Once in awhile-now and again-this is us

Well, another covid year has passed, and it looks like we are in for more of the same for a bit longer. we have made it through safely so far, so there is lots to be happy and grateful for.

i have had lots of time to do puzzles again. amazon is my favorite place to get them, after thrift stores that is. they are much cheaper there, a few dollars compared to up to twenty. my way to save money.

this recent puzzle depicts what i wanted as a child. or what i thought Christmas should look like. it looks so cozy and warm with stockings hung by the fire, lots of presents under the tree. even a cat warming itself by the fire. and a snowman outside in that white Christmas scene, which i could have built. maybe.

the next puzzle depicts what appeals to me now. it looks like so much fun. of course i would want the family and friends in all those other trailers. notice the green one has two cats in the window. i’m torn between that one and the pink one being ours.

mom did make Christmas very special in her own way, bringing joy into the house. we always had a tree- but sometimes not until Christmas eve. my fathers way of saving money. I remember cleaning the living room windows with care using glass wax. it was like a ritual for us kids. then we used special glass wax stencils to make decorations on the glass panes with it. (google it kids). our gifts were few but always what we wanted. we always got a stocking from where mom worked. that was a ritual too. we had to take a bus to san pedro and then take the ferry to the starkist tuna cannery on terminal island and then wait in a long line to get them. there was always the biggest apple and orange included. and we always opened pajamas on Christmas eve – another ritual – i passed on to tracy and tony.

and mom made the best homemade cinnamon rolls for breakfast every year.

ooooohhhhh, awhhh, smell that aroma, and then take that first bite. heavenly.

i keep a box of hot roll mix, like she used, in the cupboard to remind me of that wonderful memory. i can see it everyday. i change it every once in a while since i dont make them anymore since pillsbury came out with theirs.

we don’t decorate as much and don’t put up the tree anymore. i’ve collected glass and bottle brush trees for a long time now and use those trees to bring Christmas joy into our house. it seems Christmas cards might be a ritual of the past, but that’s ok. there are many new ways to say merry Christmas now. jerry is in the pictures with santa – he was a cutie.

a few more pictures of the house

merry christmas mom

and to all of you, have a good night.
we will spend our night with dick and jessie having dinner at phil trani’s. and christmas at tony’s

love, jilly

ps

saw this on the web.

when asked for her cookie recipe she said “over my dead body”