug, and my kissy Snoopy stood watch. I have my spruce scented candle lit, and I have A GIFT OF LOVE playing on the DVD in the background. It’s a very old movie with Marie Osmond but a favorite!
Snoopy duo1978!Spruce candle
Once I post this, I’ll finish up my Christmas cards. I was low on confetti (SAY it isn’t SO!!!) and Christmas is impossible to find, so I had to get a substitute. I got plenty, so if perchance you get a Christmas card from me, open with care!
Cards are signed and addressedStar confetti
December 8 – Tell about your favorite store to browse in as a child. “The only store in Plumville was the Douds General Store. When we went to shop in Indiana, PA, I liked Murphy’s 5 & 10. J C Penny’s had a tube that the clerk put your money into, when you bought something. It shot up to a sec/bookkeeper on the mezzanine where she made change & sent it back down to the clerk. It was fun to watch.
Calendar inspiration – Be bold, bright, and ready for adventures!
I guess I’m destined to mail my cards tomorrow. And trust me when I say that during my Smail and Pinnacle career I have met and known a LOT of salespersons! I even married one – but we need to gently forget about that…. God bless!!!
Today’s biggest news is that it is Gen’s birthday! I txt her early this morning to say happy birthday and she was looking forward to celebrating with Chris, Lauren and Jack. Sharing just a few pictures to help with the celebrations.
Chris, Jack, and LaurenGen’s senior photoGen in Mom’s gardenGen, her sister Dot, and me at Ikea
It was cleaning day – as is usual for a Wednesday. I stopped long enough to grab a quick lunch from the goodies I made yesterday, then finished up cleaning. It smells fresh and clean in here! I am sharing two pictures – one of my milk jug ladle with a poinsettia candle, and one of the living room window with the dots from the outside projector. You can see the green and red (almost looks pink) spots on the window.
Dots on the window and the curtainPoinsettia candle in the ladle
Not much else to report – Bible study is at 7pm so I decided to put this together early. Just folded the towels and after church I will finish the Christmas cards.
December 7th – Do you have a Pearl Harbor Day memory? “Our family was my Grandmother Margret Crooks, her oldest son Edd, my dad (Grandma’s youngest), my mother and us 4 kids. We were all at the table & dad turned on the radio. The newsman was telling about the awful attack on Pearl Harbor. That was the first time I remember hearing that name, Pearl Harbor. None of us ever forgot it from that day to this day in 2004.”
Calendar inspiration – Enthusiasm is often more important than the ability to do something.
Brownies that you eat or Brownies that are mini-girl scouts? I’ll look it up. I have a favorite Christmas book that’s about time travel and I plan to read it as soon as I finish the book I’m reading now! Have a good day – God bless…
There were only a few catch-up things to do in both Jeannette and Greensburg. I did that, and ran a few Christmas-related errands. Well, one was to get the foaming drain cleaner (hoping to do that Saturday morning) and a hair-catcher for the tub drain. Hoping they both work like promised.
Saw it online…
I had a muffin when I got home, then put together a turkey pot pie. I had broth and gravy and noodles and turkey in the freezer that I saved for that exact purpose, and had just bought the pie crust. It smells really good – and hope to have a piece for supper later.
Turkey pot pie
Kathy asked for help with making a Walmart photo online account and purchase. I went over and we worked our way through the process, and 2 hours later she stopped and got her prints! I’m so glad that worked out. She shared one of her holiday angels with me that she got at a craft sale. Thanks, sis!
When I got home, I made a big pot of potato soup.
I also stopped on the way home and got my Christmas ham and required noodles. Now I just have to come up with the entire menu for Christmas Eve and our family Christmas meal on the 28th.
December 6 – Do you have any knowledge of how your first name was chosen? “My father always picked our names. I know my middle name, Jane, was his sister’s middle name and he always told me I was given that because of how much he thought of her (Emma Jane Crooks Whitacre).”
Calendar inspiration – Get your Christmas cards out early – Send someone asurprise note.
It’s also Gen’s birthday tomorrow! We’ll see a few photos tomorrow. Wonder if baby Snow Shovel will be born on Grama’s birthday!!! Have a great day and God Bless…
Today was another rather busy day. I had a few things to do in Jeannette, and the lot guy (Colton) took care of my car. He checked the air in all the tires and added some to two of them. Then he washed and dried the car and swept it out. It was very nice of him! From there I got gas in the car, mailed a package and got stamps in Greensburg, and then went to my dentist appointment. Dr. Lane replaced the temporary crown implant with the permanent one, and then the technicians scanned my mouth for the last two (I hope!) crowns for the other implants. From there I went to Greensburg, then came home.
Clean car!
After a bagel for lunch I made the Oreo Ice Cream dessert for the weekend, then sewed two Christmas rice bags for gifts for friends for Christmas. That was about it for the day, other than ironing, which I’ll do later. Maybe I’ll organize my Christmas card list…
December 5 – Did you ever have a bad experience with a haircut or a permanent? “My neighbor in Greensburg gave me a home perm in May of 1986. I was marrying John on June 21st. My hair was so ‘permed’ I looked like a wild woman. My nephew’s wife, Bonnie Crooks, is a beautician. She treated my hair & set it for my wedding day. Thank you, Bonnie!”
Calendar inspiration – When you change your attitude about something, you change the situation.
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