Lots of bread baking

Today was cranberry orange walnut bread day. I had a production line going. I ground all the cranberries and had 8 bowls of the ground fruit. Then I started mixing the rest of the ingredients and made one double batch at a time. I didn't have 16 loaf pans so baked the breads in 3 batches. Some of the batches were made into regular loaves and some were in the small tins. I cleaned up the bowls and food processor as I went along so I didn't have the mess at the end.

I don't have a freezer but my neighbor does and it wasn't full so I brought over 3 plastic grocery bags full of my breads to her house. Naturally I gave them one of the big breads. She called me later to say that they'd had some and enjoyed it.

I came home and boiled the 2 turkey legs and wings I'd brought home as leftovers, picked the meat off, cut up veggies and made a big pot of soup. You know what I'll be eating for supper this week.

I'd washed and hung out my sheets so I made up my bed as having to do it at 11:00 wouldn't be fun.

Before I stretched out on the couch, I took two Advil as my feet were tired and aching from standing all day in the kitchen. The dog and I are vegging out under the down throw watching a Xmas movie on TV.

A lot of work today but it's nice to know that all that baking is done for gifts and my winter enjoyment.

Unfortunately it's back to work in the AM and the end to the nice, long, holiday weekend.

My Holiday Weekend

Yesterday was a wonderful holiday spent with two different sets of friends. I started the day watching the Macy's parade and cooking several sides to bring to friends' to add to the holiday meal. I went to my friends at 1:00 and we enjoyed appetizers before a fancy Thanksgiving dinner. Everything was so delicious but the best part of the day was spending time with my friends and their adult daughters.

I also had been invited to another friend's for dinner around 5:30. So when my friends' daughters left to go back to Maine, I drove around the corner to Thanksgiving Part II. They were just about to sit down to the holiday meal but I was stuffed so I joined them at the table and just had a glass of sparking cider. Another fun holiday celebration with friends. Their children are 9, 4 and 22 months (twin girls) so it was fun to be around the kids. I left there with leftovers so am all set for dinners this weekend. Love those leftovers.

I set my alarm for 6:00 so I could wait for the doors to open at the hardware store in town. You probably are wondering what was so exciting that I left my warm fleece sheets to go out in the rain so early on a day off. Well, it was a 12 gal. shop wet/dry vacuum for $29. Exciting, huh?

Then I went to Staples to see if they had a wireless mouse on their blockbuster sale. They did and I bought one. I figured I was on a Black Friday roll so I then went to Kohl's and scored some more super deals. I was home before 10:00 and had also made a quick stop at the grocery store. Not bad I thought.

I spent the day wrapping Christmas gifts and am done with it but for the amaryllis bulbs. Since the boxes have a hole for air, I think they probably shouldn't be wrapped until right before I give them. It's good to have it done and one step closer to being ready for Christmas.

I watched a movie on the kitchen TV and a DVD. I had found a collection of westerns from the 1950's at Walmart this fall but hadn't watched any yet. This afternoon I watched all the Annie Oakley ones and was brought back to the days of my childhood when I just loved watching that show, along with Fury, Sky King, Roy Rogers, Hop Along Cassidy, etc.

The dog had a new toy so she was zoned out with that. Right now she's asleep by my left side and happy to be next to me. I covered her with the down throw and she's so content.

Long Weekend Ahead

Oh, how I've been looking forward to the long holiday weekend. Starts off with a veg night tonight with the dog. She is pooped from her day today at doggie daycare and is curled up (and asleep) under the down throw on the couch behind me. I am feeling so good knowing that I won't hear my alarm click at 6:00 AM tomorrow. The dog and I can sleep in. Then I can have a nice breakfast and cook several sides to bring to my friends' for the Thanksgiving meal. This will be done while watching the Macy's Thanksgiving parade.

I'm be able to sleep in each day, go at my own pace and also get a lot done. I plan to pack my suitcases for my upcoming trip to Moscow and have everything by them except for my clothes. I don't plan to bring a lot of clothes as my daughter washes daily and it'll save room in the suitcases.

Each holiday season, I do baking for Christmas gifts and this weekend will start that with having a cranberry orange walnut bread production line. It's a messy job so it'll be good to have it all done at once. I make some in the regular size pans and some in the tiny ones. I like to wrap them in aluminum foil with elegant metallic ribbons. I'm hoping to also bake green cream cheese spritz cookies that I shape into a circle and put two red cinnamon candies on them so they look like mini wreaths. It's not Christmas for my daughter without them as she had them each year. In fact, the year that she spent Christmas in Europe after being in Spain fall term in college, I baked a batch the beginning of October to mail with her Christmas gifts in mid October to Spain so she's have her green cookies. Last night I bought the red hot cinnamon candies and green sugar to pack in my suitcase along with my spritz maker so I can make them with my granddaughters in Moscow and start the tradition for them.

