The Christmas Train

A few days ago a beloved toy came out of the attic.  My young son absolutely adores it.  It is only available about 3 months each year.  The rarity increases its value and magical appeal.   It’s his Christmas Train.  This particular train arrived one late December morning.  This glorious contraption has many pieces, that when fully assembled can circle easily circle a 7 foot pine and the wrapped packages beneath it.  The train is red and green, has lights, whistles, tooting and chugging sound.  There is even a flint that sends out a thin plume of smoke like a burnt match.  Ah, the wonder of it all!  We set it up with the tree sometime in mid-December, and it goes into the attic soon after my son’s birthday in early spring.   One of my favorite Christmas memories involves this toy train.  The morning it arrived, carols played while I cooked in the kitchen. Wrapping paper was all over the floor, with spilled contents of stockings.   I looked up over the counter to the family room, where three generations of  boys laid with their bellies on the ground.  No heads were visible, only three pairs of legs sticking out from under the tree, along with endless ooh’s, ah’s, and giggles.   Our dear Papa has gone, fallen just over a year ago to cancer than came on hard and strong.  Christmas will never be the same for either my son or my husband, having lost the giant of a man they both adored.  So, this year, as we put up the tree and the train, and we giggle and we sing, and we cry a little too.

Crock Pot Chicken Marsala:

• 1 small whole chicken (about 5 pounds)
• 1 cup white table wine, if you use “cooking wine” don’t add salt
• 1 cup water
• Several carrots, sliced into coins
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tsp salt
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup

Put the veggies and garlic in the bottom of the crock pot, cover with water & wine, stir in the salt.  Set the chicken on top of the veggies, poke holes in the top with a knife, baste chicken about every half hour. Cook on high.   After chicken reaches an internal temp of 140 degrees F, add the lemon juice to the stock, then rub the still condensed soup over the top of the bird, then let stew for about another hour, until internal meat temp is about 160 degrees F.  Total cooking time is roughly 4 hours, longer if use use a low setting or start with frozen meat.  Serve with starch of choice, I used chicken flavor rice-a-roni.  

FBCA Christmas Extravaganza

On Saturday, December 1^st Fernandina Beach Christian Academy hosted their inaugural Christmas Extravaganza.  Children and families enjoyed more than a dozen activities including story-telling, games, crafts, food, sweet treats, a bouncy house, picture opportunities and festive decorations.  Live music was presented by local children’s choirs and soloists. The Santa Shop offered gifts and home goods, ranging in price from 50 cents to over $50.  This event is scheduled to occur first Saturday of each December.  FBCA thanks the many volunteers and businesses who supported the event. Proceeds from the fundraiser benefit the school.  FBCA is currently enrolling new students for this academic year.  Scholarship applications are available. For more information about the school, call 904-491-5664 or look online at www.fernandinachristianacademy.com

If You Ask

If you ask for help, don’t be surprised if you get an answer. Also, don’t be surprised if the answer is not what you were looking for. This weekend I answered a post to a group on Facebook. A parent of a special needs child had asked for help with a particular issue. I answered, giving my professional advice, based on training, experience, and the limited information I had available to me at the time. I was shocked by the intense anger of her reaction. If you want a few suggestions from sympathizers, post to Facebook. If you need customized solutions, consult appropriate professionals who can examine your individual situation.

The Smell of Tea

The smell of tea is comforting to me. Classic English Breakfast is my favorite. I love the smell of the tea, the warmth of the mug in my hand, the creamy sweetness after I add milk and honey. Whether I’m in my office bent over the filing cabinet, navigating interstate traffic, or enjoying a meal in a restaurant, tea transports me. Part of me returns to the comfort of my favorite chair. Tea brings back sensations of safety, wellness, and family. I remember the Bible verses that promise life in a land of milk and honey. I feel prosperous, even if biting my nails because of unexpected bills. Milk and honey. Milk and honey. Milk requires cows, which each grain, which needs rain. Honey takes bees, flowers, and so forth. Richness, harvest, security. I hold my tea, pause for a moment, then go on with my day. In seasons of drought, the promise of milk and honey can give us the strength to put one foot in front of the other. In seasons of plenty, the same things should ignite gratitude and generosity. All of the comforts of home, and the promises of Heaven, are reflected in my twelve ounce mug.

