ADVENT 2024 -- FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13

Of course, in 1931, Ina doesn’t have a clue about Christmas in 1946, but I happen to know she spent it in Portland, OR, with her daughter Myrtle, a.k.a. Lynn. The following Ina quote from Christmas 1946 is one of my favorites:

Next day was fine and sunny and we went down town to do our last shopping. The shops were beautiful with all sorts of gay and clever Christmas displays. The markets were a dream of luscious foods, and I wished for Dickens to describe them for me; turkeys, geese, ducks, fat chickens, beef roasts and cuts of all kinds, hams, bacon, pork roasts and chops, cranberries as big as cherries, bags and baskets of nuts (the biggest walnuts and filberts I ever saw), jars of mincemeat, pies, cakes, and cookies of every sort, baskets filled with the finest fruits, and all wrapped in colored cellophane. I kept falling behind to admire things, while Lynn went blithely on her way among the happy people.

So, what did Dickens describe, I wondered. Here’s an excerpt from A Christmas Carol, Stave Three, “The Second of the Three Spirits.”

“There were ruddy, brown-faced, broad-girthed Spanish Onions, shining in the fatness of their growth like Spanish Friars, and winking from their shelves in wanton slyness at the girls as they went by, and glanced demurely at the hung-up mistletoe. There were pears and apples, clustered high in blooming pyramids; there were bunches of grapes, made, in the shopkeepers’ benevolence to dangle from conspicuous hooks, that people’s mouths might water gratis as they passed; there were piles of filberts, mossy and brown, recalling, in their fragrance, ancient walks among the woods, and pleasant shufflings ankle deep through withered leaves; there were Norfolk Biffins, squat and swarthy, setting off the yellow of the oranges and lemons, and, in the great compactness of their juicy persons, urgently entreating and beseeching to be carried home in paper bags and eaten after dinner. The very gold and silver fish, set forth among these choice fruits in a bowl, though members of a dull and stagnant-blooded race, appeared to know that there was something going on; and, to a fish, went gasping round and round their little world in slow and passionless excitement.”

Perhaps you wonder, as I did, what Dickens meant by the word “stave” instead of “chapter.” I looked it up. The BBC says that “a 'stave' is a name for the five lines on which musical notes are written, so Dickens called his chapters 'staves' to link in with the musical meaning of the title. It suggests that each chapter is a 'line' of the whole 'carol'.” KW

ADVENT 2024 -- THURSDAY, DECEMBER 12

My sister Bertha and I sent a box of candy and cake to an old lady who used to live here and now resides in a home in Bellingham. Mrs. Brown of Lewiston has been very ill, so we each sent her a box long before Christmas – chickens and cottage cheese of which she’s very fond, and Bertha will send another box of chicken, cheese, butter, and cream. They are awfully hard up and she’s been such a good friend to us. – Ina

In the words of the song, “The Secret of Christmas:”

“So, may I suggest the secret of Christmas,

It’s not the things you do at Christmastime,

But the Christmas things you do all year through.”

[Written by Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen for Bing Crosby, recorded in1959. You can hear Bing sing it by clicking here.]

ADVENT 2024 -- WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 11

It’s 4 degrees below but clear as a bell. Dad has a helper here and they are sawing down a tree by the pond for wood. We have plenty of limbs but snow too deep to get to them. – Ina

I have to wonder about that tree. Was it dead, or did they cut down a live tree? The green wood surely wouldn’t burn very well.

And Ina refers to limbs. Did they just gather limbs to use for wood? At any rate, apparently they were caught short in a cold snap without enough wood.

Besides the wood cook stove in the kitchen, I believe they had a wood stove in the dining room, too, and a fireplace in the living room. The larger upstairs bedroom also had a wood stove, and Ina mentions lighting it in the evening to take the chill off the room.