While watching all the Christmas movies on the Hallmark channel, I'll also be doing some gift wrapping.

I'm looking forward to spending the holiday tomorrow with one family of friends for dinner in the afternoon and then going around the corner to spend the evening with another family of friends for dessert. Happy Thanksgiving to all of you.

I will have to probably hit a store or two but want to avoid it on Black Friday. Can't believe people actually will be up and in line at Walmart for their 4:00 AM opening. Not me. The dog and I will be fast asleep in my bed between the fleece sheets.

Big day for Liesel

It was another gorgeous fall day here in CT with sunny skies and unusually warm temperatures. I wanted to take Liesel for a walk along the river so we both could enjoy the the beautiful day and get some exercise.

We started out with a stop at Petco and I bought a rotating electric nail file that I'll try out on her this week. Sure hope she sits still so I can do her nails.

From there we stopped in at the antique/used furniture shop so I could show the owners my cute Liesel. They have their dog there all the time so they are dog lovers.

We stopped at a couple of other shops by where I parked near the river and I carried her as they were an upscale baby/toddler shop and a gift shop. The gift shop has lots of holiday decorating items and is always so beautiful. I was surprised to see a display of Russian Christmas ornaments and matryoshka dolls. Boy, the prices were a lot more than at the big Russian shop on the Arabat and definitely more than at the Izmailovo Market (can't wait to go there in a month).

In the same section of town is a nursery/gift shop and we walked around outside admiring the fall and Christmas arrangements made with live greens and decorations. I could never afford to actually buy one of the arrangements as they are quite pricey but it's fun to look and get ideas. They have some of their Christmas trees out and they are all perfect. There is nothing like a real tree for beauty and aroma.

We had a nice walk along the river and met lots of friendly people and dogs. Liesel loves going for walks there and being outside. She also is a very social dog and so friendly to everyone we encounter.

I'm sitting on the edge of the couch with the laptop on the coffee table and guess who is curled up behind me under the down throw? She is exhausted from her walk and exciting afternoon.

A nice afternoon.

It's a .....

Imagine my surprise last night when I turned around in the customer service line at the department store and looked into the carriage. I thought it was a "different" looking baby carriage and wondered why it was enclosed with zippered netting. Well, it's because there was a calico cat inside instead of a baby.

Now I love my dog dearly but would I buy a special pet carriage so that I could wheel her when I go shopping? NO!!!!! If I did that, I know my family would think I'd gone off the deep end but they don't have to worry. When I leave home, Liesel is securely in her dog crate in my kitchen.

At first I thought these parents were kind of "old" to have an infant but figured it was a late marriage, etc. Was I ever shocked to see the cat curled up on a fluffy blanket. Now I think that is weird. What do you think?

While standing there, a store employee told the couple that they could not have a cat inside the store. The woman that owned the cat remarked that Nordstrom's doesn't mind their bringing the cat in her carriage inside.

Guess the saying, "It takes all kinds" is very true.

Christmas Shopping

Those of you that know me well know that I Christmas shop year 'round. Whenever I see something that I know is perfect for someone, I buy it and tuck it away. Even better if I find things on sale. I call this my "store". It comes in handy when I need a gift during the year as I have my stash.

I'm way ahead of the game for this holiday season but for finishing up stocking stuffers and one or two gifts. I hope to do all my gift wrapping over the Thanksgiving holiday. All the gifts that I'm bringing over with me to Moscow of course can't be gift wrapped. They all will be tucked away in my suitcases.

I'll also be bringing presents for Valentine's Day and Easter with me.

I do a lot of baking for Christmas gifts so that will start over Thanksgiving weekend too - spritz cookies and cranberry orange walnut breads.

Sleeping in and Soup Sunday

It was dreary and wet this morning so it was good to sleep in. Liesel has calmed down some and come to the realization that it's better to sleep in the big, comfy bed than in her dog crate. The nights that I take her up with me, she no longer is all over me at dawn to get up and has gotten into the Sunday morning routine of sleeping in and letting me read in bed. I never thought I'd see the day that she'd do this but am glad that it's here.

Yesterday was a yucky, rainy day here in CT and I thought it would be good to make soup this weekend. I wanted to take advantage of the meat and veggies that were on sale at the grocery store, have soup for dinners this week and have a big pot to send to my girlfriend's. My girlfriend had surgery this week so I wanted to send enough soup home with her husband for a couple of meals for them.

When I called her to see how she was doing and to ask if her husband could stop by with containers for the soup, she told me that she was sending me some squash and apple soup as one of her friends had sent over a big container of it. I'll look forward to bringing that to work with a sandwich for lunch. She also sent a container of applesauce from her freezer. Here I thought I was sending homemade soup for them and I received some homemade goodies in return.

I love all kinds of homemade soups in the fall and winter.