Christmas Wishes

Guess what I got!!

I have always wanted to get an advent calendar, but for some reason, I never did.  I mean, when Cody was little, we had an Advent calendar, but it was the kind you stick figures onto a background to make a nativity scene.  In fact, I think I'll get that one back out and do it this year, even though we lost one of the sheep.  

No, what I'm talking about is the kind where you open the little door each day and get a treat.  I've always wanted to do one of those, so this year, I said, "Dadgummit!  I'm going to get me an Advent calendar!"  And that's exactly what I did. 

While I was at it, I got some for Cody and Brennan, too.  The chocolate ones are for me and Cody, and the one with the little gemstones is for Brennan, because she is a rock hound.  I haven't told them, but I told Cody they need to stop by on their way home from Brennan's parents house.  

In other news, all of those dishes and things have finally been washed and sanitized and put away.  Except for a few things I'm going to need for Thanksgiving, of course.  I left those out for convenience sake.  I'm getting too old to be crawling under the cabinets, and I had enough of that getting it all back out...and back in.

What took so long was actually the drying time.  The washing went pretty quickly, but then I had to dry the stuff.  My two options were to let them air dry for several hours, or dry them with my dish towels -- which quickly became too soaked to be effective.  Thus...I had to let them -- meaning the towels -- dry for several hours.  I went with a combination of the two, and eventually we got 'er done. 

I even managed to part with a few things I seldom use any more, or that need replacing anyway. 

Well, technically I haven't parted with them yet, but they are in the give away box.  I'm a bit torn on my grease keeper.  I mean, I haven't used it in ages, but every Southern home needs a grease keeper.  I'm afraid if I give mine away, I'll lose my Southern card.  I still have a biscuit cutter, though.  For now, at least.  I'm also going to go through my drawers and see what I can git rid of from those.  Some of what I'm giving away is stuff I need to replace -- like the round baking pans.  I've added them to my Amazon Christmas list in hopes one of my sibs will get them for me.  The rest of it is stuff I haven't used in so long I'd forgotten I even had it.  

Speaking of, I had a little chat with my sister this morning.  She wants to order something for her daughter in law, only they don't ship to Alaska.  Not sure why, but that's what she said.   Sis is going to have the item shipped to my house, and I'll forward it up to them in Fairbanks.  

Then we got to talking about our Christmas lists.  I always want to order their stuff kind of early, because I've had problems with getting stuff shipped to Alaska in the past.   Then she asked me if my list was ready, and I had to tell her to wait a bit.  I've gotten to the age where I don't even know what I want any more.  I mean, I already have enough stuff, and if there's anything I need, I tend to buy it myself. 

For example, I'd intended to ask for gift cards this year so I could buy my compost tumbler, but then they had a deal on it for Prime Days, so I got it myself.  

Thus, I'm at a bit of a loss as to what to even ask for.   Which brings me to Thanksvember Twenty-first:  I'm thankful to live in a country in a time of such abundance.  A country where we have so much, most of us don't even appreciate it.  

And today, you get a bonus Thanksvember, because we got (according to my weather app) almost 2" of rain yesterday, and though several parts of the state had tornadoes, no deaths have been reported.  At least, not to my knowledge.  

So, after I finished with the dishes, I moved some of my firewood up closer to the house, and not just for convenience sake.  

The overhang from the roof, plus that chimney stack will help protect it from the rain. And I've started moving some of it back into the old chicken coops, too.  That way, I'll have dry wood no matter how hard it rains. 

Finally, look at this.  It would seem when I repotted my Whatever cacti, I got them mixed up, and now I have all three colors in the same pot -- red, salmon, and the cream colored one. 

Now the great debate is whether to separate them next summer, or just leave them the way they are.  Oh, sell, I've got six months to decide.  

That's about all I have for today.  I'm off to try to find a Thanksgiving movie that isn't Planes, Trains, And Automobiles -- which I've already watched.  There really aren't that many to choose from, so I'm open to suggestions.