and...he's here!

 ...now, the last I talked to you, I was On Call for new baby coming.  I had my tables sanded, primed on the bottom, and ready to paint...the tops scraped and sanded and ready for finishing.  They were standing on cans, yes cans...cans of olives and green beans, to make them taller to reach, and so I could paint the bottom of the legs easier.  Well...that baby decided to come, so at five o'clock on Saturday morning, I was getting in the shower.  Baby arrived...little Ellis Riker, safe and sound....Uncle Oscar got to have a turn....he's going to have his own new baby this summer, so some practice can't hurt!

Here's Aunt Mariel with cousins Jamie and Blythe

Grandmothering...isn't he perfect?

Achilles, Jamie, Rhys love their new baby brother.

We watched the kids until eight last night, then again this morning while Darius went to pick Kathryn up from the hospital.  This afternoon after church, I had food to make!  The corned beef was in the crockpot, so I put some of the liquid into the instant pot, after sauteeing the onions...with carrots, cabbage, and red skinned potatoes.   There were small children here, hungry grandchildren.  I put chicken nuggets into the airfryer, and some hash brown patties, and they had some fresh strawberries.  

It's been a full and busy weekend, and off we go to a new week!  I now have sixteen grandchildren!  :). Have a good night!

who likes a good before and after?

 Oops, I'm sorry, I am not finished yet!  It's a Before and Middle!  

Before:

The funny thing is this is actually the "After" pic from two years ago when these got a fresh coat of white.  They were bought before I was married, on my babysitting salary, because Paul and I were engaged, and I had priorities.  They were $49 each, from an unfinished furniture store in town, and are actually night stands, but I like them as end tables.  I stained and finished them when we were first married, lovely brown.  But then I tired of them, and painted them....gray.  I went through my Gray Era,  as Camille says.  So then they were white...then...I saw that Rosemary paint, and I knew what I had to do!  

The tops needed to be cleared of paint!  Wood tops and green bottoms with champagne bronze pulls!  (The paint was 40% off, the pulls were extra from the kitchen).   Anyway.  Last evening, I put the citrus furniture paint stripper on the tops, and covered them with plastic wrap. 

It peeled right off!  Just kidding.  It was a LOT of work.  

I finally got them mostly clean, then I sanded them outside on the deck.   I sanded, wiped them down, sanded more, and again, for about an hour.  I removed the drawer hardware, spackled where the one single pull was in each drawer,  let those dry while I primed the rest of them (except for the tops!), then sanded and primed the drawers.  I want so badly to open the Rosemary paint, and get started on the fun stuff, but ugh, it's almost eight o'clock, and I am so beat.  

We had a semi busy day.  I went to the pool this fine morning, then came home and worked on these for a bit.  We sat in the sun on the deck (I scraped and peeled out there), then loaded up the truck with bottles and cans to return them for five cents each.  We got:  $95.05.  You can do the math if you wonder how many cans and bottles we had.  

Then we went to the ice cream shop, first time of the season!  It was almost seventy degrees out and sunny, and we've had a long winter.  Do you want any more excuses, because I've got them!  It was SO good.  Why does it have to be so good?  

Then to the hardware store for steel wool (to help with the scraping), and a little can of oil based polyurethane to finish the tops.  I probably won't stain them, because I like the light wood, it seems the oil based finish doesn't turn things yellow-y like the water based poly, but I don't know.  

Home....ahh, home, and right back to work.  

The girls made barbecue chicken pizza, Paul and I had leftover chicken, which I grilled last night.  I put mine chopped up in the iron frying pan with some olive oil, then added a bit of hot honey barbecue sauce, some hot sauce, a chunk of butter, fresh honey, and a sprinkle of ginger.  (Paul had already heated his up with his own seasonings).  I ate it with a big bowl of Asian salad with some fresh strawberries.  Oh how yummy!  

One of the girls is having a baby any day now, so I am On Call.  I may not be home tomorrow at all, who knows!  It's so exciting.  

Paul with Newton, Evelyn and Nate's doggy.  He's so cute and bossy.  (Newton, not Paul.)

Norwegian chocolate...how do I love thee...

The Kvikk Lunsj put a Kit Kat to shame.  

But the best is this Daim bar, it's like Heath bar, toffee chunks.  Oh dear.  

Ah well.  It's been a good day...:)

and just like that, home again!

 The time went too fast.  I got to see my sister's daughter Janet, Oscar's mom and sisters, and lots of other friends.  (Joy, I wanted to spend some time with you, next time we have to make a time for it, like a lunch date!!!  It was so good to see you!).   We had late evenings and some fun gatherings, and lots of walking.  (I am so thankful that my knees did what they were made to do, with minimal pain.). 

We had lots of bread (when in Rome, ha), and I had veal for the first time.  I am just opposed to the idea of it, but my friend Patty said, "They'll just kill it when it grows up anyway.", and I thought well, it's already dead, it's be a shame for it to die in vain."  And I ate some of it.   There were little tubes of bacon spread, and other strange things, which I did not try.  They eat open faced sandwiches with lunch meat for brekky, I just had bread (their whole grain bread is so good!), and shh some croissants, with butter, and double shh, nutella.  

