Only Jane

I washed my rain coat and it was still dripping wet after the spin cycle. And if you think about it, that is a good thing, because it is supposed to shed water.

But I couldn't hang it to dry on the laundry room door, letting it drip on my wooden floors. So I thought I would hang it outside on the birch limbs, which I have used before for rare air-dry occasions.

Got outside and saw the tree trimmer had shaved all the limbs up well over my head. But spotted my Kousa Dogwood with a lower branch.

I hung the coat out to dry and headed back in to wash my hands and continue frosting Christmas cookies. Luckily Neil put a window in over the kitchen sink, because I saw my coat swinging wildly in the wind and in danger of dropping to the flower bed below, aka good Maryland dirt.

So I got the package tape and taped the hanger to the tree. It could still swing to help it dry in the wind, but was no longer in danger of swinging right off the branch.

Could You Bring .....

Since we were having Christmas 2.0 later in Austin, up came the special request, could you bring those coffee cookies? Suzie's Christmas Cookies.

I got the recipe long ago when I was working as a secretary in the Law School at the University of Illinois in Urbana, while Neil was still working on his PhD.

My God-daughter had a free afternoon on Monday and that is all the encouragement I needed. She would make the cookies, help bake and best of all, do all the cookie dishes.

Here is Katrena up to her elbows in suds, the primary motivator for getting those dishes extra clean. Thank you for the help! And the Austin kids thank you for the cookies. : )

Red Maple Discovery

It is a sunny and very windy day here. We didn't get any snow from the storm which dumped 15" on New York City, but we do have up to 55 mile an hour winds until 9pm tonight.

I was coming back from taking Kay's birthday card to the mailbox, and was looking for wind damage on my old Empress Queen maple tree when I spotted this bird's nest.

It is a glob of building material without the apparent bowl of a typical nest on top, but more like a beaver's house. You enter the side door to keep out of all weather. Now I know it is there, I will have to watch for occupants.

Christmas 1.0

I got a new Rachel Ray teflon lined 9x13" cake pan, which I mostly use to make my Christmas fudge. Total surprise as we opened a few gifts that would not be making the trip to Austin where we plan to celebrate Christmas 2.0 with the grandchildren next weekend.

I have used this pan for forty years and it is very thin on the bottom, verging on being sliced through. These striations represent all the happy years fudge went to friends for Christmas.

My daughter says with a teflon lined pan, the fudge never sticks. That just means no more snacking for the chef who makes these culinary treats. Ah, progress.

4:15 am And Wide Awake

Who wouldn't be up early, it is Christmas Day. But the other half of this household was snoring, so I printed my two five-star sudokus. Only 50% success rate today. That must mean I am operating on an impaired mental basis. Watched the weather channel to learn the announced Christmas snow would miss the DC area.

Decided to work on my China "book". At over 100 pages it is so cumbersome, I found a section of duplicate words on page 75 and again on page 93. Continued editing (more tedious than creation writing) and since my ankles were freezing, I decided to use the winter neck scarves to wrap my ankles while I worked on the pictures and text. While wrapping my meat-locker cold ankles, it came to me, the whole book thing would be much easier to work with in smaller Chapters. So I broke the thing apart, another hour or so, we are at 18 smaller packets.

By this time my husband was up. Hooray! We could now have omelet for breakfast and open presents. I came down to ask him if he would like breakfast now and realized I was still wrapped up! He took the picture above. I hope Jack isn't reading this, because you can see I haven't quite finished a "Crayola" scarf for him for Christmas. But my ankles were warm!

Merry Christmas 2010!

Never Before

This morning I was a little late in getting to the Metro parking garage, so I didn't drive in until 6:25 am. I knew the federal government was taking Christmas today, but our company was taking the holiday on the following Monday, so we were to report to work.

I didn't realize how many people worked for the federal government until I got all the way to the front of the garage and found the very first, primo, non-handicapped spot was empty! I took it - proof is in the photo. It was nearest the entrance door, and on the ground floor, that is what the GA stands for in front of my left fender above, Ground Section A, you can't get any closer than that for parking. Amazing.