Here in 2024, Mike and Ken cut down Scotch pines in Ken’s back yard, and Mike came home with the wood. It is all cut, split, and stacked for next year. We rely on our little wood stove for heat more than on our furnace. KW

ADVENT 2024 --- TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10

 

I got a pair of leather-faced gloves for your dad, and for Shirley a pair of brushed wool gloves which she needs for going out these winter nights. I also got her a box of pretty stationery – also a necessity. Well, you see, our Christmas has cost next to nothing for what we bought was necessary anyway. – Ina

 

So yes, Ina did buy a few gifts. And if any gift was “over-the-top,” it would be for daughter Shirley, her youngest child. After all, Shirley was still living at the family home, and though she was another mouth to feed, she was also Ina’s “righthand man.” One Christmas morning, Ina tied a pair of stockings to Shirley’s bedroom door. Other years she gave Shirley a diary that she wanted and a pair of flannel pajamas. And there was that box of pretty stationery that Ina deemed a necessity. They wrote a lot of letters, but a pad of paper and plain envelopes would work as well. That’s what Ina used.

Nevertheless, I know that my Aunt Shirley worked hard, helping with the housework as well as the farm chores. She was worthy of some consideration. KW

ADVENT 2024 -- MONDAY, DECEMBER 9

 

We are feeding the little birds on the front porch. They are so cute.  Two native pheasants come every day or so and feed in the service bushes on the buds. A band of 11 chinks are wintering here, too. It is so beautiful! A picture wherever you look! – Ina

[Mike says the native pheasants are likely grouse. The chinks might be white-throated sparrows, so called because of their sharp cry.]

December days can be dark and dreary. Ina calls them “dull.” But we also have those magnificent effects, and I feel a connection to her knowing that she loved the beauty of the landscape, which transcends time.

Well, it's washday again, and there's just not much to say about it. Ina will move ahead with Christmas work tomorrow. KW

DECEMBER BONUS POST -- NEW FRIDGE

Saturday afternoon, our new fridge was delivered. I had to wait a few hours for it to cool before I could stock it, but by suppertime, I had it mostly loaded.

I could see that it would be a challenge to store our usual foods in this relatively small side-by-side model, so I researched online for ideas. I put sticky notes inside the fridge to remind me of the best areas to store certain foods because recommendations are different from my usual habits.

The shelves allow for very little adjustment. “Use bins and containers,” recommended the folks at Frigidaire. I know all about using bins to store fabric, but I had never thought of using them in the fridge. Perhaps you’re laughing at my ignorance. In researching bins, I discovered I had three or four refrigerator bins on hand that had belonged to son Milo. “So, that’s what those are,” I said to myself, and out to the shed I went to retrieve them. Before I could use them in the fridge, I had to remove the fabric.

Those bins are perfect for so many of those odds and ends that need to be corralled – shredded cheese, tortillas, seeds and nuts, etc. You know what they are.

And this fridge is so quiet! That Kenmore (LG) French door model was noisy. It had a deep hum and also rattled loudly for days on end. It was driving Mike nuts.

The downside is that it’s so small. We will have to pay attention to what we buy and store. You wouldn’t think two people would need all that much cooling space, but I think we need more than a family. I remember when I had teenagers, they ate up the food every day, but for Mike and me, I have leftovers and partial containers to store. KW

ADVENT 2024 -- SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8

Another December Sunday in 1931. Ina slept late and was tempted not to attend church. The minister would not be there today, but Bertha was in charge of the Sunday school lesson. Ina admitted to herself that Bertha presented a good lesson. And besides, they would sing carols, and that would add to her Christmas spirit.

The lesson was about the gifts that the Magi brought to the Christ child, and as Ina pondered the message that afternoon, she looked over some Christmas cards she had saved and came away with a deep sense of inspiration. This quiet afternoon of thoughtful contemplation was time well spent. KW

ADVENT 2024 -- SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7

We sent Pearl and Al a box of gifts. I sent that W. Mason bag to Pearl. She can make good use of it, and I never use it. It was so pretty and useful too, so decided it should go to Pearl. Also sent a pretty pincushion and two linen hankies to Al; Stan a book and pencil sharpener. I also put in the little toy dog for Pearl, a relic of old reservation days that went through a housefire here. – Ina

The other day, I asked my daughter Hallie what 3-year-old Silas wants for Christmas. His current interest (obsession?) is monster trucks, and I hinted that I might get him one.

“We have enough of those,” she said, in the matter-of-fact tone of a minimalist who does not want more clutter.

“He just has to have a gift that delights his heart,” I responded, to which she rejoined, “He has to?”

Well, that’s our approach in today’s world. Some of us would even go into debt to supply the heart’s wishes of loved ones. And some of us feel a gift should be expensive in order to show love and appreciation. These are attitudes that reflect the opulent times in which we live.

