Christmas Memories

It amazes me the things that become important as we age. This past week, our home was broken into. Not the one we live in now. One that we own and are moving out of. Someone actually took the time to sort through our Christmas ornaments and steal just what appealed to them. We lost 20 years accumulation of Christmas ornaments. Even though I repeatedly tell myself that it is just "stuff", I am hurting. I can always replace "stuff". I am not defined by what I own. But my heart is sore from this loss. It's like losing my home again. Christmas has always been my favorite time of the year. I decorate EVERYTHING! Even the bathroom! This year, it's going to be hard to do that. We've lost almost everything we had to decorate with. All the lights, the garlands, the beads and balls and baubles we've collected over 20 years. Some can be replaced. Others can't. Even if we were to buy the same items, they just wouldn't hold the same memories for us.

Lovely mercury glass ornaments we purchased for our children. Some with golden tinsel hangers and tiny little companion ornaments hanging from them. Beautiful nutcrackers and angels and santa's.

Crystal santa bells and santa figurines from around the world. These I had saved for my youngest daughter for her first Christmas. All she'll have now is the knowledge they were meant for her. I'll be haunting the Salvation Army store to see if I can find them for her. She so loved to move them around and change the display when she was young.

The train set for under the tree. Mark wanted one for years and finally got one from his best friend a few years back. He loves having a train under the tree.

The Hallmark Keepsake ornament from the movie "It's a Wonderful Life.". The tree is not complete without that one. The key ornament for the first Christmas we spent in a home of our own. It was cut to fit our door lock! The Avon carousel tiger ornament. Which happens to be the only gift in 20 years that my husband didn't know about in advance. I'll never forget the look on his face when he found it on the tree. I had told him they were sold out and then stashed it until the following year and hung it up! He was astonished!

The Dan Marino football hero ornament. We searched for 5 years to find that one. And dozens of other Miami Dolphins, Dale Sr. and Dale Jr. ornaments as well. Some that were one of a kind, brought back from vacations his family took.

A veritable blizzard of crocheted snowflakes in many sizes. They usually hang from the ceiling. Mark won't miss those, but I will. I shopped ebay for a year to collect those.

The tree topper my brother-in-law bought just for me one year. A lovely crystal finial that holds lights from the tree inside the top. I wanted a topper that was different than the one everyone else had and Brian listened. I loved that thing.

Every single beaded ornament my grandmother ever made for me or my children. That one breaks my heart. My grandmother died a year and a half ago. There will be no more ornaments from her. I saved every one and never let them leave the house. I'm scared to death to tell my mother these are gone.

The ornaments I bought each year for Cody. Every year, I've purchased another miniature ornament for him and stashed it away special. I wanted him to know, someday, that he was remembered every year along with his siblings. That whole box is gone. I can't stand it. I have nothing of his, but those were something that was meant to show him that I never stopped loving him. Someday, when I find him, I'll have to answer for the time we spent apart. I was hoping to share those with him then. I cannot understand why anyone would take those.

What really throws me is that someone actually took the time to take the string of lights off of our artificial tree!!! They were lights in motion, purchased at CVS in 1990. For Kevin's first Christmas. They stole every single ornament meant to go on the tree. Even the little shoebox sized storage tote of ornaments marked for my husband and myself.

I can comfort myself that some vitally important sentimental items are still here. The child's nativity set bought when the kids were very small. That baby Jesus has been in more places than you can believe. For years, that set was never put away because Jesus had school to go to. The dog chewed off the bottom of one king, and the shepherd never did stand up very well. Mary and Joseph look a bit frazzled from stress. The sheep and camel have been teethed on by every grandchild we have, now. That set currently occupies a space right at child's reach in our living room. My grandchildren will play with the same set their parents did. That comforts me.

The tree skirt that my mother-in-law made one year is still here. It's covered in gingerbread men, which are my favorite part of the season. Even the smell of gingerbread can make me smile. I'll be making gingerbread ornaments with my grandchildren this year. I can't wait.

My collection of Christmas music-which was found tossed into the trash can in the house, was saved. I can still listen to the Lettermen sing Christmas songs.

The village houses and accessories that we have collected over the years are still here. That one surprised me. If I were going to steal something, I'd have taken those...........lol. However, the totes were kind of heavy. I'm glad we still have those. They are a tradition started just for my husband. He loves those buildings and all the fun of setting it up each year.

The shoeboxes of ornaments purchased for the rest of my kids. Those, thank heaven, are still here. I cannot imagine having to explain to my kids what happened to their decorations. They are all moving out and starting their own lives. Lisa has already lost hers in a move. The other kids would be devastated to lose such an emotionally charged item right now.

The train rug my grandmother made. I thank God it is still here. It is all I have left that her hands have touched. I'd have totally fallen apart if it had been gone.