Then a man approached me and asked if Metro were closed. He had driven in from West Virginia and the door was closed and chained at the entrance. That's puzzling. Have you checked the other entrance? There is another entrance?

He got his car and followed me around. It was locked also, but the paperboys said it should open in about ten minutes. It was on a holiday schedule. This was not announced on the news this morning and it wasn't until a few ordinary folks like myself contacted the news stations to ask why the stations were closed that they started announcing, "oh, by the way, the metro is running on a holiday schedule."

So my boss said there was no postal service either since the feds were off. But that turned out not to be right, because we did get mail later this afternoon. Puzzling day when the feds take off the 24th of December and it is on a Friday.

Positive note: I have never parked this close to the entrance of the Metro Station before and probably will never get this close-in spot ever again!

Your Tax Dollars At Work

I work downtown in this historic restored office building, the Victor Building. Much of the office space is taken up by the National Portrait and American Art Gallery Offices....the Feds.

We were working along today when my boss announced, "the Feds have gone." Eh yup. They have Christmas Eve off as a Federal Holiday, and so they started three or four hours early today to "get ready" to be off tomorrow.

Consequently, I got to leave an hour early and even with the commute home arrived when it was still light outside. Must be nice to keep those hours.....

22

I find it had to believe with my magnifying glasses now at 2.5 that I could ever have done this counted cross stitch at 22 stitches to the inch! I remember when I did it, when I was getting my second Masters Degree at Hopkins. The year? That I can't remember. I still do love it though and have recently moved it from a back room to eye level at the top of the stairs.

Soft Earth Song

Comforts the hearts that would roam

It calleth the gosling to vespers

It leadeth the lamb to its home.

I just looked closer, the three hearts near the top have the answer: Jane 1990-1991. It wasn't done in a short amount of time.

Ride On

The name of the county bus system where I live is called Ride On. There are two colors, this green version and a blue and white version. Some operate on natural gas to save the environment. I was on the blue version.

Regardless, we took my car in to the dealer because the irksome "Maint Reqd" red light was on constantly. I was sure all my hoses would disconnect if I didn't pay some attention to the reminder.

So I looked in the owners manual and discovered at 52,500, the owner should change the oil, rotate the tires and do a 27 point inspection for only $128. Sounded like a painless way to clear the irritating reminder that I was perhaps abusing my favorite car.

We left the car Sunday night and sure enough, I got the Monday morning call, we can do all that normal service but your brakes are .2 and other technical jargon. When Neil mentioned the other words asking if discussed, I did recognize others, anyway, $521 later I could pick my car up before 9pm.

But Neil wasn't available so I took Metro to my home station and boarded a bus according to the Ride On trip planner which would get me to my destination in Germantown in one hour. What the map fails to show is the scale and neglects to mention the twenty minute hike from the nearest bus stop to the destination, but I like walking.

My observation: It takes ever so much more time to take public transit than to drive my favorite car, because I was home 15 minutes after leaving the dealer.

Great Weekend

The sun was shining on Sunday, after our snow and cold and clouds. It wasn't warm, but the sunshine makes a big difference. We did multiple errands and I finished nine pre-mie quilts and two pillow cases for the older children at the Shady Grove Hospital. Now to wash everything and put them in individual plastic bags ready for use.

Put the car in for an oil change as that pesky, "mainentance required" light has been shining steadily the last couple of weeks. Pick it up after a day in the shop.

Wonders Never Cease

You won't believe this. At 10:57am I entered the Shipping Store over in the Kentlands, and found only one person ahead of me. They ship by FedEx, UPS or USPS. I was out ten minutes later.

We had just ordered something on the internet and the shipping caution was - in big red letters - "this will not arrive in time for Christmas". Okay by us, because we won't arrive by Christmas either.

So I was thinking at the shipping store, I can save money by shipping for arrival next week. I asked for the cheapest rate - ground UPS - and the arrival date? Christmas eve. We aim to please.

