The Best Defense is a Good Offense

It's cold and flu season, and while I have managed to dodge both bullets for years now, Hugh is often not so lucky. I credit my hardy constitution to the supplements that I take daily, including vitamin D and zinc. I am also a huge advocate for antioxidants and have been using elderberry syrup as a preventative measure for a while now.

The syrup was effective, but it was expensive and, frankly, not very enjoyable to take. Luckily, one of my employees turned me on to the elderberry kit from Purely Parsons; it's a DIY option that replaces commercially made syrup, and both Hugh and I like it.

The kit comes ready to make, with all the ingredients in one packet. You simply pour the packet into a pot, stir in four cups of water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for thirty minutes.

Then, you strain the liquid through a mesh strainer, and allow the syrup to cool to lukewarm before stirring in a half cup of local honey.

The finished syrup is stored in the fridge and dosed out two tablespoons at a time.

I haven't been able to convince Hugh to take additional supplements, but at least he's on board with the elderberry syrup. He'll thank me when he escapes the winter with fewer sniffles.

Wake Up, Sleeping Beauty

The week before last, as I was cleaning out the fridge, I decided to rescue my sourdough starter from the far depths in which it had been slumbering since sometime last spring.

Yes, last spring.

Sourdough starter is hardier than most people know.

My two jars, whom I lovingly nicknamed Doughlores and Rebreadkah, were covered in about an inch of hooch but were otherwise unbothered by their long sleep. I poured off most of the hooch so that I could fully inspect each jar for mold, and, finding none, I set about waking the starter.

After several cycles of feedings and discarding, the starters were awake and ready to bake with.

I put most of the discard into my compost drum but saved some for one of my employees. Then, I decided to dehydrate all of Rebreadkah since I don't bake enough to maintain two large jars of starter.

Dehydrating the starter will preserve it indefinitely or until I'm ready to rehydrate it and start feeding it again. If you are on a sourdough journey and find yourself with a lot of extra starter, this is a great way to maintain it without daily feeding.

The process is simple: once starter has doubled in size following a feeding, spread it into a thin layer on a parchment-covered baking sheet.

If you have a food dehydrator, you can use it on the lowest heat setting, but since I was too lazy to pull Hugh's dehydrator out of storage in the garage, I opted to let the starter dry out in my oven with the light on and the door cracked open.

It took about thirty-six hours, and I broke it into pieces for storage in an airtight container. You could also grind the pieces in a blender and store it that way.

Now, I have Doughlores left to bake with, and my plan is to start a couple of loaves next weekend when I have enough time on my hands. In the meantime, I will continue to feed and discard, using some of the discard for a cheddar drop biscuit recipe I found online and have wanted to try.

Friday Favorites, January Edition #3

I almost missed this! It's been a busy day, and time got away from me, but I'm still invested in meeting my posting goal, so better late than never.

It's going to be another quick post, but since it's also the only real posting I've been doing lately, that will have to suffice.

So, I'm spending a lot of my free time downloading embroidery tutorials and sourdough recipe videos from TikTok. If it goes away this weekend, I want to salvage as many of my favorites as possible.

I'm also embroidering again (I took a little break after the wedding) and seeing all the colors in my thread collection is my favorite view.

Seeing Guinness cuddled up on my lap while I work on a project is another view that I'll never get tired of.

Finding new patterns for future projects can be challenging, but I recently scored a couple of vintage pattern books at the Habitat for Humanity Restore; all of the books in the store were on sale for a quarter. Considering the original retail prices on these books, I think I got a hell of a deal.

One of the books is on ribbon embroidery, a skill that I am determined to learn.

And the other one is all cross stitch alphabets and borders.

I did a lot of cross stitch back in the day, but it's just like riding a bike; it comes back to you.

I do find it interesting how old skills like this are coming back into vogue with young adults; I see tons of TikTok videos of them either attempting to learn the techniques or thrifting needlework items from estate sales, antique stores, and Goodwill stores. It's also crazy to me how many of them are really into the "cottage core" or "granny core" aesthetic, which often includes decor that I used to have in my house when Hugh and I first got married (goose kitchen, anyone?).

I guess everything old is new again.

Also, I am old.

That's...not a favorite, actually.

 

Friday Favorites, January Edition #2

It's been a crazy busy week, y'all! Re-entry into the work world has consisted of grant reporting, numerous meetings, and an appointment with a repairman. I feel pretty good about what I was able to accomplish in just five days, and I am looking forward to the weekend for some quality downtime.

I couldn't finish off the week without a Friday Favorites post, though! So here is a quick recap of what has brought me joy since last Friday.

Last Saturday, I stopped into the Salvation Army Store in Pixler, where I found this platter. It is from Target's fall collection, which included the beaded stuffed turkey that I loved. Back in the fall, this tray went for $25, but I got it for less than half that.

I had just returned home when I got a delivery notification from Dooney & Bourke, so I ran into Hooterville to pick it up. I ordered this leather purse when it was on pre-Christmas sale, using the money that I had been gifted for my birthday. I love it.

