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Sunday, November 17, 2024

Week in Review

32°f, 0°C this morning at 5:30am, mostly clear. Still no killing frost, I think,, as it warmed to 34° before the sun came up. Beautiful moon, just past full. A bit of pink in the sky.


I haven't posted in a few days because there just hasn't been much to say. Do you have times like that, when you just feel uninspired? 

That doesn't mean we haven't been busy, though. Monday we stocked our Ripley booth, Tuesday we went to my doctor appointment in Parkersburg, had lunch at a nice little Mom & Pop place called the Crystal Cafe, shopped at Aldi's and a thrift store. Wednesday we re-did  the display window at our Ravenswood booth and got the Christmas stuff stocked there and did some rearranging--not as well as I would have liked, but 3 hours of work and I was beat. 

Thursday Larry worked on a pressure washer we bought last summer at ReStore; it wouldn't run but just a few minutes. He changed the spark plug and cleaned the magneto, and now it runs like a top. While he did that I rested, then got a dozen grab bags ready for our Ripley booth. They are having a big open house this weekend, and the grab bags always sell well during these events. Larry took them in that evening. We sold 10 of them yesterday!

Then Friday we went to Spencer, because a store there had a great sale on bacon, 7.5 pounds of good bacon for $25.  


The store, called Cash Saver, had very good prices, similar to Aldi's,  so we will be shopping there more often, as it is only about 15 miles further from home than Kroger, which gets more and more expensive. Similar bacon would be almost $5 a pound there, and was off our shopping list. This pack will last us almost a year.
We aren't big bacon eaters, but it's nice every now and then, and is called for in many recipes.

Spencer has some neat old buildings,  like these two:

McIntosh Hardware is one of my favorite stores. It's old time,  with wood floors and bins full of hardware of every kind. And great, knowledgeable staff, a rarity these days.


Tattoo parlors are everywhere these days. I don't understand this current craze at all, but it seems to be hanging on. This one is located in an old bank building--you can tell by the corner door and location,  which allowed a line of sight in two directions.


Spencer is a nice little town. People there are quite friendly, assuming they know you because people don't generally go there from Ripley to shop. We picked up chicken feed and stopped at the Salvation Army where I found a few nice things for our booths. (These thrift stops allow me to claim mileage on my taxes.)

On the way back we passed through the metropolis of Peniel. 


We decided to go into  Ripley too, as I had a prescription to pick up...and the library was having a book sale! Wd came out with a full box for $10. Enough reading and DVDs to keep us busy a wee while.


Yesterday Larry picked the last of the peppers, which we chopped up and put in the dehydrator.  The dried peppers are great for soups, stews, meatloaf, etc, and so handy. When that was done I began Christmas decorating. 



I figured I might as well, since we had it all dragged out to sort for the booths. I still have more to do and haven't got the tree up yet. Larry will put up the outside lights today, although I don't think we will turn them on yet. 

I am really not in the spirit, truthfully, just getting it done. I just feel so tired, and this knee is no help. It is a little better for the rest from PT, but that pinched nerve/inflamed tendon is still there and preventing a good bend. I go back to PT tomorrow, so we will see what the next steps will be. At least I am sleeping better most nights, such a blessing! I am still on the couch; tried the bed again but it's a no-go.

So that's been our week. Nothing exciting,  certainly. Best news is that grandson Jared, now returned from his extended trip to southeast Asia,  is driving home from LA and will be here for an extended stay. He is taking a scenic route and visiting friends so it will take him a week to get here. Granddaughter Ashley is flying in from Denver this weekend to stay for a week, and my sons and some other grandchildren will be here next weekend to make apple butter. So we will be seeing a lot of family very soon. I am looking forward to that.

Now, back to my tea. 



Until next time, friends.


Copyright Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.

23 comments:

  1. I find that preparing for Christmas (for me) is really an act of determination. I will have a Merry Christmas, by golly. I have a set of Christmas dishes upstairs. You know, I'm going to bring them downstairs and use them this year.

