I hope you all had the best of Thanksgivings. Ours was quiet - a quiet and low key morning, charcuterie plate for lunch, trip to the movie theater to watch Gladiator II, and home for a dinner of salmon, twice backed potatoes, Brussel sprouts, and pumpkin pie (Thanks, Costco!). Today we braved the early morning shopping and made a stop on the way to the airport at a combined yarn/used books store.
It was very nice to have The Ravishing Mrs. TB and Nighean Bhan and Nighean Dhonn here this weekend.
In lieu of a more thoughtful post, I offer you these photos from around my neighborhood about two weeks ago.
You have an eye for beauty in small places, thanks.
ReplyDeleteOh, and thanks to COSCO for a really good pumpkin pie indeed, where's the cool whip?
Michael - You are welcome of course, and thank you for the kind words. I think that gift of looking for small spaces is a combination of martial arts (which trains one to look at everything) and hiking and traveling (which trains one both for looking for things as well as realizing to take the picture now, as the moment might not return).
DeleteWhen the pie was picked up on Wednesday, the chaos was apparently immeasurable - literally pallets of pies being put up and bought faster than they could come out. I am sure their origin is a story all in itself.
A bit o' color in your neck of the woods TB, here the dusting that came down several days ago lingers because the temps have stayed below freezing since, six above now.
ReplyDeleteNylon12, the colour is still lingering here, although those leaves are falling to the wayside as well. Nightime temperatures here are in the low to mid 30's at night to the high 40's/low 50's in the day. We are working on continuing to find ways to keep heat in the apartment (sadly, these appear to be not insulated at all).
DeleteBubble wrap on windows you don't need a clear view though helps a lot. Most cheap windows are R-0.
DeleteBlue painters tape and a lit candle will find and stop drafts. Blue painters tape because it comes off cleanly for around a year. A bit of scrubbing after that, don't ask how I know :-).
Or a can of spray foam with the narrow nozzle to get those around the windows sealed well.
Yeah, I've had to live cheap and shoe string for many years in cheap trailers and apts.
We are fortunate in that the windows are relatively new and they do not seem to be the primary source of any cold air leaks. I think it has largely to do with the fact that this building was not well insulated to start with (unfortunately I cannot fix that).
DeleteLearned a new word for finger food: charcuterie.
ReplyDeleteNow I can sound hoity toity when I habla con mis amigos.
Thanksgiving with family is right up there with Thanksgiving without some family in my book. Well done and good on ya!
STxAR, it is the best sort of finger food: crackers, cheese, small preserved meats, and olives. Fancy ones have fruit and pickles. One can easily make a meal out of it.
DeleteWe have done small family Thanksgivings only for years now, partially because we were a sort of outpost from our family but partially out of choice, for years now - and low key ones at that. It makes for a very stress-free holiday.
Around here and maybe with your supermarket connections I find that bits and bobs left after the deli cheese is used up sells cheaply. Makes AWESOME mac and cheese. Some fancy cheeses show up often enough.
DeleteMichael, that makes a lot of sense - although this very morning I was looking at all the food I have in the refrigerator and cupboard from having visitors this weekend and realizing this is likely more food than I have had since I was here. Funny how one gets accustomed to living on one's own pretty quickly.
DeleteThe wall is really interesting as well as pretty.
ReplyDeleteIf you spray foam around windows, do NOT buy expanding foam.
But you are renting, if I remember right? So you may be limited in what you can do. Will the landlord offer any assistance or suggestions?
If it is the windows primarily, you can do a search for window insulation and find lots of options that are reasonably priced and may give you ideas.
If it's coming from the door, there are options you can search for also.
Glad you had an enjoyable holiday, TB.
You all be safe and God bless.
Linda - The wall really did catch my eye as well.
DeleteSadly, we do rent now so our options are somewhat limited. The biggest thing we can do - and are doing - is buying blackout curtains for the windows and in front of the door. Also, I need to buy the small insulating pads for the light switches and power sockets. The other thing we are doing is trying to heat only the spaces we use or are in.
Glad you got to be with (most of) your family, TB. Quiet is good.
ReplyDeleteBob, I am too. Honestly, I think the last time we did a "family" Thanksgiving was somewhere in 2015 or 2016 when my parents came out. Most of the last 16 years have been with just our family, or perhaps one or two with friends. I quite like the low stress option.
DeleteWe bought a 100+ year old home. Cold air wafting over and around you. Found that walmart bags stuffed into door frames were perfect. Had a door that was never used + door to basement we never went down into. So stuffed both doors and the heat bill dropped like a rock. I did use the foam pads also in light sockets also but didn't notice much difference. Glad you had company. Always nice.
ReplyDeleteAnon - What a good idea! We are getting blackout curtains to cover all of the windows (it will help in Summer with the heat as well). I cannot fix the insulation situation as it is not our place, but we will do our best.
DeleteIt is nice to have company. Even I, as it turns out, need people around from time to time.
Beautiful autumn pictures, TB. The fuchsia-colored leaves on the mossy wall are fantastic!
ReplyDeleteThanks Becki! Where we moved has some amazing scenery that is literally right outside my door, which is a nice of change of pace from New Home.
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