MRS. SANTY CLAUS

After my son passed away in 1991, his wife wanted to have the family at their home on Christmas. We are a pretty big family so I know this was a lot of work for her, but she did it for several years. We all helped by bring food and we also had gift exchanges.

Just before the Christmas of 1998 she lost her mother. I knew Christmas would be difficult for her but she still wanted to have us at her home. I love my daughter in Law very much and it hurt me to see her so sad again.

I'm not sure where the idea came from. Maybe because I'm part Irish and maybe just because I have such an odd sense of humor, but I decided to play Mrs. Santy Claus. I had never done anything like that before but I hoped it would lighten the party and help chase the sadness away for a little while.

I had a red sweat suit in the attic so I pulled it out and added some white furry stuff and sewed some jingle-bells around the bottom of the shirt. I had some shiny, tall, black boots and a black elastic belt. I stuffed a pillow down the front of the shirt, then tightly tied another pillow in the center and stuffed it down the back of my britches. It is amazing how realistic the rear end looked.

I donned an old platinum wig thinking it would look like Mrs. Santa's white hair, and a santa hat then put rouge in my cheeks and the tip of my nose, then I hooked some old granny glasses around my ears. Hoping I could fool the little kids I rushed into the living-room with my bag of gifts, making up a tall tale about Rudolph getting the flu and having to hitch a ride with Superman, and what a wreckless flyer he was. Then I turned my back to them and shook my hiney, hoping the heavily pillowed pants wouldn't fall down.

Thank heaven they didn't.

After my entrance I passed out the gifts, asking the men if they had been good little boys, and if they brushed their teeth, washed behind their ears and changed their underwear. It brought a lot of laughs and a little embarassment too. I held my grown grandson on my knee while questioning him and giving him a gift, and then his baby daughter who squalled loudly in my face. Bless her little heart.

I know we can't remove grief with silliness, but sometimes it's a little distraction.

Saying hello to the family.

The pillow and me.

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OUR THANKSGIVING 2007

Here's some of the kitchen crew hard at work. The smell of the turkey roasting made my tummy growl like a starving lioness!

Ohhhh, the anticipation!!! Turkey, Ham with pineapple glaze, mashed potatoes and the most delicious gravy I ever ate! Kernal corn, green bean casserole, cauliflower with cheese sauce, Sweet Potatoes with mandarin slices, rolls, Sweet and garlic dill pickles & olives. What a feast!

Kid's & Desserts just seem to go together. Here is Johny, Hailee and Kenny trying to decide. The Banana Cream Cake I made wasn't on the table yet, but there was a pistachio cream dessert, pumpkin pie, Blackberry cream pie, Some kind of chocolate bundt cake, cookies, and candies.

We had a little surprise party for my Patty-Jo, who recently graduated from her Master Gardner class. Golly I sure am proud of her. Just look at all the help she has while opening her presents. LOL

Kenny is having a wonderful time. He's a happy little four year old who's smile is delightful and laugh is contagious. He is a wonderful child and a precious gift.

Here's Kenny's baby sister Victoria. She's having a great time too. Lots of aunties, her poppy, and grandma's to hold her and lots of cousins to play with too. Another delightful great grandbaby for me to cherish. She very much resembles my Patty-Jo when she was that age.

Here is Ethan, totally healed of seizures by the Grace and mercy of Almighty God. He's a happy, and bright 7 month old now and the only red headed great grand baby I have. What a cutie. He is teething and just learned to crawl. Is that smile another winner or what!

This is an interesting picture of the babies. We weren't sure if Ethan was trying to kiss cousin Victoria, teethe on her head, or suck her nose, but he just kept trying to get hold of her.

They say turkey meat will do this to you. Something about an enzyme or something. I was about ready to shove little Maddie over and flop down beside her!

I was blessed to see all of my children on this day. I only wish my oldest grandson and his family lived close enough to share these wonderful family days with us.

I hope your Thanksgiving was a sweet as mine.

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A BLESSED THANKSGIVING TO ALL

(I borrowed the picture)

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PLEASE PRAY

A dear lady who lives in Texas and visits my blog is asking for prayer for her granddaughter who has just been diagnosed with Spinal Meningitis for the second time. She is in terrible pain. Please pray for our Lord to give her doctors wisdom and that she will be completely healed.

Pray as you would for your own child.

Thank you.

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I'm posting some of the pictures I have taken that are special to me. This sunset is at Marine Park on Bellingham Bay.

This delicate toadstool grew out of fresh beauty bark. It was translucent and quite ghostly looking.

Here is Mrs. Spider preparing her snare to capture her meals.

Another sunset over Bellingham Bay

This one always gives me a chuckle. Toodles is pouting. I had just brought home Matilda, my little girl Yorkie. She was very small and afraid of everything so I was holding her a lot. Toodles very plainly shows how he felt about the whole thing!

