"Are you a friendly neighbor?"

My friend, a Realtor, sends out a newsletter every month or so through her real estate business. I used to be paid to prepare these mailings for her so know all about them. This month's letter arrived and was lying on my bed when Justin came in. Seeing the letter, he laughed a bit when he read the title question.  "You???", he asked.  I told him I chuckled a bit when looking at it because I am sure my neighbors get quite annoyed with me...Not really, but I truly didn't need a reminder letter about it. How unfortunate, though, that some folks do need to be encouraged in such a fashion.

The suggestions were made to get to know your neighbors better for safety reasons in addition to just being the right thing to do. To make your neighborhood a smiling place to be. There are gift suggestions such as cocoa mix in a mug, a poinsettia, or baked goods taken to the door to introduce yourself. This brought to mind how a few years back each of the residents in my building received ceramic mugs with candy in them one morning before Christmas. No one knew who did it, and people were guessing it was me. They said this sounded like something I would do, and I was a bit ashamed of myself for not doing it! I don't think the gift giver ever came clean but it sure was a nice gesture. But, it didn't really help us to get to know each other better, by remaining anonymous. What it did, though, was put a smile on the receiver's faces and the gift giver's, as well.

So, there is something to being a friendly neighbor. I have certainly experienced such here in this building. I love my neighbors and go out of my way to let them know how much I appreciate them. They are at my door with chicken soup when I am recuperating from oral surgery (Ellen), or come running with mops and buckets when that particular need arises, and yes, even pay to have my drywall repaired/painted when needed from a leak. It is just surprising to me that people need reminding to be good neighbors, but I guess it does. I know of some people who have no idea who their neighbors are, only enough to wave at, if that. One person tells me about a neighbor who actually turns their back when waved at as she passes by. For no apparent reason, just turns his back. I would take that challenge on, but not my friend---she just keeps waving!   

Other ideas in this letter suggest being considerate of others and keep your place tidy. These are things you learned growing up, and should carry over into your work place and everyday living. I do try my best to not be noisy for my neighbor's sake and am friendly when they come and go in my presence. Just the other day I gave a pitch to a couple looking at one of the units for sale (heard they ended up buying), telling them how nice it was to live here, and so on. Oh, goody, I'm getting new neighbors!!

Lunch with Martie

After a long time of Martie and I not seeing each other, today was the day! For one reason or another we have not hung out together for ages. We did see each other at a wedding in late June and it was great to catch up there, though briefly. She is busy with grandchildren, great-grands, work, her husband, her brother...Life gets in the way of our fun!

We agreed to meet for lunch at Grumpy's which is close to her work. She didn't have to be in until 1:30 so we had two hours to talk and eat and talk some more. I think I got caught up on all her family's news. Her sweet 'little' grandson, whom we called Man Man, turned 15 today which is so hard to believe. I've known him since he was about 4 years old and to imagine him as a teenager is nearly impossible!

This picture was taken at Justin's 21st birthday party in 2009. There is Man Man (now known as Little Mark) behind me, eating meat on a stick. Usually he ate grape tomatoes but this time he switched it up!

Tonight Justin and I went to worship for Advent services. He worked today but not as long as he did yesterday which allowed for him to get a rest before church. We had toyed with getting our dinner from Panda Express like we did last year but then Justin suggested we swing by Ming Moon on way home to pick up what he was craving. I just had some crab meat rangoons for my dinner while he had beef and broccoli. Oh yum! Can't go wrong with Ming Moon on a full moon night!

Reminiscing part II

This morning I was forced to watch a local TV channel because once again my FOX connection is missing from my bedroom TV. I can barely tolerate to watch CNN or Headline News so I put on the local news to see what was going on. It was pretty 'intense' as these types of programs tend to be, with the reporters out on a crime scene making dramatic use of hand gestures, expression, and theatrics when describing something which happened hours ago. The latest report was that the crime scene tape was removed and the investigation moved up the road a piece. There is only so much that can be said 12 hours after the crime took place.

This actually was rather big news for our area  with the late afternoon murder of a young mother and the abduction of her 10 year old daughter. The murderer/sexual predator was captured early this a.m. in the woman's vehicle, which he stole, being pulled over in a traffic stop at the McDonald's just outside of Middleburg. This is a little too close to home, especially for my friends who live out that way. 

Besides this dramatic story, there was a 'stock' story about how much more prevalent toy injuries are these days. I don't recall the time frame they used, but evidently kids are eating their toys, breaking parts off and hurting themselves with them, and so on. This brought to mind a trip to WI not long after we'd moved to FL. We were at the home of my brother-in-law for a visit where Justin played with some of his cousin, Kevin's, toys while the parents sat around chatting. 

