Among Friends

[Sweet Caroline 1]

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@Sassy7356 wrote:

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@Sassy7356,  He's such a smart dog, knowing how much a dog means to his human.  I love this!  

[Sweet Caroline 1]

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@Sassy7356 wrote:

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@Sassy7356,  I think that all of January will "need" to be a time of recovery from events of 2025.  Mercy!!! 

[1Snickers]

   It's a cloudy colder,41 degree day and there has been a flurry as I drove to the store to take the newspaper. After a pleasant day off he was busy today  but got his drink and walked Tony. 
   I got more creamer heading home. My son gave me a huge box of coffee he orders. 
   We had a very nice Christmas and my granddaughter was all smiles. Today she's with her friend at her Dad's house at a river.
   I heard from the older granddaughter with a family  photo today and the grandson with many photos of his two girls. 
    I did laundry this morning and more for tomorrow. Bit at a time I'm putting decorations away saving the tree for New Year's Day. I love decorating but removing it and storing it so I can find it next year I hate. Less next year, please remind me. HA! 
      🧺🐶🐾🚶🏻‍♀️‍➡️📚🗞️🛒

[Sweet Caroline 1]

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@Sassy7356 wrote:

Easy for us to do this year as we did absolutely no decorating.  It wasn't the best Christmas and I just didn't have it in me to decorate.  

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Dear @Sassy7356,  There has been many Christmases where I decorated the porch for neighbors but not a stitch ofChristmas inside the house for me.  Stress and depression has been a part of my life for years and years.  But since I've made my friends here on this forum I've put out Christmas decor inside this house for me.  That's how powerful the effect is of my friendships here has had on me.  It's alright that you and Jason didn't decorate.  Both of you have been under a MOUND of heart wreanching times and struggles.  Take good care of yourselves, you and Jason.  I pray for you a lot of quiet and laid back, peaceful time.  Love you so much!  

[lynnie61]

@Sweet Caroline 1    Awww, I'm so glad the forum friends here have made a positive impact on you life.  The posters here, do provide a lot of love, compassion and treat everyone with respect.  I don't ever think I saw an argument, disagreement in this thread.  
I wish I could give you 10 hearts!  

Thank you, @Sassy7356 for keeping this going during all the seasons.  It's my favorite forum, and it brightens my daily life too.

[hullie]

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@mousiegirl wrote:

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@hullie wrote:

@mousiegirl 

I wish you a Happy Birthday!!! I wish I could share some pecan cinnamon rolls I just pulled out of oven for your celebration. Actually Jazmin made them with my help and pulled them out of the oven. We will take them to the get together at my brothers tomorrow evening. 
I hope you had a special meal today, your planned Christmas meal sounded delicious. 

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@hullie   Thank you!  I wish I were there for those rolls too, have never made them, but have bought many.  Have you ever tried Jimmy the Baker from here, he makes gigantic rolls, delicious.

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@mousiegirl 

No, I have never tried any of Jimmy the Baker products but have watched presentations a couple times of his food and it has always tempted me. Our pecan rolls were a hit, they were delicious. This was the first time making pecan rolls. I read that roasting pecans in a low temperature oven after tossing them lightly in butter gives them a delicious taste. We did that then added them to the gooey bottom mixture, placed rolled cinnamon rolls and baked. 

Hope you and your husband enjoyed your holiday meals. 

[hullie]

@Sassy7356 

Last year Christmas was one spent alone for me. It worked out differently this year but I still didn't decorate because my hand wouldn't be healed enough for all the put away tasks. So we both have a head start from everyone for a clean organized home! After I got back in town on Christmas Day from bringing my sister her gifts in assisted living I relished the Christmas night to watch my favorite Christmas movie, Jimmy Stewart in It's A Wonderful Life. I am not sure but I think you mentioned that you'd never seen it, maybe you're not a Stewart fan but try to catch it. I cry profusely with joy everytime at the ending. It's not Christmas unless I watch it, and the perennial SNL special every year of accumulated Christmas skits over the many years. I'm glad you had your Jason to share the holiday with, hopefully next year will be merrier for you. 

