HOW DOES ONE LOSE A WHOLE DAY?
Fr. Tony Update, Froogling Christmas, Great Finds, and misc Family Updates...
Fr. Tony Update, Froogling Christmas, Great Finds, and misc Family Updates...
A Monday Lost and Fr. Tony Update:
Monday morning got off to the usual start, up around 6am and "time for tea", as Ruby shouts from her tree. Ruby knows when the second stirring of the tea pot is done, the tea is ready to serve up. She's such a smart girl! (Ruby, aka African Grey Parrot)
We cleaned up and headed to the cancer center for Tony to have some labs (bloodwork) done. As we weren't sure if he'd be getting any further poking done, they opted to insert an IV, drew some blood, then back to the waiting room, for what was supposed to be a 30 minute wait. An hour later (after listening to snuffling, snorting, sneezing and very small children wreaking havoc in the waiting room), we were called back to the chemo section, and waited a bit more.
I believe it was about 12:30pm-1:00pm when we found out Tony was going to get an infusion of Potassium..... to last 4 hours. OY. We'd not prepared for such a long day, and we hadn't even had lunch. I ran and got some take out Mexican food for Tony, while they hooked him up, then ran home to check on the critters. Harry had been outside all day, and it was bitttterly cold out, so he needed being brought in. I returned to the cancer center at 5pm. Tony was still not done receiving his infusion, so we were the last to leave, I think. Fortunately, we got to visit with Dr. Craig before we left, which made the lost day tolerable.
Tony was weak throughout the weekend, but did feel surprisingly a bit better last night. He woke this morning feeling a bit more chipper, but by late morning he was exhausted again. Doc says this is all to be expected, mid way through chemo rounds. We count our blessings that Tony's done so well thus far, and hope he regains his strength soon. I know it must be quite frustrating to be so very tired and achy most of the time. Poor guy.
Please do keep in touch with him. I know it lifts his spirits to know he's being thought of, during this very difficult time.
OH... ALMOST FORGOT!!! Forward Movement is going to publish his essay on the 400th Anniversary of Jamestown!!! Autographed copies will be made available. grin
FROOGLING CHRISTMAS
What is Froogle, you might ask?
froo·gle (fru'gal) n. Smart shopping through Google. (as defined by Google)
It's that time of year again, and if you have family or friends who are Brits, then you know how difficult it can often be, to find something they'll really like. Not that Brits are hard to buy for, mind you, it's just they were born with different palettes, customs and traditions then us. The nice thing about buying for a Brit is you have the opportunity to learn a bit about them, and sampling the goods is always a pleasant surprise.... well, unless it's blood pudding, or some other gawd awful sounding thing. grin The most difficult part about buying for a Brit is knowing the lingo. As my darling hubby often says, we're a people devided by a common language; "English" and American English.
BUYING FOR BRITS
Brits cherish their tea (not the floral scented stuff, or bags stapled with a tail and tag), "puds" and "pies". I learned long ago that "pudding" in the states is nothing like a "pud". When "we" say "pud", we think dessert. When we Americans say pie, we also tend to think, "yummy! Dessert!". That said, block out all natural instincts when buying for a Brit. grin If you don't have a Brit in your life, you one day might, and what you learn by brousing through the selected links below, will be helpful, someday.
Terms and things that might sound a bit odd to an American.
Clotted Cream: OK, so that sounds like cream that's gone bad, but actually, it's a dessert cream topping. For centuries, Clotted Cream has been an essential element in a great British tradition -- High Tea. Spoon it over fresh scones or tea cakes already spread with strawberry jam accompanied by a pot of piping hot tea. With a butterfat content of 55%, Clotted Cream has a supple, buttery flavor that is not overpowered by the flavor of the jam.
Christmas Pud: Not a pudding, at all. It's actually a brownish ball of baked dough with candied fruits and ale within... fermented enough that you can light it with a match! Christmas Pudding originated in the 14th Century as a porridge called frumenty. It was eaten as a fasting dish in preparation for the Christmas festivities. By 1595 it was evolving into a plum pudding thickened with eggs, bread crumbs, dried fruit, and ale or spirits. In 1664, the Puritans banned it saying it was a "lewd tradition" unfit for "god fearing people." Later, George I ate it, loved it, and re-established this pudding as a Christmas feast tradition (despite upsetting the Quakers). By Victorian times the pudding had evolved to what we eat today and has remained a British tradition. Our Christmas Pudding is handmade in England with Hennessy Cognac. Over 68 million Brits will be eating a Christmas Pudding over the holidays.
Yummy UK Cheeses!
Cheshire: This dense, crumbly cheese derives its mild saltiness from the pastures of the Cheshire plain. England's oldest-known cheese, it is reddish-orange in color and has a slightly tangy flavor.
Crumbly Lancashire: This ancient cheese, like many other British classics, is dry and crumbly. Made from rich, full-fat cow's milk, it is a mild, fresh-tasting cheese that is one of England's best kept secrets.
Royal Blue Stilton - One of England's beloved blue cheeses? Creamy, tangy and eminently satisfying, our Royal Blue Stilton is perfect as a snacking cheese or as an ingredient.
