Journal: Almost Christmas

Last Monday, Aaron had to get a cast on his hand because he broke the bone in his hand below the little finger and cut the finger Saturday night when he got it caught in an automatic gate at the shop.  Owie.  Makes my hair stand up on end just thinking about it.

My thumb and wrist didn’t magically recover like the doctor said it would after the cortisone shot last Friday.  I still can’t play octaves, and it still hurts when I use it.  Bah, humbug.

Part of the reason I decided to get the shot, in addition to it being too, too long a problem, was that my right hand was starting to hurt in the very same spot, from overuse in compensating for the bum left one.

I worked on Elsie’s dress most of the day Tuesday, and after spending a few more minutes on it Wednesday, it was done.

Putting the zipper in was a wee bit tricky, since there are three layers to the skirt:  overskirt, netting, and lining; and at the bottom of the zipper, the three connected layers are no longer connected, so they can hang freely. 

That’s a piece of re-embroidered black lace on the bodice, with glass beads added.  I found the lace when I was pawing through a sewing cabinet drawer for a black zipper.  No zipper; but I came up with... lace!

There are three fabric roses on the bodice shoulder.

There was one last little scrap of fabric, so I made a hair bow.  I hate to waste anything... and little girls need matching bows, don’t they?

Before church Wednesday evening, I got one fabric nesting bowl partially done – and then it dawned on me:  I didn’t have any presents wrapped!

So I spent Thursday and Friday wrapping and bagging, bagging and wrapping, and wrapping and bagging.

A box arrived from Todd, Dorcas, and Trevor, sporting a sticker that read, ‘Refrigerate immediately’.  Inside were all sorts of cheeses, crackers, and jellies.  I got lockjaw just looking at them.  >>drooool<<

The same day, Todd, Dorcas, and Trevor got the box we sent them.  Trevor’s gifts were a pull-back tractor and a Duplo set called ‘Gentle Giants Petting Zoo’. 

Dorcas told me, “Trevor is loving his toys.  He keeps saying, ‘Oh cool!’ and ‘It’s awesome!’”

That reminded me of a story my blind friend Penny has told about how their father – he owned a clothing and jewelry store in Chicago (and, tragically, died in a fire in that same store when Penny was only 9) – would give each of his children, in additional to the usual toys and things, a good piece of jewelry each Christmas.  It would be something they could wear for important occasions; but it was also for the value – something that would constantly increase in worth. 

So all the children were opening their gifts, oohing and ahhing:  “Ohhhh, an emerald necklace!”  “Oooooo, a sapphire tie clasp!” 

And then Penny’s little brother Larry opened his small box.  Upside down.

“Ooooo,” he breathed in delight.  “I got a cotton!”  You know, those little squares of cotton on which pieces of jewelry rest.  haha

When Dorcas moved to Tennessee, a whole lot of her things were stolen out of a moving van.  Among other things, she lost her scrapbook and many photo albums.  “But it’s just ‘stuff’,” she said.

Yes... ‘just stuff’.  That’s an easy conclusion to come to, when for instance we escaped without injury from a burning house!  But we still missed that ‘stuff’.

I remember Dorcas looking through my albums, pausing over pictures taken in her room, pointing out a doll... a toy... a dress... whatever.  She’d say in a sad little voice, “Oh.  That was my favorite _fill in the blank_.”

I felt so sorry for her.  I kept track of those things she pointed out, and any time I could, I got something just like it or similar, to replace it.  When friends asked if any of the children missed certain things, I’d name one or two items from that list.  People were sure kind and generous with us after that happened!

Late Friday afternoon, I was scraping the bottom of the bins of wrapping paper and bags.  I haven’t bought any for four or five years, after hitting a humongous sale – 90% off – at Hobby Lobby one year after Christmas.  So I sent a quick note to Larry, and when he got off work, he got me a few more rolls of wrapping paper.

Where do you usually buy wrapping paper?  Wal-Mart?  Walgreens?  Dollar General?

Guess where Larry got wrapping paper. 

Did you guess?

He got it at Bomgaars.  Bomgaars Farm Supply Store.  😆

Funny thing is, it was even on sale, 50% off! 

So, wrapping paper restocked, I was soon on the downhill slope in the gift-wrapping marathon.  Shortly before 1:30 a.m., I was done.  As done as possible, anyway.  I still needed a few more items.

Saturday morning, I tried some of the peach honey jelly from Todd and Dorcas on my toast.  Delicious!  I think we’ll be tracking down more of that.

Larry worked a few hours, and then by noon we were on our way to LensCrafters in Lincoln to get my two new pairs of glasses. 

 Unfortunately, I was only able to get the main pair.  The prescription for my craft glasses, as they call them, was supposed to be adjusted for arm’s-length work – but someone mistakenly wrote the prescription for far-away.  So... they had to reorder. 

Ah, well; it’s just as well that we have to go back again, as my new glasses are too tight.  The young man at the office bent the temples and temple tips out three times, and I then thought they were probably okay; but they’re not.  The prescription is good, though; I’m glad for that.