[hullie]

@Sweet Caroline 1 

I hope your family Christmas gathering was all you hoped for. Mine was rewarding and made me so grateful for the family members I have left. Christmas Eve at my brothers was soup and sandwiches and then games snacking on sweets and charcuterie eats. My out of town brother made it there, my nieces along with their half brother and his two year old and Sarah's boyfriend after he finished delivering Amazon packages that day.  My brothers two dogs were constantly barking at the two year old teasing them while we played games but the noise and laughter was comforting and reminded me of other Christmases long gone. Except for my Lincoln brother the whole gathering traveled to my sisters the next day and spent the afternoon with her. She enjoyed the gifts and food we brought and especially enjoyed the two year old who she got to meet for the first time. When I got home that night I had a tv dinner and enjoyed Christmas shows on tv. Bijou was glad to have me back home after two busy days. I enjoy the friendships here as well, especially that we live in different parts of the country that we share with each other. It is special. 

[Sweet Caroline 1]

Hello there everyone!  Sleepy Carol here.  Last night I was too exhausted to sleep so I took something to help me relax and sleep and I've been asleep all day and evening.  I tried posting earlier but I just couldn't stay awake.  I live for Christmas but it drains me of every speck of my being.  Like I told @Sassy7356 earlier, it will take all of January for me to recouperate.  Next year I would like to spend Thanksgiving with family and Christmas at home alone.  Sincerely!

There is so much to tell you all about our Christmas day at my nieces house.  Some negative stuff and some wonderful stuff.  First the Husky girl named Akita.  She was the best part of the day for me.  At first, the family kept rolling into her house and she was stressed and confused about that.  Everyone trying to pet her but she dodged all of that not wanting anyone to touch her.  She needed time to settle down.  After a while, she became alright with a little bit of pats.  I asked my niece if I could give her little pieces of food and she said that it would be alright but definitely nothing sweet.  Being a dog owner for most of my life, I know what she can't have.  I told her that it's respectful for me to ask but I was going to slip her a little bit of food anyway.  There was turkey so I gave her little bites of that.  

My nieces home was packed with friends and family and it's a very small home.  Thank heaven that it was in the 70's and no rain so a lot of people could spill outside to sit.  I found a spot at the kitchen table to sit and I sat there the whole time that we were there except for one walk with Akita outside.  Outside she was very frisky and zoomie, no accidents or falls for me.  When everyone finally got settled somewhere, Akita hung close with me on the kitchen floor.  I noticed that her water bowl was empty so I got her some water and she took a good long drink.  She was my joy for that day.  I asked my niece 5 times if I could take her home with me.  Her kennel is huge with a lot of room for the largest of dogs and that pleased me.  Her kennel door remained open and she did go in there for brief moments every now and then.  Once she got in trouble for getting a Christmas ball off of the tree and took it in her kennel.  I want to look on line for some dog toys shaped like Christmas balls for her to have.  

There was plenty (way too much) of food.  My favorites were Calamity Jane's steamed squash and her dressing.  The deserts were enough to feed an army!  I had some of Rocky's pumpkin pie, so good and some of Ashley's banana pudding, the best I've ever had.  I could have brought some home with me but the sugary things are not healthy for me.  

In a little while, the giving out of gifts took place.  I recieved a lot of gifts!  Each one very nice.  My divorced great nephew went to scoop up his three very young children, ages 2,6 and 7.  And the gift opening began to proceed.  The little ones received little tricycles and bikes and just a mound of gifts and stockings from Santa Clause and family.  The children were a delight, so precious!   

Then slowly people began to leave, some with other destinations to go to.  And then there was the kitchen to tidy up.  Us sisters did the best that we could to tidy up and downsize the food containers and took our own dishes home with us.  I took home my dishes, a plate of delicious food to take home and a jug of unsweet tea and my gifts.  There was a whole lot of food left and I hope that she found enough room in her ice box for it.  Reminded me of Christmas at mama's house when everyone left me and mama with the mess to clean up.  Not a happy thing for two exhausted women. 

We finally got ourselves rounded out and ready to go.  On the drive home for Rocky to take me and Calam home, she surprised us by driving us around beautifully lit neighborhoods with Christmas decorated houses.  Beautiful displays of Merry Christmas lights and we just oohed and awed over the beautiful sights.  Then Calam needed to potty so Rocky got us on home.  It was a very full and Merry Christmas Day!  I'm not going to post the few negative things that couldn't be helped.  Because all in all it was a Happy day for all!  Merry Day after Christmas! 

[Sweet Caroline 1]