well, that didn't turn out like we planned....

 I am supposed to be heading for the airport right now, all packed, in my comfy travel clothes.  Instead, I'm sitting in my comfy chair, in my comfy stay-at-home clothes, listening to the rain pelt down on the metal roof.  Oregon is not happening this weekend for Mariel and I, because someone out there tested positive.  Covid has changed our lives in so many ways.  This person is not very sick, like a mild flu or cold, and in our previous lives, we would have just gone anyway, especially where airline tickets were concerned.

But our lives have changed, and I am not going to whine about it too much.  I am sad, I am bummed, I am sorry for them too, but there's not much we can do about it. 

Samuel is done with the Army, without any bells and whistles, no ceremonies or plaques.  It was fitting that his last day ever was on Veteran's Day.  He ended up having the day off, so we went out and about.  We did a Target pick up:  they had chocolate chips for buy one get one free, so I bought eighteen bags, for $18.   We are set on those for a while!  We drove over to Texas Roadhouse, for a drive-through voucher give-away for military, Sam signed a big Thank You sign, and the girls there all thanked him for his service.  I thought that was super nice.  We went to McDonalds, and he got a free Big Mac.

He's staying through the weekend, part of it anyway, to help Benjamin install a new furnace at Joseph and Bethany's house.  

I've started online Christmas shopping a bit, to whittle down the immensity of buying for 34 people.  The grandkids are done, I am not getting them a lot, as they already have lots, and I give them things throughout the year.   My plan is to give each of the older kids, and their spouses one thoughtful thing, maybe two, then more for the kids who live here.  

It's a dark rainy day, a delicious day for being inside.  I have put up more white lights in here, and wow, coziness!!!  

Our oven isn't working, but Paul is pretty sure he knows what is wrong, and has ordered the part for it.  The other day I made two chicken pot pies, and two pumpkin pies for dessert (one sugar-free!), and put them in the oven...hmm, wait a minute!  The oven wouldn't warm up!  Dang it!  Samuel and I packed those pies up, even the soupy pumpkin ones, and brought them over to Emily/Abigail/Mariel's house, and put them in their oven.  We had a nice cozy visit with them while the aroma of chicken pot pie wafted through their house...we shared with them while the pumpkin pies baked, then left to feed the poor kids here who kept texting me about dinner, ha.

Last night, we had a beef roast and a venison roast in the crock pot.  I put a packet of gravy mix in there, and some strips of bacon on the meat.  It was pretty good, although I am not a venison fan.  We had microwaved russet potatoes, too....

Tonight, we are making pizza, and I have some chicken...thinking of making honey ginger with a dash of cayenne, and some Buffalo sauce....chicken wings are so pricey right now, we'll just have chicken breast chunks.

My goodness, the dogs are snoring!  It was pouring rain this morning, and they were super hesitant to go out in it.  They'll be full of energy later, will want to fetch and wrestle and romp around.  I myself could snore right about now, I'm not really tired, but it's so dark and rainy...and shh, I love it.