The Squire and I held our annual Open House on Sunday, the 13th. We’ve done this every year but one since we got married, and that was after Hurricane Floyd dropped a tree on the house.
The Godson came over on Thursday and Saturday to help swing a dust cloth and then acted as our head chef on Sunday. I baked like a mad woman, gluten-free stuff first and then my more traditional things. The Godson has been helping us for the last four years, so he knows his way around our kitchen, and doesn’t have to be reminded to keep an eye on the trays and so forth. He’s considering a career in culinary arts, so he really enjoys doing this for us.
In between all this, we had a cookie exchange at church and a Christmas dinner with the Daughters of the British Empire, both on Saturday.
Last night I went up to bed at 9:45 and staggered downstairs at 9:30 this morning. I not only never got out of my robe, but I also took a nap in the afternoon. Tired? Not a bit.
The Open House was not quite as well attended as it has been in other years, but it was nice. We had a chance to move around and visit with guests, and the weather was warm enough (70!) that we didn’t light the fire. Eldest daughter came down, bearing oatmeal cookies and crackers; she uses my recipe, but hers are always so much better, and The Squire seemed to think one box of Wheat Thins was enough for the crowd. Sometimes I wonder about that man. Both of the local grandchildren and their spouses came down, and brought the Little One, who charmed all the guests with her smiles and curly hair. Blazer wandered from place to place, looking for a handout or a belly rub. We, of course, never feed him, or pay any attention to him.
Somehow, the conversation turned to unwanted phone calls. I don’t answer calls where the name or number is “not available”. If you’re not available, then neither am I. I also don’t speak to entire cities. If I do answer a call with a number I don’t know, I speak Cherokee. One of the guests is from Tanzania and she laughed. “I use Swahili, and just keep saying “no English, no English”. We have another lady at church who is from Denmark, and she does same thing. Never use French or German, and Heaven forbid you should try Spanish!
The weather here has been incredibly warm. It was 70 on Sunday, and 72 on Thanksgiving day. The cherry blossoms are starting to bloom in Washington D.C., and our forsythia has little buds along the branches. The Squire was joking about possibly mowing the lawn on more time. Well, the weatherman is saying we may have snow flurries on Friday.
They were claiming we’d have a hard winter. When it comes, it should be a doozy.
thisendoftheswamp 
Your yearly get together falls third on Alyssa’s stuff she misses list. It is in good company of the church and being with you. I am glad that Godson appears to be doing better. I think he would make a great chef. I miss the mulled cider and the smell of the fire burning but most of all, I miss you desperately.