Somehow, our internet server thinks I'm in Thailand, so figuring out how to put up a new post would be much easier if I read Thai! A beautiful alphabet, I assure you, but absolutely impossible for me to read! Anyway...
The Hinkelgruber Christmas holiday was terrific, beginning with a fun, fun, fun Christmas Eve party! Nearly all of our favorite people were there (I'm sure some couldn't make it, but after the second glass of wine, I couldn't tell you who it was that we missed.) Christmas morning brought a brand new bicycle to Mrs. Hinkelgruber and I took every opportunity to ride it Christmas Day. And the day after Christmas...And I'd be riding it right now, too, if it weren't raining so hard. (Yep, I'm a "fair weather" rider. Well, I don't have rain gear, but who knows how that might pan out!)
As New Year's Day approaches, the question becomes, "Take down the Christmas tree before New Year's or after?" Today I'm leaning to after.
Happy New Year, everyone!
Sunday, December 28, 2014
Sunday, December 21, 2014
Ho, Ho, Ho!
Cheese balls, brie en croquette, chips and wine. Do we need anything else for Christmas Eve? Probably not. Oh, we'll get a ham and then let everyone else bring everything else.
It's the holidays - we're keeping this week's short! Happy Holidays, everyone!
It's the holidays - we're keeping this week's short! Happy Holidays, everyone!
Sunday, December 14, 2014
The countdown begins...
I really do know that the Twelve Days of Christmas begins the day after Christmas and is to count down to the Feast of the Epiphany on January 6, but my countdown begins now. Cheeseballs, cookies, maybe even a Buche de Noelle - it'll be a cooking/baking frenzy for the next ten days or so.
We took a beautiful drive up the Gorge yesterday and I do mean beautiful! I've never been at Crown Point when there has been no wind until yesterday. The last time Mr. Hinkelgruber and I were there, the wind was blowing so hard I didn't get out of the car and I wasn't certain Mr. Hinkelgruber would be returning to it! But yesterday, there was just barely enough wind to sweep out the fog. And once it did, oh, the pictures Mr. Hinkelgruber caught! We continued on to Hood River, picked up a wine shipment and learned about Camp 1805 - a new distillery in Hood River. I can tell you the bartender there knew how to mix a Sazerac - wow! - did it hit the spot!?!
We took a beautiful drive up the Gorge yesterday and I do mean beautiful! I've never been at Crown Point when there has been no wind until yesterday. The last time Mr. Hinkelgruber and I were there, the wind was blowing so hard I didn't get out of the car and I wasn't certain Mr. Hinkelgruber would be returning to it! But yesterday, there was just barely enough wind to sweep out the fog. And once it did, oh, the pictures Mr. Hinkelgruber caught! We continued on to Hood River, picked up a wine shipment and learned about Camp 1805 - a new distillery in Hood River. I can tell you the bartender there knew how to mix a Sazerac - wow! - did it hit the spot!?!
Sunday, December 7, 2014
Day two of no rain?!? In December?!?
Mr. Hinkelgruber and I went to the beach last week and had three days of sunny weather. At the coast. In December. Oh, and then Wednesday night came and it rained...and rained...and rained...
The drive home was so rainy, daylight was never above a dusk light. We got back into town and the street lights were on - at noon! Oh, well, we had a great respite as a lead-in to the frenzied holiday season.
The holiday decorating is done. If it's artificial, it's here! When I mentioned that I really would like some greenery so that the house would smell a little bit seasonal, Mr. Hinkelgruber said, "I think we could find one of those little pine-tree air-fresheners..." That's a tad too artificial for me.
I'll be taking a knitting class this Tuesday - I'm finally going to learn how those Scandinavians make their stranded, Fair Isle garments. We'll see if I'm not too old to learn!
Oh, and for those of you who read this, we'll be having our annual Christmas Eve bash again this year. Come on over any time after 5:00 pm and bring something you consider finger-food. Oh, and if you want to participate in our version of a gift exchange, 10 lottery scratch-off tickets.
The drive home was so rainy, daylight was never above a dusk light. We got back into town and the street lights were on - at noon! Oh, well, we had a great respite as a lead-in to the frenzied holiday season.
The holiday decorating is done. If it's artificial, it's here! When I mentioned that I really would like some greenery so that the house would smell a little bit seasonal, Mr. Hinkelgruber said, "I think we could find one of those little pine-tree air-fresheners..." That's a tad too artificial for me.
I'll be taking a knitting class this Tuesday - I'm finally going to learn how those Scandinavians make their stranded, Fair Isle garments. We'll see if I'm not too old to learn!
Oh, and for those of you who read this, we'll be having our annual Christmas Eve bash again this year. Come on over any time after 5:00 pm and bring something you consider finger-food. Oh, and if you want to participate in our version of a gift exchange, 10 lottery scratch-off tickets.
