RGBP'S FRIDAY FIVE: BESIDES

Here’s a Friday Five for your amusement and our edification. If you play, please be sure to paste the URL of your blog post in the comments. Or, you can just play right here in the comments. Onward:

1. Besides cookies, muffins, and ice cream, what’s something chocolate chips are good in?

           Definitely brownies! Fudgey brownies with Ghiradelli 65%  or is it 85%Cacao Chips!
           Mmmmm....must make some!
     

1. Besides official holidays and your birthday, what’s the best day of the year?

            A snow day! Time to sleep in and catch up on some stuff. A lazy cozy day!

1. Besides toilet paper and pantry items, what’s something in your house you make sure never to run out of?

           That would be Cottage Cheese, my breakfast go-to nearly every morning.

1. Besides relatives, teachers, and coaches, who gave you the most memorable advice growing up?

           Probably the Bible - loving God, loving others, especially Proverbs with its pithy wisdom,
           being honest, and the Psalms.

1. Besides junk mail, subscriptions, greeting cards, and stuff you ordered online, what’s something great that came in the mail recently?

             That's a hard one. Mostly it was stuff I ordered on-line. But maybe the new JJill catalog
             which I don't count as junk mail. I could say The Lutheran or Presbyterians Today and
             Reader's Digest, but those are subscriptions.
  I don't know what happened with the numbering system, but they all turned out as #1.

RGBP'S FRIDAY FIVE: WHINING IN THE WINTER WONDERLAND

1. Winter: What do you think about it in general? Do you love it? Hate it? Or say, “meh – it’s just another season!”
     Generally, I do like some winter, as long as it is not an arctic freeze and there isn't feet of snow from December until March. I love the way the snow falls softly muting everything and coating grasses, bushes and trees, or the way on a really cold sunny morning, the snow glitters in the sunlight.

2. Footwear: Show us or tell us about your favorite winter shoes/boots.
       Pretty basic really, some over the ankle short nylon boots (KMart specialers!) that accommodate
 my bunions!!! Otherwise, I just wear my old, Timberland thick soled and treaded mules with warm
socks. I'd love another pair, but just haven't found any that don't hurt and are thick soled enough.

3. Discuss: Pedicures in winter – necessity or silly?
     I don't bother. Nobody sees them buried in socks and shoes and boots. Gives my toenails a chance
to breathe all winter long. Although a pedi would feel really good at any time of year!

4. Toasty toes: Whether you knit your own or buy them, tell us what socks keep your feet toasty warm!
      Mostly I wear cashmere blend socks to wear with my corduroy and wool pants. They really do
keep my feet warmer. Just wish they made more in ivory and beige and not just black and grey.
I have a pair of beige alpaca blend socks that are truly warm and soft but they don't stay up very
well. I save those for extremely bitter days when I have to go grocery shopping.

5. Driving me crazy: What do you wish the drivers around you would do to make travel during the winter months a little less nutty?
     Slow down! Maintain a safe distance! Just because you drive an SUV doesn't make any safer
to go 70 + miles an hour when the interstate is snow covered! I hate it when drivers are too close behind me, because if I have to stop due to the person ahead of me, they'll be hitting my back end.
I always allow more distance between me and the car ahead in winter if there's snow on the road.

BONUS: What’s the weather like out there? Share a picture so we can shiver or be jealous!
    Today it's around 35 F - so not too cold but it's a grey day. We have more grey days in winter
than just about anywhere.

RGBP'S RANDOM FRIDAY FIVE:NEW

1. If you have one, what is your new resolution?
    To be more gentile. More gentile with LH, when things get very busy and I'm harried.

2. Many folks choose a new word for a year’s beginning, as Marci’s congregation does with StarWords. Some let their word choose them, like Christine at Abbey of the Arts. Do you have a
word for the year?
   I, too, have been giving out gift Star Words for years. On the 2nd Sunday of Christmas or Epiphany
   Sunday, the congregation is invited to pick out a yellow star with a word on it for the New Year.
   We trust the Holy Spirit is at work in the reaching into the box and drawing out a star word.
   Mine this year is "Peace." Funny, I named my new van "Eirene" and I am still making peace
   with her as I miss my old van. I will be seeking peace this year and being open to opportunities
   to offer peace as well as praying for peace (especially in the world) in the coming year.

