We got our first real snow of the season yesterday.
Although it was just a couple inches, it transformed the landscape into a winter wonderland. I LOVE MAINE! Only 2 1/2 weeks until Christmas. I need to bake, do cards, wrap (and BUY) presents – but all I can think of (apart from the pure evil that is _FACEBOOK_).. is DIY. My family arrives Christmas Eve. John & I intend to WOW them. We’re full steam ahead, working on our soon-to-be dining room. Yesterday we got the room completely sheet-rocked. This week? finish the walls, clean the chimney, and more. Next week’s word? FLOOR. It is amazing, each of these projects brings such joy & sense of accomplishment. I’d love to share some pix – but like I tell my kids each day – THE FUN IS IN THE WAIT. Happy Monday everyone!
OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
SNOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW
I want some for a day or two…that’s it I am coming to Maine. Get my room ready hahaha
Eagerly anticipating future photos of the dining room…you and jon make me tired. Oh gee Dishy, I cleaned the garage while you rebuilt your house LOL!!!
Your home is going to look GORGEOUS. When are we having our SLOB slumber party??
P.S. I guess you’re right about those pumpkins. At least you can leave the Christmas lights up until April. 🙂
oooooohhhhhhh…SNOW!! Please keep it fluffy and white and ready for us for Christmas!
So excited.
Doesn’t look too warm though…
we had snow saturday night as ant and i were driving to his mom’s for his (early) b-day dinner. the parkway was ice capades. (is that how you spell that?)
we’re headed to vermont thursday (if a blizzard doesn’t hit on wednesday) and can’t wait.
the pumpkins look like cupcakes…get cracking on the house–i’m sure it will be totally renovated in 5 minutes. you people are nutty…but that’s why we love ya.
ps. i’m with hayden…when is the SLOB weekend? i have lots of time off in january and april.
Connie, you make me laauuugh. We are not quite that efficient. Though I’m pleased to report we should be painting in a day. Then putting up the trim. Painting again. Then floor installation. Then stain. Then urethane. Viola! We are also repurposing/refinishing a table we have, so we have to factor in a little work for that as well. But we still have 2 weeks plus. Yay! PS: Got another room upstairs painted yesterday as well. It’s amazing what I can get done if I just stay OFF the computer!
Hayden, I would LOVE to host the first annual SLOB meet-up/ though i’m thinking it’ll be better come spring/summer when the house is finished. PS: the pumpkins are thankfully GONE. I sure had fun catapulting them down the compost ravine we have out back. along w/ a dead basket of mums. Time to break out the greenery and Christmas lights!
No Sue, it is NOT warm. Except in the living room where it’s so blazing you’re gonna have to sit in your skivvies. We’re supposed to get more snow this week. Looks like it’ll be a white Christmas! PS: Best of luck on your finals – hope you rock. xoxox
Happy Bday to Ant! Hope you guys have a blast in Vermont. Talk about snow. LOL We will have to plan the SLOB weekend in the new year. Can you IMAGINE HOW FUN??!! xo
Hey lady –
We’re moving this weekend. And we still have so much left to do. 🙁 Kind of freaking out – but not too bad. I will never join facebook – NEVER. I don’t like being in touch w/ people from high school. Didn’t like it then – won’t like it now. Is that bad or what?! Off to pack – XO – hope you’re feeling better!
UUgh Erika I feel your PAIN. Hope you haven’t run out of boxes. I should have stashed treats inside them to help you motivate. You know, a hershey bar here – a box of wine there. I cannot blame you for turning down facebook.. I wish I were as strong. But now it’s got me. And there’s no turning back. PS: Aside from FB, feeling much better. PPS: Good luck w/ everything. Much love to all! xoxo
Hope to drop in Friday, before the madness goes full force to get things done. How are you guys going to ventilate to remove the polyurethane fumes? If you need to close off the hallway from from the bathroom to the end of the stairs, why not stretch plastic from the edge of the upstairs at the landing ACROSS directly to the crown moulding? What about the high heat from the woodstove? Dangerous with the fumes? How many fans will you have going and what window will you open? I will just drop off…not interrupt your GREAT work. You need ammunition to keep going…I’m using sea salt. See ya soon, if we don’t lose power out here in the woods as a result of the snow storm. Kate
I see you guys have enjoyed sliding on Dole’s Mountain. There is nothing like playing hard in the back yard, and then coming in for a hot cup of cocoa. Perhaps, the Stroudwater River will freeze this year for you to skate on it. When we were growing up, it was another activity we enjoyed in Stroudwater.