We had meetings and were encouraged!  

(Among other good things we heard, this really spoke to me...just think to have His ears open to our prayers...so comforting!)

The fjord from where we stayed

With Miss Charlotte Claire

We left on the bus on Sunday, almost two hours north to Oslo.

From where we stayed in Oslo

The room reminded me of a James Bond movie.

We got up early to enjoy the breakfast buffet before walking across the road to the airport.  Then the fun began.  We had booked direct flights from Oslo to Newark...cancelled.  The entire flight was cancelled.  Emily and Grace were put on a flight to Iceland, then to Newark, Mariel and I on a flight to Copenhagen to Newark, but Patty was being sent to JFK!  We had to beg, plead and reason with the nice lady from SAS (Scandinavian Airlines).  She said her boss said there was nothing she could do for us.  I said, "Can we talk to him?"  She:  HER!  oops.  Boss is a HER.  

Anyway, the lady boss pulled some strings and got Patty on a flight to Iceland all by herself, but she met up with Grace and Emily there, then they all went on to Newark.  (Norwegians don't always realize how big the US is, they seemed to think Newark New Jersey and John F. Kennedy Airport in NYC are interchangeable.).   Mariel and I landed a few hours before they all got there, so we had to wait, which was not difficult.  Airports are very interesting places.  We saw a daddy and two little girls with balloons and flowers run screaming toward MOMMY,  MOMMY!!!  Adorable.   We got some really good iced Americanos, Norway has awful coffee....

Emily and Mariel took turns driving, and we got home around one a.m.  I made myself get up by seven this morning, to get back on schedule.  

Laundry, vacuuming, puttering...it's so good to be home.  Char wanted to go to Target, so off we went...then to Aldi, then home again...it was 68 and sunny, so we sat on the deck, then cleaned up a bit outside.  I had seasoned up some pork chops, then added some lime juice to them...fried up in the iron frying pan in some olive oil...I peeled potatoes, and Camille made mashies.  Green beans with butter and minced onions, yummers.

So I love to travel, but I love coming home even more.  :). Have a good evening!

leavin' on a jet plane...

 I'm still in my jammies, going to slip into my bathing suit, then head to the pool with my suitcase and travel backpack, Paul is dropping me off...Emily will pick me up, fresh from my invigorating swim, and off we'll go, driving to Newark, then an evening flight to Oslo, which you know I won't be sleeping on.  By the time we get to Norway, I'll be ready for a big nap, which I will try all day to resist, so I can climb into bed tomorrow night and just fall asleep.  With the time difference, you have to try to do that.  It's hard when you're going for such a short time, but it'll be worth it.

Yesterday, Sonja had the day off, so we went to the thrift store.  Camille found a dress from Banana Republic, looked lovely on her, she tried it on in the store, it was $12.99...it had one pull in it, so we debated at the register, then decided to just get it, as she can wear it to Evelyn's wedding.  The tag had fallen off at some point, oh no!  They will not sell if there is no tag!  I told the lady it was a blue tag for $12.99, she rang it up, 99 cents.  Turns out blue tags were 99 cents!

Anyway, have a nice weekend, and I'll be back next week!

a day to pack...

 I do not like packing, I do not like traveling, yet I love it.  I am not nervous, but my body is nervous.  My heart skips some beats, my anxiety flares up, I am not actively worried, but traveling does something to me.  It's fun and exciting and adventurous, yet scary in a way that I am not describing very well.   Will my knees hold up?  

A carryon is not that big, can I just say that?  I am not keen on traveling in my suede Bear Paw boots, so they have to go in the suitcase. I'll wear my fake-Birkenstock clogs.  One sweater, and the coffee pour over, one jean skirt, three pairs of leggings, two dresses, one pair of sweatpants, three tops, one night gown, underwear and socks for five days, and some Reese's Easter candy for my niece Janet.  If they weigh that bag, I'll be paying, it's way over 18 pounds.  

My backpack is for the liquids that the TSA so nicely allows us to bring, tiny little things of shampoo and conditioner and miniature toothpaste.  My hairbrush and phone charger and the snacks will also go into the backpack.  My plan is to go to the pool tomorrow morning and leave from there, so I get a nice swim in before all the traveling.  

So much cuteness!  We went to Target yesterday, I needed to pick up an order and get a few things.  Mr. Jamie got some new sunnies.  :). 

It was a strange day, freezing cold Sunday, snow all night, then Monday morning it was snowing with the sun shining and the birds singing...spring WILL come, but when I see my friends from across the ocean delighting in their crocuses blooming, wow.  Our warm season is just shorter here.  

Interesting fact:  the weather forecast in Norway:  warmer than central New York!  Thursday is supposed to be 50 and sunny!  Then in the forties and a little bit of rain for the weekend.  It'll be cold and snowy here this weekend!  

Ah well....life is interesting.  It just speeds along, we need to make the most of our days.  You enjoy yours!

when a day off entails...

 ...making dinner for fifteen...:). I will say this though, as I rolled out the butter pie doughs for the chicken pot pies, Kathryn said, "You live for this, don't you?"  Yes.  Yes, I do.  I love having the kids here, and the grandkids.  