But it was different for Ina. She didn’t ask what anyone wanted but provided gifts for everyone on her list by considering what they might be able to use from whatever she could spare. And she could spare that W. Mason bag, but she liked it. KW

ADVENT 2024 -- FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6

We’ll all be children and have a lot of fun out of it. – Ina 

“What did you do, or what did your mother do, to make Christmas magical?” asked a Facebook friend. It’s a thought-provoking question, and I think Ina had the key. It’s a matter of culturing our inner child. “Let Christmas be a feeling in your heart,” as the song goes.

Ina understood this, but as I read her pre-Christmas words, I sometimes wonder if she wasn’t trying to convince herself that it would be fun. And then after Christmas she said more than once, “I stood it all just fine.” So, I know some Christmases must have been difficult and brought meltdowns. To Ina’s credit, she truly wanted to get through it just fine, and she did. KW 

ADVENT 2024 -- THURSDDAY, DECEMBER 5

 Dad keeps a lantern in the cellar “of a nite” and nothing has frozen. – Ina

December is no respecter of the sacred holidays that lie within its calendar pages. Believe me! I know. Just when you want time for quiet reflection, December will kick up its heels and deliver blows. Today’s problem is not so very awful – I know what awful looks like – and unlike some problems, it IS correctible though expensive. We discovered this morning that our Kenmore refrigerator had failed. Clearly, it had been happening over a period of time. We simply failed to register the signs until the ice totally melted.

While Jack and Ina struggled to keep things from freezing in winter, Kathy and Mike are grateful that this fridge failure happened during a cold spell rather than in the “excessive heat” of summer. I packed food into coolers and crates and set them outside or in the garage. And if some frozen bananas and produce go by the wayside, so be it. I scheduled a service call, then we realized that for what a repair would cost, we could buy a new one!! Besides, the present model (a Sears Kenmore built by LG) has been problematic from the beginning, and Sears was rude and unaccommodating.

So, this afternoon, Mike and I bought a new fridge. We have space constraints which eliminate 90% of available models, according to a salesperson. I have always said that in reality, choices don’t exist. That said, I am happy with the model we found, a white Frigidaire side-by-side with ice and water on the door. It won’t be harder to manage than that French door model.

Ina didn’t have modern conveniences, but she also didn’t have the problems we experience. KW

ADVENT 2024 -- WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4

Then I’ve got Shirley going on a surprise which is a pretty print apron. She’ll never think of it for it was left over from the stuff I made Pearl’s quilt top with. – Ina

Snuggled up under a quilt

You know, I’ve always wondered about that quilt top. Was it just the top? Perhaps so. Then if Pearl wanted the quilt, she would have to finish it herself, adding the batting (which might be an old quilt or blanket) and backing, then quilting it by hand, or having it quilted by the local “guild,” and finally binding it.

So, I researched, and yes, it is acceptable to gift just the top, especially if the recipient appreciates the work already accomplished and is capable of finishing it. It was certainly more practical for Ina to mail a top than the full quilt, which would have been heavy, and Pearl was a capable seamstress. Perhaps it was even agreed that Ina would make the top and Pearl would finish it.

Still, I wonder about that top and what happened to it. Some questions will never be answered. KW

ADVENT 2024 -- TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3

People can do things like this. No use to let everything go because of hard times. – Ina

This morning, Ina and Shirley took turns ironing beside the old wood range where they heated the sad irons. They smoothed the clothes quickly with the heavy irons before they cooled and had to be reheated. No steam iron here! The clothes were mostly cotton, of course, so prior to ironing they sprinkled them with water, rolled them up, and placed them under a towel to keep them moist.

Lest you think sprinkling the clothes is easy, let me say that I could never do it to suit my mother. “You’re getting them too wet,” she would admonish. “Now watch me do it.” Finally, she just did it herself. Apparently sprinkling the clothes was an art and one that is lost today. Not only don’t we sprinkle, but we barely iron.

As Ina works, I see the resolve on her face. They would go on as they always had, and she would have plenty of food, light, and warmth – just no ready cash for extras. As for Christmas, though, it didn’t matter. She would look into her storehouse and find gifts for those she loved. She would send a jar of “fancy” strawberry jam to son Earle and his wife Bernice. They had failed to put up any this year, and Earle had been so disappointed. She smiled to think how happy he would be to receive the jam.

