Sometimes being sweet matters

 

I hope Thanksgiving gave everyone a moment to ponder what they are grateful for.  I know I have much to be thankful for.  My family of course.  We all have a place to call home.  We all have enough food to eat.  Those who want them, have cars that get them to work and home.  We have power in our homes to heat it, have hot water, and ect ect ect.  I am thankful we are all healthy.  Much to be grateful for. 

My daughter in Law hosted dinner this year.  We all helped and brought part of dinner.  One of my requirements was to bring the pies.  Always.  So I brought 5.  2 Pumpkin, apple and raspberry.  Also a Butterscotch.  That one is kind of a silly one, a family joke that has hung on for years and years.  Now it's a tradition.  Dinner was consumed.  VERY yummy of course.  It came time for the pie.  I was cutting pieces and handed one to Monkey.  He ate it.  Looked at me oddly.  We shrugged and went on.  Bugs who is my BIGGEST pie fan had his piece.  He looked at me and said "this tastes odd.  Almost like nothing.  I can taste the pumpkin but it's just blah..." I was hmmmmm, retracing my steps in my mind.   Then I had an AHA moment.  I didn't add any sugar to the pumpkin.  NONE.  Eggs and spices and milk.  No sugar.  SEE! Sweetness matters.  LOL I just threw it all away.  There wasn't enough whipped cream to make it palatable.   No one was going to eat it.  So we had the other kinds and called it a good day! 

When Monkey and I went through the storage unit this summer and got rid of so much stuff, one of the things I couldn't' part with was my china and crystal. I was talking with DIL and I told her how much I missed using china for special gatherings.  She said bring it for Christmas.   I cried it made me so happy.  I put them away where they were easily reached.  I brought them home Tuesday and washed them all and then took them to DIL/Drummers house.  She set a beautiful table for our dinner.  She is so very sweet and is sensitive to me.  I love her for all that she does for me/us.  I loved using them again.  I know that "good" dishes is sort of on the way out.  I LOVE mine.  I love using them. The day felt very special.  I'm getting used to things being different.  Things cannot always stay the same.  Some of us were there and some not.  There is always something or someone to miss.  I am grateful for everyone that could be there.  A good day was had! 

I hope you had a good day!

Peace

Loud

 My family is very opinionated.  The boys are very passionate about different things.  When we have family dinners it can get quite loud.  Sometimes I just go outside and let them do their thing. I've tried to tell them it's not a " The loudest one wins" thing.  They all have different political direction. We have always told them to think for themselves.  And they have, sometimes much to my dismay.  We are loud because we are a large group.  It isn't always in debate or frustration. 

I heard something the other day that has really stuck with me.  "A debate is not a conversation".  That is a huge statement to me.  It falls in line with The loudest one does not win.  There is no winning in a debate/argument.  Trust me I know we all want to be "right".  Whatever that looks like. Instead of getting louder and louder, where everyone stops listening and just starts thinking of their next thought, not listening to what is being said to them. I think we should start asking each other, What would it take to change your mind?  We all have those things that we won't change our minds no matter what.  Those hills are the ones you choose to die on.  However, I do think that we all have things that we should listen to the other side/person and maybe, just maybe they have a point that we should consider.  No one is right all the time.  Are they?  Not in my world anyways. I just don't know whose mind you are changing when you are yelling at them.

How about we just lead with kindness when we are talking to each other.

Peace

Merry Christmas to us

For Christmas last year our older kids got us a weekend away in one of my favorite places.                 Friday Harbor.   I simply just love it there.  It feels like you are far away from reality.  To me anyways.  We left early Friday morning so we could beat some of the weekend traffic on the ferry.  It was so beautiful out. The wind always blows on the island so that wasn't a surprise.  

When you take the direct ferry, one that doesn't stop at the little islands, it's faster, but still a bit of a trip on the ferry.  It's a beautiful ride.  We of course, walked it end to end.  We did sit and people watch for a while, but it's nicer standing outside and taking it all in.  No whales spotted.  

Someday I will stay at this hotel.  It is stunning there. There was a farmer's market/craft fair going on.  There was a beautiful necklace there.  I've regretted not buying it since.  It was expensive for me.  BUT worth it, it was handmade by the artist.  Totally worth what she wanted.  I just couldn't justify it for me. 

San Juan county park.  We almost always see whales here.  The ranger said they hadn't been by in several weeks. 

We couldn't check into your motel until later in the day.  We wondered all over the island.  English camp to the British camp.  There was a pig war.  A lot of history there.  I love the lighthouse there.  We've seen whales there many times.  NONE this day.  Infact, spoiler alert, NO whales whatsoever.  I was so disappointed, BUT we had a blast nonetheless.  Salty sea air and the sound of waves.  What isn't to like. 

Day 2

I finally made one work!

Back at the county park to wait for the whales to show up. 

Dh took my camera. 

HORRIBLE picture, BUT...  it was just at dusk, so lighting was awful.  It is a fox eating a roadkill dear.  We stopped and watched for a long time.  In part because another car was watching too, and we really didn't want to interrupt his dinner.  He was beautiful.

You can't tell but he has a big chuck in his mouth. 

Ahhh the hot tub. 

Not shown was our massages and time in the spa.  It was so relaxing. 

Day 3, headed home. 

We went to the coffee shop to get coffee and tea and a donut while we waited for our ferry.  This guy was sharing our table.  I don't remember his name, but he was funny.  He wanted to have a bite of our donuts.  He had his own.  I guess it is their Sunday tradition.   

I think this would be fun to travel, or just ride in/on.  I've never been on a sailboat. 

As we are leaving.  

Headed home.  

People are lonelier than they have ever been.  We are also more connected than ever.  But we tend to talk less.  Just texts and emoji's.  No emotional connection.  

It meant the world to us to just escape, the 2 of us. To shut most of the world out.  It was just what we needed. 

Peace