And the stocking collection. I know my family laughs and says I'm obsessed. For me, stockings and gingerbread are the things I like most about Christmas. I don't think anyone can ever have too many stockings. Last year, I got a 7 foot tall stocking shaped like a bear for my brother-in-law and filled it with his family's christmas gifts! I love stockings and everything about them. I have some that are as old as my mother! Some that she made, some that I made. Some that I collected and some that were gifts. I'll be buying more, but I share them now, as well. My stocking collection is still here. I think I can make them the focal point this year and get past the loss.

But I am staggered by the importance we attach to these "things". Especially me. I am the one who always says that "it's just stuff and we can always get more stuff.". Now, my heart is breaking over losses I just cannot understand. Things taken by people who actually know us, and know I would give them the shirt off my back if they just asked for it. Neighbors who lived in the same community with me for years have stolen my Christmas memories. Well, some of them. And they stole the ones I can never replace.........................

Losing a Grocery Store

I just found out that one of 2 grocery stores in the next town over is going to close. Two days from now, they will be out of business. They are not even going to stay open until Thanksgiving!!

It's sad, because that leaves only 1 store to shop in for that area. There is another one here in town, but I rarely shop there as the prices are noticeably higher than the one in the next town. And the store that is closing is the only place I can get my Kids n Pets carpet cleaner. (I LOVE that stuff!!)

The good news is, the owner of the other grocery store is buying the one that is closing. He intends to install a Dollar General or Family Dollar store in that location.

It's a sad sign of the times, though. That location has held several grocery stores in the last 10 years, and none of them can seem to compete with the other store in town. Now it's going to hold another type of store entirely. It won't have to compete with the supermarket. I'd be thrilled to pieces if they put a store in there that carried yarn and craft supplies. I'm not holding my breath, but I'd really love it.

New Addition To The Family

Wow. My friend Monika gave me a pure-bred Himalayan cat as a gift! Her name is Schuyler and she is just gorgeous! The first night she was home, she slept on DH's chest all night long. When he woke up, he had the worst sore throat. I'm going to have to overhaul the vacuum cleaner so that I can vacuum more often. Having a long-haired cat in the house is really going to be an issue with his allergies.

I'll add a picture of Herself, just as soon as I can get her to sit still for one!

Hand made Christmas

This year, in the interest of frugality, we are trying to do a totally home made Christmas. As usual, we will not hit the mark, but we are getting closer! I've made several purses and tote bags as gifts, as well as started on hat and scarf sets for my grandchildren. Mittens and slippers will round out their home made items. Yesterday, I finished the hat and scarf set for Angela. I'd love to make her a pair of mittens to match! Since her favorite color is purple, her set is done in lavender, with white trim on the scarf and white spirals hanging from the top of the hat. It sort of looks like a ponytail on the hat! I still have to trim the hat brim for her, then connect them at the collar, so they don't get lost. I'll need more yarn to do her mittens, but I'm going yarn shopping this weekend anyway. I need about6 skeins of yarn and a mitten loom. And that still doesn't do the boys. It only does the girls, and finishes a purse. (note to self-buy 2 zippers for purses, and some buttons for kitchen accessory set)

I still have more canning and baking to do to complete our home made Christmas. As usual, there will be some shopping done, for stocking stuffers, toys for the grandbabies, etc. I'm even thinking of getting a few board games while they are on sale. We always need more of them!

In spite of everything, there are still a few people whom I have no idea what to make or buy for them. One son in law says he doesn't want anything. The other doesn't need anything! How on earth do you shop for people like this? I'm thinking that they both need good wool slippers. I have no other ideas, other than tools. Which I gave one of them last year!

I'm sure it will come to me. I just have to stop worrying so much.

I'm also participating in a Holiday RAOK program on Crochetville. I've seen several wishes I want to grant. Christmas cards are the easiest, as well as a few items I have in my Christmas stash that I can share.

I love this kind of Christmas. I'm already working on a few ideas for next year. With any luck at all, every gift I give next year will be one made by my very own hands.

Food Storage, part 2--containers

Wow. How to store bulk foods. Right now, my bulk purchases consist of things like flour and sugar and tea bags. Stuff for winter baking and comfort. I have no canister set. Don't want one. Most times, they are not air tight, and foods go stale or spoil. I am using Folgers coffee canisters. They are plastic. They are airtight. They have a built in handle. They are round. Round is the only drawback to these canisters. I'd prefer the pretty blue square ones, but I don't drink Maxwell House coffee! Other than that, they are wonderful. A 4 pound bag of sugar fits in one nicely. 2 of them will hold just under 10 pounds of flour. Soo, make bread and then store the rest.......lol. I even have them labeled for cocoa mix, cappucino mixes, etc. Anything that should be airtight, but doesn't necessarily need to be in the cabinet. (since I find my cappucino mix in 2 lb bags at the dollar store, this is not as frivolous as it sounds.)

When I get around to buying bulk canned goods, I will probably buy them by the case. These can easily slide under the sofa, or stack 3 high under the bed with no problem at all. Just remember to date the top of each can and use them in order. Don't use the stuff you just bought and leave the older stuff in storage.

