A Random Assortment of Life Happenings

 I am retired...doesn't that mean you have lots and lots of time? 

Seriously, last week was so busy I had zero time for myself let alone to stitch, so I have nothing to share there and to be honest my house is a total wreck.

I have good news though, so let's get some thoughts out on this post. Paul Allen popped the big question to Katie this weekend. There are so many "yes" answered prayers in there that I have really just said, "Thank you, Heavenly Father," over and over and over this weekend.

The question was posed in a deer stand in the woods in south Alabama. Only Paul and Katie --ha ha! Just evidence of how well that both of my children have chosen their lifelong mates. Not only, did he pop the question in the deer stand, but an hour later Katie got her first buck. I shudder at the thought. I mean I really do. I am way too girlie for that. The thing is to look at Katie, you would never suspect that she likes to hunt. 

Anyway, I am beyond thrilled and that is something to look forward to in 2021.

I kept Tucker for a day. This was not in the plans at all, since they had just come off a quarantine and Thanksgiving. Lindsay had wanted Tucker to be in school. He really has learned so much, but Tuesday night little one put his hand on the stove burner. Lindsay nearly needed the doctor more than he did. All turned out well. He had a bad burn, but thanks to a good pharmacist, the Internet and a much calmer daddy all is well. It is healing up very well and fortunately he didn't have to go to the ER which I think would have made the whole thing even more traumatic.

Tucker loves to help and Lindsay had him on the counter helping, but he decided to touch the burner. She has one of the stoves with the flat surface which is not lit up when turned off even though it is still hot. They both learned a lesson and it honestly took years off Lindsay's life over the next few days. I kept him the next day to make sure he was ok. He was fine by then and wore his bandage well and knew it had to be treated carefully. The only problem he had was holding his drinking cup, so school was back in session for him on Thursday and Friday and all went well.

Let's move on to Christmas.

I am going to share my tree this year. It is very different than all the trees that I have done since starting this blog. Not different from all my past trees - just different than the ones on this blog. Other than that and my new living room furniture nothing is really different anywhere, so I don't think I will get a Christmas tour up this year. I am struggling to keep up these days so we will just share the tree for now.

The star is new this year. Back to a star after a few years of an owl. I must say I love having a star back!!!

This year's tree is a very simple tree. I wasn't sure I was going to like it when I set out decorating it, but I knew it had to be simple because of my past two year's experiences with the real tree again. 

Way back in 1984 when Jeff and I married I was of one of those that thought it sinful to have an artificial tree. HaHa! My mother-in-law took me to see some silk trees in the late 1980s and convinced me to try it since she was going to buy it. I think that tree would be synonymous today with something I could not afford today. Anyway it lasted for decades and the year before this blog started was its last year on the scene. My kids only knew fake. I feel a bit bad about that. I think kids should know picking out a tree.

The year I started this blog I was heavily influenced by a tree I saw that you can read about here and I had a really fancy tree for the years following. When I went back to a real tree because of a lighting debacle I kept trying to put all of that stuff that I bought in 2014 on a real tree. Last year, the tree was really drooping and I lost one of my most treasured ornaments due to its falling off with all that weight. The tree was beautiful and I really like the stuff. There is enough that I could do a woodland animals small tree and I actually have one in a closet, but I am not feeling it this year.

I told myself last year as I was taking it down I would go back to a simpler tree. I did.

I wasn't sure about it as I put it up, but it has grown on me since and I am quite happy with it. I have had many phases with trees:) Does anyone remember the apples from the mid 1980s. I bought 2 dozen of the little red apples. I still have them, but only a few go on now. However, I still hold onto them for some reason.

I added some light blue bows like our first couple of years. I think any color could work. I also noticed how using blue bows really made any ornament with blue pop on the tree. Meg, I missed yours on the close up, but it really shines this year.

I do have one more item to share with you and then I will close this very LONG post and get busy on my very MESSY house.

I got an early Christmas present. While Jeff was home in his quarantine, he assured me it was time to get rid of the very old worn rug in the kitchen. I got online and found an outdoor rug on a really great pre Black Friday special. I mean I scored a big deal. 

I love it! 

Here it is up close...

and then farther out so you can see the fuller picture with light.

I have one more picture to share. I sent this to Jeff on Friday morning to show him I could look nice. Not that I go around looking awful, but I go nowhere so I have worn mostly leisure stuff. I had to take Mom to the doctor so I put on real clothes:)

Hope everyone is hanging on. This Christmas is going to be different in so many ways. I am just hoping for all to be gathered here for Christmas Eve, but know that things can change on a dime. 

Sandy