This is the gold-tiled dome of Nebraska’s Capitol Building.  The 19 ½-foot Sower finial brings the height of the Capitol Building to 400 feet – second highest in the nation, after Louisiana’s.  We have been to the 14^th-floor observation decks a few times.  One can see for a 20-mile radius, from up there.

After leaving LensCrafters, we reversed course and headed west toward Burwell, out in the Sandhills, to get a blade Larry bought for the RZR.  The setting sun was so bright, it was hard to see.  We were glad to turn north at Genoa.

It’s 91 miles from our house to LensCrafters... and it’s 180 miles from LensCrafters to Burwell.

By the time we got the blade loaded into the Jeep, it was 7:30 p.m., and we were half starved half to death.

We ate supper at the Sandstone Grill in Burwell.  We’ve seen the restaurant many times as we drove through the town, which has a population of about 1,200, and wondered if it was a good place to eat.  I looked it up, and discovered that it has excellent reviews.  So off to the Sandstone we went.

The booths are made out of doors from the old hotel, and there is pressed tin on the high ceilings.  We started with clam chowder.  I had a half-sandwich called Turkey Lurkey (deli-sliced turkey, bacon, tomatoes, lettuce, cheddar cheese, and guacamole on toasted sourdough), while Larry had a big, fat ribeye steak, grilled medium-rare, riced cauliflower, and a broccoli, green bean, and I think, but I’m not sure, baby summer squash mixture.  Everything was cooked and seasoned to perfection.

When it was time for dessert, the waitress brought a big chalkboard and rested it on our table, so we could choose from a long list of the day’s fresh-baked pies, tortes, cakes, and cookies.

“I want one of each,” I told her, making her laugh.

But I finally chose a Lithuania apricot torte.  I like to pick items I’ve never had before. 

Larry, on the other hand, likes to choose things he knows he’ll like.  Or, if not that, then at least the same thing I’m having.  He got sour cream raisin pie. 

“Pick something different, and we can share!” I tell him.

He nods, smiles, acts agreeable – and orders the same thing I just ordered – clam chowder, this time.  😆  But mmmmm, that chowder was scrumptious.  I would’ve hated to share, come to think of it.

The torte was yummy.  Lithuanian Apricot Torte (sometimes called Napoleon Torte), is made of layer upon layer of flaky, delicate pastry, a creamy vanilla custard filling, and just a hint of apricot between some of the layers.  There were at least 10-12 layers of pastry sandwiched between 10-12 more layers of filling with a layer of filling and pastry crumbs on top, and whipped cream atop that.  According to recipes I found online, the dough is chilled first, then each of the layers is rolled, pricked, baked, and cooled one at a time before the filling is made and the torte assembled. 

After church yesterday morning, we put our Christmas cards, about 115 of them, and Loren and Norma’s, too, into the labeled bags on tables in the Fellowship Hall.  I missed a couple of people; gotta make those cards in a bit and take them to the dinner tomorrow.

For our Sunday afternoon lunch, Larry made an omelet and put thin slices of tomato herb cheese (from Todd and Dorcas) into it.  Good stuff.

Last night was our Christmas program.  It’s really something to hear 115 children singing with all their might and main... and all the smaller singing groups... and the brass playing... and the strings...  It was beautiful, and heart-touching, too.

Elsie wore the dress I made her, and looked cute as a button in it.  😊

After the service, we went to Wal-Mart for the last few gifts we needed.  We were famished by then, so we got bananas and smoothies to snack on as we drove.

When we got home, I looked at all the cards and pictures we got after the Christmas program.  We got several handfuls of photos of our grandchildren, including a number of Baby Keira.  Our little grandbaby who started at 2 lbs., 8 oz., now weighs 14 ½ lbs.!  Her picture is sitting on the table beside my computer.  I keep picking it up and looking at it.  We have a lot to be thankful for!

Kurt and Victoria, with sweet little Carolyn and Violet, came out this afternoon for a little family get-together and gift exchange.  Saturday is our main family gathering at Kurt and Victoria’s home.  We need to deliver some presents to our other kids in the next few days, as Kurt and Victoria’s house isn’t really big enough to have a large gift exchange. 

They brought us some big blueberry muffins Kurt had made, and a book full of pictures of Carolyn and Violet – always one of my favorite things.

Larry is working on his Dodge pickup at Walkers’ shop today.  He’s putting a tappet cover gasket on.  A little while ago, he told me he was just starting to put it back together.

It smells like Salmon and Shrimp Feast in Gravy in my kitchen – ’cuz I just fed the cats.  They don’t like it.  Remind me not to get that flavor again!

Time to stick those last few gifts into bags and label them.  Then I’ll put the leftover wrapping paper and bags away... throw out all the junky stuff... and put everything back on shelves in the basement.  After that, I’ll see how many fabric nesting bowls I can get done.

,,,>^..^<,,,           Sarah Lynn           ,,,>^..^<,,,