Anyway, I had two identical aggregate gifts boxes and with Neil's help in labeling at the last minute, lost track of which had Martta's unwrapped gift in it. So, I had to make a special note to my daughter, since we are shipping all presents to her because she offers unlimited gift wrapping services. Of course, that means she knows who is getting what and can also use the preferred wrapping colors for her tree array.

I Know

I should be wrapping Christmas presents because it always takes such a long time, and I am always rushed at the last minute, but ....

My inspiration for the January quilt homework (quilters are at my house in January) will be a variation on this charity quilt I did for the NICU, so I was cutting and assembling from my stash this morning.

A 25-patch square in reds and whites for Valentine's Day with a little navy or royal blue thrown in, and a random assortment of "fussy cut" children's motifs. Primary colors, it will turn out to be crib size and we will have a brand new grandmother in the group in May. Hooray!

And I discovered if you wait until the next morning when it is 22 degrees to shovel 3" of snow off the driveway, the car tracks just shatter and are easy to clear. Who knew?

A Little Bit of Snow

We had just a little bit of snow yesterday and if it weren't so cold, it might have been gone by now but at 22, it didn't go away overnight.

It made the roads slippery up here, but further south of the beltway, there were several inches.

I wasn't even inspired to shovel off the driveways, although Montgomery County has passed a law that all citizens must shovel their walkways within 8 hours of it snowing. They didn't enforce it last year when we had three feet, so I assume I will be okay.

In a couple of days it is supposed to get up to 44 and I expect it to melt on its own.

A Little Color

The poinsettia has arrived and it is on the right side of the fireplace hearth this year. Makes the whole Family Room feel more decorated.

Minimalist to be sure, but sometimes simplicity helps focus one's attention.

Plenty for now.

Charity Work

My quilting meetings were back to back this month: the second Monday and the third Tuesday were contiguous. Staying up until 10:30pm and 11pm and still rising at 5am to get to work does leave me tonight relieved that I can stay at home.

I volunteered to make six quilts for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Shady Grove hospital. The little kits had been provided and we just have to sew them. Here are two of the more unusual. Typically, they are a print fabric and the flannel and all you have to do is sew them back to back and turn them inside out, then sew once around the edge for stability.

They are either 12"x12" or 14"x14" because that is plenty for these tiny citizens.

It's The Third Tuesday

It is the third Tuesday and that means the Olney Quilting group meeting. Our homework for this month was a pieced Christmas tree. The idea is not to make a quilt, but a table runner or place mats.

No one won the drawing because we didn't get to it with so much to do this last month of the year.

My house next month and I already am planning a red and white block for a Valentine's wall hanging.

Via

I did a double take at Starbucks the other day. There was a display that said, "Buy One, Get One Free", Last Day. When the Via instant coffee came out, I wondered who would ever pay that much for a single dose of coffee, and instant at that.

Well, it turns out to be cheaper than buying the equivalent 8-ounces ("short bold, please") by the cupful in the store so I did try it last summer and now I am hooked.

I keep several in my desk drawer and when it is pouring down rain or freezing and blowing like today, I skip stopping at the Starbucks which is conveniently located across the street from the office entrance, and come straight in and make a cup of instant instead.

We have the insta-hot feature in the office, so no waiting in a long line for that wonderful smell! I got one of each, the bold and the medium. Indistinguishable among the delights.

Finally

Finally found the new tone-on-tone bathroom mats I was looking for, and accidentally.

I guess there is something to "shopping" instead of "buying". I wouldn't have even seen the combo if it were for my going out to "shop" for something else.

Today we have what I call a Seattle rain. It is very light and misty and will rain all day but will only add up to half an inch. Good time to do all the things I have been postponing at my desk.

At least the Christmas cards are done, well, mine are. Neil is still adding "notes".

More Batches

Today I am working on the antidote to the batches of fudge. After eating something so sweet, a body just craves something salty and I comply by providing some roasted almonds.

When I was first married, I used to buy the raw almonds, blanche them, squeeze each hull off and then roast. Now I just go to Whole Foods and by whole, blanched almonds.

Makes cooking these a breeze.