And she had pieced a quilt top for daughter Pearl and would send a fountain pen, a premium (or bonus) provided with the purchase of seed (or was it feed?) to grandson Stanley. And together, she and Shirley would make doll clothes for the rag doll that Santa would bring little granddaughter Shirley Jean, now six years old. And every box would include beans and popcorn grown right here on the farm.

Yes, it would all work out beautifully, Ina smiled to herself. No use to let everything go because of hard times. KW

ADVENT 2024 -- DECEMBER 2

I’m writing madly to get this in the mail. Someone has just dropped in for a hunt, and it’s wash day, too, so excuse mistakes and write as soon as you can. Yours as ever to the last and all the love in the world. – Mother (Ina)

Thanksgiving was late this year which always makes the time before Christmas seem shorter, probably because it IS shorter. It didn’t matter as much to Ina as it does to me. She had been getting ready for Christmas anyway, and she would continue.

You see, Ina’s Christmas focus was on gifts, and in that time and place – the remote central Idaho farming community of the 1930s – she did not have the distractions we have today. Christmas happened at Christmastime, meaning that they brought in the tree and decorated the house on Christmas Eve. Ina’s anticipation ran high during the December days prior to Christmas, and then they enjoyed a holiday week between Christmas and New Years. KW

ADVENT 2024 -- SUNDAY, DEC. 1

Out of the welter of Christmas plans comes this letter and how I wish I were coming to you with it. I hope and trust you’ll be with friends and be cheered and happy. – Ina

It’s Sunday, December 1, 1931. Dinner is over, the dishes are done, and the kitchen is tidy once more. Ina now rests in her rocking chair near the dining room window, her open Bible in her lap. I have already surpassed her age by nearly 15 years, but I feel no match for her wisdom and depth.

As was her custom on a Sunday afternoon, Ina pondered the scripture presented at that morning’s church service, watching as the stubble fields turn a lovely shade of deep pink in reflection of a vibrant sunset. Ina never tired of these “magnificent effects,” and neither do I. Daylight is fast fading, and it’s already too dark to read the fine print of her Bible, so she sits deep in thought.

Eventually though, the cares of the day stole in upon her. The Depression as well as loss of access to market had impoverished them, but Ina resolved to put these worries behind her, at least until spring. A sort of spirit of battle came over her, and she felt the challenge to outwit circumstances. “We’re going to have a big time this hard times Christmas,” she resolved. “Everything looks different when you look at it from Robinson Crusoe’s standpoint, surrounded by a sea of depression, and things show up at a more real value. We appreciate the actual value of things. So, we’re going to have a very merry Christmas.” KW

ADVENT 2024 – HARD TIMES CHRISTMAS ON THE FARM

 

INTRODUCTION

I live mostly in the past now and remember some things that I would not forget and many others that I would willingly forget. – Great-aunt Ida Dickson Patchen, 1924 

I so agree with Aunt Ida. As I move through life, even some of the things I would not forget are poignant and even painful. But loved Christmas comes again, so I lay aside the stress and uncertainty of these times to listen to my Grandma Ina’s wisdom as she prepares for an understated “skimpy” Christmas at her farm home. The visit is imaginary, of course, but mostly based on Ina’s letters written to my dad during the Depression. With a vague plan in mind, I write as I go, so I don’t know what (if anything) will happen next. Vintage Christmas cards serve to Illustrate the posts. It’s a trip to a past long gone – a past that was never mine.

The year is 1931. Ina has just turned 61, and Jack is 67. They have been married 40 years and have farmed here for 35 years.

Longtime readers might recognize the names of my players, but here’s a roster if you need it:

Ina Dickson Dobson, my grandmother

Julian (Jack) Dobson, my grandfather

Their children, now adults:

·      The eldest, Pearl, lives in northern Alberta where she farms with her husband, Albert Sanders. They have one son, Stanley, who was 11 in 1931.

·      Myrtle, also called Lynn, is a photographer’s assistant in Portland, OR.

·      Earle and his wife Bernice live in Idaho Falls, where he is a junior high math and shop teacher.

·      Ethel and her husband, Ernest Robinson, live in Montana, where he is in law enforcement. They have a six-year-old daughter, Shirley Jean.