You know I am not a good planner, but I always have it in the back of my mind that Sunday dinner will happen.  So I had a package of fresh chicken breast.  Before leaving for church, I made six pie crusts, wrapped them up and put them in the refrigerator.  I had frozen mixed veggies, Evelyn was bringing a bag of potatoes, I had chicken broth.  

(To make these, I put two packed full baggies of chicken from the freezer into the dutch oven with some olive oil, started those cooking, then added the 4+ pounds of chicken breast, simmered it a while then the four 15 ounce cans of chicken broth...peeled and diced some potatoes, added them, then later the bag of frozen veggies.  Corn starch and flour whisked with cold water to thicken it up, then put it all in a big stainless steel bowl to cool down a bit while I rolled the crusts.  I decided to make two 13x9 pans and one round one, so they would all nestle into the oven together at the same time.  I always put each pie pan one a parchment covered cookie sheet, but this time just the round one went on a cookie sheet, and the two other pans fit nicely next to each other on the other shelf.  I made sure nothing was overflowing or sticking over the edges.

Just in case anyone cared.

Anyway.  On top, before going in the oven, some rosemary, and freshly ground salt and pepper.

Ahhh, that feeling of closing the oven door, and yay...time to sit down and have an afternoon coffee.

Margaret and I were accidentally matchy-matchy!  She got her dress for free when placing an order somewhere, I got mine for $11 at Kohl's.  

A fox in the back yard...

The kids were coloring, so Kathryn joined them.  :)

Ah well...I need to move it move it, have to put a load in the washer so I can pack for Norway, am leaving Wednesday morning, but hope to leave from the pool so I have to be ready...need to pack, but first have to wash some things...and now I need to be out the door in seven minutes and am sitting here in my jammies...so have a wonderful day, and maybe my next post won't be so yawwwwwnnnnnnn.....

a nice full Saturday....

 ...life just goes by like a breeze.  It was just morning, now it's almost bed time.  I made a coffee, sat down, it was time to leave to go work on the Yucky House, made a second coffee for the road, and off we went.  We stopped at Home Depot to pick up a rented hard floor cleaning machine.  It came with no instructions, so it was trial and error, mostly error, until we realized that the yellow button had to be depressed to suction up all the mess.  It was brilliant when we did get it working properly, those floors were so bad!  A mop would have just pushed the yuck around, don't you think? 

Before, and after...

They look a little better now!  

Evelyn and Nate...

The stove hood is clean, the stove is too, but the oven still has to be tackled.  

How about a little Before and After?  

This pictures doesn't even show the half of it.  I think someone recreationally dumped a whole bottle of syrup in the bottom, the bottom shelf of the door, and along the edges.  It was SO sticky.  

TA-DA!  So horribly awful to do, yet so satisfying.  The outside has been scrubbed and shined too, unbelievable how much greasy sticky mess was strewn all over.  The b b holes though, and the scrapes and scratches, and the stickers they put on...well, ?  I'll show you next time, forgot to take pics.  

Anyway.  They used the basement for their own personal dump.  Dog poop, garbage, you name it.  Drugs.  Seriously gross things too.  There was a large pile of food scraps and garbage, we couldn't figure out why someone would be eating sandwiches down there, but then we figured out they were throwing junk down the floor register in one of the bedrooms.  How convenient!  Emily, Evelyn, and Nate hoed it out, bagged it all up.   Grant was visiting from across the street, he kept us smiling with his cries of delight every time he found a penny.  

He's fine, but Paul did fall down the stairs today.  He was carrying the huge-0 industrial strength floor cleaner, when the handle gave way and the water gushed down the stairs, causing him to lose his balance, slip, and bump down half the flight, probably at least seven stairs.  He couldn't get up for a bit, I went and got Emily.  She's a nurse practitioner and better in a crisis than I am, just calm.  In the mean time, the water that spilled went cascading down one of the registers to the basement, right where Nate was standing...he came upstairs all confused as to why he was suddenly getting wet.  Paul is okay, scraped up and bruised, and if you know him in Real Life, please don't say anything to him, he would not love it:)

I was washing those stairs down, after that, and being mighty careful.  (They were so absolutely filthy, and we didn't want the floors to get all dirty from people going up and down the stairs). We had the stairs so nice before...we might just carpet them, not sure.  

Anyway.  We got a lot done today.  There is still so much to do, but we aren't going there tomorrow.  Church, then some family over after, a proper Sunday, which is wonderful.  

Camille was with some friends today, and is spending the night at a friend's house tonight.  Jon was chopping wood with Benjamin, and is with Rosi now.  Paul and I got home from working on the house, I made burgers and salads and heated up the last pork chop from last night.  (Last night we had chops, and roasted red skinned rosemary potatoes, roasted carrots, and baked apples with cinnamon and sugar, it was pretty good).   It's kind of quiet in here, and relaxing, and pleasant.  The weather turned back to winter with a vengeance, it's going down to 9 tonight (-12.78C), and super windy with snow, brrr.  

So it's cozy in here, and winter goes on...no spring for us yet.  :). Have a good evening!