A Quiet Fourth

No, I didn't take this picture. But it does remind me of the fireworks we saw this year--from behind the house across the street from us. A family over there shoots off a remarkable fireworks display almost every year. We don't always know when it will be, and sometimes we miss it. But last night Evelyn and I heard the thump-thump-thump of the explosions clear downstairs where we were watching TV. We came up to see if this was THE night, and it was.
The display went on for almost 30 minutes, and honestly, the fireworks were almost as grand as you see in a professional display. We sat on the front porch step and watched before Evelyn came in to go to bed and I went back downstairs where I was uploading vacation pictures to Facebook. I'm slowly sorting out those that seem good enough to share, place by place.
But I didn't get any more uploaded today. Our longtime friends, Milt and Maribeth Pippenger, came to see us about 11:00 this morning and stayed till about 10:00 tonight. We had a fine time catching up with them, sharing updates from our families, and eating two wonderful meals Evelyn prepared. She fixed her favorite Amish breakfast casserole for brunch and a new recipe, prosciutto-wrapped chicken breasts, for supper.
It rained the WHOLE day, alternating between showers and downpours. I was glad we had planned a quiet day at home. I know hundreds of outings were cancelled or dampened by the daylong deluge.
It did finally quit after supper. So we decided to get out of the house and onto our feet and take a walk to the nearby park. Then we came home, finished looking at some vacation pictures (their idea, not mine), and had dessert: Graeter's ice cream and chocolate chip cookies ( a new recipe Evelyn had found with less fat and sugar and more fiber; in spite of being "healthier," they're really quite good--especially with Graeter's ice cream!).

Happy New Year!

We were up last night till after 1:00 this morning, and I didn't muster the energy to blog before I went to bed. We had Terry and Shirley Wuske for dinner. Evelyn made chicken parmigiana with green beans, tossed salad, and spaghetti (of course!). We had Graeter's ice cream and Christmas cookies and other confections for dessert and cheeseball and dip and crackers, with hot Christmas punch, for appetizer. It was a fun evening. We played a new version of "Buzzword" that Jennifer had brought and a new game Robb Faust had recommended to me, "What's Yours Like?" Then we reconvened downstairs in front of the TV to watch the ball drop and toast in the new year.

Earlier in the day, Nina and Jen painted their toes to welcome 2013. And then Jennifer and Nina (with a little help from Miles) decorated sugar cookies, trying out the new Ninja cookie cutters Jen gave Miles for Christmas.

Matt and Miles and I made a Target run for Miles to spend a Christmas gift card. And Matt, Miles, Nina, and I played a couple games of "Sequence" before I helped Evelyn get things ready for dinner.
This morning we were up at 8:00 to see off the Johnsons for their long trip home. They got away about 9:15, and Jen texted about 7:45 this evening to say they were home. Thankfully, this was an uneventful trip, unlike the journey here!
The house was quiet and empty--full of Christmas decorations, but no more Christmas. Before long, Evelyn and I started picking up, packing up, and putting away all the Christmas decorations. I ran to the store after lunch and then took down the tree this afternoon. We always leave a few of the Christmas things out till maybe February--those that look wintery without saying Santa Claus or Jingle Bells.
I'm almost ready, mentally, to jump back into the workaday routine. Our long Christmas vacation seems this evening to have been so short. But it's full of memories.
For supper we had sauerkraut and "gourmet hot dogs" from the wonderful Omaha Steaks package Ken and Susan sent us for Christmas. They say pork and sauerkraut is good luck for the new year. I said some prayers about the challenging year ahead as I was driving alone this afternoon. Lots of possibilities. Lots of challenges.
Several days ago Jennifer posted a quote I've been thinking about as the year is beginning:
"The measure of success isn't whether you have a tough problem to deal with, but whether it's the same one you had last year." -John Dulles
Here's a challenge to me: When you're reading this blog post at the beginning of 2014, will you still be fretting about the problems that faced you at the beginning of 2013? Now's the time to deal with those problems--so I'll be experienced and able to tackle all the NEW problems of that year!

Sweet Treat, Warm Fellowship, Chilly Evening

What's the best thing about having company for dinner? Well, of course, the company has to be Answer No. 1. But right up there in the Top Five would be dessert! Evelyn invited Bill and Verna Weber to eat with us this evening, to welcome Verna back from her trip to New Zealand. She fixed a yummy meal of chicken with homemade barbecue sauce, potato wedges, cauliflower and pea salad, and applesauce Jello. And I brought this lovely lemon pie from Graeter's for dessert.
"The Graeter's crust is so good," the clerk at the counter told me as she was boxing it up, and I think we'd all agree.

"It tastes like homemade,"Verna said, but Evelyn didn't have to make it!
It was chilly outside when I ran out at lunch and stopped to pick up the pie. And when we stepped outside as Webers were leaving tonight, I'd have to say it was COLD! A low of 54 degrees or so is predicted for overnight.
But I'm not complaining. After the OPPRESSIVE heat all last weekend, I'm just fine with wearing long sleeves this weekend. Highs in the 60s tomorrow and 70s Sunday. Perfect for finishing up some tasks in the yard tomorrow before I return to Mason Christian Village and the Ambassadors Choir.