Ugh

Oh, oh. Pink eye in Texas. Poor Jack. Very hard to keep hands off. And eyedrops are no fun.

So ugh. Thought this picture of the buffalo head from the quaint Western town museum we toured at Thanksgiving fit the mood of pink eye blues.

Get well quick, Jack!

That's Okay

I had to attend a lunch in Georgetown heading out Wisconsin Avenue NW to the Georgetown Club, an old eating establishment. Thoroughly enjoyable if you get a chance to see all the wood embellishments and old club feel and the food was excellent.


Two or so doors down, was a consignment shop, Secondhand Rose.


All my life that Stattler Brothers song will come to mind when I am caught in something that is not the ideal state, like finding the Canadian thistles not only thrived over the winter, but have quadrupled in my favorite flower bed.


"That's okay, Rose'd say, don't you worry none.
We'll have good times by and by,
Next fall when the work's all done."

National Day

This is the Protocol Officer from a Middle East Embassy greeting people and welcoming them to their National Day Reception. This line was the length of the ballroom at the Ritz in this direction to greet the Ambassador, perhaps 150-200 feet, but to the right the line doubled back upon itself as you headed down the hall to meeting rooms.

Once inside the food, music, exhibits all made it worth while coming to celebrate the birth of their nation.

Seasonal Batches

Batch number three, two left, unless we decide we need more. It takes about one hour to make "Mutt's Fudge" and since my daughter enlightened me about "following a recipe", it has been creamier than it has been in years.

Apparently, over the last thirty years, the cans of evaporated milk have gone from 15 ounces to this year, I found they were only 12! If you don't pay attention to the amount called for in the recipe, it turns out stiff and dry. Thanks #1 cook.

Of Course, You Can

Of course Barbequed Hamburgers are on the menu this week. I know it is practically the middle of December and it is 20 degrees with a fierce wind on the deck, but Neil is up to the challenge.

With a little Montreal Steak Seasoning, these are better burgers than you can buy anywhere at a fast food joint, so we will continue to keep our favorite summer time meal on the menu rotation, even though it is winter!

He just has to bundle up a bit more to turn them.

You Were Probably Wondering....

what is taking Jane so long to "put up her China pictures." Martta's have been up since two weeks after we returned.

We'll I am transcribing my journal and sprinkling in all the pictures that highlight the words I wrote down.

I am up to the fourth city, Dali, but we were there several days and it was a highlight of the trip, so I am plodding along.

My goal is to finish before my birthday next year, or at least by September 14th, 2011, a year after we departed.

Started The Cards

Dug out the cards I got last year at half price at the after Christmas sale, composed the Christmas newsletter and tried to find the addresses of those people who moved this past year.

Fifty are printed, the return labels are all ready to go, and decided that was enough for a Saturday.

Made the first of many batches of fudge, sewed a little more on the secret Christmas projects and got the good news at Weight Watchers that I had neither gained nor lost over Thanksgiving holiday. Now that is a gift!

Sign Of The Season

Our kitchen cupboards are on the South side of the house, so most times of the year and at the end of the day, when you reach for a dish, it is room temperature.

But after a long winter night when temperatures are below freezing, the bowls for morning hot cereal are so cold, that for a couple of months, I pre-heat the bowl, so when I pour the measured amount of boiling water in and add the oatmeal, the cereal will cook and remain hot for me to eat.

Otherwise the measured boiling water heat is wasted on trying to heat the dish from quite cold!

Jack Is King

Jack finished dinner first in this picture, so he used his napkin to show he was King for the Dinner.

I was at the Kennedy Center tonight for a reception on the 7th floor terrace. Checked my briefcase because it was heavy and was left without my iPhone camera to snap a picture for the blog.

I don't get over there often, but it is always beautiful. You will have to imagine it.

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Jack was good to share the game boy. Caroline patiently waits for the car racing application to download, okay, not so patiently.

"Take more pictures, is it done yet?" Take another picture. "Is it ready?" It took four pictures until the game was loaded, then she was glued to the screen and lost interest in Grammie.