SUPPER CLUB - NEW YEARS DAY, 2018

[purrfect-lady]

There! I wrote it for the first time - 2018. Sounds so futuristic!

I hope you all had a nice NYE. We played cards at our friends but we were home by 11pm. We did manage to hang out on the couch until midnight to watch the fireworks display at the Space Needle on TV. We were in bed by 12:15. Another friend was invited, a newly widowed woman who we enjoyed meeting. Turns out her cousin is Matt Groening, creator of the Simpsons. She says all the characters are named and modeled after all her cousins and her maiden name is even the last name of one of the characters in the town where the Simpsons live. She was fun to talk to.

TINA - I hope your dad came to your house for some comraderie for NYE. you certainly were feeding him well.

BECCA - gout often is caused by diet. Deli food, MSG, preservatives can be the culprit. Glad to hear that's not the cause of your problem.

BECKY - did you make it to midnight? I think I dozed off on the couch for about 15 min waiting for midnight. But otherwise, I did it! Not bead since I'd gotten up at 0400 in the morning!

JANA - You're going to be sitting pretty!

CHICKIE - what was going on in your world last night?

IRISH - yoo hoo! maybe you are still partying . . . . Were you able to get out of your house yesterday?

Last year we were in Texas for NYE. Our friends down there joined us around the campfire and told us of a little ceremony we wanted to try: We all got paper and wrote down all the bad or negative things that had happened to us through the year. Then we all wadded up our lists and tossed them into the fire and watched them burn. Sounds weird, but it did leave us with a feeling of renewal and hope.

Tonite - supper. Hmmm.... We have leftover sauerkraut but if Bill wants that I think we need to add more sausage to it. And then we'll be back where we started - with enough to feed 6! I'm more in the mood for something like baked chicken breasts with mashed potatoes and white gravy, salad, and green beans. If I'm going to have leftovers, that's the ones I want! lol!!

What's your New Year's meal going to be leaving you for tomorrow?

[FarmChick]

All I can say is I’m so thankful I do not live in the Northeast or further north of near the Oklahoma border in southeast Kansas! We are COLD! I wouldn’t whine if all I did was go to work, but the care and feeding of the animals is definitely a chore… but I love them!!! Yesterday I didn’t make it here. I was in and out feeding all day because of the cold and they needed as many nutrients as they could get. Blackie and Pocket Lint got several buckets of feed since they don’t have any cow’s milk. Blondie and Annie got their bottles, plus they kept eating all their feed. Then the cows were here several times and got range cubes. I went through well over 100# of feed yesterday. The day began the same way this morning… babies, Pocket Lint and Blackie, and the cows… I can’t begin to tell you how many layers I’m putting on each time with the wind chill in the minus teens! The real temperature was -2 this morning. The sun is shining! The pond is frozen, and the ice glistens and sparkles. Some of the cows had frost on their snouts and faces where they had been breathing and clouds of warm breath had frozen. In case you wonder… DH’s only contact with the cattle is the check he deposits after they go to market. DS1 is in partnership, and he takes care of most of the duties with me doing the bottle babies. I’m sure I’ve told you that I’m fostering Annie for DS1 and Blondie for DS2.

We are now -3 with a -14 wind chill. My hands are still so cold! I had on two pair of gloves, but I can’t keep them warm and still hold on to the bottles, buckets, gates… If I sound like I’m whining… I am. I have a difficult time with winter. Again, so thankful I don’t live in a colder climate! Those people are strong!!! We also do not have snow, and I’m glad for that, too!

I have Choc and Maggie duties from this afternoon through tomorrow afternoon... always something...

I also made caramel popcorn, oyster cracker snacks and guacamole to take to the party last night. We didn’t Stay too long. DH has a cold, and I was ready to put my feet up as well. I didn’t make it to my sewing room yesterday. Today I want to put the binding on my uncle’s comfort quilt. He’s having quite a difficult time as he’s now contracted c-diff in the nursing/rehab center.

Jana—I’m with Mary about the thread. As long as Michael likes it… Some threads sing with the choir, and some have a rather jolting solo, but in the end they all have the backup singers of the quilt.

Vel—I love boots, too! The DDILs gave me a pair of Twisted X women’s driving boots, (not cowboy boots at all, but made for cowboys and girls to relax in) and they are so comfortable! I’ve been wearing them a lot!