3. What is your new favorite exclamation/phrase at times of joy or frustration?
      Lately, it's been fiddlesticks! Don't know why, I just started using it. Seems to help
     when I get frustrated.

4. Do you have a new favorite food, or an old one you are newly enjoying?
      I'm enjoying fresh avocadoes in my salads.

5. Finally, in general: what is your new favorite thing?
      Scrolling through Pinterest and seeing some of the clever ideas people have.
      I have a bunch of pins and someday need to try some. I have tried a couple
      recipes which were really good.

NEW YEAR - STILL TIRED!

The new year begins and after a restive and quiet Christmas day, it has been anything but restive.
   I did indeed have New Year's Eve Day as a vacation day. I went to the grocery store for some fresh veges and items needed. I partially cleaned house - vacuumed downstairs, mopped, cleaned two bathrooms. I made meatballs, I made a vege dip. I washed broccoli and cauliflower. I made dinner. At 11 pm, I cooked the made meatballs and washed champagne flutes. LH and I had a New Year's champagne toast with warmed panettone and island sweet and sour meatballs. I went to bed at 1 am.
   New Year's Day, we welcomed my SIL's. For breakfast, LH and I had Eggs Benedict and of course, I made the Hollandaise and made breakfast. Then it was onto cooking green beans for the casserole, preparing fresh veges, and setting the table.
   We enjoyed the time with my SIL's and had a gift exchange. The ham turned out fine and we had a good dinner. There was cheesecake for dessert - I should have pulled it out sooner and left it out longer. Next year!
   Since my SIL's have a long ride home, they left around 6 pm.
   I washed the dishes, dried and put them away. I finished deboning the ham. I grated over a pound of cheese for Fondue (on Friday evening), I baked a batch of brownies for dessert. I did those dishes.
I went over my funeral sermon and service for Friday.
   Yes, I had a funeral on Friday. I left at 9:30 am and got home at 3 pm. That was without lunch (which I confess I went through the drive-thru for a value sandwich). The committal was a 40 minute drive each way.
    When I got home, I re-sanitized two bathrooms and put up fresh bathroom towels. I set the table for Fondue - with fondue plates, forks, etc. I pulled out bread bowl and dessert serving plate and plates. I sat down for a half hour.
   My niece and her beau arrived with his dog - a little boston terrier and a girl dog. Our greys were, of course, intrigued by her. They seemed to get on ok. I served some vegies and dip, prosciutto and olives and cut bread & garlic for fondue.
    Made the fondue which was simply delicious and we ate the whole pot along with every last clove of garlic in it!!!! (at least 12 cloves).
    For dessert there were brownies and we played two games of Scrabble. I was soundly beat both times much to my chagrin. We played against an expert (niece's beau) and all I had were R's, I's and N's with two blank tiles. Nothing of much value and little to make with such tiles.
   Breakfast on Saturday was pancakes and coffee and conversation with fresh cantaloupe.
   After my niece, her beau and dog left, it was clean up time. And a quick trip to grocery store and gas station. I went over Sunday's reader's theatre, prayers, etc.
   I took a nap!
   I received a call about another funeral - this Wednesday. Sigh.
   On this first Sunday of the New Year, I was just tired. Maybe, I'm feeling my age and simply can't do and do anymore as much as I used to. Will have to ponder that one.
   My star gift word for the year is "Peace". Hmmmm....I could use some. And I suppose a call and challenge from God is in that word as well. Will see how I can come to live out that word in the new year. So far, it hasn't started out all that peaceful.
   Did I mention that Lent is 6 weeks away? I'm already stressing over that! What to do this year!!!!
   Peace. Peace for now. Peace for this moment.