·      Vance, who won’t become my father until 1949, is a private piano teacher and musician living in Raymond, WA.

·      And Shirley, the youngest at 21, still resides at home.

Additional players are:

·      Ina’s sister, Bertha Dobson, affectionately called “Aunt” by the children.

·      Junius (June) Dobson (“Uncle”), Jack’s twin brother. (Sisters Ina and Bertha were married to twin brothers and lived parallel lives on adjoining homesteads.)

Daily Advent posts begin tomorrow. KW

CHECKING THE FARMHOUSE

Taken November 25

Mike and I returned to the farmhouse Monday morning (Nov. 25) to put some final touches on the winterization and pack to town some things we didn’t have room to take on the last trip. I grabbed the wrong notebook, so I didn’t have my list, but it didn’t matter. Most of what I wanted was stacked on the table except for Grandma Ina’s copy of Dicken’s A Christmas Carol, and I couldn’t find it. I don’t know where it is.

I have realized that if we aren’t going to have a farmhouse Christmas, I should bring all things Christmas back to town, and some things in town will have to be stored at the farm. This process will continue into next year, but on this trip, I brought holiday plates and mugs.

I also packed boxes of cereal. I won’t have to buy cereal for a month. The winter dampness causes it to go stale at the farm in a hurry. An unopened box of Mike’s Sugar Babies had already coagulated. It’s a difficult environment in winter.

Mike had hoped to hunt for the elusive covey of huns (Hungarian partridges), but he decided to forego because of the weather. It was chilly (less than 40), wet, and rainy. And besides, I would have been waiting in the cold house. My greatest disappointment in the trip was the lack of snow – no snowy photo for our Christmas card. On to Plan B.

So, we stopped at Subway on Riverside for lunch, and while Mike visited Builder’s Supply, I shopped next door at the Family Dollar store. I was impressed with the available home dec and holiday supplies, and it only took me three minutes to spend $16.

I don’t know if it’s just me, but it seems like the simple things in holiday themes have become scarce. I’m talking about napkins, paper towels, facial tissue, soap in holiday dispensers, etc. Well, I did buy hand soap in a snowman dispenser from the Dollar Tree, and then I couldn’t get the nozzle to release. “If I’m having trouble, others have had trouble, too,” I reasoned. Sure enough! I found a YouTube video from Dollar Tree. “Some of you have told us you can’t open our soap dispensers,” it began. It still took Mike and a tool to do it. 

We were home around 1:30, and then I was busy unpacking and putting away. KW 

THE LITTLE IRONING BOARD CABINET

I love my little ironing board cabinet. It’s compact and sturdy, and it stores my ironing supplies as well as current reading material and projects. I’ve even switched to my little “Steamfast” iron and stored my big iron. It’s great for pressing little seams and fabric scraps, and I was even able to iron Mike’s shirt.

The reviews said the ironing board cover left a lot to be desired, and they weren’t kidding! Why would anyone make an ironing board cover with zigzag fabric? The first time I walked up to press a little seam, it had a dizzying effect on me, and I nearly fell over. I knew I had to cover up those zigzags quickly, so I made a cover of this “Snoopy’s Doghouse” Christmas fabric. It adds to the seasonal feel of my sewing room. Just think! I can make covers to match every season – if I want to, that is.

I just finished this clever gored doll skirt from Genniwren Designs. I used a variety of 10-inch squares from a line of Halloween fabric to make the gores. It wasn’t easy and took a lot of time, but I had fun doing it. I would do it again, but for now I’m moving on to a Pilgrim costume. 

The thing about the American Girl doll is that once you cover her bum, you're already at her knees. I know the problem. I'm built the same way -- short legs.

Autumn is upon us in earnest, and the first winter storm of the Pacific Northwest has happened somewhere, especially at elevation – just not in our Valley. Looking at the weather map, we see that we sit on the edge of the storm. We didn’t even get measurable precipitation. I’m not complaining – just sayin’ that we could use some rain. KW

LIFE CHANGES

Life can change in the blink of an eye, the ring of the phone, or a knock on the door.