The secret to making food storage work is to work with it. Try new ideas and recipes regularly. Eat from your storage and shop to replace it, etc. Make meals from dehydrated items as well as canned and frozen. Learn what you do and don't like before you need it. Personally, if we wound up with nothing but chicken a'la king RME's, my husband would starve to death!

I'm also starting to research mylar bags and large buckets with O2 packets in them. There are many ways to re-package and store bulk purchases. Read up on them before you start. Get some ideas. Talk to other people who prep and find out what they like and why. THEN-try a few things yourself. See what works for you.

It's a process, like anything else. This week, look around your house and see what kinds of interesting locations you can find for food storage. Then start thinking about what you can reasonably store there. Don't forget to keep your food diary. Next week, we're going to figure out your shopping needs in order to start prepping your food storage list!

Yarn, and the serious lack thereof

As I've mentioned before, our trailer was recently robbed. 4 times. In one trip, the thieves stole my yarn stash tote. In the tote were about 40 skeins of yarn, a few balls of yarn and several completed Christmas gifts. I think I have managed to replace most of the gifts. However, I'm still missing the yarn. Alot. I started a purse last night and ran out of yarn after 10 rows. I know that tote had 3 more skeins of that color in it. Now I have to go to WalMart to buy more yarn in a color that I should have plenty of! I'm frustrated and angry and I want more yarn!!!

That's all I want for Christmas. Yarn, hooks and more yarn! Gift cards to craft stores. A gift certificate for Smiley's Yarns online sale would make me ecstatic! They have a minimum $50 order, but right now they have Bernat Galaxy yarn for 77 cents! They have Lion Brand suede at 65% off. I could quite easily spend $50 on that site. Even an Ebay gift certificate would be great. There are some wonderful handpainted wools on there that I want to play with.

I'm re-purposing the old linen closet for yarn storage in my craft room. (Formerly known as the sun porch. It's mine. Don't even THINK about putting your stuff out there.) I'm going to put a comfy chair out there, and a small side table, and LOTS AND LOTS of yarn. Then I'm taking a pot of coffee out there and I'm not coming out until my hands hurt from too much crochet. I want my yarn back!

Beginning Food Storage

Now that we are nearly all moved in and things are beginning to settle down, I can turn my attention to our food storage. Rather, the considerable lack thereof. We have no storage left at all. I even ran out of baking soda! (Of course, using it to clean with was not factored in before) So, I am looking at the space we have available, the circumstances that are most likely to make acquiring food difficult and how long they will last. Then, I can start to make a list.

The LDS church recommends a year's worth of food and water per person, per household. However, that may be a daunting thought when you are first getting started. Alan Hagan, a regular contributor to Backwoods Home Magazine and the Homesteading Today forums, has published a great article on getting started for $10 a week. Even with the currently rising prices, his plan has solid points and merits reading. You can find it at http://lds.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles/hagan59.html Alan has a great website of his own, as well. Many suggestions for food storage and back-to-basics living can be found there. Here's the link" http://athagan.members.atlantic.net/Index.html

The easiest way that I personally have found to get started is to double up on purchases at the supermarket when something is on sale. For instance, if boxed Mac n Cheese is your thing, grab a case at Aldi's or purchase twice as many boxes as usual while it is on sale. If your favorite store has canned goods on sale, grab a case full. They don't all have to be the same when you are getting started. Mix and match till you have a full case EXTRA and put them away. We'll go over organizing food storage at a later date. However, it helps to mark the top of each can with the purchase date so you use them in order of freshness.

If you are lucky enough to have a freezer in addition to your fridge, double up on meats when they are on sale. Our local market has a "5 for $20" program every week. There are family packs of meats and I can usually buy enough for 2 weeks or longer for less than $30. Then just re-package them at home for freezing, remembering to date them all.

The important thing is to buy foods that your family will eat. Don't buy 50 bags of broccoli if you're the only one eating it. Buy what you will reasonably use in a year. Invest in a cookbook that will show new and interesting ways to cook the same old foods. Chicken is fine, but it gets boring after a while. Learn how to use it in other dishes. My family is nuts for my Chicken Curry recipe.

If you have favorite recipes, write them down and keep them. You won't always be the one cooking and you'll want someone else to be able to fend for themselves if they need to. My kids are all asking me for family recipes again lately. So, it's time to start writing them down and passing them along. The best part of this project is that it shows you what you eat the most often. Then you can see where to start doubling your purchases and storing your food.

Don't forget to store water. What will you do if the pipes freeze? If a water main breaks? How will you make coffee or pasta? How will you bathe or wash dishes? How will you flush? These things are important to consider at the very beginning of your food storage planning program. Store water in 2 or 3 liter soda bottles, not milk jugs. The disintegrate over time. Plan to store about 3 bottles per person, per day, for a 5 day period to start. In my house, that's 30 soda bottles of water! (Now, where can I put that so it's out of sight, but doesn't freeze on me?)

There will be more in my next post, but this is enough to get you started. Check out the LDS food storage calculator and other information available at this site: http://lds.about.com/library/bl/faq/blcalculator.htm.

Happy Planning!