Wensleydale: (of Wallace and Gromit fame) You can get this and others of the cheeses, locally. Well worth a try, and yummy! The only true Wensleydale cheese in the world comes from the milk drawn from cows that graze the sweet limestone pastures on farms in Upper Wensleydale, England. First made there during the Norman invasion, when French monks from the Roquefort region were brought over to practice their cheese-making skills. The Wensleydale pastures give the cheese its renowned unique, refreshing flavor. It has a clean, mild, slightly sweet flavor with a honeyed aftertaste. The superb texture of fresh Wensleydale is perfectly complemented by the addition of all natural cranberries of the finest quality.
Huntsman: (VERY good cheese indeed!) Huntsman is the marriage of two delicious British classics, Double Gloucester and Blue Stilton, brought together through a complex layering process. Creamy, forceful Stilton is sandwiched between an exterior of mellow, satiny Double Gloucester. The result is an excellent flavor combination that is as delicious as it is beautiful. While some purists may turn their noses up at modern creations like Huntsman, one taste led us to appreciate this English application of technology and innovation.
Chutney for Cheeses is made with prunes, apricots, dates and mixed spices stewed with onions and sugar. It is a delicious condiment served with cheese and meat.
Tea... the drink that keeps Brits alive (and, it's good for you!)
The subject of tea is a semi-complicated one. No proper Brit would ever make tea by putting a bag in a cup, adding water, and microwaving it, or pouring hot water in the cup. It took me years to learn how to make a "proper" cup of tea, per the ole Brit in my life. It's amazing how a Brit knows (and knows exactly) what step you left out, in the tea making process. So, no cheating if you're making tea for a Brit.
Note: above info excerpted from igourmet.com (lots of great UK selections of cheeses and foods)
If you're looking to help a Brit build up their tea stash (which is always appreciated), then look for teas like PG Tips, Typhoo, Yorkshire Gold (or Red). There are some Brits who drink Earl Grey, but I don't know many, so stear clear of it. Black, Ceylon and/or Orange Pekoe tea leaves make for a good English tea base. If you're lucky, you'll get to undertake the lengthy process of learning how to make a proper "cuppa".
Below are some suggestions for finding just the right gift for the beloved Brit in your life.
OTHER HELPFUL WAYS TO ORGANIZE YOUR CHRISTMAS LISTS:
DID YOU KNOW?
A lot of great things (and deals) can be found on line. For many, like my dear Tony, who can't mix and mingle with the flu and cold infected masses, online shopping is a Godsend!
Amazon.com has a way for you to organize your shopping lists. I find it quite helpful, even if I don't end up buying the items from them.
Google's Froogle also has a way to create a shopping list. To see an example, go to FROOGLE and type in my email address ( patclavier@gmail.com ) in the "search for a friend's shopping list".
GREAT FINDS: (for the fabric-oholic in you)
Last month's great find! I have to share this with you because I've never felt fabric so luxuriously wonderful. With the chasuble project looming large, I was on a massive hunt (online) for some Celtic themed fabric. Well, not only did I find some on eBay (thank you Judy, of Sew Sisters), but ordered it, and it has arrived. This fabric..... well, enough cannot be said about the quality! It's hard to believe this is 100% cotton. Judy, of Sew Sisters, purchased it from the UK, and has it shipped to her in Canada. This fabric has seen some miles, aye? Me thinks our American cotton fabric mills need to take a trip to England, to see how it "should be" done! I'm SO in love with this fabric, I must have more! The only problem is... it is SO nice, I don't want to toss it into the washer, much less take a pair of scissors to it!
The image above doesn't do the fabric justice, actually.
What you can't see is the shimmering gold. Yes, shimmering!
HARRY! Harry has found the giant SAMs box of dog biscuits!!!! Sneaky dog!! I was wondering why he kept going up and down the stairs.... and hiding in the corner of my basement room to crunch away! Hrumph... back to my blog.
Megaroo Update:
Megan is still doing well in Thailand. There have been several parades and events of late. I need to check to see if she's been blogging about them!.. and adding photos to her website. Have any of you written to her? I hope so. grin
Abbey and Lee:
Our Abbey and Lee took a small holiday to Las Vegas. They had a great time, and we're looking forward to seeing the pictures. Unfortunately, they arrived home to find out they were going to have to move. So, they're apartment hunting, AND have found what sounds like a fantastic flat, in the historic part of Raleigh, NC. So, everyone cross your fingers and toes for them.
Grandson Paul is now chatting! WooHoo!
Paul now has instant messenger capabilities, thanks to his dad. I spent the morning chatting with him. Great fun!
Sorry for the long blog. I suppose I should close for now, and get to editing the text and check up on me dear ole man. I've accomplished what seems like nothing, for two days now! Must get newsletter done! Must get website updated! Must get hats made and listed! Must get Christmas stuff in the making! So much to do!
Wait.. you know.. I did get a few things done... like.... laundry, cleaning, grocery shopping, trip to Michael's, and have been fine tuning my ebay listing artwork. grin
Ta Ta for now, y'all.
PitterPat
crossing my fingers and toes that this long blog "publishes" correctly. You can't begin to know how much time is spent editing the html, to get the text to show up properly on the other end! Hrumph.