Mike gave us a scare on Tuesday when he collapsed while walking Bess in our neighborhood. A neighbor came to the door to get me. In all, half a dozen people were showing concern. The ambulance had already been called when I got there. With the neighbor’s help, I got him back to the house, but he kept losing consciousness. The EMTs said he was having a cardiac event and whisked him off to the ER in Lewiston.

I reached out to my children because I felt they should know in case the worst happened. Son Murray was available and readily agreed to meet me at the hospital. Within a few hours, we had the diagnosis – clots in Mike’s lungs requiring a procedure to clear them. The cardiac specialist said he could work Mike in that day, and by Wednesday noon, he was good to come home with no restrictions on his activities. It had felt like a close call, but by Saturday, he was happily bird-hunting with friends. KW

CHRISTMAS IS COMING

 

“What made you decide to take on this project today?” asked Mike. Well, I didn’t tell him, but Christmas is coming. (He thinks it’s a long way off.)

Cleaning the kitchen soffits (the tops of the cabinets) is a challenge. First, it requires a plan of attack. Then I need a ladder, a vacuum cleaner, a Swiffer duster, a sink full of hot soapy water, a soft rag, and the discipline to stay on task. It needed to be done, and I just decided that Sunday was the day. Further, I display my Christmas figurines on the soffits, and they have been there for several years. Well, no sense to put them away now, but they must be cleaned anyway. The whole thing is time-consuming – and not very interesting.

I have always found when cleaning that one thing leads to another. I couldn’t find the Swiffer duster, and it was logical to think that it was behind the washing machine. Mike helped me, and we managed to retrieve it, along with a glove and a shoelace. And while I was looking for a flashlight in the utility cabinet, I found Mike’s missing cap. (Mike is part packrat.)

And then I remembered a basket stored in the shed which would be useful to trap random items on the washing machine. (There will always be random items on my washing machine.) I retrieved the basket, but its canvas liner was very dirty, so now I had to do a load of laundry. And what does this have to do with cleaning the soffits? Everything and nothing.

Oh! And while all this was going on, I was also baking the molasses cookies I mixed on Saturday.

Since the basket has vacated a spot in the shed, I decided it would be a great place for my rather extensive collection of cookie cutters. (I love cookie cutters.) So, yes, I moved the cookie cutters from the cabinet above the fridge to the shed where they are actually more accessible. (I love my shed!)

“Are you finished with the ladder?” calls Mike, and I just can’t help but feel defensive for the fact that, I’ve barely begun. And I’m already tired, and I’d rather do something else, but I promised myself I’d stay on task.

And yes, I did finish before suppertime. It was a good day. I got a lot done. KW

WINTERIZING THE FARMHOUSE

Autumn at the farm

On Friday (Nov. 8), we drove to the farm in the old pick-up to winterize the house. Son Clint went with us to a lend a hand. It was a decent day – 40 and sunny when we arrived. The sun was warm and an impediment to taking pictures.

First, Mike and Clint loaded the 4-wheeler into the back of the pick-up and the lawnmower onto the trailer.

The old maple has lost her leaves

While Mike and Clint pumped antifreeze into the pipes, I took fussy Bess for a walk. She usually insists we go to the pond, but she gleefully agreed to walk down the lane, working both sides of the road and into the fields as we went. At the bottom of the lane, I suggested we return to the house, but she made it clear that we should go on. “What does she know,” I wondered. So, we moved up the road, beyond the old apple tree and the elderberry bush where she went over the bank and was soon on point. Then she stealthily crept into the scrub brush, and within seconds, the elusive covey of Hungarian Partridges (probably 25-strong) got up and flew farther up the hill. Bess continued to hunt the scrub brush and was soon on another point. This time a pheasant got up – and then another. (Pheasants here are escapees from the hunting club in Little Canyon.) And then another bird flew out, either a hen pheasant or a hun. (My bird identification skills aren’t the best.)

Next, Bess led us on up the hill to the edge of the field where we knew those huns had parked themselves. Bess pointed them again, and as she moved in, they flew farther away – this time across Plank’s field, which is now a homesite. Well, no matter. I wasn’t hunting anyway.

So, we headed back to the house to tell Mike about our hunt. We knew he would be sorry he missed out. Bess was satisfied with her hunting experience and finally settled down.