This is not a recent photo, but a nice one I think. This big buck had been eating plums from the neighbor's tree. His twin was only about ten yards from me, eating pears. I stayed close to the house incase they decided to charge.

My famous 'Earthquake Cake'. I made this for company. And I served it too. Apparently the cake was too hot for the icing. It tasted good anyway.

I had tied these ribbons around my bird feeder because the squirrels kept knocking the top off. In this photo one squirrel slipped under the ribbons to feast on seeds, looking like he was wrapped as a gift, as a second was on the opposite side, it's bushy tail in the face of the one under the ribbon.

Here is my dear old Barnabas. It looks like he is thinking, "with mustard or catsup" as he looks at my cousins tiny critter.

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Here are some old remedies I found in Mom's recipe's. I make no claim that these will work and advise you ask your doctor before trying.

Note: Vinegar always refers to Apple Cider VInegar and honey is unpasturized.

Allergies

2 Tablespoons vinegar, 2 Tablespoons Honey. 1 cup water. Drink before meals.

***

Arthritis

Add one cup unhulled barley to two quarts boiling water and soak three hours. Strain and refrigerate. Drink one cup daily.

***

Athsma

Simmer one cup milk and one Tablespoon fresh horseradish for 10 minutes. Strain and sip during attacks.

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Bad Breath

Mix one Tablespoon allspice, a cup of hot water. Use mixture as mouthwash or gargle.

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Baldness

Add two teaspoons cayenne pepper to one cup olive oil. Rub balding areas every day.

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Colds

Mix one Tablespoon honey and one half teaspoon each of ginger and cinnamon with one cup scalded milk.

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Cold Sores

To one cup boiling water add one teaspoon dried sage. Steep for 15 minutes and strain. Mix with one teaspoon ginger and sweeten with honey. Drink three cups a day.

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Dandruff

Dissolve 10 asprins in a little water and massage into head. Then shampoo and rinse well.

***

Flu

Add one ounce dried sage to two quarts boiling water. Mix well with juice from one lemon, one orange one ounce honey. Steep one hour and strain.

**

High Blood Pressure

Make a spicy tea using 1 teaspoon Cayenne pepper and one cup hot water.

Have a great week everyone!

P.S. I've never tried these remedies.

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VETERAN'S IN MY FAMILY TREE

Lyman Frederick Coolidge Jones served with the 57th Minnesota Regiment in 1862. He was my second great grandfather.Clyde Banks, born in 1893, was my Granduncle. He served in the Army Air Corps as an observer over France. He was a Photographer.

Above is my uncle Clarence Banks, born in 1904, who served in the U.S. Army from July 1942 to May 1945.

Above is my mother's brother, Ted Ferris born in 1916, He served in the U.S. Army. He had to leave his wife and two little children behind. He was injured and survived. Unfortunately the horrible things he saw and the horror of war were with him until the day he died.

Another hero, my cousin Clarence Carroll, born in 1929, who served in the Korean war. He was shot but thank God, he survived.

These men are all hero's to me as are all the troops who have ever served or are now serving to protect the United States of America.

I am not posting pictures of family who served and are still living, but I am equally proud of them.

This Veteran's day, please remember our troops, and their families.

Where would we be without them?

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MAKING LYE SOAP

For the record, I borrowed the three pictures I am posting today.

The first shows how soap was made in years gone by although some still prefer to do it this way. Mom and I made lye soap but we did it in the house. It was a very simple process, just had to be sure to be careful with the lye so we didn't get burned.

My grandma Lillie Fitzpatrick, born in 1891, left her life story and in it she tells how her parents made lye by setting a barrel of wood ashes on a stump under the corner of the roof where it would catch the rain water. She said the bottom of the barrel had a long spout driven into a hole which drained into a bucket. Apparently the rain water running through the wood ashes made lye. This is what they used to make their soap. Mom and I just bought it at the store.

Soap was usually made in the fall after hogs were butchered. The fat was rendered and all the lard saved, some for cooking but most for soap.

My soap looked like this when I poured it into a pan to harden. Always a beige color, and not very attractive, but it served the purpose. We didn't use it for bathing, but it was grated for washing clothes and dishes. I preferred fragrant store bought soap for bathing.

Yes, when I was a little girl, I had my bath in a washtub just like this little red head in the picture. As I got older I had a hard time fitting into that tub and a harder time getting out.

It was a pure delight when dad made us a real bathroom with real flushing toilet, Clawfoot bathtub and wash basin. I thought we had really come up in the world.

did a little research on soap and how it was invented. Here is a site you may want to check out. I found it really interesting.

Bye-Bye for now

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