Mary—what a fun evening! I think I’d heard a little about the creation of The Simpsons and their names. Your dinner want tonight sounds almost like chicken fried chicken night at the corner, and I always have delicious leftovers!

Becca—hope you are feeling better!

Irish—I think you are probably colder that we are. I shouldn’t be whining. I need some cheese with my w(h)ine!

I need to go warm up my coffee, put on my face, and find my sewing room! Dinner tonight… I think I’m going to try to make some white chicken chili and use black-eyed peas along with some white beans. I usually don’t go by the traditions but thought I’d try it this year. Should I also add a little spinach for the “green”?

Bon appétit!

[Irishgram]

Good late morning from a sunny, but still very cold, SW. Pa...No more complaining, this is a new year and it's going to be great!

Mary, You really do meet some of the nicest people, don't you...I love to hear about your friends...And boy do I like your "last year's" tradition, what a great idea...I might be a day or evening too late, but I'm going to do that today...Also don't have a fireplace or pit but those bad things can go in the garbage...But, you know, all in all, I really don't have many bad things, I'm really blessed.....
And, yes I did get out of the house yesterday...I kept watching the roads and figured, I'm a big girl, I can do it....Jim was very happy to see me, got a big hug and a couple of good kisses and it was a good visit...I didn't go to our neighbors, decided by the time I got home, I needed to thaw out and stay put....I told Donna, I'd take a rain check for spring, lol....

Chickie, we might be cold but I don't have to do the things you do so it's OK...I just can't imagine needing to do farm work in this kind of weather...The only time I poke my nose out is to take care of Jake and make sure he's fed and warm and then step out my basement door and pick up the newspaper...But, just think, spring is just around the corner.....

Becca, I know you also having cold weather and I hope you and DH are OK...

Tina, thinking about you also...Keeping you and the family in my prayers....

I have decided to cook, yep, I've remembered how to use the stove, I think.....I have 1 nice pork chop and a piece of keilbasi in the oven with some sourkraut...Later I'm even going to make some mashed potatoes...Have decided, today is my day and going to do just what I want...(of course I'm not sure what that might be yet, lol)...

You all have a great day, great start to the new year....

Happy eating...............

Eagle Update:
Both Merry and Jingle are very busy today...They are so active, keeping their parents busy, just feeding them....Already they've grown and are soooo cute....

[FavoriteGrandma]

Happy 2018 to all my "invisible" friends! My grands get a kick out of that, somehow. Silly kids.
Yes, Miss Mary, I did make it until midnight, barely. I laid down around 10:30 to read for a bit, but I don't think I read much. JR came in and got me up around 11:45, as none of the grands would do it. Ha. Doesn't seem to bother them any other time. We said what we were the happiest for in 2017, and what we were looking forward to in the new year, then toasted with our sparkling grape juice, and we were done! Back in bed at 12:15, and I slept in today.
Sounds like you had a rousing time to Miriam. We haven't went out in a very long time. Neither of us has much stamina anymore. I had snacks out here for the baby brats, but apparently, no one was really hungry.
I just put a turkey breast in the oven, will have mashed potatoes, gravy , green bean casserole and probably just stove top stuffing. And I also took out the last pumpkin pie from the freezer while I was down there. That will do us tonight, and possibly leftovers for a couple days. Some of the kids like turkey sandwiches, and JR is never hard to please, so that is my game plan starting the new year. I have heart that the chicken chili is good, just haven't tried it. Seems like I am in a rut, and only fix the same ol' same ol. But I guess for the most part, they like it. At least no one has starting cooking for me.
Miriam, I need to get with you and see how you do the quilting on your domestic machine. I need to get a couple pieces of fabric and just try, I guess.
Hope you all have a wonderful day and a very happy new year. Becky

[Rose92]

Happy New Year everyone. I wish you all a better, healthier, happier 2018.

We are old fuddy duddies now and don't go out at night much. So we stayed in. DH watched the KPBS tribute to Leonard Bernstein and I sewed. DH went to bed at 11:00 and I read until midnight. Only a few firecrackers were heard but the new Mexican neighbors down the street were partying it up real loud with their Tejano music. I felt sorry for their immediate neighbors. The noise went on until 1:00 a.m. For dinner DH had tried a new recipe for turkey loaf. It was SO delicious, I could have eaten twice what I do. With mashed potatoes, green beans and turkey gravy it was outstanding. Lots of left overs too.