B&B Cookie Tour

My little family took time this weekend to walk around our lovely historic hometown. Saturday was the Holiday Cookie Tour, put on by the Amelia Island Bed & Breakfast Association. We had fun gazing at the spectacular ornament-laden trees and richly upholstered rooms. Meanwhile, our son went on a quest to find Santa's and nutcrackers. We came home with sore feet, full of sugar and a festive Christmas Spirit. It was wonderful to be a tourist in my own town. For more information, to join a similar tour in the future, visit http://ameliaislandinns.com/cookie-tour/

Drew was sad...

A peek at a book I am writing. This one is a tough one, deals with children & grief. Drew was very, very, VERY sad. Drew remembered when Papa was strong! Why didn't Papa come home? Why couldn’t he walk and talk and smile and laugh? W So Drew sat on Daddy’s lap, and he cried, and Daddy cried, and Mommy held his hand. Drew didn’t want Papa to be in Heaven. Heaven seemed far, far, FAR away and like it would be a long, long, LONG wait.

Crock Pot: Ham & Veggie Soup

Into the crock pot on a rainy autumn night: From my deep freezer: About a pound of country ham and left over tomatoes & Okra with onions. From the pantry: Canned corn, green-beans, tomato paste. Drain the brine off the canned veggies, replace with fresh water, enough to make it thick but still a bit runny. Let cook on high until it gets all bubbly, the reduce heat and let simmer for a while. A few hours in a crock pot, much faster in a sauce pan. Use meat thermometer to make sure meat is safe temperature. After the meat is cooked, take it out of broth, dice it, return it to the soup. Stir well. No seasoning needed, since there was plenty of salt in the ham and canned veggies. Serve with warm bread, I used buttered toast because it was what we had. Be careful of bones. Not bad for a rainy night with no fresh groceries in the house. General Cooking Tips This is a very basic soup recipe. You can pretty much just use what you have on hand, fresh, frozen or canned. For canned veggies, I drain the brine they were packed in to reduce the sodium. In my opinion, simple is good. If you put in too much, the flavors can compete and cause it to have packaged aftertaste. I highly recommend everyone have meat thermometer. Safe cooking temperature will vary based on what meat you used, and whether that meat was raw or precooked (consult any major cookbook or google for meat temperatures).

Popcorn and Asian Take-Out

I finished listening to Gretchen Rubin's book, Happier at Home, and am now regularly checking her blog: http://happiness-project.com/. I enjoyed the anecdotes and useful recommendations. Lest I become overwhelmed, I remind myself to take what I want and leave the rest. She frequently repeated the paradox of how we sometimes need both less and more. Practical application, both simplify and enrich my life by slowing down some tasks, such as actual cooking. I am relearning how to make popcorn in a kettle, a task I was very good at when much younger, but stopped doing so when my parents bought our first microwave when I was in middle school. I am taking time to actually bake cookies in the oven, though I usually use frozen cookie dough so I can both control the portions and save precious prep and clean up time. At least once a week I use my crock pot, preparing supper in the morning, so I can come home to a hot meal and the house smelling wonderful. A little bit of planning can lead to a lot of satisfaction. Recently, I had worked a long day. I hadn't the forethought to throw some meat and veggies in my crock pot before I left. I wanted to stay home, hubby wanted to go out, and the simple solution (which rarely occurs to us) was, Asian takeout. Yummy. Our favorite spot is http://www.jadesbistro.com/

Just Vote

Research, read, vote. If you don't know, skip that one. Local newspapers, chambers of commerce, etc. There is lots of information. I found some from a group I disagree with, saw their recommendations, then went the opposite way.

Back at task

Where does the time go? Its now been another year, another birthday, another wedding anniversary, and my little son is in kindergarten. I have continued to neglect this little blog. My writing has stayed locked up on my laptop, and is searching for a way into the light. While I search for a publisher, I will post a little here. About myself, I listen to a lot of audio books while driving to and from clients. It makes the hours in my car enjoyable. After my most recent sojourn to the local public library, I carried away a few practical books as well in addition to the novels I tend to enjoy. For the past week, I have been thoroughly enjoying Happier at Home by Gretchen Rubin. Two of her observations that I most relate to right now are that: the days are long, but the years are short. And, that it is good to push myself to "be uncomfortable" for 15 minutes a day, every day, to work on one of those projects I simply want done. So now, today, I will take a few moments to do a small task that will make my home more comfortable or organized, mail pictures of my son to grandparents, and write just a little. I've taken on a couple of other projects too, skills I am determined to learn. But more on those later.