Four memories surrounding Christmas while growing up in Stroudwater still make me smile. The first is the Christmas fair at the Stroudwater Baptist Church. It was probably held last weekend. When my sisters and I were growing up, it was the first Friday in December. I don’t remember whether I have already mentioned it or not, so forgive me if I have. All of us at Willard School ( the one room schoolhouse that we attended across from the Tate House), would go down to the church for lunch, and then get to spend the afternoon buying Christmas gifts from the White Elephant tables, as well as brown paper goody bags. They only costs a dime/ea. Only the kids who were Catholic, could not go because of their religion. I feel sad for them, because I really have some warm memories of those times. The gold razor that I so eagerly gave my Mother one Christmas came from one of those fairs.
Another fond memory was preparing treats for the holidays. We had traditions growing up, which I firmly believe really enhance a childhood. Every year for two teachers at Willard, we would give them pecan stuffed dates as a Christmas gift, without fail. Mom usually got fresh pecans from her home state of Georgia from relatives. She would get dates at the grocery store during our usual trek to Shaws on Saturdays. We would stick a pecon half in a date, and then roll it in sugar. These dates would then be placed in one of the tins that she had saved during the year from eating Swanson’s chicken pot pies. On the last day before Christmas vacation, when we would also have a Christmas party at school, we would present these date gifts to our teachers. One teacher taught Kindergarden and First grade, while the other teacher taught Second and Third grades on the other side of the room.
Another food item that we still do yearly at this time of year is to make cheese biscuits. Mom used to spend a weeks vacation at Christmastime when she would shop, send packages to relatives out of state, sew, and make dozens and dozens of cheese biscuits. We would fill those tins with the yummy biscuits, cover with tin foil and a bow, and then us girls would deliver them to our neighbors on Christmas Eve day. One neighbor always gave out party mix, another neighbor-icebox cookies, another neighbor-assorted cookies, another neighbor-jam, and we would give our cheese biscuits. It was ritural to expect these treats for this fabulous holiday. One Christmas Eve Day, one neighbor would also open their house for a neighborhood drop-in for cookies and punch.
The other tradition that we did for many years was to Christmas carol around the neighborhood on Christmas Eve late afternoon. We had a candle lantern that we lit and took with us for the old Christmastime effect. It was Kath’s responsibily to carry it, so us smaller ones wouldn’t burn ourselves. Other kids in the immediate neighborhood would join us, singing from Congress Street up to Penrith Road. I remember one very unusually warm Christmas Eve evening stayed behind. The power was out and it was pea soup fog outside. Mom was making her usual mincemeat pie by candle light on the red counter by the can opener. Looking out one of the windows in Madison’s room, I could barely see the lit lantern that Kath had in her hand through the fog.
Your renovations are wonderful, and I just know this Christmas will be, without a doubt, one of those memory keepers! Happy Holidays. Abbie
Hi Kate – hope you stay warm during the storm! We haven’t gotten to any of the advance planning – just one step at a time. Many thanks for the great suggestions. Look forward to seeing you soon!
Abbie, thanks so much for sharing such special memories. I used to attend a similar Christmas fair growing up – ironically, at my best friend’s Catholic church. We always had the best time. Speaking of good times, cannot tell you how AMAZING it is for us city folk to be able to roll out the door, walk 2 minutes and be on our own private sledding hill. FANTASTIC! As for traditions, I couldn’t agree more. I am so looking forward to my annual bake-a-thon. Just have to get some more work out of the way!! Thank you – and Kate too – for all of your love & support. It means so much. Wishing your family a very Merry Christmas!