Thanksgiving Memories

Two posts in one day-must be a holiday. Anyway, here are 2 of my Thanksgiving memories. The first was made this morning during the Macy's parade and the second is from childhood and never grows old.

Thanksgiving At Our House

Blogger is acting strangely tonight and not letting me move things around so this will be short. We are thankful today we have Tim to cook our entire Thanksgiving dinner every year. He started at 6:30am and didn't stop until we sat down at 4pm. My contribution was to go to the supermarket and buy 2 pies. I usually make them but decided this year that I was buying them and refused to feel guilty about it. Besides that,today I sat and watched a Gavin and Stacey marathon on BBC America and drank my wine while he cooked. The clean up is left to me which I don't mind at all. I actually have to get back to it so Happy Thanksgiving.

Hugh Grant Dancing

The smallest things can improve my mood.

Thanksgiving Tree

I got the urge to do a Thanksgiving activity with the kids this year. Truth be told, I saw this on another blog but can't for the life of me remember where or I would credit them. I painted a tree on a big piece of paper. Yes, that is a tree, I never claimed to be an artist. I cut out some leaf shapes and Grace made some of her own, only bigger. The idea is, every day, have them write down something they're thankful for on a leaf and glue it to the tree. By the time Thanksgiving comes around, it should be filled up with things they are thankful for.

They are both into filling them out and gluing them to the tree. So far, all their leaves have been about friends and toys. There has been nothing yet about their family, food or the roof over their heads. Oh well, baby steps.

Someone Call Guinness

There was a record set in the McRoot household today and it will probably be a while before it is broken. Tim and I ate two meals today, together, and alone. First, we we went off to a greasy lunch courtesy of the Wok Inn. Instead of just getting takeout from the counter, we took the time during my lunch break to sit down at a booth near the freaky over sized fish tank that all Chinese restaurants have. We even shared a coke though not with 2 straws. Then, tonight, Tim cooked dinner which we ate once the monsters were in bed. Declan was actually the only one asleep but Grace kept to herself and didn't bother us once. Tim cooked everything as is usually the case when we are talking a complete meal. He broiled steak and made loaded potatoes and corn. I could have probably managed the corn but its best if we leave the cooking to him-I handle the clean up.
Now, when I say we were able to eat alone, its not entirely true but it was the best we could expect. These two stared at us the whole time making sure that we knew how much our food really belonged to them.

Something To Read

I miss Dick Cavett. Did you ever see his interview with Katherine Hepburn? He's so 1970's but he needs to write more. Read his latest from today's New York Times.

http://cavett.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/11/14/the-wild-wordsmith-of-wasilla/?em

Poor Peter The Cat

This is what Peter has looked like his entire life.

But this is what he looks like today.
He was having too much trouble as a 14 year old diabetic keeping up with long Maine Coon cat hair so after a trip to the groomers today, he will have a much easier time.
He basically has fur left on his head, legs and tail-he is just skin everywhere else. We assumed he would be mad and ashamed and would hide from us. It is the exact opposite. Hes been all over us and has cleaned himself more tonight that in the last few months. Now it's up to me as a good mommy to keep up with his brushing since its too hard for him.

Remember Doing This?

Remember making potholders as a kid? I had my sisters old set and I used to make a million of them although I never mastered taking them off the loom. Declan and I just spent a quiet hour on the couch watching Anne of Green Gables and weaving a potholder. I had to do the weaving but he picked the colors and pattern. I have to admit I still have trouble taking it off even though I have to be the adult now and do it.

I made one with Grace a few days ago and he has been patiently waiting his turn. I had many chores to get done before dinner but I'm glad we took the time to sit down and do it. It made him very happy although he did seem to have his own fun turning the loops into slingshots and shooting them at things. As much as I liked doing them, I am hiding them in the basement for a while. My fingers can't take making more any time soon.

It's About Time

There was a period in the mid 1990's when I was constantly working on a counted cross stitch piece . Of course this was pre-children because they take a long time to finish and you have to be able to concentrate on one thing for more than 5 minutes. I actually have 2 others that I was working on when Grace was born and they are both still sitting half done in their bags. So anyway, I have several of these finished pieces rolled up and put away in a box. Right now I have bare walls in my living and dining room since I am still trying to finish up painting in there. I really want to frame a few of these so I can have something new on the walls.

This is most of them-I think I have a couple in the basement somewhere.
I distinctly remember finishing this one sitting in the living room of Tim's Uncle and Aunts house in Wales. Yes, I am such a geek that I brought my cross stitch with me backpacking in Great Britain.
This is my favorite and probably the one I will frame first. I like samplers the most but they are so hard to find for some unknown reason.
This is my Vermont countryside. I should frame it to remind us of Tim's childhood although I don't think they drove around in horse and buggies.
I made the obligatory wedding one after we got married. I really need to make one for Grace and Declans births. I'm obviously way overdue on those.
I think I will put this one up near our bookcases. When we had young cats we would find them up on them. Now they are too old to even attempt it but I do find Owen up on the refrigerator lately.

