Wintery

Though sunny and bright, it's getting cold.  Craving central heat but trying to make do.  Added a blanket at the bottom of the bed - folded into four layers to warm my feet.  Wishing it was the early 1900's and I had one of those feet warmer things fresh out of the fire 'cuz when my feet are cold, it takes forever to warm up.

I spent the day running errands - finally returned the six umbrellas left from the work Halloween project.  Respent those funds on groceries.  Also did the Operation Christmas Child annual shopping trip and was relieved to find really neat things at Target this year.  I'm not sure we can get it all in the boxes but we'll try and can always return stuff if we over-planned. I always try to get a few little 'toy-like' things (this year includes slide whistles, foam airplanes, crayons, pads of paper, pencils and a sharpener, small jigsaw puzzles, jelly beans in a very small box, gum, toothbrush and toothpaste.  Just realized I forgot hair combs - I'll get those tomorrow).   I love this annual event and look forward to the shopping every year - and I'm equally as glad that it's done and off my list.

It's the time of year for a lot of lists.  You?

B. is back at Ft. Bliss and has been assigned to the recon unit - that's the group that heads out ahead of troops and makes sure everything's set up correctly.  No, Ft. Bragg's adventure didn't work out quite as planned - but that's OK.  We are firmly confident that journey worked out exactly as it's supposed to - though that may not have been what B. would have preferred.  As I have been in the past, I'm more impressed than ever with his resilience and his stick-to-it-ness and he's already planning his next adventure.  It's all good.  Really.  Less than 50% of those that tried out made it - so he's in good company - and trying is the biggest lesson to learn. You have to try.  So he will continue to.

I had a hair appointment in Modesto this afternoon - but I think I'm coming to terms with not being able to spend 3-4 hours every five weeks to get something simple like a haircut. Back to local salons - somewhere.  I love my stylist to bits but my time on weekends is just incredibly precious to me - and I just plain don't want to spend time driving 45 minutes or more each way for a 30 minute haircut.  I'll send her a nice card with a gift card as a holiday gift and let her know that I just can't make the trip there every month.  My good intentions are outweighed by life's business - and ultimately, I choose time with my family and myself.

Didn't I write a week or so ago about Maple Bread?  Sourdough bread cooked in real maple syrup and butter until the sugar is just on the 'crazy side' of caramelized?  J. kindly made it for me for breakfast this morning - and then comes in and says 'I'm going to call that New England Toast if there's no other name for it'.  Huh?  There is another name for it - the name the recipe uses and the name I called it when I asked you to make it for me.  Scratching my head sometimes at his bursts of creativity....