Later that night Justin was 'up in the night', as Mom likes to say, complaining as best he could at his young age about his ear. The next morning I called the doctor's office where we were patients only a few months before and they got us in. As Dr. Schmidt was examining him, he asked us when Justin had gotten tubes in his ears. We were stunned at that question since Justin never had tubes in his ears. "Hmmm..." he replied. He got a forceps and proceeded to pull out a little plastic piece of a toy from Justin's ear! What in the world?? What makes a guy think, "Here's a little piece of a toy which will fit perfectly in my ear..."? We were relieved he didn't have an infection or anything like that, just a simple piece of Kevin's old toys he had placed carefully in his own ear!

Ladies' Group Christmas party

Tonight was our Ladies' Group party tonight, the very earliest it could be in the season. What great fun we had. The food tables were laden with trays and dishes of food, oh my! There were 26 ladies in attendance, some for the first time, which was great. After we ate, Terri T. got us started playing Bunco, most of us new to the game. She and OJ, her lady friend, were most helpful in showing us the ropes. 

 Julaine, Jayne, Janet, Lynn, Kristi, and Betty

From the back, Ethel, Sue, Kristin, then Rachel, Carol, Julaine, Jayne, Janet, and Lynn

 Across the table Jean, Michele, Twila, Rebecca, Donna, Tamara coming in the door, Ethel, Gretchen, Sue, Fran walking with food, Kristin

From left Lynn, Kristi, Judy, Jean, Michele, Twila, Rebecca, and Donna

People gathering at the food table: Sue, Rachel, Jayne, Donna, Laurie, Carol, Julaine, Fran, and Gretchen

After we played one full round of Bunco, we did our gift exchange using a poem Janet brought. We had to go through some hoops in order to end up with a gift, not our usual Chinese Fire Drill-style. She sure put us through our paces! Such a good night and great fun with our group...

Reminiscing

My friends, Paul and Emily, with their extended family members, have made a tradition of going downtown Jax every year for the tree lighting ceremony and the boat parade. Photos from The Landing were posted last night and again tonight of their activities, many of them featuring their daughter, Sarah. They hotel rooms along the river's edge from which to watch the boat parade from the comfort of their room, but actually go in the flesh to see the tree lighting and hear the caroling, followed by the fireworks display. Thanksgiving weekend is quite action packed downtown. They have invited me to join them in the past, and I respectfully declined, allowing them their family time. 

When Justin was a little boy, we began the 'tradition' as a family of going to the tree lighting, have some dinner at The Landing, and enjoy the beginning of the holiday festivities. The food court had something for everyone with the Chinese restaurant where I got my meal. I think my former spouse got Mexican or perhaps a burger. Justin likely had hot dogs, but that much I don't remember. I do hope we fed him...He loved the fireworks, ooohed and aaahed over the colors and the banging, lights reflecting in the water, and such.  One year we took him to see/hear the fireworks for the 4th of July and he said, "They have fireworks in the summer, too!!" He only knew about the ThanksLiving ones!

Fast forward to the mid-2000's and there I was at the boat parade with Jesse's family, watching for Justin on his father's boat taking part in the parade. We were freezing!!  We sat on the porch at a restaurant from where we had our dinner, and after the parade, we walked over to the Times Union Center for a free concert by a semi-local band. For Christmas that year, Pam gave me a CD of their music. It was an unexpected day and event, and this memory came back to me as I thought of Paul and Emily making theirs.

A year or two after that, Justin, our friend, Olivia, and I were at the tree lighting ceremony on a lovely evening. Her folks, Owen and Sandy, came downtown to meet up with us, and we ended up at a sushi place upstairs overlooking the river. They had stand heaters on the porch but eventually it got too chilly for us outdoors so we moved inside. Twice Sandy ordered a sushi tray, NOT an inexpensive purchase, and the four of them just dined away. I did not eat sushi since we'd eaten dinner in the restaurant below the sushi place, so I was all set to simply enjoy the company. We sat there for a couple hours and had such a good time doing so. I don't think Justin drove yet so that means I must have driven us down there. Those details escape me but I do remember the impromptu fun had at The Landing on this weekend in past years. People come and go from our lives but at least some of the memories live on...

Friday after ThanksLiving

Much of my time on Wednesday was spent making ready for the gathering planned at my home on ThanksLiving Day. I'd work a little while and then take a break, work and then take a break, to spare my back. I'm like a turtle, slow and steady wins the race. I got my table all dressed, pulled folding chairs from the closet (had to put them all back again when our number changed). Put up the folding table to place at the end of my dining table so we could all set together. 

Justin and I were both going to be working in the kitchen but alas, due to our heavy rains the previous couple days, he had to go to work to make up for it. They didn't miss work those days but didn't make the progress they'd expected to due to the weather.  He was tired when he got home but had a chance to rest before leaving for church at Victory. 