As a part of winterization, we unloaded the refrigerator into two crates and the cooler, and that was about all we had room to carry back, though I did bring the bin of Christmas stockings and Hallie’s stuffed Dalmatian that barks “Jingle Bells.” Also, Avista has alerted us to the possibility of electricity outages this winter, so we brought the generator back, too.

But I’m making another list of things to get from the farmhouse because Mike wants to return so that he and Bess can search for those huns again. Mike says we’ll go as soon as the rain is over. (Apparently he thinks the predicted rain will actually happen.) And that will give me a chance to pack up more more stuff. KW

HALLOWEEN IS OVER -- MOVING ON

 

Looking across the south field to the canyon

Mike and I went to the farm Thursday – just a quick trip (really quick!). I wanted my sewing machine and some machine embroidery supplies, and while we will make at least one more trip before Christmas, I brought back the bin of small cars that I know Silas will expect when he visits. He will remember the bin of cars for sure. He’s been playing with them since he was one, and even last Christmas, when he was two, he watched me carry the bin from the shed to the house and exclaimed, “That’s my cars!” Knowing that the cars will be Silas’ priority, I left our Christmas stockings behind until the next trip. If it comes to that, Silas won’t care if Santa fills a paper bag – or even if Santa doesn’t come – as long as he has the cars.

Mike had things he wanted from the farm, too – a bicycle, his power saw, and the homemade ice cream that I’ve forgotten twice. I packed a couple of crates with open packages from the pantry that should be used.

3-year-old Silas as a monster truck

That night was Halloween. We turned on the porchlight and had just one caller, the adolescent from across the street. Just as well. Mike added the leftover M&M snack packs to his trail mix. He has already taken down and stored our Halloween yard figures.

I have long felt that my standard ironing board took up too much space in my cramped sewing room. While pressing is important, I make mostly small things and seldom need to iron our clothes. I searched for and eventually found exactly what I wanted – a small ironing board affixed to a cabinet, available from Wayfair. “Will I have to assemble it,” asked Mike, and I affirmed that he would. They made it sound easy, but it was a nightmare – heavy, awkward, some of the holes not punched, inadequate instructions. It took us at least 3 ½ hours, and don’t believe them when they say you won’t need an assistant. The good thing is that it fits the room as I expected. The standard ironing board is stored in the shed and accessible if I need it. KW

THE LANGUAGE OF SALES

Little girls ready for the Halloween party

I sign up for email promotions from those online retailers from which I purchase. If I didn’t, I’m afraid I would forget all about them. So, everyday my inbox is filled with sales promotions with the expectation that I, and other shoppers, will be drawn in:

·      Hurry! Your deal expires soon. (Trust me, if it ends, it will be back. They always want to sell me something.)

·      Last chance (Fat chance! There will always be another deal.)

·      Final hours

·      Get it before its gone! (Okay. It might be gone.)

·      Your 10% (or 15% coupon) ends soon. (Are you kidding? I might pay attention at 25%.)

·      Free shipping / free gift / save 20% (And then you open the website to discover this deal only applies when you spend a certain amount, like $69, $85, or $150, carefully calculated so that you won’t reach that amount with just the item you have in mind.)

·      Buy one, get one -- and variations thereof. (This is my least favorite promotion. When you only want one, as is often the case, this is a useless deal whereby they lose my purchase altogether.)  

·      Today Only! (Give me a break. There’s always tomorrow.)

·      Here’s your $10 bonus (which upon ordering, doesn’t seem to mean very much in the total)

·      This weekend only – $4.99 (original price: $5.99)

·      Or, they invite you to the clearance sale, and everything you might want is no longer available. Penney’s and Blair are big offenders.

·      And then we have seasonal sales, such as “Spooky Good Deals,” “No Tricks, Just Treats,” or “Monster Sale.”

Sometimes I get sucked in, but my goal is not to add more fabric and yarn to my stash without a definite purpose. (Notice that I am enticed by fabric and yarn, not clothes and home dec. Sometimes I have to be stern with myself. “You’re shopping,” I say, “and you don’t need a thing!” True but not much fun.

I used to think that I should never shop JoAnn’s without a discount coupon. If I got to the store without a coupon, I just didn’t go in. Then I realized that for the little I actually spend plus the fact that the coupon doesn’t apply to sale merchandise anyway, I really don’t need to bother with coupons. These days I seldom present a coupon, and they never ask for one. KW

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!