A new holiday sweater just in time....
for running in the snow...
and backyard patrol.
We didn't expect all the snow but then I guess neither did most of the U.S. Very cold everywhere.
Regardless of the chill factor, we braved the elements and brought home our Christmas tree. It's sooo lovely! I'll post pics tomorrow. Right now I'm going to sit on my couch and look at the pretty lights on my tree.
I've been enjoying my time off and sinking into the couch with some books. Finished off three in the past four days. Love it when I can do that.
The House On Tradd Street, by Karen White. I had only read one other book by her and liked it well enough, but really really liked this one. Southern Women's Fiction with ghosts. Just took me away for the day.
I was sort of on a paranormal kick, so I picked up this mystery at the same time. Great fun. The Trouble With Magic is the first in a series of four books by Madelyn Alt, so I'll have a good time getting to the others. More of a chick lit voice than Karen White's stuff. It was nice to go back and forth.
And then I went back to yet another Karen White book. The Lost Hours. Loved it. I really do enjoy Southern fiction and she does such a nice job of it.
So while I haven't done much in the way of projects this long holiday weekend, I've enjoyed diving into the books.
Very soon after my dear dog, Basie, died, the boy determined that we needed to get another dog right away so Ella wouldn't be lonely. Well, I didn't want to do that, but my husband convinced me to just go to the shelter and see.
As my husband says, you don't choose the dog, the dog chooses you. That was true. I looked at several dogs and this guy was the last one. Scared to death, he had the same type of soul as my sweet Basie. He's seven months old and part chihuahua and dachschund. Never having had either type of dog, I did some reading on them and with a dachschund they say it is very common for the dog to choose one person in the family is his own. I was chosen. Perhaps Gershwin knew I needed some extra loving after losing my old boy.
In keeping with musical namesakes, his full name is George Ira Gershwin (couldn't decide on which Gershwin, so we threw it all in there).
He was dropped off at the shelter by a young woman who said he was untrainable in housebreaking. After piecing the story together from the shelter worker, sounded more like the girl wanted a Paris Hilton-type of purse dog and didn't realize how much work a puppy could be. After a month, she turned him in like he was an old coat. I have such a hard time understanding why you would do that, but it has worked out for all.
The best part about this little guy is that he and Ella get along beautifully. People have commented that she is a changed dog. Her nickname has always been Ella The Wild Dog, because she was such a crazy girl. But she plays for hours on end with Gershwin and it seems to have calmed her down. She's eight but you'd never know it by the way she behaves and her energy level.
So we're all settling in and getting to know our new family member.
Is this too scrumptious or what? Vin Burnham is a costume designer who has worked with the Royal Opera House and designed for opera and ballet along with films and television. She is now making these gorgeous costumes at quarter scale, using crystals, sequins, tulle and silk. The Little Costume Shop sells these guys for about 2 to 3 thousand each.
We'll take two.
My favorite is the snowflake costume. Would have posted the pic but couldn't get it to save correctly.
We're getting our first real snow today. The boy's school was closed today so we're at home in pajamas staying warm. It's supposed to continue through the night and into Thursday so we'll probably be home for a day or two.
And of course, the snow hits right before Halloween. Most folks that have grown up in Colorado have distinct memories of trick or treating with their winter coats on over their costumes. We'll be doing that on Saturday!
But we'll also be celebrating. The husband took the buyout that his company offered in July, and his last day is Saturday! We're very excited for him as well as our family. He works in the airline industry so snow is really not a favorite thing of his but he's looking forward to watching it fall this Christmas and knowing that it won't be him having to manage the issues at the airport! The husband is considered the winter operaions expert at the Denver station for his airline. We laugh because he was born and raised in Long Beach. But coming here and having to learn about winter operations first hand does tend to make one an expert I guess.
So while in my pajamas today, I'm going to make us some delicous cream of cauliflower soup. Seriously. It's delicious. I know a lot of people don't like cauliflower but if you had this creamy soup, you'd change your mind. In case you want to try the super easy recipe here it is:
Ingredients:
3 tbsp. butter
3/4 cup diced onion (I use yellow ones)
baby green onions for garnish
3/4 cup diced celery
1 quart chicken broth (I've used vegetable broth before to make it completely vegetarian friendly)
1 package of frozen cauliflower (about 10 oz), or same amount of fresh cauliflower
1/2 cup of heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste
cooking sherry (this was my addition to the recipe. Just however much tastes right to you)
1. Melt butter over low heat and saute onion and celery until tender. Combine with the broth and cauliflower in a large pan and simmer until cauliflower is tender.
2. Transfer mixture in batches to a blender to puree.
3. Pour mixture back into pan and stir in cream, salt/pepper and sherry.
4. Sprinkle chopped up green onions.
Serves about 4
Enjoy!
Are these just too beautiful? Little leather birds on espadrilles. Do you like espadrilles? I have always liked them. I remember in high school at some point they were fashionable and I wore the heck out of my tan pair. These are so not my tan pair. Much better, I think.
It's supposed to snow today but these shoes make me think of summer. Why is it that you want whatever season has just passed?
The boy turned seven this week. We had some family over for a quick dinner and cake with a few presents in there as well. Tomorrow we're taking him and a couple of his friends to this "fun center" (has miniature golf, go-carts, bumper cars, arcade).
But tonight we're going to my sister's for a Halloween party. Generally we have family gatherings that are centered around the aduls and the kids run off and play with one another. But my sister decided to do a kids party for all of our litle ones, complete with games and scary stories. The boy is about to lose it with so much happening. Pictures to follow.