Once at church, being the first ones there, Stephanie came to sit with us. Erica is in WI visiting her grandma, and frolicking in the snow.  It was so nice to see our old friends and acquaintances that we don't see as often since we don't worship there on Sundays any longer. Also got to see some of our Thursday Bible study friends. We worshiped and sang marvelous hymns accompanied by Rachel on the organ...such an amazing organist. Stephanie made a special dessert with me in mind---bars made with raisins using a recipe her mom read her over the phone. Reminded me of those from Shady Lane Home. That was nice! The fellowship consisted of pies and other similar desserts, and good company.

I was exhausted last night after cleaning up from our feast but at least the kitchen and dining room were presentable. I rested the evening away with the heat pad easing my bones and finally decided to just go to sleep. My boy, on the other hand, was out and about with Jesse. They went to Jesse's dad's house at the Beach, where both boys used to live. Justin then spent the night at Jesse's but I didn't know it. I had to laugh at myself because I was holding off emptying the dishwasher and refilling because I didn't want to wake him. And then he wasn't even home!! I figured that out around noon...Jesse and he are making their moms a Christmas gift so they were working on that this a.m.

Last night they stopped in at Wal*Mart just to see what it was like. First, they had to park at an adjoining lot in order to get to the store. Next, they found the lines in the check-outs on ThanksLiving night to be all the way to the back of the store. The lines, according to him, were as long as at Disney. They bought nothing. The customers seemed to have vouchers in hand which secured for them the desired gift for pick up at another time. Still a long time to wait in line, if you ask me, and for Justin 'n Jesse!

Today was a quiet, at-home day for me. I worked on the church newsletter, having contributions being submitted in dribs and drabs. Saturday is my planned publication date and just tonight got a few sentences from Michael for the preschool. He is busy with the budget committee plus paperwork for the license for the preschool. I assured him I can make an article out of what he sent me. After that is done I might, just might, work on getting my desk cleared off! The bane of my existence, my cluttered desk...ugh!

Our time of ThanksLiving

The morning began with Justin busy in the kitchen making his dinner rolls for our feast. When I ventured out to see how he was doing, I had the privilege of cleaning up the mess left behind. I am all about it, enjoy the task of putting everything back to right in my kitchen. Justin came up with the idea of using the little tool from Pampered Chef for cleaning the stone baking sheets to remove the residue on the counter from rolling out his dough. It worked to get the big stuff off but the somewhat gummy feeling the counter was going to take some work. I wiped it several times in the course of the day to try to get it smooth again. 

The fresh baked rolls didn't turn out quite the way Justin wanted them to but I liked them. He is going to keep trying recipes until he finds one the fits the bill.

Much of the prep was done the day before for my foods and I spent the time before worship to dish up my cranberries and relishes, etc. and get them ready for the table. Justin and I sort of waited until the last minute to start getting ourselves ready and we both got showered and ready for church in less than 20 minutes. Time in the kitchen flies by! We looked nice for church, not the least bit rushed. 

Dee had offered to pick up the turkey for us. Justin and I were responsible for some of the foods. I had mixed up the green beans casserole, mixed up a corn souffle using a new recipe, prepped the ham for cooking, brushing a brown sugar glaze over it, plus mashed the potatoes. They gave me a terrible time----wanting to climb up the beaters and out of the top of the bowl. As my niece once described my mashed potatoes:  "sticky, but good!" All things were ready!

When we got home after church I got everything out (forgot to mention my cranberry Jell-O made yesterday) and what needed to be baked went into the oven. Justin had done his rolls ready but needed to prep his mini-apple pies. There was no room in the oven for them until all was on the table so he got them ready and popped the pans in when we sat at the table. When the folks started arriving, it was a flurry of food and folks, pies and wine and gifts!

Justin took this photo of us at the table, minus Donald who was in the kitchen carving the bird. From left are Martha, Dee, Helen, Matthew (married to Martha), Michael, Donald's chair, me, Justin's chair, Julia (married to Michael), Jacko (Martha's son), Nadia, and Lorese. The three younger ladies are sisters. There mom and other sister cancelled due to the youngest sister being ill. Our number went from 14 to 12 to 13 and then to 12. This way all the plates were the same which for some reason meant a lot to me!  

We enjoyed our feast, with me being thanked for hosting about a dozen times. Part way through the meal my corn souffle finally set up enough to serve and we made a dent in it. We also had sweet potatoes with marshmallows on top and a squash casserole which Dee made, and Michael made two types of stuffing, one with oysters in it. We had three types of pie plus Justin's hot- from-the-oven individual apple pies made with crescent rolls. I think that's enough food, right? 

We sat around the table until about 4:30, so for 3 hours we enjoyed each other's company. In between Justin and I cleared away dishes and our guests followed my request to remain seated while we did so. My kitchen is too small to accommodate many people and I wanted them to just enjoy their time together. Dee was impressed with how neat everything was in the kitchen. That's the way I like it!