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    1. That is a good idea. Why not make it merry, even if the rest of the world looks gloomy? I hope you do have that happy Christmas!

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  2. I think that's very full and productive week -- definitely "real life" and that's for all of us! I've been hiding in travel posts because real life feels so overwhelming! Boy, I loved the look of that hardware store -- and the bacon, too. And I see you and I enjoy some of the same authors -- Anne Perry, PD James. You're in for a good reading winter!

    I know what you mean about the being in the spirit. I'm not yet, either, but TG is so late this year, I feel like I should at least do something. I've just been too over-committed and then tired and still a little post-election numb to be able to think that far ahead. It'll come; it always does. But not yet!

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    1. I have really enjoyed your travel posts, Jeanie. So nice of you to share them.
      Yes, this year it does feel overwhelming for me too, which I think is why I started early, just to give myself time to get it all done. With what you are dealing with, I would be crazy for sure.
      I am looking forward to these books. Still finishing my current blah read, so ready for something better!

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  3. ...you have been busy bees!

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    1. We try! And we are trying to take advantage of this warmer than usual weather. No fun stringing lights in freezing rain.

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  4. What a lovely little Christmas tea set! Glad your knee is feeling a bit better (maybe). Kudos for selling all those little bags of goodies. I bet you and your family will have a good time together.

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    1. Thinking of you, Barb, and hoping you will soon feel better. Thank you for coming to comment even when you're not well.

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  5. I don't make it back to the area very often since my parents are gone, so I enjoy it when you share the sights along the way of your travels. Before the Tattoo place, there was a very good flower shop there. I wonder if they're out of business.

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    1. Email me where you would like to see, June, and I will try to get there and take some photos for you.

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  6. Time has flown by fast this year. Christmas has hit the stores and some people have their decorations in their windows. Hope you have a great week ahead especially with the PT.

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    1. Yes, although summer seemed to last forever! Maybe that is why i am so grateful to see Christmas approaching.

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  7. I don't think that is exactly the Christmas tea set that we have, but it is similar.

    I didn't post today, and unless something strikes me, I won't post tomorrow either.

    Fab deal on the bacon. I don't know when I last had bacon, but I know there are two pounds in the freezer.

    Sue has been putting out Christmas stuff, and our mantle is done -- over the tv as we don't have a fireplace.

    Have a good week.

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    1. This isnt really a set, AC, as only the sugar and creamer match, but I don't care, I just like all these pieces.
      I have to watch my hubby as he would happily fry up some bacon daily! I like it, but once every couple weeks is enough for me.
      I had no mantle for years, so like you just made it work wherever. Now I have 2, a veritable wealth. They remind me of my childhood, when decorating the 3 mantles was quite a to-do.

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  8. 7.5 pounds of good bacon for $25!! That's a great deal. You had a really busy and productive week, Sue.

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    1. Thank you, Angie. It didn't feel like it, but looking back i guess it was.

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  9. You've had a busy busy week and you managed it in spite of low energy and the on-going painful knee issue. Your Christmas tea set is so pretty. I think I'll get some Christmas china out too. Who says it's too early??? GM

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    1. Right! It just makes me feel happy to see Christmas emerging around the house. I am going to enjoy having that pleasure longer than usual. Because why not?

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  10. I can definitely relate to those times when everything feels a bit quieter, but it’s great to see how you both keep busy with your various activities. The successful grab bag sales must have been a nice boost too!

    I just shared a new post, and I invite you to read: https://www.melodyjacob.com/2024/11/lessons-to-learn-from-lost-children.html

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  11. Your week sounds just perfect, a bit of this and bit of that and nothing too busy or too much. How lovely that you have so many family visits to look forward to. I do your knee continues to improve albeit slowly.

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    1. It was a pretty nice week, just tiring. But after this surfing have noticed that I definitely tire more easily.

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  12. I think that for many of us, just having that much bacon in the house would constitute too great a temptation!

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    1. Truth! But we have gotten accustomed to being stocked up, so can, I hope, resist the temptation! We used to raise our own pork...talk about stocked up!

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