Lamb E Umptum

Time to be thankful –

For loved ones who were able to gather at our house. Emily, Joe, and Noah and Julina, Elise, and Elise’s roommate, Rachel all pulled into town Wednesday evening. The Southerland gang stayed at Steven and Tamara’s house. Julina stayed with Beckie. Rachel stayed in the quilt room and Elise and Tonks occupied the Noah’s Ark room. Kirsti went to San Diego with her roommate Janica. Everyone left for home Sunday. Kirsti hit some snow after St. George so I am especially grateful that she made it back to Provo safely.

For good food – oh my, we had waaaay too much. Emily made a triple batch of puppy chow. It was so huge that she had to use a garbage bag for mixing.

Beckie brought a delicious carmelized onion/apple cream cheese dip and Julina provided gluten-free crackers so I indulged a bit too much of that yummy stuff. I baked gluten-free pecan and apple pies but Beckie also made a flourless chocolate cake and Jason Bell made a gluten-free chocolate cranberry cake and both were like truffles on a plate. Incredibly rich – especially with the whipped cream with sour cream topping that Beckie made.

For 55 great years and still feel pretty fit as a fiddle (or should that be cello?). I got some lovely gifts and Steve and I and some of the kids also pooled our joint birthday moneys and bought a 26” HDTV on Amazon. I guess it is time to join the 21^st century in television technology considering the fact that all our other televisions are at least fifteen years old!

For a lovely Frasier Fir Christmas tree that we got Saturday at a cut-you-own tree farm. Now, the fir is from Michigan but it was the same price as the ones growing and the branches were much prettier. So, for the second year in a row, we opted for an import. However, we still took the hay ride out to the tree-cutting area and back because everything is fun with a three-year-old grandson.

We put it up and decorated it Saturday night. All the other decorations are still in their boxes strewn around the garage. Hopefully they will get put up throughout this week.

For Noah who will always be in my memory this year ringing a brass bell in each hand as he hunts down poor Alfred the cat. And, if brass bells are put way out of his reach, a bell Christmas ornament will do just as nicely.

For the fact that Sadie’s surgery will not cost more than $300.00. Yes, she has a bad hip – I saw the x-ray and it looks terrible – which explains her three-legged limp that got worse the weekend before Thanksgiving. She will go under the knife on Wednesday.

For a fantastic Harry Potter VIIa movie. Saw that on Friday afternoon.

For a new cell phone that I am finally beginning to figure out. The best feature is that I can text with a full keypad. The worst feature is the set of dumb ringtones that I cannot change until I get a memory card.

For a relatively painless family photo taken after our Thursday feast.


For all of you…..