I have been working hard on my new quilt, Hummingbird BOM. It starts in the middle and you work in rings outward. Lots of little pieces but I am taking it slow and steady, measuring each time I add a piece. So my points are lining up nicely. Funny how different the actual piece looks, compared to the picture. I see where I am going to make some applique additions to fill up large blank spaces. DH is my quilt policeman and inspects each section as it is completed. He has already told me I need to put the very center block on point. That will be hard, so I will have to think on that.

When I first started quilting I also started a quilting journal, making a page of the quilt's facts, with a picture. I kept it up until about 5 years ago. This past weekend I worked on bringing it up to date, so I can take it to San Diego with me to share with family that don't have computers. I counted 62 quilts I have made since 2005. And I can see my progress from the simple ones I started with, to the complex ones I do now. Even DH was impressed!

I also have made a commitment to deep vacuuming each room. That means moving everything to one side, vacuuming and dusting, then moving it back. Lots of hands and knees work. Hardwood floors collect so much dust and make so many dust bunnies. That was one good thing about carpet, it held all the dirt.

We are enjoying our sun room. Just opening the bedroom French doors and the house back door, allows the house heat into the room and it is nice and comfortable. For Christmas I bought some jigsaw puzzles for DH and I to do in the sunroom. He needs more to do when we are forced to stay inside and right now he is out of books.

Once again, hope 2018 is good to you all. Thanks for letting me into your lives.

**Linda

[auntjana]

Good morning!

Sitting here watching the parade. It is on my bucket lust to go and see it in person. I have driven the blvd the marches in. My uncle, a police officer, rode many times on his horse in the parade. The decked out silver saddle was beautiful. Then, Michael's sister, the ditzy one, marched with Concord High school marching band, then a few years later, Sarah also marched in the parade from the same high school. A guess a family tradition!

We still have soup, the the New Year will start with leftovers.

Time to re-straighten my kitchen,

Hugs,
Jana

[QuiltGram8]

Happy New Year. You all wrote long messages. I want to read them all, so I will be editing this message to reply.
We had a grand time last night. Went to clubhouse this morning to help take down the big tree. Going back to sew this afternoon. Tonight we have plans to eat out with friends.
Twisted X boots. I have to try to look that up.
Maryz. Boy you are like a professional dancer. Lots of fun memories, I am sure!
Kraut and sausage sounds good. Never get to fix that, as my DH doesn't like kraut.
Chickie, you try to keep warm. Animals are a lot of work and a great commitment.
Irish: Happy New Year. Hope it is better for all. You enjoy your "me" time.
Rosebud, Linda, please share pictures of your hummingbird quilt. I love those little birds so much.
Jana: only saw a bit of parade. It always amazes me how they can do so much with flowers. We were taking down decorations at clubhouse, so I didn't see much of it.

For all: Have a great and successful New Year.

Vel

[gershwin64]

Happy New Year to you all
Dad and my little brother Jamie were here last night for supper and then we played yatzee and then Jamie had to go play for a New Years Eve party so we all told stories of Mom for awhile too. And then when Dad went home I called to make sure he got there ok because he needs cataract surgery done, it's 1 1/2 miles away and part on a dirt road. He kept me on the phone talking for about 25 minutes about what we need to do. He's in pretty bad shape.
I think we might have a burger on the grill tonight.
Tina

[Becca]

Happy New Year to all.Been a very cold day here.Did watch Rose Biwl Parade between my chores.

DH has been in bed all day .Sure hope tomorrow is better.

Maryz I never eat any of those foods.Your Party must have been a success
I was in bed by 10:00.

Irish Sure you’re shaking in the cold too.Glad Jim was having a good day.Hope your NewYear is a good one.

Becky With feeding teens it would be hard.They mostly don’t want healthy food.Glad you were able to ring in the New Year.

Tina Prayers for Dad to be able to adjust.Sure you will be a comfort for him.

Chickie I would be an icicle if I were you In That cold..

Rose Thats a lot of quilting.Know they were all beautiful.

Wishing everyone a healthy happy New Year.Im making a big pot of soup tomorrow.Have The ingredients ready. Becca. Today was light bec of DH.