Christmas Day 2011

Wow - Christmas is over. Well Christmas Day that is!!!   There is still the Christmas aftermath to deal with. And the new me is going to tackle it with a vengeance.

At our house - we toss the wrapping paper, but recycle gift bags and tags. And if you are wondering what goes in the green bin, the blue box, the garbage or wherever - don't forget this site -

Where does it go???

For the Region of Peel, it is an EXCELLENT site - if you want to know whether something is garbage or recycleable - check out the site - search for your item and then you will be SMART about your garbage.

Anyway - back to the Christmas wrappings.................

I went to put the Christmas bags back - yikes - stuff is all mixed up. So I emptied the container with the Christmas wrapping (OK - so we will NEVER have to buy a gift bag for Christmas again!!!). I clean it up - oh there is stuff that should go in the ALL OCCASION container. OK - so I got that out as well and cleaned it up. Now I need one more container and then all will be ship shape!!!!  And in future it will be a breeze to find what we want. All I can say - is that WE NEED TO GIVE MORE GIFTS to get rid of the bags!!!!

The organized gift wrap containers. Christmas on the bottom (notice the two containers with tags)

And next will be to find a convenient spot for them. There were NOT in a convenient spot so that is why they got messy and aren't used much. In the new year, I MUST find a spot for them. I think the purchase of more shelves in in order to keep track of some of this stuff. I have a great little storage closet that is HIDDEN IN PLAIN VIEW. Unfortuately when measuring yesterday - the darn thing is 46 inches wide. FORTY SIX - that is a stupid size when most shelving units are 48". We were NOT thinking when we planned that because we BUILT that wall. So now I just get some shelving and put up my own shelves and get the shelves pre-cut - yes that would be best. OK - off to the hardware store cause there is a LOT of wasted space in that little closet. There are THREE storage areas in this spot and I MUST make better use of all three.

Which door would you choose - Door Number ONE, Door Number TWO or Door Number THREE

Well hopefully - we will get a peek behind all those doors as they get cleaned up this holiday. And in looking at the pictures - there is a LONG container on the floor at the right which would be perfect for the rest of the gift wrap. It is those stupid rolls that are the issue. I could just take the quilts out of that container and then my wrap problem is solved. OK - good thing I took that picture!!!!!

Well after exciting start to the day have a look at these cool presents.

Dish clothes (I LOVE THESE THINGS - you can NEVER have too many) and look at the colour!!!!!    Thanks Margo - you are a sweetie!!!!!   These are BETTER than placemats!!!!

Something to help with my Scrabble game - thanks Santa!!!

Something for "The girls" - now to find a good picture.  Marian already has one in mind - I must dig it out. Thanks BFF!!!

PARIS storage containers!!!!!!!   Do you not LOVE LOVE LOVE that big trunk on the bottom. I'm so excited - thanks to my family. 

AND poles for HIKING!!!!    YEAH!!!!!    Now I have no reason to fall down when I am out with the others. I am going to fit right in. Again thanks to my family for that (OK and Jeffrey for helping to pick them out - I KNOW they will be the best there is)

Now you are all wondering how the dinner turned out - right?????   Well it was a rousing success INCLUDING the gravy.

I took the advice of Ruth and my Mom and STIRRING is the key to good gravy. Oh yes and the MAGIC APRON. See this gravy was made from scratch!!!!   Eat your heart out folks - well those that think I can't cook!!!!

Stirring the gravy

I strained it only because there was LOTS of turkey bits left in the pan

And the LOVELY tasting gravy - NO lumps.

Jim helped out by mashing the potatoes with the new masher. I have to say it feels weird because the masher is not solid like a metal one.

The masher in action

Anyways - it was a great dinner (if I say so myself). Actually I don't mind cooking when there are people who will appreciate it - just cooking for everyday - BORING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Then we played a game provide by Marian - Would you rather??????    There were lots of interesting questions like Would you rather be deaf or blind? and Would you rather be super fast or super strong?  We took turns reading the questions and then guessing what the reader would choose!!!!!   Pretty interesting some of the responses. The biggest surprise of the night - M. Some of the answers she came up and the RATIONAL for them blew us all away. I guess underneath there is some common sense in that head. Wow -


The only bad part of the day - I had forgotten to buy more dishwashing liquid so we couldn't finish up the dishes. DRAT!!!!!   The dishwasher took care of part of them, so that is on the agenda today.

That meant that I could sit down and actually enjoy the evening. Got one embroidered block done and started on another. Oh shoot - I'll take pictures later. And 1 1 /2 CDs left to finish this book. It is LONG.

And then I got tidying. I was trying to find an iPod that we have. Do you think I can find the darn thing and I remember seeing it not that long ago. Hmmmmmmmmm - well anyway - I did manage to get through some boxes and I see that there is a LOT of paperwork that needs to be dealt with. Patterns that I thought would be a good idea to make, inspirations for quilts and lots more. Some of it is already sorted into boxes - just needs to be dealt with.

Case in point - how MANY Twelve Days of Christmas patterns does one need?????   I know I have a paperpieced one. I found an applique one and then found a picture of another applique one. Hmmmmmmm - I guess I could throw the picture out OR - I could put that in my inspiration book just so I remember it. BUT the trick is PUT it in the book so I can easily find it.

Oh I can see that this next round of clean up is going to be fun!!!!!!!


Well on that note - I see we are off to Michael's Boxing Day sale. Not that we need much, but their storage is 50% off and then another 25% off that. OK - I'm in.


Have a great day!!!!!!



Ciao!!!!!!!!