I baked a pan of cinnamon rolls, and the whole house smelled absolutely delicious.

Then, on Sunday, I saw a Facebook Marketplace listing for this Coach bag and wallet; the price was so good that I couldn't pass it up. Did I need two new purses in two days? Not necessarily. Will I use both of them and love them equally? Absolutely. I love purses, so sue me.

I also love good perfume. Last summer, I fell in love with Beach Walk by Replica. Recently, I discovered By the Fireplace, and it is now my go-to winter scent.

Lastly, I know I keep saying that I am not your basic tumbler girlie, and I stand by that, buuuut....

It has cherries on it, people. Cherries.

Not basic.

Friday Favorites, January Edition #1

It's the first Friday Favorites of 2025; the first of what I hope will be fifty-two in total! It's a lofty goal, but I have faith in myself.

I'll start with this motley crew:

Oscar invited us all to dinner at his and Emily's favorite Italian restaurant in Hooterville. After being so bitterly disappointed in the new pasta place in town the week before, we were looking forward to a much better experience. Pahgre's did not disappoint!

And, speaking of motley crews:

Last night, Mom and I went to Bunco at Tonia's house (you may remember her as the Booster Club President, Extraordinaire or BCPE). Tonia chose a pajama party theme for her hosting night, so sixteen of us gathered in her home in our most comfortable jammies. The company was awesome, the food was yummy, and I won five bucks. Can't beat that!

Lastly, I went to one of the antique stores in Hooterville today and found a copy of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. I read this book back in middle school (probably earlier; I was an avid reader and a bit precocious in my book selections). This copy is in great shape, and I'm looking forward to revisiting the story.

What's The Word

Last year, I chose move for my word of the year; it was a good choice. I moved my body more and tried to show more inertia in everything I did in general. That worked out well for me; I took up yoga again, I did a better job of not procrastinating on unpleasant tasks, and I stayed on top of all of the tasks necessary for the planning and execution of the Man-Cub's wedding. It was an appropriate word for that time in my life.

This year, I am choosing the word class.

I want to show class in every way possible, from how I treat others to how I treat myself. I want to practice grace with people who wrong me and give them the benefit of the doubt. 

I want to take more care of my personal appearance and physical well-being.

I want my home to reflect grace, class, comfort, and charm.

I want to wear my pearls, use my vintage china, and drink bubbly water from my wedding crystal. I want to garden in my "good" clothes and dress up for random occasions. I want to leave people with nothing but the impression that they have been in the presence of one classy lady.

It's an appropriate goal for someone my age. It will also make for a softer, more intentional lifestyle, which is a lifestyle worth crafting.

So. 

2025, here's to class!

2024, the Year in Review

Happy New Year's Eve! Tomorrow will be a brand new year! Before we can ring in 2025, however, we need to say a proper goodbye to 2024.

For the past—I don't know how many years—I have achieved this by posting the highlights of each month, and I wouldn't feel right not doing it again this year, considering that it was a pretty good year. Usually, this post is incredibly picture-heavy; however, in the spring, my trusty old laptop (known on this blog as The Lazymaker since 2010) finally gave up the ghost, taking all the photos I had taken with it to the computer graveyard. Don't worry, I still have the pictures on an external hard drive; I'm just too lazy to dig it out right now. So, if you really need photographic evidence, there are over 100 posts on this blog that you may refer to.

January:

January was a chill month. We were in holiday recovery mode, so we spent a lot of time at home, where I worked on brushing up my embroidery skills in preparation for the wedding later in the year.

February:

Early in the month, we got the devastating news that Boomer Dog had cancer. We would spend the next eight months loving on him and keeping him comfortable.

Queen B visited and we celebrated her birthday with a large group of her friends at a dive bar in Pixler. It was a good time.

March:

I was honored as one of Hooterville's Women of Distinction at a dinner gala. Mom, Hugh, Shanti, the Man-Cub, and my staff all joined me. It was a huge honor, and I was humbled beyond words to accept it.

Sadly, Queen B also got the sad news that her Nemo kitty had bone cancer. Luckily, the diagnosis had a far better prognosis than Boomer Dog's and, after an amputation of her hind leg, Nemo would make a full recovery.

April:

This month, our dishwasher shit the bed, necessitating a trip to the Home Despot, where we purchased not only a new dishwasher but a fridge as well. Installation of the new appliances would turn into a shit show of its very own, but it all worked out in the end.

 

Mom, Hugh, Shanti, and the Man-Cub spent a morning at the spring edition of Pickin' at the Pea and had a great time, as always.

May:

I planted flowers rather than vegetables in the garden, crossed my fingers, and hoped for the best. I also started on the flower arch that Shanti wanted for the wedding.

Mom and I went to a new antique show and I purchased a fern that would have made my grandma weep with envy.

The White Barn was a beautiful venue for the sale, and Mom and I knew that we would make it a point to visit each sale held there in the future.

