Baby Weezer ..

Secret Santa - Day 2

So, I was wrong about the gifts .. which is fine.  It's even more fun this way.  Here's today's gift.

A super cute mug.  Can't wait to see what's coming next ...

Oh, what I gave on Monday was this ..

I had help with the decorating .. if it had been up to me, it would have been a complete failure.  I'm not sure how they went over, but that's not my worry.  Today's give was just some Lindor chocolates.

Secret Santa - Day 1

At the office, we have a secret santa gift exchange.  It's a little different than most because we are required to give a gift to the person whose name we drew, for five days.  The gifts are supposed to be $5 and under.  Then on the last day, the gift can be a little more elaboartet.

I participated last year because I wanted to be a part of the office.  I'm doing it this year because I really enjoyed it last year.

Here is what I got last year:  a tree (with little lights on the ends of each branch).  Each day I came in there was a new ornament on the tree.  It was really cute, and a cute idea.

Today is the first day, and this is what I got ..

Can't wait to see what comes next.

Unfortunately, I am not quite so clever.  The gifts I got are not related.  I was struggling just to think of what I could get for this person.  I need to try harder.  :(

Scanning Project

In case you couldn't tell, I've been scanning pictures this week.  Here are pictures of my Great, Great, Grandparents, James Hamilton White and Elizabeth Campbell White.

 

 

I'm not sure if this is the same couple .. I'm thinking not.  What do you think?

Michigan Vacation - Then and Now

My husband and the light house in Eagle Harbor - 1983.

The light house in 2019.

Fort Wilkins 1983.

2019.

Thimbleberry Jam

As I may have mentioned before, one of my favorite things to do when we are in Michigan, is to pick thimbleberries and make jam.  This year, we were there right at the beginning of the berries.  If we had stayed another week I would have canned at least another dozen jars.

Here's what the berries look like on the bushes (plants? patch?).  You always have to remember to look under the leaves for more.

Cleaning and sorting the berries.

Cooking the jam.  (it's a one-to-one ratio, berries to sugar).  I brought the mixture to a boil and then cooked it for three minutes.

Jars, boiled and ready for filling.

Using the jam funnel.

One jar in the window.

 

Leftovers for putting on toast. 

We made over a dozen jars of thimbleberry and four wild blueberry.  That's all until next year ... if I go back again at berry picking time.

This is me picking berries when I was young.

Saying Goodbye ...

This is a post I've been putting off since August.  We buried my father in the family plot at Lakeview Cemetery in Calumet, Michigan.

My two sisters came, along with several nieces and one nephew.  One cousin from my mother's side and one from my father's came with their spouses. and a few of my parent's friends.

It was a very, very informal affair.  My sisters and I spoke briefly and then we encouraged others to tell stories about our father.
 

Afterwards, we went to the Eagle Harbor Inn, in Eagle Harbor, Michigan, for a reception.

Then we went to the Lake Breeze for a family picture on the porch.

Here's the picture from after my mom's memorial, 8 years ago.

Veterans Day

I am very thankful for all the veterans out there.  Those who gave their time to keep us safe and free.  and also those who gave their lives.

I especially want to thank those in my family.

  

My grandfather who was in WWI.  

My uncles and father-in law who were in WWII (sorry no pictures easily available).

My great uncle who was a Korean War Vet (I think).

My cousin.

My nephew, son-in-law, and son..

Halloween 2019

My office does a thing at Halloween. They have a contest for which corner decorates their corner the best and also a prize for the best costume.  For about 40+ years I haven't dressed up for Halloween.  Last year, I decided that I needed to participate, as a new employee.  Last year we decorated our corner from Harry Potter and we won!  (a free lunch for the whole team).  I dressed as Prof. McGonagal.  I wasn't happy with my costume, but I did it anyway.  I didn't save any pictures (if I took any) which shows how much I didn't like the costume.

This year we decided on "IT" as our theme.  Everyone was supposed to dress up like Pennywise, except for a couple of people who were to be Georgie (the little boy in a yellow rain coat).

and here's the whole crew:

Happy Birthday, Sweetie!

Today is my husband's 69th birthday!

 Happy Birthday!

Dark Shadows

When I was in second grade -- more than 50 years ago -- I used to run home from school to watch a soap opera.  Not just any soap opera, not one based in a hospital, but Dark Shadows.

It was my introduction into the "horror" genre and I loved it.  I loved Angelique and the stories surrounding her and Barnabas Collins, though I could never figure out what she saw in him.

I was thrilled to learn that Big Finish, in addition to producing Doctor Who audio dramas, has a Dark Shadows line. I've bought a few of them and enjoy listening on my way to and from work ... it's sappy, but still fun, all witches, vampires, and werewolves.

I've also bought a couple of the Doctor Who stories.  There are so many it's hard to know what to get next.  They have the Avengers -- John Steed and Emma Peele -- not the super hero variety.  They have the Prisoner.  So many stories, so little time.