It's In The Blood

I was digging through the drawers of my 1908 Singer sewing machine the other day and I found my Grandmother DeGroots doilies. I guess that's what you call them. I don't think anyone really makes them anymore or maybe they do-I should check Etsy. Anyway, she used to live with us and died when I was very young. I really have no memory of her but these pieces she left behind have been around my whole life. I think I used to play with them and Grace used to dress up in them when she was smaller. A few years ago my parents sold our house and downsized everything. My mother said she was keeping us from having to deal with a lot of junk when they died which was sort of gruesome but also sort of true. I was going through the house looting as much as I could fit into my house. She had all of these marked for sale in her garage sale and I grabbed them all. I don't really use them but I thought it was important to keep them. So maybe one day long after I'm gone, my grandchildren will have a box somewhere with some of my little projects and they will keep them as heirlooms.

41 Things

My mother-in-law Anne sent this along and I figured it would be an easy blog post. I can't seem to control the fonts so sorry if its all over the place. I also have no idea why part of this is green.


1. Do you like blue cheese? Only with buffalo wings

2. Have you ever smoked cigarettes? Only a few

3. Do you own a gun? We have a water gun

4. What flavor Kool Aid was your favorite? Probably something red.

5. Do you get nervous before doctor appointment? Only lately

6. What do you think of hot dogs? Try not to think too hard about them-love red ones

7. Favorite Christmas movie? It's a Wonderful Life

8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? Dr. Pepper

9. Can you do push ups? Haven't tried lately but doubt it

10. What's your favorite piece of jewelry? I know I'm supposed to say my wedding rings but aside from those, I really like these purple earrings I made last week.

11. Your favorite hobby? Reading-I used to be able to read several books a week but I'm not allowed to do that anymore.

12. Do you have A.D.D.? Not that I let on

13. What's one trait you hate about yourself? Can't deal with confrontation

14. Middle name? Anne with an e

15. Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment? I want ice cream, please just call the election for Obama, I miss Tim Russert

16. Current hate right now? Sarah Palin

17. Favorite place to be? Rangeley

18. How did you bring in the new year? In New Jersey-I know.. you're jealous.

19. Where would you like to go? Ireland, Scotland or England. Also thinking about Iceland lately

20. Name three people who will complete this? No idea

21. Do you own slippers? I wear Tim's Beans slippers

22. What shirt are you wearing? An old green shirt of Tim's from our Grunge period

23. Do you like sleeping on satin? Never tried it but seems sort of gross

24. Can you whistle? Yes

25. Would you be a pirate? Not if I had to have a hook

26. What songs do you sing in the shower? Never do that-still asleep through most of my showers

27. Favorite girl's name? Grace

28. Favorite boy's name? Declan

29. What's in your pocket right now? Blistik-had one in my pocket every day since the 8th grade. I'm not addicted... I can stop any time I want

.30. Last thing that made you laugh? Something Tim said tonight but honestly can't remember what he said

31. Best bed sheets as a child? Mickey Mouse-Grace has them now

32. Worst injury you've ever had? Been lucky-nothing major-I will say that 2 pregnancies have left my body severely injured

33. Do you love where you live? Yes but I would like a bigger house

34. How many TVs do you have in your house? 3 plus 2 computers which we watch TV on

35. Who is your loudest friend? I have no idea

37. Does someone have a crush on you? Not that I know of but that would be sort of cool

38. What is your favorite book? Gone With The Wind-I know it's sort of racist but I'm smart enough to understand that while I'm reading it

39. What is your favorite candy? No way I can name just one

40. Favorite Sports Team? Are you serious? Not even sure which team goes with which sport

41. What song do you want played at your funeral? Never thought about it-don't really like how music draws out Mass so maybe nothing

Picture Pages

Another Halloween come and gone and it will be Christmas before we know it. The kids have been celebrating Halloween since they got their costumes 3 weeks ago. They were both Transformers. I'm told that Declan was Optimus Prime and Grace was Bumblebee-I have no idea what that means. Now we are left with an ungodly amount of candy, 6 pumpkins and a huge stash of roasted pumpkin seeds.

Last weekend we were invited to a Halloween party at Turkey Hill Farm in Cape Elizabeth. Grace was a Transformer with a kitten face.

Declan loved running around the barn while I tried to keep him from falling off the railing.

Last night they were decked out and ready to go with their long underwear on underneath because that's how a Maine Halloween has to be. The masks didn't last that long because they were sweaty and Grace actually needed a time out in the middle of trick or treating due to attitude but the night turned out well.

Declan was raring to go all day long. I don't know how they sat still in school that day.

Today I got up early and went to vote. Normally I am a voting geek and always vote on Election Day. I love to fill out the ballot, put it in the machine and getting my voting sticker. This year, I am working until almost 7pm and I was worried about the long lines. I was scared that I might get stuck at work and never get to vote at all. Grace came with me and we only had to wait about half an hour. To pass the time, she filled me in on the history of Portland City Hall because she was there on a field trip last week. Declan was very excited that I was voting and wanted to make sure I voted for A-Rock A-Bama.