I flew to Dallas to go shopping with Queen B. I was on the hunt for my Mother of the Groom dress, and while I didn't find it on that trip, I had a fantastic weekend with my girl.

June:

Hugh, the Man-Cub, and I finally got some boat time in on the lake. We went with Chris and Jana and it was like old times.

Queen B flew home and helped me throw the best bridal shower for Shanti!

July:

I spent hours on the porch, working on the Converse high tops that Shanti and the Man-Cub would wear for the wedding, while Boomer snoozed at my feet. 

When I wasn't embroidering, I was tending the flowers in the garden. The Great Garden Experiment of 2024 was a success and I grew a lot of the flowers that we would use in the wedding in August.

I even managed to grow a dinner plate Dahlia that would take Best in Show at the County Fair. Without even trying, since I was unaware that I had planted the variety and was under the impression that all my Dahlia tubers were for smaller blooms.

The month also featured another successful golf tournament for Not So New Job and the return of my staff to the golf course for another summer of Wild Women Wednesdays.

August:

The month we had been waiting for finally arrived! We kicked off the wedding festivities with a luncheon at the local nursery, followed by picking the majority of the flowers that we would use in the centerpieces and other floral decor at the wedding.

The night before the wedding, Hugh and I hosted the rehearsal dinner under a tent on Oscar and Emily's lawn. My vision for the dinner had always included a long farmhouse table big enough to seat the entire bridal party and plus ones, Shanti's parents, Hugh, myself, and the officiant. Hugh came through for me by building my dream table, and I enjoyed decorating it for our guests. I also knew that I didn't want to have to lift a finger for the dinner portion of the program and, thanks to an amazing caterer, I didn't. Everyone who was at the dinner still raves about the food.

Earlier that day, the bridesmaids, Shanti's mom, and I had gathered to put together the floral arrangements from the flowers we had picked the day before. I arrived with several buckets of blooms from my garden, and we got busy.

Of course, the next day was the wedding and, I could fill this post with nothing but wedding pictures, but I won't. Suffice it to say, it was a perfect day for the perfect couple and we wouldn't have changed a single thing.

I ended up purchasing my dress from an online shop, and while I jokingly referred to it as "the circus tent dress", I truly loved it. It was flattering and comfortable and it fit the garden party theme of the wedding to a T. What not many people know is that, when Hugh and I got home after midnight that night, Hugh unzipped the dress and, as it fell around my ankles, a huge bumble bee buzzed up from somewhere within the layers of embroidered tulle. That bee was a survivor.

September:

Kristi and Erin arrived in the US in time for the wedding. Erin had to return to Wales right after, but Kristi was with us for the next couple of months. She, Hugh, and I spent Labor Day in the mountains on the 4-wheelers.

We also found some time this month to make homemade pasta.

We ended the month with the annual Barn Dance for Not So New Job. Shanti and the Man-Cub volunteered again this year and we had another successful event.

Hugh and I said goodbye to my Boomer Dog on the last day of the month. He went peacefully in his favorite spot on the lawn, right in front of the porch, where he could keep me within eyesight while he lazed in the shade and I sat on the porch. I'm still not over the heartbreak, and I miss him every day.

October:

I played in my first ever golf tournament with Kristi and two of my staff. The tournament was part of a co-ed baby shower for one of our contract Forensic Interviewers and it was held at one of the most challenging courses in our area. I didn't do as bad as I was afraid I would, and we ended up having a really good day.

Later in the month, Jules came down from Neighboring City and joined Hugh, Shanti, the Man-Cub, Kristi and me on a trip through a haunted corn maze in Hooterville.

And, of course Hugh and I chose another winning theme for the annual skeleton display.

November:

Mom and I started off the holiday season with a trip back to the White Barn for another antique sale.

At the end of the month, Mom, Hugh, and I boarded a flight for Texas, where we celebrated Thanksgiving (and my birthday) at the Rodeo Princess's new home. The Rebel Without a Pause, his intended bride, and daughter met us there, and it was a great family-filled weekend.

December:

This month was all about family and fun. There were holiday traditions, such as the Parade of Lights and the Garden of Lights at the Botanic Gardens, the annual Christmas play at The Magic Circle, and our annual Christmas Cocktail contest, plus plenty of quiet time in front of the television while the Christmas classics aired. And, of course, there was plenty of good food, gifts on Christmas day, and, this year, lots of baby snuggling, thanks to Queen B's friends and their families.

We had a full house for Christmas dinner: Mom, Oscar, Emily, Shanti's parents and brother (and his new girlfriend, who you might remember from other posts on this blog: Frankie!! It's still new so we were all playing it cool so as not to scare them), plus the five of us. I didn't take a single picture of us all, but, since I said earlier that this would be a less picture-heavy post, I guess that doesn't matter.

Also, in hindsight...this is still a pretty picture-heavy post despite the loss of The Lazymaker.

Oh, well! That's the year in review!

see you in 2025!