Saturday, November 29, 2014
Black Friday leads to Little Box Saturday...
Nope - I don't do Black Friday. Did it once and decided full price was cheaper than the melee of any savings that might be had by Black Friday! Little Box Saturday... now that's something else.
I went to a local yarn shop (I hear all of you saying, "Wow, what a surprise!?!") and I was the only one there. Bought some yarn for a class I 'm going to take in about ten days. I can hardly wait.
Well, cooking/baking wise: I've made dinner rolls, birthday cake (Happy Birthday, Mr. Hinkelgruber!), and pumpkin pie. How I love this time of year!
Well, the weather outside's not yet frightful, although the weatherman claims we might see some freezing rain Monday. Ah, who cares!?! As long as I have cable TV and internet access, I'm happy.
I went to a local yarn shop (I hear all of you saying, "Wow, what a surprise!?!") and I was the only one there. Bought some yarn for a class I 'm going to take in about ten days. I can hardly wait.
Well, cooking/baking wise: I've made dinner rolls, birthday cake (Happy Birthday, Mr. Hinkelgruber!), and pumpkin pie. How I love this time of year!
Well, the weather outside's not yet frightful, although the weatherman claims we might see some freezing rain Monday. Ah, who cares!?! As long as I have cable TV and internet access, I'm happy.
Sunday, November 23, 2014
Strawberries were in the last post...really?!?
OK, OK, OK....so it's been a while. Let's see if we can't end the year a little more timely...
Let's begin with perhaps the most important event of this summer: Mr. Hinkelgruber the Youngest graduated from the U of O! What a party that was in June!
Summer came (we survived) and it proved to be mildly warmer than some, not as hot as others...Fall was beautiful! A much nicer September than we've had in a long while. And, although it had a few days of much wetter weather, October proved to also be lovely. And, as a point of fact, the senior Mr. Hinkelgruber was actually sitting on the deck in early November - with the propane heater blasting, of course.
I've begun to bake with a new online baking group - working our way through Dorie Greenspan's Baking Chez Moi. If you're looking for a very accessible French style dessert cookbook, this is the one for you. Dorie Greenspan is a genius - she knows just what home bakers want and need in the way of guidance for recipes you might not otherwise consider. If you're interested in following my progress, you'll find it here http://scaryladyatho.com, or if you'd like to join yourself here's the link to the organizers http://tuesdayswithdorie.wordpress.com.
Thanksgiving is just around the corner and that means Mr. Hinkelgruber's birthday is too (this year, he's the turkey!). So, here's wishing that you eat enough to require elastic waste pants, but not so much you're filled with regret on Friday.
Gobble, gobble!
Let's begin with perhaps the most important event of this summer: Mr. Hinkelgruber the Youngest graduated from the U of O! What a party that was in June!
Summer came (we survived) and it proved to be mildly warmer than some, not as hot as others...Fall was beautiful! A much nicer September than we've had in a long while. And, although it had a few days of much wetter weather, October proved to also be lovely. And, as a point of fact, the senior Mr. Hinkelgruber was actually sitting on the deck in early November - with the propane heater blasting, of course.
I've begun to bake with a new online baking group - working our way through Dorie Greenspan's Baking Chez Moi. If you're looking for a very accessible French style dessert cookbook, this is the one for you. Dorie Greenspan is a genius - she knows just what home bakers want and need in the way of guidance for recipes you might not otherwise consider. If you're interested in following my progress, you'll find it here http://scaryladyatho.com, or if you'd like to join yourself here's the link to the organizers http://tuesdayswithdorie.wordpress.com.
Thanksgiving is just around the corner and that means Mr. Hinkelgruber's birthday is too (this year, he's the turkey!). So, here's wishing that you eat enough to require elastic waste pants, but not so much you're filled with regret on Friday.
Gobble, gobble!
Saturday, May 31, 2014
A strawberry is a beautiful thing....
And a Hood strawberry is the best of the best! My eyes were bigger than my stomach Thursday when I went to the berry stand. Truly intended to buy one flat - came home with two. Sooo...we made strawberry ice cream today (the boys next door helped us make it and eat it!), strawberries to top my pancakes tomorrow morning and strawberry shortcake for dessert tomorrow. And, no, there will not be any strawberry jam.
We cleaned the basement today! We used to get a dumpster every year and do a cleaning. This is the first time in about five years that we've done it. And, it wasn't as bad as I had originally thought it would be. The basement is still a basement (you'll never mistake our basement for additional living space), but there's no longer a fear that anyone will injure themselves downstairs.
We cleaned the basement today! We used to get a dumpster every year and do a cleaning. This is the first time in about five years that we've done it. And, it wasn't as bad as I had originally thought it would be. The basement is still a basement (you'll never mistake our basement for additional living space), but there's no longer a fear that anyone will injure themselves downstairs.
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